OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2082, 18 January 1894, Page 3

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

(From Ouh Own Cobeespondekt.) Melbourne, December 30. THE AGE LIBEL CASE.

The verdict is expected to-day in the great libel case of Speight v. Syme, and is now universally expected to be in Mr Speight's favour. Mr Justice Hodges gave a charge to the jury which alternately encouraged and depressed the respective sides. On several points he was certainly against Mr Speight, but they wore small points. On the majority of the libels (there were 11 in all) he distinctly declared that there was no evidence in proof of them at all ; but as he came to the close of his address he left no doubt as to the trend or his sympathies. .All the afternoon almost every word he said was in Mr Speight's favour, and at the actual close he simply electrified the crowded court by the sternness and emphasis of his deliverance against the Age proprietor. The stinging portion of his charge was as follows : —

In this case it is not alleged nor proved, nor could it be proved nor alleged under the existing circumstances, that Mr Speight lost his office by reason of these articles, and that he was entitled to damage for loss of office, because, as you have heard, he was compensated for his loss of office. You have nothing to do with that question here, andyouifipst notgive damages for that. Therefore the ptydntitt says :— "My character has been damaged. , While these blots remain upon it I cannot go forth into the world and claim the consideration from railway companies and persons engaged in railway matters I am entitled to. I must wipe that stain off my name before I can once more hope to get employment which my services, ability, and experience entitla me to, and I expect from you substantial damages to-day—some-thing that will show to the world that my character has been vilified and aspersed without there being reason for it." I have already told you that as far as I was concerned I could see no harm that would come from newspapers being allowed some more latitude in their criticisms of private individuals as long as those criticisms were honest, fair, and bonafide, but that great harm, I believed, would come if newspapers were allowed greater latitude if they used it dishonestly, for ulterior motives, for the purpose of grasping political power, or of crushing an enemy or making a friend. If they did those things when greater liberty were allowed them, greater injury would be done ; but as a matter of law I tell you that newspapers are entitled to neither more nor less consideration than any other member of the community, and I ask you in going into your room to consider this case carefully, to weigh the facts well. When I- tell you compensation is ordinary recompense for injuries sustained, you must not rashly or too liberally put, your hands into the defendant's pocket to put money into the plaintiff's if you feel that what has been done was an honest mistake or honest mistakes. But if you find that the pen which wrote these thiDgs had been dipped in ink embittered with malice, with ill-feeling, or that they had been written with a pen which was. guided by a desire not to do what -was right, not to ascertain truth, not to disclose an abuse which wa existing in our midst ; but instead of that were written to gain power and influence or some other end, although that might not be directed to injure the plaintiff ; if they were not true or without foundation, and were meant to serve some political or other purpose, tyou would be justified in giving what is sometimes called exemplary damages—that is, giving aome sum which would not only repair plaintiffs character, but something which would teach any vile reptile who comes with his venom and his poison to pollute our courts, to prevent us from forming correct judgment whether there is extravagance or not in our midst. Such individuals should be made to know that they cannot do it without the certainty that that part of their bodies which is the most sensitive in all probability will be made to feel, and that if they want to be malicious they will be made to pay heavily for it. In that case you would} be justified in giving what I call exemplary damages. If, on the other hand, you think it an honest mistake, that nothing was written but what was honest or mistaken, then your damages will be not more than what you think will be fairly sufficient to compensate plaintiff for the injuries he has sustained.

The term "vile reptile" was spoken with great scorn, and made a great impression on all who heard it. Mr David Syme was present in court, and his feeliugs may be imagined.

DISASTROUS SHIPWRECK. FOURTEEN LIVES LOST.

