LATEST INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 338, 14 March 1868, Page 2

LATEST INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

A telegram from Wood's Point states that George Lloyd Warlow, mining manager, Matlock, was found dead beside^ his bed. The medical evidence showed the cause of death to be dislocation of the neck by falling from the bed. The yield of gold on the New South Wales diggings for the last month shows as increase of nearly 100 per cent, on the, corresponding p"eriod of last year. Certain disclosures were made before the coroner for Ballaarat on Saturdaylast, which are well worthy of public attention. An inquiry was being held intp. the cause of a child's death, when it transpired that it had fallen a victim to a, most horrible system of child fanning by which several unfortunate infants had previously been destroyed, and which, though long carried on in the centre of a large city, had up till that time most strangely escaped the attention of the authorities. JVom the medical testimony adduced m the case, it appeared that the child m question had died from inflame mation of the stomach, orgastro-enteritis, brought on by improper food. The person in whose house its death occurred had been carrying on her peculiar businessfor two years, during which time she had received ten children, five of whom ha* | died, while of two who still remained, one was l* a dying state, Two of these ten.

children were legitimate, the others illegitimate. These things were given in evidence by the woman herself, and this significant fact in addition, that all the five deaths had been caused by the same complaint that proved fatal to the child who was the subject of the inquest, Purging and vomiting had afflicted them all in succession, propucing emaciation and death. If the treatment by which those miserable chil tlren were got rid of was not deliberate murder, then what was it ? Uniform results like those which the woman claimed for her system could not possibly be the result of accident. During the two years shs had carried on her trade, three children had been removed from under her care before she had finished them, and the fate of the others we have already told. Who will say that she did not do her wicked work well ? And it seems that, though the woman's conduct was never brought under the. notice of the public until Saturday last, she had long been under the surveillance of the police. A constable deposed that he " he. had known her for two years. She kept a lodginghouse, and took charge of children. He had been in the. habit of visiting her once or twice a week, in consequence of certain rumours that were afloat in the neighboi'hood. He generally saw females with infants about the place. At one time he saw five ehildron there ; two of them were lying on a sofa drinking from bottles most of them were emaciated." — Aryns. The convict Garratt has addressed the following letter to the Argus .-—Respected Sir, — In looking over this morning's papers, I see myself described as a prisoner illegally at large, and I have been asking myself What is meant. I have not received anysentonce in Victoria since the one of ten years in '55, which must have expired in '66, hence I cannot be a Victorian prisoner illegally at large. The only other sentence I have received is one of 8 years in New Zealand, 6 of which I have served, and received his Excellency's unconditional pardon for the remaining two years, and cannot be illegally at large from there, The New Zealand police sent me a prisoner up here, and these order me back again, and thus like a shuttle cock I am kicked about between thorn, with no right to be anywhere, The Sydney police would tell me I had no right there, and so the Tasmanian, Adelaide, and all others. I should like some one to tell me where I really do of right belong. The answtr of some, perhaps many, would be — the Gaol, the Gaol. Is this the only place. If so, what ray next act may be to merit it I can scarce think. Something very different from anything I hare yet been accused of by even my worst enemies. Whatever it is, it will most likely be my last one, punishable if alive by gomething more than imprisonment. What is left for me to do. The law gives me no rights, affords me no protection. What is it that confers a right of residence ; and what is it that deprives of this right. When is the law satisfied, and when may an error or even a crime supposed to be atoned for ? If as in my case never, what a mockery to talk of reformation. A man may as well at once, say evil be thou my good, & like Burgess make it so. Is it to be so. If it is, let not the industrious working public fear. I shall discriminate between them and others. I am even now a fair candidate for Gaol, without crime, being destitute of the means of paying my weeks board. The pound the New Zealand Government generously gave me being spent in a change of linnin. The luxury of a blanket at sea being quite unattainable. My prospects are brightening. If you could give this insertion, or give your remarks on it. you would much oblige yours verry respectfully, — Henry Garratt. The second trial of Joseph Whelan for the murder of Thos. Bramley, at Eokewood, on the 31st August last, which has extended over six days, terminated on the 24th in a verdict of "Guilty." Mr. Smyth raised some legal objections, with a view to arrest of judgment, but they were overruled by the Court, and Whelan was sentenced to death without hope of mercy. The prisoner, who manifested a painful degree of interest in the proceedings as the trial neared its close; complained before sentence was passed that eleven out of the twelve jurymen who tried him aat on the jury which formerly convicted him. This, of course, was not so, and his Ho.uor read the names of the jurors who tried both cases, but this did not appear to satisfy the prisoner. A sad accident occurred on Sunday morning on the Connewarre road, twelve miles from Geelong. A boy fourteen years of age, named IJzebach, was. removing a cow from a paddock, and had the tether-rope of the cow wound round his wrist. The animal became frightened at some other cattle and ran away rapidly, dragging the unfortunate boy along the ground behind her until he was killed. From Rockhampton we have files to the 11th, and from Brisbane to the 14th instant. An account of a brush with the blacks appears in the Bulletin of the 6th. Mr Newbold, of Toorilla Station, ' near Broadsound, was very dangerously wounded a few days ago in an affray with the blacks, who mobbed the head station. He received a long deep gash in one of his thighs, and, a spear penetrated the abdomen. He lies at present in a. very precarious, state. We have hot ascertained the" amount of damage done by the blacks. The death, by the blacks, of Mr Fanning, near the Portland station, on the Barcoo, is also reported. Since the above was in type, we learn from Mr Rea further and more definite information of the , affray with the blacks. It appears that on Monday eight or ten blacks were seen prowling about the head station. This being an unusual circumstance^ as the blacks had not for a long time approached the head station, excited some suspicion among the people at the head station that some mischief waa intended. On Tuesday morning'before Daybreak, young Newbold and two others got their horses, and started to see if there wasi any appearance 1 of the blacks. On getting to a, creek near the houses they discovered a party of about forty blacks stealing up to the head station, which consists of three or four detached houses, giving increased chanoes to an attacking party. The blacks commenced an attack, and Bhowers of spears and boomerangs were discharged. Two of the little party, undaunted by the numbers opposed to them, dashed gallantly across the creek. Young Newbold got off his horse at the creek, and the moment he touched the ground he was pounced on by a powerful black and pinned to the ground, the black slashing him furiously with his tomahawk. He tried to bring hi* revolver to bear on the blackf ellow,

