Colonial News.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 76, 22 September 1858, Page 3

Colonial News.

VICTORIA.

We are indebted to Captain Smith of the Active, for a file of Melbourne papers to the 9th instant, from which we extract the following items : — Dreadful Murder at Ballaarat. — A horrible murder has been committed here. The name of the murdered man is Hugh Anderson. He was found dead this morning in a stable opposite the Charlie Napier. His remains were discovered at six o'clock, nearly covered with dung. The skull was battered in, and the marks of strangulation were distinctly apparent ; the body was also covered with bruises. The deceased was known to have been "on the spree " the night before, and was seen dancing at the Victoria Theatre. A track of blood was discovered leading to a brothel opposite the Red Hill Hotel. The house was searched, and some of the rooms were found to be stained with blood, and otherwise indicating that a struggle had taken

place. The circumstance has created great excitement. The coroner opened his inquest at noon to-day, but ultimately adjourned proceedings till Sunday morning. Four men and two women have been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the murder. The remains" are lying at the Charlie Napier, and crowds of people have been to look at them. — Herald, September 6. The Border Post, as well becomes its position, endeavours to review the question of federation, and boldly avows its hope of an Australian empire or republic at somi future day perhaps not far distant. The advantages of combination are summarily stated by the Post to be the following: — Mutual protection in case of war, improved commercial status, uniformity of tariff, increased national prosperity, facility of executive administration, a federal judiciary, improvement of the national credit, an organized railway system ; while the disadvantages of the present disunion are numerous and important. " Our railways are being formed on different independent systems without regard to connection ; our Celestial friends are excluded from the ports of Victoria and South Australia, but find free ingress into those colonies by the back way ; our debtors can escape their creditors by going from one colony to another, our mining population are harassed by border preventive stations." It would certainly be as well if our colonial legislatures devoted less time to questions of minor moment, and set themselves to obtain an immediate settlement of a question involving such important issues as that of federation. — Age, August 25.

The Manchester Unity -Order of Odd Fellows held a ball last evening in commemoration of the anniversary of the foundation of Odd Fellowship in Victoria. There were about 500 present. His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, attended by his aide-de-camp, Captain Bancroft, arrived shortly after nine o'clock, when the dancing was commenced and kept up with spirit till day-break. The building was tastefully decorated with the various banners and insignia of the order, together with the national flag. The whole arrangements reflected credit on the taste and assiduity of the managing committee. The supper, supplied by Messrs. Spiers and Pond, of the Cafe de Paris, fully sustained their reputatio n . — Ibid. The "Welcome" nugget and its companions have been transferred from the Mechanics' Institution to the Union Hotel. The "Welcome" has been accurately weighed and assayed. The gross weight is 2,21 7 oz. 16 dvvt. A conjectured allowance of 25 oz. is made for the quartz and other foreign matter adhering to it, leaving the net weight of pure gold 2, 1 92 oz. 16 dwt. An assay of this valuable mass has just been effected by Mr. Birkmyre of the Port Phillip Gold Company. His report shows that the "Welcome" contains 99"20 per cent, of pure gold, equal to 23 carats, 3£ carat grains. It is the purest mass of native gold on record, being nearly a carat finer than the " Blanche Barkly." The present proprieters of the nugget and its companions have issued a prospectus for a new company, to be called "The Monster Gold Nugget Company ;" the capital to consist of 9,000 shares, at two guineas each. The precise nature of this project is but partially stated, but generally its design may be understood to be the disposal of the four nuggets on the "Art Union" principle, every holder of a two-guinea share having a chance of a prize. In case the requisite number of shares should not be taken up by a certain date, it is intended to give the subscribers adequate security for the repayment of their subscriptions on application. — Age, Sep. 3.

