LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1949, 4 August 1869, Page 3

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

At length there is a prospect of an attractive goldiield being developed in Tasmania, and Waterhouse claims the honor. The result of the crushing of the ton of quartz, taken by Mr Williams over to Melbourne, must be considered, although it was picked, as highly satisfactory, giving as it did some 290z to the ton. With Mr Williams there came over some miners from Melbourne, who proceeded to Waterhouse, and having examined the ground, report favorably. It is understood that they have Joined the dis T covcrer, and that m chine! y will by and bybo erected. Several othei s have taken out claims, and a commissioner is now on the spot '.ogive possession to the several owners. Mr Gold, the late Government geologist, has proceeded to the district, partly, it is understood on Government account, and partly o be in a position to advise others. Meantime the work of opening up and taking stone to the surface for crushing proceeds, the two most prominent parties being the Pioneer and Cohen’s.

“ The Lounger,” in the Launceston Examiner, intimates that the latest accession to the Legisla ive Assembly of Tasmania is a inan of bpartan simplicity ; “The new for George Town will enter the coming Parliament fully determined to economise in all departments of the public expenditure. One of the best walkers, frugal and abstemious, Mr James Scott can do forty miles for a day’s work, living upon his country's staple, and drinking of the brook by the way. Whilst some candidates spend thousands of pounds upon his election, Mr James Scott’s election expenses amounted to the very modest sum of 2s 4d. A worthy disciple of. ’the late Joseph Hume is Mr Scott.”' 1 ’ Inspecting the Waterhouse quartz reefs, and the Pioneer Reef in particular, the special correspondent of the Tasmanian Times writes :—“ The cap of the reef is about ten feet wide, and gradually decreases as the shaft is carried down to a depth of twenty fe>-t, when it continues of a uniform thickness of six feet to a depth of thirty-three feet, the distance which it has been sunk. The stone appears to be richer the further they go down. There are already about 100 tons raised, which I think will average from oOoz. to lOoz. per ton, and now that the party have returned from Melbourne, they intend to open out at once. The country around abounds in quartz reefs and leaders, with every prospect of theii being payable, from the specimens that are found on almost every hill. The surface also contains gold in small quantities ; but I do not think any

alluvial ground will be found payable within two or three miles, as there is no drift gravel in any of the holes that have been sunk in the immediate neighborhood of the Pioneer Reef.”

“ Roguery,” says the Ballarat hreiunfi Mail, “ has long been an evident talent, and it requires some scheming now-a-daya to invent anything new in the way of ‘ a little swindle.’ A. new petty dodge, however, has come to our knowledge. An old bind man has for some time been in the habit of taking up bis daily position at the junction of the Main road and Bridge street. On Saturday afternoon a woman came up to him, and entered into a short conversa.ion expressive of her sympathy for his misfortunes. “ I wish to assist you, my poor fellow,’ said she, ‘ but I have only a florin about me, and cannot afford to give so much, being poor myself. Have you a shilling change ? Of course the old man had (for Ballarat beggars are not often without such a convenient pocket item), and of course he handed the hob in exchange for the two boh bit. In the tei’se language of Victor Hugo’s abort-sen-tenced writings—the woman slithered ! Two bystanders remarked something peculiar in the style of the pretended ahnsgiver, ami they had the curiosity to ask the old fellow for a peep at therein he had fobbed, when, as our readers must already have expected, he produced a halfpenny. They kindlytipped him a shilling a piece as a salve for his wounded feelings, and set off in pursuit of the petticoated swindler, but did not catch her. Had they turned into the nearest rum shop, they probably would have found her ‘ treating resolution.’ ” With the discoveries at Waterhouse we a detailed report from Mr Gooall of not less valuable and much more extensive golh-bearing reefs at Fingal. He has only made his discoveries known now, because he has hitherto been unable to come to term for the laud which be coveted. This at last he has succeeded in, and now desires to form a company. Mr Goodall is a miner of experience and intelligence, and his statements shon.d lie of moment, hut there has been so much money sunk unsuccessfully in mining speculations at Fingal that a doubt is expressed where there would otherwise he confidence. It is, however, not unlikely that a company may he floated in Melbourne or Bal arat, as 1 hear that the manager of the Clones mine has been to Fingal, and expressed not only an excellent opinion of the prospects, but a willingness to take an iut- rest in the intended company.