LATE AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 454, 19 January 1869, Page 3

LATE AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A fierce northerly blast was experienced in Melbourne on Thursday morning, 21th ult., It raised the thermometer in some places to 150 degrees in the sun, and 110 degrees in the shade. There has been no such heat since January 1868. Among the passengers bythe Blackwall liner Sussex, which arrived trom London, was Mr Edward Dickens, a son »f the celebrated noveUst. Mr E. Dickens intends devoting his attention to pastoral pursuits in Riverina. A determined attempt at suicide was made on the 23rd December, by a man named - Joseph M'lntyre residing in Rokeby street, East Collingwood. It seems that he recently arrived from New Zealand, where he sustained very severe pecuniary losses, which considerably preyed upon his mind. About eight o'clock in the morning he was discovered by another toan suspended by the neck in an out-

* house on his own premises, the blood i issuing from his nostrils, and vitality fast decaying. The unfortunate man was cut down and handed over to the police, who lodged him in gaol. It is proposed that a grand exhibition of the produce of the Australian Colonies should be held at Sydney in IS7O. Mrs Jacobs, wife of a commission agent in Sydney, has commited suicide, by swallowing a dose of strychnine. The parliamentary committee on the O'Farrell papers before adjourning for Christmas had elicited very little information of importance, but the general opinion seems to be going against Mr Parkes and the value of his disclosures. Sergeant Cleary arrested Eutherford the bushranger, after a desperate fight. Cleary shot Eutherlord's horse, then dismounted, and chased hiui for two days on foot throgh the bush. The barque Henry Miller returned to Newcastle, having struck on an unknown reef —lat., 25deg 51 min, long., 25Sdeg 2min. She remained fast for thirteen hours, during which time a portion of her cargo was thrown overboard. She then floated and made sail for port. There seems to be little doubt now that the fire by which Duffield's mills, Adelaide, were destroyed owed its origin to an incendiary. Last week an extensive fire was discovered in that gentleman's crops, by which a large quantity of grain was destroyed. Private information had been received at Hobart Town that a verv rich gold-bearing quartz reef had been discovered at Fiugal by some Victorian miners. Another very deplorable boat accident took place on the 20th December, in Sydney harbor, which has resulted in the death of two persons, and the narrow escape of a third. Pive seamen belong to the ship Chevy Chase, were out on a boating excursion. They had just passed Goat Island, when the wind, which at the time was blowing very strong from the north-east, caught the sail and capsized the boat. The boat filled and sank immediately, when two were drowned. The latest reports from the Darling district and the Paroo more than confirm former advices as to the drought and beat. Thousands of sheep are starving from the absence of feed. There will be a total loss of some of the flocks unless a good fall of rain comes speedily. Letters from Queensland -.contain also the most disastrous accounts of the long-continued drought. The following extract is of the latest date : —" The accounts from the Mitchell district are most deplorable ; many stations have to be abandoned. On one that was said to be the largest and best station in the district, on which there was over 60,000 sheep, there remains neither hoof nor horn, or a pannikin of water."