Intercolonial News.

Bruce Herald, Volume VII, Issue 640, 13 October 1874, Page 6

Intercolonial News.

A wood and co»l dealer named John ! Stark, residing in Napier-street, Collingwood, Melbourne, was charged in the Fitzroy Police Court with using scales that were untrue. The method adopted by the defendant was to weigh the wood on a small frame attached to a steelyard. When tested, this was found to be 141 b out, go that persons purchasing -£cwt ot wood or coal would only receive 42i0 weight. The defendant's wife appeared and pleaded ignorance that the weighing-machine was incorrect. The Bench inflicted the very moderate penalty of 20a fine, with two guineas costs. We (' Argus ') are happy to sta'e that the Hon. J. G. Francis his so far recovered j his health that he was on Tuesday enabled to resume his place in the Legislative Assembly. The hon. gentleman was received in the most cordial manner by the members. He took his seat behind the Government, but did not long remain in the House. We are informed that the hon. gentleman has no intention of resuming the burden of office, and that he will not take any active part in politics for some time. We understand that after the I termination of tbe session it is his intension with his family to visit the old country. A gentleman, says the ' Pastoral Times,' met in Melbourne the other day a man who witnessed the first dray load of wool that was ever passed through Melbourne for shipment. It is now more than thirty years ago, and Melbourne people were then jubilant. They employed a fiddler to play "See the Conquering Hero Comes" before the dray as it passed slowly along, drawn by a dozen bullocks. Messrs. Goldsborough s wool stores now hold upwards of 50,000 bales at a time. Occaßionally theee enormous premises are hardly large enough to hold the wool consigned for shipment to this eminent firm, and there are several other huge wool de pots in Melbourne. A man at Burney Downs had a narrow escape from being torn to pieces by a vicious horse (says the ' Tamworth News), which ran at him open mouthed, and caught him by tbe side of the face, tearing the skin away fearfully and leaving all the muscles exposed. The sufferer is progressing favorably. The horse has since been shot, and high time too, as this is the third or fourth offence of a similar I nature which is has committed^ One man '

■waai killed by the' same t animal, and another -had^hiaapm torn off by : it at Warwick— so that it was, to all intents and purposes, a man-eater. A miner named Thomas Smith has just left the Bathurst hospital (the 'Times' states), having been confined there through injuries received by an exploaion of dynamite. The circumstances connected with his mishap afford a very good illustration of the tremendous power of this new explosive, and the extreme care which ahould be exercised in its use. It appears that Smith, who is a miner, curious to know the contents of the dynamite cap — a small brass cylinder about an inch in length, and, in diameter, about the same extent as an Enfield cap — began dissecting the dangerous little instrument. He had taken the piece of copper from the end, and had just touched the powder with a ueedle, whan the thing went off with a report a 8 loud as that of a pistol, and blew the tops of two of his fingers and his thumb clean away, a particle of the dynamite entering hia eyebrow and leaving a severe, wound. Half stunned and wholly stupified by the suddenness of the explosion, he was not aware, for a few moments, to what extent he was injured til) he felt the raw ends of his wounded fingers and t.ha Hied trick ling over his hand. Although it was from no carelessness that this accidtnt occurred, the case shows clearly the caution with which the new compound should be handled. The serious nature of Smith's wounds may be gathered from the fact that through the injuries he received he has been confined to the hospital more than a month. " Rußtic," writing to the ' Wilcannia Times' from Menindie, state* : — "This forenoon a venerable-looking wayfarer ran into our quiet little town in search of a constable, to whom he might impart the ■melancholy news that his mate had sud» denly fallen down dead on the border of Menindie lake, about six miles from this place, and that after (inter alia) putting water into the deceased's ears in the vain endeavor to revive him, he had left the body where the death had taken place. The constable to whom the information was given by the breathless old man, immediately told the coroner, and went in anxious haste in search of a buggy and pair of horses, in order to convey the deceased into the town. Having secured these, the constable made a Btart, taking with him a respectable butcher — thinking, doubtless, that, as there was no surgeon in the neighborhood, it would be advantageous to take with him one so well acquainted with the anatomy of the mammalia as a butcher might be supposed to be. The coroner, with all the gravity becoming his dismal office, brought up the rear, pensirely pondering, let us suppose, on the terms in which he should put ' Crowner's 'Quest Law* before the jury; and, as the body was approached, the breast of each was filled with that solemnity with which mortals generally prepare to enter the presence of the King of Terrors. Yes, this is the place— it is here lying near the fire. But, heavens ! what is this ? The corpse slowly raised itself, scratched its bald head, and casting eyes, not altogether wanting in speculation on the constable's brandy bottle, declared that it had an insatiable thirst for ' lean brandy !' At many a death-scene I have been, And many a clay-cold sinnar seen, But never aught like this ! The pencil of John Leech could have given a good idea of the various expressions painted on the faces of the membem of the cortege, whose sad progress to the spot we have traced —words cannot give an idea of the tableau."