LATEST INTERCOLONIAL ISTEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1518, 6 October 1868, Page 5

LATEST INTERCOLONIAL ISTEWS.

MELBOURNE. The snorting world, since the return of the Melbourne bookmakers from Sydney has been more lively, and a new display of odds has been made regarding our next Melbourne Cup. The Barb, Glencoe, North. Australian, and Tim Whiffler are all talked about at 10 to 1 on the field against the best of them. Th 6 Ragpicker, Barwon, Shenandoah, and Fireworks are also each mentioned as amongst the 20 to 1 diyisiori; but there are plenty of out-siders who are occasionally backed at (of course') outside pricessay from I,OCO to 40 to 1,000 to 20. The Ballarat Hunt Club Steeplechases commenced on the 18th inst., and ti ere witnessed by about.2,ooo persons. The principal event was the Hunt Steeplechase, which was won by Mr. Carmichael's Sea King. " . ' 1 A child named Oscar Hartmann, son of a publican at Ballarat, "was scalded to death a day or two ago by falling into a boiler of hot water. The buying price of gold has been reduced 6d an. ounce in Castlemaine. " Owing," says the Kilmore • Examiner, "to the unusually dry autumn nnd winter, grass is very scarce in the interior. The squatters': on the'.Goulburn end elsewhere are killing sheep by thousands for the sake of the skins. On some of the stations, we are informed that feed is so scarce that the sheep; are dropping down dead through hunger in hundreds. As_ an evidence of the truth of the above, several immense waggons laden with sheepskins have passed through here within the last day or two."

SYDNEY. ••• . •; Mr. Bichard Hill lias been elected for the Canterbury district unopposed. - The rest of the Melbourne visitors who camc here to see the races left by steamer to-day. The racehorses Fenalla, Blondin, Bagpicker, Prince, North Australian, and Melancholy Jacques have also been shipped. ; _ v The detachment of artillery -which has been stationed-here for some time will leave fcr Gibraltar on the 9th of October. Mr. John Stuart Mill writes to a Sydney resident condemning, the _ unfair use ot his writings made by the colonial protectionists.

At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-day, a letter was received from the Brisbane Chamber with reference to a fortnightly English mail via Singapore. Nothing definite was done in the matter.

It is intended to erect a Protestant Hall in a suitable position in the city, and a large portion of the necessary funds has already been subscribed for the purpose. Offers have been received for £24.0,000 worth of debentures, but only £62,000 worth have been accepted, at one-fifth premium.