GENERAL SUMMARY.
The Nairue Railway Bill bas been Jpa-ueJ by the Assembly. In moving the tecoud reading the Commissioner of Public Woks stated that the »nrvev9 which bad been carried oat since
tne Bill was introduced had resulted in tbe discovery of a route with a ruling gradient of 1 in 45 instead of 1 in 33. It is true that the distance is increased by about four miles, but there are these great advantages in the line now proposed : that tbe first eleven miles will be the first link of a line to WilluDga, and the de viation will secure the wLole traffic of Coromatt del Valley and neighbourhood instead of going through a eomparatirely nnprodoctiTe Btnngy bark country. Tbe South, Mr. Hawker urged, has in common justice a claim for railway com munication when it is considered that between 400 ami SOI) miles of railway bare been made or authorised for the North. The Engineer in-Chief estimates thst the line will carry 250,000 passengers and 150,000 tons of goods per annnm. The working expenses are estimated at £-14,380, and the revenue— taking the present railway rate* for passengers spd goods— is pat down at £122,900. But nssuming only half the pasMTcers and goods traffic the expenses would be £28,000 ami the revenue £81,000, giving even in this rase a unrplns of over £30,000 over working expenses, or in other words a profit of nparly 5 p*r cent. Not only, he urged, would tbe line be reproductive, but it would be of great advantage to tbe residents of Adelaide and the colonists general); by enabling them to spend the vtry hot nights in a comparatively cool climate. The Legislative Council bas yet to deal with the Bill. The land and Property Tat Bill has bpen paoi'd by the Assembly. The Treasurer does not nuticipatc th.it.tlie proposed taxes will bring in morr- than from £75,000 to £SO,000 a year at (lie ontsioV : but although the results will uot lie large tie pawing of the measure as the beginning of an adjustment of taxation will, he think*, give us a splendid chance— and one that may not occnr again— of miking a Ctiatonis union with New South 'Wales, or at any rate awimilating our tariff to the duties of that ? olony. The vicious fiscal policy of Victoria and her haughty isolation make it, in hisopinion, itnpostiUe to look to that province with a view to nny Customs arrangement, and we should recognise that Victoria's blunders are onronpor tanitits. Mr. Mann believes that we will end the yivu with a debit balance of £200,000, and !ie thinks it possible that next year he will have to propose that £40,000 of the sum to be raised -hnll be devoted to lessening the deficit. The proposed taxes will uot come into operation until the Customs tariff is revised, hut in the meantime the machinery will be brought into operation »o that an exact estimate of the rrorreils ot the t«xe* may be nude. The Bill i;ow awaits the considentiou of the Upper 1 louse. A tew days ago Mr. Boss gave notice that he would rail the attention of the Minister of KducHtion to an extract fioru a receut speech of sir Hinry I'arkes »ud ask whether and under wlint circumstances the Government had granted the right to the other colouies to connect at Port I Dsirwin a line passing into Queensland by way of Kimlerley and the Roper. The hon. gentle man however stated on Thursday that he would not press the question if the Minister thought it inconvenient to answer it thut day. Mr. Mann said that his colleague was prepared to answer the question, but he thought the hon. member would be consulting the interests of the roubtry if he did not ask it. The matter then dropped. The Permanent Force Bill has been pissed by the Assembly. The Bills to authorise the con 'iructiou of a railway to Teatree Gully and from Gladstone to Georgetown were thrown out by the Council, and the Bill for the construction of the liirerton and Clare line by the Assembly. A Bill to authorise the construction ? ?f another railway to Glenelg has been carried through Parliament. A measure to repeal tbe Act constituting Port Danviu in the Northern Territory a free port has been agreed to by the Assembly. The Select Committee of the House of A*semlly have reported in favour of tbe sit-' adjoining the present building as the best for the erection of new Houses of Parliament. We repiet that in consequence of illness Mr. Bljtb, M.P., is nbont to leave the colony for Eryland. ard that he will resign his seat for North Adelaide. Mr. Blyth bas booked hii (lastn^e by the mail steamer which leave* Glenelg on November 30. A gentleman who has just returned from a t?n dajs' tour in the northern wlieat districts informs us that tin- prospect* of the harvest h ive greatly improved during the past a-x weeks. His trip imlirmeel visits to Hallett, Jamestown, Belalie, ? Jladstoiu-, Crjstal Biook, Port Pirie, Wan di-nrah. Miuidoora, Broughtou Extension. (Viliusfield. Kedhill, Kooluuga, Yaekn, ltd luster. Blyth'a Plains, C.hn; riim-H's Flat, .ind .Suddlt'worth. In tlie ilistri; ts in the vicinity of Adelaide the crops have improved very much ?lining the p.i»t week, ltiist has appeared in a l\w phct't, bvit in most cases it is attributable ;o !.li-vHily farming. The wheat is of first-class quality as a grneral rule, and our informant, who is a ---ii,r»ttiit authority, anticipates a general average for the colony of ten bushels to the acre.
