INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4215, 23 September 1874, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

By the s.s. Otago, Captain John McLean, we have our files from Melbourne to the 9th instant, from which we make the following extracts : VICTORIA. A small steamer named the Argyle, of 191 tons, has arrived from the port of Ayr, in the West of Scotland. She sailed from that harbor on the 6th of June. The heaviest fall of snow that has been known at Wood's Point for years has occurred here. When the mailman got about six miles from Wood’s Point, on the Yarra track, he found from 20ft. to 30ft. of snow, and had to return. A new theatre and opera house has been built and opened at Sandhurst. An old Waterloo veteraness (if we may use the term) gave herself up at the city lock-up yesterday (says the Ballarat Courier), as having no lawful means of support. Her name is Maggie Macdonald, and she is a sturdy old lady, who has seen eighty-one summer sons and many wintry snows. Her story is that she was married at fifteen to a yoiing Scotch soldier, whom she followed to the wars, and was with on the field of Waterloo. Her eldest son, if ho were living, would be sixtyseven years of age, but he fell fighting for his country in the Crimea, where two of his brothers also fell, and two more in India. The old lady says she has two other sons, but cannot say whether they be dead or alive. Her husband died some nine years ago. She is still hale and hearty, and according to her own account can do a day’s washing, or any other description of similar work, if she can but get employment. The Government astronomer reports that a slight shock of earthquake occurred on Sunday evening, about seven o’clock, accompanied by the usual noise like the roll of a heavy vehicle on metalled road. It was felt in several places about Melbourne and Richmond, at Brighton, and in the Harkaway Ranges near Berwick. A strange prescience of coming dissolution was illustrated at the Benevolent Asylum during the past week. An old man, aged aevonty-four, who ia described as a native of London, was strolling about the grounds of the institution the other day, when, feeling a little unwell, he returned to the house, where he met the resident medical officer in the passage, and remarked to him, “ I think I will go and lie down and die.” The old man at once proceeded to his bed, and had scarcely settled himself down when death overtook him, the cause being old age combined with dysentery. Walter Campbell alias the Rev. Mr. Lindsay alias Graham was arrested a few evenings since at the Western railway station, char-ged with forging and uttering no less than seven valueless cheques at Adelaide. The arrest (says the Ballarat Star) was a very clever one, and reflects some credit on Detective Mahoney. It appears that the accused arrived in Ballarat from Hamilton by coach the other day, sending his wife round by way of Melbourne in the steamer, with all their luggage, of which there is a great quantity. Mahoney, armed with a warrant, followed the wife of the accused, and came to Ballarat by the evening luggage train in her company. On the platform Mahoney observed Campbell coming forward to address his wife, and, to the utmost astonishment of the latter, who thought he was so far safe from pursuit, he was in custody of the detective, and was conveyed to the city look-up. The North Cross Reef Company, Pleasant Creek, has declared its sixtieth dividend of 30s. per 10,000 th share, or £15,000 for the last five weeks’ work. A crushing cleaned up on Wednesday gave the following yield : 44360z5. 12dwts. of gold, from 1690 tons of quarts, or an average of 2ozs. 12dwts. 12grs.' per ton. In addition to this splendid return, the Pleasant Creek News states there were some small trifles in the shape of thousands of pounds worth of gold crushed from what is called the track of a reef, which is entirely supplementary to the main lode. The Rev. A. E. Ornstien, of the Hebrew congregation in Melbourne, has resigned his position, much to the surprise of his flock. Mr. W. J. Clarke is about to build a music hall in Ballarat at a cost of £II,OOO. The Advocate states that information has been received in a telegraphic message from Europe that Canon Maguire has declined the Bishopric of Sandhurst. The Very Rev. Martin Crane, D.D., 0.5. A., Prior of St. John’s Church, Dublin, has accepted the Bishopric, and the Very Rev. Dr. Backhaus has been offered and accepted the office of Vicar-General. At the Berwick Police Court, on 4th September, Roberts, a vagrant, was called on. Roberts ia a woman, and was found sleeping in the bush with a child four or five years old. She said the child’s father was Mr. Woods, M.L.A., but that he would not contribute to its support. The police informed the Bench that no one would employ the woman, owing to her filthy condition, and she was committed to prison for a fortnight in order to be properly cleaned. The child was sent to the Industrial School for seven years, and the police were directed to communicate with the reputed father as to a contribution