INTERCOLONIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1672, 6 December 1872, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melbottbne, Nov. 28. The many friends of Mr Michie, Q.C., ■who is now in Xiondon, will be glad to learn that the mail has brought letters to members of his family in Melbourne in which he states that his general health is completely restored, and that he has recovered his voice. The Argus has seen a letter from London in which the writer states that he had had a long conversation with. Mr Michie, who had just returned from the Pyrenees. He was " much improved in health, and his voice much stronger." The police are actively engaged r in the case of the Carl, and are making daily reports to the Attorney-General upon the subject. St. Patrick's Church, Albury, was dedicated on the 21th. It is a splendid structure, and a credit to the colonies ; it cost £8,000. The sum of £1,200 was collected at the offertory in aid of the building fund. The Bishop of Goulburn dedicated the church with the usual ceremonies, and the Bishop of Batburst performed high mass afterwards. The Key. Father Kelly preached the sermon. There was a large congregation from all parts of the district. i Flour having fallen in price, the bakers j have reduced their charges for bread. The price of the 41b loaf in Melbourne and suburbs is now Bd. A progress report from Mr Coppin announces the engagement of the following performers for his intercolonial musical festival: — Organists — Signor Giorza, Messrs J. Hill, D. Lee, Charles Packer (from Sydney), F. A. Packer (from Tasmania), and Plaisted. Vocalists — Miss Beaumont (from Tasmania), Madame Carandini, Miss Fanny Carandini, Miss Sosina Carandini, Miss Lizzie Carandini, Miss Christian, Mrs Cutter, Mrs Howitz, Mrs Perraton, Miss Sherwin, and Miss Amy Sherwin (from Tasmania), Mrs Smythe, Signor Ceccbi, Mr Gordon, Mr Fairfax (from Sydney), Mr Eeynolds (from Tasmania), Mr Sherwin, Signor Susini, Mr Furlong, and 200 pupils, and Mr Perraton'a double quartette and picked chorus of 250, with power to make additions. Herr Seide and an efficient band have been engaged. Signor A. j Biscaccianti has been appointed acting manager. Sir Francis Murphy will probably contest the seat for the Eastern Province, ' which has become vacant through the ] death of the Hon. E. Turnbull. I The Customs revenue of Victoria for the present year, from the Ist of January to the 22nd of the present month, amounted to £1,431,130. The revenue for the corresponding period of Jast year was £1,307,473, showing an increase on I the period just terminated of £123,657. Mr Scott, the National Bank manager at Koroit, was prosecuted at the Police Court on the 27th. The Bench consisted of five magistrates. The case was dismissed. The hearing lasted three hours and a half. It was currently reported on the afternoon of the 27th, among those who are likely to be well-informed on the subject, that Mr Fellows had refused to accept the new judgeship. His reasons for so , doing have not transpired. Stditet. Mr Piddington has resigned the Treasurership through ill-health. Mr Parkes made a satisfactory financial statement in the House, showing a surplus at the end of the year of £87,887. The year's revenue exceeds that of last year by £555,400, and next year a surplus of £200,000 is anticipated. The Government intend to call for tenders to complete the railway to Wagga Wagga within three years. The narrowgauge system is intended to be tried on a short line from the Clarence Eiver to the Queensland border. Tonnage dues are to be abolished at Newcastle, Kiama, and Wollongong, and, if in o&ce next session, Mr Parkes will abolish ad valorem duties and simplify the tariff. The Government propose to abolish the infantry portion of the defence force at the end of the year, and retain only a battery of artillery. j The Estimates provide a sum of £350,000 for the extension of the Southern Bailway to Wagga Wagga. The John Knox, from Lyttelton, brings three men and four women, picked up off the coast of New Zealand in a small open boat. They are the saved portion of the crew and passengers of the barque City of Newcastle, wrecked on the,

voyage from "Wellington to Newcastle. They were 16 hours in the boat without food. Messrs "Walker and Co., merchants, of Townsville, have stopped payment, with debts amounting to £20,000. A Java telegram states that the Guidintr Star, from Mauritius to Sydney with 600 tons sugar, has been burned at sea. The captain and crew were rescued and landed at Java. The ship and cargo are insured at Sydney. The fate of the condemned criminals in the Carl murder case will nob be decided until the return of the Governor from the Southern district. The barque Lanercost, of and for Adelaide, coal-laden, struck a reef between Eden and Gabo, and has become a total wreck. The crew were saved. The new rush at Gulgong promises well. A 15oz. nugget has been found in shallow smfcing. The City of Hobart, which arrived on the 26th, lost two blades of her propeller, and was nearly wrecked at Earn Head. The Government cannot accede to the proposal to hold the intercolonial conference in Tasmania, as Parliament will be sitting. The establishment of an inebriate asylum has been urged upon the Premier by an influential deputation. The Government have sold by auction a year's lease of the Circular Quay for £3.800. The Government officers have seized a laTge shipment of oysters brought here from the Hunter Eiver, consigned to Melbourne. The City of Hobart, s.s., has been docked, and it has been found that the damage is confined to the loss of her screw. Adelaide. The Legislative Assembly has voted £300 for the family of the late Mr Kekwick, explorer ; also a bonus of £2,000 for the first 250 tons of paper manufactured in the colony. The Adelaide Club are arranging a valedictory dinner to the Governor. Locusts are taking possession of the stores of water in the north. A woollen factory is in satisfactory working amongst the Germans at Hahndorf. Some splendid samples of new wheat were exhibited on the 26tb. Eeaping will be general next week. The locusts will affect the late crops only. It has been arranged to give a public dinner to the Governor previous to his departure, and there is also talk of a Parliamentary banquet. A locust fund, for the destruction of locusts, has been formed. It is stated that the peat is very bad in some places in the North. Eepresentatives of the various insurance companies have had an interview with the Treasurer, and urged upon him the advisability of the Government constructing a lighthouse on the Tipara reef. Reports speak promisingly of the crops, and there will still be a heavy yield even if the locusts eat two bushels an acre. The Port Darwin line has again become interrupted between the Penke and Charlotte "Waters. The cause is atmospheric disturbance, but the restoration of communication is expected speedily. The curator of the Canterbury, New Zealand, Museum, is sending to our museum a perfect moa skeleton. Brisbane. A cake of gold, weighing 5,800 oz — the largest known in Queensland — has been received from Gympie. It is the produce of 739 tons of stone obtained from the South Monbland Company. Patrick Hughes, of the Pine Biter, has been remanded for a week on a charge of poisoning his wife. The following unpublished telegrams of intercolonial news were put on board the Claud Hamilton before sailing :— Sydney, Nov. 28. The financial debate last night was adjourned. The Opposition is feeble. The Martin party is likely to reserve the test of strength for the defence force question. Miss Garran won the Fairfax prize at the University examination. An unusually large number of the public school pupils passed with credit. Adelaide, Nov. 28. Communication on the overland line is not yet restored. Mr Angus's motion respecting an inspection fee for sheep and cattle from Victoria and Sydney has been negatived. A bonus of £100 has been voted for the first 2,000 gallons of olive oil produced in the Colony. The Council has passed the Immigration Bill. Subscriptions to the Governor's testimonial are limited to the maximum of one guinea. The Governor considers that he has full liberty to receive a testimonial from his private friends, although the regulations prohibit him from receiving one from the colonists. Sales of new wheat have been made at ss. The market is quiet.