COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 56, 1 April 1843, Page 224

COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE.

ImportantDisoovbet — Gipps LAND.-»-Private letters from Gipps Land bring the important intelligence of the discovery by Mr. Reeve of *an • outlet to the sea from the immense inland lake into which the La Trobe, or Glengarry, and four other rivers, empty their waters. From the want of boats it has not been ascertained whether the channel is navigable at its junction with the sea, but their seems every reason to believe that such is the case. A more formidable obstacle to the practicability of the channel is a reef of rocks which apparently stretches across the entrance at some distance from the shore, but it is possible that some passage might be discovered through which access might be had to the lake, and thence with the very interior of Gipps Land. The stagnation which still continues in respect to building speculations in this township is most remarkable. But although this has a depressing tendency at present, we have no doubt but that ' the solid prosperity of the town will be increased thereby ; especially as we learn that in all directions around Geelong, the most spirited activity prevails in developing its resources. Prominent amongst the rest, we may notice the intended irrigation of the Flats at Manifold's Ford, on the Marrabool, by Dr. Learmonth, by which a large tract of land will be permanently improved. It is by the following up of such laudable exatnples that the advancement of Australia Felix will be most permanently secured. — Geelong Advertiser. The Rural Districts. — Apart from the noise and riot of the town our readers will learn with pleasure that, excepting where damaged by the late floods, the crops of all kinds in the rural districts are much more abundant and infinitely more luxuriant than in any previous season. la every direction much larger tracts of land than formerly have been brought into cultivation, and the moistness of the season has encouraged vegetation to a most remarkable extent. At Pascoevale, the other day, we saw a tract of country of great extent covered with wheat, barley, and oats, scarcely a single stalk of which was less than six feet in height, and as evenly a crop as the most experienced farmer could wish to cast his eye upon. On the banks of the Yarra, however, where there was every prospect of a luxuriant crop of potatoes, many acres of land have been left wasted by the late floods, and some of the finest gardens nearly destroyed. A few weeks' continued immunity from the blighting influence of hot winds will insure to the farmer an abundant return for his outlay, and will render the province entirely independent of the supplies from without, which have drained from us, annually, so much of our funds. — Portland Guardian. Melbourne .Money Market. — Cosh is rather shy and lenders particularly bashful, while the demands for loans are brisk, and the refusals flatter than usual. Promissory notes command little or nothing, and ore settling lower to a very unhealthy premium. Bills are not in request, but the acceptors of some that are overdue are a good deal sought after. A party with money arrived the other day, and having completed a rapid transfer of funds, took the turn of the market and withdrew immediately. — Ibid. Dysentry is at present prevailing in town to an alarming degree amongst infants. The epidemic has already spread itself to a great extent, several having lately been taken off by it. The cause assigned for the sudden outbreak of this malady is the late extreme changes of the weather. Dr. Wihnot, the coroner of this district, is about compiling a work upon the treatment of this and other diseases appertaining to the colony, and showing the probable causes bf their origin. Dr. Wilmot has placed himself in communication with several eminent medical practitioners at Sydney, for the purpose of obtaining the information he requires upon the matter. — Ibid? Barbarous Practices op the Australian Aborigines. — Mr. Wright had recently returned to Melbourne from a nine days' tour in the interior, bringing with him to town four runaways, whom he picked up at some of the stations he visited. Mr. Wright brings intelligence respecting the revoltingly barbarous customs of the abo* rigines, which we hope every philanthropist and friend of humanity will consider it his duty to lend a willing hand to abolish. His tour to the westward was limited to Mr. Allen's station on the Pyrenees, where a short time after his arrival a female native died, leaving behind her a child a few weeks old. Many aborigines had assembled on the occasion, and testified in acts of rude kindness their sorrow for ihe fate of their departed friend. Life had not been long extinct when they stretched the dead body upon a piece of bark, and, placing over it a pile of wood, set fire to the same, which in three-quarters of an hour reduced the. body to a heap of ashes. Mrs. Allen, touched with a feeling of commiseration for the sufferings of the bereaved child, endeavoured to administer to it some cow's milk, which was snatched from her hand by a man who appeared, from the interest he took in the child, to be its father, whereupon Mrs. Allen retreated to the house, and it was doubtful to say what was the fate of the poor child, as in a short time afterwards the whole tribe had disappeared. Mr. Allen also communicated to Mr. Wright that a short time previously a native boy died at his station, whose legs and arms immediately after were cut off for the purpose of being eaten. Mr Allen gave them a sheep in order to prevent this horrible act of cannibalism, which notwithstanding was committed. Another custom generally observed by them is that, when one of their males dies, whether a natural death or otherwise, the body is immediately disembowelled, and the intestines placed in a wicker basket, which is fixed into the fork of a tree, the body being placed in another at a short distance, around which the survivors seat themselves, and for many hours watch, for the falling of the worm, and whatever part of the tree it falls from, they immediately commence a journey in that direction, which is often continued many days till they fall in with a hostile tribe, one of whom is instantly sacrificed and devoured under the impression that the death of the deceased was Occasioned by his means. — Portland Mercury. ' Sacrifice of Property. — The deputy sheriff recently sold the following property belonging to Mr. Carrington: — the honse and ground lately occupied by Mr. Clay, £450 ; this cottage was formerly rented at £360 per annum. A six-

roomed cottage with verandah, let to a respectabw tenant at £150, sold for J6157 10s. Also, a piece of garden ground adjoining, fifty-four feet frontagd to Bourke Street, at 15s. per foot, JE4O 10s. Total, £648 10s. The sheriff's expenses, &c.j amounted to £48.— Por* Phillip paper. There was recently sold by private contract 323 head of cattle, 51 calves, 2 horses, 2 Durham bulls, another high bred bull, with right of station, implements, tools, &c, &c, for £800. The station alluded to is at Cape Schanch. — Ibid.

BIRTH. On Sunday the 19th of March, the wife of Mr. Busb, surgeon, of a son.