TASMANIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 661, 9 March 1859, Page 5

TASMANIA.

We have papers from Hbbart Town to the Bth Feb., and to the 9th from Launceston.

The ' Hobart Toivn Daily Mercury' observes, in recording the exceeding heat that has been experienced in. l Tasmania:-—lt will be a very long time before tlie inhabitants of these- colonies forget the 6th day of February, 1851—the day now chronicled in our. calendars under the ominous title of Black Thursday. The fearful disasters of that day will remain vividly impressed upon the memory of most of our readers. Sunday was the eighth anniversary of Black Thursday, and it, was by no means a bad imitation of that, ever to be remembered day. Clouds of dust were whirled along the streets of the city, through which, at intervals, the shadowy outline of some unhappy citizen might be seen struggling with the scorching northerly wind, which at times blew with great violence. The town and the surrounding country were enveloped in a sickly haze, through which the lurid rays of the blood red sun glared angry and portentous. Every house was kept close shut, and the blinds, were drawn at every, window. Now and then violent;gusts; of hot air roared along the deserted thoroughfares, driving everything before it that offered .opposition to its fury. A window at the rear of our office in Mac-quarie-street was blown in; and the Amphitheatre in. Murray-street was ■ almost entirely demolished.The damage done to the gardens in the environs of the city has been very great. The- fruit-trees, in every instance in which they were exposed to the desolating blasts pi -this fiery siroc,. have-been literally stripped, and the fruit, almost at perfection, scattered in every direction. , Bush fires were raginig;furiously round New Norfolk on Sunday .evening, almost r stifling people with their-. stench and smoke. Several sheep were destroyed, and many fences were burned down by the fire, whilst the orchards in that locality also have been completely stripped by the^ pestiferous blasts : as they swept with'relentless fury -over the distrjct; .At.Brown's River, fruit trees were torn up by the roots ; and largefires are reported to be ranging at the Huon. We look with some anxiety for our country letters.

The same paper states ' upon very good authority' that the first meeting of the Federal Assembly will be held at Melbourne in two or three months hence. It is considered expedient that the delegates from the several colonies should assemble to deliberate upon various subjects of importance before the time comes round for the meeting of the several parliaments in July or August next. Advices have been received that the Russian trophies intended as a present from the Home Govern-ment-to this colony were shipped on board the Heather Bell, on 3rd November last.— Advertiser.

At a meeting of the Executive Council, held on Friday the 4th inst., it was resolved that the extreme penalty of the law should be carried but upon the five criminals sentenced to death at the recent sitting of the Supreme Court, viz. :—William Davis and John King, convicted, of murder ; and the three bushrangers, Stewart, alias " Wingy," Flowers and Haley. , The wretched men are to suffer on the 16th.'

The result of the inquest held with respect to the late fire in Liverpool-street, Hobart Town, was a verdict that the fire was not the result of accident, but that the premises were set on fire by some person or persons unknown. Mr. Seabrook lms been elected an Alderman of the city of Hobart Town.

The Cornwall Chronicle records the death of " Old Gulliver." for many years a great favorite with the Turf of Tasmania. He was a most extraordinary pony, and during the whole of his racing engagements, which were legion, he was only vanquished on one occasion, by Pompey, in Hobart Town, and his defeat then was attributed, not to his want of speed, but to causes which it were as well to consign to oblivion. Poor old veteran, he will never again electrify admiring turfites with the speed which marked all his engagements. His race is run. Old age made him a burthen to himself, and to avert further suffering to him, his owner, for humanity's sake, destroyed him.