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PROPOSED AMENDING ELEC
TORAL RILL.
In the absence- of any more dtfiniteinforiuft
tion than can be obtained front the gnessep
' of the newspaper writers and corre-pon-
dentstbepublicHieinabsoluieignorancc of
the probable provisions in the Amending
Electoral Rill promised by the present
Government. That some change in the
redistribution of seats is absolutely
essential to some of the electorates ha
been frequently shown in these columns,
and is now, indeed, universal 'v admitted.
The fact that, while the proportion of
representation of the whole colony is one
member for every 2318 electors, S -uth
Gippsland has only onefor 3172 electors
Is bad enough, in all conscience. Bat
the lists disclose even worse anomalies
and ineqnalities than this. Take,
fcr example, the six electorates of Ararat,
Kyntton, Maldon, Foitlsnd, Staweil and
Warrnambool, having one member each,
the total voters on the roil for the whole
Bix number 8572, or one representative
for eveiy 1128 fleeter.-; ; while the great
electorate of Mo;ra has only two members
for 8511 elecloiB, or one for 1270
voters. We have put the same facte in
many other firms before, hut it always
comes out with the same result. What
remedy the Ministry propose t o find for
this we are totally unaware of, bat at
least one new proposition has leaked ont
which has crea'ed some doubt of tlio
Kftnitv of the troDOSers. if. indeed, it he
properly understood. This novel priuciple
has been called tbe A R C system, and,
as well as we can comprehend it. it
provides thai, supposing the candidates
are larger iu number than the seats in
any electorate, and that the seats for
that electorate are more than one, the
new aspirant must, in Vis nomination
Elate which of the former ra-rahers he
desires to oj pose. Turn it over how we
will, wo can find no other meaning in th"
bare announcement which has as yet
appeared, and yet Mich a proposal
seoms too monstrously nh-nrd nol
to throw some d.-m1 1 on our
proper comprehension of it. For, sup
pose it be as we say here, and taking Iho
case of Moira for insfianc-', and further
suppose that two men, A nnd 15, sinrt
for the district, they might both declare
they would stand against Mr Hall or
Mr Graham, as the case might he ; so
that the result would he tbe one of these
gentlemen who was not named as th.«
person to Ire ousted would have a walk
over, while the other, by dividing lli"
votes of Ids opponent, would have n
chance in his favor almost »mnntilimr
to a certainty. Let ns take another
supposition, namely, that A selects to
rnn against Mr Hall, nnd B Rgainst Mr
Graham, and that the dis'rict remain®
undivided till the next eleclion: The
voting might tnrn ont in this wav —
A 2564
Graham 187g
Ti SRJl
Hall... 2477
And yet Graham nnd Hall might be
be declared elected, because A was not
running against Graham, nor B against
Hall. No doubt some uiachinerv might
uu (u vuviniu LUIS FeclDin"
difficulty, hut, 60 far, we have not beard
how H is lobe gotover. Again, how would
the billot-papers be slmp-d so as to avoid
apparently evident confusion? Wonld
each contain the whole four names, with
elaborate instructions that if the elector
Intended to vote for Halt, he must strike
out the name of A and of one other ?
We do not say the hill will not answer
all these questions, bnt it cannot fail to
be cumbersome nnd give rise to no end
of mistakes. Resides, if A can he called
, on to declare that he is running ngainst
— say — Hall, why shr.uhl tli« lr.Hcr
have sr.ch a manifest advantage over him,
even hi not being enrup- lied to choose his
opponent. In fac, (he whole thing
requires explanation, to render it even
remotely comprehensible.
Gfot.ootou, Societv. — At tho last
monthly avi.dnj of the Geological Society
of A oairah... idd in Melbourne, Messrs
Goo. XIoKcn::Si», C. E., and .T. IT. Morten,
of Beechworth, wore elect »d members.
Yackandandah. — Our correspondent,
writing on Monday, says I regret to
have to record the death of Mr Patrick
McGrath, of sandy creek, which took
place there on Thursday evening last.
Early in this year Mr McGrath met with
a very serious accident, having been
thrown from his horse against a stump
whilst riding after cattle. On that occa
sion he was brought into the sanatorium,
where in was attended by Dr Mueller.
He recovered from the effects of the fall
but a complaint with which he had been
inflicted, again attacked him. For this he
went to the Ovens District Hospital,
which he left about two months ago.
