INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4334, 9 February 1875, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

VICTORIA. The first of the new steamers direct from England, under the auspices of the Australian Direct Steam Navigation Company, will be the Victoria, the largest steamer that has yet been placed iu the Australian trade. Messrs. Bright Bros, and Co. have received a telegram from England to say that the vessel is appointed to leave on the 3rd March, with the expectation of making the passage in forty-five days. The vessel has been fitted up expressly for the Australian passenger trade. Not often is a check put upon the testimonial busiuess, but sometimes the event happens. A number of gentlemen met at the Carriers' Arms, Ballarat, to present a handsome silver cup to Mr. John Osborne, on his retirement from duties iu connection with the produce market, but the expected guest was not present. His absence is explained by the following letter :—" Ballarat, 22ud January.— To the editor of the Ballarat Star. —Sir, —The presentation which was to have been made today from millers and others was, in my opinion, quite uncalled-for and out of place. Although while in business I always acted fairly and just between buyer and owner, on. all occasions I considered it my duty to protect the interest of the latter to the best of my ability. Such being the case, I did not do my friends the honor of appearing at the appointed time and place.—Yours, &c., John Osboksb." The extraordinary and continuous heat of the weather during part of the week ending 27th January, appears to have had the effect of materially increasing the death-rate of Melbourne and its suburbs. That the intense heat of" the weather had greatly to do with the increase of the mortality may be gathered from the fact that the funerals at the Melbourne Cemetery were decidedly more numerous on Tuesday than they were on the previous day, and increased each day till Friday, when they reached the unprecedented number of Go'. The death-rate of the past week has been undoubtedly augmented by the number of infants who have been suffering from measles, and who were unable to combat the disease, intensified as it was by the great heat. On Mon-_ day there were 19 funerals at the Melbourne Cemetery ; on Tuesday, 37 ; Wednesday, 36 ; Thursday, 43 ; Friday, 66 ; Saturday, 47 ; Sunday, 19, making the total 220. Out of this total two-thirds may be enumerated as children whose ages ranged from a few hours up to eight years. On Saturday evening last Mr. Thompson Bates, a well-known ironmonger carrying on business in Elizabeth-street, was found lying under his counter dead. The cause of death is supposed to be disease of the heart, But as yet nothing definite is known. Serious bush fires, with loss of life, have occurred. A number of small farmers have been completely burned out of house and home. The Chinese Camp near Castlemaine has been completely destroyed. Banking, according to Mr. Morrah, of the Bank of Australasia, Ballarat, although it has serious cares and anxious moments, has also a comic side. In his speech on Saturday, at the presentation ceremony, he said (reports the Star) that he could relate a few incidents which had occurred to himself since he came to Ballarat, and which had caused him considerable amusement. He might,- he said, reproduce two little anecdotes by way of illustration. It fell to his lot upon occasion to write one of those polite missives which bankers have now and again to write, asking a certain gentleman to pay the amount of a bill or promissory note which had been long owing, or failing payment the bank would be "reluctantly compelled" to hand the matter over to its solicitor. To Mr. Morrah's surprise, a few clays afterwards, ho received his own letter returned to him with a corner doubled down, and on it was this memorandum, " If I knew tha man as wrote use this letter, I'd punch his head." Upon another occasion he was waited on by a gentleman connected with a cemetery with a request for an overdraft for the cemetery. The accommodation asked for was duly granted, "but," said Mr-. Morrah, "as the gentleman was leaving it occurred to me to put the question—What do you want the money for?" The reply was—" Well, the fact is that business with us has been, like as it is with other folk, rather slack of late, and we want funis to pay the sexton." There is still life and gold in Victorian mining. The Ballarat Star records " that the New North Chines Company has declared a dividend, which will complete the sum of £2OO per share paid to the shareholders since the first dividend was made in August, 1868. The total gold won amounts to nearly £700,000. It has cost the company about £310,000 to win this splendid result, and it may bo imagined how much such a mine as this may influence the success of the district where it ia situate. Nearly the whole of this sum has been spent in Clunes, and much of the amount paid away. in dividends has been paid to Clunes shareholders, whilo the company's energy and usefulness has also been demonstrated in giving to that town ono of the finest water supplies in the colony. Tho Port Phillip Company has raised more gold thauthe New North Clunes Company, but then it is a much older company ; and wo may point with pride to this company and to the New North Clunes Company that they have fought out a method of quartz-mining and treatment of quartz and pyrites which is a credit to the colony, and a lasting honor to the mon who have planned and executed tho works now existing on that hill at Clime*, where Esmond first discovered a speo of gold. The revenue returns for the quarter ending 31st December, 1874, were published shortly after tho departure of last mail, and although tho receipts have not come up to the expectations of the Treasurer, they cannot be regarded as unsatisfactory ip themselves. There is a net decrease, as compared with tho corresponding quarter of 1873, amounting to £15,575 14s. lid.; but on the whole twelve months the increase is no less than £151,839 IDs. 3d.—a sum very nearly equal to the entire revenue of Western Australia, and not far short of half that realised last year in Tasmania. Speaking now of the quarter alone, we find that thero was an increase in the amounts derived from public lands; public works, railways, tho post-office, and from fees. ' In Customs duties, however, which are usually

looked upon as a fail test of the consuming power of the people, there was a falling off to the extent of £34,836. Of this amount, £19,248 was on the fouv articles of tea, sugar, rice, and tobacco. We have simply experienced a slight check in our rate of progress, and have been forcibly reminded that it is not safe to reckon too confidently on the uninterrupted elasticity of our resources. With regard to the Treasurer's estimates. By halving the amounts set down by him as likely to be realised during the first half of our financial year:—from Ist July to 31st December—we find that under six heads there was a deficiency of £185,33(5, and on three items a surplus of £SBOS, or a net deficiency of £176,531. Of this amount, £'57,562 was due to the failure of the Customs to yield the sum expected. As trade, however, is not equally distributed throughout the yeai', the result at the end ot the second half may be different. In any case, we (Argus) feel confident that the year will close without a deficit.

