INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4294, 24 December 1874, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

VICTORIA. The waiters of Melbourne have formed an association for their mutual benefit. It appears that four shocks of earthquake have been experienced in Gipps Land, Victoria, within the last six months. “Forty bushels of wheat to the acre,’/the Maryborough Advertiser states, “is the average yield reported from Mr. Lawrence’s large farm at Baringhup. This farm has been cropped with wheat for a succession of years. Mr. Justice Fellows is about to resign his seat on the bench. A painful disease is daily rendering the bench more uncongenial to his Honor. Mr. Fellows will not take any decisive action until the return of Sir W. St.well, who is expected in Melbourne in January. In accordance ■ with an arrangement previously announced, tenders for the balance of the unallotted 5 per cent. West Australian debentures were lately opened at the National Bank, and about £I,OOO worth more were applied for than there were to be allotted. The amount to he allotted is £IB,OOO, and the debentures will be apportioned pro rata. A young man named Cutten, the son of a builder in Sandhurst, on a Sunday lately went out in a boat on the river Murray, at Echnea, to give his sister a row. A terrific squall swept over the river and town soon afterwards; the boat was upset; the young woman’s clothes kept her afloat till she was rescued, but her brother was drowned.

During the Inst fortnight a new disease has broken out among the cattle in the neighborhood of Walliugton. As soon as the cattle are seized with the new complaint they run to the water to drink or bathe themselves. After coming out they soon expire, and the flesh turns blue, exhaling a very bad odour, the whole body being much swollen also. It is supposed the disease has been introduced by some cattle purchased in the interior, and brought recently into the neighborhood. His Honor Mr. Justice Molesworth sat in the Equity Court on Tuesday, and was occupied throughout the day with a disputed will case. The testator was a man named Thomas Brady, late of Sandhurst, who died twenty years ago, leaving his property to his wife and her children. Mrs. Brady subsequently died, and the testator’s brother now sought to upset the will on the ground that he was of unsound mind. His Honor reserved his decision. A warrant has been issued from Melbourne for the arrest of Mr. William Simpson, late manager of the branch Bank of Victoria at Epsom, upon a charge of forgery. He obtained leave of absence for a few days, and proceeded to Melbourne. Whether in consequence of his prolonged absence his accounts were examined, or whether chance revealed the fact, we have not learned, but it was discovered that he had forged an order to obtain a deposit of £7OO, which had been paid in on deposit of twelve months by a customer of the bank, and it was subsequently ascertained that he had paid in that sum of money to a bank in Melbourne to his own account. The culprit had only recently assumed charge of the Epsom branch, having been promoted to that office from Sandhurst. One of the most remarkable animals exhibited at the Smeaton show last week was a bull which was brought there overland—a distance of some 1500 miles—from the Hew England district of Hew South Wales. The beast was a well-bred shorthorn, weighing, 15721 b., and was in fine condition after his long journey. He had five distinct legs. The fifth grew from the centre and top of his back, hanging down over his side. This limb was perfectly formed and jointed, and of course presented a most extraordinary appearance. The bull was a perfectly quiet one, and allowed his numerous visitors to examine the superfluous limb minutely. He is now four years of age, and the present owner gave £BO for him in Hew England. A person calling himself Baron Von Sanden, and who recently claimed to he a nephew of Prince Bismarck (the relationship, however, being subsequently authoritatively disclaimed), was arrested a short time ago at his lodgings, Royal-terrace, Fitzroy, by Detective Williams. He is charged with obtaining goods under false pretences, to the amount of £l3 10s., and cash amounting to £3 10s., from Eliza C'leeland, of 79 Stephen-street, by means of a valuless cheque for £l5O on the Commercial Bank, purporting to be drawn by Oscar Dubois. THE SPLIT IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. The Melbourne Daily Telegraph states that the proceedings in connection with the contumacious induction of the Rev. R. K. Ewing, which have occupied so much of the attention of the Presbyterian Assembly lately, culminated on the night of November 18th, in an irregular and sensational manner. The Rev. B. Robertson and the E,ev. D. Eraser being cited to appear before the Assembly last night, to answer the charge against them of being associated with the Presbytery of Beechwoi-th in its improper admission of Mr.,Ewing, did so, and each pleaded briefly on his own behalf. On a motion being subsequently proposed to pass a vote of admonition upon both reverend gentlemen, Mr. Robertson rose, and said if this course was proceeded with he would leave the hall. On the motion being seconded, Mr. Robertson then, in opposition to the wishes of the Moderator, put on his hat and left the court, exclaiming, “ I decline your jurisdiction,” The conduct-of the reverend gentleman occasioned the greatest astonishment, and somewhat embarrassed the Moderator as to his course of procedure. Finally, being unwilling to deal harshly with the rev. gentleman, a committee was appointed to reason with him and bring him hack to his seat to-day. The Moderator then proceeded to censure the Rev. Mr. Eraser for the part he took in the matter, and after patiently listening to the discourse, the rev. gentleman rose, saying, “ I have listened respectfully,” and then left the court. Information has boon received by the police that the body of John Reynolds had been found in the Goulburn, at Seymour. Reynolds passed valueless cheques in Melbourne, and then went towards Kilmore in a buggy, which he had hired from Mr. Oarton, He was, when last heard of, heading for the Goulburn, nearly naked, and delirious. The clip of wool for the present season should be a heavy one, to judge by individual instances. Of late the weights have been given of some very heavy fleeces cut from longwoolled sheep, but we have received accounts of the weights of fleeces cut from merinoes that almost rival the long-woollod breeds.' One of the sheep referred to cut 161 b., two cut 1-1 Jib. each, and four averaged 131 b. of greasy wool. These sheep are pure merino rams, selected some time ago by Mr. J. Johnston for Messrs. Buckley and Co., of Melville Forest. The weights were taken by-Mr. A. Buckley. At present it is the fashion among stockholders to crop their merino sheep with the longwoolled breed, no matter what is the character of their soil or climate. With such results as Messrs. Buckley and Go. have obtained there will bo great encouragement for sheep farmers to keep to the puro merino, where the country is unfitted for the heavier breeds of sheep. The Footsoray moat-preserving works have been sold at auction to Mr. Charles Croaker, of Croaker, Scott, and Co,, Melbourne, for £6500. Two miners have been killed by foul air in a wing of the Long Tunnel mine, near Walhalla. One of them leaves a wife and three children.’ Several lives were nearly lost in the effort to recover the bodies. A purse of five hundred sovereigns has been presented to the Very Rev. Dr. Fitzpatrick of the diocese of Melbourne. It is satisfactory to know, says the Telegraph, that there is a probability of an immense quantity of auriferous drift being sluiced in the districts of Castlcmaine and Fryer’s Creek as soon as a supply of water is available. It has been reported to the Mining department that one company of four men has obtained gold of

