LATEST INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 427, 8 October 1868, Page 3

LATEST INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

By the 10, we have dates from Melbourne to the 26th ult, and Sydney and Adelaide to the 25th ult. We take the following latest news from the Argus and : Age :— Sydnby, 21st Sept. H.M.S. Charybdis has returned from feer cruise in the South Pacific. She left Ovalu, one of the Fiji group, on the 4th September. The news brought by her is satisfactory bo far as the differences between the settlers and the natives are concerned. Some' of the settlers on the Rewa who had retired from their properties in consequence of the late encounter at Deuka have since returned, and the wives of some have also gone back. Everything, in fact, on the Rewa, wore a peaceful aspect at the time of the departure of the {Charybdis. Mr Thurston, the Acting British Consul, has had differences with Thakombau, of which conflicting versions are given. Arrived : H.M.S. Charybdis, from Fiji ; Rose of Australia and Golden Age from California. Mr Berney has been appointed .Collector of Customs in the room of Mr Duncan, recently dismissed. Mr Berney's salary "will be smaller than Mr Duncan's was. In political matters there is nothing new to communicate. The Golden Age and Rose of Australia together bring 15,978 bags of breadstuffs, but their news has been anticipated by the Panama mail. So-ne of the Newcastle coal mines are about closing operations for a time. Dr Guthrie Carr's case was called on again to-day, but by consent was postponed until Thursday next. | Maize has advanced to 3s per bushel. Messrs R. F. Stnbbs and Co. sold by auction the cargo of breadstuffs ex Don Teodoro, from Valparaiso. The flour realised Lls per ton, and the wheat 6s 5d per bushel September 22. In addition to the vessels reported yesterday, there are four other ships bringing Oalifornian breadstufis to the colonies. Madame Anna Bishop's first concert was held last evening. A committee has been appointed to coftfer respecting the site of the Memorial Prince Alfred Hospital. The funds now in hand will go a long way towards the completion of the building, and as soon as the site is fixed, preparations will be made for commencing the undertaking. The chief officer of the American ship Henry has been committed for trial for shooting at a seaman during the passage. The markets continue inactive. Bread■tuffs are quiet. Sales of best Adelaide flour have been made at LI 8. There is nothing to report in the general import market. It is rumored that Mr Docker takes the Colonial Secretaryship, vice Mr Parkes resigned. The new bronze coinage received by the ship Rifleman was issued to-day. A Newcastle telegram reports a feat in pedestrianism : — A lad named Austin, eighteen years of age, ran eighteen miles in one hour fifty-five minutes. Mr Young is the successful tenderer for the mason work of the Catholic Cathedral. His price is .£32, 000. It has been finally decided to consecrate the Angelican Cathedral on St. Andrew's Day, when the largest gathering in Episcopalian ministers ever known in Australia i 3 expected. The Colonial Secretaryship is still unsettled, pending a meeting of Ministerial supporters, to be held to-morrow, for the purpose of considering the political position. In the meatime, the Minister of Lands is performing the duties of the office. A rumor is current to the effect that the Premier intends visiting England shortly. Levien's stores, at West Maitland, were partially destroyed by fire this morning. The charge against Dr. Carr has been farther adjourned until Monday. A shipment of Californian wheat has been disposed of at 6s. Bi. The flour was withdrawn. Maize is firm at 3s. September 25. A large prize list is to be competed for at the Rifle Association meeting, to be held towards the close of November. Madame Anna Bishop's second concert was a groat success. Captain Gardyne, late of the New Zealand Company's steamers, died yesterday, after two days' illness. Crane, arrested for fraud on a Ballarat firm, has been remanded, pending the decision on a technical objection raised, that the Melbourne warrant is invalid. Mr Gore, clerk of the peace in the Western District, expired to-day very suddenly. The meeting of Ministerial supporters to-day terminated without anything definite being done as to Mr Parkes' successor, and the office of Colonial Secretary still remains vacant. Mr Thompson, of the Treasury department, has been appointed inspector of the revenue accounts. The markets are unaltered. The price of the shipment of Californian flour sold yesterday is stated at £15 7s. 6d. A diamond about the size of a small pea has been found in the Shnalhaven river, near Larbert. It was discovered by a person who, about eighteen mouths ago, found another near the same place. Victoria, September 26. ! Parliament will be prorogued on Tuesday next, the. 29th. A message was received in both Houses last night, stating that his Excellency would attend at the Legislative Council at five o'clock on that day, to give his assent to certain Bills. The Constitution Act Amendment Bill ■was received in the Legislative Assembly from the Council last night, and, on the motion of Captain M'Mahon, was read a first time. The hon. member asked permission to make the second reading an order for the same day, as the session was bo near its conclusion ; but as this course was objected to by Mr Kerferd, it was postponed to the next day of meeting, meet on that day principally in order to deal with this measure, which many hon. members are very desirous to see passed. , The Legislative Council had a short sitting yesterday afternoon. Mr O'Shanassy gave notice of his intention to move, at the next meeting, that Mr N. Levi's . petition against the return of MrW. A. C. A'Beckett be referred to the Elections and Qualifications Committee. On the motion of Mr Highett, a message from the Governor, recommending the Council to concur in the provision for the payment of the lapsed emoluments to Sir Charles Darling, was ordered to be taken into consideration on Tuesday next. The Council