The death of a miserly old woman at North Fitzroy, who was known by the name of Connor (says the Aye), was recently reported in our columns. After her death her premises were searched, and a man's hand was found beneath the hearthstone. This gave rise to several rumors, and it was stated that a human body had been discovered. There was no truth, however, iu this, and what was .supposed to bo portions of a body has turned out to be meat that the woman had dried iu the chimney. The recent Matriculation and Civil Service examinations in their results are highly satisfactory. 458 candidates entered, and of these as many as 245 passed the Civil Service examiners, and 137 passed the Matriculation. Only three of the latter, however, passed "with credit," a small percentage compared with previous examinations. These three included a lady, Miss Alice Henry, the other two being Mr. W. M. Alexander and Mr. E. E. Horsley. Nineteen girl graduates passed the Matriculation, and two of them, Miss Kiehardson and Miss Crouch, on their first trial. The State schools were very creditably represented by pupil teachers. At Ballarat there were forty-nine candidates ; the whole of the ladies failed. The per-centageof passed at both examinations bears favorable comparison with previous years, and shows that our highest educational institution is widely appreciated for the large benefits that it confers upon the youth of the colony. NEW SOUTH WALES. The employes at Cameron's tobacco factory have struck against a reduction of wages. The Bulli Coal Company have declared a dividend of 12s. 6d. per share ; and the Wallsend Company a dividend of 10s. a share, and return £1 per share of the capital, leaving £20,000 to credit balances. Mr Thomas Hill, formerly of the firm of Hill and Sons' furniture warehouse, has been burnt to death by a candle igniting his clothes. Mr. Buchanan, has been appointed Inspector of Post-offices. The City Health Officer calls attention to the increasing epidemic of measles. A boy named Wilson has been poisoned at Pyrmont from eating belladonna berries. Two men named respectively Stringer and Mitchell quarrelled near Wagga Wagga, and Stringer shot the other dead. The Joint Stock Bauk has declared a dividend and bonus of 10J per cent., and the General Assurance Company a dividend of 10 per cent. Wool freights have fallen to five-eighths of a penny. The Central Australasian reports that the other day an aboriginal named Jimmy murdered Peter and Tommy, shepherds of Mr. Frew, manager of Mr. Tyson's station on the Outtaburra, at a place called Brewarra. He killed both single-handed. The same black scoundrel killed, about five years ago, a Murray black (civilised) at the Stony Point, below Fort Bourke, and took from him a well-known black woman who had been servant at the Commercial Bank, Bourke. The blacks just killed by Jimmy were most trustworthy men, and had always been.employed on good stations. Captain Hesilton's harbor steamers and plant have been sold privately for £27,000. Last year's yield of gold amounted to 270,899 ounces. The Hon. G-. Miller has been appointed chief clerk to the Council of Education. The City Council of Sydney intend to ask Parliament to increase the city rate. The Sydney Morning Herald of the 16th inst. has the following from its Dubbo correspondent :—" The man (J'Donohoe (a squatter on the Merri Merri), has been brought up at the police office. Sergeant Burns deposed that he charged the prisoner and one George Kent (then in custody) with stealing twenty-one thoroughbred horses, valued at £6OOO, the property of Mr. Baldwin, of Durham Court. As the stolen property and the principal witnesses for the prosecution lived in the Northern district, the sergeant applied for_ a remand'to Tamworth, which the police magistrate granted ; and, on application, allowed bail to O'Donohoe—self in £IOOO, aud two sureties of £SOO each. This arrest has caused a good deal of excitement in these parts, as the defendant is well known, and the prosecutor is the celebrated racehorse owner and breeder."

QUEENSLAND. The Governor landed on Saturday, and was warmly received. After the ceremony of swearing iu had been performed, addresses were presented, and th.e Corporation afterwards gave a dinner to the Ministry. Judge Barry, of Victoria, lias arrived, and is urging the representation of Queensland at Philadelphia. TASMANIA. A serious railway accident occurred on the main line by a ballast train running off the line, and the break failing to effect a stop. Several persons were seriously injured, and one it is believed fatally. The Governor has consented to become the patron of the Bacing Club, and has expressed au interest in the turf. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The Post-office Commission report has been issued. It recommends the amalgamation of the telegraph and postal services, and the appointment of a deputy Postmaster-General. Various alterations aro suggested iu the arrangement and working of the inland offices, and an augmentation of the staff is recommended, as well as tho employment of supernumerary holpatextrabusytimes. TheCommissiouers advise annual increments of salary on the Victorian plan, so as to induce men to remain long in tho service. A penny postage is also suggested within the present city limits. The Government propose to immediately carry out these recommendations, with the exception of that relative to the penny postage. Tho Kadina and Wallaroo Railway shows not profits for the last half-year amounting to £SBOO.

Tenders have been called for the construction of a telegraph lino from Port Augusta to Penola via Streaky Bay and Fowler's Bay, the work to bo undertaken in two sections of 340 and 250 miles respectively. Mr. Wigley, the Mayor of Glenelg, has written to the Chief Secretary offering to receive distinguished visitors until the arrival of the proper officials. His letter was simply acknowledged. The Bank of Adelaide report shows net profits for the year at £45,837. The directors recommend a dividend of 10 per cent. The reserve fund has now reached £90,000.