A review of the volunteer force by His Uxcellriii-y tlie Governor took place at Monte icirt Hill on November 11. Over COO voluntevrs rere pr» si lit Mid 5,000 or (i -XK) spectators. The r;ai -- nvre* were well performed, and Sir IVil iai:i Jrrvois expressed hie satisfaction with the naiinr in uhicu they wtre pone through. In i'ons-i)i]ei.ce of oulv twelve persDns having jp:(«*e-l ttuir willinguts« to join the pro .o-ul unpaid volunteer company the idea has -. e:. jbaLdoncd. Monday, November 11, was held as a general holiday in honour of the birthday of H.R.H, the Prince of Wales, If the large proportion of the population of the city and suburbs, who took advantage of the occasion to enjoy themselves had been consulted they could not have desired a much better day for their convenience and delectation. True the weather was rather warm, but it was thoroughly seasonable and tempered most parts of the day by light breezes. The public amusements were the volunteer review on Montefiore Hill, which, with the fondness for military pageants seemingly inherent in those hailing from the United Kingdom, was attended by thousands ; and next the Intercolonial Athletic Sports at the Exhibition Grounds, a kind of sightseeing which offers more attrac- tions even than the last to many classes, and consequently received as large if not a larger share of attention. The minor fetes were the Hibernian Society's annual celebration at Torrens Island, the South Anstralian Brick- makers' Association's excursion to Salisbury, and the Good Templars' picnic at Oaklands, all of which were more or less well patronised. Glenelg and the Semaphore as usual drew thou- sands to "promenade the piers," and the Garden was visited by a large number. In the evening there was also no lack of amusement. A Govtrtment part; of six rabbit-d«stroycrs have ken sent away to the North They hare N;in supplird with a limited quantity of the bisulphide of «rbon, a ftirthtr Mock of which it is fspected will be produced uext week when the larger machinery for manufacturing it Iim bvi n tiectt d. In tbe meantime should tie men havo exhausted tlieir supply they will be set to work digging ont the rabbiti Notices have b.-en pcst«l to a large number of pastoral lessees snd extensive landholders requesting them to fie that the work of destruction is began on tlieir land, wpecially on the boundaries adjoin ing farms, to that the crops may not be farther icjared. The farmers will have notice to destroy as scon as the harvest has been gathered. The half-yearly report and balance-sheet of tie Adelaide, Glftielg, and Suburban Railway Company are again very satisfactory, showing as they do that a balance remains to credit of profit and las amounting to £7,263 Ss. lid. The Director* recommend tbe payment of a dividend ef 5s. per share on those shares nnmbered 1 to ?MOO, and \fn raia dividend of 1« per share on those shares numbered 4,401 to S,fOO. The Directors state that fas order to facilitate the carriage of ptMcngen on days of f xr*ptional]y heavy traffic they have laid down a aiding of halt a mile in length at the middle of tie line, which will form t«rt of tie double
