VICTORIA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1715, 11 April 1862, Page 5

VICTORIA.

The Melbourne papers contain a melancholy account of the suicide of George Hayward, commonly known as Alderman Hayward, who shot himself in a water-closet attached to one of the local hotels. We have no desire to give further publicity to the reroting details elicited at the inquest. Silence is the only resource of the properly constituted mind when nothing can be said in favour of the deceased. But it is impossible altogether to avoid reflections which naturally arise out of the position which the unhappy man occupied. The character of the deceased could not be wholly unknown, and yet for several years he was chosen to fill offices of civic trust. "This fact speaks volumes. The Explobino Expedition. — Eaglehawk was thrown into a small excitement by the arrival, on Monday evening, at about four o'clock, of H. M. SampsoD, the officer of the expedition io charge of stock, with two female camels, one male, and two young animals. After breaking up camp at Pamamaroo, about the 18th January, he proceeded to Captain Cadell's store, at Menindie ; hence down the Darling, and acioss to Euston; then up Murrumbidgee to Balranald, across the Wakool on to Swan Hill, where he arrived on the 18th of February From Swan Hill he proceeded, on the 25th, by easy stages to Sandhurst. The camels are all in excellent condition. After leaving Lake Boga, he found the feed for camels — salt-bush and cotton-bush — very scarce, and was forced, when opportunity offered, to purchase and carry it along. Among other little souvenirs, Mr. Sampson brings with him some nardoo cake, as prepared by the Natives previous to cooking ; some implements of native warfare and stuffed birds for the Royal Society : a lot of photographs of members of the party taken at Menindie ; and specimens of the various rocks, none of them auriferous quartz. Belooch, who, the officer states, he has found an invaluable man with camels (thus contradicting the statement made by the dilettanti explorers), is with, the party. Mr. Sampson sums up his characte tbus:*—" Tell him what to do, and he'll do i%.

He'll" do fifty things tbat want to be done you 1 can't tell him, and he is as quiet as a lamb, if I you know how to manage him." Belooch says, \ a3 to going in search of M'Kinlay and party, t with every confidence in his friend and leader, y "If you go, I'll go." The party starts this . morning at day-break, and will proceed to 1 Melbourne by Burkes track. — Bendign Adver ■ tiser, 4th March. i Steam Communication with England. — i The proposed scheme for establishing monthly 1 steam communication between England and Australia via the Cape of Good Hope, was brought under the notice of the Chief Secretary and Minister of Finance yesterday, by the committee appointed for that purpose at a meeting held at the Criterion Hotel, Melbourne, on the 3rd inst., when the project was first formally submitted by Mr. Burstall. Both hon. gentle men concurred with the promoters of the scheme as to the great desirableness of having a regular line of steamers running between this calony and the mother country, for the conveyance of passengers as well as the mails, and expressed a general approval of the scheme submitted to them. Mr. Burstall explained the leading features of the project, which have already been published in the Argus, and replied to some doubts which have been raised in our columns by correspondents, as to the accuracy of his calculations of the expense of carrying the scheme into operation. To confirm his correctness of his estimate as to the cost of the proposed steamers, he said that the cost of tbe Great Eastern, including launching, was about £28 per ton ; and in his estimate he put down the probable cost at £30. Mr. O'Shannassy asked the promoters to furnish him with a written statement of their scheme, setting forth the assistance which they wished to receive from Government, and he promised that he and his colieogues would gire it a careful consideiation, and give a definite answer as to their views without loss of time. Strong hopes were held out tbat the Government and tbe Parliament of the colony would be willing to aid the scheme : and a general feeling was entertained that tbe matter ought to be pressed forward without delay. It was felt to be of great importance tbat the calculations of expense ought to be verified before the protest was fairly submitted to the public ; and Mr. Burstall stated that the calculations had already been submitted to Mr. Brereton, the successor of the late Mr. Brunei, whose opinion thereon was expected by the mail due in April next. The deputation expressed a confident belief that, if the Government would guarantee four per cent, interest, and give a •Übsidy of £4000 per trip, the necessary capital, would be raised without difficulty. — Argus March 11.