AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2376, 16 September 1869, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

The Government of New South Walea are about to invite'the assistance of the other colonies in the establishment of an Euglish monthly mail services cla Torres Straits. •'-,; •' ■■'■■'. .'. ' ■.'■■' ;. Messrs Dalgety, Blackwood, and Co. have been requested by His Ercelleucy Governor Weld to purchase and present to Captain Neil M*Eaohero, of the barquo Aunfora, uponhwamvai in this port, tho besttelescope that can bo procured, as a recognition of services rendered to the passcngera by the mail steamer Balclutha. A number of gentlemen connected with mining interests,--.says the Argus of the 2nd inst, are to start today for Tasmania for the purpose of taking up and working a largo area of ground on the Waterhoose Reef, the prospects entertained respacting which appear to bo of a very encouraging character. They sail by the steamer Tasmania for Launceaton, and are said to represent a considerable amount of capital which is to be invested in the venture. Souio specimens of the quartz taken from the reef were recently crushed in Melbourne, and yielded, it is staked, 290z of gold from 18cwt of stone. According to the Guildford correspondent of the Daily New*, the grog raid instituted b> Newstoadshiru appears to hnvo been unusually 'successful, no less th.n twentyaix summonses having been issti'd. An rnnusing incident occurred at Blanket Gully, while *.search for grog was being made. A i chi d came in and placed a coin on the table, i saying, " Mother wants gi-^—, j"sibufc;before the words o«uld be attore^ ? thffstbrckeeper I thrust his finger in the child's* 'raputb, and said, " If your mother wants popper,ytellhor I havo none ground; you must oomo bac||;in Jhalf an hour." ■ -'•.•■■ ■ ■.• .\'i\sj Afca meeting of the Melbourne Ghatfcber of Cpmmarco, hold oil the 3lst ulfc^>he secretary laid before thocoramifcteo additional infortnation received on the. subjecb of telegraphic communication with Europe, and stated that an application had just been submitted to the government* or South Australia, Victoria, and New South"Wales, for a subsidy of 6 per cent, on a <jipita! of L 350,000, that is to say, L22.80Q p?jr pinum, of which Victoria and South Australia were asked to p%v. each 2-6tha, and New South Wales and, West Australia each 1 -6th. The company intended to re formed on such subsidy to continue: the, lines from Adelaide to the north-went coast of Australia by land) and thence by cable to the west end of Java, to whiah point English capitalists proposed to bring tho lines, GovernorVsWeld had given in his approval of the scheme, and had promised it his utmost support. Tho expedition aont out under Mr Forrest's command in April laat, towards tho interior of the continent, by the Government ofWestern Aust-'aUa, in the hope of olearing up the mystery which envelop* the fate of the long-lost Leichardt, has roturned in safety, but without finding any traco whatever of , the remains of the lost party. The statements made by the aborigines two years ago respecting tho remains of white men seen many years ago in the interior were such as to carry conviction with them, and induce the belief that they oould be none other than those of the party of the lost explorer. ; The localities pointed oui have now-been travelled over without success, and we are left to impugn the veracity of "blackfellow" at our leisure. The country W- described as being without any permanent water, quite unfit for stock, and otherwise discouraging. ' ..For some time past the Telegraph departmerit of. Victoriai HasiVeen preparing -returna relative to the amount of traffic and the cost of telegrams on the different lines throughout the cdrdny, with a view to enable tho Goveraownt to decidei'bn* sob*me of reduction in th» present charges for transmitting mesgigc* The \vorkjng at tho reduced rate jn the-othor colonies is also carefully noted. Tho Sonth Australian syatim has been an a3^3M>wlodged success ; and the reduction m Tasmania from half.a-crown to a UDiftmn rate of one shilling has resulted in an increase of' 16 per cent, on tho>amount actually received for messages. It is not improbable that the inspector of telegraphs will recommend a uniform rate^of.one penny pec- word forallimessagestoandfrom any tele«rapboffico in Victoria, and that press reports will be forwarded at hair-price, the minimum m oil casea bcin« on* shillinsr. Mr Broueh Smyth** work on "The Go dfields and Mineral-Districts of Victoria has met with a sale, the, success of which would be extraordinary, even for a book of corrc-, spending prici. and character in EneUud., The cumber of copies P«nW&w«i. 1500, of which, 400,Uv» l>e«n sent W.En«land, and all the rests-»aw » very £nt« disposed of m vj« fc ori»'ani the; Australian co'<»"«», ( the demand £oftthe>ork In New Zaaland having) been «ap«afallv large. As., early a» possible after &uF »«Wication of the book sue copiis3 were »eßfrhome by'tb»Gr*at Britain, ' and the lovniet «Bga«ed to' pack;th«» in a caw with Vkk. ' However h* f«le<l to do bo, and on the- occasion of the fire irhicb brok© out; iiilt& paiiiaVe ihe books were spoiled Toy"the '*c* water wbtoh>ira«;»w»shcd.overtb> cargo. Only one copy waa- tiken out in anything ' likoa decent cot|dition, and thissva* Mt at tbq J^ent-General'a offtoe. Mr Verd9»has closed witn Truoner'anA Co., ibe well known pub* iwneM/to'plaw the' book'on'tho London Wrket.1*;" * V'" '* "' ; 'i " V '< Agreji^inipisovement In th» *ole.pl»*» o£ tbe Bwing ptougn h«»' just b*en tnade hj M» Hugh Lennea, tbe weli-kiio.Trii plougb»akeTr, E!iz*>mth •!