LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.
The Mi'lhonrue Anjit* say a :—“The question of the validity of a marriage celebrate cl in Scotland between two domiciled Victorians came before the Equity (Mart recently under somewhat peculiar circumstances. Mr William Swan, a wealthy settler in the Western District, and the father of II children, became attached to Catheline M‘Arthur, the daughter of his deceased wife’s sister, and finding some obstacle to their union out here, determined to go to Scotland to get married. In October, 1868, the}' sailed together for Scotland, and in tie following May were married by a Scotch clergyman at Greenock. A few weeks aft* rwards he died suddenly without making another will. Steps were taken by his relrtions in Victoria to prove a will made previous to his marriage, and probate was granted. II is wife shortly afterwards returned to the Colony, and took out a rule to revoke probate, on the ground that her marriage revoked any prior will. The question then arose, was her marriage with her uncle a valid one, revoking the will, or was it null and void, and consequently, not able to affect it ? The case was elaborately argued, numerous authorities being cited on either side, and judgment was reserved. Nobody will he surprised, and few people will be sorry to learn, that the tariff of this Colony, which was the oeca-iou of so much strife, and to which we were indebted for a succession of deadlocks and no end of financial troubles an I political disasters, is at length pronounced to be a failure by the very men who predicted that it would fill the country with prosperous manufactories, and “ scatter plenty o’er a smiling laud.” We are now told that this same tariff is a mere shadow, and no substance ; and that it must undergo an immediate and thorough I’evision in order to render it really protective, and to cause it to nullify that “harassing and destructive foreign competition ” which is “selfishly and recklessly directed to cripple and destroy young and struggling manufactures.” Accordingly the “ Victorian Industrial Protection League” has been established, its rules adopted, and the terms of membership fixed at Is a quarter. We do not know what may he the expenditure which is contemplated, hub we cannot help reminding the leaguers of a very simple and inexpensive mode of giving pra (ical effect to their views. Let a number of old hulks be bought, towed down to the Heads, scuttled, and sunk in the two channels, so as to prevent ingress of any more merchantmen from the four quar ers of the globe. This would c(L dually bafile the machinations of British and foreign manufacturers, who arc “selr fishly and recklessly ” sending us cheap commodities, aud would give local industry the undisputed control of the local market. We understand that the verv great success which has attended the scientific lectures at the 1 ndustrial and Technological Museum has induced the committee to take into consideration the propriety of commencing a new series of lectures early in the year. During the past term more than 2,000 persons attended, of whom 900 paid fftr admission, not cuing to accept the offer of tickets gratirtously made by the trustees. This fact shows that the public are honestly interested in the movement. In addition to the lecture-course we believe that the annexe adjoining the museum (at present occupied by the exhibition of the Victorian Academy of Art) will be (file 1 with specimens of agricultural implements and models of heavy machinery. Specimens of minerals and woods are arriving daily, and the museum is becoming very rapidly filled. The attendance in the chemical labnratoiies has also been numerically gratifying, and the course of instruction wi 1 be continued next year. The public, we think, are perhaps hardly aware of the cheapness of the i struction provided for them under the auspices of the new trus-, tors. A student can attmd a course of twenty lectures on miirng, illu touted with experiments, far LI a quarter ; a course of lectures ou technical chemistry, illustrated
with experiments, for LI a quarter ; a comae of instruction in painting for LI a quarter; and receive instruction in drawing and designing for 10s a quarter. Thus, for L 4 lUs a quarter or 30s a month, any young man desirous of self-iniprovcmcnt can obtain 111 struction from the best masters the colony affords in chemistry, painting, designing, and geology. ~1.1 . Bushranging is an industry that docs not flourish in Victoria. It has often been tried, and has as ofen proved a failure. -V.t warned by Power’s unhappy fate, a brace ot ruffians, who, like Power, were fond ot good horseflesh, entered recently into business on the Yavra track, and for a few days prospered exceedingly. They stoh; two rules f om one gentleman, and a pair of racehorses from another, but, alas, for their want of foresight, they forgot to steal the hobbles . So the racehorses got away, and proceeded homeward, and [this equine disaster put a brave policeman, named Mays, on the highwavmen’s scent. He followed the trail to a thickly wooded piec3 of bush country within twenty-tivemiles of Wood’s Point, where he b ddly faced the ruffians, one of them armed, the other about to pick up his lifle. _ One of the fellows, named Sullivan, fired at Mays and the ball passed over the constable’s left shoulder. Mays seizing Smith, the other ruffian used him as a target for his friend s bullets, and actua'ly pushed Jinn before him towards Sullivan, intending if possible to capture the pair of scoundrels. Sullivan, however, took to flight, hearing the approach of some one, and the constable bad to be content with but one prisoner, May’s conduct is deserving of the very highest praise, for had the fellows got a fair start there is no doubt, from what they had already achieved, that they would have committed other depredations of a serious character before they were ~fairly run to earth. The capture of fcSmith has afforded another exemplification of the glorious uncertainty of the law. Sul ivan and Smith were tried recently for robbing the dwelling of Mr Symniouds, the Under Treasurer, and a jury of their countrymen acquitted them ! In the possession of Smith,*when Mays captured him, was one of two rifles stolen from the premises of Mr Symmonds. Clo ;ely pursued as Sullivan is, it may be expected that it will not be long before be is in the hands of the police.— Melbourne Leader.
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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2459, 3 January 1871, Page 2
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1,086LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS. Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2459, 3 January 1871, Page 2
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