WEEKLY EPITOME.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 279, 22 June 1860, Page 3

WEEKLY EPITOME.

Events have crowded thick and fast upon us during the past week, andf dull and uninteresting" is certajtnly not a suitable description of our metropolis at the present moment, with whatever force the epithets may have applied during its antecedent history. But to rush in medias res, without further comment. Our Legislative proceeding commenced in good and sober earnest on Tuesday, when his Excellency delivered to both houses the inaugural address. . A largS muster of members and visitors took place in the Council Chamber,' and the ceremony, though unostentatious^ was as dignified and impressive as circumstances demanded.

- The vice regal speech was a lengthy—uncomplimentary critics might say a rerbose—production. Though touching upon most, if not all, of the topics of general interest, it indicated no very distinct line of policy to be pursued on the part of the government, and gave one the impression rather of an elegantly worded thesis upon certain given subjects, than of a condensed result of deliberation on the practical treatment of a Queensland difficulties and requirements. The only definite expression of policy had reference to the encouragement of education, the construction of electric telegraph lines, the abolition of the tendering system, the continuance" of the volunteers, and the desirability of appointing an AuditorGeneral.

Tho usual weekly meeting of the Municipal Council took place on Monday. Tenders were accepted for a bridge in Edward-street, at J7B; for excavating and fencing in a waterhole at Souih Brisbane, at £60 ; for a cottage and tank at the reservoir, at £87; for fencing in a waterhole and erecting a stage at Fortitude Valley, at £1 the stage, and 9s. 6d. the rod of fencing. The assessment appeals were heard on Monday, before Messrs. Pickering and G. Raff. The principal appeals were submitted by Messrs. Robert and Benjamin Gribb.

The Yarra Yarra arrived in Brisbane on Sunday, bringing, amongst her passengers, Mr. O'Shanassy, late Premier of Victoria, who has been recently paying a visit to Sydney, for the purpose of recruiting his health. Mr. O'Shanassy returned by the Yarra Yarra on Wednesday. The Mary Nicholson, with a general cargo, from Sydney arrived in the bay on Sunday, and anchored at the bar on Tuesday hist. She was towed up to Towns' wharf by the Breadalbane yesterday morning. As our present issue is " home bound," we take the opportunity of inserting here a description of botanical specimens \ furnished during the week by Mr. Hill, of the Botanical Gardens; these were two beautiful specimens of the Flora of Northern Australia. One is the Nelumbium Leichhardtii, or Sacred Bean ofN.E. Australia. It is a large flower, of a delicate cerise hue, and has a curious seed vessel, in shape like an inverted cone, with cavites at the top containing the beans, and suggesting, on the whole^ the idea of a child's rattle. The second is the Nymphsea Gigantica, or Gigantic Lotu« offN. E. Australia. | This is, if anything, a more beautiful specimen than the other. The petals are of a graduated violet tint, the calyx being externa ly gteen, mottled with black. The corolla is a bright yellow tuft on a scarlet base, and the various contrasted colors form a rare tout ensemble. The plant is of the water-lily tribe, and measures one foot over. Its leaves, which are two feet across, have the property of resisting saturation, and makink the water on them appear like mercury. This curious appearance is a striking feature of one of the ponds in the Botanical Gardens, on the surface of which may be seen the beautiful plant described. Mr. Hill has also sent a sample of rice grown in the gardens, which, if it may be regarded as a specimen of the general .capabilities of our soil and climate, speaks volumes for the feasibility of raising that plant in Queensland.

His Excellency has accepted, on behalf of her Majesty, the services of—l. The Ipswich troop of the Queensland Mounted Rifles.—2. The first or Ipswich Company of the Queensland Rifle Brigad* of the Infantry Corps. A. D. Broughton, Esq., has received the commission of Captain, and of the Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Gray. Thelpswich Herald of to-day (Friday) mentions the following horses as favorites for the forthcoming races. The Maiden Plate, 1 Captain Cook, 2 Let-Me-Alone, 3, Sultan; the Selling Stakes, 1, Lancer, 2, Sailor: the Publican's Purse, Van Tromp; the Queensland Welter, Van Trornp; the Corinthian Stakes, Captain Cook; the North Australian Plate, 1, Eclipse, 2, Kangaroo; the Ladies' Purse, 1, Van Tromp, ,2, Captain Cook. The following is the latest state of the odds :—

3 to 1 on Van Tromp 2 to 1 on Banshee 2 to 1 on Grafton 20 to 5 against Wanderer 3 to 1 against Sailor Eclipse against to field (level)

The Rev. Thomas Deacon, of Ipswich, has. liberally given a very valuable piece of land in a central position of the town, together with a liberal donation, towards the erection of a Baptist Chapel. The builders are now at work, and subscriptions are being solicited in Brisbane towards this object. A Cricket Match was played in Drayton on Her Majesty's Birthday between the elevens of Drayton and Toovvoomba, the latter winning the game by 2 runs only. A dinner afterwards took jplace at the Downs' Hotel, with Mr. Nicoll in the chair. The Darling Downs Gazette says':—We see by an advertisement in the Ipswich papers, that a branch of the New South Wales Bank will be opened at Toowoomba, during the ensuing month, when current accounts will be kept, cheques negotiated, and drafts issued on England, and all the principal towns in the colonies.

From the Burnett Tims of the 29th ultimo, we extract the following : —" We have just heard, from good authority, .that Lieutenant Bligh, of the Native Police, while after the blacks, came across a large lake, which he supposed to be 5. or. 6 miles across, and that at first he thought it was the sea, but on coming to its banks found the water to be perfectly fresh and palatable. The lake is situated in the Caroora district, distant about 35 miles from Imbif, one of the cattle stations of Messrs* Lawless."