INTERCOLONIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1764, 8 July 1873, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melboubne, June 28. I Mr J. Mackenzie, the Government examiner of coalfields, N.S.W., has inspected the coal seams and strata at the Bass, Blue Mountains, Griffith Point, IMr Tumbull's, and Kilcunda. On the ! 26th he left for Cape Patterson, Anderson's Inlet, the Sfcrezlechi Ranges, Corner Inlet, and Traralgan. He has \ not yet expressed any opinion respecting the value of the seams he has inspected. A shipment of 70 valuable rams and ewes has arrived in the Wave of Life, from London. They are of the Lincoln breed, andjhave been imported by Messrs Dalgety, Blackwood, and Co., and the Australian Mortgage, Land, and Finance Company, Throughout the voyage they were well looked after, and they are all in splendid condition. A number of them were shorn in coming through the tropics. A gas explosion occurred in the warders' quarters belonging to the Melbourne Gaol. The house in which the explosion occurred was unoccupied, and a smell of gas having been perceived in the adjoining house, Warder John Kelly went iuto the place to examine the gaspipe. He lit a match, and an explosion immediately took place, the force of which was such as to drive him through the door and take the door off its hinges. Kelly was scorched a good deal about the face, and his hair was singed, but it was not thought that he had received any serious injury. The Legislative Assembly has rejected the resolutions proposed by Mr Macßain relative to the nature of the contract entered into between the Government and the P. and O. Company for the conveyance of the mails between Galle and England, by a majority of 49 to 9.

The building in William street known as the " Old Treasury" has been sold for £5300. Mr Johnson, of the Public Works Department, has been called upon to resign his appointment for improperly assisting Mr Smith in the preparation of the prize design for the new law courts. The Ministry intend to introduce a mpasure for preventing accidents in mines. ' The tender of Mr John Thomas for the second section of the Ballarat and Maryborough Railway, viz., from Creswick to Clunes, 10 miles G9 ohaina, has been accepted. £42,732 14s 7d, or £3,934 per mile, was tbe amount of the tender. A youthful couple, recently married, have been brought before the Geelong Police Court, charged with wilful and { corrupt perjury at their nuptials — the j lad having falsely sworn that he was over 21 years of age, and the girl that she had no father, mother, or friends. Both defendants were committed for trial, and were subsequently bailed out in two sureties of £50 each. Mr Casey's Labor Bill, for making eight hours a legal day's work, is likely to come to an untimely end in the Legislative Council. Mr W. Morley, of Q-eelong, is charged with perjury in declaring that there waa no just impediment to his marriage with his niece Some important changes are to take place in the Customs Department. Mr Guthrie takes the post of Collector of Customs, and Mr Tyler becomes In-spector-General. The Crown Cross Company, the deepest payable mine in Victoria, has crushed 300 tons of quartz, which yielded at the rate of 2oz 14dwt per ton. Sydney. The Miners' Advocate office at Newcastle was burned down on the 24t.h, and the plant destroyed. The proprietor was insured The public funeral of Sir T. A. Murray took place on the 25th. Captain Moresby, of H.M.S. Basilisk, in a telegram to the Commodore, states that he found several islands, hitherto supposed to be the mainland of New Guinea, and that he took formal possession of them, pending the decision of the home Government. A rumor is current that the Chief Justiceship has been offered to ex-Judge Dickinson, now in England. Mr Samuel wrote to Mr Yogel from Melbourne, charging him with discourtesy, and with allowing the publication of incorrect statements respecting the Californian mail negotiations. At a public meeting of the members of the Anglican Church, a sum of over £1700 was subscribed to complete the exterior of the Cathedral. The Bey. W. B. Clarke, the geologist, in an address to the Koyal Society, expressed an opinion unfavorable to the finding of payable coal seams in Victoria. The Bey. Dr Lang has taken legal proceedings to ouat the Rev. Adam Thompson from the position of principal of the Presbyterian College. A boy was knocked down by a train at Newtown, and terribly mutilated. Eight persons have been drowned by a flood at the Darling Downs. H.M.S. Blanche was to leave for Fiji on the 30th. Mr Moriarty, who was dismissed from the Lands department by the Cowper Government for financial irregularities, is likely to be re-appointed to the department as chief clerk. Adelaide. Parliament is summoned to meet on 25th July. At a meeting of shipowners and merchants, it was resolved to urge upon the Government the construction of a railway without delay from the nearest point to the Eiver Murray. The establishment of a Wesleyan mission at the Northern Territory has been proposed. Several Melbourne brokers are now engaged on the Adelaide Stock Exchange. Immigration is still being urged by the press. At a sale of Tasmaman cart horse stock an average of £40 was obtained. A new gold reef has been discovered on the Tetulpa run, 100 miles north-east from Kooringa, and a number of claims have already been secured. Mr J. G. Pitcher, who was appointed manager of the English and Scottish Bank at Port Darwin, has been obliged to return through ill-health. Successful experiments have been made with the Victorian patent Bafety blasting powder. Miss Eose Evans and Mr Clareraont have quitted the colony unexpectedly for England by the ocean mail. .. . Wheat is slightly easier ; quotations at 6s 3d. Hobaet Town. The Assembly has decided to discontinue Port Arthur as a penal settlement as soon as accommodation can be provided on the main land. A proposed deviation in the railway route is being debated in the House.