COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE. [From the late Australian papers.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 298, 7 June 1848, Page 3

COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE. [From the late Australian papers.]

Bay and River Fisheries. — During the last two or three years, a demand seems to have sprung up in Sydney for dried fish, probably induced by a desire to dive.sify the everlasting beef and mutton, hitherto the standard food of the colony. — Moreton Bay C ourier.

Drought at Port Phillip. — From the Port Phillip journals we learn that a drought, unparalleled in severity, is experienced in that province, and that not only caitle are dying in hundreds from the want of water, but that the inhabitants in many places are suffering from a deficient supply of the pure element. This forms a sad contrast to New South Wales, where moisture and feed are both abundant. During last winter and spring, when not a drop of rain fell here for weeks and months, the rivers and creeks of Port Phillip and South Australia were overflowing their banks, and now the state of things is exactly reversed. Generally we think it will be found that rain more certainly falls during the winter in the southern parts of the island, and in the northern during the summer. — Ibid.

The Wheel of Fortune. — Two years ago the crash which occurred in the state of commercial affairs, brought the colony into such bad odour at home, that merchants were afraid to make consignments to anybody. Now the scale is so completely turned, that mercantile houses dread sending their wool to anybody at home, not knowing how far, or to whom, the monetary distress now existing in Britain may have extended. — Port Phillip Argus.

Geelong. — The weather has been unhealthy in the extreme, to man, and beast, and vegetation ; hot suffocating winds, a sultry atmosphere, and a scorching sun, have been our portion for several days. The sky will occasionally indicate, by its lowering appearance, coming rain, which earth and vegetation throughout the country appears to be gasping for, but disappointment follows our anxious expectation ; the clouds clear off, and the solar orb, v/hich for a time appeared dim and obscure, breaks through, diffusing heat intolerable. The urgent want of rain throughout the district cannot be described. The face of the country begins to wear almost a portentous appearance ; in parts the earth has cracked, and opened in wide and dangerous seams — herbage is withered and burnt up, foliage dropping dry and sapless as chaff; "all nature seems dry," wanting the rains of heaven to fall and feed it with moisture. The farmer, the sheepholder, and the gardener, are suffering inconvenience and loss which no improvement in this season can retrieve. It is a very singular anomaly, however, that in some localities the creeks are as well filled with water as in former summers. — Advertiser.

At the Glen Osmond lead mine, (South Australia), large quantities of ore, said to be of a rich quality, are now being raised. At a meeting held at Drayton, an embryo township on Darling Downs, £53 10s. was subscribed for forming a reservoir, £49 10s. for erecting a building for a schoolhouse and chapel, and £130 for races. By the bursting of the boiler at the Kilmore steam mills, a man named John Dunn, a stoker, was killed. Wannon Park, described as a splendid run, in the Portland Bay district, with 8000 sheep and 200 head of cattle, was disposed of by the proprietor, George Winter, Esq., J. P., to Mr. Moor, of the firm of Moor and Griffiths, for £6000, which was considered cheap. Letters have been received at Adelaide, from Capt. Sturt, in which he says he just escaped being sent back to South Australia as Governor. The blacks are said to be very destructive to the cattle in Gipps Land. The salary of the Judge in South Australia has been increased from £800 to £1000 per annum. A large quantity of hops are said to have been grown in Van Dieraen's Land this season. A snake, which was found on measurement to be eighteen feet in length, was lately shot in the scrub skirting the swamp between the Old Waterloo Mills and the Surry Hills, Sydney. The reptile was of the diamond species. A Fire Insurance Association on the mutual principle is flourishing at Adelaide ; in a year and a-half there have been no fires, and the balance of premiums, after paying expenses, was £902. The Melbourne City Council have petitioned the Government to place the sum of £5000 on the estimates for the improvement of the Yarra Yarra. The Bishop of Melbourne has obtained a grant of the land in front of the Prince of Wales Hotel, formerly used as the hay and corn market, as the site for a third church in Melbourne. A paper is about to be established at Geelon^ called the Rural Economist. A government notice has been issued in Van Diemen's Land, stating that the Secretary of State has made arrangements for facilitating the application of such suras as parties in the colony may wish to contribute, with the view of enabling their relatives or friends to join them here ; and that the Deputy-Com-missary-General has been authorised to receive all such sums, and' to grant certificates for the same, in order that the amounts may b- placed without delay at the disposal of the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners. During the month of April there were head of cattle slaughtered in the town of Melbourne ; of this number 548 were slaughtered at the boiling down establishment of Messrs. Watson and Wight, and 166 at Mr. Philpots's, — thus confining the butcher's meat portion to 528 head. This is the largest slaughtering return on record in Melbourne. There are in connexion with the Wesleyan Society in South Australia eleven schools — seventy-seven teachers, and seven huudred and sixty children — being an increase during the year of one hundred and forty-seven children and six teachers. The ordinary revenue of South Australia for the first quarter of the present year was £18,700, and the land revenue was £8900. Extensive reductions are being made in the convict departments in Van Diemen's Land. Sib Maurice O'Connell. — We are sorry to hear that Sir Maurice O'Connell's illness has taken so serious a turn that fears are entertained as to the result.