Thursday afternoon and night were the most stormy almost ever experienced in Melbourne, The wind blew in gusts which sometimes reached a velocity of 80 miles an hour, and there wore frequent blinding showers of rain. The high sea outside Port Phillip Heads proved too much for the little] coasting steamer Alert, owned by Hud dart, Parker, and Co. (Limited). She was on her return trip from Gippsland LakeH when the disaster overtook her just outside the heads. According to the statement of Robert Pointing, the cook, who is the only survivor of 15 persons — three passengers and a crew of 12 - the steamer experienced very rough weather throughout, and was struck a few miles west; of Cape Schauck by a heavy sea, which put the tires out and terrified all, aboard. The captain, seeiug the dangerous predicament of the vcftsel, promptly ordered all hands to "get life-belts, and a few minutes afterwards bhe went down, leaving passengers and crew to struggle for their lives. The struggle must have been a terrible one, considering the fierce gale that was blowing. Pointing, who is a poweriul man, passed 12 weary and anxious hoars in the waves before he was able to get ashore, and being then in an exhausted condition fell down insensible on the beach, and remained there several hours before being rescued. Ho was found on Friday forenoon by two youag ladies who were on a visit to Sorrento, a watering place inside the heads. The sea beach is only a mile or so across a neck of land from Sorrento, and they were strolling on the sands when they flaw the man lying unconscious. They procured assistance, and he was revived after a great deal of trouble. Pointing has told the following otory of the occurrence : — " The Ebaa rolled mountains high, and as we rounded Cape Schftnck we became exposed to the full force of the mountainous seao and squalls of wind and rain that struck us abeam with terrific, violence. Captain Mathieson of courso was at his post on the bridge, and steered as far as I could judge a more southerly course than usual, so as to give the shore a wide berth. Wo doubled Cape Schanck at about 3 o'clock, and although we shipped a great deal of water the steamer punched away at it for about half an hour, when a wave of enormous height rushed upon us, and curled clean over our bows. The ducks were deluged, and when we could get' round again we found 4ft of water in the saloon. Some of the deck fittings were carried away, and the skylight was smashed in. Captain Mathieson directed the steward and me to try and fix up the skylight, and we had gone below in pursuance of those orders, when another fearful Bea broke on board and nearly filled the cabin. This time the water rushed into the stokehole and completely extinguished the fires, and Captain Mathieson ordered all hands on deck. Whcu all hands mustered on deck tho captain cheerfully culled out, ' Now, boys, put on your lifebelts.' The captain gave orders to launch the lifeboat, aad as she touched the water Captain Mathieson sprang into her to get her ready for the passengers and crew. The Alert was now rolling broadside on the trough of j the seas, one of which lifted Captain Mathieson out of the boat and cast him into the

raging sea. Simultaneously the Alert rose on the top of the wave and smashed the boat up. The captain was washed on board the Alert by the succeeding wave, and as he caught hold of one of the ropes hanging from the davits he ran aft, fearing that the boilers would explode and icald us to death. What happened after this I cannot precisely say. I remember collecting three planks together, and holding on to them for dear life. I went overboard by the run, and when I regained my presence of mind I found myself living, and with a firm hold of the raffc. I saw several of the crew, including Captain Mathieson, swimming about. I had not been afloat very long before tho Alert foundered. When I saw her the bows were standing straight up in the air, and as she went down stern first smoke and steam rushed from her funnel with a loud noise. The steward seemed to be dragged down by the vortex created by the Alert. Still he came to the surface again, and, terribly exhausted, he clambered on the raft alongside me. He hung on with me for some time, and I encouraged him to keep up his courage by telling him that we would get out of the trouble all right. He was, however, in a very exhausted condition. A few minutes later I found that he had died without a murmur, and his body hung on to the raft for some time, and was at length set adrift by the surf. I have no very clear recollection of subsequent events. I remember seeing the light at Cape Sehanck all through the night. The ebb tide carried me down towards the Schanck, and when the tide turned it brought me back again to Jubilee Point. During the night I was washed repeatedly off the raft, and seeing a piece of timber floating by I swam towards it, and, with its assistance, I succeeded in getting on shore." There were three passengers, but only one of them is known so far. He was a young man named Newton, employed as a clerk in the Government Pointer's Office.

. SHOCKING BOATING FATALITY.

The sad disaster in Sydney harbour by which seven lives were lost, has been quickly followed by another shocking accident, resulting in the loss of exactly the same number. It occurred on Boxing Day on the Minnamurra river, near Kiama, which is a preat resort of the local residents on holidays. It seems that Captain Honey, of the Kiama Volunteers, his wife, Mrs Honey, formerly Miss Pike, his wife's" sister, Mrs George Wood, jun., her husband, Mr Wood, their three children (Elsie, aged 12, Henry, aged 11, and Eliza, aged 10), and Miss Pike embarked in a hired boat, and getting too near the mouth of tbo river were carried out seaward, where the small craft was capsized in the surf. Captain Honey, his wife, Mr Wood, his three children, and Miss Pike were drowued, but Mrs Wood clung to the boat and was rescued. The accident was witnessed by hundreds of persons. -Mr Seymour Binker, of Berry, and Mr Graham, a local resident, with others, plunged into the surf to try and rescue the party, but they got to the spot too late. Captain Honey was a most useful member of the community, being magistrate and coroner for the district, and president of the Kiama Agricultural Association. Mrs Wood has by the calamity been bereaved of her husband, three children, and two sisters.

