AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2418, 16 December 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

The charge of infanticide preferred against three members of the “ Stray Leaves ” Company broke down. At an early stage the information against Lillie llcid was withdrawn; and the evidence failed, in the opinion of the Bench, to make out a casefor committal against Ella Carrington and Charles Taylor, who were therefore discharged. I)r J. H. Hill writes to the ‘ Argus ’

stating that on a station at St. George, Queensland, there live an. aboriginal man and woman, brother and sister, entirely devoid of hair on their heads, faces, and every part of their bodies. It is also stated that there is a tribe of hairless blacks living about 000 miles west of Brisbane. Wi Ikinson a swagman has been charged with the murder of Martin Meng, the keeper of a shanty, at Albury. A miner camped near the house, say's he heard four shots on the night when the murdered man his daughter were shot. A publican at Jind'era proved that the prisoner come on Monday morning and left on Monday evening ostensibly going in the contrary direction to the scene of (he tragedy. After a few minutes the publican looked along along the road on which the prisoner started but could not see him. He, however, saw a man, who was unrecognisable in the twilight,going in the direction of Meng’s. The girl is in a low weak state, and is unlikely to recover. If she dies the prisoner will be charged with her murder. She states that no quarrel occurred between hcrfatber and prisoner, Mr Morton, Police Magistrate at Dubbo, who was lately shot through the bead by' a woman, continues to improve. He is thoroughly sensible, and the wound is apparently healing fast. His right side and arm arc still paralysed, but the arm shows slight signs of sensibility. Mr Freslmey, of Cardwell, Queensland, with his son and daughter-in-law, were drowned in the Hinchinbrook channel by a boat capsizing. The only survivor was a Kanaka, who swam live miles.

Some extraordinary scoring was witnessed on the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 2, when a Ballarat eleven (minus Figgis and J. Morey, their best bowlers), tried conclusions with the premier club of Victoria. The latter held possession of the wickets for the whole day, making 482 for the loss of eight wickets. Of that number Dunne made the tall score of 2#>. Mel bourne is not likely to faro so well in the return, as Ballarat will then play her two bowlers, and have a tower of strength in Midwinter, who has been engaged as professional.