LATE INTERCOLONIAL NEWS."

West Coast Times, Issue 588, 13 August 1867, Page 3

LATE INTERCOLONIAL NEWS."

We resume our Extracts from the Intercolonial papers received by the Gothenburg and Otago :—: —

Reliable information had been received at Hobart Town, to the effect that the naval squadron at present employed on the Australian station is under orders to proceed to Western Australia, for the purpose of there meeting H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, and accompanying him to Adelaide, and thence to Port Phillip, Sydney, and Brisbane. It is reported that His Hoyal Highness' sojourn in West Australia or Adelaide are not likely to exceed in duration seven days in either place. Upon her arrival in Sydney, if is intended that the Galatea shall be placed in dock for overhaul and refit, and that His Royal Highness shall proceed to Brisbance by one of the vessels of the accompanying squadron. His Royal Highness' visit to Tasmania will, it is believed, not take place until his return from Queensland.

A malicious attempt to poison a whole family was made on Friday, at Sydney. About ten o'clock that night Mr Brown, landlord of the Lord High Admiral inn, his wife, and servant girl, partook of some hot gin and water, and not long afterwards were seized with vomiting, followed by partial paralysis of the body. The symptoms indicated poisoning by strychnine, and the necessary antidote was procured and administered as speedily as possible. Several hours elapsed, hoAvever, before the patients were pronounced by their medical attendants to be out of danger. The servant girl seems to have been affected more severely than either her master or mistress, and at one time but little hopes of her recovery were entertained. A basin of sugar was found in the taproom, and a quantity of strychnine was found lying amongst the sugar in one part of the basin only. The poison was present in such quantity, that lumps- of it were picket out with a knife. The same basin of sugar was used by the family at tea, and no injurious effects were then experienced. No more sugar was put inco the basin before it was taken into the taproom. The police found a large canister of sugar in the house ; but there was no appearance of poison being contained in it. A customer who went into the house and dranlc a glass of whisky, was attacked with sickne&s soon after drinking it, but he was not seriously affected with the poison. Another customer who went in was supplied with a glass ofbvandy, but the liquor had such a bitter taste with it that he refused to drink it aud left it standing in the bar. No clue has yet been obtained as to the person or persons who placed the strychnine in the sugar-

The " Argus" relates the following fatal affray in Stephen-street : — " A serious affray, which sec-ms likely to be attended with fatal results to one man, occurred last Sunday evening, in Stephen-street. It appears from the scanty particulars hitherto obtained that a quarrel occurred between a number of young men and bad women relative to the treatment one of the latter had received. The dispute led to blows, when a young man named Cockbill,.son of Mr Cockbill the nightman, struck another man in 'the face. The women becoming alarmed, obtained assistance, and one of their dissolute companions named Patrick O'Connell came up, and took off his boot, with which he struck Cockbill a violent blow behind the ear. Cockbill fell to the ground and was picked up insensible. His ! companions at once made off and left him to his fate. Some of the women removed him to a house of ill-fame, where he was allowed to remain until Tuesday, being during the whole time in a state of insensibility. Mr Cockbill in the meantime became alarmed at the absence of his son from home, and gave information to the police. Inquiries were instituted, and the police succeeded in discovering the youth at the house to which he had been taken. He was removed lipnfjj^and medical attendance promptly procured. Drs Beaney and Fitzgerald attended him and at once expressed an opinion that the case was of a most dangerous nature. It was subsequently ascertained that Cockbill bad received s> compound fracture of the skull. Up to yesterday, he still remained insensible, and on the medical gentlemen giving up their last hopes, a magistrate was called in to take his depositions, but owing to his wandering mind, this waß found impracticable, and a warrant was then taken out against O'Connell, who was arrested yesterday afternoon by Detectives Duncan and Bnrnfield. After being duly cautioned, O'Connell admitted having struck Cockbill with a boot, but stated he did it in self-defence. Up to a laiu hour last evening, Cockbill was still alive, but it was doubtful if ho would live for many hours."

A, soldier, named John Griffin, was " drummed out" at Hobart IWn the othey (jay. Sowu time ago he was

accused of striking a sergeant when outside the barracks, and for this offence he was arrested, and when brought before Lieut.-Colonel Dwyer he made use of very insubordinate language, and rushed at the colonel as if to strike him. For these offences he was tried by court-martial, and sentenced to five years' penal servitude, and to be drummed out of the regiment. The sentence was approved at head-quarters, and was carried into effect on Saturday afternoon, before a full parade of the battalion and a large concourse of the citizens. In accordance with military rule the man was branded B C (bad character) on the breast during the forenoon, and at three o'clock he was brought out and marched through the ranks to the barrack-gate, with a halter round his neck, and the drummers behind him playing the " Rogue's March." At the barrack-gates he was handed over to policemen and conveyed to her Majesty's gaol. During the degrading ceremony the prisoner exhibited the utmost unconcern, even capering to the music of the march as he passed out of the barracks.

The decision of the Executive Council was cominunicatedto the two men, Searle and Ballan, convicted of the murder of Mr Burke, Bank Manager, on Wednesday night, by the sheriff, Major Wallace. " Searle, on being informed that a telegram had been i eceived, uttered the words ' sudden death,' probably judging by the tone in which the announcement was made to him that his last hope was gone. He said nothing further, Ballan, with the nonchalance that has distinguished his conduct throughout, after receiving the intimamation of the decision, thanked the sheriff. Both the condemned men have since shown by their behavior that anxiety as to their doom has in some measure left them, and they are now in a more fitting frame of mind to receive the spiritual advice tenderedby Messrs Potter and Cumming, the clergymen in attendance."

In the debate on the proposed vote of L 20,000 to Lady Darling, in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, the Attor-ney-General Mr Higinbothain, as a rule noted for his equanimity of temper, indulged in a violent strain of invective, of which the following is a sample :—: — " It will be something more than a vote of money to Sir Charles Darling. It will be a vote of censure of the LegislaAssembly on the Constitutional faction of 1865, and I own I take some pleasure in seeing that result, and in witnessing the conduct of hon. members under it.

. . . . I rejoice that this vote will brand the enemies of Sir Charles Darling, who pursued him when he was here, and who do not desist from pursuing him now. I will tell those lion, members to whom I refer, that I always considered the faction to which they belong as the very vilest faction to which this country has ever given birth. . . . That party, I suppose it will not be denied, even by themselves in their cooler moments, is a party that has been more basely subservient to external influences, more hypocritical in its professions, more unprincipled in its acts, and more outrageous , in its language, both printed and spoken, than any party by -which this .country, has ever before been cursed."