At the inquest Mrs Wood gave a pathetic description of the accident. The party had gone to the river for a picnic, and after dinner the party got into the boat for a row, Captain Honey and her husband each having an oar. They pulled the boat up the river a little way, and then turned round and went towards the mouth of the river. The boat became unmanageable and drifted into the breakers, which poured into it. Her sister, Miss Pike, was washed out. Captain Honey then seized his wife, and tried to swim ashore with her in his arms. Mr Wood tried to save the children, and Mrs Wood was left alone in the boat. Miss Pike shortly afterwards floated alongside, and she tried to reach her, but was unable to do so. She then asked if she was alive, and Miss Pike waved her hands in reply. On the opposite side of the boat she also observed the two little girls floating and her husband following, but he seemed unable to go any further and turned towards the shore. She never saw her little boy again or Mr and Mrs Honey. The boat then drifted out to sea, where she was rescued by a man named Columbus and two halfcastes, who also picked up the bodies of Miss Fike and the two little girls. Tho men cruised about, but being unable to find anyone else ran the boat on to the beach, where the first object that met Mrs Woods's eyes was the dead body of her husband. A verdict of accidental drowning was returned.

January 6,

HIGHLAND BLOOD IN SYDNEY.

The warm blood of the members of the Highland Society of New South Wales was stirred to fever heat on New Year's Day by the absence of his Excellency the Governor, who is president of tho society, from the annual gathering. As Sir Robert Duff is a Scotchman, and this was the first opportunity he had of attending a demonstration of the kind, bis presence was looked upon as a certainty. However, ho was not in attendance, and at luncheon the first warnings of a storm appeared, when Dr M'Laurin, vice-president of the Executive Council, was selected to fill the chair. Mr Robert Anderson, one of the vice-presidents, in announcing the fact, said : — " It was fully expected that we should have had his Excellency here, and this sprig of white heather, which is very uncommon, was sent from bonnie Scotland to decorate his breast. In the absence of Sir Robert Duff I have much pleasure in. pinning it upon your (Dr M'Laurin's) breast, as we regard you as a good representative Scotchman." This little ceremony having been performed amid lowering brows, the party sat down to luncheon, after which the chairman proposed the Governor's health, expressing regret that for the first time •in 25 years the Governor of the colony was not present to respond on such an occasion to the toast. At this Mr Alexander Kethel, vice-president, shouted out, '*In solemn silence," to wbinh the rejoinder came from all quarters, "That's right," "A splendid idea " ; and Mr Kethel's suggestion was acted upon. Mr Kethel afterwards characterised the Governor's absence "as a deliberate insult to Scotchmen." — (Loud cheers.)

At the annual dinner of the Commercial Travellers' Association next night, his Excellency the Governor referred to the attack made upon him at the Highland Society's luncheon, abating that he had been under the impression that he was entitled to take his Christmas holiday with his family. He had, however, found this to be a delusion, but ho would know better next time.

A CLERICAL SCANDAL.

The Rev. J. B. Johnson, the Wesleyan Free Methodist'clergyman who manufactured credentials for 'the church authorities in Auckland, has reappeared at Ballarat and held a public meeting to "deal with all rumours against him and to make a full statement." The female sex predominated in the attendance. Mr Johnson has really no explanation to make. He admits that he altered and amended the credentials and manufactured one. He admitted a t the meeting that he had been "rash and impulsive, '\but ne was making his confession to God, A new scandal came out at the meeting,

for he admitted that he had, just before his departure for New Zealand) scut to the committee of the People's Saturday Night Concerts a communication as follows t — Ballarat, 25th January 1893. Dear Sir,— As far as I can learn the Rev. J. B. Johnson has been a true friend of the temperance cause in Ballarat. The W.C.T.U. was started in his church, also he started the Saturday night meeting. Therefore now that he is in terrible trouble because of the loss of his poor wife and the great expense, it remains to be seen what the temperance people will do. Some are watching. Could you not get up a large meeting some Saturday night at the large hall with a special programme, and take up a special collection, also donations for Mr Johnson, for, poor man, he needs help, and I am sure would have done more for the temperance cause iv Ballarat only he has been kept back for IS months through his wife's sickness. — Yours trul- "■

A Friend of Blue Ribbon

■ He seems to be a favourite with the fair sex, for he said that when ministering at Beacdnsfield one old lady, who was very fond of him, offered him free board and lodging. He thought there was no harm done, and he could not help it if the ladies were fond of him. Altogether Mr Johnson is a lively specimen of the genus clergyman. He declares that he will go back to New Zealand, where, if necessary, he would work in a coal mine or break stones, but he intended to preach.

