AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 3058, 6 December 1872, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

(Collatedfrom the Melbourne Papers.) A return has been made up at the Melbourne Telegraph Office showing the amount of business which has been done on the British and Australian liny since the opening of direct communication with London, on the 21st October, to the 16th November, a period of four wcehs. The total number of messages transmitted was BG6, representing a money value of L 9,158 19a. It appears that even with the existing high tariff of charges a business is being done on the line at the rate of L 120.000 per annum, of which more than one-half belongs to Victoria.

The Ballarat Post of Nov. 2f> reports 14 A lady in Dawson street was safely delivered of two girls and a boy this day, and. we believe, is doing well, though the first child was bom at 1 o’clock this morning, and the other two at 11 o’clock, or just 10 hours afterwards.” . Whilst the colonies are striving to obtain a fair representation of Australian products at the London and Vienna Exhibitions in 1873, our Sydney friends are also laying the foundation for another intercolonial display similar to that of 1870. The Agricultural and Industrial Society of New South Wales held out in its programme that the triennial show should embrace the productions of the sister Colonies, but at the forthcoming meeting in commemoration of the new electric bond which now unites Australia with the Old World, the Council of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales have decided upon stretching a point. They have invited the co-operation of all the countries with whom we are now in hourly communication in the southern hemisphere. A detailed schedule of the Sydney Exhibition, accompanied by plans of both grounds and buildings have been forwarded to the various Governments, with an invitation to take the the necessary steps to secure adequate representation by means of local commissions and timely canvas among intending exhibitors. We are informed that several of the Australian Colonies aro already actively engaged in preparing for the event. From Ceylon. China. Japan, Java, the various islands in the Pacific, and California, favorable replies have been received. The death of Mr Pearson Thompson, bar-rister-at-law, at the advanced ago of 90 years, is reported by the Castlemaine Representative, which says of him “ Mr Thompson came herein 1853, and was undoubtedly one of the oldest residents ef Castlemaine—one of the last links that connect our memories with the early days of the goldfields. He was a native of Cheltenham m the county of Gloucestershire, where he was a large landed proprietor and a magistrate. His revenues were almost princely in magnitude, and it was once a common saying, 4 1 would I had the property that Pearson Thompson once possessed.’ He reduced his patrimony to a comparative unit by speculation in railways and mines, and came out to Sydney in the year 1850, which city he soon exchanged for the busy scene of the Forest Creek rush, then in all its glory of canvas and 4 gold galore.’ He hau been called to the bar at home, and resumed practice in this town, the town wherein he was destined to end his days. Asa lawyer he never attained to any eminence, nathless his practice for some years was remunerative. In the year 1864 he removed to Daylesford, where—then an aged feeble man—he was engage ! in the succeeding year to defend David Young, whose conviction and execution for the murder of Margaret Graham, will not be easily forgotten, returning to Castlemaine, the old gentleman retired to private life, and was seldom seen in public afterwards, Mr Thompson has left a son and daughter, the former being a colonel ef the 14th Hussars, and the latter the widow of a naval captain. To these two children the bulk of his property ia left.” The means which were taken to remedy the defect in the submarine cable which was the cause of the prolonged interruption in telegraphic communication with England, are briefly described in the following telegram transmitted by Mr Fisher, of the repairing party, Banjoewangi, to Mr Todd, at Adelaide 14 Thanks for your message of yesterday. Accept my congratulations for your own success. Cause of interruption, cable completely broken; how broken will remain a mystery. No ship would anchor in a thousand fathoms of water—such was the depth at fracture. We recovered one end only ; this gave undoubted signs of having been subjected to severe tension. In grappling for the other end we broke the cable, had to shift ground, picked up again, stoppers put on, when snap went the cable second time, but this proved to be the western end. Tested cable to Darwin, found 0.K., spliced on and ran up to the other end, which had been buoyed. Tested this, and made final splice. Lost about two miles and a half of cable. Cable when picked up was externally as good as when first manufactured. Electricity much improved, due to ago and temperature. Hope 1 may again visit Australia, and shall then do all I can to meet you. Thank you for your kindly feelings. Success to the banquet and all who attend. Advance Australia.— Fisher, Banjoewangi.” It is whispered about that Mr Fellows consulted Mr Higinbotbara as to the propriety of his (Mr F.’s) accepting the proffered judgeship. The reply was one (assuming the correctness of the rumour) characteristic of Mr Higinbotham’s reputation for panels straightforwardness. 44 It would gpatify rpe tp seeypu pn bench for two rjsasqns. First, yoq possess the necessary qualifications in an eminent degree ; second, J woqld like to see you out pf politics.” “ the Derwent and its tributaries are as full of salmon as rumor is of their being seen” (says the Hobart Town Mercury), " opr "acclimatisation experiment is a great fact, Without giving credit to all that is said, we believe that large Ijsh have bpen of late repeatedly seen leaping in the Dprwent, and that if these are not salmqn, thp 4 oldest inhabitant’ knows nnt what they are. On Friday several large fish wore seen leaping in the river above Bridgewater, confidently stated to be salmon. It is also said that some of the fishermen have actually caught salmon without making it known, for fear that the restriction on fishing a portion of the river, recently withdrawn, might be again imposed.” A progress report from Mr Coppin announces the engagement of the following performers for his intercolonial musical festival Organists: Signor Gior/a, Messrs. J. Hill, D. Lee, Charles Packer (from Sydney), F. A. Packer (from Tasmania), and Plaisted. Vocalists: Miss Beaumont (from Tasmania), Madame Carandini, Miss Fanny Carandini, Miss Rosina Carandini, Miss Lizzie Carandini, Miss Christian, Mrs Cutter, Mrs Howitz, Mrs Perraton, Miss Sherwin, and Miss Amy Sherwin (from Tasmania). Mrs Sraythe, Signor Cecchi, Mr Gordon, Mr Fairfax (from Sydney), Mr Reynolds (from Tasmania), Mr Sherwin, Signor Susini, Mr Furlong, and 200 pupils, and Mr Perraton’s double quartette and picked chorus of 250, with power to make additions. Herr Seide and an efficient band have been engaged. Signor A. Biseaccianti has been appointed acting manager. We have more than one illustration just now of the divergence of thought that exists between the clergy and the laity. Ihcre is the Education Bill. It is denounced by prelate, priest, and presbyter in terms of unite luejicrous ferocity, and it passes both Houses pf Parliament —at least the second reading docs—by overwhelming majorities, There is the Carriage with a Deceased Wife’s faster Bill. It is scarcely resisted in the Lower House, and passes in the Upper withput a division. And lo apd behold ! the divines in the Presbyterian General Assembly send a petition home to the Queen, begging her to refuse the assent which she has already given to South Australia, and, moreover, threaten to prosecute any clergyman of the denomination who complies with the law. What is the meaning of this ? Is it that the cliffy are suffering from that judicial do