but could not in consequence of the grip the other held of his wrist. When nearly exhausted, and sinking under the blows, one of the party who had crossed the creek and routed the mob, hearing Mr. Newbold's cries, crossed to his assistance, and arrived just in time to see Mr Newbold dealing himself from his antagonist, and putting a bullet into him. The party then returned to the head station. A messenger arrived yesterday in town with tho intelligence, and Dr Callaghan was to start last night to visit the wounded man. The same journal of the 11th states that a I rumor was current in town that a quartz I uef was discovered near Mr Halbev- i staedter's, on the north side \ and specimens from the reef were, it was stated, shown in the town. The owner of the specimens of quartz which we had stated the week before had been found some distance from the line to Westwood, has called upon us to contradict the rumour regarding the reef on the north side. He informs us he found tho specimens between Westwood aud the Crocodile Diggings. Mr Hewitt informs us that there are thin veins of auriferous quartz running through a hard slate on his land, but it would not pay to work it. The Brisbane papers contain no news of other than local importance. There has been a regular fight in the I New. South Wales Parliament. It 'seems that Mr Parkes was making a speech relating to a dispute which had occurred between his departmentand the dignitaries of the Roman Catholic Church, when he was interrupted, but on the Speaker ruling him in order, the member for Central Cumberland, Mr Macpherson, rose, as if for the purpose of disputing the Speaker's rnling. This caused a scene of great confusion to occur on the floor of the chamber. Cries of "Chair, chair," and "Shame, shame," were vehemently uttered by some of the Ministerial supporters, in the midst of which Mr Macpherson is reported to have said that he would not be deprived of his rights by " the paltry hangers-on of a moribund Government." This remark was responded to by the term "blackguard," upon which one of the members on Mr Macpherson's side asked "who says blackguard?" Immediately afterwards, Mr Lee, the member for West Maitland, crossed from the Ministerial to the Opposition side, and after a sharp interrogatory to Mr Macpherson, struck him a blow in the face with his clenched fist. The confusion now became general. Mr Macpheraon did not return the blow, and other members interfered to prevent a repetition of it. It was maintained by some that Mr Lee ought to be taken into custody, and by others that he should be expelled the House. While this was going on, Mr Macpherson had left the Chambers avowing as he passed through the library his intention to procure a stick or a whip to punish his assailant. Accordingly, he returned with a heavy hunting whip, and meeting Mr Lee in the library, succeeded in striking him one blow on the face or head with the whip. A scuffle immediately ensued. The antagonists rushed at each other, and were soon rolling on the carpet, while partiz-ins on either side gathered round and joined in the melee — blows haviag been exchanged, it is said, between two of them also. The police, who had bsen sent for, were now coming up, but the disgraceful scene had terminated before their arrival ; the members left the house, and. thus closed the proceedings of the day. On the following day, Thursday, shortly after the Assembly met, the Premier, Mr Martin, entered into an explantion of his reasons for not interfering on the spot in his capacity of Attorney-Gene-ral and head of the Magistracy ; and after pointing out the various ways in which the case might be dealt with, declared his readiness to act at once, in his official capacity, if the Assembly would put him in motion by a formal vote. Dr Lang immediately rose, and after some remarks deprecatory of such sdandalous scenes, moved that the Attorney-General be instructed to prosecute both Mr Lee and Mr Macpherson. This resolution was ultimately agreed to. In reference to the Duke of Edinburgh, the Empire of the 29th ult, remarks : — The Prince has now been here nearly six weeks, for although at present absent on a short visit to Queensland, he is expected to return on Monday night, or Tuesday next, and will probably remain until the middle of March, when he takes his departure for New Zealand, proceeding thence to Tahiti, and by way of Cape Horn, to the West India Islands. Nothing whatever has occurred to damp the cordiality with which he was received in Sydney on his first arrival.. When he has appeared on any public occasion he has been received with unbounded enthiisiasm, and whenever he preferred to dispense with these manifestations of hearty goodwill, his privacy has been respected. Storms, floods, and shipwrecks form, unhappily, a portion of the Sydney news. The colony has been visited by very tempestuous weather, and this has been accompanied by some fatal disasters. The floods however, although they rose to a great height in some places, subsided rapidly, without committing anything like the havoc that was witnessed on the last occasion. The Government were ready to give with promptitude any assistance that might be. needed ; and fortunately there was a balanoein hand from the last public subscriptions available for the immediate relief of sufferers from the flood. The news from the gold fields, says the Empire, is of a less exciting character than usual, as a partial suspension of operations has taken place in the principal gold mining districts, through the extensive emigration that has set. in to the Queensland gold-diggings, and which has given i rise to general depression, in the. trade of the interior, not only by the withdrawal of a large amount of labor which has been very profitably employed in developing an important resource of the country, but draining the districts of a large amount of accumulated savings, the principal portion ' of which will be sunk in a fruitless wooing of dame fortune in the adjoining Colony. Excluding the cabin passengers that have left for Queensland, about 600 persons, ! who may nearly all be taken to be miners, have left in the steerage of steamers for Queensland ports during the present month, and an increase is setting in.