Mr Harrison, the president of the Wesleyan Free Methodist church, has published a letter in which he strongly condemns Mr Johnson. PAINFUL TRAGEDY IN MELBOURNE.

The other night on the Kerferd road pier, South Melbourne, a servant girl named Minne M'Lellan after chatting with her lover for some time bade him good-night, suddenly swallowed a phial of poison, threw the empty phial ac the young man, and as suddenly jumped into the sea. One of the many persons on the pier, named William Satchell, jumped in after her, but he could not save her, and in the darkness both were drowned. Satchell was about 23 years of age, and a young man well esteemed by all who knew him. He was particularly favoured in bicycling circles, and as &.* rider in competitions had often made good records. His last appearance in public on the track was at the Austral Wheel Race meeting on the Melbourne cricket ground last month, when he won the Obstacle Race.

The girl M'Lellan was about 27 years of ago,' and a former resident of Warrnambool, whero her frienda and relatives reside. She seems to have been a particularly unhappy girl, as she was married nine years ago to a man who she afterwards learned was already married. When she made the discovery of his prior marriage she left him and went into domestic service. She had one little boy the result of this union.

The particularly painful feature about .the case is brought to light by a letter found on the girl's body when recovered, in ' an envelope addressed to her mother. It read as follows :— •

My dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sißter, and my dear Child,— Forgive me, mother dear, what I am doing, as I cannot face thia world of misery any longer, as Alf Birtles drives me to this. He has deceived me under the promise of making me his wife. For 15 months it has just gone on like this. I have been like a wife to him ; nothing but a convenience for him. Now he is tired he has turned on me and treats me with contempt. I cannot stand contempt from him. I love him dearly, I have begged of him to turn, but he is stubborn. He will not make me his wife now as he promised, nor have anything to do with me now. It matters not. He even took me last Easter— from the Good Friday to the Monday, and placed a wedding ring on my finger and called me his wife, and then put his arms round my neck and kissed me— to the Frankston Coffee Palace, and then hetook another name and told me afterwards. Mind, he gave the name of " Buckley " instead of Birtles. I can see it all now. He filled me with false hopes and deceit. Mother, I cannot bear this disgrace on my mind. Mrs Fuller got to know it and she turned--me away from my situation. She said she could not believe it of me that I was guilty of such things. Mother, I trusted him, but he has deceived me It breaks my heart, as I love him. I cannot be parted from him to live. I shall part in death ; then he will see what he has done. Mother, look after my child. God spare you to see him grow up, and may he prove a blessing to you. As, mother, I am always parted from him, never let him know his mother's fate. Do not feel for me, as I will be better off, as there is no future now for me. My life is blighted now for ever through Alf. Birtles. No man would ever make me his wife, nor I could not deceive one .after being a mistress to him. Good-bye, and God bless my child. Heart-broken daughter, M. M'Lellan.— My brother punished Alf. Birtles for what he has done to me, and drive me to God. Pay debt 3 without money. He will not prosper now. Live, for Alf. to laugh and slur at me, I cannot. I have hit him whon he treated me with contempt, as I could not stand contempt, and ho sent me an angry letter to send an apologise to him— after the way he ha? wronged me. Good-bye, mother dear, good-bye. God have mercy on me. My child, good-bye; God bless him.

TRADE DEPRESSION IN VICTORIA

In its annual review of the year 1893 the Argus writes :—": — " The natural effects of a great crisis have been iv full evidence. Restriction of credit, curtailment of orders, and the disappearance of speculation have been the most prominent features of the last few months. That the crisis has injured credit is seen on every had. Banking support to importers and wholesale houses has not only been kept within close limits, but it has also been largely withdrawn from storekeepers. Retailers have thus been thrown back upon the houses from which they draw their supplies. This necessitated both a reduction of the terms of credit and a curtailment of orders until a hand-to-mouth system of purchasing began to prevail. Trade is thus brought into a healthy «tate, safety being preferred to a large volume of business. Speculation in merchandise has also been stopped for the time, and trade proceeds with mechanical regularity. But restriction of the volume of business to an extent far greater than the reduction of expenses possible within the Fame time has entailed much trading loss, and it is difficult to point to any branch of trade which has been fairly profitable in 1893, while in most the results have been unsatisfactory in the extreme. Yet the >ear has not witnessed the occurrence of any serious insolvency in trading circles."

