AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 3481, 20 April 1874, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

One of the most remarkable escapes I ever heard of occurred last week (writes the Elaine correspondent of the ‘Ballarat Star’) to a child of Mr Andrew Morris, miner at Stieglitz. The child, who is only three years old, was playing near the parents’ house, when it fell down a shaft 250 ft deep. As soon as it was discovered some persons went dpwn, expecting to find the lifeless remains of the child, when to their astonishment they found the child alive, and although its arm was broken, the injuries it had received were only those that were remediable. They at ouoe took the child down to the Geelong Hospital, and I have every reason to believe it will recover.

The Tumut correspondent of the ‘Gundagai Times ’ relates that a few months ago a model temperance society was established by six inhabitants, each of whom signed a guarantee to abstain from partaking of all alcoholic drink for a twelvemonth, and as a proof of his bona fide deposited a promissory note for LlO in the treasurorls hands, to be forfeited if he failed to keep his vow. But though the spirit may be willing to resist spirits, the flesh is often weak, and the weather has of late been exhausting and thirst-

provoking. We are informed that within the_ past week two of the members of the society “ fell”—-that we are informed is the proper phrase—aud were mulcted in the sura of LlOeach, which they at once handed over to the treasurer of the association. Ihe more temperate br-thren therefore received a dividend of L 5 each, realised in a period of two months.

The Melbourne correspondent of the ‘ Ballarat Star’ writes “1 he latest on dit, and the ‘ Herald ’ can claim the credit of it, is that Mr Francis has telegraphed to Mr Michie to come out and be made a judge, has implored Laugton to take the HgtntGeneralabip, has bribed Judge Pohmau to temporarily act on the Supreme Court bench, and given a soft persuader to Judge Bunny to take the insolvency aud general sessions. To the Melbourne evening print must be accorded the credit of ferreting out the fact that Mr Justice Williams was about to resign, but the programme set forth to-day is rather too large a bait to be swallowed, and I dont think that Mr Francis is the sort of man to confide to anyone the knowledge of

what is contained in his private political telegrams.” The ‘ Herald’ returns the charge by adding “We are not aware that we ever hinted that Mr Francis was in the habit of confiding the contents of his private political telegrams to anyone Certainly he does not do so to the morning papers, although they write as if their advice were asked by every member of the Cabinet before daring to move an official finger. For all that, this bait will very likely have to be ‘ swallowed,’ no matter how unpleasant it maybe,”