for its support. Men have been falsely accused by women in this manner before now, but the member for Crowlands will doubtless let the public know how far he is guilty or not. A sum of 30s. was collected for the woman in Court, to be given her when released. A digraceful scene took* place in Bourke Street, at midnight, on Saturday, sth Sept., the chief actors in which were, as usual, a mob of larrikins. Constable Kissane, in giving evidence against a prisoner named Henry, alias Hanley, at the City Court yesterday, stated that while on duty at that hour he saw a lot of these young ruffians coming along the street, shouting and making a disturbance. One of them went up to a door, and snatching hold of a knocker commenced violently rapping. A fight then arose between two of the mob, and Kissane crossed the street to interfere. On arresting Henry, who was one of tho combatants, the other lads sot to stoning and in other ways assaulting him. Holding tho prisoner with one hand, he defended himself as best he could with his baton, and at the same time called for help. Sergeant Nolan came to the spot soon after, but meanwhile tho prisoner had broken loose and rim away. Nolan gave

chase, and arrested him in a right-of-way off Little' Bourke Street, but not before he had received injuries to his hand, which he had to go to the hospital and have dressed. Kiasane, it was stated, would have been murdered had not assistance arrived. As it was he was unable to remain on duty, being in too weak a condition through loss of blood and the injuries ho had received. Three charges were brought against Henry one for insulting behaviour, and two others for assaulting the police. The Bench fined him £5 in each case, or, in default of payment, nine months’ imprisonment with hard labor. A warrant was ordered to be issued ‘against another lad who was a ringleader in the affair,' but managed to escape the police. The Ballan correspondent of the Bacchus Marsh Express says ;—>* I learn that the desperado who was mastered by Hensley, and shot by Thompson on the Inglistou ■ estate, has been identified. His surname was Harris, and he was discharged from Pentridge about twelve months ago. Immediately after his discharge from gaol he went to stay with a fanner whom he was acquainted with, and who resides near Malmsbury. While there he became enamoured of the farmer’s wife—a mother of eleven children—and finally eloped with her. It is believed that this woman was in this township on the clay of the outrage, and I understand a warrant is out for her arrest.” To this the Courier adds:—“The man Hams was a resident of Maryborough district, and convicted there, in 1865, of shooting a heifer. He since underwent several other convictions, for cattle-stealing, &c., in the Sandhurst district. After his last discharge from Pentrigde he renewed his connection with the woman referred to, and she left her family near Maryborough in company with him. About two days after he was shot, and while, the body was left for identification, a woman witli an infant in her arms “came and-looked at' the body, and was heard to- mutter^The.’man : who-shot, him (deceased) ought to be shot himself.’ In her maimer she betokened some emotion, and left ; but her after movements wore unobserved, as it was only a day or two siuco that our informant, on being questioned, remembered the circumstance of the woman and her remark.” A woman has been imprisoned at Geelong, for obtaining ten shillings as a loam on a brass ring. . Messrs. Edwards and Kaul, the goldsmiths, of Collins. Street, yesterday completed to the' order of the Fine Arts Committee of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute three gold cups or vases, which are intended as the second, third, and fom*th prizes in the forthcoming art union drawing. The largest cup weighs loOozs. of almost virgin, gold. It represents a twohandled vase, having a chastely worked foot encircled with flowers, the stem being plain. The bowl is profusely. ornamented in scrollwork with medallions, on which it is purposed to inscribe the fortunate winner’s name. It stands about 12in. in height, and rests upon a colonial blackwood block. The cup next in size weighs 750z5., and very much in appearance the larger vase, having an ornamental stem, the bowl being surrounded with elaborate scrollwork, 1 "The smaller cup weighs exactly £>ooz. of the precious metal,’ and takes the form of a Grecian Cup chastely ornamentedwith leaves, its height being Bin. from the blackwood stand upon s which it rests. The cups, which were sent up to Ballarat by the last train yesterday, reflect creditably upon the taste and skill displayed by the manufacturers. A Chinaman, Ah Fee, and party, sluicing in Spring Gully, unearthed a beautiful nugget (says the Creswich Advertiser) weighing about 96ozs. It was taken from a small block of solid ground which had been left standing by some party who had previously worked the ground. One side of the nugget was blackened by the timber against which it -was found embedded, so that some one must have been very near at one time finding