" For Victoria 1893 stands out as the worst trading year experienced since the great gold discoveries of over 40 years ago. The imports of merchandise at the port of Melbourne for the first nine months of the year amounted to only £6,261,193 against £12,752,717 for the corresponding period of 1890. Such a decline of tho import trade can only be called phenomenal. Of course, it was greatly inflated from 1888 to 1890, and a considerable reduction was possible without occasioning hardship. The heavy importations were being paid for chiefly by borrowed money, and only partly by the proceeds of our own products. Thus for the first nine months of 1890 the excess of imports over exports at the port of Melbourne was not less than £7,711,382, but for the corresponding period this year it has been only £1,567,866. The export trade has. moreover, fallen off, the value entered at the port of Melbourne, from January to September, inclusive, being £4,693,327 (merchandise only) against £5,905,847 for the same period of the previous year. The decrease has to be attributed in large measure to the fall in prices. For the breadstuff s exported this year about £300,000

less has been received than would hare been the case if 1892 prices had ruled. .

MISCELLANEOUS.

When Mr Duncan Gillies was offered the Agent-generalship a few months ago he declined it, and declared, in patriotic tones, "My duty lies here." He has now discovered that he has duty here no longer, so he is going to London. If Mr Patterson had not got Mr Gillies out of the way he would have gone himself. Mr Gillies always was "uncrowned king" in the Assembly. .His "duty" was to discover what prospect he had of the Premiership, but apparently he has come to the conclusion that Patterson is too strong to bo ousted. Such are colonial politics.

Mr Justice William's has received a recompense for the loss of the Chief Justiceship in the shape of a knighthood. It will be remembered that when he was passed over and Sir John Madden chosen, hejwrote a f tirious letter to the. press. However, he will no doubt bo more reconciled now that he is Sir Hartley Williams and his wife can hold her own alongside Lady Madden.

Mr G. B. Rowley, of the firm of Rowley and Hill, and secretary to the Rosehill Racing Club, Sydney, has died from the effects of injuries sustained through being thrown from his buggy when out driving. Four friends who were with him in the trap when it capsized escaped without injury. It was hoped that he would recover, but he was seized with epileptic symptoms, and died of hemorrhage on the brain; ■

At an inquest held at Newcastle on the body of Thomas Hyde, who was shot by his wife, the evidence showed that the deceased had systematically illused his wife since his marriage in 1881. On Tuesday last he came home drunk, dragged his wife out of bed by the hair, and tried to choke her. She got hold of a revolver from under the pillow and fired, not intending to kill him. Hyde had been twice in gaol for assaulting her, and he had brought women to his house for immoral purposes. She had to support herself and family. The jury returned a verdict of death from a gunshot wound, inflicted by Martha Jane Hyde in self-defence. Much interest is being manifested in the inquest on the body of Mr J. W. Unwin, wood and coal merchant, who died at the Glebe, Sydney, after a week's illness. The evidence showed that on December 22 the deceased went to Tom's Ugly Point fishing. He found a flask of whisky under the seat of his trap, and drank from it, as did a friend of his. Both of them were afterwards extremely ill, and Unwin died after displaying all the symptoms of being poisoned by irritant poison. Uawin had said that the flask had been planted under the seat. His wife deposed that her husband. and herself had always lived happily. ■Since these facts were disclosed the police had fqund a flask in a watercloset at the deceased's house containing several grains of white arsenic. At this stage Dr Rennie said be was sure that the deceased had died from arsenical poisoning, and the coroner adjourned the inquest to enable Unwin's body to be exhumed to' ascertain if traces of poison could be found in it.

The railway traffic in Melbourne on New Year's Day this year, though the weather was superb, was much less than last year. The aggregate number of tickets issued was 58,333, as against 67,684- last year ; and the aggregate receipts were £3524 and £4351 respectively. At Spencer street the most noticeable decline was in the race traffic to Flemington, the number of tickets issued being only 3823, as compared with 5063 last year. Joe Goddard, the Australian champion, and Harry Laing, the heavy-weight champion of New Zealand, fought for £150 in Melbourne on New Year's Night. Goddard's condition failed him, and it is thought that he is done so far as the ring is concerned. It was all over after the seventh round, after which Laing began to Stand up to his man and to give him quite as much punishment as he received. In the middle of the twelfth round Goddard held out his hand in token that the fight was over.

