INTERCOLONIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1826, 2 December 1873, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melbournk, Nov. 22. James Webster, chief olficer of tin Loch Tay, now lying in llobson's Bay, lias been summoned by a furrier name.-! Morris Nettleberg, for an assault said to have beeu committed on the 12th .April last, when the complainant alleges that he boarded the Loch Tay for the purpose of disposing of furs, and after a dispute with the defendant, who had wrongfully detained some of Ins goods, he was thrown over the ship's side by a gang of sailors acting; under the orders of defendant. This statement was corroborated by a sailor on board the Loch Tay, and by the boatman who picked the complainant out of the water and took him on shore. The same night the shiD sailed from the port, and complainant took out a summons against defendant when he returned. Webster was admitted to bail in two sureties of £50 each, and himself in £ICO. A young man working at Mitchell's Creek has had a fearful encounter with a large kangaroo. The young man, a very slight-built youth, made a strike at the animal and missed his blow. The kangaroo got the young man into close quarters, and frightfully tore both eyelids on one side, and he had to fight for his life. He managed, although in the grasp of the kangaroo, to draw his knife, with which he despatched the brute. The woman Elizabeth Shannon, who administered opium to her three children (causing the death of the youngest), and cut her own throat, at. Hotham, on the 19i.h July Ja^t, was tried for the third time on the 20th before a special jury. At each trial the plea of insanity was urged in her favor, and two juries had doubts of her sanity, but no doubt aa to her having committed the act with which she was charged. The third jury, with the same evidence before them as on previous occasions, brought in a verd'ct of not guilty, and the woman was discharged. Parliament was to be pror-o^u.^cl on the 25th inst. It was expected that tde Land j Amendment Bill will be allowed to drop, owing to the opposition it has met with in the Legislative Council. The Presbyterian General Assembly of Victoria has appointed the Revs. Dr Cameron, T. M. Fraser, and Mr Balfour representatives to the Otasro Presbyterian Synod. The Key. Mr Bannerman, of Otago, addressed the assembly upon general matters connected with the Presbyterian Church in that part of New Zealand. He w;is happy to state that the Church b;.d prospered, and there were now thirty-four congregations in the province, which were presided over by thirty-nine ministers of the Presbyterian Church. The completion of the North-Eastern railway to Wodonga was celebrated with great festivities on the 20th. Messrs Money, Wigram and Sons' steamship Northumberland arrived in Hobson's Bay on the 18th, after a splendid passage of 53 days. On the 18th, a fire was discovered on board the iron clipper ship Penthesilea, loading wool, &c, at the Wiliiamstown breakwater. A large stream of water was poured into the hold through the decks, which had been perforated for the purpose, the hatches having been battened down, and the fire was thus extinguished. Diphtheria is reported as prevalent in Ballarat. In some places it was evidently the result of neglect of sanitary precaution. The rifle match, New Zealand against the Ballarat Troop Rifle CJuh, eleven on each side, was fired on the 19th. New Zealand won by 7L points. It is believed that New Zealand weapons are the best. Five of the Ballarat men asked to try conclusions with fi\e of the New Zealand and change weapons. The proposition was agreed to, and Ballarat won by nine- points, but they freely admit the New Zealand men are the best shots. Sydney. A man named Qninn burned a hole iv a cask of rum at Windsor, and the contents exploded. Quinn's leg and thigh were frightfully smashed, and he was otherwise injured. The Assembly is discussiag a motion to stop clerical interference in public schools, A verdict of £1,450 baa been recovered against the Government for resuming possession of a portion of the harbor frontage for fortification purposes. Reaping has commenced in the Hunter district, where the crop is early. Fiji advices state that the new constitution is not yet promulgated, and was likely to remain in abeyance until the arrival of H.M.S. Pearl. A whirlwind passed over Murrurundi, and destroyed a new house belonging to Dr Peers. The Assembly has shelved the Permissive Bill. Adelaide. Four thousand pounds' worth of bismuth have been received from Balhannah. Mine. The ship Dunkeld has been chartered i

I to load wheat for London at GOs, to sail in January. Mr Tomkinson, hnjikor, p.iid for t lie rinu;iiig of the town-hall bolls on tho lotii, because the Northern Territory action has been decided against the (Government. It i.s expected the Government will have to pay nearly £SO,OOO, but obtain over i),),U00 acres ut' land, be.-aie (own allotments. Reaping has commenced. The locusts are damaging tbe crops at Stratluilbvn.