line a* well u provide for present increase of tnffic From the statement of accounts it appears ttat there was a balance of £8,577 15s. lOd. remaining from tbe previous aiz months, and that the traffic receipts for the half-year fcLduig September 30 amounted t* £6,563 10 1. ?id., against which tte; interest on bonds came to £1,056 4s. 2d., and the working expenses, in cluding materials and maintenance, to £4,6S5 4s. 3d. A lopplf mentaiy statement shows that during Octobtr the receipts were £1,219 7».2d. acd the expenses £7-JS Is. fid. The ninth hali-jearly report of the North Adelaide and General Building Society shows that ihe principal items of income were sub scriptions, kc, £3,251 4s. 9d.; interest, £495 Is lOd. ; premiums, £565 5«.; fees, ££5 5s. 8d. Tbe expenditure (bowed £5.375 advanced to members daring the balf-year. From the profit accrued £&il 7s. 6d. mut allotted to shareholders at tbe rate of £2 5a. on original shares. Tlie Directois of tbe Port Tramway Company have decided to purchase a steam motor for the line. Accordingly Mr. D. Murray has been wind to this effect, and one will he sent out from England by steamer. Tbe contractor is I weeding with the work of laying the rails, and tbe only difficult}' experienced is in getting sleepers. Tbe line however it is expected will be ready for opening at the end of the year. The Commercial Bank commenced business on November 4 in premises in King Williun strett. A branch has since been gpened at l'ori Adelaide. The Committee of the Adelaide Children1!! Hospital have decided to appoint a Committee in Kogland, consisting of Mitscs Clark, Ashley, Hill, and H. Ferguson, with power to add to their number, to secure the services of a lady to act as matron, who should also be competent to train mirees. It was also resolved to advertise in the local daily papers for one month in order if possible to secure such a person here, in which case tbe action in reference to tbe English Com mitue conld be Btayfd by cablegram. The salary was fixed not to exceed £150 per annnm aith spartmeijts, board, &c. ; a saloon passage per suitable line of steamers to Adelaide to be fcecured should n lady be obtained iu England. The B.M.S. Siatn, Commander G. N. Hector, K.N.K., after a good run of a little over eighty eight hours from King George's Sound, whence she sailed at 1 on Wednesday, October 30. arrived at Glenelg on Saturday, November 2, about 5.30 o'clock, over twenty-four hours in advance of tbe outgoing English mall steamer Tanjore. This vessel sailed at midnight on Sunday, November 3. The s.9. Cnzco arrived at the Semaphore on Wednesday morning, November 13, afier a fine liassage of a little over forty-three days, including a stoppage of thirty boars at St. Vincent and two daj-s at the Cape. Tbe actual steaming time was thirty-nine days. Forty single men immigrants have been brought by the Cuzco to the colony. The steamship Hankow, after a splendid run of forty-two days direct from Plymouth to Adelaide, arrived at tbe Semaphore about 5 p.m. on Friday, November 1. On tbe boarding officers going alongside it was reported that a case of modified smallpox had occurred, the patient being one of the third-class passengers. He was taken ill on September i*0, the second day after leavipgPlyinouth.sufferingapparently from pneumonia. On tbe 30th the rash showed itself as unmistakable smallpox, but in a modified form. Tbe sufferer was isolated upon the first symptoms of a terious character showing thr mselvcs, and every care was taken to prevent tbe spread of contagion. He was wsil on arrival, but the Health Officer wisely considered that the time between the'raah first showing it»ilf on tbe man's bedy and the arrival of the Hankow was too short to warrant his allowing tiie tajsecgers toknd. The vessel was accordirgly placed in strict quarantine1. Four small niuh rags were allowed to be placed on board the ?inarautine hulk Filzjimts by tbe HauknwV men, and they were there fumigated for abo'.iS two hours before being lauded at the jetty. There were a large number of passeugers, in -luding between thirty and forty for Adelaide who wfro next day placed on boird the quarantine hulk litzjames, fram which tbev ivere released on the