a good patch. Everistte, the defaulting manager of the branch of the Bank of, Victoria, at Hyneton, confessed his guilt at the Criminal Sessions, and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with hard labor. NEW SOUTH WALES. At Blondiu’a first performance 10,000 persons paid for admission, and immense' crowds assembled outside, ■ ‘ . Senior-constable Hudson' has been remanded on a charge* of rape bn a girl in the Binalong lock-up. , Mr. Rickards, the comique, is reported to have left for CalifomiaiOn Sunday, Mr. French, boot importer, of William Street, drove, to Cogee with a party, and whilst strolling along the edge ofrthe cliffs, Mrs. French attempted to throw a stone over ; wind caught her dress, and she disappeared into the water. The police proceeded around the coast, but they are not likely to recover the body, as a heavy sea is running. Judge Cheeke has obtained a year’s leave of absence. Hr. Bennett and the Rev. W. B. Clarke have resigned their connection with the museum in consequence of the treatment which Mr. Krcfft has received. A public school teacher at Moruya has been fined £5 for assaulting the Anglican minister, who is one of the trustees. A number of writs have been issued against Messrs, Hall and Forbes on account of goods supplied to the Californian.steamers. The Californian -papers speak strongly against Mr. Hall’s through passages being dishonored; At a meeting of My. Hall’s creditor’s to-day •an intention was express ed-'’ to “sequestrate his, estate. ••‘H ° v *‘ • • The schooner Mary Ann Christian - has been wrecked at Manning River bar. She was insured in the Victoria office. Last month’s gold yield shows a considerable increase. The non-arrival of the promised representative from New Zealand to arrange about the Californian mail is likely to increase the complications. To-day the Supremo Court decided that a broker commissioned to purchase shares could not deliver his own shares. Moffatt’s estate has been proved under half a million sterling. He has left £250 each to five of the principal local charities, and the remainder to his family. An experimental message was sent on Friday last to Java from Sydney, and a reply received in 2mm. 35sec. The distance travelled by the electric current was 8700 miles. The rapidity of manipulation is proof of efficiency on the part of the operators; The current of electricity from Sydney to Port Harwin- was instantaneous. ~-r I; ;V?. ;:r •■ ’ Mr. Parkea informed the Corporation of Albtiry to-day that the Government intend to extend the railway there without delay. - SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The brig Carl, which left here on 12th July with, breadatuffs for the Cape, has returned disabled. A hundred and twenty bags were thrown overboard. In the rifle-match, six English.against six , Scotch, the former scored 707, and the latter 704 points. The Treasurer proposes making the pilot service competitive. The eight hours’ demonstration was held today. The schooner Elizabeth, with a cargo of timber and potatoes for Adelaide, has been ■wrecked off the Tasmanian coast. . The steamer Gothenburg sailed from Port Harwin on the 29th of August with fifty-five passengers and 2000ozs. of gold. The equatorial telescope for the Observatory is to be shipped in the September mail steamer. ~ f „ Four women of .tho'town have been committed for trial for the manslaughter of one of their infants. ■ r ' 1 A Bill providing for compensation for accidents on Government railways has been introduced. The Government aye pledged to introduce a Murray Railway Bill this session. ; . ThO vsbip City of Adelaide, which went ashore at -Henley Beach, was got this morning, and moved into harbor. She. is not damaged. ' The National Marine Insurance Company shows £2400 loss List half-year. The residents of the South intend applying to Parliament for a Bill to enable them to cut a canal from Goolwa to the sea.

Mr. Angus’s vote of censure against the Government making appointments contrary to the Civil Service Act was negatived, but a resolution has been carried for a select committee of inquiry as to whether a certain applicant for an appointment had not been brought off. Hoctor Milner, of the Northern Territory, reports that only four coolies are suffering from disease. They are a useful body of men, but a great many are not fit for miners. Some are good gardeners and mechanics. Two parties are about commencing road work for the Government, and some are now employed on the jetty, and prove themselves excellent at the pick and shovel and with the harrow. At the reefs the alluvial and prospecting parties are meeting with success On account of the tedious litigations at the courts it is impossible to get justices to sit on the bench. The sheepweed is spreading in some parts of the Colony and injuring the land. An old German named Schulze, who died iu May last, is now supposed to have been poisoned by his daughter. The barque Wave Queen has become a total wreck at Rivoli Bay. All hands were saved. She had as cargo 75 tons of, flour and 2000 bags of wheat intended for Sydney.