VICTORIA.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 744, 18 March 1865, Page 4

VICTORIA.

Wβ extract the following paragraphs from the Australasian of the lOtt inst.: — Fbee Teadb League.—Almost for the first time the free-traders have got a hearing in Melbourne. A public meeting to oppose the new tariff was called by the newly established " Free-trade and Financial Keform League," and took place yesterday, at the Exhibition building. The vast area of the ground-floor and the long galleries were densely crowded, and it was plain at the commencement that public feeling was very strongly excited. The chair was taken by Mr Geo. Harker, ML. A. for Collingwood, and Mr E. Langton proposed the first resolution, which denied that the new tariff was justified by existing circumstances, and calling upon the Upper House not to be| intimidated, but exercise its constitutional rights. To the observer, it was odd that, while hitherto it has been the rule at public meetings in Melbourne that the majority should be Protectionists (often, no matter where the meeting was held, composed of the self-same persons, time after time), and the minority either denied a hearing, or so interrupted as to be practically unheard, the reverse obtained yesterday. The huge body of the audience swayed to and fro in its en-, thusiastic applause of the first resolution; but j nevertheless somedozen or so of protectionists were there, and by vociferated interjections, managed to occasion frequent interruptions which interfered greatly with the speeches. The motion was seconded by Mr Walker, j and supported by Mr C. E. Bright, of Bright Brothers, the applause continuing, as throughout the meeting, at an equal ratio. A Mr Goodwin proposed an amendment, to the effect that the meeting support the new tariff, but the repeated requests of the chairman for silence was unattended to, and a vote of about 100 to 1 decided that the speaker should not be heard. The motion was then put, but not more than twenty or twenty-five hands were held up against it, while a forest pf hands were elevated in its favor. The second resolution, proposed by Mr J. D. Wood, seconded by Mr Callighan, and supported by Mr J. Wilberforce Stephen, declared that liberty to sell and buy, how, when, and where men pleased, was the foundation of commercial success. It was also carried as nearly unanimously as the first; and the third resolution, moved by Mr James Spowers, and seconded by Mr Stevenson, which expressly approved of the formation of the league, met with equal favor. It was stated that £5000 had been subscribed to the league in two days, and over 20,000 signatures appended to the petition to the Legislative Council to disagree with the proposed new tariff. The meeting, perhaps the largest ever held within walls in Melbourne, separated in good order. A Libel Case.—The action for libel brought by Mr. George TJrquhart, squatter, against Messrs. Wilson and Mackinnon, the proprietors of the Argue, terminated on Friday, after a three days' trial. The {'ury, who were in deliberation for about two tours and three-quarters, found a verdict for the plaintiff on the first three counts, with 40s. damages, and a verdict for defendants on the three remaining counts. The libel complained of in the three first counts it will be remembered, were extracts from a phamphlet entitled The History of a Severe Misfortune, by an Unfortunate, which was a reprint of some articles which had previously appeared in the Riverine Herald, and was printed at the defendants , job printing-office. With reference to these counts, the defendants did not plead any justification, but stated that the pamphlet had been published without their knowledge, in the ordinary way of trade, and in the belief that it had no personal reference. When their attention was drawn to it, they offered to make a public j apology, and give up the name of the gentleman who gave them the order to print the pamphlet. The alleged libels set forth in the other three counts were contained in three articles published in the Argus, commenting upon Mr. TJrquhart's conviction by the Cowanna magistrates for having scabby sheep in his possession, and the subsequent remission of the penalties by the Government. To these counts the defendants pleaded "justification," and the result of the verdict was to establish and support that plea. After the verdict was given, plaintiffs counsel asked the judge—Mr. j Justice Williams—to certify for costs, but his Honor refused to do so. The Seabch fob Dβ. Leichabdt—The ladies* committee organised for the purpose of promoting a further search for the explorer Leichardt are now proceeding with the good work. Their first meeting was held at the Mechanics' Institute on Thursday, when various preliminaries were satisfactorily arranged. The delegates consist of M*s Bromby, Mrs Bunny, Mrs Cutts, Mrs Enabling, Mrs. Harker, Mrs Hetherington, Miss Nordt, Mrs Tester, Mrs Tierney, and Mrs Wilkie, who were present at the meeting, and Mrs Frazer and Mrs Cole, who were unavoidably absent. Two denominations have yet to elect, their representatives. , There may be difference of opinion as to the hopefulness of the scheme, but there can be none that the ladies have but to enter heartily into the cause to ensure it the trial its promoters so earnestly plead for. Scab ix Sheep.—The return of infected sheep in New South Wales, at 31st August and 30th November, 1864, ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be printed, 31st January, 1865, contains the following memo., giving in few words he substance of the document:—The accompanying tabulated report on the state of the sheep in this colony, at 31st August and 30th November hist, which became infected with scab in the end of 1862 and the beginning of 1863, is. submitted herewith; and I am glad to be able to state, what the report more folly bears out, that the disease b> fast disappearing from the colony, there boing now only 29,909 diseased or doubtful '.beep, out of some 288,517. 2. The numbers of infected sheep remaining after being

