TASMANIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 614, 25 September 1858, Page 3

TASMANIA.

We have rceived by the mail Hobart Town papers of the early part of August, but by the kindness of Captain Lindsay, of the Matador, we are in possession of papers to the 7th inst., containing later intelligence from all the Australian colonies, which we have given above.

The news from Tasmania itself is not important. There appears to have been an extensive and disastrous flood, the only particulars of which that are given (owing to the incompleteness of the files received) are the following, from the neighbourhood of the Coal River:—

It is painful to read of the disastrous consequences of the great flood. Of all the destructive effects arising from the extremes of a healthy climate, those of a high flood are the most discouraging to industry. The severe losses which many of the farmers on the Coal River have sustained are similar to those of others already published. The bottoms on the banks of the.Coal and Kangaroo rivers were inundated to the depth of four feet, and the very best of the soil of those lately ploughed and sown has been washed away, with a great part of the fences. They are covered with heaps of gravel and land, and piles of wa,shed-down fencing. The principal sufferers in this immediate quarter are Messrs. Burn, Kearney, Stonehouse, Reardon, Newnham, and Steel. Mr. Burn's homestead buildings were six feet in water, his cow-shed washed down, a hay-stack (about 20 tons) floated off its stand, and his garden (one of the best in the colony), is completely destroyed. Fortunately, his horses were saved by a timely removal from the stable. Part of Mr. Stonehouse's Mill was uuderniined by the current, and the north-east corner fell, making a breach which can never be sufficiently repaired, and it is a marvel the whole building was not swept down the stream.. Many implements, snch as ploughs, harrows, rollers, &c, were also carried away, and it will be a long time before some of the unfortunate sufferers recover their "present losses.— Correspondent of the Mercwy v August 24.

Mr. Edward Abbott has been convicted of asavngc assault upon the Attorney General and Premier, Mr. Smith.

The Tasiruuiian Parliament re-assembled on the 7th instant. The 'Mercury' recommends strict attention to the cutting down of departmental expenditure ; and, though an opposition

.'journal, deprecates factious and undignified op- ■ position, and specially those disgraceful scenes which distinguished previous sessions. The following important paragraph is from 'the 'Cornwall Chronicle*' of Aug. 25. The gold at length is a great fact, Mr. Poster <{one of the referred to in our leader) •of Avoca, called at our office last evening with a piece of crystallised quartz taken from the reef—of which a mile in length has been granted by the Government to the Company—thickly studded with gold distinctly visible. Mr. Foster showed us a letter from Mr. Kean, of Campbell Town, informing him that other portions of the reef had been assayed at Campbell 'Town, which turned out by a very rude assay nineteen ounces to the ton. Mr Moore, of -Charles-street, has kindly left at our office another specimen of the quartz, also full of gold. "This specimen can be seen at our office.