AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4438, 27 March 1883, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

JPSB S.B. AtTSIBAIJA, AT AUCKLAND.)

. (PES PSBSS ABBOCIATION.I • ■'■-.■' Stdkist, March 22. The principal event of the week has been

the. Copeland episode. On Saturday-night < Mr Copeland, the Minister of Works and Bailways, who is not an Irishman, attended the St. Patrick's banquet, at which Mr Redmond was also present. Sir Patrick Jennings was the only other Minister present. When the toast of the Ministry was proposed, Mr Copeland rose to reply, and'it was then seen that he. /Was not,in a fit state, and his friends tried ... hard to dissuade him from speaking, but - he obstinately refused to sit down, and ■"amidst interruptions attempted to justify , ■ himself,,.in refusing,a free pass to Mr Redmond ; bis language was not the most . choice; 'eventually he was compelled to • sit down, and the Evening News states he placed his head on the table and went to sleep with his pipe in his mouth. The , Herald-reported the speech fully, and; -*' ii?Xt morning there was much adverse ...comment, 'and Mr Copeland's resig- ' nation was urged upon. The matter was mentioned to the House by Mr. .Buchanan, who stigmatised the conduct of the. Herald manager as brutal, r disgraceful,: and malicious. A debate followed, in the course of which Mr Stuart stated that Mr Copeland intended •to .resign, brit this resignation has.been withheld, and at the instance 'of Mr Bnohatfan, who has gone round with a ' requisition, ari attempt has been made to ; coerce minister's into retaining their col--league.' Public opinion, however,, is in (ifavor of the resignation. . : ','■•■ 'v ' The Austral has,now gone to the Fifz- ;; roydock, to undergo preparation for her ' departure.to England. „.Jt!iW; l ikely that Parliament will be * asked to vote the sum of £10,000 for the representation of the colony at Calcutta. „ Mr.Redmond has.left for Brisbane. ■> ■ i >>" •■ ; We have had a long spell of fine weather. Mbleottene. ' :Sir B. O'Loghien deDies Mr Gillies' statements in reference to the condition of railway finances, and .characterises them as fallacious. * , The libel 'action, Rev. Dr Jacobsen v. Julius Matthews,.resulted'in a verdict for plaintiff, damages £300. The evidence for the defendant corroborated the defence set up, that plaintiff while filling the office of Rabbi acted contrary tQ the law of the Jewish church. A serious fire took, place at Crisp and Swinbourne's sawmills, Bourke street, causing a loss of £1600. The Hob R. 8. Anderson, Minister of Justice,,was re elected unopposed. The Harbor. Trust request the Goveraxnent to introduce an amfc, "ing bill to au-thorise-the Trust to borroV for the purpose of carrjing out important public works. .■"".. . ' G. R; Johnson, 1 axflhiteet, was awarded £2481 by the Supreme Court, on account - of the Bawtiorn 'railway accident. rT.he Brenorite mining; accident fund amointtla twenty thousand, another five tbonsaod is required to meet all claims). iiyletbnx^bag been allotted an inferior i portion at Amsterdam. Means are being, taken to improve it. ' v-K;.';*■ .-■'." ■■• ■" -„ Bbisbanb. The Premier, while travelling between , Gootchie, and Maryborough, narrowly escajied a serious accident near Tiaro station. The. train was going about twenty miles an hour, when it swept round a bend on the long, bridge. After going a few yard* on the bridge, one pair of wheels of' the fender left the track and travelled a hundred yards over the bridge, and a htindred and fifty yards on the other-side^across sleepers' before, the train could be pulled up. ■ Fortunately no damage was done. - . Three . Frenchman arrived on the BocChampton coast-from New Caledonia ; they state they are all free, men.. They subsisted/.for ..some! days on shellfish and grass. .