A very fine exhibition of horse flesh took place yesterday at the yards of Messrs. M'Caw aud Anotb.er.on the occasion of the annual exhibition of bribing stock. A large number of our principar^jreeders and farmers were present, and were apparently remarkably well pleased with the success of the exhibition. The racing stock of imported horses promised well for the prospect of the turf community. Heavy cart horses were the most numerous, and gave favourable evidence of the care Tasmanian and Victorian breeders have taken in improving the quality of their horses. The sale was numerously attended, and in some cases the bidding was very spirited. — Id. Yesterday, arf\unfortunate plaintiff in the Nisi Prius Court lost his action, in consequence of being afflicted with deafness. This Court has hitherto sat in the Old Court, but this morning, as the Term Court occupied the Old Court, the Nisi Prius sittings were removed to the New Court. The suitor, knowing nothing of the change, took his place in the Old Court, which was not opened until eleven, while the New Court was open from ten o'clock. The case was soon called on, and as the plaintiff was his own principal witness, the case could not proceed without him. He was called several times, but no answer was given. The usher was sent into the Old Court to call the name. He performed his mission, but the man being deaf, remained perfectly unconscious of his being required in the other Court. , The record was, therefore, withdrawn ; and, as it was the last cause on the list, the Court immediately adjourned sine die. Some time afterwards, an acquaintance found the missing man and told him that his action was lost.

The number of Chinese now in prison throughout the different gaols of the colony shows that crime is on the increase amongst this people. In the Castlemaine gaol there are at present twenty-seven Chinamen under confinement. In the Melbourne gaol a few days ago there were fourteen of the same people incarcerated. Eleven of the latter have been transferred to the penal establishments, there to undergo short periods of punishment. It is said that the Chinese interpreters are becoming very unpopular amongst their countrymen, and if rumour on this occasion tells the truth, which she very often does not, some of these gentlemen deserve to be dismissed. It is said that when a Chinaman is accused of any crime or misdemeanor, the interpreter demands £\o from him, £10 for himself and £5 for a lawyer. If the money be forthcoming the crime is dismissed, if not poor John goes to prison. — Ibid. The Post-office authorities complain that in many instances the letters from England are sealed with wax instead of wafers or gum. The consequence is that on arrival in Melbourne,

after a passage through the tropics, dozens and scores of letter are stuck together in a solid mass. In separating them the addresses become defaced, so that they are in great danger of being lost. In very many instances these letters have to be opened in order, if possible, to obtain some clue to the owners. This was particularly the case in the mail just arrived. People here should write to their friends in Europe to discontinue the use of wax in sealing their Australian letters. — Ibid. The Bendigo Water Works Company promises to be a decided success. Though ostensibly organized to supply Sandhurst with water, it is expected that remunerative returns will be realized from washing the auriferous soil which it will be necessary to remove in order to form the reservoir. It is said that men are even now obtaining from four to five pounds a week by " fossicking " on the ground, and it is confidently anticipated when the "stuff" is passed through proper machinery that it will yield a handsome profit. Whether this prospect of immediate returns be realized or not, there can be no doubt that the company will be enabled to furnish Sandhurst with an inexhaustible supply of pure water. — Id.

Workmen are engaged in preparations at the corners of our principal thoroughfares for the erection of iron receiving letter boxes. They are not yet placed, so that it would be premature to allude to their appearance as an orpament or otherwise until opportunities have been afforded to judge thereof. A Government advertisement notifies the intention of the authorities to erect forthwith a Museum for the exhibition of standard examples of workmanship, and for testing and 'experimenting on materials ; and persons interested in building operations are invited to forward samples of stone, bricks, timber, slate, tiles, lime, and smaller articles, the produce of this and neighbouring colonies, to the Public Works' Office.

The following is from the Age : — " It is rumoured that a most audacious, but at the same time clever, forgery, was perpetrated at one of our city banka ou Monday afternoon. Some time ago, a man called at the bank and opened an account, placing to his credit. On Monday afternoon he called again, and presented a cheque for the same amount to the ledger-keeper, who initialled the cheque as correct, and returned it to the bearer. On pasing from the ledger desk to the counter, he managed to insert an f before the one, and turned the 1 in the left hand corner of the cheque into a 4. He then presented it to the teller, and received four thousand pounds, with which he instantly decamped."