AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 377, 29 July 1874, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika, .July 27th. The s.s. Tararua arrived la3fc evening from Melbourne, which place she left on the 21st. Melbourne, July 21st. The Chief Secretary still continues in a prccarous state of health. The Committee of the Assembly have agreed, by a majority of 31 to 24, that an Address be preseaied in favour of the continuance of payment of members. The Legislative Council will to-morrow examine medical witnesses at the Bar of the House on fche Vaccination Bill. Several more bodies have been buried at Kiug's island. The wreck of the British Admiral has been found to be in about seven fathoms of water, and from her position it is probable that her ca,rgo will be easily recovered. The German residents have telegraphed an address to Bismark, congratulating him on his recent escape from assassination. Seventeen hundred invitations have been issued for the Governor's ball, "which is to come off on Tuesday. Business is dull. Breadstuff's are a shade better. Elennessy's case brandy, lower sales, 28s 6d ; MarteU's 27s 6d. Kerosene-is more in request. Oats milling, os 3d to 4s 4d. Sugars and teas move off slowly

The Seat of Government. — Rumor has it says the •' Southern Gross," that the Otago and Canterbury contingent of our colonial legislators purpose to make considerable efforts to obtain the removal of the seat of Government to Canterbury. The place proposed is the little quondam French settlement of Akaroa, and it is said that Canterbury *is prepared out of its abundance, to pay £300,000 to meet the expenses of removal. Akaroa is out of the question, for wherever it should go, the capital should, at least, be a tolerably large and growing city ; and no doubt the Canterbury people would prefer Ohristchurch. But then Dunedin would be jealous, and feel that if removed to Christchurch there would be a likelihood of the seat of Government remaining permanently fixed there, instead of someday hereafter taking root in Dunedin. Many members are by no means satisfied with Wellington in its preseul. condition as the Empire city, and there is a probability that the subject of change may come before the Assembly ; and if one or other of the two southern cities were proposed, the object would receive considerable support. Many think if any change were to be made that oosey 'sunny' Nelson, with which, notwithstanding its alleged sonmolencey, all visitor's are charmed, should be the sits chosen, and if so it would still be a city in the neighbourhood of the Straits, while it would at once gratify Canterbury and Otago by removal from evil influence, and at the same time prevent jealousy between those twoimportant centres. We do not believe, however, that any such removal is probable, but it is not at- all unlikely that efforts will be made to constitute Wellington into a federal city, excising it from the Province, and making Wanganui the scat of the Provincial Government. The question once raised may extend, I and take even the shape of an attempt i to abolish provincialism in the North Island. Some members, we know, would gladly see this accomplished, and some are so sanguine as to believe the time to be ripe for such a movement ; but they forui, or we are much mistaken, but a small minority, and will have strong personal interests to contend with. Without doubt, with both North and South, Wellington is not a political favorite. What ig the difference between truth and eggs?— " Truth crushed to earth, will rise again." Eggs won't