A sad case of drowning has occurred near Wedderburn, in Victoria. A young married woman named Mrs Stevens, wife of a farmer in the was fishing in company with some friends. She was about 100 yards higher up the creek than her husband when the latter heard her scream for help, and when he reached the spot found her struggling in the water. He plunged in, but his wife clutched hold of him, and had it not been for the breaking away of hit collar he would havo been drowned. As it was he struggled to land, while the poor woman sank. The body was recovered some time afterwards, with that of her child, about 2 years old. It is supposed that the infant fell into the water, which is about Bft deep, and that the mother had endeavoured to rescue it.

Some time ago a rev. gentleman laid a serious charge against |youug Victoria of an alarming increase in its criminal instincts. The rev. gentleman's statistics, however, havo been shattered to pieces by Mr Hayter, the Government statist. But another charge is now brought against tho Victorian youth, this time by Sir John Madden, the Chief Justice, who hM a grievance against his pronunciation of the Queen's English. A lively correspondence has followed in the press. The chief complaint is the twang given to the sound " ai." Thus "daisy" is "disee," the "bay" the "by" and so on.' "cow" is "ke-ow" and " town "is " te-own " also. One correspondent has brought down showers of ridicule upon himself by maintaining that the Victorian youth's pronunciation i§ of " singular beauty," but that he is too prone to inherit the faults of his Cockney ancestors. The dreaded phylloxera has made its appearance in a vineyard at Bondigo. The vines are to be uprooted and burnt. One of the boa constrictors at the Adelaide Zoological Gardens yesterday swallowed a rug 7ft by 6ft, which had been provided to help to keep it warm. It is supposed that the reptile was making a dart at a live rabbit which had been put in the glasshouse when its fangs became entangled in the folds of the rug, and as it could not get rid of the rug it swallowed it. Much curiosity prevails as to whether the snake will survive the meal.

The scandalous traffic in babies which has attracted go much attention in Melbourne lately hasarousedtheauthorities to take steps to repress it. The chief commisfiioner of police recently introduced a new system of inspection of houseß registered under the Infant Life Protection Act. The inquiries which used formerly to be made by the police as to the character of women desirous of acting as guardians of children are now being conducted by ladies associated with the Industrial School boarding-out system, and this new arrangement is likely to be attended with satisfactory results. At Broken Hill also on New Year's night two children lost their lives by a fire. They were a boy aged two and a girl aged eight. Three other boys got safely out. At Brisbane last Sunday night in one of the suburbs (Bulimba) a labouring man named Hughes and his wife left their home in the evening, leaving three children — two boys and a girl, aged respectively two, four, and six years — locked up in the house. Shortly afterwards the house was seen to be on fire, and was burnt; to

the ground. The neighbours notich^ tho fire^ azid hearing the children screaming' insido,. burst open the door, and with aome drfSuulty succeeded in rescuing the girl, but the other two children were burnt to a cinder.

Miss Sutherland, the well - known philanthropist of Melbourne, is a strenuous advocate for a foundling hospital. When a servant girl has a child. Miss Sutherland declares that there is only two alternatives — a life of shame for the mother if she desires the child to live, or to allow it to die.- Interviewed by a reporter, she instanced the following typical case : — " Lasb night as I came down Collins street home I saw a woman under a gaa lamp whose face seemed familiar to me. Being uncertain, I waft about to pass, when she stopped me with a ' Good night, Miss .Sutherland,' which was quivering and told its own tale. I recognised her as a girl who some time before bad dottle to me for advice, and whose child I had) put out to nurse with a respectable woman at 10s per week. I .'had lost sight of her, but as her payments to the nurse were regular concluded she was doing well. Hurriedly, and with the desperate air of a woman who felt impelled to say something that was loathsome to her, she said : ' I found the payments too much for me while I remained in service. They took all my earnings, and my mistress complained when my dress got shabby, I had either to desert my child or— well, it doesn't' matter. I pay regularly and without bo much difficulty

A frightful accident has occurred in the Lady Belle mine, Nana creek, New South Wales. Two miners named Rees and Argue were sharpening drills at the mouth of the tunnel, when a terrific explosion occurred, blowing Argue 100 ft and shattering him to pieces. Bees was so severely injured that he expired while being conveyed to the camp. The men had taken sufficient dynamite for their shift, and laid it down in the blacksmith's shop, but how it exploded is unknown.