INTERCOLONIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1609, 23 July 1872, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melbourne, July 13. The foot and mouth disease commission has passed a resolution to the effect that "it be respectfully intimated to the Government of New South Wales, through the Chief Secretary of Victoria, that there is good reason to believe that the disease has been stamped out in Victoria ; at the same time the vigilance of the commission will not be relaxed." The Ballarat Courier understands that 20 Ballarat policy-holders in the Australasian Insurance Company have sent a formal protest to the directors against the proposed amalgamation with the Alliance Company, and threatening legal proceedings if that intention is carried out. Parliament met on the 9th. Of the 66 members present, 37 ranged themselves on the Ministerial side of the House, and 29 on the Opposition. Mr Vale has deserted his late colleagues, and is said to be ambitious of forming a party of his own. Mr Orr has been elected a member of the Legislative Assembly for the Murray district in room of Mr Witt, resigned. Most of the important charges brought against the late Administration by the present Government will be investigated by a select committee of the Legislative Assembly. A nugget weighing 5380z. has been obtained at Wilson's lead, about three miles from Dunolly, by a 'man named Davey, and was sold at the Bank of Victoria. A Berious outbreak of small-pox in the neighborhood of Sandhurst has taken place. The disease has exhibited itself in a family named James, residing at Long Gully, who arrived recently from California. In the cases of two of the children attacked has proved fatal, and four persons are now suffering from it. Three are children of the same family, and the other is a woman, a neighbor, who had been in the habit of visiting them. The eldest son caught the infection, but has recovered. Stringent measures have been taken by the Govern, ment and the local authorities to prevent

1 the spread of the disease. The patients will be isolated in an iron building specially erected on the range at the rear of Long Gully, and steps have been taken to disinfect the house at present occupied 1 by them. The disease appears to have communicated itself to them on board the Nebraska, in which vessel they sailed from San Francisco to Auckland ; but the germs must have lain dormant a long time, as the symptoms were not observable until about the middle of last month. Nearly three weeks elapsed between the outbreak of the disease and the communication of the fact to the Government. The James family and some other passengers by the Nebraska were brought on to Melbourne from Auckland in the Hero, which then proceeded to Sydney, and from thence to Newcastle. Some of the Hero's passengers landed at (Sydney, the rest going on to Newcastle, and a telegram from the latter place states that one of their number has been seized with illness. The nature of the disease has not been made public, but there is reason to fear that stnall-pox has been introduced into New South Wales as well as Victoria. The Argus of the 13th inst. says : — Nothing of importance relative to the outbreak of small-pox transpired yester. ' day. No new cases have been reported, and Melbourne appears to be still free from the disease. The Central Board of Health yesterday directed the infected houses at Sandhurst to be fumigated and disinfected afresh. No fresh cases were reported from Sandhurst, where the houses had undergone disinfection already, and clothes which might have carried the infection were burnt. It was reported again yesterday that the child in Little Bourke-street had been taken ill, but Mr Girdlestone visited the child, and found that it was quite well as far as small-pox was concerned. A large number of adults have been re- vaccinated in Sandhurst. Adelaide. The Agricultural Society offers a challenge gold cup, open to all the colonies, for the best six merino ram and ewe fleeces. It has been discovered by a private census that the official census of Moonta shows a deficiency of 1000 souls. The health officers have been instructed to adopt the most stringent measures with regard to vessels from Melbourne on account of the emall-pox. The Mercantile Marine Insurance Company's half-yearly balance sheet, after deducting losses, shows a net profit of £7500. By the last mail Mr Tomkinson, manager of the Bank of Australasia, received a draft of £30 as conscience- money from some anonymous person. All vessels from Victoria and New Zealand will be detained in Btrict quarantine until further orders, and only the mails allowed to be landed. The Government has removed the prohibition against the admission of Sydney bullocks ; and Mr Connor's motion for an inspection fee has been withdrawn. The Koh-i-noor, with 400 tons coal from Newcastle to "Wallaroo, has been wrecked at Tasmania. She was insured in the Mercantile Company for £1,500. The "Wallaroo and Moonta mines are manufacturing their own fuse, better and cheaper than that imported. A sum of £80,000 was expended on road works during last year. The Government has resolved to still prohibit the introduction of Victorian cattle until they are certain that no disease exists. Stditet. The American steamer Narragansett returned from Samoa without visiting the colonies. A proclamation has been issued imposing quarantine on all vessels from Victoria, New Zealand, and Honolulu. The schooner Hannah Bloomfield got off the reefs in Torres Straits, and was towed to iockhampton. The Hero ran aground on the 6th after leaving Newcastle harbor. She discharged a portion of her cargo, and was towed off next day. I The Tafdehan, from Tonga 3rd June, reports having spoken H.M.S. Basilisk, after encountering a heavy gale at Norfolk Island, in which she lost an anchor. The Blanche was bound for the Solomon Group. The steamer Hero is likely to remain in quarantine for a month. The Government intend to prosecute the captain for infringing the sanatory regulations. The Government have carried their amendments in the Border Duties Bill, authorising them to make treaty arrangements with Victoria and South Australia, separately and collectively, that the accounts taken shall embrace both exports and imports, and that the operation of the bill shall extend to the boundaries of both colonies. The Assembly has negatived resolutions in favor of mining on private property. The Government have issued a special proclamation declaring the steamer Hero infected, and ordering special detention and strict quarantine of all vessels from Honolulu, New Zealand, and Victoria. The Newcastle miners have notified to the proprietors of collieries that they intend to strike on the 16th unless their demand of 6d advance in wages is granted. Eleven inches of snow fell at Kiandra last month. The Government has informed the Assembly that they intend only to renew the proclamation against the importation of cattle from Victoria for one month, and will speedily remove it altogether, as the colony is now believed to be safe from disease. A discovery has been made that a series of robberies and mutilation of public documents has taken place at the Townhall, and a reward of £150 is offered for the perpetrators of the outrage. The Newcastle coal companies have raised the price of coal to Bs. Fiji via Sydney. Fiji papers to sth June have been received. Disaffection was spreading on the Ba

coast, where one of the principal chiefs, after taking the oath of allegiance, had rebelled. H.M.S. Cossack caused great excitement amongst the shipping by the captain stopping all vessels unprovided with proper papers either from the consulate or the Fiji Government. Captain Pain, K.N., paid an official visit to the King, who is at present ill. The Cossack visits Samoa, and then returns to Sydney. Mr Burt has been appointed acting Attorney- General.