INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1183, 14 May 1872, Page 4

INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

The Geelowg Advertiser has the following as showing how some fortunes have been made during the late rise in wool :— It is stated that a wool scourer in this district purchased in January, 1870, 346 bales of washed locks at the rate of 6£d per pound. He kept them for some time, and in November, 1871, they were sold in London, for Is 5d per pound. Tho bales averaged nearly 4001 b each, and his profit was an average of LlO 13s per bale, or a lump sum of L 2868 18s. This was only one among other profitable ventures that were made by the same gentleman. It is said that the Sydney firms have been most successful in their wool operations of last season. One firm has netted L 30,000, another L 20,000, and others estimate their profits at from LSOOO to 115,000. A Celestial, with the head of an ape and a body as filthy as the worst occupant of the Cow Miracles, was recently placed on the floor of the court in Ballarat. He was a wretched product of Pagan immigration. His appearance almost justified th* belief which existed yesterday that the " wild man .had been caught," for a gleam of insanity was easily to be detected in bis eye, and not even the wildest member of a Tartar horde could have presented so repulsive an external aspect. Tho poor wretch (says the Ballarat Mail) got a bad character as one of our Chinese "failures.? He was a decidedly unsuccessful colonist] for he lived like the "coneys" in holes, or like the savages, in mia-mias, built in! spots where the neighborhood did not be* come too hot to hold him, owing to the

proclivities of the colonial boy for stoning him. He ate — so said constable Mansfield — disgusting food, unfit for dogs, and covered himself up from the cold with wretched sacks and sugar mats. Twelve months in gaol were awarded to him, and since- liberty cirald not have, been so very pleasant to him under the circumstances narrated, no doubt he will enjoy his incarceration. At the Geelong Circuit Court an action was brought by an ex-police constable to recover L3OOO damages. Plaintiff had attended a sale held on the property of the defendant, at Mount Moriac, when he was tossed in tho air by a vicious bull. It was proved that notices were stuck about the premises warning people to " beware of the bull." On tho other hand it was sworn by Forbes that M'Donald on the 3ay of the sale said the animal was perfectly quiet, and that he could " bail him up, milk him, and ride on his back." Messrs Ireland, Fellows, and Molesworth for plaintiff; and Messrs Higinbotham and Williams for defendant. The case lasted all day. At six o'clock, when the jury had been locked up for some time, a communication was made to the Judge that the jury were equally divided, and j that there was no chance of any agreement. After a consultation, the jury came into court, when his Honor said they must be locked up for six hours, unless they came to a verdict before that time had expired, and if so, the associate would receive it. The man James Wilkie, now lying under sentence of death at Castleniaine for the murder of Pensom, at Daylesford, seemed to have calmly resigned himself to his fate. He has made no confession, but he on Monday sent for the Rev. Mr Mackay, Presbyterian minister at Castlemaine. Since his sentence some strange facts have come to light with regard to his previous , history. It is known that he was interested in a cattle swindle to tho extent of LI4OO in England, in conjunction with a man named Matthias, who escaped to America with the whole of the proceeds. Wilkie followed him there, and by threatening him with a loaded pistol recovered his share of the plunder. Strange to say, it .can be proved that the very pistol used by him in America was the one he used to slaughter Pensom. The reason for the crime has also been discovered, but this we cannot disclose at present.