LATEST ITEMS OF HOME NEWS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 1023, 17 April 1857, Page 4

LATEST ITEMS OF HOME NEWS.

Our home news presents few paints of actual novelty, but exhibits in greater intensity than before those special features which at the present time absorb almost exclusive attention in domestic circles. The depredations and personal outrages committed, it js supposed generally, by ticket- of- leave men, continue uudiraiiiiahed. They we of common occurrence in pearly all the towns in the kingdom ; but the centre of operations is London where, sometimes, even in the broad daylight, foot passengers of both sexes are attacked by two or three ferocious criminals, gtirotted, and robbed. A.t night no part of London is bate ; and, Although the police force has been augmented, and in some districts policemen are ordered to take their rounds in couples, the evil increases rather than abates. The opening cf Parliament is looked to with great anxiety for the speedy enactment of tome stringent measures for the protection of life and property. It seems to be generally anticipated that the tickci-of leave system will he abandoned, and transportation resumed. The agitation against the income tax has spread over the whole kingdom. There is hardly a town or village that has not protested •igiinst its continuance beyond ppzt \pril. Xieland has inki-n up the on cry, and united her voict- in the chnrua «>f popular discontent. The ground* on which the tax i* opposed are twofold, first, because the year after the close of the war, when the tax wax to cease, should be calculated from the cessation of hoctiliticH, and not from the date when the treaty wu signed ; and second, because the tux itself is bad in principle and unequal in operation. There is no 4<*ubt that the former ground of objection has been taken advantage) of to give expression to the larger objection, which has always existed against the tax ituclt. The great bulk of the people have all throughout regarded thU tax with aversion on account of its inquisi ferial character, *n4 because it fell most heavily on

those classes which were least able to endure the burden ; but they bore it without a murmur so long as the war lasted. Now, however, that the war is over there is no longer any necessity for concealing the real state of Opinion How strong and how universal that opinion is may be gathered ir,?m the fact that while public meetings have been convened to protest against the Ux in every corner of the empire, not a single meeting has been held in its favour. * In the midst of the clamour against the income-tax, we have the return- of the last quarter s revenue exhibiting an increase of income in every item, except that of Miscellaneous, «lmh is not an item at all in a tangible sense. This state of things affords a source of congratulation which could .scarcely have been anticipated at the close of the costly hostilities in which we have been engaged. All the world is tamihar with the elasticity and solidity of our resources ; but his a proot oj their vigour which the most sanguine "true Briton could hardly have rorkonp/l nnnn — Vow * <■»».

