Australian News.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 16, 2 March 1870, Page 3

Australian News.

The Victoria Quartz Company, 'f.nubaroora, N.S.W., obtained 95)44 ounces lusfc year, as against 5418 ounces for 1868. An unfortunate young man named Corbett was killed a short time since through stepping into tno drum of a thrashing machine at liedesdale, Victoria. His left leg was taken clean oil at the middle of tho thigh. Death from hemorrhage and >;houk to the nervous system was the result.

The Gipps Zand Mercury reports the finding of an iguana's nest, containing no fewer than 104 eggs. There was a perfectly formed live iguana in each. During last month, a horrible and fatal accident occurred at the Kneebono Company's mine, El Dorado, Victoria. Ono of the workmen, named.Patrick Cormick, was in the act of getting into tho cage to' ascend the shaft, when the engine suddenly started, lifting the cage, which caught tho wretched man's head against the cap-piece of the opening set of timber, and smashed it like an egg-shell.

The Melbourne Herald gives a deplorable account of the Chinese lepers at Ballarat, who, during the last seven months, have been gradually growing worse. The police and the Benevolent Society have made praiseworthy efforts to relieve these pariahs of society; but, with all the attempts made to alleviate their condition, little can be done to stave off the coming doom. The lepers themselves know this, and piteously they lie about, waiting their time of exit from life. The Ballarat Star states that it is almost impossible to imagine how six of them manage even to exist. They cannot stand upright, as their feet appear to be actually on the point of falling off. Their legs are wasted, their faces have lost all human shape, while in some cases the lingers have almost, entirely disappeared. There are eight lepers at Clayton-hill, and live others in othor parts of Ballarat. The public of Victoria cannot feel very comfortable with such a loathsome arid contagious disease amongst them.

"An accident of the saddest nature occurred on Sunday evening," writes the Argus' correspondent at Sandhur.sk "Mr 31. B. Fletcher's sister-in-law, hj young gL eleven years of age,'named Agnes Bird, thoughtlessly poured upon the fire some kerosene from a tin, when the tin; communicated with the tin and set the contents on fire, causing the unfortunate girl to be so severely burnt that she died on Monday morning. Mr and Mrs Fletcher were also burnt in endeavouring to save her." '

A sad and fatal accident p?c::: -od near Liverpool, New South Wales, on January 17. A young girl, whose name is not known, e'nt to the assistance of a boy named Muriel, who had gone beyond hi:4 depth while bathing, and was iu clanger of being drowned. ' In attempting to pull him out of the water, Muriel caught the girl in his arms and dragged her iu, and before they could be extricated both were drowned. "Whether the weather in Ballarat has anything to do with it or not (remarks the Ararat Adver'her), we cannot tell, but certain it is tua, that town is now turning out more lunatics than all the rest of the Colony. Within the last ten days, no fewer than fifteen persons suffering from insanity have been admitted into the Ararat lunatic asylum from Ballarat, a special coach having to be put on for their accommodation. Perhaps the real secret is that in the goldfields metropolis the late festive season has been kept in too jovial a manner, and it is just possible that the thirst produced by the hot weather was allayed by liquor of questionable quality. This, in a very large number of cases, will "be found to bo the re.;' origin of temporary if not confirmed insanity. Mr Charles Mathews will (says a con-

temporary), on the last day of January, 1870, leave London for Melbourne. Ik; regret' which the play-going public of this hemisphere will feel at parting witli a comedian who has done so much to enrich their theatrical recollections, will be to some extent compensated by the pleasure they will derive from a knowledge of the enjoyment in store for the admirers of the dramatic art in the Australian colonies. Of the enthusiastic reception which Mr Charles Mathews will experience on his landing in Australia no doubt can be entei'tained. The most finished comedian of the English stage, v. 10 with the greatest, buoyancy of spirit unites the utmost repose, and always give the fullest assurance of the polished gentleman being before tlio* audience, carries along witli him the highest recommendations. Mrs Charles Mathews, who will accompany her hus' and, and share his professional triumphs, has deservedly won good opinions as an actress of marked ability ; and a brilliant career through the colonies would seem to be before them. Artist, actor, author, and musician, Mr Charles Mathews lias more varied accpiirements than any performer who has visited the Australian shore. A curious discovery of a box containing £9OO in Sydney notes has been made in an old grave in the Albeiton cemetery, Adelaide. I Northampton Downs Station, in the I Mitchell District, Queensland, with 20,000 I sheep and 8000 cattle, has been sold for I £II,OOO.