VICTORIA.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 116, 30 November 1858, Page 3

VICTORIA.

The gold-fields papers speak of several small rushes in different.localities,,but not one of them presents features .which-give to it more than a local attraction. The new diggings at the Indigo Creek, in the Ovens district, is the only recent rush which is telling extensively on the" mining population. It is pronounced to be the greatest rush which'has taken place in that district since" 1855, when tho Woolshed was discovered. The Constitution institutes a comparison between the progress made by the Indigo, and that of the two previous great rushes to Reid's Creek ami the Woolshed respectively. . Five years ago the former of these had a population of 8000, and two years subsequently there was a still largc.r number upon the latter. 'But the Indigo seems to have outstripped both in the rapidity of its progress.. In six weeks nearly 6000 people have assembled on the ground, and the influx is reported as still continuing without abatement, so that this movement bids fair to rival some of the gigantic rushes in the western districts. The amount of actual success hitherto realised can, however, hardly be regarded as commensurate with the expectations that have drawn so'many diggers to the ground; and already the population is said to be large enough for the lead at present worked. This lead has been traced to a considerable extent, and, according to the Border Post, to within about six miles of the Murray River. It is estimated that the ground pegged out along the line is nearly five miles in length, and that two hundred holes have already struck the lead. But, notwithstanding this activity, the work appears hitherto to have been chiefly of a prospecting and experimental character, and unless other leads are discovered, a large proportion of those who are on the road to the rush will probably be disappointed. ■ : Billiards.—A rather novel match for £50 aside was played at Messrs. Wright and Kemp's Exchange Rooms, on Saturday afternoon, November 6, between Mr. Wright, the well-known match player, and Professor Risley, the celebrated acrobat. The conditions of the game rendered ifc the more peculiar. It was the American four-ball game, 500 up, Wright giving his antagonist an extra ball to score upon, which he himself was boxmd not to touch, or, if he did, to transfer the "score to his adversary. There was not much betting at first, as no one cared to risk good money against Wright; but before the game had proceeded far, the professor was so far ahead that seven to one was given in his favor and taken. Eventually the game was. won by the professor, with Wright at 823. The secret of this apparently easy victory was that the odds of the extra ball were too great, and may be reckoned at nearly 50 in the 100. The game "was played in an hour and fifty minutes. — Ballaarat Star-

Imprisonment for- Debt.—The Mount Alexander Mail gives the following case as illustrating the operation of the existing law, by which debtors may be committed to prison:—;" The eldest of five brothers'Kerr commences business; chooses to do so under the style and title of "Kerr Brothers." A suit is brought against Kerr Brothers for some small sum under the existing act. There is no appearance of defendant and an order is made. The order is not obeyed, execution issues, there is a return nulla bona> and Mr. Heron (the magistrate before whom the suit was heard) issues a warrant for the apprehension and incarceration of " Kerr Brothers." One of the lads is, we believe, ten years of age; a second, thirteen; and a third, sixteen or so. The constable charged with the execution of the warrant cannot find the eldest brother, so he takes a lad of sixteen into custody, and he is incarcerated. We could hardly have supposed it possible that any magistrate would .have issued swell a warrant, or that any constable would have felt himself justified in executing it in the manner described. These matters will doubtless be inquired into. What we wish to direct attention to is, the serious injury sustained by this young man. He is at best only nominally responsible—if there could be responsibility in the case at all—for the debt for which he is incarcerated. In the meantime he is_ locked within a comfortless and crowded gaol, with convicted- and unconyicteJ criminals of the most degraded chavacter. What pecuniary compensation can atone for the possible deterioration in character and feelings he may sustain ?" , _

Fatal Fight Between a Dog and a Snake. —On the 4th November, as Mr. Diggings, proprietor of the Stoney Creek Hotel; was proceeding to Beech worth, a favorite Newfoundland dog of his encountered a very large black snake in Bowman's Forest. The battle lasted about a quarter of an hour, when the dog got unfortunately bitten by the snake. This occurred about four o'clock in the afternoon, and at sundown the dog dropfc into a stupor, and lingered until eleven o'clock: the next morning, when death put an end to the animal's sufferings.— Ovens and Murray Advertiser.