* et, Molbourno Ris termed tn« "ahiftinfto? jrfbund grinrMng" aole-ptate, and invwitor has secured Royal Mtin patent foUt;., cnaraeterktio q( *b» invent^n, like all the'beat improvement*,, Is in iU .implloity ; ; .it k made in two pari«,^o that the part or heel of the ■ole-pUte mo«t liable to w«ar caa b« r«pl««*d without ikilkd or mechanical.slabOTr—V<*rtat.;benefifc, we imagine,^at time, and e-woiaily now that«o many nave carolled, tncnwelrei-in the list of farmera,, and areoairying .on operatioQß on virgin foil and. at ineonvenfcnt dfitanoM from tbe country^ MaolumUhiL -The way in *hich the improvement iautUiwdi li m follows;— Giving * tan to • nak ftT«j f

the plough a better " bite," if the grdiuid W hard -if the,latter be soft, * leas tarn witt Bulßce. When the solo-plate is worn dowa at the heel, this new addition can be so. arranged as to keep the parallel line trw from bcel to point of sock '] this can be done until it is fairly worn oat, when it can besr*placed by a duplicate exactly einiilsr to ttwf-/." original, and at •nominal price—-say,; two; BhJffingßorhaU.a.ordwn.':; ; :'-\.^..:; ■i/ ! ''-:X'-i A prcpheey was made at the time offcho last eanhquako and wave in South America that such another wave would visit the shores " of Australia in the beginning of. October■"""Si the present year, and would umndato all tho low country Jying to seaward <sf Melbourne ; and a paragraph which appeared in » newspiper some weeks ago drew attention to the prediction afresh*. Tha has so al*rmed several residents of Saaadridge that; sqrao fonr* cut« five families anr anil to have removed, to '/.'-•. 1 Carlton, with the sole object of being out of reach of the, overwhelming billow. For tho past few days the impending calamity has formed the, totfic of' convention in, most of tho waterside suburbs, some persons making fun of tbe idea, while outers aerionsly discuss the probability of its', troth, and already tho height, size, duration, and other little detail" have been settled by the sensationalists. It may be pqme consolation to thoae who have fled to Carltcn and other elevated districts to be informed that, tocording to the experience of'other localities, whilo the low' country is being devastated by the giant wave, tho habitations -of the dwellers in high places are shaken to the foundations, and occasionally swallowed upby the gaping earth, which* belches forth scalding water, red fire, eulpliureoufj-vftpoura, &o. Tne wave is said to lie due; on the sthi of next month, though previons notice of its arrival will be given by tho gradual rising of the waters in tho bay. An ingenious individual has suggested that there may be yet time to construct a conduit by which thViUod might* bo carried through Little Bourko street, which is said to want cleansing to a considerable extent.- ■'■■''■ ■'.'■: •.• ■■';•■' -:-" ;,r The running at the Rand wick races has had tho effect, says tho Argus, of considerably shortening the odds against several of tho Metropolitan candidates. Onthoetrcngtlt of Charon*s performance in the Derby, his a table companion, Ragpicker, h&i advanced to 10 to I, and Sir William's dead heat with. Barbello has brought him into tho same division, Tho Earl receding about' half a dozen points, ia consequence of tho iridiffercufc form displayed by Mr Tait's hbrees. Circaaeian, who won the Epsom* Handicap, with Oat stb upon his back, has come into the market with a tremendous rush, and from au extreme outside position has vaultedinto that of second favourite, his price being; - about oto 1. Taking into consideration tho fact of this borse having,bat.Tst 1 lib (including Sib penalty), his chaaco appears equal to anything engaged ia the race, excepting Tin* Wnifller, who still remains iirm at the head of affairs.; 70 to 20 was tho highest offer agninst him yesterday, and this was made by a gentleman wishing to hedge that amount. The Maiden Plate was mado the medium of a large amount of speculation in conjunction with the Metropolitan. The tempi lug odds of 100 to 4 againsS naming tho wione-a o£ both events induced largo numbers" to try their fortuna Moselle, who will ineqt.Cliaroa in the Maiden Plate on fitb. better teems than in the Derby; was, if anything; abettor favourite than Mr