Finding himself much better, he thought
he would be more comfortable at his own
place. His recovery, however, did not go
on as was expected, and he passed away
on Thursday evening. Mr McGrath was
well-known throughout the Yackandandah
and Sandy Creek districts and was uni-
versaily 'respected for his hones, straight-
forward leathers. His funeral service
took place on Saturday was very
............ attended. Oh Saturday Lie :
went her < - y mill, ami quite "ik-
Bpn-.g. i' r..\ , however, wrs v- 1 v
wild and ruv and in tho r vetting rain sr
in which cOMi-. 1 1 till a:: eariy h-wir thic
morning. 'IV d.iy again 'he sun is shill
ing, and th --'w.phore is mild. 1
Prisoners' Rations. — The' tenders of
the following for ihe "supply of rations to
prisoners in the lock-ups at the under
mentioned places iu the Nor' !- Eastern
District havn baun accet t<«l by < iovern-
ment BetiaHa, Lizzie Fitz-imons ; Bar-
nawnrtha, W. 11. XIoN-;l . Beiiwuga,
Georgo Arioitrong ; Bright, Henry Lewis;
Chilteru, Jam. -s Black ; Corryong, Robert
Seaion : E! Li.n-ati.i, Onerles Scinqq e;
Everioit, Thoiuas Uickerd ; Gr.mya, S.
J. Rousseau : Hetli, Robert Moser ;
Milawa, Andrew liarric ; ltuthergleti,
Christian Devers ; Stanley, John Fitinie ;
Myitlefor-1, \V. W. Snttall ; jTintnldra,
J. Lowdeu ; Waliguuyah, G. G. Haig ;
WaugMcatta, Ellen .Tones ; Wodmiga,
IS 1 _ t I .M.I A \ J llll fl it tl 1 .(IMlC
JjUWHrtl uuni ) J. nvR»murtim«"| MVM,W
Stephens.
Albuky Police Court. — At the above
police court on Saturday morning Elizabeth
Cliiniierv, alias Goyaer, was remanded to
the Wagea l'-'lice C'ptir', to lj.i dealt witn,
for foiaiug a cn-tjue in the name of XL A.
Donnelly, for Donnelly Bros., of Baraill-
bula Station.
XIixixg Mem. — Messrs Chambeyrox,
uro?. , last week crnsnt.-u at me rriao anri
Stringer Mill, Hillsborough, 100 tons of
stone from the Caledonian Reef, at thai
place, fur a yield of 20:b zs of relwrted
golJ. The stone put through the mill
was only a p riioit of that raised and
carted, as owing to a breakage in the
machinery crushing had to be discontinued
until repairs are effected, whi»'b will be 111
the cpoirse t>f a few days. Tlie gold was
sidd at she Bank of New South Wales,
Beechworth, on Saturday.
New Post office. — A p-st-ofiice has
been ..pi ned at Eskdaiu, Xlitta Jlitta, via
Kiowa.
A liicry Mechanics' Institute. — The
usual monthly meeting of the committee of
the above institution was IkH 01 Thurs
day-. There were present — Mr Andrews
(president), and Messrs Tigroid, Schineidi
and Frew. After the continuation of the
minutes of last meeting, the following
correspondence was dealt with : — From
.Mr Geo. D.13-, M.L.A., stating, in answer
t:> a rctjuesl or llic coinmui.ee, inai no nan
made application to the Colonial Secretary,
iu writing, that the sum of £500 might, be
placed upon the estimates in aid of tlie
building fund of the School of Arts and
Mechanics' Ir.stituse, and he (Mr Day)
felt certain thai the request would he
complied with. The secretary stated that
on receipt of tlie letter from Mr Day lie
had answered it, ami on behalf of the com
mittee thanked Mr Day for his prompt
action. From the Principal Und-r
Secretary, in answer to a letter of Mr
Day-, stating that the request for £500 f--r
rebuilding the front of the Xlechanics'
Institute had been brorglit under tiie
notice of the Minister of Public Institu
tion, to whose department the business
belonged. The following accounts were
passed f r payment Aibury Gas Com-
pany, £10 t s : curator una itDr.imn, £Iji
4s: municipality of Alhury, 17s; W.
McCuii.icb, 5s; Joint Christie, lOi ;
Victorian Review,'" £1 Is ; Geo. Hunter,
£2 lSi Gil ; Neill and Jackson (new supper
room), £102 2s. It was resolved that the
price for renting small hall or supper
r tiiiii ebou'il be 20s pt;r night. The
secretary was instrne'ed t'» order Venetian
blinds for supper room anil gravel for foot
path lea ling lo stage entrancs. The
mcetiug then closed.
