MELBOURNE NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 556, 26 July 1862, Page 6

MELBOURNE NEWS.

importance of rendering navigable the lakes o G-ipps Land, and opening up a communication by water from Port Albert to the interior, was brought under the notice of the President of the Board of Land and Works ye;,teiday, by a deputation consisting of Dr. Mackay, M L.A., Dr. Hedley, M.L.A., and My. W. Pearson. It was stated that the work could be accomplished for £20,000, and that it would be a great accommodation to the wlio'e of Gippa Land. The Surveyor- General (Mr. Ligar), who was present nt the interview, expressed 'his doubts whether the project would benefit more than a few stations. Dr. Hedley said it would be the means of taking goods to Sale at a quarter of the expense incurred now, and would m consequence be a great benefit to the miners on the Jordan and at the Crooked River. The carriage overland from Port Albert to Sale was very expensive, on account of the fearfully bad road. As much money had been spent on the road as would render the lakes navigable, and yet the road was impassable. The subsoil was capable of sustaining a road, but there was a deficiency of material— there were no stones whatever iv the district. The deputation expressed the hope that the Government -yould instruct an officer to go down to Gipps Land and ascertain the feasibility of the scheme, in order that they might be able to determine whether it would not be much cheaper to carry out this work tlvui to throw away any more money on the main road. Mr. Dußy said he wmld ask the inspector-general of public works on the subject ; and if that gentleman were of opinion that it would be advisable for the survey to be made, he would ask his colleagues to conseut to undertake the expenditure, and afterwards bring down a vote as tor an unexpected service. Dr. Mackay also called attention *o the importance of having local land offices in Gippa Land, so that people desirous of becoming freeholders in that portion of the colony, under the new Land Act, might have no difficulties thrown in their way. Mr. Duffy said that wherever there was a sub-treasury, the sub-treasurer hiul been appointed the land officer, and the Minister of Finance had been asked to consent to the appointment of sub-treasnrers"at places where there were no sub-treasuries. This question was now under the consideration of that gentleman ; but under any circumstances, the'land offices would be made as accessi. ble as possible to people desirous of purchasing land. Dr. Mackay then asked if sufficient land could be r«servoJ between Welshpool and Sale, for the making of a tramway or road 1 Mr. Duffy intimated that there would be no objection, aud, after some further conversation, the interview terminated. — Argus, July 11.

Bushranging appears likely to become quite the rage amongst a certain class, to judge by the numerous cases continually taking place. Another daring attack upon travellers was made yosterilav week in the Benalla district, at a place called " The Mountains,'' about twenty miles from Jamieson's, and on the road from Jamieson's to the Jordan. Two rainere, named Timothy O'Connor and Adam Claus?, were travelling along through th i bush, at about eleven, o'clock in the morning, when they were met by two bushrangers, who called out to them to "stand! 1 ' O'Connor, who had a double-barrelled gnu with him, presented it, when one of the robbers drew a revolver and fire:! two shots at him, luckily without eflecr. The travellers then succumbed, and the robbers tied them up and robbed tliern, taking from O'Connor lOoa. i7dwt. of gold, and about £7 in money, and from Ctauas a few pennyweights of gold, and also about £7 in money. The robbers remarked that they would wait for Cohen and Parkins, who were to come that way with a quantity of gold. They waited till 3 p.m., when two other travellers, named Win. S. Scott and Geo. Wright, came up, and were also " bailed up." Scott had a loaded gun, which he was told to "drop," and did so accordingly. The two new arrivals were then tied up and fobbed of their gold and money. About an hour afterwards, Wright having told the robbers that Cohen had gone on the other track, "the ruffians departed, leaving behind them a small tent, with the cords of which they had tied up the hands and legs of their victims. They had gone nearly an hour when O'Connor succeeded in getting his hands free, wheu he speedily released hu comrades. They all at once made the beat of their way to Jamieson's, and gave information of the affair to the police, who started in hot pursuit of the offenders. No ciptnre has yet been reported. The House of* Commons has voted to the War Department £5,935 for " sweeping chimneys,'' a sum sufficient, at>23-cach per time, to sweep 14,962 chimneys four times a year. The house has also voted to the same office £13,600 for cleaning cesspools. Ju>iter and Saturn may now be seen cto36 together. It will be iwelva years before they are again in sue]) close proximity, '