AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 2818, 29 February 1872, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A Melbourne Cup winner sold for L 6 ! Fancy that! Toryboy, the hero of 1865, was lately knocked down for the modest sum of six sovereigns, Mr Jas. Garton was the purchaser. The grey is worth treble the money for hacking purposes. In a series of articles on the successful men of Victoria, the Leader introduces Mr J, F. Clarke, and observeslt is impossible to form au exact estimate of Mr Clarke’s wealth, bat he must be worth two millions sterling. His lauded pr-operty consists of 120.000 acres in Victoria, 50,000 in Tasmania, 75,000 acres in South Australia, and 45.000 in New Zealand. He has valuable town properties in Collins street, Emerald Hill, and East Meibomne. He owns 15,01(0 shares in the Colonial Bank, and he k as a large number of shares in other banks, gas and insurance companies, besides large sums

lent out on mortgage. His brother Lewis died some years ago, and the whole of the vast property accumulated by Mr Clarke will be inherited by his three sons—Mr William Clarke, of Sunbury; Mr Thomas Biggs Clarke, of Qnorn Hall, Tasmania ; and Mr Joseph Clarke, of Norton Mandeville. The Rev. V. G. Barry, who has occupied a prominent position as a clei’gyman of the Roman Catholic Church in Melbourne, was entertained at a public dinnei prior to his departure for England. The Chief Secretary of the Colony presided, and there were piesent—the Mayor of Melbourne, the Speaker of the Assembly, leading Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Weslcyans, and Jews. Capt. M‘Mahon, in proposing the guest’s health, attributed “the gathering together on that occasion of so many of different persuasions to the fact that the Rev. Father Barry, whose geniality and Christian-like conduct had endeared him to the whole community, had been the most prominent amongst the body to which he belonged in bringing men of all creeds together.” And Father Barry, in replying, sai i he was extremely gratified that there were met together on that occasion men of all shades of religious belief. It afforded, he thought, a cheering prospect for the future of this bright and happy land that there were gathered together on an occasion like this an assemblage made up of all classes to do honor, not merely to an individual, but to a clergymen holding views diverse from their own. This was a feeling which ought to be cultivated, not only at the festive board, but in ordinary life, so that all classes of the community might live together in harmony. If his own efforts had been instrumental in promoting such a feeling amongst the community, he was thankful for it. He should carry away with him a deep recollection i f the he had experienced here, and when he visited the old country he should point with pride and satisfaction to the spirit of tolerance and kindliness of feeling to all classes and denominations which pervaded this Colony, for in the old country he must say they had very much to learn in the direction of such toleration.—[Bishop Moran could conveniently take a leaf from this clergyman’s book.] There is, says the Australasian, a curious story afloat, which, if true, seriously com{romises a well-known Melbourne solicitor, t is almost too sensational for belief in these prosaic matter-of-fact days, hut the surrounding incidents ate so circumstantially narrated that they gave it substance and coherence. An old lady, with large possessions, and few, if any, relatives in this country, fell amongst, or into, the hands of a clever attorney. An English female relative who, in the event of the old lady’s decease would be beneficially interested, had her suspicions aroused in some manner, and came out to Melbourne for the express purpose of investigation. Upon her arrival here ghe made inquiries, but the o}d lady was nowhere to be found, She had utterly disappeared, and no one could tell of her whereabouts. Her former haunts knew’ her not. With professional assistance, a clue w r as obtained, and a faint track was followed up to Sydney, thence for a hundred miles or so across the Blue Mountains, and finally in a remote inland township the object of the gearch was found. But in what condition ? A desire for stimulants had beep encouraged, and the old lady was being permitted to poison herself with _ alcohol, her suicidal allowance being a bottle of brandy per diem. With considerable difficulty she was rescued from the surveillance of her interesting New South Wales friends. She was brought back to Melbourne, and confronted with her late legal adviser. He had obtained such control of her property, and had otherwise so planned matters, that, in the event of the old lady’s death, he would have hims If become possessed of all, or nearly all. Her expected reappearance, however, stunned him. He at once restored a large sum iu cash, and gave security for further indebtedness. And bo the matter stonds. If people want to know more, let them inquire iu CbanceryLanc, in Temple-court, or in any other haunt of the brotherhood of lawyers, for exact particulars.