INTERCOLONIAL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 61, 10 August 1874, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

VICTORIA. A lucky “ find ” (the “ Ballarat Courier ” states) was made by a stone-breaker on Friday. He was “ cracking diamonds ”on the road near the Winter’s Freehold, when his hammer turned up a specimen of gold aud quartz conjoined, for which subsequently Messrs Wittkowski Brothers, of Bridge street, gave him £2O. The specimen, including the quartz, weighed Boz. (idwt. As is generally the case with these discoveries, the finder was in very straitened circumstances, having a large family dependent upon him for support. Though there was a large attendance at Kirk’s Bazaar yesterday, says the “Argus ” of the 14th ult, the bidding for Mr D. Jones’s imported greyhounds was very languid. They were both bought by Mr Stanley—the blue dog, Cromlech, for 19 gumcas, and Sandy for 18 guineas. Seve al other dogs were offered, but the only oi e ->old was a black slut by Lucknow out ol F y (Mr Bagot’s), which became the’ prop t ' of Mr Flemming at 8 guineas, JSSZ

“The other day,” remarks the “Ballarat Star,” “ we cut a paragraph from a Tasmanian paper, which was laudatory of the conduct of Archdeacon Davies for having read the burial service over a corpse buried in ground set apart for Presbyterians. We do not think such acts are so rare as to require to be singled out for special commendation ; but if they are, then they are as good at our own doors as they are uver so far off, and therefore it is that we note this fact that on Thursday the Rev John Potter performed the funeral service over the remains of Mr Mark Morrell Pope, who was buried in Presbyterian ground in our own Ballarat cemetery ** A trial of Badcock’s patent life-preserving waistcoat was made at Kenny’s Baths, St. Kilda, on Saturday afternoon, says the “Argus” of the 13th ult, in the presence of a large number of spectators. Two men having encased themselves in the waistcoats (a description of which has already appeared in the “Argus”), jumped into deep water. They floated most buoyantly, and notwithstanding their efforts to dive, were unable to do so. At their will they could stand upright or rest themselves by floating in the water, but it appeared impossible for them to sink. The trial was considered most satisfactory by all present. Some months ago Mr Wm Lycll, of Harewood, obtained the lease of certain lands on the shores of Western Port Bay, for the purposes of oyster culture. He undertook to lay down £2OO worth of spat within a specified period. Yesterday, says the “Argus” of the loth ult, he applied for an increased area of land for the same purpose. It was shown that the land was submerged at high tide, and was useless for any o'her object. Mr Casey decided to grant the application, and to allow the use of the land free of rent.

The “ Argus ” of the 15th says : —The committee of elections and qualifications resumed its sittings yesterday morning, for the purpose of further hearing the petition of Mr McCormick against the return to Parliament of Mr F. R. Godfrey, one of the sitting members for East Bourke. Mr McFarland, on behalf ot Mr Godfrey, very briefly addressed the committee, contending that none of the evidence adduced by the petitioner had in any way connected the sitting member with the alleged cases of “treating,” and even bad he been cognisant of these cases it would not have amounted to an offence under the act, as it was not shown that the cases of treating were intended to corruptly influence any vote. He asked the committee to dismiss this portion of the petition as frivolous and vexatious, and to award his client heavy costs. Mr M'Cormick replied, arguing that he had fully substantiated his allegations, and was entitled to have the sitting member unseated. After deliberating for three-quarters of an hour, the committee decided to adjourn until Thursday morning, in order to allow some of the members who were absent to be present when a decision was arrived at. The case of Mr B. Stranger, the master of the state school at Coburg, has not (says the “Argus”) been dealt with by the Minister of Education. The investigation made does not appear to have disclosed a particularly grave offence. The girl whom Mr Stranger admits having kissed, as a teacher often kisses his young people, is thineen years of age. If it should be found that she is much older in appearance than is usual at that age, the case will possible assume a more serious aspect. The Ballan correspondent of the “Ballarat Courier” writes: —“ On the 17th July, Mr H. Hensley, of the Horse and Jockey Hotel, East Ballan, and Mr W. Thompson, farmer, of the Pentland Hills, went with some horses to put inro a paddock on the luglistou run. When they got to the hut of the man in charge of the paddocks (who is Hensley’s father-in-law) he was from home, and Hensley got down the chimney and made up a fire to boil the billy to make some tea, until his father-in-law should come home. After being in the but some time, he said to Thompson, ‘Let us see what the old man keeps in here,’meaning a room off the one they were in, with an old sack nailed up for a door or screen. He had just lifted the bag when he heard a voice say, ‘ Yes, you , take that,’ and the speaker fired a gun, the shot passing close to Hensley’s legs ; he immediately seized the gun (a double-barrelled one), and ultimately