following Wednesday. The fU-amer Queen of the South grounded at ti.e Murray-ir.outb oa Saturday afternoon, November 3, in consequence of the extreme owiess of the tides. She managed to move otf iufilouttn-o hours' time, bn: before anyway -onld be got on her tbe again stuck hard and last, and so remained until Sunday afternoon, when she was towed off by the steamer Weut worth aud taken to Goolwa. Two-thirds ot h-;r cargo, or about 160 tons, was thrown over to Mghttn her. Tbe salvage did rot exceed 40 tons. The extension of the wharfage at Port Ade laide is an evidence of the imrease gradually taking place in the shipping at Port Adelaide The South Australian Company's new whirl' 'eacbts down as far as tbe Coalsbed creek and is rapidly being made ready for use. Tiie ?Itidge Torrens bas already obt lined a dcptli of water of from 14 ft. to 16 ft. ti i:i., ?ind is jirosecuting tbe deepening opera tions to a width of 1(0 ft, the water frontage {possessed by the Company. Tlie Gliuiville Wharf, which ba9 been frequently used by timber and immigrant ships, his now received iu the City of Calcutta the first general cargo ship to discbarge on the Peninsula side of the river. We understand that the subject of laying a line of rails to this wharf in under lonsideration. The Express, of 1' tons, a wooden psdcile stinmer, for the Darling, whilst anchored on the ivcning of the 16th within three miles o!' Eustou on the Murray, caught fire. The flames rapidly destroyed the boat and cirgo, a portion of whiih being keroninc nude it impossible even if assistance hail let'ii at baud to save any thing. Tbe master aud crew were ashore at tbe time of tbe occurrence, and having left thr furtiacc-door open it is corjeitured that thr wind may have blown .«p'-i°k*iimongst the cargo. The Sara Drejfiw grounded iu the i.airows at Prit Pirie, l-ut wa« got off without ir jury. On Novi mber 9 the Mayor (the Hon. II. Scott) .?ntfrtiintd at a Wipirt at the Towr Hall His Exrellt-ncy tie Governor aud abou* :M0 guLtlunui. t'cmj rising the Ministry, members of Parliament and Corporations, Government r.fikials, and gentlentn occupying public posi tkns. Ihe Vicar-Gmrral has received advice from the Piisfcop of AdeUide tint the new Head Master of St. IYtn's College (tlie I.'cv. W. Eedell-Ptatfnrd, M.A.) ol.1 Hi- Lordship's Domestic Chaplain (thr Kit. C C.Elcnm.SI.A.) will lajrivc in the colony this month j»r Lusi tiiuia. Tho bishop lias nlso engaged for hi« diocese two rltrpymtn in deacon's orders — the Kits. Jm:es Oiclmrd aid PLilin K. P. Doi'.ds, B.A. The wages of tho surfare hands on Mooata Mints has been rid need sixpence per day. Tfce cotitinued deprrsiiuo in the price of cop^r ann the probability of its falling still lower harA It appfarv, made this and the reiluction in the jtatdatdabsolut*!; Mft««ry to the cuntinaince of c|»eratiiinsol) tLf mii.f. Tliere wbs qcitc i\ sH.wtional mMch on th- nrrtral ground en SiDiirday, Xorember 10, wlifu the XorwooJ C1»K who lure !»?!,! the premier j*-»itiou for three yean ta«t. wtn deflated by the Noith AOelaide twin by 15 itinf. About ],2W spectators ivcre presfiit ainl the most iut«i:se rxt'itfmi-nt jirsvaMid Tin Xr.rwoods only srored 43 runs, at.d the North Adi-laido n.