LATEST INTERCOLONIAL.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1032, 24 December 1872, Page 2

LATEST INTERCOLONIAL.

The Rangitoto from Melbourne brings Australian news to the 12th instant: — MELBOURNE. December 12. The schooner Catherine has been wrecked on the King's Island. The crew were saved. A heavy thunder storm broke over Melbourne this morning. A telegraph boy was nearly drowned in the street channel. The overland telegraph line is again interrupted, late cable messages have not arrived. The conflict between the two Houses has been settled, the Council giving way, and tbe Education Bill has now been passed as it originally left the Legislative Assembly. In the Diseases in Stock Bill the Council also gave way. The Bill to increase the Judges salaries by £oOO each was strongly opposed by a small faction in the Assembly. The House sat till seven o'clock this morning, and the Bill was eventually passed. The prorogation is fixed for next Tuesday. A New Zealand despatch relative to the mail service has been forwarded to Sydney. A reply has been received from Commodore Stirling, declining the Victorian offer of assistance in the | South Seas. Mr Kane, secretary of the Board of Education, died last Sunday. The schooner Katheraw has been wrecked at Queen's Island. The crew were saved. She was insured in the Derwent office. A fair amount of business ba% been doing during the week, and large sales of wheat have been effected for export. New Zealand wheat is quoted at 5s 9d, and the latest quotations for Adelaide is 5s Id for old, and 4s lOd for new. Kerosene has advanced to Is 11-Jd. Sugars are not so firm, as cargoes are still arriving and dealers are stocked. Patna rice, £l9 in bond. Oats, 3s 2d to 3s 4d for feeding sorts; little doing. Arrived, Dec. 11, Zephyr, from Ilokitika. Sailed, Dec. 8, Maid of Erin, for Westport.