Fisher's horse/ the-De^by winner having a penalty of 10!b. to carry. Tho Fop, who has ho penalty, was alto taken pretty freely for the Maiden.Plate, ami" Lamplighter and Paradise came in for a share of support, the principal sol* ctions for tho iMetropolitan,, being Tim WuiffUr, Circassian, Italian, Stumpy, Ragpicker, Barbelie, land Sir William^ , ■ A. new, invention has juafc been patented ia iMeibou:no, which promises to greatly 'ia~: fiuenc? future sluicing operations in saving \ gold, tin ore, -and precious stones, in tho ■shape of ft false bottom to aluicca. The extremo simplicity.of tho new plan makes it easy to describe A board, the width of the siuico used,, and two inches thick, ia obliquely perforated with an augur, at au angle of forty-five degrees against or under : tho stream.. The distance bctwoon the holes "is equal to tho diameter of the hole. Tho ivowa of holes aro four,or, Eko.inches apart ! from centre to'centre. ■ A s&w-cutis theni made about a quarter of an inoh from the* upper part;. across each row of holes an'4nctt* ; deep, at.exactly tho sameangleas tho perfora- : tions. A ripple in addition to tho holes ia then ' formed"between eaoh row by adzing abont one inch from the hex trow, sloping the samato tho bottom of the saw-cut. The secret of tho invention is hero disclosed. Naturally, tho heavy metal Uhds ita way-to the bottom, of the material operated upon ; this frills over the ripples into tha holes, which, % theue peculiar construction, cause & "boiling" backwards in.the holes put of the jpovycr of .tho^ stream,, whilst the' ligh tor dirt ffo.wa off:with, it. The effioieacy of theao false bottoms has been testified to by Mr WittjMiLiA., chairman of directors of the rCnebbbne Cpttpany's mine, Eldorado, ; whore, the iriveniion wa« brought to perfootion, and where the oaving" efftfeted by the apparatus above desoribed-w----stated tojiraounfe to considerably .owr L2OOO a-yoar. The merit of these npplea.lies ia thfiir extreme simplicity, cheapness, and effective self-acting retention of tncKvoluabla portion of that which passes ovorihora. lit is said that gold, tin ore, or gotns once caughfc can never be washed away, j jTlieiawntof 1* Mr S.- Milligan, late manager ofi the Kne#bone Cdmpany,v.and a model of h?s> patent may be seen at theoffieo of Mcwra Baillie and Betters,, Collins 5treet.;.,...,, ;, r The machinery for the y^iefcoiriatt'.. ,Minfe whioh arrived in Melbourne per abip.Hocuba, ia of the most interesting desoriptiiDnv It wan manufactured after the mat existing patterns, and is not only f*r, superior .to*thevold-faiih.» ioned machinery .still used in tho.Rr.yal Mint, but embraces alf thiiimprovem«nt» suggested by experience of the apparatus Jately sapplied by the same maker (Mr of Birmioghain) to thOiFrenc^lwoerial-CJovßni-* ment. It consist*,-firstly, .oft a rolling niiß» into whioh the -gold is passed* m fillets one inch and a half wide aud,)ialf'Hn inch thick. These filldtai carried ; beiwebn raidlvtng cylinders, ateoventuaMybrongbt to the required thickness of, the far lamed B'itisk sovereign, and are next passed; through, the cutting-ont presses,^ which form the second item of the machin^i | By this latter means tlie soyereiga first atstunea circulwjbjaDe, thoa^hitsfac«sares^UlJblaaK. ;TBe"nSt operaH^is^f^B"i^'b"ylimacaM«» to tturnuptheodges.bf:th&disc,»;whiohthea goos into a weigiinc. macbiie, is, .w*shed Ja a bath of acids, aadTfinally passed over to the Btatnp:ng-jn»clHQef,, wkiib, Jmpress thereon the most pop«la& medattioh likeness of Her Majesty which art has yefc developed. Thera are four of these stan&ping-machines to give the coin itsobv^erse, tavcrse, and mil'ing* Ia addition to the a>hove are four autoraatoa balances* zaadeby Na|«ier, of L»m seth, whoha* original invention* o£/Mr Cotton, of the Ba)Jt of tngland, somu^asta make still moroiemarkable one of the most turpnsipg pieces of mechanism eve^. known. Tho rate of manafaeturo ra»y be guessed from ttttf?act thafeach of the' four sUmping-nMt-cWnes will turo'oafc1 200 sovereigns per minute, or »total of 334,000 pe*-working day of eight Hoars. The cost of the mechantost capaos thus provided is about £.15,000. Th« buildings for the-Victoria^, Mint are not yet begun, but tho preliminary work, cundtr the iapwinUmien^ ot'Mr YfvW, sinspsotor^general of puWio works in SVwton*, and Mr Fotitall; Comber^ tho Imperial consulting enghjirer, it fofshgd, aadt .tliojpofttrMt fonjthe.j>psction wilt, |hortlx bm taken up.,.. Tfre. pajblfQ-must aodersUnd tw* our mint service rewmblei tbstrdf' oar local Admiralty snrv©j*so far that, In>v»erial interests being involved, the Colonial QoTem. ment pays fwthe work done'tb the Imperial Governmen*.. whic^ in return pay* O» officers of the estaWUhment, who are flu* removed^to a c«Uin extent, from localmt«rfe«noe. At .ptwmti Mr CcOSmM^ ■enU ■ ths: h<nn« aoTeranieot t >lg^ M&Sp!* be complete. lt\fa. «KP>M *rt Twtflibifc *»*f»r»»*<*i [\ ■ from \}p» 4»te, . *■ V .