INTERCOLONIAL.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 155, 2 December 1874, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

VICTOEIA. Iu the Legislative Assembly, in reply to a question, it was elicited that the statements with reference to the unsuitability and inefficiency of the great equatorial telescope at the Melbourne Observatory were entirely unfounded, and that most satisfactory work had been done by means of that instrument. We observe, says the Argus, from the proceedings of the General'Assembly of the Presbyterian Church that vigorous efforts have been made to launch the Ladies' College under auspices which promise well for the success of the institution. On Thursday, on the motion of Mr M'Bain, the Bev George Tait was unanimously appointed principal. No sooner was he appointed than he made overtures to Mr Pearson, of the Melbourne University, with the view of inducing that gentleman to undertake the direction of the educational department; and as it was known in town that Mr Pearson had that day been offered, by telegram, one of the professorships in the newly-founded University of Adelaide, it was necessary to take prompt action to retain him in the colony. The terms offered by Mr Tait, however, were such as to induce Mr Pearson to accept the position of head-master of the college. Information has been received by the mail, says the Argus, that the first shipment of 250 Martini-Henry rifles for the volunteer force will arrive here by the ship Bayard, which left Loudon on the 2nd of September, and may therefore be expected here in the course of a week or two.

At Geelong a young man named James M'Swecney. a blacksmith at Belmont, poisoned himself by svvallowiug butter of antimony in some beer. He was taken to the Geelong Hospital late, and lingered in agony till three o'clock, when he died. He was suffering from the effects of drink when he swallowed the poison. The sittings of the Presbyterian General Assembly have been brought to a close, says the Argiis. The principal business which engaged the attention of the assembly was the case of the Bev A. Bobertson. This rev gentleman had been adjudged guilty of coutempt in not coming forward and submitting to be admonished by the Moderator, in the presence of the assembly, for his action with regard to the case of the Bev Mr Ewing. A committee, which was appointed to consider the matter, decided that he should be cited to appear before the assembly at one o'clock yesterday afternoon. In the event of his not appearing, which the committee apparently pretty confidently reckoned upon, they had a resolution prepared to submit to the assembly dealing with the matter. The officer of the assembly served the citation and on his return informed the Moderator that Mr Bobertson was not at home, nor was it known when he would return. He was directed to return and serve the citation again in the preseuce of two witnesses, this being the usual form. When one o'clock arrived, the Moderator directed Mr Bobertson to be called thrice at "the most patent door of the building," and when no appearance was made, he said that his action was adding contempt to contempt, and that the assembly must now proceed to take some course with regard to the rev gentleman. Dr Cameron then moved the resolution, which had been unanimously agreed to by the committee to whom the case had been remitted. The effect of the resolution was to suspend Mr Kobuitson from his judicial functions until he had tendered an ample apology to the commission of the assembly for his contu-

macy. This, of course, does not in any way interfere with the exercise of his ministerial functions, but simply precludes him from taking any part in church management. Only one member of the assembly came forward in Mr Robertson's defence. The Rev D. Fraser moved as an amendment that no proceedings should be taken for a month. He urged that the proceedings were most hasty and ill-advised, and that it was through the treatment which had been accorded to Mr Robertson in the first instance that he had been stung into taking up his present position. The amendment could not find a seconder, and consequently fell to the ground. The resolution was then adopted. A telegram from Stawell says :—James E. Oliver, mining manager of the Great Northern Company, has been killed, by being jammed in the cage. An inquest was held on the body. The evidence showed that the deceased was about the shaft in a truck containing blunted drills. Contrary to rule, he gave the signal himself, and it was also against the rule to go up in a truck containing drills. One of these projected, and caught the centre timbers of the shaft, throwing the truck and its contents off the cage and into the chamber. The Bhock caused Mr Oliver to be jammed about the middle of his body between the side of the cage and the slabs, and in this compressed state he was dragged up the shaft about 26ft before the engine was stopped. The centres had to be cut away before [he could be released. He was sensible until the pressure was taken off his body, but died almost instantly afterwards. No blame seems attachable to anybody but to the deceased himself, who was an extremely temperate man, and considered very careful as to the safety of others. The verdict wa3 " Died from injuries accidentally received." The deceased leaves a wife and large family.

QUEENSLAND

The Brisbane Telegraph of November 6th gives the following particulars of the riot at the Ipswich School of Arts:—"There was a great row at the School of Arts on Thursday evening. The Rev Mr Porteus attempted to deliver a lecture at the School of Arts, on the subject of Luther. Mr James Foote occupied the chair. The centre of the hall was packed with Roman Catholics, who, when the lecture was half through, attempted to rush the platform. The rev lecturer and the chairman managed to escape by the back doors. The crowd then broke the chairs, and used the pieces as weapons, and a scene of indescribable confusion ensued. The police and the friends of Mr Porteus, who were guarding the platform, succeeded in keeping the crowd back. At this time fighting was going on in all parts of the hall. The police magistrate then read the Riot Act, and the crowd shortly afterwards left the hall. Mr P. O'Sullivan, while trying to get on the platform.'was struck on the head and rather badly cut. A man named Dennis Toohey was stabbed in the side, but not dangerously. It is rumored that a mau named Flanagan was also stabbed. Mr R. Gill, the postmaster, who entered the hall just after the disturbance commenced, was struck in the forehead with a horsewhip, which inflicted a severe cut. An alarm of fire, which was raised in consequence of a burning heap of rubbish near the Grammar School, was the means of dispersing the crowd. This morning, a man named William Stewart was brought up at the Police Court, charged with stabbing Toohey. The evidence of two constables and Dr Dorsey having been taken, the accused was remanded for eight days." NEW SOUTH WALES. The budget speech, delivered in the Assembly, says the Argus, by the Treasurer (Mr Lloyd), was the longest yet made here. The year's revenue amounted to £3,457,977, being more than £185,000 over the estimate. The Treasurer expects to have a total surplus of ,£694,000 at the end of the year. The next year's estimates show a proposed expenditure of £3,383,461, showing an increase of nearly £300,000 Rodd Brothers, late storekeepers at Braidwood, are insolvent, with joint liabilities amounting to £20,000. Mr James Rodd, who has sustained heavy losses in mining, has resigned his seat in the Assembly as member for the Northern goldfields. TASMANIA. A telegram from Launceston says—The examination of Peters, Barnard, and Co, in the Court of Bankruptcy, by the AttorneyGeneral has lasted three days, and disclosed an unprecedented mode of doing business. Of many important transactions no record has been kept by which the trustees can trace them.