AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 3421, 7 February 1874, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

One of those strange stories used by novelists to make dull chapters interesting has been handed about in a quiet way at Elphinstone for a long time past. It is said that a man who kept a shanty on the road between Elphinstonc and Harcourt had accumulated a sum of money, which he secreted in his hut. He had acquired some of it dishonestly. The police were already on the lookout for the man, and he knew it. One day, while standing at hie door, he saw the police coming down the hill in front of the bouse. He not unnaturally concluded that he was “wanted,” and went through his cottage out into the bush at the back, carrying with him a small parcel. The police overtook him after a search, but the parcel he carried was not found. It was supposed that when he went into the bush he secreted a sum of L 1,200 he was known to possess. The prisoner was convicted and sent to Pentriclge. A diligent search was made by the police and other parties, but nothing has ever been found. Ever since the capture, and that is some time ago, the wife of the prisoner has gone cut day after day, wandering in the bush searching for tho treasure; but tho search has been made in vain. Some people surmise that tho plant has been cunningly found and disposed of, while others believe that it is secreted in some place where the prisoner will find it when he regains his liberty. The ‘ Sydney Empire ’ states that a woman named Mary St. Clair, lately brought before the Mudgee bench charged with insanity, because she accused her husband, who had deserted her for five years, of robbing her of L6O, was informed in the court that a relative had died and left her LIOOO. She betrayed no surprise, but, after asking how she could obtain the money, left the court. It is said, the husband, who has cohabited for five years with another woman, has suddenly had his affection for his Mary revived, and will apply for conjugal right to share the LIOOO, Captain Cadell, the pioneer of the Murray and Darling trade, has been heard from per the Wodonga, which has just reached A delaide from Singapore. He has a schooner engaged in {pearling, and while bound through Torres Straits called at an island, where the crew, except one man, ; deserted the ship. Nothing daunted, the intrepid captain pushed on, and made sail for a neighboring settlement. On getting within a short distance of it he espied a British vessel at anchor, and on rounding to near her found that the master was an old friend, who sent men on board and anchored the vessel. The combination match, sixteen of New South Wales and Victoria against tho AllEngland Eleven, at one time appeared not likely to come off. The Match Committee, who have the conduct of the arrangements, so far as Victorian cricketing interests are concerned, strongly objected to the V ictorian players leaving the Colony, on the ground that it would spoil the practice for the return match with the Englishmen, and the Melbourne Club refused Cosstick permission to go to Sydney, The first - mentioned committee went the length of threatening “ to strike out the name of any player from the list who leaves the Colony, or absents himself for any lengthened period from practice on the M.C.C. ground,” These proceedings caused some dissatisfaction in cricketing circles, and subsequently a deputation, consisting of Messrs Cooper, Gibson, Conway, and others, waited upon the committee of the Mellaarne Cricket Club. They urged that the representations of the Match Committee, as to the injury to practice that would be occasioned by the withdrawal of half-a-dozen Victorian cricketers to Sydney for a few days, were not founded on or justified by experience, and that no injury could result from Cosstick’s short absence. The Club Committee then re-considered their decision, and withdrew their objection to Cosstick leaving the Colony. Victorian is represented in the combination match by Cosstick, Cooper, Conway, Gibson, Carr, and Loughtnan. Tho Deniliquin and Moama Bailway Bill has passed both Houses of Parliament, Sydney, and now only awaits the Governor’s assent. The gauge is to bo the some as that Of the Victorian lines, vijE., sft Sin, so that there will be no impediment to djrect communication with Melbourne, Stawell not only vanquished the flower of the English cricket-field—Stawell can nob only boast of a club whose qualification for membership is forty whiskeys hot at one sitting—but Stawell has another claim to distinction. There is a mine there whose .history can be briefly summed up. In four years 76,413 tons of qnarfz from this most desirable and generous mine have yielded 118,006 ounces of gold, from which the shareholders have received L 329,242 in dividends. The prisoner Gidlcy, who was undergoing a sentence of two years’ imprisonment for perjury, was discharged from the Pentridge Stockade on January 27, before the full term of his sentence had expired. The man has been in bad health for some time past, and he was released by order of the Government, acting on the advice of the jmedical officers that to imprison him for the full term would induce hia death. He is supposed to be possessed of property valued at between L 16,000 and T>20,000. Some time since, when his life was despaired of, he bequeathed Jhe whole of his property to one member of his family, leaving the rest completely destitute. Captain Hirst, of theTinonee, reports that on January 30 a terrible gale occurred at St, Lawrence, The wharf, with the piles, moorings, and girders, weighing about 100 tons, together with the enbankment, was carried away. Stores were blown down, and bonded stores unroofedjlanJ otherwise damaged. Two hotels and many stores were levelled to the ground. The Post and T®l e graph offices were also blown down. The Custom house was entirely destroyed, and the official documents scattered to the winds. The court house also went, and miles of telegraph line blown away. Hheets of galvanised iron from roofs were actually corned away a distance of three miles. Altogether, St. Lawrence presents a wreck which ' beggars all description/ During the gale the rain fell in a perfect deluge, flooding the country, 1 a*d causing a great loss. People pet wfcefe to take jrefoge, but as yet

there is no account of anyone having been seriously injured. The tide ran out two hours later than usual, bringing in a wave which washed right over the floors of several bouses. The coast and adjacent islands presented the appearance af a mighty fire having swept over them.