LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1049, 6 December 1871, Page 3

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

It is stated on good authority that among 5 the riches of the partially explored Cape Otway Ranges a discovery of stream tin, fully 13in in thickness, and on analysis yielding thirty-five per cent, of the pure mineral, was made some time ago by one of a party of geological surveyors despatched thither by the Government. The great difficulty in the way, and which is alleged to have prevented full advantage being taken of the discovery, is the nature of the locality, which is stated to be almost inaccessible even for packhorses, and the fact that the Cape Qtway district has not been penetrated to any great extent by roads or other means of cheap communication with the settled districts. - ; : ; -

The Pastoral Times mentions that several South Sea Islanders arrived at Hay on Wednesday last with *Mr Pritchard, in charge of sheep brought from Northern Queensland for sale in Riverina and Victoria. Their master speaks highly of these colored shepherds, who prove tractable and docile, exercise great care in their duties, and we are told: that not one sheep was lost oh their long and weary journey of 1700 miles ; still, with all their experience of the white man's habits and proclivities, the Kanakas were afraid to enter Hay lest they should be killed and eaten, and it required a little coaxing to get them into the town. These raen.are legitimate im-: migrants, and have to be returned to their homes, if they demand it, at the end of three years, at their master's expense, with all their wages handed to them on leaving Australia." During the violent storm in Melbourne, a powerful entire horse, the property of Messrs Degraves, was being led through Elizabeth street, and probably disliking the effects of the rain on his back, he suddenly broke loose, sprang across the change!, and took shelter under the verandah of Mr Mooney's chemist shop. Happening to look inside he espied: his reflection in a very large mirror that stands opposite the door, and nothing daunted, walked straight into the shop, presumedly to have a closer view of himself.): On a nearer inspection he expressed unmistakeable symptoms of satisfaction at his appearance, by nodding hh head, pawing the floor, &c. The consternation of the proprietor may be more easily imagined than described, as he momentarily expected destruction of the : surrounding glass cases and their contents. After satisfying. his curiosity, the horse Buffered himself to be blindfolded, and was^r quietly backed put, having ; . only d&nsged a few bottles of patent medicines.' A new .sect has been .established at Staweli in connection witii the Sunday evening services, .TJxey have adopted the title of Progressionists, as embodying the opinions of those only who individually accept them, appears in the Pleasant Creek News. The following are a few of the opinions so expressed 1 >—" That man, as a spirit, is immortal. That death is but the birth into another condition of, life, where the soul retains its experience of the past, and where development or progression' is its endless destiny. < That the spiritual world is not far off, but is near to, and encompasses us in our present existence. That the excessive yielding to the material nature is, for the most part, punished in this life, though the soul, after the physical change called 'death,'? also suffers therefrom, but these sufferings are not eternal. That Divine inspiration, or the promptings to the human, soul from the Infinite Parent, is not a miracle of past ages, but a perpetual fact." In the Sandhurst Police Court, on 21st ult., a case of assault, in which Madame Christine Zavisfcowski was the defendant, came on for hearing. Madame Zavistowski was summoned by Charles Murphy for assaulting him on Saturday last in Pall Mall. According to the evidence there could be no doubt that the defendant had assaulted the complainant; by thrashing him with her umbrella as long as any portion of it remained in her hand. The solicitor for the defence produced a witness — Mrs Wooldridge,, one of, the lady members of the corps dramaiique — who stated that the complainant had at various times slandered the Zavistowski trio. On one occasion, -when <the' witness and the complainant Murphy resided in the same house, in Melbourne, he had stated that the sisters were only third -rate actresses in America; that their name was the same as his own, " Murphy ;" and he asked, regarding Miss Emeline Zavistowski, whether she "had got over her spree yet 1" All these, the advocate contended, justified the defendant, in the absence of "husband, brother," or other male defender, in taking the law and her umbrella into her own hands to punish the slanderer. The bench of magistrates — there were four of that body considering the case-T-being oT opinion that an assault had been committed, but that the surrounding circumstances were of a provocative character, fined the defendant a shilling. The hearing of the case partook very much of a theatrical performance, the court being absolutely crammed from end to end and each "hit" of the advocates was fully appreciated by a discriminative audience. , Mrs Wooldridge, who gave hbr evidence with the coolness of an old professional, brought down the house when, in reply to the usual query whether she knew Mr .Murphy, she said, "Yeß, he oWes me Is 9d for pa^je^jg^. v _J2])^ k Jl».,.W«vtßrial. decision was announced, Mr John Dunn completed,: the mis&eiirscene by bringing, down oh the tpbleWhfeaVy'bagdJf'wlyeV,. and jpt6ducihg the siver coin awarded by the Bench. ■' ' ■ ■ '■'..'' • ".'.. .-.'