ARRIVAL OF THE S.S. OMEO WITH LATER ENGLISH AND AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1162, 7 March 1874, Page 14

ARRIVAL OF THE S.S. OMEO WITH LATER ENGLISH AND AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

The Omeo arrived at the Bluff yesterday with later English and Australian news. The chief items of interest in the English news are the appointment of members in the new ministry under Mr Disraeli. W e are also informed that the following gentlemen, who are or have been intimately connected with the Colonies, have been appointed Knights Commanders of St. Michael and St. George : — The Marquis of Normanby, Sir Alfred Stephen, C. B , late Chief Justice of New South Wales, Sir James M'Culloch, and Mr John O'Shanassy, C.M.G.

A despatch has been received from General Wolesley, dated Coomassie, February 4th, stating that he reached there on the previous day, after five days' hard fighting, during which the troops behaved admirably. The casualties of the British were under 300 killed and wounded.

General Wolesley hoped to commence his return march to the coast on the 6th.

The Australian news is unimportant, and the following are the chief particulars :—: — At the adjourned inquest on the death of Mr Reynolds, nothing was elicited relative to the sending of the explosive material, and it is now believed that deceased was experimenting in compounds. The Palmer Kiver Hush is over, and all who can are returning. Numbers are dying on the road of starvation and exhaustion. The township is almost completely deserted, aud provisions are so scarce that they are at famine prices, while, to add to the misery, the rivers are flooded.

Au attack was made by the blacks on Barren's Creek Telegraph Station on Sunday evening, when all the hands on the station were outside enjoying a smoke. Stapleton, the telegraph master, and Frank, the linesman, were both killed. Flint, an operator, and Black, one of tho boys, wore seriously injured. Next day the natives re-appeared in force, were fired at and one of them killed. Since then reinforcements have been sent to that and all other stations on the overland line.