VICTORIA.

West Coast Times, Issue 137, 26 February 1866, Page 3

VICTORIA.

(From tho S. M. Herald, Feb. 16.)

The Wonga Wonga, steamer brings papers to the 12th instant from Melbourne.

The " Age" of that date remarks :—: — That the next session of Parliament should be a short one is admitted by all parties to be most desirable. Hitherto jhe sittings of the Victorian Legislature have been extended to a preposterous length, and yet the Estimates for the current year have never been passed until the session has half expired. This is a most inconvenient mode of transacting public business, and should be remedied as speedily as possible. With this object in view, it is intended to close the session which commences to-day in some four months; and if hon. members content themselves with working, instead of talking, there will even then be plenty of time for the con« sideration of all the more important legislative measures. The Opposition, composed a& it is, will, in all probability, be as obstructive as possible ; but if a resolute determination is shown by the Liberal party to absta'u from that senseless flood of speechifying which has been so characteristic of previous assemblies, the Opposition, with all its obstructiveness, will have but little scope to interfere with or hinder the practical work which has to bo accomplished. Several destructive fires are reported as having occurred in the district around Kyneton, by sparks from steamthreshing machines falling aniougst loose straw, and setting fire to the stalks of grain. The "Argus" of the 9th instont mentions that a report lies beciivreceived by senior-onstable Lawlor of Eltham, from Mr Inspector Hare, that Mr R. A^ Holmes (a contract surveyor), who was engaged in surveying the Koo-Wie-Rup swamp, at Mornington, had been missing since the 23rd ultimo, under such circumstances as would leave no reasonable doubt but that he has been lost m the scrub in the* neighbourhood of tho scene of his employment. It appears that he left his camp in search of some horses, and that he took with him a gun, ammunition, and a box of matches. Frdm the quantity of game existing in the same locality, there may be a slight hope that he is still living, and might be restord to his family, if a well-organised search was made for him by the Government. The deepest sympathy exists for his wife and family, who, should he not be found, are. loft totally destitute.

Friday's " Argus " states that the heat in the city the previous day, though not so great as on some other day 8 this season, was very considerable. At the shop of Messrs Kasner and Moss, opticians, in Ci-llins-street, who keep a thermometrical register, the extreme heat in the shade outside the door was 96", as compared with 102' on 16th January last, and within the entrance 9350, as compared with 9550 on the previous date. A welcome sea breeze set iv about 5 p.m., aud a singularly violent dust-storm was the consequence. The temperatures .observed at Melbourne Observatory wero as follows :—: — Temperature in the shade — 9 a.m., 872; 3 p.m., 990; 9 p.m., 698. Tempprature of the soil — 9 p m., 98 0 ; 3 p.m, 137-0; 9 p.m. 76 0. The nviximum temperature in the shade was 102*5; and in the sun, 125*8. Minimum temperature between 9 a.m. and twenty minutes past 10 p.m., 67*5^ The " Creswick Advertiser " of Saturday reports :—": — " The heat during the last three days has been something terrific. On Thursday afternoon the thermometer' stood at 101 degrees in the shade ; and not a breath of uir was felt." As to the V\ estern district, the " Warrnambool Examiner " remarks : — There -have been some very hot days here during the past week, but the heat was almost unbearable yesterday for a few hours in the forenoon. The sun rose with -a fierceness which portended intense heat, and up to 1 o'clock the glare was so intense in the streets as to reuder walking a painful operation. The remainder of the day was comparatively cool, the sky being overcast, a few drops of rain and a westerly breeze rendering the atmosphere more pleasant to breathe. All along the coast to the east appeared to be on fire, and we understand it has been so for tho past week.