^v h»d 7 wickets down for 13 rnt«. Tfce match was won jus; before :he mVh wicktt fell, and the total obtaiunl wn? 5!t luiii. G iff en bowled 5 ivkkets for -5 rut )', and Pi-van 7 for 22 thus. We understand that the promoters h»ve ibtaii ed a ni-;cty-uir.e jears' lease of a [«rti«n of tie East-lud Market Coui|iaii\'s land in Raciile-street lor the jiiirpose of ertctirig u tfctatrr thrrroo. Mr. A. H. F. P.irtels, who died recently, was in all recpfcts what is krown as a selt-iuide man, anil his career exemplifies in a marked litpte lnv» by the possession of titling qualities rorsihtently displayed iu ail hii itfilii'fs a n,»u of hnmbie ori^iu mty n'w himself to a position of emineuce in the ccm mutiity. Mr. Kartels was born in Hxcovtr, sud in his early jtars followed the trade of a cig*r makcr at Hamburg. He came to the colony in 1£49. and having worked as a farm labourer b- rsme snbsequently a tokaccocist and then a publican. In December, 1566, he was chosen by the r»t'p»yers of Hindmaxsh Ward to re present them in the City Council— a position he retained for four years, and the mauuer in which he bad discharged his functions gave so n-uch satisfaction that after s year's absence f;em the Council he was in December, 1571, tlected Mayor of the City, being tbe following year returned to the office unopposed. The good, sound, common sense, the diligent atten tion to his duties, thorough integrity, straight forwardness, acd business ability which distin guished his action in municipal affain were quite es apparent in the concerns of bis everyday life. list these qualities were well recognised was fkowD by the fact that be occupied the position of Director of the Permaner.t Eqni table Building Society and other public Companies to the satis faction of shareholder!. He was also a member of tbe Destitute Board. The annual meeting of the Aborigines' Friends Association was held in Chalmers Cornell Schoolroom on November 7. A report which contained mncb interesting natter ibonicg tbe inccess of the Association is its
betevolect operations for the social improve ment »nd tiviliutira of the natives was pi ejected and adopted. A public dinner was grren to the Hon. W. H. Bupdey (Attorney -Geiieni) and Mr. F. E. H. W. Krithanff, the rtpmentAtives of the District of Onkaparinga, at tbe Alma Hotel, Lobethal, on Friday evening, November 15. The case against John, Margaret, Ellen, and Mary McGuiceu, charged with censpiring to obtain by false pretences, and » obtaining from divers merchants in Adelaide, goods anil mer chandise to the value of £l,S00; also with defrauding tbe creditors of Abranam McGuiness and defeating tbe laws of insolveccy, and in pursuance of these conspiracies attempting to remove and conceal a large qoaatity of goods the property of tbe said Abraham MeGuinesi, was concluded on Friday, and resulted in tbe conviction of all the prisoners. John McGniness received a sentence of two years' imprisonment with hard labour, Margaret and- Ellen six months r»- h iu the Adelaide (Hoi, and Mary, who was recommenced to mercy by the Jury, nas ordciedto be imprisoned for one week. On Tuesday morning, November 12, His Honor the Commissioner of Insolvency gave judgment tn re James Mitchell Sinclair and Thomas Sinclair, of Port Adelaide, merchants and shipping agents. There was no opposi tion entered against the eider insolvent, but a number of charges had been prefeued against Thomas Sinclair. His Honor acquitted T. Sinclair of the charges of fraudulent preference, aud several of the charges on behalf of the Bank of South Australia were held to be not sustained, bat in respt ct to tbe charges involved in the alleged filse re; resenulion that twenty-fire tons of f'.cur had been shipped on board tbe Seagull insolvent was found guilty of contracting a debt of ££0 odd witn ifae Bank of South AustrMia. J. M. Sinclair was awarded a second class certificate without suspension, and T. Sinclair received a eecond-cbus certificate, to* be suspended for twelve mouths, and insolvent to be imprisoned at tbe rait of tbe assignee! for six mouths ; tbe certificates granted to be provisional for six weeks to enable (Creditor j