wrenched it out of the man’s hands. The next thing he found was a pistol pointed to his breast, and heard the click of the cap, but it fortunately missed fire. He then got possession of the pistol, and immediately after felt himself stabbed over the e>e. He closed with his antagonist, and, after a severe struggle, succeeded in wrenching the knife from him, but not before he received eight or nine severe stabs on the back and arms, and one over the heart, but the blade was fortunately turned on one side by a rib, otherwise the wound must have been fatal. During the struggle Hensley gave the man several cuts with the knife he was using against him ; and when he thought he had taken all his weapons, and had exhausted him, he left Thompson in charge, and rode into Ballan to get his own wounds dressed and to inform the police. After Hensley left, the fellow fired two shots at Thompson, and then made a run for it, but Thompson covered him With the gun and shot him. The police arriving soon after, saw it was all up with the man, as he only just turned his head in the presence of senior-constable Kilfedder and constable McGrath, and soon after expired—of course it is not known if from the wounds inflicted by Hensley or Thompson. The man is a perfect stranger in Ballan, and was armed to the teeth with a double-barred gun, a Colt’s revolver, 1 a horse - pistol, besides a sharp knife. From information gathered in Ballarat, we learn that the deceased slept in the hut of the paddock-keeper (Pierrcpoint) on Thursday night, and he stated he was going to Macpherson’s station. He is supposed either to have been an escaped lunatic or a fellow who was resorting to the pursuit of bushranging, but got his career cut short in a somewhat providential fashion—although it is feared that the consequences may yet prove fatal to Mr Hensley, who acted throughout in a very courageous manner. The deceased was a man of about forty years of age, of stout build, fair complexion, and wearing beard and moustache. The body was removed to Ballan. At the inquest, Pierrcpoint, the owner of the hut where the tragedy occurred, said that the deceased came last Thursday morning to his place and asked for food. Apparently heha 1 no arms. He said that twelve months ago he had beensheaiingatMacpherson’sstation,and that he owmd a farm of two and twenty acres between Woodtnd and Gisborne. He said he had left his house on Wednesday, his wife remaining at the farm. Pierrepoint went a mile with him on the road to

Macpherson’s. Other evidence showed that the deceased watched Pierrepoint away, and returned to rob the hut. He had a bundle made up in his blankets ready to decamp with. Thompson’s evidence was that after Denslcy left the man rallied and called for water, and made two attempts to shoot Thompson. He came out of the hut to a fence, and crossed into an adjoining paddock, when Thompson fired, and deceased dropped. The medical testimony was that the immediate cause of death was the gunshot wound. A verdict of justifiable homicide was returned. Hundreds of people have seen the deceased, but none can identify him.” The following is a description of the weapons found on the deceased A doublebarrelled gun, smooth-bore, marked D. Egg, apparently in good order but much worn, ramrod of colonial lightwood, the mounting at cud fastened with a nail, top having ordinary screw; a five-chamber revolver (Colt’s) silver mounted, in fair condition, in an old black leather holster ; an old horse pistol without marks, in an old black leather holster ; an old butchers skin niug knife, marked Williams, Smithfield ; an old black leather pouch, containing eleven parcels of powder, two boxes of caps, a large buckhorn penknife with two blades, an old clay pipe with wooden stem, two old blue blankets, a small tin pannikin, with the initials “ N. T.” in roman capitals recently scratched at the bottom. The latest accounts represent Denslcy as likely to recover, though ho is seriously injured. Detectives attended the inquest from all parts of the colony, but could not recognise the dead robber. The theory that he is lately out of Pcntridge is thus quite negatived, and it still remains to be shown whether the man was a dangerous lunatic or some desperado commencing a caree r of crime.