AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Press, Volume XIV, Issue 1863, 5 April 1869, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

[From the Melbourne Papers.] The opening of the Fine Arts Exhibition has now been definitely fixed for Easter Monday, the 29th inst, at eleven a.m., when his Excellency the Governor will be present. The Melbourne Philharmonic. Society have consented to celebrate the event by a musical performance in the evening at eight p.m. The exhibition will remain open for two months. The art treasures continue fco pour in plentifully, and at the opening many of the visitors no doubt will be most agreeably surprised at the large and varied collection of pictures that the trustees of the public library have succeeded in inducing the owners to contribute for the public gratification and for the cultivation of taste.

The "South Australian Begister" contains a charge against the managers of the Convent of St. Joseph for detaining a young girl against her will and that of her parents. The Legislative Council of New South Wales has negatived the vote censuring the Governor for sanctioning certain unauthorised expenditure, but passed a resolution expressing regret at the Government permitting it. The company of the 50th Eegiment embarked on the morning of the 24th March on board the steam troopship Himalaya, en route for England, and a very large number of the general public were present to see them off. A magnificent sample of copper ore I has been brought to Melbourne from Sydney by Mr R. Manuel. It consists of native copper and red oxide and green carbonate of copper, &c, and is extraordinarily heavy. It was found on the surface in the back country of Queensland, some two hundred mileß from Claremont, and is certainly a wonderful specimen. More stone of the same quality must be in the neighbourhood, and it is proposed to form a small prospecting company in Melbourne, to send out a searching party empowered to take up ground under the mineral regulations of the mining department of the Queensland Government.

The "Hobarfc Town Mercury" re cords the death of Mr Robert Power, formerly surveyor - general of Van Diemen's Land, and lately usher of the black rod. Mr Power was a brother of the celebrated Countess of Blessington, and also of Viscountess j Canterbury, mother of his Excellency Sir Henry Manners Sutton. He ar- j rived in Hobart Town in 1840, and his j commission as magistrate is dated 1843. The deceased gentleman was in hia! seventy-fifth year.