the value of £75 Is. fid., as tho result of a fortnight's work, the water-rate for the two weeks being £l2. Lieutenant-Colonel Sankey, R.E., estimated that there was drift enough in these districts to employ the water of the Coliban for a period of 170 years. The two Houses of Parliament are decidedly at issue in the matter of tolls. The Assembly passed a clause in the Local Government Bill that tolls should be abolished at the expiration of the year 1875. The Council has decided that the system of collecting tolls for the maintenance of roads in municipalities should be continued, and they altered the clause accordingly. NEW SOUTH WALES. The Victoria, from Cooktown, brought 700 oz. of gold. Mr. Cuthhert, the well-known shipbuilder, is dead. A hoy named McGregor has been committed for the manslaughter of a girl by throwing a stone which killed her. Clara Donahoe, an inmate of tho Benevolent Asylum, has been committed for murdering her child, aged sixteen months. The Governor has purchased the yacht Era, and presented her to Cakohau, in the Queen s name. The inquest on a child found in Darling Harbor resulted in a verdict of wilful inurder against some person unknown. At Narrabri it has been discovered that horses are maddened by eating the wild pea. In one instance several men were in great risk of being trampled to death, and one man’s arm was broken. Moulamein is a town on the Edwards River, below Deniliquiu, containing a considerable population, and concerning it the correspondent of tho Laiiliiiuin Chronicle writes;—“Both schoolhouses are going to decay. We have neither schoolmaster, minister, nor medical man —rather a credit to the oldest township out of Sydney ! Our former minister preached his farewell sermon a short time since, pz-evious to his departure for another district. There is some talk of another hotel being opened.” The Duhbo journal relates that in courts of law one is the witness of many a sorry scene ; but during a long experience it never saw any-, thing more pitiable than what occurred on Wecfnesday last. A man was in the dock, charged with a serious offence, and in his defence called his son, aged about sixteen years. The lad (who was an intelligent looking halfcaste) took the box, when the following dialogue took place between him and the judge; — His Honor : “Can you read or write ?’’ Boy : “ No.” Judge : “Do you know any prayer 1” Boy : “ No.” Judge : “ Were • you ever in a church?” Boy : “No.” Judge : “Did you ever go to school ?” Boy : “ No.” Judge: “Do you know anything of God?” Boy: “No.” Judge: “Did you ever hear of him?” Boy; “No.” Judge (in tones of pity): “I cannot take your evidence.” His Honor turned to the father and said:—“l am astonished to see that you have brought up your family in such deep ignorance. Surely you could have taught them at all events that there was a God above them.”

SOUTH AUSTRALIA. ’ Mr. Paul Phillips, J.P., has been found dead near his station, in the Far North. Pig-iron manufactured by an Adelaide company has been sold at £8 15s. per ton. Over forty applications have been received for the emigration lectureship in England. The Mayor of Adelaide’s allowance has been fixed at £3OO for the year. The interference of the Protestant Association in the last municipal elections is condemned.