Bekciiwortii Police Court. — The only
case at this court mi Monday, before Mr
James Ingram, J. P., was that of an old
man who a-as ellaroeil vriill hnvili" been
drunk and disorderly the previous day.
Constable Waters proved the oli'ence,
which was admitted by accused, who was
advised by His Worship t> lake the Blue
Ribbon, — "as a man who gets drunk
should never drink" — and discharged.
Contracts. — Tlie following tenders
have bueu accepted by Government : — For
cartage at Beechworth — 1 eye and llohnnith
Undertaking funerals from 1st inst. to2»:h
June next— Beechworth, Greig and
Wilson ; Bright, Anna .Stein wart ; Cliiltmn
Oscar Smith ; Wangar itta, Thomas Irving.
Elsternwick Park Races. — A rac<-
meeiing took place at Ivuternwick lark
on Saturday, the attendance being good.
A XIaiden Trot was won by Polly, the
Hurdle Race by Tattler, tile Grain;
National Steeplechase 1)' Leo, the Selling
Race by Gold Top, tbe Selling Steeple
chase bv Deceiver, and the July Handicap
by Laudo, a North-Eastern district horse,
formerly the property of XIr H. Dale, of
Wangaraita.
Arrival of the XIail. — Tho R.M.S.S.
Carthage, with the English mails, to date
Xlay 2!l, arrived in llohson's Ray on Sun
day morning. Among tho passengers
were six members of tho New South
Wales Soudan Contingent who were left
behind at Colombo, hut are now recovered.
XIusical — XIr II . Caspers, of Aibury,
by advertisement, intimates that I10 is at
present in Beechworth, and is prepared to
undertake the inning, in a thoroughly ef
ficient manner, of pianofortes, organs, and
other musical instruments. Ho also in
forms 11s that, should he receive sufficient
inducement he wili visit the town periodi
cally.
North Ovens tsmue Council. — this
body met on Monday, and transacted a
I large amount of business, including the
consideration of correspondenco received,
the passing of accounts and reception of
report-. On account of i's Icng'li, we are
eompi'ih d to hold over the report of the
proceedings until our next issue.
Sale at Ritherolkn. — Mr John
Strickland muti-noer, sold 011 the premises
on Saturday l«st, r. weutherfcoaad cottage
with detached kitchen, i.'ie property of
the late Mrs Campbell, situated in High-
str-'et, Rnthcrglon, and facing the public
park. The property was knocked down
io Mr W. Booth fp.r £l 10.
Ri-therglen Rurlic Lierarv. — A
meeting of the execn i committee of the
a' en 1; in-'tpmso.i w-,a .it the Council
Clianih' 's. R'iilii rg!c-i, "ii Thursday even
iog, 2nd ins.. I'm '-"ot : Mr Thes. Reeve
(tk lh» oh tf ), Mid tti-'srs Whitley, Her-
l in. B i-'.l. !". XfcL mnan and L. L.
XlrXab Cmn. . c.). The minutes of the
tevvious nii";'.iiig wen.- read and confirmed.
I'i-.e v.'cvetarv was instructed to write to
the Railway Department, stating that it
was intended to erect- a wooden building
on the allotment of land asked for, which
could he removed if the land were re
quired for railway purposes. A donation
of £1 Is was received from tho Hon. J.
% wi.llnm > tlx t. n to fk
A. » AJIUl-Cj 4U.LI.V. 4 O'WC'lllJ I U
ported that there was a credit-balance of
£12 to the book fund, and of £20 3s 01 to
tho library fund. After some further
routine business, tho meeting adjourned,
j Tr.irnc Returns. — The Ml awing re-
1 tnrn of the t.-aTo m th" Vict rin. rail-
j ways for fire ti /.a, ending tin- ...0th Jur.o, j
lb- .-.n turn;'. d by the R".li-.vay Depart- i
' m : --'files nrm. t«i75 : T d'.!- rec. ip ;< j
;f. .? » xrtt k. 1 "Iu t --rv»gaf««
hL : te ficm ; -t Jiij-, £2 170,72t» 13s j
2 1 ''ly aiora.r. f-2 wueks, £41,744 I
!t C -esp t ding five days in IS84 : —
X" ; . 1 1!2 ' ; total r-.coipts for the
"c. tjdi) 03 '.hi : aggjvgat o to this i
dr - fr i- 1st July, £2,0S'.1,370 4s Id;,
w .ekiy avet age 52 week j, £4.0,180 3s lid.
