MULTUM IN PARVO.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 124, 28 December 1858, Page 3

MULTUM IN PARVO.

Th« population of tlie Ballaarat mining district a%u ■ the close of 1557 was 53,850, on the 2»th of September™' of the present year it had risen to 58,000. The population of the Castlcmaine district at the two periods was 33;870 and 39,4(50 respectively; Maryborough district, 28.150 and 36,730; Ararat district,'Bl,ltfo and 29,030; Sandhurst district, 26,000, and. 25,000; and Beechworth district, 23,024 and 20,116. The total population of the gold-fields at the end'of 1857 was 196,084, and on the 25th of September, 1858, 208,936. ; The Geelong Advertiser says that on Thursday last the sale of a valuable-freehold property, situated near Ballaarat, was effected by Mr. George Wright, by means of the wires of the electric telegraph. Notwithstanding this novel mode of bidding, no interruption, nor hardly more than the usual delay which more or less occur at any public sale, through reference to parties more particularly interested, took place. The property sold for £1300, having been put up for sale : at jgIOOO. The bidding was spirited and the event satisfactory. " Philanthropist," writing to the Illawarra Mercury, (N.S.W.), thus epitomizes the pressnt blissful state of affairs at Panbula:—"Fine weather, plenty to eat, little or nothing to do, a great season for heifer calfs, pigs fat, eggs plentiful, sheep unknown unless to squatters, horses buckjiimpini», thistles increasing, wheat heading, grass abundant, potatoes scarce, ducks in dozens, men smoking, children healthy, women [ tidy, hotels idle, grass at the lock-up door, roads natural, the sea roaring, a steamer once ft week, and storekeepers ordering plums for Christmas/ The . Ovens and Murray Advertiser states that "shepherding' 1 and "jumping" are ths order of the day at Indigo, the lead being narrow and the sinking 100 .feet deep. The same paper announces the discovery of a new lead at Indigo, 25 feet sinking ; also the discovery of two reefs. Two thousand alluvial claims had been marked out. r A movement is taking place in Melbourne for the establishment of public baths. - A. correspondent of the Melbourne Herald says he found two malefactors, lately convicted for robbery at the Deep Lead, engaged in splitting, four miles from the police station. Pleasant Creek, in charge of only two policemen. 'Great confidence I Sir Henry Barkly has laid the foundation stone of the new Scottish Church at Bulla, near Melbourne. David Warner Day died late'y, from the effects of drunkenness, near Ipswich, Moreton Bay. He was found beside a wnterhole in delirium tremns. His body was entirely naked, covered with mosquitos and ants, ■ Hnd greatly scorched from exposure to the sun. He was also speechless, and was conveyed to some - drnys camped near by, but died about ten minutes after reaching them. The. Mount Alexander Mail reports a curious accident having happen 'd to*a man on Welshman's BeeC iunie.l Hughes. When down a shaft in his claim a sharp stone fell from above, and cut his nose entirely in two. Tne squatters of New South Wales held their s;reat Anti-Rent-Assessment Meeting lately, and about 250 persons attended. Several resolutions were passed condemning the act as illegal, opposed to the orders in Council, a violation of the terms of the leases,- because of want of power to pass it by the Legislature, because it is retrospective, in its operations, because it is a class tux, and a tax upon the necessaries of life, nnd many other reasons. A legal ©pinion, obtained i'rom Mr. James Martin, Q.C., late Attorney-General, was read.; it was given at length on the whole squatting question, arid was entirely in favor ef the views advocated by these -who had called the meeting, as to the illegality of the act in question. A committee was formed for the.purpose of.receiving subscriptions to qbtain legal advice, and to take any other necessary steps to prove the illegality of this impost. , , .. ■ The Germans resident in Sydney, to foe number of 300, lately welcomed the Austrian frigate Novava, according to their fashion, with music and song. An address was read, and the German national song sung. A display of fireworks took place, from .both., vessels, and then the Washington took leave of the Novara. At Deriiliquin (N. S. W.); lately; a poor fellow met with a mojit fearful double-death. He was sleeping at the foot of a tree, and a burniiisr limb of a tree adjoining fell upon him, knocking in his skull, and then burning his body to cinders. The Commercial Banking Company (Sydney,) have resolved to increase the capital ©f the ,Bank from £241,000 to £ J320,009. Power has been given to the directors to open branches in the Interior; a'fld to aptpoint a Board of Directors in; London.1 It'is stated that Mr. T..W. Smith has consented to take charge of the London estabiishmerit.when first opened. ■: -The Braidwood Observer^. S. W.), states that a brown snake was killed •* the ' Travellers Home,* Corang, by Mr. M'Grath,, It measured sejven feet, and upon opening it, sixty young ones were observed in its inside, most of '-which ■were eight inches in .length. :■■: :: ; - v- •:■■■ -•■■'-.