AUSTRALIA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1140, 1 April 1870, Page 2

AUSTRALIA.

Melbourne, March 2£ The Government are hegociating with -' great English capitalists, with the vie w^ of forming a railway line for £6000 per mile, and have guaranteed six per cent, interest for thirty years; ■ ' William Davis has been convicted of the charge of murdering his wife at Trentham, and sentenced to ten. years.' Adolph Johnson has been convicted of the charge of shooting a policeman at Fitzroy Gardens, and sentenced to seven years. Mark.Gowan has been convicted of the charge of rape, and sentenced to .seven years. . ■ ' . ' " . • • .■■:.*"■■.• The 14th Kegiment sailed in the Walmer\ Castle. „-■■■. Draper has been committed for' trial on a fresh charge of embezzling £1,990 I2s. lOd. ■ '' E. P. Stuart' resumed fhis'magistsJSil 1 -'' functions on the 22nd instant. • '"" ' ; Capt. Paine has- been appointed Chief: Harbour Master. Public opinion is strongly opposed to the appointment. ' The authorities have decided to hold the volunteer encampment at Sunbury during " Easter. : : Heavy rains have fallen at Echuca. One hundred and fifty men . struck work at the Alford Graving Dock, Williamstown, & demanding eight hours a day. Detective Carver ha3 been killed by com- . . ing into collision with a cab-shaft while running a race. . " A diver named John Christian was drowned while at work on the wreck of the Eliza. Payable gold has been struck at Merton Creek, Gipps' Land." Sir Charles Darling, and John Guthrie, Assistant Commissioner of Customs, are dead. Arrived — RathFord, from Liverpool. The Lady Darling Annuity Bjll for, £20,000, bus passed both Houses. Mr. Duncan Gillies has been returned for Maryborough. Professor Gamgee's preserved meat was tested yesterday at Goldborough's stores ; it was found to be a complete failure, the mutton stinking when opened. John Tait, of Healsville, an old colonist, ' attempted suicide, through drink, last night. Diptheria is very prevalent. , ._: Flour, £10 to £11 ; maize, 4s. 6d. ; oals, , 3s. 6d. Trade is very dull, but no other failures have been notified. Sugars are very firm. Sydney. The prospectus has been issued for the formation of a company, to be called the Great^North^and South Railway and Emigration Co77VapiTalf^2O,ooo^ Disastrous floods have occurred at Peri- • : ritb, Windsor, Richmond, and Maitland. " Four lives were lost. There have also been fhods at Aralam. Arrived — John Knox, from Lyttelton ; Nereid, from Auckland ; Siven, from Weir lington, at Newcastle. : The ketch Ino has been wrecked at Newcastle. The crew were saved by the: life-boat. • Tremendous gales have occurred along the coast. Maize is rising, owing to the floods. The barque Sunshine ■ has been wrecked on the Borneo coast. The barque Rangoon was driven on the| \ rocks near Kiawai ■ *-K ■ Several lives have been lost along the Clarence river. The floods are now subsiding. The Government are considering the advisability of reducing the intercolonial : tariff charges. The schooner Active sailed with men and material to construct the telegraph line from Townsville to the north-west boun-, >< dary of Queensland, to meet the ocean" cable. Arrived — City of Melbourne, s.s., from Auckland. Wool sales are brisk, but not much offering. Adelaide. Capt. Douglas has been appointed Government resident in the Northern territory. The only tender sent in (that of the A.S.N. Co.) has been accepted for the conveyance of the English mails. Legge, a carpenter, murdered his wife during a drunken quarrel. Oapfc. Phillips, master of the schooner Henry Ellis, has committed suicide by taking a dose of laudanum. . Business is dull ; breadstuff's, quiot ; wheat, ss.