AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 662, 8 March 1869, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

TEEHxnC HuEKICANE AND FaINPALL AT Wagga Wagga. —One of the severest hurricanes that ever favored Wagga Wagga with a visit (says the Advertiser) passed over the township on Friday afternoon (Jan. 29.) The weather during the earlier part of the day had been intensely hot. The morning was cloudless, but towards mid-day heavy banks of clouds began to gather in the westward. About 3 o’clock the inevitable dust-cloud heralded the approach of the storm, and for a few mo tnents Wagga Wagga was enveloped in Egyptian darkness. Then came the rain, at first in large heavy drops, which soon developed into a driving torrent. Suddenly a mighty roaring was heard in the distance, and looking westward, one beheld what really had the appearance of a solid wall of water rushing rapidly on the town. A moment more, and Wagga Wagga received such a shower-bath as she will not readily forget. The rain seemed to be whirled, not in drops, or even in bucketfuls, but even in perfect cataracts on the devoted town, as if its object were a second deluge, to wash out Wagga from the face of the earth. Nothing was proof against it. It poured through the stoutest roofs like water through a sieve, and the terrific violence with which both rain and hail were hurled by the wind threatened destruction to every window in the town. Bome idea may be formed of the immense volume of water poured out, from the fact that for some time it w'as impossible to see the opposite houses. Jn the meantime the wind was doing terrible damage on its own account. Koofs were sent flying, chimneys knocked over, whole sides of houses blown in or out, and balconies and verandahs demolished by wholesale. The extraora inary mass of water swept onwards until about opposite the Commercial, when a similar mass was seen cha>ging down the hill from the Austialian with equal fury, and the two meeting just at the junction of Fitzmaurice and Uurwood streets, a tremendous crash was the result. A large portion of the balcony of the Commercial was torn bodily from its moorings, and sent flying over the roof; the roof itself lost several large patches of shingles, and the rain pouring m brought down the ceilings in one or two of the rooms ; a large form standing in the verandah was whirled away to the neighborhood of the Court-house, and many of the windows of theA.J.S. iiank were smashed, giving to that most respectable institution anything but a respectable appearance. The da mage in other parts of the town was equally severe. At Chapman’s mill the roof of the engine-house parted company, and levanted to the bonded store. The palings of Mr Forsyth’s gardens were prostrated, and at the rear of this office a large shed “ bit the dust,” or rather the mud, without a moment’s warning. The Albion Hotel mourns the loss of one- of those re-.

markable architectural ornaments which give that choice hostelry such an aristocratic appearance, and one of the chimneys of the New South Wales Bank has toppled over and rests gracefully on the roof in a semi-squiffey, wholly idiotic attitude, making the “little bank” look even more disreputable than its big brother at the other end of the town. The heaviest losers are probably the Messrs. Edmondson, whose smaller store was blown pretty nearly inside out. The new building in Filzmauricestreet lost a portion of the side wall, and the same misfortune happened at the Squatters’ Hotel, di--closing to the vulgar gaze a very pretty “interior,” in the shape of a lady’s bedroom. At Newtown we hear that one cottage was blown away bodily, and that several balconies, &c., had come to grief. The storm seems to have been confined to a very narrow space North Wagga Wagga escaped untouched, and a gentleman who arrived late last night from Junee saw and heard nothing of it.

In an hour or two after the grand outburst all signs of the storm had again vanished. The Capture or a Black Desperado. —The Maclntyre Biver correspondent of the Maitland Mercury gives the following particulars of the capture of an aboriginal named Charley Loder, who has for some time been the terror of that distiict: “On the afternoon of Wednesday, the 13th January, at a place called Mobbinbri Greek, a little to the west of this place, some drovers, who were taking sheep to market for Mr B. Dines, were rather sur

prised to see a blackfellow armed with a gun, and accompanied by two half-castes, come up to them, and make a demand for rations. The drovers guessing that the blaekfellow could bo no other than the notorious Charley, of whom they had heard so much, and not knowing exactly what what was the best thing to be done under the circustances, invited him to their curt to get what he had asked for. But while waiting for what he did want, he got something which ho did not want—a heavy fall

