LATEST MELBOURNE NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 139, 26 April 1862, Page 5

LATEST MELBOURNE NEWS.

THE WERKIBEE ENCAMPMENT, f

Tlic Werribec Encampment ni-ido a 'fair start yesterdrry. At about three p.m. th/'vu-luiUeL-is began to arrive on thi? ground. Tho first to come were the Ballarat, Bondigo, and Geelong regiments, who were speedily joined by the mounted corps of Castleinaine, Geelong, and Bacchus Marsh ; and then succeeding trains brought detachments of nearly every other company in the service, till over 1,000 men were afield. More than that number are expected to join this morning, so that the total force may be reckoned to amount to 2,400 men. Nothing was clone yesterday, save settling down into camp life, which, owing to the wet and cold weather, was not a very enjoyable process. Still, a soldier's life has not generally been regarded as one that is passed on a bed of reses, and our volunteers, who have never yet had to suffer much hardship, will, perhaps, be the better for the trial. To-day will be occupied by rifle shooting.— Argus, April 19. The entries for the Cavalry Races are to be made at the Camp this afternoon, at headquarters, Despite the heavy fall of rain, the ground chosen by Mr. Chirnside is so sound that the galloping will not be heavy. In selecting the site lor the course the public have been considered as well as the owners of the horses, an elevated bank overlooking the run home, while those who can afford to pay for the luxury have a roomy grand stand specially erected for them. The arrangements for booths', and the usual accompaniments of a racecourse, will be equal to,those of the metropolitan ground. The sports are to commence at noon sharp, and between each race the various assauts dartnes, cavalry combats, and pedestrian feats, will take place on the straight run-in. It- is seldom that so ample a bill of fare has been presented to the lovers of out-door pastimes. Murdbii.—We have received the following information from the police:—On the 10th . March last, John Brady, hutkeepcr on Walloloo Station, Richardson's Itiver, twentyfive miles from Navarre, was ..missing. On ,10th April last, his body was found in a watcrhole, near a 1 shepherd's hut, on the. - Walloloo' Station. The body had been dismembered, and tied up in bags, - with stones attached to sink them. The legs were in one bag, the arms and middle of the body in another, and. the head and chest in a third. :The skull had been split open, and the face much disfigured. A person in the same employes suspected.— Ballarat Star April 14.' Heavy "Rains.—The storm of rain which hasiiiflicted on bur volunteers at the .Werribee their first—and we hope their last—defeat, has'heen general over the "colony, and most welcome everywhere. In' Ballarat, Bendigo, Castiemaine —in all the districts, indeed, from wli'ich accounts have asyet been received—the (all of rain has been heavy, and we hope a sufficient supply of water bus beeu "stored to supply the miners with that .essential element in gold mining for months to come. So scarce had water, become, that in Maldon district its price was 7s. per barrel. M.ur, Service op- New Zealand.—We have been .favored with the following information relative to the mail service with New Zealand. In addition to the PostmasterGeneral of New Zealand having chartered Ihc steamers AVhite Swan and Queen for" the mail service on-the Nesv Zealand coast, he-has entered into a contract with Messrs. M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co , of this city, for the conveyance of the 'English mail between Melbourne and Otago, one of their vessels to sail from Hobson's Bay twenty-four hours after .arrival of the English mail ship, due about the llth of each month : by it the whole of the New Zealand mails will be forwarded, with the exception of those for Auckland,-which will, as at present, go via Sydney. On the 17th of each month they are bound to despatch a steamer from Otago to bring up the whole of the New Zealand mails' for England, which in future will be collected and forwarded by way of Otago and Melbourne, ■instead of Nelson arid Sydney as heretofore:— Argus, April 19. '■ Cape Otway.—The popular impression' is that the country around Cape Otway is auriferous. Some specimens, however, have been forwarded by .Captain Helpman to Mr. Selwyn for. examination, and that gentleman pronounces them crystalised gypsum, sulphate of lime, not in any way indicative of the presence of gold.— Herald, April 19. The Police.—The constables and sergeants of the city police who are willing to receive their pay for the month of March, have not yet been .able to obtain it, a circumstance which, we are given to understand, falls upon some of them with considerable inconvenience. — Argus, April 16.