Tub Bunytp — The existence of this suppo>ed fabulous animal is likely to be proved at no distant period. Mr. Stocqueler, who has travelled several hundred miles up and down the Murray and Goulburn rivers in a cHnvas boat, is now in Albury, and has favoured us with a view of hit, portfolio, containiug a great number of sketch?* of Australian sconery, with representations of specimens of natural history, observed during the trip. Amongst the latter drawings, we noticed a likeness of the bunyip, or rather a view of the the ueck and shoulders of the animal. Mr Rtocqueler informs us that the bunyip is a large freshwater seal, having two small paddles or fins attached to the shouldeis, a long swan-like neck, a head like a dog, and a curious bag hanging under the jaw, resembling the pouch of the pelican. The animal is covered with hair, like the platypus, and the colour is^ a glossy black. Mr. Stoqu 1 t saw no less th n six of these curious animals at different times; his boat was within thirty feet of one, near M'Guire's punt, on the Goulburn, and he fired at the bunyip, but he did not succeed in capturing him The smallest appeared to be about five feet in length, and the largest exceeded fifteen feet. The head of the largest was the size of a bullock's head, and three feet; out of water. After taking a sketch of the animal Mr Stocqueler showed it to several blacks of the Goul burn tribe, who declared that it was "Bunyip's brother," meaning a duplicate or likeness of the bunyip. The animals moved against the current at the rate of about seven miles an hour, and Mr Stocqueler states that he could have approached close to the specimens he observed, had he not been deterred by the stories of the natives concern 'ng the power and fury of the bunyip, and by the fact that his gnn had only a single barrel, and his boat was of very frail description. We have every reason to credit the statement of Mr. Stocqueler, and, considering the imperfect way in which some of our rivers and lagoons have been explored, we imagine it is quite pos^i'ile for an amphibious animal of extremely shy habits to have escaped the observation of travellers. The bull-bird has only been seen somj three or four times in Australia; and an animal, supposed to be the bunyip, ha? been reported to have been seen about the same cumber of times It is very unlikely that a tradition relating to the existence of the bunyip should prevail amongst all the native tribes without having any foundation in fact, and we hope Mr. Stocqueler will be able to secure the skin of one of these animals in some of his future peregrinAtions We tmy mention that Mr. Stocqueler is camping for a day or two on the flat near the Police Court, and we have no doubt he will be happy to show his portfolio to any gentleman who may pay him a vihit. The o'-ject of the artist's sour is the collection of sketches of the gold-fields and AusMalian scenery for publication in a work to be i&sued in England, under the editorship of a geutleiran connected with the United Service Gazette — Border Post. Artesian Wem-s — When reference was made to this subject a few days since, it was little expected that the finding of an artesian spring would so soon be "a great fact." At that time it was not even known that a shaft was being sunk to a depth likely to effect this object. It now appears that the Chairman of the Mining Commission, Professor M'Ooy, had great hopes of finding these springs, and that the boiing was commenced as much to test the existence of water as of coal. The shaft — we may now call it the artesian well — is situated about six mi es at the other side of Brighton, on the shore uf the Bay. The depth is less than 200 feet. Tho first fout teen feet are sunk through loose sand auJ soft sandstone ; then there is a cru»t of hard «an-Vone, mixed with quartz four inches thick; after that, a soft clay sandstone, quite impervious Lo water, fur thirtyfour feet, at the bottom of which some water was found, but bad in quality and insufficient in quantity A bed of solid blue clay, 138 feet deep, was then passed through, aud a stratum of lignite was reached, three feet in thickness, then clay again for three feet; the next stratum whs a dark green sandstone, containing small calcareous fossils, two fo«t through ; when a blue sandstone rock was reached, one foot in thickness, on passing through which the water rushed up with such force as to put a, stop to further sinking. Tubing was let d«-wn from the first fourteen feet of loose sand : the remainder of the shaft is not lined as yet. The standing point of the water in the tube above the surface of the ground is eight feet above high-water maik. Two feet above this latter point a pipe was inserted in the tube to measure the supply, which is found to be 24 gal- j lons per minute, or 34,560 gallous in the twentyfour hours, of water beautifully clear and pure The importance of this discovery is very great The first and most immediate effect is the doubling of the value of properties in the neighbourhood ; and no doubt, now that the existence nf these springs has been proved in one part of the country, they will be found in many more. As a record of the interest taken by Professor M'Coy in this subject, the first well is to be called after him. — Argus March 6lh.

Heaping Machines. — Wo arc much gratified to learn that the reaping machine lately hnpoi'tcd by Mr. John Manning, of the llopkius, is answer iag admirably. Mr Manning bas just completed reaping one hundred acres, averaging ten acres per day, and the work ha* been inspected by compel ent judges, who declare it to be superior to anything they ever witnessed. R. H. Woodward and D. Talbofc, Esqrs., wi messed the machine working last week, and di*cla<ed the work to be superior-to hand reaping Twn practical farmers of this district, Messrs D. Crichton and M. M'uhie, carefully inspected the work, anddeclated they would profer giving five shillings per acre extra to have the reaping^ performed by the machine than by hand. All these testimonies bear out our foraur assertions, that with a little attention and enterprise, a great saving in the cost of labour will be ma c by the farmers, by the introduction of machinery — M'arrnambool Examiner.