to the ground—from a stalwart drover named Schneider, who, narrowly watching the black, and at last catching him off his guard, sprang upon him from behind and threw him down. One would naturally think that the half-castes would have helped their fallen comrade to escape; but not so; for, although armed with revolvers, they stood by for a while, looking on quite coolly. But, all at once, the idea seemed to suggest itself to them that they had better decamp, while their enemies were engaged with their prostrate mate, and they did so quickly. In the meantime, Charley, who, by description appears to be a sort of sable cross between Apollo and Hercules, was struggling and writhing most desperately to free himself from the doughty drover, who was holding him by the throat, and that with a greater degree of tightness than accorded with Charley’s notions of fun. In the struggle for victory the blackfellow’s shirt speedily assumed the form of ribbons, and at last disappeared altogether, so that the gallant Schneider, having nothing but the black’s greasy skin to hold on by, began to find his undertaking a somewhat difficult one. His grasp on the blackfellow’s throat was fast relaxing, and despite his great exertions, Charley Coder would in all probability now have been free, were it not for a Chinaman, who, seeing Ctiarloy on Ins feet again, and all but clear of Schneider, caught hold of one of his legs and palled him to the ground. And now some others helping, the prisoner was soon securely bound, and started on his way to Warialda. B fore getting to that place it was necessary that he should should spend a night at Yaliaroo, which he did in the jolliest possible manner, singing the whole night through. He threatens that, if he should get out again, ho will kill the two half-castes for deserting him, as well as all those who are in any way concerned in his capture. The Drowning- op the Rev. Mr Qdtnlivan. —The Port Macquarie correspondent , of the Manning River News, writes, with reference to this melancholy event: —“On Friday evening, 22nd January, the de v ceased gentleman, accompanied by the Rev. Mr O’Farrell, went for a ride along , the beach, and after passing the windmill for some distance in the direction of Nobbys, Mr Quinlivan, who had been in the habit of bathing frequently in the sea for the benefit of his health, suggested to Mr O’Farrell the desirability of taking a bath. The latter, however, did not feel inclined to enter the water, and leaving the Rev. Mr Quinlivan to bathe alone, ho continued his ride along the beach till such time as he thought Mr Quinlivan would be ready to join him. Returning, therefore, to the place where Mr Quinlivan had dismounted to bathe, he found his horse tied up, and his clothes on the rock where lie had undressed, but he himself was nowhere to be seen. Soon the painful conclusion was forced upon him that his reverend friend was drowned. After searching about among the rocks for some time, he returned to town and gave the alarm. The police and a number of townspeople at once proceeded to the scene of the catastrophe, in hopes of finding the body, but without success. The search was continued on the following days, but, I regret to say, with a similar unsuccessful result. I need scarcely add that this melaneholy event hassuroud a deep gloom' over the town ; for, besides the esteem entertained for the deceased gentleman by 1 members of his own persuasion, ho was I cordially respected by his neighbors ol other denominations.” The Honorable Jamies Mitchell, M-D.O. —Another of “those old familiar faces,” known to every one and beaming on all with a kindly radiance, has, during the last few hours, vanished from amongst us. On Monday, Ist instant, at his residence in

Cumberland-street, having attained to tl\a great age of seventh-seven years (if ha was ? not even much older), the Hon, Jamea Mitchell, M.L.C., after a comparatively . short illness, terminated a long and useful career j surrounded by all the consolations that could be demanded and supplied by the earnest solicitude of domestic affection or suggested or desired for him by general sympathy and respect. The deceased gentleman was born, towards the end of the last century, in Fifoshire, in Scotland, and was educated for the medical profession in Edinburgh and in London. At the early age of eighteen years (it being a period when medical men were by no means as numerous as at present) Mr Mitchell entered the army as a surgeon, and, in the discharge of the duties so devolving upon him, was present at several of the engagements which took place towards the end of the Peninsular War, He then served in America, and was, it is stated, present at the battle of New Orleanr. From America he returned with his regiment to Europe, and arrived just in time to be on the Hospital Staff in in Brussels, at the battle of Waterloo. Subsequently Mr Mitchell came out to this colony; and having been appointed Assistant Colonial Surgeon, was placed in charge of the Hospital in Macquarie-street, where his professional skill and energetic devotion to his duties have very general satisfaction. He wasafterwcrJs appointed Colonial Surgeon, and held that responsible office for several years. _ Long after Mr Mitchell’s position ceased]to be that of an officer directly connected with either the Imperial or the Colonial Government, his valuable experience was frequently placed at the disposal of the authorities; his application, energy, and intelligence having been deservedly appreciated. He was for many years president of the Medical Board of New South Wales, and held other similar positions of trust and of importance. He was associated with the Rev, R, Mansfield as one of the first promoters of the Sydney Gas Company, and equally interested himself in the establishment of the Australian Subscription Library—an institution in which he was elected president for the current year, only a few days previuos to his death. He also took a prominent part in the establishment of the Mutual Provident Society, an institution in which his steady support of its interests will long be remembered. It may also here be mentioned, that he owned at one time, an extensive wool-factory at Stockton, near Newcastle, and was, throughout his whole career, distinguished by his anxious desire to promote—cs far as in him lay—the due developement of the resources of this country. For several years Mr Mitchell was a member of the Upper House of Legislature, and was there constant inhis attendance, buthe never took any leading part in politics. Considering his great age—in activity, in cheerfulness, in conversational powers, and in devotion to business, Mr Mitchell was (until very recently) far superior to many much younger men;—so much so, that it was somewhat difficult to realise the fact ha was personally familiar with scenes which have long since become mere matters of history. Within the last eight or nine months, however the courteous and hearty veteran began to show signs of failing health; and being attacked by a very - evere cold, some weeks since, his strength seemed rapidly to give way. It was not, however, until within the last few days that any serious apprehensions were entertained by the family, He died on Monday morning last, at 10 o’clock. His funeral (a strictly private one) took place yesterday afternoon, at half-past 2; ho was buried in the Cemetery at Haslem’a Creek. The Hon. James Mitchell was married to Miss A. M. Scott, sister of Captain Scott, the Police Magistrate of this city. By his marriage with this lady the deceased was nearly connected with the family of the late Governor, Sir John Young. Mitchell leaves one son and two daughters, the eldest of whom is married to Mr Edward Mere wether. It is not improbable that the Legislative Council will adjourn, at its meeting to-day, as a mark ot respect to the memory of the deceased.— Sydney Morning Herald, 3rd February.

Hair and Oxide of Copper,—Tha Cargo correspondent of the Western Examiner avers that mineral water from tha wells of that gold-field, it appears, is so largely impregnated with oxide of copper in solution as to produce an effect on a growth of hair equal to that of the black oxide of Carangara.