AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Colonist, Volume VII, Issue 683, 17 May 1864, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

MELBOUKNE. The Argus says:— The departure of the mail has not been succeeded by much improvement in trade. Adelaide milling wheat has been sold at 8s , on terms. Flour has been offered without meeting ready purchaser. At auction, this morning, a small lot of Beeby and Dunstan's Adelaide sold at £20 15s. to £21 per ton; Victorian fine flour, at £19. TASMANIA. The Tlobart Town Mercury, of the 30th ult., says:—Business is without change, and wo have no transactions to report. Prices remain as under.—FJour, .£2O to £21 per ton. Wheat, 7s Gd. to Bs. per bushel, Bran, Is. 4d. to Is. 6d. per bushel. Potatoes, £o to £6 per ton, with but litile dt-mand, and few arriving. Onions, £6 to £8 per ton, according to quality. The Launceston Examiner, of tho 30th nltimo Bays.— " The flour and grain market is without material alteration. In conseqnence of the visit of a gentleman from ITobart Town for the purpose of purchasing on the commissariat contract account, an attempt to raise the market was made, it is said, by means of tho telegraph and the result was that the person referred to was unable to effect auy purchasers. Some little excitement prevailed in commercial circles, but, as we have already stated, no alteration has taken place, unless that it is wheat something firmer. Flour is quoted at £18 to £19. Wheat, 7s'. to 7s. 3d. Oats, 3s. lOd to 4s. for seeds; seeds aro very scarce, and would readily bring 4s. 3d. Potatoes have been sold at £3 3s. and £3 ss. without bags, and £-i 30s. with them. Bran, la. 2d., bags in." The Mobart Town Mercury of the 2nd of May, the latest date says :—This week has closed dull, very little business being transacted except to meet ordinary local demands. Prices continue as under:—Flour, £20 to £21 per ton. Wheat, 7s. Gd. to Bs. per bushel. Bian, Is. 4d. to la. 6d. per bushel. Potatoes, £5 to £G per ton, but with little demand, and few arriving. Onions, £6 to £8 per ton, according to quality. Intelligence has reached Melbourne from the Cape, to the 24th of February, stating that Dr. Livingstone was alive and well at the end of December. There was an abundant harvest at tho Cape, and tho vintage was good. On tho 23rd ult, tho citizens of Melbourne preBented an address (by the Mayor, Mr. J. T. Smith) to Mr. and Mis. Kean, congratulatory of their visit to Australia. The address occupied several Bluets of vellum, appropriately enclosed, and bears noarly 500 signatures.

A Well-dhilled Maoki.—We have the following anecdote from Auckland:—" A party of the 65tli Regiment, while on picquet duty, came upon a Maori in a potatoo field appearing to be fast asleep; one of the men went up to him and found that he had just left olt" digging up potatoes, his kit lying beside him, and ho on the approach of the escort had lain down pretending to bo asleep. He was very quickly moved from his would be slumbering position, and under an escort was brought into the 50th camp, and placed in the guard-jooin till night, when he was brought-, into camp by two men of the Defence Force. The men were heartily amused at him, for when being put under escort to be brought to the 50th cirii)), lie fell into the ranks, and as they numb-Ted off, when it came to him, he sung out 22, and upon the older " fours right" being given, he went through the position perfectly well.