LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1077, 3 June 1873, Page 4

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

MELBOURNE. May 22. It is considered in monetary circles that had the Bank of New Zealand been permitted some discretionary latitude, the New Zealand loan would havo been placed, but, as it was, it proved unsuccessful, the minimum having been fixed too high. Wince the tenders wero opened on the 16th, the brokers report sales of about £40,000 at £9O 10s. Despatches havo been .sent per ; Barodti declining to enter into the Suez contract on the terms proposed by Earl Kimberley. The date of the Baroda's departure is doubtful. Forty-two passengers refused to go. She is still at the Heads. ' The second officer is badly affected with smallpox. Full despatches have been sent to the New Zealand Cabinet by Mr Francis, maintaining the position re i the mail service. The* Cabinet is-considering the bor- • der duties question:; with every pros- ; pect of settlement. <The -second Parliament opened on the 13th inst. The speech • was meagre and silent as to the mail service. It has since been ascertained tliat Mr Francis raado a proposal to Mr Vogel, and advised the Homo Government that Victoria would not join New South Wales in the mail arranget ments. The newpaper postage is reduced to : a halfpenny. The outgoing mail steamer Baroda is . quarantined for smallpox. The Villeneuve Smith divorce case • lasted several days, and a verdict was given for the femalo respondent. Kabat is sentenced to eleven years. Borhut, the Sandhurst murderer, has been hanged. There is a great scandal in the public Works department, on account of the officers opeuing tenderers' enve- • lopes. A criminal action against the Melbourne Herald by Mr Minch, the owner of Commodore, is proceeding. Mr Higginbotham will probably be defeated for East Bourko. The opposition to Ministers in the Assembly is weak. The wholo of the mining engineers at Sandhurst are on strike for eight hours after the 2nd. At a great seamen's meeting, a • petition was set on foot to release the men of the Sea Nymph who were imprisoned for refusing to work twenty out of the twenty-four hours on board. Moore, ascamsn, stabbed Kellihar, another seaman, mortally, and was sonteuced to three years imprison- . >ment. Grosvenor Morrison, a magistrate at Gippslaud, has been committad for 4,rialior perjury. SYDNEY. May 24. Many miners aro going overland from Queensland to Port Darwin, The New Electoral Bill gives one member for every ten thousand of population. Mount and Morris, for the Carl atrocity, havo -been sent to Pentdridge In tho mining action of Harloy v. Grevillc, both members of the Assembly, in which one thousand pounds damages were claimed, a verdict was returned for the defendant. An earthquake was felt at the North Shore on Monday, preceded by slight shock on Sunday. The ex-Governor of Hankow has been arrested for embezzling the funds of the Imperial Government and committed for trial. ADELAIDE. May 22. A general agitation for the eight hours movement is organising. Tho Register severely criticises Mr ■Francis' action regardbig tho mail service. Macmurdo, the forger, was arrested on board the Coerong. Nimblefoot is the favorite for the Cup. There is a great mining mania in ) northern gold •stocks. Wheat is'firtn at 5h Gd to 5s 7d. —# .

LATER ENGLISH NEWS.

;lqn.don. May 20. The Scottish and Australian Investment Company have declared a .dividend often per centiper annum. The wheat market remains firm and i steady ;• Quantity received from Cali'fornia<irregulor. Australian market quiet. Mutton is'quoted at .40 to 43. Beef from 38 to 41. AVool sales; half the quantity has been .-sold ; prices well sustained.