AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 513, 16 February 1872, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

The amount realised by the sale of tbe late Mr. Moffats stud was 10,189 guineas. There were forty four lots, the average of each lot being 206| guineas. The Bendigo Advertiser reports the following unfortunate mining accident: —“On Monday night, the 22nd ult, three miners were being lowered down the shaft of tbe Empire claim, in Sparrow Hawk "idly, in the bucket, to go on the night shift, and when the bucket was down about sixty feet from the surface, one of the men named Williams, fell out of tbe bucket- to the bottom of the shaft, about 150 feet, and then falling into the well, which contained about sewn feet of water. When got out he was dead. ” The neee»sarv twc’iminaiv steps have bee ■ taken in Sandhurst for the er cti n of vi ’arge •■nd ha dronic theatre by a public eompa y It is prop aed to issue 20,000/. shares, and to call up 10s. pea share, which is expected to be nearly sufficient to carry •out the work. The site of tbe new' theatre wil be in Williamson-street, opposite the Shamrock Hotel. The theatre is to be one of the handsomest in the colony, and will be arranged for the comfort and convenience of a large audience. The proposition is already so favorably received that almost the required number of applications for shares have been made. Messrs. Heffernan and “Crowley, of the Shamrock Hotel, .will hold nearly one-third of the shares in the new company. A Kanaka man, employed by the Messrs. M ‘Kenzie, on the lower Herbert, was taken by a large alligator whilst bathing in a Creek. Some suspicion was excited in the minds of the Customs authorities lately, by the peculiar appearance presented by a parcel of tea which arrived in the s.s. Claud Hamilton, from New Zealand. - This shipment consisted of ten tons of tea, which was packed in 210 bags and 14 soft goods ■cases. The peculiarity of the packing, so different to the usual manner in which tea is always imported, attracted the attention of the Customs authorities, and the health officer of the city, Mr. Girdlestone, was communicated with in order to ascertain if the tea was fit to go into consumption. On Wednesday, Mr. Girdlestone, accompanied by an expert, visited the bond where the tea is at pr sent stored. A very short examination showed that the article was quite unfit for use. It had evidently been at one time thoroughly saturated hy sea water and dried by some process, no attempt having been made to extract the salt. When a small portion of the tea is tasted, a strong flavor of soa salt is tho only thing perceptible, but soon afterwards a very, sickly flavor succeeds, which is not got rid of for some time, tbe disagreeable flavor being distinctly perceptible for fully an hour after tasting. This tea is believed to form portion of the cargo of ■ the Hindu, a vessel that was wrecked some time ago off tbe New Zealand coast. The whole cargo was bought for a very small sum (about 40/.) and this is the fourth or fifth shipment of this tea that has been introduced into the Melbourne market. Although there is not the slightest doubt of the unwholesome character of the article, the health officer does not co’ aider himself empowered by the act to seize the bulk, though if the tea wero being retailed, proceedings could be taken agaist the Persons selling. There has already been fully 100,0001b. of this poisonous rubbish brought into the Melbourne market the greater portion of which, it is said, has Passed through the hands of a member of the late ministry, who is also proprietor of the present shipment. If the ('ity Council is helpless in the matter, it will be necessary foe the Governm n f to step in a’-d orevent the citizens of Melbourne being poisoned 'u - his vholosale manner..

1 he Aarni Advertiser says: —“An Interesting, though melancholy event occurred irv connexion with the wreck of the Underlay, which was reported in our telegraphic intelligence some time since as occurring off the lalg of Wight. On board that vessel were two valuable terriers, the property of Mr Clegg of this town, and shipped for transmission to Victoria. It will be remembered that the ■only person of those on board who was lost was a steward. To this steward, we learn, had been entrusted the dogs mentioned with acharge that as they were considered •valuable he would see them safely to the colony. When all had got away from the wreck and safely landed this unfortunate, though eminently trust worthy man remembered that he had left his charges on ioard and despite the endeavours of the numerous bystanders he persisted in returning for them. He succeeded in getting them off the wreck but before he reached the shore a wave carried both man and dogs away and though-everv attempt was made to rescue him, it proved unavailing." A publican named D’Arcy at Baddaginwee, nearHenalla, was charged at the Police Court, Benalla, with following taking the sum of 40/. 'from a man who called at the hotel, was remanded for eight days. The New Guinea Prospecting Expedition has sailed from Sydney. As a proof of the increasing value of good frontages for business in Sandhurst, as much as 1001. Pr foot has lately been paid f<*r the samc.in Pall-mall. Another accident, the result of the ordinary carelessness or recklessness shown by workmen in mines lately occurred in the East Windmill Hill Tribute, Bendigo. A shot had missed fire, and one of the men, who was known as “Prussian Bill” commenced to pick out the charge, without adopting proper precaution or tools, and the consequence was that the shot exploded whde he was so engaged. He received the full force of the charge about his head, face, and upper portion of the body. He was immediately removed where he could be attended to, when it was found that one of his arms was shattered, and his head bo muoh ffnjured that hi. recover* » very doubtful. f