MELBOURNE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 708, 20 August 1859, Page 5

MELBOURNE.

We have papers from Melbourne to the 23rd ult.j, from which; we take the following :—4 : A 'Gazette Extraordinary' of last night contains a proclamation, in? the name of the Queer), calling upon all, loyal.and,faithful' subjects of her.Majesty, who are. anxious to enrol themselves as volunteers for the .defence of the .colony, to assemble for .the purpose of.d'rilLand instruction, muler the-orders of the.Deputy-;Adjutant-General.; and a further proclamation by hi,*r Excellency the Governor, prescribing the terms and conditions upon which the services of the volunteers.will be accepted on behalf of her majesty. - The special conditions are, that "all commissioned officers of volunteers shall beappointed by the Governor • that every member of the corps shall serve for twelve months at least, subject to the rules and regulations of the Deputy-Adjutant-General; and that all clothing; arms, and accoutrements will: be provided by the Government. The Volunteer Eifle Corps ; proposed to be formed in Melbourne-is to consist of ten companies, one.to.be contributed by each of the ten divisions into which the city and the suburbs are divided. Jn addition, the.Geelong Eifle Corps istobe increased to three companies, and the seaports; of Portland, ""Belfast, and Warnambool are each to furnish one.corapany, besides the naval company to be enrolled at Williamstown andSSandridge.' '

Death of Lteut.-Colokbl Neill. —It is with unfeigned regret that we announce the occurrence of a fatal and ninst melancholy accident on Monday eyenin^r, by which the colony has been deprived'of the valuable services' of LieutenantColonel J. M. Bladen Neill, of H.M. 40th Kegi-. ■ merit: • The: circumsfancesj so far as they have yet 'reached us,'are as follow, although it was difficult, owing .■•■ to 'the tense excitement which" prevailed throughout tie day, to obtain perfectly reliable information on vfhe subject: Tile lamented irentleman was riding from ths house of Captain White, whom he.had been visiting, at Toorak, to his own residence at Kew. At about half-past seven o'clock.in! the evenirfg a man named Burke, living in Richmond, was walking on the Bridge-road, near the Spread Eagle, Tavern, and saw a saddled horse galloping towards him, followed by, two dogs. Supposing the horse to have broken loose /from •some''post or stable, he merely watched it until it He (hen walked on, and at a distance vof: about 'forty 'yards saw some one lying in the iroad. Information';wns forwarded to Dr. Robertson ancl' several other medical gentlemen, who promptly attended. !l EveryTjiossible. means was employed to alleviate: the sufferings of that1 unfbrtunate gentleman, who; hvywc'ver,- gradually sank, and, in the presence of Mrs. ISTnill, who, had arrived at if)- o'clock, Jjreathed his' last-:at ;'hal('-past seven o'clock on the following moriiing. • The deceased had in his possession a large nurrsbfr 'of letters from various persons volunteering their services in the formation of. the voluutoer corps; which ho was up to the time of his premature decease engaged iti ovgattizing in the .Richmond Division. From the time of his beiTig found in the road up to the time of his decease, he manifested'no approach to consciousness, and neither spoke to nor recognised his wife. He appeared to he suffering from a difficulty of breatlHng- throughout the_ night,, and blood flowed fro'.nhis ears. The deceased, we understaml, was broiher to General JSJeiil, who was killed in TuiKa.—Aryttx. July 20. , The general'elections nre exporfpd 'o cotio ofl? in Aivust. Tjisfc'.ntfcle pruparation .is -making, and

candidates are slow in coming forward. Ministers arc not in better favour with'the public. Their mostrecent acts-have increased the previous distrust' especially their now evirk'nt implication, as individuals, in the. business of the railway contracts and Joan. Dissatisfaction with the entire railway scheme is .every weelc becoming more general. ; The news of-the war has aroused a universal interest in the question of colonial defence. A memormlrfor transmission, to the Home Government has been presented to the Governor, and arrangements are in progress for • raising Volunteer Rifle Corps, organizing,militia, and fortifying Hobson's Bay. The last quarter's revenue returns show a large decrease on the amourit estimated, and a larae Expenditure, on railway account. The receipts "from the railway, so far as opened, are' much, less than were expected. ; The import markets hayebeen very firm since the arrival of.-the.last; mail. Speculation on the chances of war will probably be the feature of next month. ,1 noes generally well sustained. Every- description of provisions advancing. ;, ■;.