AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1072, 6 August 1869, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Melbourne, July 18. i ' The Pearl fishery at Western Australia is exciting attention hero, arid it is. likely a company will be formed. Steps are being taken to get up a gem exhibition. Hop growing is likely to be extensively tried here ; one firm sold 20,000 plants. At the Governor's ball on the 14th, upwards of 1800 guests were present. ; The Geelong Woollen Factory Company have declared a dividend of 10 per cent. The Argus in a leading article, protests against the landing of the Fenians lately liberated in Western Australia on Victoria territory. Unicycles are being made to cany one person on each side. • They have a single wheel similar to the pannier railway, and are guaranteed to travel sixteen miles an hour. Tho wheel is seven feet in diameter. Mr. Fellows and Mr; Higinbothan have agreed in a joint opinion to the effect that the Queen's pardon doe 3 not entitle the expatriated Fenians to come here, and tho Commissioner of Police has received instructions to prevent their landing, which would be regarded as an infringement of tho "'lnflux of Criminals Prevention Act.-'* Adelaide, July 13. The returns of tlie Almanda Silver Mines give 16 ounces to the ton. Diamonds have been found at Echunga ; and it is stated they exist there in large numbers. The manufacture of tobacco is being conducted in Adelaide. The Freebridge brought six tons of pearl from the "Western Australian fisheries, valued at £35 per ton, Two ships laden with horses have just left for India. Dr. Muecke declares that the supposed petrolium shale on the south-east coast of Australia is caoutchouc. Breadstuff's aro stagnant ; wheat is nominal at 48. lOd. to ss. It is estimated that 100 acres of tobacco have been sown in the Southern district this year, and attention is being directed to its manufacture. An encounter occurred on Saturday, be-, tween the followers of the hounds and the proprietors of the open sections ;. the latter levelled guns at the former 1 , and when they were taken away pelted the horses with stones. Rockhampton, July 15. A nugget was' brought? into the Union Bank this morning from Mount Wheeler, Cawarral ; it was found one foot from tho surface, and contains 2580z. lldwt. pure gold. This splendid nugget was found .by a boy named Cadden, working with his father. Another nugget was found just under ground in an adjoining claim, by a lad named Luckman, weighing 180oz. and also placed in tho bank. A great rush is setting in for the locality, and it is expected that larger finds will be made.