INTERCOLONIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1656, 1 November 1872, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

• Melbourne, Oct. 24. An allotment in Fitzroy; having 33 feet frontage to Nicholson street, with two old buildiugs erected thereon, sold for £1250, or nearly £38 per foot. The trustees of the Public Library intend to have photographs taken of all the best paintings in the Nationa! -Gallery, with the view of Bending them as exhibits to the Exhibitions at TLondon and Vienna. By the bursting of a boiler at Sparrow's saw-milk-*, Fitzroy, two lads were seriously injured, and one of them ha 9 since died. In a despatch to the Government the Agent- General recommends that the various meat-preserving companies should consider whether, at a slight increase in the cost of production, it might not be possible to preserve the meat in a more acceptable form by some of the processes hitherto regarded as too costly. The telegraph line to Wilson's Promontory, is to be completed in six weeks. The commissioners for the forthcoming Exhibition went through the various applications for space on the 18th. The total extent of space at the disposal of the commissioners, including the lawn, is — after deducting that required for the accommodation of the visitors — 22,500 ft., and the quantity of space already applied for is about 26,000 ft. It is thought that the Victorian Government will not be represented at the Intercolonial Conference to be held in Sydney on the Ist December. The Government have decided on purchasing the Bendigo waterworks. Most of the reports from the country districts complain of an overabundance of rain. Grass is, however, becoming plentiful, and stock are picking up rapidly. At Bendigo the creeks have been bank high, some portion of Bendigo Flat and Epaom being submerged, and on some farms cereals have suffered considerably from the violence of tbe rain. The steamship Great Britain sailed for Liverpool on the 24th. The spring exhibition of the National Agricultural Society was to be opened on the 24th, Adelaide. Bed rust is appearing in the southern districts. Wheat is quiet at 6s. Flour, £12 10s to £14. The Transcontinental RaUway Bill is in print, and will be introduced shortly. In the Assembly, the Government stated tbey had refused to bring the diggers back from Port Darwin, but had offered to employ thera at a low rate of wages if they were in absolute want. Congratulatory messages on • the establishment of telegraphic communication with Europe have been received from the Emperor of Germany, the Lord Mayor of London, and the Secretary of State for the Colonies. A gold watch and silver medal have been presented by the commercial | travellers to Mr Galbraith, inspector of publicbouses, for the improvements effected in the houses since he took office. Some of the northern areas are expected to yield 30 bushels of wheat to the acre. Joseph Darwent, shipping agent, died on the 20th. Coal shale has been found 80 miles north of Port Augusta. Mr Kekwick, of the Government exploring party, ditd on the 16th at Nuccaleena. He had crossed the Continent with Stuart. There was a splendid show on the 17th. In wools, scoured fleeces were exhibited with 14in. staple. Hobart Town. The Champion Ploughing Match has been a great success. Draffin, of Ballarat, secured the first prize ; Harris, of Ballarat, the second ; and Phillips, of the south side of Tasmania, the third. Twenty-four ploughs started. His Excellency the Governor was present on both days of the trial. Sydney. The Nukulau kidnapping case has been adjourned for a week. The depositions taken afc Fiji reveal similar atrocities to those perpetrated in the Carl case. .... One specimen from Beyerß and Hoi ter-* man's lease at Tambaroora weighs 7 cwt., and is estimated to contain 2cwt. gold. Tbe claim contains even better stone still. A shock of earthquake on the 20th was j felt over a large extent of the colony, and was violent in places. The shock was ; followed by a brilliant aurora. | The crews engaged in the Intercolonial i Rowing Match are in active training. The ' champion crew are the favorites, but the river crew are thought likely to make a 1 close race- of it:

Three hundred tons stone from Paxton's claim has averaged over lOozs. , and 79 tons from Krohman's has averaged 7ozs. Poet Darwin, Oct. 21. A deputation of about 100 diggers waited upon the Government resident, stating that they could raise £500 in money and provisions ; and asking the Government to pay the balance of about £900 to charter the B-mgal, already fitted for the voyage, to Melbourno. All the settlers see that this is the only way of meeting the difficulty, as a longer delay would cause greater and a futrher expense would be incurred. The Victorian Government has replied that assistance cannot be rendered.