AUSTRALIA.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 269, 18 May 1860, Page 3

AUSTRALIA.

(From the Sydney Empire) [by electric telegraph.]

Melbourne, Wednesday evening, May 9. The Legislative Ceuncil has fixed the second read-, ing of the Land Bill for next Friday week. The Geelong Railway Purchase Bill has passed the Assembly. The large culvert near Sandhurst had given way. Flour market continues steady at «£24 10s. per ton. Melbourne, Tuesday evening. In the Assembly Mr. Stephen again called attention to the discovery of diamonds in the Ovena black sands. He had used every test except combustion ; and it was considered an undoubted diamond, though not of the first water. The honorable gentlemen tabled a specimen, and congratulated the country on the discovery. Goulburn.—The Snowy River Escort, via Cooma, ha» ju3t arrived, bringing 6391. ozs. gold. Melbourne, Monday evening. Flour market steady at .£24 10s. Wheat 10s. 6d. a bushel. Bakers have advanced the price of bread! from Is. to Is. Id. We have Adelaide papers to the Ist instant. An accident occurred on the Gawler railway, by which a passenger named George Welden was killed. A fire had occurred at the Corporation rooms at Port Adelaide, and nearly the whole of the book§ and papers of the Corporation were consumed before the flames were subdued. The South Australian Advertiser of 25th April sa y g :_We believe that Mr. Stuart is now fairly on his grand journey across the continent. He started with a light but beautifully equipped party, from Chambers's Creek (nearly 700 miles from town) on the 2nd March, all in good health and spirits. The intention is to makeacross the country in a north-westerly direction for Cambridge Gulf; and it is the opinion of those, best qualified to form an opinion, that Mr. Stuart'will not only cross the continent, but recross it. A nugget of SOlbs. weight has been found in the direction ot Fryer's Creek, Castlemaine. The exact locality or the fortunate.finders' names are unknown. Having seen and handled it we can say that the report has not been exaggerated. Tho two lucky men hail from Ireland; i but their names are as unknown as the immediate locality where the treasure was found. They admit that they found it at a depth of fifty feet, and expect to find more: hence their silence. It is an oblong slab of pure gold 5 fifteen by ten inches superficially, and varies in thiokness from, three quarters to one and a quarter vaQh^Moun^4kmndsr.Mail. .