SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume I, Issue 25, 3 October 1840, Page 3

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Best flour is quoted in the Australian papers at £57 and £60 per ton ; — seconds at £50 and £55. The " New Holland," belonging to W. S. Whitington and Co., has brought out some' very superior rams of Lord Western's merino breed, an Alderney cow, a young Estraraadura boar and sow, two deer, and a number of partridges. During the severe wheather the brig met with off St Paul's, a fine thoroughbred horse and an Alderney bull died. The " Courier," also the property of the Messrs Whitington, brings out more game of various kinds. — Register. Upwards of 48,336 acres of land have been sold by the South Australian Commissioners in this country during the past year, being an in crease of more than 1 1,000 acres on the preceeding year. The amount of emigration from this country alone during the same period exceeds 5,300 souls. — South Australian Record. Tne "Inverness Courier" states, that the present chief of the ancient sept or clan Macdonell, namely, Mr. Macdonell of Glengarry, is preparing to embark for Australia, with his family and dependants. He is constructing timber houses, and furnishing himself with various agricultural implements and other conveniences for residence in that distant region. Mr. Macdonell was compelled, some time since, to dispose of the property, which was heavily mortgaged and encumbered by his father, the late well-known Glengarry, whose character, in its more favourable lights, was drawn by Sir Walter Scot, in his hero, Fergus M'lvor. Married. — On the 9th July, at Adelaide, by the Rev. C. B. Howard, M.A., Colonial Chaplain, George Milner Stephen, youngest son of the late Judge Stephen, to Mary, youngest daughter of Captain Hindmarsh, R.N., K.H., late Governor of South Australia. The South Australian Volunteer Militia entertained His Excellency Colonel trawler at dinner, in the South Australian Club Rooms, on Wednesday, July 22nd. Major O'Halloran, the commandant, officiated as Chairman ; and Capt. Finn.es, of the Infantry, as croupier. Over the chair was a transparency of the Royal Arms, and at the bottom of the table another bearing the Governor's initials, and the words — Peninsula, Salamanca, Badajos, Vittoria, Vera, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse, Waterloo—indicative of the various victories I ! is Excellency had shared in. On His Excellency's health, being proposed by the chairman, he returned thanks in an excellent speech, urging upon them not to relax in their endeavours to form an effective volunteer corps. His Excellency concluded in the folio .-'.tig terms : — "T have been mvr 1 ! gratified ! >y the spirit

iwith which the attempt at forming a militia' has been commenced. 'Volunteers have not 1 been so numerous as we could have wished, although I must say as numerous as I expected. There is a beginning to all things, and ours has much that is cheering in it. The constitution of a volunteer -militia is very honorable, but at the same time very difficult. It is difficult to induce men to volunteer to turn out an hour earlier in the morning than usual, however good It may be for them, for drill ; and difficult to induce them to volunteer to be under strict subordination for the same period. Nevertheless, I trusrthat the good sense of our colonists will recognise the importance of the object, and cheerfully volunteer -to forward it. A militia we must have*; If 'it'fee not a volunteer, it must be a legislative enactment militia. The first would be most creditable and the most useful to the province." Several other toasts were given and the party enjoyed themselves in the most harmoniouse manner until a late hour. The dinner was excellent, the wines of the best quality, and the general arrangements of the evening reflected great credit on the club ma"ste«,^lr. Henry Calton. Maekets. — A very nume*Fous body of gentlemen connected with this Colony had a conference with his Excellency on July 28th, respecting the propriety of fixing upon days for holding markets for the sale of stock, &c. After some discussion, it was agreed that the stock market should be held on Wednesdays; and the market for grain, butcher's meat, vegetables, fruits, butter, and country produce generally, on Saturdays. The system adopted at the Cape of Good Hope is to be followed out, viz., that the market commence at day break and finish at the latest by 12 o'clock at noon. Mr. McLaren announced his intention of establishing a weekly market on Fridays, at the Soutli Australian Company's splendid township of Noarlunga, and also of instituting an annual or half-yearly meeting for the sale of stock, and for the distribution of premiums for the best descripiions of cattle and sheep brought to market, and the finest grain grown in that district. Shipwreck. — It is now our melancholy duty to set the public anxiety at rest with regard to the shipwreck on the southern coast, whicn has been the absorbing topic for the last fortnight. The week before last we ventured an opinion that the vessel reported X<i be lost was the "Maria" brigantine, of Hobart Town, bound from Port Adelaide to that place. The facts which have come to light during the last two or three days have proved that the opinion we then expressed was but too correct. The vessel lost is the " Maria." This fact has been ascertained by means of the rings found oil the fingers of the bodies of the two females, and brought to Adelaide by Mr. Pullen. These have been identified by the relatives of the deceased as having belonged to Mrs. Denham and Mrs. York, both of whom were passengers by the "Maria." The whole of the passengers by the vessel were : — Mr. and Mrs. Denham and family (three boys and two girls, we bdieve) ; George Young Green and his wife ; Thomas Daniel and wife ; Mrs. York ; Mrs. Smith ; James Strutt, a servant of Mr. Denham's ; and Mr. Murry. Mr. Denham and Mrs. York were brother and sister, and cousins, we believe to Capt. Hurst, of the "Agenoria." Mrs. York had an infant child with her when she left. Of Green and Daniel we know nothing. Mrs. Smith was the wife of Captain Smith, Commander of the "Maria." Mr. Murry was a young man, a brother of Mrs. Thos. Shepherd, who is about to sail in the " Fairlie." The number of passengers was therefore sixteen, including the children. Besides Captain Smith and the mate, there were, if we recollect right, eight men and boys of the crew ; so that there must have been about twenty-six people on board. What has become of the others it is impossible t© conjecture. They may have gone to the southward and reached Portland Bay, or they may have met with the same fate as those which have been discovered. It is rather remarkable that the bodies found appear nearly all to have been of Mr. Denham's party, the two male bodies foupd, it is true, have not been identified ; but Mr-. Denham's family and Mrs. York's infant were the only children on board. Four of the bodies tound were those of children, the others being those of Mrs. Denham and Mrs. York and the two male- bodies. It is unnecessary to hazard a conjecture as to how the vessel has been lost. Should any of the unfortunate crew survive, time will probably bring this to light. In order to make farther investigation, and if possible to bring the parties guilty of this horrid outrage to justice, Major O'Halloran with a strong body of mounted police, were in readiness to start last night for .the scene- of the murder. A corporal and two men will be- left at the Goolwa, to form a permanent police station there.. — South Aus•rlßAT.iAr "Register. Atgust 15.