INTERCOLONIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1519, 5 January 1872, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melbgttbne, Dec. 30. The people generally are holidaykeeping. Mr Childers has been appointed permanently aa Agent G-eneral. Mr Sullivan retired from t^ie contest for the vacant seat in the Legislative Council for the Southern Province, and Mr Hamilton had a walk over. The inquiry into the cause of the death of Mrs Gallogly resulted in a verdict of murder against some person unknown. Mr Irollope and his lady are lionising in the provinces. There has been a forgery of one-pound Union Bank notes. A man named Jenner is in custody for uttering them. The s.s. Somersetshire has arrived from London in 56 days. Uetting was level on the five-mile race to take place to-day between the boy Bedford and Pentecost of New Zealand. Mr Coppin has been involved in an imbroglio in consequence of asserting at a performance that His Excellency the Governor was in the habit of visiting the Theatres as a deadhead. The private secretary, Lieut. Roth well, denies in a manly letter that His Excellency availed himself of the free list. Mr Coppin has made an unsatisfactory reply, and his action in the matter is highly unpopular, being almost unanimously disapproved of by the press. The yield of the Great Extended Hustlers claim for eight days was 3000 ounces. The members of the Eclipse expedition have been feted at Brisbane and Sydney. Some " mean" thieves at Ballarat broke into St. Mark's Church, and stole the clergyman's surplice and the communion table cover. The first case under the Act permitting a married woman to sue in her own name, occurred at the Sandhurst County Court. Plaintiff, a Mrs Sandry, sued a man named Stewart, for trespass on a residence area that she had purchased for £ '0, of a man who held a miner's right. It was contended that a woman could not hold a miner's right ; also that she had purchased it from a man who was not a miner, and therefore could not acquire s title under the miner's right. The Advertiser says — " Though having an evident bearing on this case, Judge Macoboy decided that the point raised did not affect the issue ; that trespass could be maintained,and tbatthedefendantifhe disputed the plaintiff's possession should have gone to the Warden. On these grounds a verdict was given for the plaintiff. Sydney. The Earl of Belmore has received by the mail an official intimation that he is to be succeeded in the Governorship of New South Wales by Sir Hercules Robinson, late Governor of Ceylon ; and also an acknowledgment from the Earl of Kimberley, Secretary of State for the Colonies, of his successful administration of colonial affairs during his period of office. An inqnest has been held on the body of the seaman drowned through the upeetting of the ketch Ada at Broken Bay. It was disclosed in evidence that on Saturday night the lighthouse was not lit up. The Divorce Bill was passed through committee before the Assembly adjourned. The Government has received a telegram from the Government of South Australia, declining to pay a portion of the expenses of a steamer to run between Normanton and Port Darwin, and assign ing the reason that it intends to establish a horse express between the ends of the kind line now finished. Fiji papers report that the natives have committed great depredations on some ■ettlers at Dreketi. The Condor has arrived from Mauritius, having made the voyage in 34 days. Her cargo consists of 12,000 bags of sugar. She reports that five vessels were loading for the colonies. The Sobraon has arrived from London with a quantity of pure-bred stock. Adelaide. Mr Solomon's banquet to old colonists on the 29th was attended by over 500 persons. The entertainment was in every way successful. The wheat market is very firm at ss. Flour is quoted at £12 for town and country brands. The Government have agreed to the terms offered by the British and Australian Telegraph Company for an extension of time for the construction of the overland line, the Government to guarantee to the company 5 per cent, interest on the capital from Ist January, 1872, until the line is completed, the company crediting the Government with all earnings of the cable, &c, and giving up all rights under the 18 th article of agreement. A notice published in the Government Gazette offers very liberal concessions to persons prospecting for gold in the northern territory. An influential company has been formed, and it is intended to send out a party under Mr Westcott to prosecute the researches. The English advices received by the mail are likely to strengthen the prices of wheat. Large orders are awaiting execution. The commercial news generally is considered favorable to the colony. Intelligence has been received from Western Australia that the figure-head of a ship which had evidently been burnt had been found. Apparently it had not been long in the water, as there were no barnacles on it, nor was it worm-eaten. The figure was that of a sea-faring man with the motto, " keep a good look-out " in scroll. The ship would probably be about 1500 tons. It was found near Rottesneßt Island, and the figure had evidently been burnt away from the ship.