LATEST INTERCOLONAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 166, 5 February 1867, Page 3

LATEST INTERCOLONAL NEWS.

Sehiops Chakges against a Justice of the Peace!— lt appeared that Mr George Patterson, J P., who, for thr.ee years presided as mayor of the Borough of Daylesford, in the course of business purchased from a Mr Glenlon a large weatherboard hotel- and store, familiarly known as *' Hodge's Belle Yue Hotel." At the. time of the purchase. the building was occupied by a miner, named George Carrighan, and his family who r jmained in occupal ion until the premises were burned. Shortly after Mr Patterson had concludedhis purchase, he requested the recent owner, Mr, Glenlon, to "effect an insurance of tlie property for him in the Victorian Company's office for Ll5O, giving as his .reason for not doing so himself, "' ' that he (Mr' Glenlon) knew most about it, ' and " could produce the ground plan." Mr Glenlon di (las he was desired, and on making the application, represented to Mr Carrie, acting far the local agent of tlie company, that the property was not insured in any other office. The policy was accepted, and a receipt handed to Mr Glenlon, who delivered it to Mr Patterson on the same day, informing .him of the nature of the statement -he # had; made to Mr Carrie.* Mr Patterson then said the premises were insured in another office (the Imperial, for L 200), and he "subsequently wrote to the agent of the Victorian Company to that effect. Between six and seven a.m. on Tuesday, November 27, George Carrighau* occupying the premises in question, proceeded to make a fire, and subsequently put a billy of water on to boil, and a fryirigpan to * render down some fat. His wife, cliUdr,en, and sister-in-law, were then in bed in an adjoining room. He left the kit'cheffilor \ about three minutes, and upon returning found that the. pan. had tipped over, and the fat w.as lightind. The flames had then risen to. some clothes on a line before the .fire, and had ignited them. A deal. box i;also that was before the fire, and. upon which the handle of the pan had been resting, was, on fire. Carrighan drew away the burning box, placed the pah on the heartli, and then observed that the "frames, had taken hold of the ceiling, which Avas of cali cp. Thinking-- there "was no possibility/ of sayipg the' building, he rushed into! the bed-room his (family were, snd •wrapping theni in blanTcets, hurried them from> the.the burning premises ; which were razed to. tlie ground in a few minutes. ' In the course of his evidence, Carrighan stated that although he had been. a tenant- of **;Mr Patterson since August sth, lie had not paid liim any rent, but said the latter had asked "him for money once. He was not aware the premises were insured until after the fire occurred. A number of other witnesses were examined, but nothing mate-^ rial as. to the cause of the fire was elicited ; and after being engage^! for a few minutes W consultation, the. jury returned a Verdict, " that the building was accidentally destroyed by fire." . Some days subsequent to the inquest being held, in consqquence, we believe, of remarks being iimdo by one of. the parties implicated, .-■ j -■ ..;■ . -.-■ ■■'.■-.■.. ,-.■-.■■-■• .; ■

with reference to the fire, an active search for further evidence of the cause of the conflagration was instituted by the detective police— ho less- than- three being engaged—which eventuated in Gdorge'Carriglian being arrested on the serious charge of arson, and George Patterson and Septimus Hartly for being accessaries to the Crime.— Argus. It is stated that at Heathcote the intense heat of the weather has melted the wax in a number of bee-hives, and that in a great number of instances the honey has been lost. Ons bee-keeper states that his hives in the, shade, protected from the sun after 9 a.m., suffered .like tlie others. This, we beiievo, is unprecedented, i „-• Snake Stories. — WV' have recency heard two snake stoiues which are authentic, and somewhat out of the xisual run of " snakina." hx .the .first case, Mrs Hayes, the wife of a storekeeper at Jericho,.- was sitting in the shop sewing, when she folt several smart blows applied to her back. She put her hand once or twice in the direction of the knocks Avithont feeling anything ; but as the act was repealed, she at last turned round, and to. her horror discovered a large sra'ce in a crookedly erect attitude, with flaming eyes, and jirotruded fangs, wlio had evidently been her assailant. YVTthoxit stirring she ciflled foilier husband, who fortunately was at hand, and who promptly killed the reptile. It meas'iU/ed within a few inches of seven feet. With the exception of the fright, the woman was unhurt. Tho sc«ne of our second story lies near Mansfield. Two in en were in a hut, one of them half asleep, reclining on a mattress thrown carelessly agaiiut the wall. Suddenly he feltan uneven mobile substance beneath his shoulders, which he failed to detect by putting his hand on the place. His mate's attention was attracted by his uneasiness, and after keeping his eye upon him for a minute or two, was rather taken aback by observing a black snake wriggle out between the semi-sleeper's back and j tho mattrass on which he was lying... The snake made for the door, but was not allowed to reach it alive. Both these anecdotes were supplied to us on the best authority.— Woods' s Point Leader, Jan. 9.