■::■*<■_■■•'' ■■:■■-■ -■ ■; George Thomas Pickermg f a native of Sydney,s and one of the best cricketers in the colony, met his death at Saridridge, near Melbourne, on the 2nd inst, under the following circumetancee:-—Two days before his death, he was bathing at Sandridge; and when in the act of diving downwards his head came in violent contact, with the bottom. The consequent was that his spine was injured, and he was otherwise so severely shaken, that he died as stated above. He was 27 years of age. . : , A Chinaman npon the Turon ,(N. S. W.) recently purchased", the race, with the; plant, tools, <fce M connected therewith^, from Messrs.. Burgess, Meyer, and Co., for the sum of £4500., . •'; In a recent lecture, on the " Study of English Law," at the School of Arts, Sydney.'Mr. F. H&rgrave urged that the study of law ought te be recognised as a branch of popular education We would recommend the forming of adult classes at each of the1 country schools for the benefit of the magistracy in particular. , A, Provincial Grand Lodge of : Masons, under the Scotch constitution, was established at Melbourne, on the 22nd ultimo. 'On the evening of the 22nd nltina© a shocking accident occurred in a mine at Ballaarat. Two of the proprietors, Chinamen, were rammirtg down a charge of pawder in the rock, when it exploded suddenly and injured both men severely. Their faces were nearly torn off, and the eyes of both apparently destroyed; both were also frightfully injured in the chest, arms, and hands. r The Geeldruf Advertiser states that the contractors for the Ballaarat railway have;issued pasteboard crown pieces, redeemable in butter, " baccy," pipes, herrings, &c, at the "navvy's store" only. A nice system, but something like the forbidden "truck." An Anglo-French journal (Le Journal de Melbourm) has baen brought out in Melbourne, printed partly in French and English- Its feelings are avowed to be the former, while good feeling to the latter is also expressed. As to partieg in France it professes adhesion to none, but expresses a personal preference for legitimacy. The Border Post reports the discovery of a rich reef near the Albury Punt. The probable yield is estimated at upwards of eighteen ounces per ton. Mrs, Chieholm, who has spent so much of her time and energy in the cause of emigration, is now suffering under great mental and bodily pain, in addition to which she is actually in pecuniary difficulties, caused by her own ill-health. The directors of the Joint Stock Bank, Sydney, have i6Bued one pound notes, payable twelve months after date, bearing interest at five per cent. The purchaser of one of these bills pays one pound; if pre* sented twelve months after, the Bank will pay one pound one shi ling. The Sydney Herald says:—Mr. Henry Goldsmith, a laboring man, has submitted to our inspection three beautiful horizontal sun dials, of which he is tho maker. The largest (hexagonal), shews the meridian of sixteen places,, calculated from the meridian of Sydney; and same number calculated from that of Greenwich. It also shews the equation of time, together with the signs of the Zodiac; and bears a mariner's compass, with the 360 degrees distinctly marked. The gnomon is of brass, "surmounted by .a ■ revolving vane, to indicate from which point of the compass the wind blows.. The. next in size is an octagon, which likewise bears a mariner's compass arid vane. The sniallest is a square, All three are artistically cut on slate, every letter, sign, and figure perfectly formed, and such as reflects credit on the skill of any thoroughbred graver. The Portland Guardian says :_rA few days ago a very desperate attempt to poison a whole family was made.by a native woman in the Tatiara country, South Australia, While the family were preparing for tea, she managed to place a large quantity of strychnine in each of the tea cups, and poured out the tea upon it without being observed. Fortunately for the family, the dose was so large that a great deal re, mained undissolved and visible; and thus attracting the notice of one of the children, averted what might otherwise have been a most melancholy occurrence, The lubra owued to the offence when she found it waa discovered, and seemed to regret- that her plan had not succeeded.. She was prompted to the deed "by feeling of revenge for eotne fancied sljgltf,