oui of the jurisdiction of the Court to be heard u to the certificate to be finally awarded. About midnight on November G tbe police reported to the City Coroner (Mr.' Tboi. \V»rd, J.P.) tbat a young man named John Arthur bad assaulted bis father, William Arthur, at Bowden ; that Dr. Cave bad reported it as a very sei ious case, snd suggt sted that it would be better to have bis dying depositions taken. The wtapou ustti was a heavy malice club, some eight or ten ncalp wounds being the result. The Coroner at once started for the residence of tbe man who bad been assaulted, but bad to take bit depositions so slowlv that he had to remain till nearly 3 iu the morning. The deposition* pointed to John Arthur's wife as a participator in tbe attack. She wbs sought for and arreited, and with her husbtnd brought to their father's bedside to hear his dying depositions. They were brunght up before tbe Police Court on Ih'arnlay morning (barged with assjultiug tbe old man and remanded till a future dsy. 'Ihe quarterly meeting of the Presbytery of ?South Australia was held in Flinders-street Church ou Xovtuiber 5, the Kev. J. F. Hender san being Moderator. Tbe f.tv. A. J'. Knox tcnCtrto. Lis rcMgimtion of the charge of tbe Xurth Adelaide «. hurch meeting at the Tem perance Hull, which was accepted, and it was icsolvt-d ti.it tbe services at North Adelaide l-e ilUcoLtiLUtd. It wjs decided to agree to the suggestion of the Victorian 1'retbjteriauAviemMy inn* in the event of the Jitv .1 G. Patui: U ins uliligeil to withdraw rro:n 'he New Hil/iiiies Inlands on .ifiount of ill henlth he -li'it!d be up] oiutu.t travelling agc!-t tor the u.i*Mcii it tin- coloric*. The iiev. ,1 ileiideist.u u-j.ijji.tii tl.e j.-0-iiiion oi Presbytery'.1 Ucii-.tir -.t ?!..' i.,;.l.-i7,acl.la.-l ftr.Mff...,™! I.', lltv. Jj.l'ali':, n.:s u; j oiiittd in his pli.'e. I he foiToVioii -sti.iii of .-. i.cw )-Wt of r.o;siiij t Q;-.eiis!iittii. hi U- fiiiJid tli.- \Vhi',tiki-t Miiuiiial CiiMtli, was Li. i onSiil-.ir.liy -lire.-- ? ?ecu. Nov.n.1.1 L',l.j -^r' Vl' K*lU...f*Cu.ilix Oieik. Twenty jiaisi-toii'iimilivi- SUthaJi?: Olmrdi wks built in tin loiWi.tii.Q.itets'.i'wn, «Lil ttrnd aftes tlu- tin n fcii.ttihtcndeLt ot ite i!ci omiuiitini). tt.i- J!cv. J. 1). Whittaker Utteiiy t!;e din :»i d» for .'Hi-i-ixiii.od.i:iov. have oiitgii'Mu tt.i1 (Oi.vn'ieuns ut ill t . bur:b, ami iereLTly it was ii- ciiird tin: i: ^.iGiil'i 1-i; reuiuved '.0 gne place !u a suuituu in- re in ktepiug w'tlli thr '.in is On Friday af'eiawu, Voveniber 1, upwards oi ?ixty lerwiis nut iu the Institute Puilding. Clxie, ou the occasion ot a iireseutatiou a-iu idiiitss being m»-''' to Mr. A. ti. Price, l:iU Manager of t! e ('Jiuit uraiicli of the -«tionil Uui.k, ul:o isiibmit to eutet i-!. I. inning pursuit^ Tbe Mi.} or (Mr. Crabb) m-ciipicd tbe il.air. Thi d(!rt-sw*s ^igned by 153 ptr«ius «n-l sboVi vtiy t i(.lly ut Of ii^im! iu nhirh Mr. I'rirt was lujii. both tor llu- maiitirr in wlii.b lie hai! arrnduiit his bnsiiei-s limitR Hi.ii alsi inas sii-tirg in al! wc.ke for ilif gejul oi the tu-vu TI i ;.fii!r- »m whs ULtoupai.i d bj u purse of Vid ?oviri'ijtus. Vu ThuisdRV, Xovtmlitr 7, a uumber of rwi di!il- o! K' pui.(i.i pristi.ted Mr. Wiliimn Neill, 'ati Manager of tin' National Unnk at Kspuudu, ol ti:c ocosiou 'i his le*vini to Uke charge of the llank's businfss at Port Adelaide, with \ likuriM.iLC w(.llfuruUbed travclliii£-desk . On tl:e same evening th« teachers of tln Kaf uniia Baptist Siaday-fctool, of which Mr Neill hi.d been Snperintendent, presented him with an illniiiiimted addr(»?, and tbe Church in-i coi'gietatic-n gave him an elegant biscuit lari.l. TI* Devon Consols Mining Company is to W 'en^unUtd.