OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 235, 19 February 1880, Page 2

OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

Own Cobrespondent.) Melbourne. Feb. Ofcli. A most shocking murder was committed at Emerald Hill this morning, by a young waman named. Mary M'Mahon. the victim being her own infant, only eight months old. It appears that the woman some years ago suffered from religions mania, and on three separate occasions was confined in the Yarra Bend Lunatic / syhma. Dur'ng the last few weeks her conduct has been very strange ; op several occasions she has interrupted! ministers of various places of worship in Colliugwood, during their sermons. Her husband who, think-

ing a change might have a desirable effect upon her, took her to her step mother’s house, at Emerald Hill, where she was invited to stay a few days. Last night she went to sleep in the stme bed as her step mother. Early tins morning she awoke Iw*r step brothel’, who to sb-eping in the next room, ami informed him that the bahy had gone to God. On hearing the a'atement lie felt alarmed, and, having put on a few clothes, proceeded to the yard, whore he found the unfortunate cnild dead, lying in a pool of blood. The' maniac had laid the infant on its left side, on a plank, and had dealt it three blows on its neck. 'Lite woman was at once arrested arid conveyed in a cab to the lock-up. On being b ough f ' before the Bench she turned to the spectators and exhorted them to torn to God. She was remanded till after the inqne't, which will lake place to-mor-row. The affair has cast quite a gloom over the inhabitants of the district.

The Happy Lend episode is not to be allowed to die in obfivion, as the late excursion to Frankston proved a decided success, tlie prohibited play being witnessed ann thoroughly enjoyed by a large number of people. The prevailing opinion is that Mr Berry made a very stupid blun dor in taking notice of it. Sir Charles G. Duffy has resigned his seat as a member of the International Exhibition, in consequence of his departure for Europe by the next outgoing mail steamer.

Mr George Coppin addressed the electors of East Melbourne the other evening, and delivered a capital speech in the interests of the Constitutional party. Ho was listened to wiih the deepest attention, and at the close of the meeting it was unanimously carried that he is a fit and proper person to reprosentEast Melbourne. It is the general impression hero that Mr Coppin will he returned’ with Mr B. L. Zox as colleague. Mr A. K. Smith will al o contest the election in the Liberal interest: hub although he has n|large number of supporters he stands but little chance of obtaining a seat. The dissoh'tion of the Assembly is at last an accomplished fact, and hon mem bers will now have a good opportunity of testing the value, their constituents place on their late services. One of the foremost in submitting his opinion and views before the public is the Hon James Service, who, in manly and straight forward manifesto issued to the electors of Maldon states the future policy of the Opposition. However, things will remain uninteresting until after the utterances of the Chief Secretary, when the strife will commence in earnest; and as the Reform League are determined to spare neither pains or expense to carry out their views I anticipate a fiercer,more determined and exciting struggle than any Victoria has yet witnessed. Already Messrs Berry and Co. are arranging their programme for stumping the country and rousing the flagging energies of their partisans aad it will behove the supporters of the Opposition party to leave no stone unturne I, in order to secure a victory, the importance of which cannot be over-estimated. Several fires haveoccurred in Melbourne and the suburbs during the last few nays, but fortunately no lives have been loot.