INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1991, 23 December 1874, Page 4

INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

" For the first time the new flag of Tasmania, was exposed to the public on Saturday," the "HobartTown Mercury" says, " on. the stern of the Tasman. The flag is n6t unlike that of the United Spates, and •we "understand it ia a /<xc simile of .that of South Australia. The" Union Jack 13 placed in : one corner, and on the remainder of the flag there are shown the five stars of the Southern Cross, with stripes." • jpcoixi a "private letter we understand that Miss Emma Howson, after some year or eighteen months' study in Milan, has been engaged by Signor Limelli, the Impresario for Malta, to 9ing for the Carnival season of. 1.874-5. Mi9s Howson makes her debitt in ■" Sonnambula." She will also sing in "Martha" and "PPwritaui." Malta is a favorite place for debutantes, as, if successful, London is their next place of appearance. No doubt many who recollect the Howsons will take an interest in their fellow-colonise. A diabolical attempt •to poison the whole family of Mr Warner, superintendent of Aberfoil station, New South Wales; was made : bn Sunday •'morning/November 22, the "Armadale Courier" reports. In fact, servants,' dogs, cats, and all living things on the station seemed to pome under the b&u of. the would-be murderer. A sister-in-law of Mr Warner had occasion to go to the pantry to obtain some cream . for breakfast, and on going to one of the tins she noticed a number of crystals on the top of the cream, and some of a similar nature on the bench. She immediately informed her brother-in-law, who at once knew by the taste that strychnine had been sprinkled about. Of course the utmost alarm prevailed, and on further search- it was discovered that the bread and meat had been removed from the cupboard, where they were usually kept, and strychnine had also been mixed with some flour placed ready to be used for baking. While. this investigation was going bn, a cat obtained access to the dairy, and stole some of the poisoned milk. It is almost unnecessary to say that this, unfortunate member of the feline rape will never again lap the unctuous, -fluid, or ; Bhow its capacity fox theft. The police have proceeded to Aberfoil to try to gain some information. In alii plots of a nature similar to the present, there are some very narrow escapes,'and this case was no exception. The' nursegirl was sent for milk in the morning for the children's breakfast, and she was in the act of taking it from the poisoned 'milk-dish when the men came in with fresh milk from the yard, and she took' that' instead. ! ' • •:" ..:■■■ At Ipswich (Queensland), on the Prince of Wales" birthday, the members of certain societies of Loyal Proteßtanis and Orangemen' proceeded by railway to a selected ground for a picnic and appropriate festivity. It was given out that they intended' to make a demonstration calculated to evoke unfriendly feeling, and the police authorities took active measures to prevent any violation of the Party Processions Act which is in force in this colony.- But nothing offensive was attempted. The Roman Catholic bishop, the' Right Rev Dr Quinn,' had previously called a meeting of his Ipswich congregation, at which resolutions were passed disclaiming- sympathy, with. • their .. coreligionists, -who disturbed ah ' Orange lecture ; delivered . by the Eev Mr Porteus a . few days previously, . and his lordship next went as a guest to the picnic, where he proved himself to be one of the : d'eveießt tacticians of. the time, and com- I pletely overshadowed the aggressive Por-..| tens,- whom, in common with all' his sup- -.'' porters and. Orangemen generally,- he claimed as his children, errant though they; wer,e, ; Nothing could surpass the ) success of this movement to restrain illfeeling and to harmonise bitter and foolish sectarian differences. '.. The ramifications of .Qrangeism are extensive in Queensland, and as an evidence of the energy with which the organisation is conducted, it may be worth while to note that a "Cairns .Lodge" is already formed in honor- of the coming; Governor, who is ' credited with " glorious, pious, and itn- ' mortal" .sympathies. No man, in. the colony but Dx Quin couldhaye so succeeded •with his hereditary and national antipathies, ,Heis a bad speaker and preacher, | but his inexorable logic 'and his Christian ; suavity .were irresistible. : ,. .- ;.. ... „ An. unfqrtunate, reverse ,of fortune is '■■ brought before our minds., by; the recent death-, of -Mr Matthew Hervey, at one time a very wealthy man, acting T Presi- \ dent of the, Legislative .Council, and sub- I sequently a member of the first M'Cui- j loch Government. : But heavy losses fell I upon him, , and his large: property was almost, wholly swept awayi : Lately, , he had i a small appointment from the Government as a sheep, inspector : and the other day he -was picked .up in a.dying state, having, so faraa we can judge from the telegrams, been seized ;with an epv leptic stroke .while out; riding, and subsequently almost starving to death, before he was found.; The unfortunate Oman's family ai& vray pooriy provided .tor,; indeed,? are almost destitute. , , . • A ■ distinguished visitor,;; the "Baron! vonSanden," nephew of. Prince Bismarck, j &c:, has .got into ; serious . .trouble.! His ; Excellency haq f been . giving;,, valueless* oftequea for large aaiqantsin paymen^ior] livery small bills , to people/who, however, ! : did not possess; enough con fid ence . in him j to pay him the change. . The most dis--.tressing feature of the affair is that the 1 Police Court cape shows that the blue and; silver Uhlan "ribbon" uniform which so; dazzled the eyes ; of, Melbourne ifce, .VVBaron'kfiid* the; blpckj -was ., tared; from Mrs Cleland^s' shop-ra^, repOßhoryV for partly worn and renovated garments, disused theatrical fgarbs, and similar matters. The Baron haß been remanded for a week* '