General News.

Western Star, Issue 282, 1 February 1879, Page 7

General News.

A marvellous electric storm passed to the south of Melbourne on the night of the 4th instant. It is described by the Argus as one of the grandest and most magnificent electrical phenomena ever witnessed outside the tropics. The sky appeared to rain lightning of diverse character, and parti-colored “afeu cl'enfer dazzling and dreadful.” Sometimes the lightning shed a marvellous glow upon the bellying surfaces of the clouds, “ and in the indescribably brief interval between flame and flame it seemed as if a gigantic hand were suddenly drawing a black curtain over the heavens, and as abruptly withdrawing it. Underneath the clouds, upon the horizon’s furthest verge, torrents of water appeared to be falling.” The storm passed round, depositing no moisture on parched fields and gardens in and around . Melbourne ■that stood so much in need of it. To those Jews whose religious faith' is a living reality, the approaching marriage of Margaret, daughter of Baron Charles Rothschild, of Erankfort, to the Due do Gfuiche, and her reception into the Roman Catholic Church, is anything but an auspicious event. The prominence, of the Rothschild family in the Jewish com-: munity makes it only too likely that such an example wid be followed by others ; and hence a London Jewish organ declares that “the conditions under which the marriage is to take place are such as to fill us with profound sorrow, for bn the consummation of this union another daughter of the Rothschilds will have set an example compromising to the best', interests of the religion of our forefathers.” / A curious story is related by the ‘ Albury Banner,” a Victorian paper : At an early hour on December 28. a mail rushed into the house of a Mrs Everitt, on the Albury Flat, and amiouuced that lie was K llv, the bushranger. At th s time the only persons in the house were Mrs Everitt and her sister-in-law, who, naturally enough, were somewhat alarmed at the announcement. The intruder, after announcing his name, seized hold of one of the two women, and, it appears, attempted violence. Just then, however, the husband came in, and the bushranger ran off. In the meantime, the other woman, fearing to be robbed 1)7 the man, had carefully secreted several £1 notes in the ashes on the hearth, and there, in the excitement of th i moment, they vvere allowed to remain tili they were destroyed. The soi disnnt bushranger is described as having carried two Wellington boots in bis belt, one strapped on each side, so arranged as to represent revolver holsters.

The project of a second expedition to New Guinea lias been received witii considerable favor at Wellington. The Chronicle, referring to this subject, says Messrs Allen, Mills, and Spiller were so favorably impressed by the capabilities of this fine island, when they visited it in the barque Courier a short time since, that they have determined to organise another expedition, to start from Wellington some mouths hence, for the purpose of opening up a trade with the natives. They hare already received offers from about 40 persons willing to join the expedition and they are sanguine that they will have no difficulty in securing quite a sufficient number of volunteers. A schooner of about 80 tons burden is to bo purchased and thoroughly equipped with every tiling necessary for such an expedition. Interpreters will bo secured, and every precaution taken to present a fiasco, such as occurred on the trip in the C.mri.'f. The promoters are satisfied that that expedition failed purely through the deception practised by the American . captain from whom the Courier was bought. The expedition is intended not only fo. trading purposes but also to thoroughly prospect various parts of New Guinea far gold and other metals.”

A most tragic occurrence happened in the EastEnd of Glasgow recently, which resulted in a vountr woman beug shot. Acarpe l weaver named James Martin, returned home the worse for liquor, and quarrelled with his wife. Ho resented her efforts to get into bed, and seizing her, almost choked her. He then barricaded the door, and the woman, fearing she was to be a -ain attacked, tried to jump out of the window, which was only a few feet from the ground. Her husband dragged her ha-k, uni then seized her young and with the assis'anceof.some persons outshe escape I. Martin then became furious, amt threatened to shoot someone. He is a sergeant in a Volunteer regiment, and loading his rifle, ho deliberately fired among the crowd. The bull took effect, on a young woman, Catherine Daman, 17 vears of age, and she died instantly. Marlin fired a second shut, but fortunately no one was st ruck. A rush was then made to the house and Martin, after some resistance, was apprehended and safely lodged in prison. On searching the house 21 rounds of ball cartridge were found Wellington Snobs.—Writing to a West Coast paper, S says There is however, a perfect army of snobs including the wayfarers, men with the smallest amount or br his, but the greatest degree of conceit., Snobism, lam afraid flourishes in Wellington. There are sqmo scores, if not hundreds, of Government employers, who are servile to their chiefs, and cheeky to the general public by way ! of compensation for their office humilityj There ar* many in mere intile houses who I affect the airs of aristocracy, and altogether there many objectionable person—i ages in Wellington.”