MELBOURNE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1730, 3 June 1862, Page 5

MELBOURNE.

The Ballaarat Star says:— " The captain of the Russian frigate which left Hobsoti's Bay bought a cask of Espanoir, and Adelaide wine, of Thomas Holme, Davis & Co., for the Empeior of Russia, so delighted and surprised was the captain at the quality and purity of our wine produce."

The sentence of death passed on Henry Haig Las been commuted to imprisonment for

life. The prisoner appeared greatly relieved on the intelligence being communicated to him.— Argus, May 7.

" We leiiru with much pleasure," says the Marlborough and Dunolly Advertiser " that it is the intention of Mr. Yuille of Charlotte Plains, largely to cultivate the growth of the cotton plant on his land. Mr. Yuille has sown ' a small quantity o"f seed this year, but intends in the next to put a hundred acres of laud under cultivation with cotton. It is such a spirit of enterprise as this that will make Victoria what she ought to be. There is no question but that the growth of cotton is simple and may be made exceedingly profitable, as much of the labour can be performed hy children and women. Mr. Yuille has a brother in New Orleans, and it may therefore be readily conceived tbat he knows how to go about this work of itn provementin our colonial productions." A schoolmaster at Coghill's Creek, in the Learmonth district, named John Osborne, has been committed by the Police Magistrates of Learmonth. for trial at Ballaarat General Sessions on a charge of having criminally assaulted a girl under ten years of age, one of his scholars. — Argus, May 7. The Murray Election— After repeated meetings, the Murray election case has as at length been decided in favor of the petitioner, Mi-. John Orr, md against tbe sitting member, Mr. David Reid. The Elections and Qualifications Committee met yesterday, and, after hearing some arguments from the counsel for the petitioner, they decided that Mr. Orr was duly elected. — Argus, May. 7. FoaaED Bank Note.— Henry Smith, John Adams and Thomas Bendol, the prisoners charged with uttering forged five- pound notes, were brought up on remand yesterday, at tbe City Police Court. The notes produced were of a dingy yellow colour, much worn. So far as the facial appearance of them is concerned, they are a very accurate copy of those issued by the London Chartered Bank of Australasia apparently photographed. But the material is of a character that should at once disclose their counterfeit manufacture, and the face of tbe notes lacks that sharpness of outline which belongs to an imprint on a good material. — Age, May 8. From the " Daily Times," Correspondent. The two following letters came to band together :■ — Melbourne, May 6, 1862. Since the opening of the Ballarat Railway, a most extraordinary number of free pass.es has been issued by the department. A casual order given by the Ministry of Railways, that civil servants might have free passes, was constructed by tbe Secretary, Mr. Nash, to mean a free pass to all and sundry who should apply for the same. Not only to civil servants, but to personal friends of the Secretary, and to whole families were given free passs, worth, in the aggregate, several thousand pounds. Of course, many got them who never used them, or intended to use them ; and as they, were apparently transferable, they became a very common subject of barter. This dame to the ears of the authorities, and Mr. Nash was suspended. Then followed an exemplification of the proverb, "Give a dog a bad name, &c." Every one who had something to tell while he was in power was held in check for fear of dismissal, but the moment he was suspsnded, complaints were numerous. A Board •of Inquiry is sitting, and it is rumoured, Mr. Nash, to save further trouble, has tendered his resignation.

Considerable excitement has been caused in town from the f.»ct that gold lias been discovered in the neighbourhood of Collingwood, Rich' mond, and the Studley Park. Some are of opinion that the wUole of Collingwood Flat will be discovered to be auriferous. How far this may be correct remains to be seen ; I can only say I have seen gold washed from very likely looking stuff within three miles of the Melbourne post office, and that several prospecting claims have been applied for. A short time will probably throw some more light on the matter. The Aldinga has made another very rapid passage from Dunedin, having arrived last night after an excellent run of six days and seven hours. In Parliament the Dill affair has lost much of its interest. He has been liberated ou his parole, and the case will be tried in the Supreme Court about the middle or end of this week. In either case, whatever the decision, the losing party will appeal to the Privy Council, and it is stated the Atorney-General will go home to watch the case on behalf of the Assembly. It is rumoured the approaching divorce case, in which he is a party much concerned, makes it very desirable for him to get out of the way. one of the judges (Moleswoith) has commenced the divorce suit of which I speak. Information has reached us from Mauritius that cholera was tagiug in that place to an alarm ing extent, and that over one thousand deaths had occured in Port Louis from that malady. The works on the Mount Alexander Railway are being pushed on with the greatest celerity, and it is expected there will be no difficult? in gptting the line to Sandhurst open by the first of August. The Commissioner of Railways lias sent ordeis home for the plant necessary to carry the railway to Echnca. May 8, 18G2. It is astonishing that when a man is in disgrace what many of his former friends and acquaintances have to say about him in the " I told you so" style. It was never more exemplified than in the case of Mr. Nash, the Secretary of our Victorian Railways. Close on his suspension followed all manner of charges, small and great ; that to get rid of them Mr. Nash tendered his resignation. It is considered that it will be accepted, and further inquiry stifled. The richest joke of the whole affair is' that the man who has been for the last twelve months at the head of a department representing eight millions of borrowed capital was formerly coachman to Mr. Latrobe, the former Lieuteriant-Governur of this Colony. It was a queer episode in colonial history to find a man of no railway experience whatever placed in such a responsible situation, and speaks very little for any Government to make such appointments. But in the olden days qualification or suitability for a place was generally the last thing- thought about; it was enough that a man wanted a billet and that he had interest to secure it, and the thing was done. Many such men 1 have grown old and rich in situations thus obtained. One of the many stories told is that the late llamonted Mr. Burke left with Mr. Nash an order to draw his salary during his absence, and that some old scores should be paid off therewith ; and it is asserted the salary was duly drawn and, debts paid off, but some doubts are thrown on the matter as to whose debts were paid. Probably tbis and a variety oi' other things that may be interesting to know will be more fully brought to light bye and bye.

We are now nearly iv the middle of the second quarter of the year, and no progress worth speaking of has been made in the estimates although for the last three or four yean every

parliament has resolved that " next session" they would pass the Estimates before Christmas. Last year, before the general election, it was agreed on all sides that the present parliament should meet early and past the estimates. They certainly mot early enough, but what with Ministerial srisis, Christmas holidays, '^and the squabbles over the Land Bill, the Easter4i,olidays &0. , the good inteutions of past sessions have been rustrated, and we are just in the same position, in that respect as in former years.