mentation which presages destruction, or is it merely that they arc still under the spell of phrases which have ceased to operate on the lay mind? We think the latter is the explanation. What may befall a bushman during one of his brief experiences of town life i a recorded by the Bendigo Indepe (lent. One of this class, while in a state of intoxication, after vainly eudeavoring to gain admittance to a house in Bernal street mounted the roof, and essayed to descend by the chimney. His calculations as to the dimensions of the aperture turned out to be wrong, and after slipping down a few feet, he found himself firmly wedged about the centre—a fix from which his struggles could not release him. His cries brought, several policemen and residents in the neighborhood to the scene, and a great portion of the chimney had to be removed before the experimentalist could be lemovcd from his unpleasant position. Cobb is competing with the Victorian railways. The Ballarat Courier says that “unless Mr Gillies soon wakes np, the line between Ballarat and Melbourne may as well be closed altogether to traffic. Cobb and Co. commence running between Ballarat and Melbourne two large coaches on the Ist of December, and the trip right through is to be done under seven hours, or in about the same time as the mail train takes to do the journey on holiday occasions. The fare each way is to ho only 10s. A large number of the residents of this district have promised to support the venture, so disgusted is every person with the manner in which the railways are managed. The coaches will soon be completed, ami the horses quartered on the road. It was significant of how beautifully the goods portion of the traffic on the line is conducted that yesterday thirteen loaded teams passed through Ballarat from Geelong ea route to the country districts.” Sir James Fergusson has received notice of his translation to New Zealand, and at the same time lias obtained from the Secretary of State permission to visit England. The public have accordingly been informed that they must make up their minds to part with the Governor so soon as the state of Parliamentary business will permit of his going away. It is astonishing what few expressions of regret there are at the announcement. His Excellency is, with one exception, the first representative of Majesty who has left the Colony before the expiry of his term of office ; and with every disposition to do him justice, it must be confessed that few here deplore his loss. A Governor, although to a large extent a mere ornament of the constitution in Colonies where “so called” responsible government prevails, may make himself very obnoxious ; and Sir James Fergusson has taken no pains to conceal his discontent. Instead of identifying himself with the people, and making the best of colonial institutions, be has held himself rigidly aloof from the former, and shown a strange want of sympathy with the latter. He may not bo altogether to blame, for he has in his official position been brought into contact with some very indifferent political specim ns ; but nothing can excuse him for failing so utterly to accommodate himself to the circumstances in which upon his arrival here he found himself placed. A little aw kwardness at first would have been pardonable, but he has from first to last striven to show the colonists that his ways were not in any sense of the word their ways. Perhaps in his new sphere he will develops kindlier qualities than he has displayed here. He will have some experience of colonial manners and modes of thought to guide him in his dealings with New Zealanders, and may be the climate will be more congenial to him than this has proved. We have as yet no definite information .as to a successor to Sir James, but Mr Weld, of V\ eatern Australia, is spoken as amongst the eligibles, Who can say that Victoria is not generous to public servants '! In the additional estimates last evening is an item of L2G4 14s 4d for Mr J. B. Humffny, formerly Minister of Mines, in consideration of his services, to bo held in trust for the benefit of himself or such members of his family as the Governor-in-Council may determine. A private letter from London by the mail savs Mr Michie has recovered his voice in a rather singular manner. He was at Paris in company with Sir James and Lady M'Culloch, and in hailing a cab Mr Michie found that his power of utterance had come back to him. Mr George Cornwell, contractor, late of Dunedin, is forming a joint-stock company in Melbourne to carry on the Prince of Wales Opera House there. The Melbourne City Council have voted 1f2,500/, for public buildings, such as a new market, hide and skin market, and cattle and horse markets. The JMlarat Star reports that one of the letter-sorters in the Melbourne Post-office forgot to despatch the Hamilton mail by the last night train, the consequences of which were that he bad to charter a special engine at his own expense and proceed on it to Ballarat. where he arrived in time to find the Hamilton coach had started. Ho therefore had to get a buggy, and, after driving eighteen miles, caught the coach at Streatham. The cost of this little affair was 40/.