dressed at 30th last, as well as of those killed and paid for under the old Scab Act, are of course certain ; while those put down as " otherwise accounted for," although mere estimates, may be depended upon, as they are to a considerable extent from actual returns from the several districts. In this way, the total number of sheep which have been infected tdnce the end of 1862 is brought up to 288,517, or in round numbers to 300,000. 3. The table appended to the abstract, showing the efficacy of the several dressings used, brings out the result more completely in favor of tobacco and sulphur. It will be seen that other ingredients have in some instances been used with this dressing, but quite needlessly so, for the general report shows, in the returns of the Messrs. Richardson Brothers' and Mr. John Brown's sheep in the Canonba district, that two dippings of tobacco and sulphur, without any other ingredient, are a certain and thorough cure, and that, too, without removing the sheep from their old runs or yards. 4. Arsenic has been successful in some instances, but only where the sheep were moved, on being dressed, to new ground; and the percentage of losses through the poison has- been very high. Many deaths have also occurred through the use of the mercurial dip. 5. Hayes , Specific has effected a cure in a few instances, where the sheep were in small lots, and moved to clean ground; but the returns show that it has failed wherever the stations were large. 6. Allen's Specific, again, is shown by the inspector's report to have proved a total failure. AccMMATiSATioir. —At the weekly meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society, held on. Tuesday—present, Dr Black Dγ Mueller, Dr Madden, and Messrs A. Purchas, E. S. Dobson, and D. S. Campbell —-a letterwas read from Captain Tonkin stating that he had made a slight trial in the Bay of the trawl-net, but that in consequence of the dead calm prevailing no success could be reported. Captain Tonkin says that be does not think there can be much good trawling ground inside the Heads, there being so little sandy bottom, the greater part of the Bay consisting of blue mud. The letter concluded by stating that the writer would have much pleasure in leaving the net in the hands of the council in order that a fair trial may be made with it outside Port Phillip Heads. A letter from his Honor Sir "William Stawell was laid before the council' bringing under the notice of the council the eminent adaptability of the Bogong Mountains for the liberation of deer. The Bogongs are a range of mountains in the north-east of Victoria, consisting in many parts of basaltic plains between 3000 and 4000 feet above the level of the sea. They extend from the Murray to Gipps Land, run northeast by south-west, and abound with wild fastnesses from which, if the deer were once established, it would be almost impossible to dislodge them. His Honor concluded a long and instructive letter by saying "If this object be successfully achieved, next to the introduction of salmon nothing of such importance to the country will have been effected; a valueless tract of mountains of miles in extent will become of use, deerstalking, not inferior to any in Scotland will be afforded, and an inducement to visit wild and romantic scenery in a cold climate will be offered." This letter it was decided to take into consideration at a future meeting, as it is evident that a great number of! deer must be enlarged at once to give any chance of the breed being fairly established in such a country. With this object in view the secretary was directed to make some inquiries as to the feasibility of importing a number of fallow deer from Tasmania, as, if they can be brought from there the animals would be in a far fitter state for liberation than they could possibly be after a long voyage had reduced them to a state of semidomestication . The superintendent reported that afawn of the Formosa deer, also, one of the Axis deer, had been dropped at the park, and that a very fine white kangaroo had been received, having been presented to the society by Messrs Swanston, /"Willis, and Nephew, Gteelong. • Fbightfttl Accident. —A frightful accident occurred during the storm of fire on Monday last to Mr. Cochrane, a farmer at Barford, near Kyneton. The Observer says:—" He had crossed to a paddock to let out some horses, and having succeeded in his object returned homeward to endeavor to let some cattle out of his own paddock as well. The fire in the meantime had gained rapidly, and wad fast closing in upon him when, by a desperate effort, he spurred his horse literally through the flames, the faithful animal that bore him falling dead in the effort, her legs being almost burnt from under her. Mr. Cochrane managed to exj tricate himself from the saddle, and crawled away from the flames in an almost unconscious state. He reached within about i a quarter of a mile of his own place when he became quite blind, and was unable'to proceed. He was then taken into a neighbor's house. He presented a fearful spectacle, the face being singed so as to be scarcely recognisable, and the eyes and nose were dreadfully burnt."