SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Colonist, Issue 55, 30 April 1858, Page 4

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

We have papers from Adelaide to the Ist instant. .'; _ , ..,. : . \ \\. ''.[' ' ' .';.

The honorable John Baker has instituted a criminal prosecution against the proprietor of the Adelaide Times,' for -an alleged libel contained in a leading article on the 24th March.

A committee has been :a,ppointed: to promote a! railway from Adelgiide to Holdfast Bay arid Brighton, The bridge over the creek at Port Adelaide has been commenced, and will,'.it is expected, be completed in'about six months. The bridge will be of timber, ,70§. feet in, length, and 10. feet in width. The estimated: cost is £4500. \

The Times learns that the attendance of scholars at the country : schools is seriously affected at the present season by the em-, .ployment of boysand even girls in plough--: irig. Agriculture for ever! The Northern Exploration.—The following is an extract of a letter received at the Crown Lands office yesterday, f him Mr. Babbage, and dated from Thompson's station, March 7th:—-" I started on Saturday, with the tank-cart and provisions for two months, intending to cross the Jake; but in crossing a rough creek near this station, the axle of the tank-cart got bent, and I have sent it down to Port-Augusta to be strengthened. I start again to-morrow with the light dray and fifty gallons of water in small tanks, so as not to lose any time. Meanwhile the carting of our stores from Port Augusta to this station has been going on. ' One of the drays arrived to-day on its.second trip here; the other one, with wooden wheels, remnant of' Hack's expedition, had to be sent back to Port Augusta in consequence of the tires coming off, owing to the shrinkage of the wooden wheels. It will, however, come on with its load on Monday., I .forgot to mention that Mr. Murdpck Campbell has been out again to Swinden's country, and passed by here a day or two before I arrived, going down south. Under these circumstances, I have engaged a small settler of the name of Burt as'rriy'guide. He is to bring his own horse, to be' found rations, and £3 3s. per. week. After' I: get to Campbell's Lake, if it is favorable for a depot, I shall send Burt ;babk, with directions to Mr. Harris to bring the remainder of the party and tfye I..stores. Mr. Burt's, engagement will probably, extend over four weeks,, as I want : him4o guide Mr. Harris put, whilst: I remain, exploring ahead from Lake Campbell* I take Warriner, Jones (the new; recruit);and Nason with me, leaving the rest "of the men with Mr. Hariris. I have had nothing but illness amongst the men since arriving out here. Young Dawson is getting1 better, \but the cook (Lewis) 'is now ill. l The 'weather; has been intensely hot, the thermometer;inside the station standing at 97 degrees, but I hope a change will come soon,. Please ask the commissioner to put Jones down on the V"staff of the expedition. He ,is one of the most useful men, I have, being -so thoroughly up to everything connected with horses."