adjournpd at its rising to four o'clock on Monday. A message having last night been rer ceived in the Legislative Assembly from his Excellency the Governor, recommending the appropriation of a sum to satisfy the claim of Sir Charles Darling, on account of certain lapsed emoluments, the Chief Secretary stated that as the Appropriation Bill had passed both Houses, it was impossible now to place the amount on the Estimates. A message had, however, been sent to the Legislative Council asking them to concur in the vote, and if it was agreed to, the sum would be paid out of the Treasury in advance, and placed in the Appropriation Act for next year. We have to record the death of Mr William O'Neil, the Irish comedian, once well known on the Melbourne stage. Mr O'Neil had for some eighteen months been in a very low state of health, and had not for the last twelve months been able to follow Ms profession. His last appearance on the stage was in New Zealand, whence he returned to Melbourne about nine months ago. Since that he has been gradually failing in health, aud died at an early hour this morning, at his residence in Farie-street, Fitzroy. His age was but thirty-one years. The Gazette notifies that a writ has been issued for the election of a member of the Legislative Council for the Western Province, in the room of Mr C. Sladen, who retires by rotation. Prize fights are in favor at Ballarat Several members of the fancy and their followers, numbering about a 100, left Ballarat at 4 a.m. the other day, with the view of indulging in a little deversion of this kind on the Sinythesdale racecourse. They were followed, however, by two members of the Ballarat police force, who obtained reinforcements at Smytliesdale, and dogged the rowdies until the latter were obliged to retreat. A step in the right direction has been taken by Mr C. E. Jones, the Minister for Public Works in Victoria, who has issued a notice to the officers of the various departments over which he presides, to the effect that in every case promotion will go by merit, and that he will not receive any personal applications from either officials or their frie Ads. The cloths now produced at the Geelong woollen manufactory are said to be a great improvement upon the earlier productions of that establishment. The Register states : — More durable, really good, and sightly cloths could scarcely be conceived than some just finished from this season's clip of wool, and sent up to the warehouse yesterday. This result is no doubt attributable to the fact that the workpeople are beginning to be more expert at their work than they were at first. Adelaide, September 21. The Government called a meeting of their supporters to-day, with a view of holding a mutual consultation on the position of affairs. The result has not yet transpired, but it is expected that the old Ministry will remain in power. The news from the diggings continue of a satisfactory character, but the workings are chiefly " surfacing." Only small quantities of gold are offering for sale. September 22, A petition is to be filed against Mr Dunn's election for the Mount Barker district, on the ground of bribery. It is rumored here that 300 Chinamen intend starting from Victoria for the Jupiter Creek Diggings. The corn market is quiet. The sale of flour mentioned yesterday was 250 tons, of leading brands, at Ll4. The price transpired to-day. September 25. The termination of the chess match is considered here very unsatisfactory, many thinking that the Melbourne men showed the white feather. An Adelaide meat-preserving company has been formed, with a number of influential names as supporters of the movement. The corn market is quite stagnant. September 23. The Ministerial crisis continues. Mr Townsend has resigned the task of forming an Administration, and Mr Hart has been sent for. Parliament has adjourned till Friday, to give the hon. gentleman time to endeavor to form a Cabinet. The corn market is without improvement ; small sales of flour have been made at Ll4. September 24. The crisis has ended. His Excellency has accepted the resignations of the late Ministry, and signified his approval of the list furnished by Mr Hart. The following are the names of the new Ministry. Mr Hart, Chief Secretary ; Mr J. F. Bagot, Attorney-General ; Mr Neville Blyth, Treasurer ; Mr Townsend, Commissioner of Crown Lands ; Mr Eyerard, Commissioner of Public Works. The list will be officially communicated to Parliament on its re-assemblying to-morrow, when it will no doubt adjourn for a month, to enable the new Ministers to meet their constituents. At a valedictory meeting * held last night, the Rev. J. Cardner, who proceeds in a few days to Tasmania, was presented with a purse containing 200 sovereigns, and a handsome epergne, in token of the esteem in which the rev. gentleman was held during his ministrations in Adelaide.