VICTORIA.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2632, 25 July 1871, Page 3

VICTORIA.

Tlip Police Service i n Colony of Vic toria costs L 195.000 per annum. In some “ Lectures on the Decalogue,’ delivered to a Sunday School at Caultu-ld by the Chief Justice of Victoria. Sir George Stephen, the learned gentleman hears emphatic testimony to the frightful extent to which perjury prevails in the Law Courts ol that Colony.

The Victorian Legislature is undoubtedly a go-a' ead one, but the following motion, lately tabled by Lieut.-Colonel Champ, is a step in advance of even -what the most progressive in most communities wou'd like to advocate That no shop in any City or turn in Victoria be opened or kept open, or any goods be sold therein, except between the hours of eight in the forenoon and six in the afternoon, under a penalty of Lo. .the shoos of chemists and druggists, pastry-cooks and confectioners, butchers and bakers, not to be subject to the operation of this clause.

Larrikinism seems to have reached a pretty pitch in Melbourne. A recent Anjus says : -V lan-.kill, named Dcrtnoody, who was before the Bench at Ballarat ye-ter.lay, for stealing a pair of trousers, was sent to goal for three months. When leaving the Court he offered lo toss the magistrate ‘ double or quits’—whether he should be incarcerated for six months or allowed to scot-free. Another fellow, named Antclifr, charged before the same Court with stealing a pair of boots, received a similar sentence, when he ejaculated, evidently quite contort with his future prospects— “ Thats better. 11l steal another pair as soon as I get out—a fellow can t live outside now-a-days. “ A rather curious postponement of an assault case took place in the Bail .rat City Court,” says the Star, “on Thursday. One woman had summoned another for assault. Only the plaintiff appeared, and she informed the Bench, in au injured tone, that instead of answering the summons to attend the court, the defendant had given birth to a child two or three days before. It was stated that the defendant was not well enough to appear, but the plaintiff persisted that she could have appeared had she wished to do so. Gaunt remarked that such little inconveniences as these could nob be well avoided, and the case was struck out, the plaintiff bein< r advised-to take out a fr- sb summons whin the defendant was in a better state of health.”

“ The big cakes of the last month,” writes the Bendir/o Independent, “have left their mark upon the year’s history of the goldfields, and the experience of the past six months should certainly obtain for ' and hurst the title of the leading goldfield of th Colony. Facts are stubborn things, and we think that we may safely challenge any pther district in the Colony to rival our present prosperity. The total amount of gold purchased by the banks during the month of June was 30,-IlOoz 7dwt. lOgr., a yield which we do not think has been often, if ever, surpassed. In rough numbers, the weekly average has been 1,6040/., atxd the value of the month’s purchate may be set down at LI 18,200— an enormous aipoupt of money, and sufficiently ifldic.qtive, one \foul4 tipple, |hat there is something beyond flpjre gasconading in the assertion that Sandhurst never looked so well as at the present day.”

“ Materials for romance,” says the Snijj hesdale Advocate, “ are supplied in this district. Some years ago a family resided in Smythesdale which included two sons ; ami about three or four years ago their mother died, and left to each the sum of L.'JDO. One son speculated heavily in mining, and lost, getting his brother to endorse a promissorynote for a heavy amount. The speculative brother, instead of retrieving his losses, lost the proceeds of the bill alsq; but before the bill arrived at maturity, he iost his life while woikiug in a cla’m. Phc other brother was engaged to a young lady, and the day for their union was settled upon; but in the interim the bill to the deceased brother was dishonored, and the holders pounced on the intended bridegroom, and his a 1! was swallowed up to meet the demand. He had not the courage to state his altered position to his intended, and the generally happy day arrived ami he still kept the bride ignorant of the change in his position, and preparations went on for the comiu" ceremony. Whilst this went on at the residence of' tlio bride, the bridegroom visited a chemist and obtained ■ quantity of strychnine, a portion of which he swallowed, and then proceeded to the house of his intended ; but instead of having taken enough to make him sick he had taken an overdose, anil on his reaching the door of her parents’ residence ho’dropped down, and w aß soqn carried in, the I ncident q-cqtipg alarm and

confusion, A medical man was called in, to whom the facts were given, but on condition of not informing the intended bride. In three hours he was dead.”