Crop of Fl\x at Ballvrvp, — We have seen a beautiful samp c of flax se«'d, grown at Brownhill, by Mr. Thomas .M'Kcuna. This,, we believe, is the first crop i»f flax grown in this district, if not in the colony, and the sample is to be sent to the Go\erument Agricultural Museum, by Messrs. Lang an i Co., who are acting as agents in this distu'et for the collection of specimens of produce. Mr. M'Kerniii, who is a practical flax* grower, speak i in the highest teims of the suitability of the climate fo» the growth of flax; and the B terns are at present steeping fcr the purpose of testing the quality of the fibre.

Although it may be some time before flaxmills are established in our young country, yet the crop of flax may be used in a variety of other ways besides being used for its fibre One of the most extensively used oils, linseed oil, is extracted from the seeds of flax by bruising, and the cake which remains after crushing is the most valuable food for cattle and pigs. The tnachiueiy for pressing the oil from flax is not so very expensive as to preclude the idea of its being introduced to the colony at a very early period. Mr. M'Kenna, and all those who test the climate by such experiments may be looked upon as the most übeful members of our society. — Ballaarat Times.

The Central Sun. — All scientific men have maintained t.hat there must be a central point, if not h central sun, around which the whole universe revolves. Mnedler, who is unquestionably one of the greatest astronomers ever known, ha« given the subject his special attention ; and he has come to the conclusion that Aloyano now occupies the centre of gravity, and is at present the grand ceutral suu around which the whole starry universe revolves. . This is one of the most interesting and important astronomical announcements ever made.

Camels. — The Congress of the United States of America recently determined to try whether the camel could not be used with advantage for military purposes and appropriated a sum of 30 000 dollars for the importation of animals with a view to this experiment. Major Wayne aud Lieutenant Porter were entrusted with the duties of purchase and importation. These gentlemen came first to England, talked to Professor Owen, and went to the Zoological Gardens. They then vis-ited Paris and the Crimea, in search of information from those who, in Algeria and India, had tested the qualities of the camel. They received highly favourable reports from General Simpson and from General Napier. Lieutenant Porter likewise vi&ited the herd upon the Grand Ducal farm at Pisa. Having obtained, chiefly at Alexandria and Smyrna, above thirty animals of various breeds, they returned home, losing only one on the voyage, aud landed at Texas, — the place which, from the climate and other circumstances, was thought most favourable for the purpose. Thus the experiment is now being made ; and although no doubt the arrangements have not been managed with all the pomp and circumstance of Downing-street, it is reported that their boat was not unseaworthy — that the camels were actually provided with provender — and, in short, that the animals were obtained and landed in good health at an expense of about, 8000 dollars j whereas, under our more perfect system, we should no doubt have had supplementary votes of money —and, in all probability, no camels. — Athenaeum.

A Modblj City. — We can imagine a city with no ground floors ; with every house upon an ele vated foundation • the drainage, the gas, and the water supply carried on through ducts easily constructed, accessible in every part, and under constant inspection We can imagine the railway on the same level, noiselessly distributing its hundreds of thousands regularly throughout the day ; the omnibus — lumbering makeshift of a half civilised community — disappeared ; the horse, rude slave of a barbarous, unscientific time, preserved only as the clave of the rider of pleasure : a builded esplanade above the railway ; above the aqueduct, the drainage and gas ducts of a level with the lowest floor of the houses; the whole of the under ground of life accessible to the inspector and the workman, ventilated, and constructed to assist in maintaining the health of the whole of the metropjl'fl, instead of being the source of poison, We can imagine trades and callings distributed into classes and districts; the penny railway rid", being only a customary portion of the rent The houses of all classes, palaces ; the roofs emancipated from sm»ke, garden terraces, •*nd the view from an e'evatcd tower, a picture of health and beauty, of animated movement without crowding. — Spectator. A Poor Man's CoMrc>HT.— It is a blessed thing for a poor man to have a contented wife ; one who will not wish to live in a style beyond her husband's income just because her next-dooi neighbour does ; one who can be happy in the love of her husband, her home, and its beautiful duties, without asking the world for its smiles oy its favour,