LATEST FROM AUSTRALIA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 258, 9 January 1873, Page 5

LATEST FROM AUSTRALIA.

I p [Via Hokitika.] ; A delaide, December 20. A discovery of extraordinary richness has been made at the Moonta mines, consisting of an abundance of malleable copper and diamond oxide in considerable quantities. Pleuro-pneumonia has broken out amongst the town hsrds. Post mortems have been | held on several of the animals that have j died. The insurance companies have resolved to charge 4 a per cent, on cargoes of wheat for England. ' Melbourne, December 21. Referring to Mr Vogel's published strictures on the circular despatch from Earl Kemberley re intercolonial reciprocity, the Argus enquires who authorised Mr Yogel to interpret the sentiments of the Australian Colonies and to admonish and reprimand the Earl in the name of two millions of people, instead of that of a quarter of a million New Zealanders. Mr Wilberforce Stephen is the new Minister of Education. Sydney, December 20. A rumor is current that Mr H. H. Hall : s tender for the Californian service is lowest, aud that of the A. S. IS. Company next.

Hokitika, January 5. The Tararua arrived from Melbourne last night, at 10 p.m. She left on the 30th nit., and brings English Cable news to the 28th.

London, December IP. The ship Annie Leslie, for Melbourne, with a cargo of timber, was stranded at Dungeness. The crew were saved. In the Tichborne trial the prosecution will attempt to prove that the claimant is A rthur Ort'in. Witnesses are being obtained. A serious failure in Mancb* ster is causing uneasiness in commercial circles I One hundred and fifty tons of Australian tin have been sold by tender at from LSS to LBO. Paris, December 20. The Left and Centre of the Versailles Assembly are virtually disorganised in consequence of the vote arrived at on Saturday against dissolution. The Monarchist parties at Versailles begin to show a spirit of com ciliation towards the Government of the^ Conservative Republic. The dismissal of the Mayor of Nantes for insufficiently protecting the Catholic pilgrims at Lourdes, is considered an indication of a conservative policy. December 21. A French squadron has been ordered to Athe s, owing to a complication arising out of tho Larium mine question. A satisfactory settlement of the dispute is anticipated. Washington, December 20. A mixed commission, at Washington, has adjudicated upon one hundred and thirty claims for compensation put forward by the British Government as counter claims against those on account of the Alabama and other vessels, and rejected the majority. Amsterdam, December 20. The commission of enquiry has reported in favor of a gold currency for Holland. New "York, Pecpmber 21. Jay Gould has refunded sufficient to cover the claims of the Erie Railway Company against him. St. Petersburg, December 21. The St. Petersburg Gazette pays it has been . decided to undertake the Khiva campaign. London, December 21. Tenders are invited for the laying of a cable between Cape Mauritius and Aden. Theship Calcutta has repaired her damages, and sailed for Melbourne. Money is easier, and the reserve in the Bank of England large. Stocks depressed. New Zealand Consolidated Fives, 103| ; Sixes, 112. Wool firm. Tallow, sperm oil, hides, and bark unchanged. There have been large sales of Australian meat at high prices. December 24. The Germania, Atlantic steamer, of the Allan line, has been wrecked, and thirty lives lost. Through a railway accident in Pennsylvania, the carriages catching fire, nineteen persons were killed and thirty-five injured. An Imperial rescript relieves Bismarck from the Premiership, but requires that he shall still continue to confer with the Emperor on Imperial matters and on questions of foreign policy. He still retains a voice in the Cabinet Councils. The Pope, in addressing twenty-two Cardinals, alluded to the continued persecution of the Church, especially in Italy ; "and strongly assailed Germany, where, he said, pitfalls were laid, and violence and calumny employed to,destroy the Church. The Bill for the restitution of the -property of the Orleans Princes has passed the French Assembly. • l The Italian Recruiting Bill provides for personal liability for service between the ages «f 18 and 40. It is stated that the Khivans have summoned their auxiliaries to their assistance against Russia. The Czarewitch is suffering from typhus fever. The Atrato, steamship, has sailed for Melbourne. The November mails via Suez and Auckland have been delivered. Wheat is inactive. 200,000 quarters were lost during tbe storm. A Bill is before the fpanish Cortes for emancipating slaves at Porto Rico. December 26. The Great Britain, has arrived, 63 days out. Captain G r ay, hsr commander, com-> mitted suicide by jumping overboard -when the ship was thirty days out. I The Somersetshire, ?.s<, has sailed.

Captain Hunter's certificate has been suspended for twelve months for negligence in losing hia ship, the Royal Adelaide. December 27. The Behar arrived at Galle on the 26th. Reuter denies the rumors enrrent at St. Petersburg, that Lord Loftas, the British Ambassador thero, had delivered a note to Paince Gortsohfiknff announcing the resolution of the British Government to refrain from interfering with the Russians in Central Asia, provided they are not menacing Afghanistan. The Khivans have invaded Central Asia with 9000 men, and are besieging the forts of Atemba. Russian reinforcements have , been hastily sent. The Czarewiteh is better.