The rate of mortality at Yorke’s Peninsula is increasing, and thirty deaths have already occurred this month. Typhoid fever is spreading, and serious apprehensions are entertained. The Board of Health attribute the high rate of mortality to the crowded state of the population and the absence of ordinary sanitary arrangements. Mr. M. Hurley, who was formerly stationed at Wallaroo, now police-trooper at Laura, on tho eve of his marriage, and in consideration of gentlemanly conduct and diligence at his duties, was presented with a purse containing forty sovereigns, and a document expressive of the estimation in which he is held by the residents of the district.

The Chief Secretary of South Australia, Mr. Blyth, being on a visit to Melbourne, the opportunity has been taken to come to an understanding with respect to the disputed boundary between that colony and Victoria. After some deliberation between Mr. Blyth and the Government, it has been decided that the matter shall he referred to tho Privy Council, that being the course adopted with respect to the Pentland Island dispute. At a meeting of Moonta miners held lately, litliofracteur was condemned as injurious to the miuez-a’ health. The fume so weakened the men that they could not put in the holes in anything like the same time as gunpowder, so that if litliofracteur was stronger than gunpowder it could hot be used with any profit to the employers or with advantage to the workmen. Resolutions were ■ passed, pledging the miners not to use lithofractour, and also to memorialise the proprietors to discontinue its use.

A boat accident, by which two men lost their lives, is reported to have occurred on Sunday afternoon. Five seamen had obtained the loan of a yacht for a sale down the river, and had gone round the lighthouse, and returned as far as the Point, when she capsized during a squall, the mainsheet at the time being made fast iustead of being held. So sudden was the upset that the men had no opportunity to assist themselves except by clinging to the mast, which was about 2ft. above water when the craft settled down. One of the men —Edward Kadford—swam to the shore, whilst the others struggled to keep themselves afloat by the aid of the mast. In this effort, however, two of them Thomas Conolly and Frederick Webb —failed, and were drowned. News has been received of the death in London of Mi-. David Eandall, the wine-in-terest advocate. Sir Kiohard Hanson, Chief Justice, has been appointed chancellor of the University, and Bishop Short vice-chancellor. The new light for the lighthouse at the port has arrived, aud it is expected to bo fixed early iu January. The cost amounts to £3500. The land sales for November amounted to 30,000 acres, averaging 355. per acre.

TASMANIA. (Fi-onx the If char ion Mercury.) The Main Line railway is rapidly approaching completion. Five thousand people assembled on the steamboat wharf at Hobarton on the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Du Cane for Melbourne, en route for London, to bid them good-by. Sheep-shearing is proceeding rapidly, and but for the scarcity of hands, satisfactorily. Thanks to the compulsory care of sheep under the Scab Act, fullerandfiner clipsarouownotthe exception but the rule. Tho first ship of the season, the Harriet MacGregor, is expected to leave for London within a fortnight. In raining there has been little ■ done. The weather lias been unfavorable, and has retarded the commencement of prospecting and other above ground operations that require a track of fine weather. The demand for Tasmanian timber, both for home use and export to the other colonics, continues on the increase. From’the feller to the shipper, all arc busy ; and thus tho shipping of the port is larger and more_ actively employed than it has beeu for a long time. Trade is brisk and on a sound footing, and satisfaction and confidence have taken tho place of tho doubts and uneasiness that wore felt at the prospect of some recent extensive failures in the North beingglosSed over by tho acceptauco of a composition. That disgrace on our commercial reputation has been avoided. The composition offered was more than the estate could possibly realise, but the bulk of the creditors have declined the temptation, preferring to allow the insolvency to be subjected to tlio ordinary course of law. It is with extreme regret that we record tho demise of Mr. Charles Degraves, who expired at his residence, Cascades, on the 21st instant, from paralysis. Mr. Degravos arrived in Tan-

mania in 1824, with the other members of the family of the late Mr. Peter Degraves, whose second son he was. His father established the Cascades mills and brewery, ior many years the deceased was extensively engaged in commercial transactions in this colony and in "Victoria, as one of the partners of the firm of H. and C. Degraves, and latterly of C. and J. Degraves. The first named firm established a large shipbuilding yard here many years ago, and built several well-known vessels for themselves, which were engaged in the trade between this colony and England, as well as the intercolonial trade. The Cascades brewery, of which the deceased gentleman was one of the proprietors, is one of the largest establishments of its.kind in the colonies, and for years the firm has carried on an extensive trade with the other colonies. Mr. Degraves, who was sixty-two years of age, was unmarried. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. | After a four days’ session of the Council, beginning on ISth November, the constitutional question was delayed ponding the arrival of Governor Robinson, who brings special instructions with regard to the views of the Home Government on the proposed reform. A bonus of £SOO has been voted to Mr. Poorest and his party. The arrangements made for the reception of Mr. Porrest include a public entry, the presentation of addresses, a banquet, and a ball. Governor Robinson is expected by tire January steamer. • ’The crops are good, but not sufficient for consumption.