INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 324, 11 February 1868, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

By the steamers Gothenburg, Tararua, and Otago we have Melbourne files to the 4th inst, but they are singularly barren of interest. We extract the following general items of news : — Our Queenscliff correspondent informs us.- that the plundering that has been carried on at the wreck of the Light of the Age has been disgraceful to any comnviinity. Persons employed to secure the property have scarcely turned their backs when some rascals, both old and young, ■ would be seen trying to lay hold of anything they could carry away, to plant in the scrub until night came, when they might remove it. The Border Watch says .■:— "We have been shown a letter from a leading Adelaide firm, addressed to Mr D. Sutherland, M.P., instructing him to buy 3o,ooo bushels of wheat of the best milling samples to be had. Thei-e promises to be a good demand for Mount Gambier wheat, this season." An extensive fire took place in Stnrtstreet, Ballarat, on the evening of the 29th ult. It is said to hare originated at the rear of • Bignell's Hotel, a wooden building, which was destroyed, as was also the premises of Kiddie, tailor ; Flinhoff, photographer ; and Peach, jeweller, and the fancy shop adjacent, all being wooden buildings. The first of these buildings was nearly consumed before the fire brigades were present. There was at last an enormous pressure of water, and the men worked wall. " The rear premises of Mr Wilson, dentist, caught fire, but the main portion of the building was saved. The office of the Courier newspaper was also on fire, and much damage was done to the property in its removal. It is said a fire occurred in the afternoon in the same place, and that it was not then properly put out. It is impossible to compute the loss, but it is considerable. A fatal accident occurred lately at Avoca, when a woman, the wife of a baker resident in that town, met with a horrible death by burning. It appears that one of the deceased's daughters,hearing her mother scream, went into the room in which she was, and found her in flames. An alarm was at once given and assistance was procured, but too late to save the unfortunate woman's life. It seems that the accident is attributable to intemperance. , There was a sufficiently full attendance at the Albion Turf Subscription Rooms on the evening of the 3rd inst. There was some little speculation ,on the Launceston (Tasmanian) Champion Bace, the Sydney horse, Tim Whiffler, being backed at 60 to 40 on him against the field for that event ; as much as 50 to 20 were offered against Mr Tait's Fireworks. The Bendigo events attracted some attention, but chiefly in double and treble bets on the two handicaps, coupled with the steeplechase. The simple offer on the field for the Sandhurst Cup was 2 to 1 against anything j three to 1 was offered on the field for the steeplechase, and Tomcat appeared to be the favorite ; 4to 1 was laid and offered against Topthome ; 5 to 1 was laid against Canary ; Reindeer yvas completely out of favor.

"Saturday last," says the Yass Courier, "was probably the hottest day that has been experienced this summer. During the greater part of the clay there was not a breath of wind, and the rays of the sun appeared 'to beat upon the earth.' As instances of the intensity of the heat, it may be stated that one of the mail horses belonging to Messrs Cobb and Co. dropped dead near the Gap ; a, working bullock in a team of William Mitchell's, died suddenly in a yard at Mr Hart's Hotely and another working bullock in a team died the same day on the plains." Under the heading of "Young Hopefuls" the Ballarat Courier reports' the case of " George William Irving, a boy about twelve years old, charged before the Bench with unlawfully discharging firearms at Black-hill. A constable informed the Bench that the defendant was one of three or four boys who went partners in pistols for the purpose of sticking-up Chinamen. He w:is discharged on account of his youth."