INTERCOLONIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1952, 24 July 1874, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

«> Melboubne, July 15. At the trial of George Arthur Kitt for stealing a cash-box containing £144 12s 9d from the Waterworks branch of the Public Works Department, in which he was employed as a clerk, the jury were unable to agree after being locked up for six hours. They were consequently discharged, and the prisoner was again allowed out on bail until the next sessions. Diphtheria and scarlet fever are so prevale nt at Maryborough that the State schools are ordered to be closed. The bodies of Thomas Hocking and Richard Bennett, who were entombed in the crosscut in the Duke and Timor mine on the 151 h of May last, were recovered on the 9th inst. Neither of the men bad been able to escape from the crosscut, which they had entered from the main drive, the rush of water and drift being tremendous, carrying the cappieces, props, and other heavy timbers into the crosscut, which was completely filled up. The distance between the two men was about 12ft. Bennett's hands bad hold of a slab, which they so firmly grasped that it took the force of two men to unloose them. The funeral of the men was attended by over 1000 persons. The prospectus is issued of the Pakawhau and Victorian Coal and Pier Company, which has been formed for the working of the coal seams and other minerals at Pakawhau, Nelson, New Zealand, and also the formation of a tramway, and the construction of a pier, at the shipping place, Golden Bay. The company will have a capital of £30,000, in 30,000 shares of £1 each. Of these 1000 paid-up shares will be reserved for the prospectors in New Zealand. A number of the friends of Mr Augustus Ruperti Green, who firmly believed in his innocence, have subscribed a sum of money to pay the expenses of his trial, and presented him with an address expressive of their confidence in him. A shocking affair took place at Ballarat on the 10th, when Mr R. O. M'Coy, M.A., who had occupied the position of principal of the Ballarat College for the last ten years, cut his throat almost from ear to ear with a razor, and shortly afterwards expired. The cause which prompted the deceased gentleman to destroy himself appears to have been the action taken by the trustees of the college, who obliged him to resign his appointment, for what reason has not been explained. For some days before his death Mr M'Coy had been in a condition of great excitement, and he complained that the trustees had treated him unfairly and severely. At an inquest held on the body the jury returned a verdict that the deceased had destroyed himself whilst in a state of " temporary excitement." The unfortunate gentleman leaves a widow aud six children, the oldest only 13 years of age, and it ia said they are quite unprovided for. The number of State schools having an average attendance of under 50 scholars is 539, over 50 but under 150, 364 ; over 150 but under 500, 146 ; over 500 but under 1000, 22 ; total number of schools, 1071. Stiwet. A tin mine has been sold to an English company for £45,000. Andrew Hume and a small party have left Sydney in order to search for the white man whom Hume declares he met with among tho blacks in North-West Australia. The party consists of- — 1, Andrew Hume; 2, James J. Gascoin, late staff-sergeaut in the Defence Corps ; 3, James Forrester, a native of the colony, accustomed to bush life in the Monaro and New England districts ; 4, James Stokes, who was employed on the construction of the Northern Territory telegraph line at the time when Hume was

in those parts. They carry instructions in duplicate as to discipline to be observed, route to be taken, and correspondence where possible." The Torres Straits mail steamer Flintshire, which so narrowly escaped ship- [ wreck off Cape Cleveland, has arrived safely at Sydney. Her mails had previously been brought on by the Wentworthj and a portion of her cargo had been thrown overboard to lighten her, but it is understood that the whole of the passengers' effects, including Blondin's paraphernalia and Madame Goddard's pianoforte, will be landed uninjui'ed. The Rev. Father Colletti, chaplain to Archbishop Polding, has been created a doctor of divinity by the Pope. In the three cases, Joachim v. O'Shanassy, tried at Deniliquin, in which verdicts were given by consent against Sir John O'Shanassy for £100 . each, the Supreme Court of New South | Wales has refused to grant an application by the defendant for leave to appeal to the Privy Council. Thequestion involved is as to whether minors have the right to select under the New South Wales Land Act, and the application for leave to appeal was refused on the ground that the value of the property in dispute was under £500. The Court, however, expressed the opinion that the Privy Council would probably itself grant the appeal, owing to the public importance of the question involved, and an application for leave to appeal is to be scut by the mail. Adelaide. Several hundred sheep have been killed on the Coorong, from eating new grass. A man named John Allen attempted suicide by putting gunpowder in his mouth and lighting it with a fuse. The injuries are so serious that a fatal result is expected. Inspector Valentine has returned from Coorong. He reports that 7000 flukey sheep were so bad that they had to be destroyed. Brisbane. Blondin will probably perform in the Botanic Gardens, aud afterwards proceed to Sydney. Port Darwin. Mr Boberts reports that the Princess Louise crushing of 20 tons of quartz yielded 3200z. of gold ; also, that eight tons of quartz gave lOoz. of gold. Hobart Town. A lad named Hardwicke has been condemned to death for a rape on a married woman.