UNPUBLISHED CABLEGRAMS. London, December 28, 2 p.m. A line of six steamers from Liverpool to London, to call at Milford Haven, is proposed. Captain Goodenough relieves Commodore Stirling on the Australian station. Oils unchanged j tallow, dropping ; leathers^, active. „ The year's imports of Australian meats, amounted to 17.518 tons. The introduction of twrce beef was unsuccessful Arrived ; Wild Duck, from New Zealand. Austria, Germany, and Russia recommend Qreece to satisfy the demand of France and Italy concerning the Larium mines. Reports «re current of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and the.JP.ope being broken off. The- Press is hotly discussing a letter by the Due de Grammont, asserting that Austria pleaded for the support of France in the 1866 war. The statement is contested (? contradicted) at Vienna. A strike of 70,000 colliers is threatened in Wales.

Melbourne, December 3\ The farewell dinner to the Governor is fixed for the 2'» th of February. It is expected 810 persons will be present. The position of Secretary for Education was offered to Professor Irving, Head Master of the Wesley College. The College authorities would not permit him to accept it. Sir James M'Culloch has accepted the Agent-Generalship temporarily, but expects to be relieved in March. Mount and Morris were found guilty of manslaughter for the Carl murders ; sentence will be given on Thursday next. Great dissatisfaction has been expressed at the verdict. The cricket match, Eleven Victorians against Thirteen Sydney, Adelaide, and Tastnanian cricketers, resulted iD favour of the latter, with five wickets to go down. Thirty-two entries have been made for the Australian Cup. The Intercolonial Conference will be held at Sydney on the 18th January. The death of Captain Gray, late of the Great Britain, caused a feeling of general regret. The usual holiday amusements were well attended. Mr Venables, Inspector of Schools, is likely to be the new Education Secretary. Several fatal accidents are reported. The Hero has arrived. Commercial. — Very little business i 3 doing on account of the holidays. There have been large sales of sugars, showing a reduction of about LI per ton. Latest news from Mauritius states that one vessel is loading for Dunedin, and that 2853 tons have been shipped to New Zealand up to date. New Victorian wheat has been sold at 6s Id, and Adelaide (old and scarce), at 6s 3d. Oats, 3s 3d. In Adelaide, new wheat fetches 4s 5d for immediate delivery. The market is dull. Shipping.— At Melbourne — Arrived : Lizzie Grey, from Westport, on December 22 ; Derwent, from Wangaroa, on December 29. At Sydney — Sailed. 19th : Lion, for Auckland. At Newcastle — Arrived : Glenshee, from Dunedin, and Gazelle, from Wellington, on the 18th y Anne Melhuish, from Wellington, -on the 23rd ; Frowning Beauty, frpm Auckland, on the 25th. Sailed, 21st : Byron, for Auckland ; Haversham and Syren, for Wellington. Sydney. Hall's being the lowest tender for the Calfornian mad service, is likely to be accepted. A bill has been introduced to amend the constitution of the Upper House. It proposes to divide the Colony into twelve j electorates, each returning three members. _ ! H M.S. Cossack has sailed for England via Melbourne. It is stated that the action of the war steamers enforcing the Imperial Act has stopped pearl fishing in Torres Straits. The Lizzie and Rosa, coal laden, for China, has been burned. She was insured for L 2 000.. Floods have occurred in the Northern district. H.M.S. Blanche has left for a cruise. She intends to visit the Auckland Islands. New discoveries of extraordinary richness are reported from Winn's claim, Yam Creek, Northern Territory. London telegrams report a rise in iron of 20s a ton.

Wellington, January 4. Governor Bowen assumes the Governorship of Victoria early in March. ChiefJustice Arney will administer the Government here till Sir James Fergus'on's arrival. A number of the Taranaki natives, hitherto most opposed to land sales, have made overtures to the- Government to sell a quantity of valuable territory. Mr M'Lean visits Taranaki about the middle of the month to conclude the negotiations. Mr Jonas Woodward is gazetted Public Trustee. The regulations under the Act are also published. It is gazetted that Mr Driver has ceased to be American Consul at Dunedin. January 6. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court were opened to-day. The calendar is light, there being only seven prisoners for trial. Auckland, January 4. The Tararu Hotel had a narrow escape from burning, owum to the falling of a kerosene lamp. Several ladies' dresses ignited, but were extinguished before any serious injury was done. The Bank of New South Wales shipped 20,000 sovereigns to Dunedin yesterday. Tbe potato crop is a failure, owing to the drought. January 4 The cutter Victoria, owned by Anthony White, and laden with a cargo of firewood, while beating up the harbor this morning, struck on the shoal on which the Cape Bean Lighthouse is built, and was run ashore. The vessel sank, and the crew escaped. A son of William Eyre, aged eight years, .received a sunstroke, which terminated fatally. The Japanese Troupe and Charles's diorama of the Franco-Prussian War closed last night, and intend leaving Auckland. In the Acclimatisation Society's Gardens, the China and Assam tea plants are growing in the open air vigorously. It is intended to form a Horticultural Society at the Thames. Chairini's Circus is an immense success. The pavilion was densely crowded last night. , . January 5. A great thunderstorm broke over the city this morning. It began at eleven) and ended at four o'clock, and a succession of thunder

peals broke over the city, followed by terrific rain ; bnt it was not enough, as the ground is very parched. Napier, January 4. At Routledge and Kennedy's wool sale?, greasy merino fetched 9|d to Is ; half-bred pieces, B£d; scoured half-bred, Is 7|d. Lyttelton, January 5. Arrived. — Crusader, ship, 82 days out, from London, with 104 immigrants — all well. Rekfton, January 4. The first coach from Greymouth arrived last night, and was received with great cheering. The trip oc,onpied eleven hours, and was performed without the slightest difficulty.