Coach Accident. — An accident of a
peculiar nature occurred in Ireland street,
Bright, the " Observer"' reports, a foiv
mornings ago. As Crawford and Co.'s
'bus, drawn by two horses, and the well-
known Tony on tho box. was about to
leave the town, the offsider slipped and
full, and in duiug so his legs crossed those
of the other hoise, who also fell. Tho
animals became excited, and, plunging
about in a wild manner, rendered the task
of releasing them both dangerous and
difficult One of the animals, through
getting his near hind leg entangled iu a
chain, was injured to such au extent that
ho will not bo fit to work for some weeks.
A large crowd soon congregated, and
renuercu every pusbiiMo asaisuuico %.o
straighten matters. XIr J. M'Shane, un
fortunately, was kicked twice on the arm
by mm of tho horses, but not with suffi
cient force Lir tho injury to ha of more
than temporary inconvenience,
Lanii Reserved. — The following site
for watering purposes has been excepted
from occupation for residence or busi
ness under any miner's r.-ght or business
county of Delatite, parish of Carhoor :
Commencing at the ii"rlli-weat angle of
T. Jones's licensed' block ; b ounded thence
by that block and a line bearing S. 7 deg
14 luin XV. forty-five chains ninety-two
links ; thence by tiie road to Oxiey
bearing N. 26 deg 33 inin X\T. nineteen
chains fifty two links, N. 17 deg 53 min
XX'. ten chains ninoty-eiuht links, and N.
S deg 25 min E. four chains fifty-eight
links ; thence uy allotment 3c of section 2
bearing S. 82 deg 46 min E. three chains
S'iVeuty-lwo links, N. 13 deg 44 min E.
f")ir chains forty-one links and N. 33 deg
15 min XXT. fourteen chains nineteen links ;
;tud thence by a line hearing S. 82 deg
46 mill E. twenty chains forty-one links
t'i the point of commencement. The
hearings are from the true meridian.
A Fatal XIining Accident. — In April
last a miner named Shirley had what was
at the time regarded as a miraculous es
cape from death. Shirley was working in
the bottom of a shaft at Sandhurst, states
A nnpr.>Hnnti<l<ilir. nnd
two boles, and while going up a chain
ladder to a place, of safety the ladder broke
and Shirley fell to the bottom of the sh ift,
where ho was confronted with tho fact
that the two shuts would almost imme
diate- explode. XX1 iili great bravery and
pro"ence of mind he stamped out one fuse
with his foot, and wi'h his hand plucked
the other from the hole. Howev<r, he
had ill the fall received such injuries to
his scalp and kneecap that he was taken
to the hospital, where unexpectedly his
condition grew very serious and he died
on Friday last.
Beechworth Gramm.u: School. — The
Corowa " New?" has the following : — We
had occasion some little tiuio ago to r.-fer
to the very flittering position iu th- M-i-
iel..nl!»itii! !.ii.l tlivil Service examiners'
lists taken by boys turned out by ana;- of
the excellent schools in . the Murray Dis
trici. Since then the h-mor list »pf the
Beechworth Grammar School ha3 come
under our notice. XVe find that Mr
Goldswortliy sent up four candidates for
iheexaminationsipf 1884, three of whom oh
taincil passes, and that a like number
obtained pass hminis in t'-e Matriculation
and two in the Civil Service examination.
These results need no comment ; still ti>. -r -
is always a lame section of the public who
are apt to consider ?aTiit".ry conditions in
prefereiic- to educational advantages, or
who hold ro C-ixton's theory that boys aiv
sent to school in order to learn how t->
become men. Both of these conditions
an- filled by the academy over which XIr
Giddsworthy has control. B-icliwuith
has a reputation as a sanatorium tint is
inore than Victorian, and Beechw<rth
Grammar School hoys are set ne of the
politest of their species.
