South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Friday 3 October 1856, page 2


VICTORIA.

THE VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT.—The follow-ing list shows the composition of the Parliament so far as the elections have proceeded :— THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

(Composed of 30 members.) Central Province— Messrs. Hodgson, Fawkner, Miller, Hood, and Guthridge. Southern Province —Messrs.' Kennedy, Power, Clarke, McCombie, Bennett, and Strachan. , South-Wesstern Province— Dr.Hope, Messrs. J.'Henty, Boope, and Cowie. Western Province— Messrs. S. G. Henty and Cruikshank, Drs. Tierney and Palmer, and Mr. Vaughan. . North-Western Province— Messrs. Keogh, Urquhart, J. H. Patterson, J. Allan, and Mitchell. Eastern Eastern Province— Messrs. Hervey, Stewart, Williams, Thomson, and Kaye. The Legislative Assembly. (Composed of 60 members.) The following members have been returned to this House :— Melbourne— Messrs. Moore, Michie, Stawell, Smith, and O'Shanassy. There were 10 candidates, and the numbers polled were as follows :— Moore, 2,574 ; Michie; 2,224; Stawell, 2,221; Smith, 2,179; O'Shanassy, 2,122; Langlands, 2,082 ; McCulloch, 2,072 ; Heales, 1,559 -, Greeves, 1,520 ; and Ebden, 746. WiUiamstown — Mr. Foster. No contest. Prahran and St. Kilda— Messrs. Sargoodand Fellows. There were four candidates. The following is the final state of the poll :— Sar-good, 712 ; Fellows, 687 ; Chapman, 553 ; and Stephen, 426. Collingwood— Messrs. Harker and Embling. There were four candidates, who received respectively the following amount of support ?— Harker, 1,337; Embling, 1,294; A'Beckett, 922 ; Capper, 58. South Melbourne— -Captain Clarke. He waa opposed by Mr. Blair, who was defeated by a large majority, the numbers being— Clarke, 669; Blair, 320. Richmond — Dr. Evans and Mr. D S. Campbell. Here there were also four candidates, for whom the following number of rotes was polled respectively: — Evans, 661; Campbell, 559; Hall, 429 ; and Johnson, 393. Brighton— Mr. J. B. Were. Mr. Wood contested this district unsuccessfully, polling only 122 votes, against 269 recorded for Mr. Were. Geelong — Messrs. Fyfe, Sladen, Brooke, and Read. There were seven candidates. The fol

lowing is the official declaration of the state of the poll at its close:— Fyfe, 1,774; Sladen, 1,280; Brooke, 986; Bead, 975; Bright, 931; Bailey, 751 ; and Beban, 131. The Wool Trade.— From statistics of exports derived from Customs' returns the shipments of wool during the past season show a very considerable falling off in quantity compared with the seasons 1854 and 1855, the shipments from this port for the respective periods being ; — October 10, 1854, to August 31, 1855, 14,878,281 lbs.; October 10, 1855, to August 30, 1856, 11,717,617 lbs., being a reduction of 3,160,66i lbs., or about 10,500 bales. We are indebted to Messrs. J. H. Clough and Co.. wool-brokers, of this city, for the following remarks on this staple of the colony : — 'What may be the shipments of the coming season is difficult to predict, but we may positively depend upon the supply being still smaller. Many large growers have directed their attention to cattle, and have given up breeding sheep, and from the assessment of stock returns we are led to believe the reduction in quantity will be very considerable. In consequence of the copious rains which have fallen during the winter, we are informed that on many stations where washing cannot usually ba effected for want of water, there will bs a good supply, and that we may expect the wool this season to be well got up throughout the colony. The news per Montmorency, confirmed by the Golden Era, of a decline at the close of the May sales of about 2d. per lb., has had the effect of causing buyers to operate very cautiously in this market, the supply, however, being small, and consisting (until the arrival of the new clip, which we may expect commencing to come down from the interior in October and November) entirely of felhnongers' scoured and handwashed wools, has prevented holders accepting the full reduction as yet. We may, however, quote prices about Id. per lb. lower.' — Argus. Railways. — Contracts have been accepted for providing locomotives, rolling stock, &c., from England, for the Melbourne and Willi iamstown Railway, the successful tenderers being Messrs. De Pass Brothers & Co., at onehalf per cent, upon the English prices. The same firm have also contracted for the supply of 18,000 tons of rails. Tenders have likewise been invited for the supply of 110,000 sleepers for the Melbourne, Mount Alexander, and Murray River Railway, and the branch line to Williamstown ; and for a three-rail fence on both sides of the main line for 20 miles from Melbourne. Tenders have been received for the supply of a large quantity of rolling stock of colonial manufacture, but have not yet been decided upon. The railway from this city to St. Kilda is being rapidly proceeded with ; and the line from Melbourne to Geelong will be opened for traffic throughout, it is confidently asserted, in February next. — Argus. The Houses of Pabiiamejtt.— The new houses of Parliament are being pushed on with great vigour, as they will be required for occupation early in November. A great deal has yet to be done, but as so much has been accomplished under many disadvantages, we are satisfied those engaged upon the work will be adequate to the task. When it is considered that the foundations were not commenced nine months ago, and that the weather has been unusually wet, we think the present result not only satisfuctory to all parties connected with the building, but creditable to the colony in general. — Argus.