New Guinea Gold Finders. — It seems
that tho New Guinea Exploring Company
realty means business, and that tho v.-ork
of organising the pi.rqv is progressing
satisfactorily, states a Xrelbonrno corres
pondent. The latest incident iu emtuce
tion with the movement is tho app'iini-
mint of Xir Joim Ditchhu'n, juur. (a
gentleman well known in mining circle.-)
as secretary. It is not yet decided
whether XIr Reginald A. F. Murray, ti.e
Government geologist, will accompany the
party, but 1 understand that he is quite
wiiiing to do so in the event of his being
abl .3 to obtain a sufficiently 1 :.il-d 5 -.ve
of atseuce. I lately met Mr 8'eivii--,
the naturalist of the " Ag.;" New Gii.nea
expedition, ami inquired whether he was
going to join XIr XXbdker's party in the
search for gold, lie said no, but that be
himself was organising au expedition 011
the company principle. He is satigiiiue
that, whether or 11-t Kerry is successful
iu finding the gold, he wi'.i be able to lead
)n'a na f rr utrnwrlif. t n tlw «ii»l!tllJf.i«iiitc
c mutry. I fully expect that we shall
hear of mere expeditions before long, and
of course it only requires the success of
one party to ensure a rush. The shares iu
the company, which we will call Kerry's
for the sake of distinction, arc going up.
The Black XX'atcii Diggings. — Tho
'mining surveyor at BairusJal-, XIr J. G.
u'lirt trn« itiafrtlnfitil lit .»
of Xlines to visit the above diggings and
report upon thcin, has returned, and ;.-le-
graphs from Cniiuinghame as follows: —
" I have recitirne.d from Xlount Ellerv.
The miners are a'd returning thoroughly
di-gttsted. No gold has been found. I
found 35 men there, 3rt of whom wili
return this week. I have caused
3 5 others to return, who were on the r nd.
The previous reports are ail iucorrec:."'
The Use of Dynamite in Mines. — The
Xliuister of Xlines intends t> appoint a
hivir.l nf nrtxiirfa fix inf » nmi r.vxnrt
upon tho ill results to the health of minors
from the use of dynamite iu mines. a:nl
what .preventive measure to ad-pt,
s'at-'s Friday's "Age." The miner are
totally oppos-'d IO the use of this explosive,
and state that its fumes are injurious to
h'-abh. The Minister ef Xlinea has re
quested the .Min- Owners" Association to
I nominate a member of the board, and ili-y
have select d XH II. Gore, of Creswick.
One representative will he appoint' !! by
the miners, and the remaining three
members <>? the hoard will bo selected by
the XIini3ter.
Orders Revoked. — The following
notifications appeared in tho last
" Gazette" :— The Order-in-Council of the
22ud October, 1S77, withholding from the
operation of the lOih sccthm of The Land
Act 1S60 certain 1 mil iu the County of
Bogoiur. has been revoked, so far as it
relates to tl.e portion thereof iu the
i parish of BonegUla applied for under the
said seciiru by John Cummins. Tlie
Order-in-Council oi the 25th November. 1
I IS74, withholding from the operation of
tho 19th section of The Land Act 1869
' certain land in the County of Bogoncr, has
j been revoked, so far as it. relat-s t . tr."
1 portion therefore iu the peri .it c.f Evcrtoti,
applied for uudet tiie ss: J section bv A.
F Mackay.
Fgotrall. — The sb.-md lifb eu ot Al-
burv proceeded 1 . XV "longR o>: Satirdav.
!Aiid kicked one go d, io XX'odoiiga':! nil.
I Tho Alhury Federals tho same day visited
' XX'agga, and gaim-d a victory by three!
goals to nil.
The Dedekang Police Reserve. — The
tender of Mr James Stephens for fencing
tho police reserve at Dederaug, for the
sum of £191, has been accepted. .
The Rutherglex Common. — The above
common is about to be diminished by de
ducting eight acres, more or less, of land
inthe parish of Carlyle, being tho portion
lying between C. D. McLeau's licensed
block and the Xlurray River.
Accident to a Footballer. — On
Saturday XIr C. Duchatel met with a fall
from a librae, while proceeding home to
get his football clothes, writos our Alburv
correspondent. The horse which belonged
to XIr Galvin, was a high-spirited one,
and bucked its rider off and trod on his
chesty XIr Duchatel was put to bed, and
Dr Kennedy thinks lio has only received
a severe shaking.
License ArrnovRn.-XXmi. Holland,
60a, Freeburgh.
Leases Approved —Tlios. Henry Wil
son, 77a ir 21p, TallanJoon ; Michael
Xlinogue, 320a, Boorhaman ; Margaret
Davidson, executrix of XVin. Davidson,
la iWimntiL>olt n
69a 3r 39p, Xlunnungee ; John G. Boyesj
152a Or 27p, XX'odong.a; Johanua A.
Byrne, 240a, Bouegilla.
Grants Approved.— Isabella Craig,
19.i 3r 39p, Surandolnng ; Xlichael Tobin,
ISa 2r I p, Chilteru XXbjst.
$