AUSTRALIAN NEWS. VICTORIA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 229, 20 June 1872, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. VICTORIA.

Among the lateit appointments by Mr Duffy was that of Mr Robert Clarke, of Horsham, to the justiceship of the peace, which being canvassed in the course of the no-confidence debate, led to an observation from the individual referred to—" Ask my clergyman if I ought not to be a justice of the peace?" Mow it appears he was twice fined for sly-grog selling, and was brought before the local court on other charges, from which, however, he managed to escape. When hie name was recommended to the Government, his spiritual adviser and pastor certified that he, who had been fined for selling grog without a licence, was as a total abstainer a most valuable coadjutor in his religious work. What more (asks the Argus) can be required of a J. P. than to be a reformed grog-seller ? The opera season opened in Melbourne on Monday, the 13th ult. Of Signura Bosisio's debut, the Argus says : — Siguoia Bosisio is a young lady of elegant presence and graceful carriage — singularly fortunate in the possession of regular features cast in the aquiline mould — with eyes and eyebrows that give vivid expression to the prevailing sentiment of her mind. Her voice is a soprano of sympathetic quality, extending, as we heard it last night, to C in alt in its upper register, not so valuable in the native richness of its tones as the best voices of the same class that have been heard here, but nevertheless bright, resoiiant, and penetrating. When the natural excitement of a debut had to some extent subsided, and when, encouraged and re-assured in her every effort by applause that was quite enthusiastic, she lost her own identity in that of the ill-starred heroine of the play, she set all doubts at rest as to her talents as a lyric actress. The whole of the I fourth act was a triumph for Signora Bosisio. It is in the compound capacity of actress and singer that the great value of this talented young lady consists. Her scena and aria, " D'amor sull' ali rosee," were received with a perfect storm of applause.

Not long since a deputation of carters and carries waited upon a Minister of the Crown, having some complaints to make relative to the detention they were subjected to at the Railway Custom Sheds. They were accompanied by a person who, upon venturing to speak to the Minister, was startled by being thus addressed, " Sir, you're drunk !" In words much less polite, but quite as forcible as those recorded, he retorted, "You're a perverter of the truth." To whom again the Minister, "You were here drunk yesterday." Again responded this member of the deputation in like bad language. Whereupon the outraged Minister sent for a constable, the alleged inebriate announcing his intention of sitting down and abiding the issue. When the peace officer appeared, the Minister desired some of his officials to give the offender in custody, but they were too wary, and the Minister too cautious to do anything of the kind. As none of them would state the charge, the accused himself repeated the allegation to the officer, challenged arrest, and finally, beiDg master of the situation, ordered the constable down stairs.

The Argus of Friday last reports the following disgraceful fracas which took place in the Legislative Assembly on the preceding evening :—": — " There was a disreputable scene in the Legislative Assembly yesterday. Mr W. C. Smith was making a personal explanation relative to some statements indulged in with reference to him on the preceding evening by Mr Longmore, in the course of which he denied that he was assaulted at Beaufort in the manner described. Whilst making his remarks, Mr M'Lellan ejaculated something about kicking, and Mr Wilson retorted that he — the Commissioner of Mines — was a mean coward, to which Mr M'Lellan replied that Mr Wilson was a mean coward, and always would be. At [the bidding of the Speaker, Mr Wilson at once withdrew the expression, but the example was not followed by the Commissioner of Mines. Something subsequently took place across the table between the two members, after which Mr Wilson left the Chamber. Mr M'Lellan followed him, and near the library overtook him, and struck him on the ear. Some members of Parliament who were standing by at once interfered, and a further breach of the peace was prevented.

While at Coleraine, an adventure happened to Mr Trollope which should enable him to found a character for his first work on " Reminiscences of Australia" :—: — " A change of horses being required — for he was travelling by coach — he jumped off the coach and ran to ' wet his whistle ' in the Keroit Hotel. Before he had got through that part of the duties of a traveller, a Coleraine celebrity tapped him on the shoulder with a 'How d'ye do. old fellow?' Somewhat astonished at this familiarity in a foreign country, the sojourner intimated his 'impression ' that his new acquaintance had made a mistake. ' Don't you believe it old boy ; that little game won't wash. ' ' Well, where did you first know me ?' 'On the Wimmera, many years ago.' 'You are mistaken, my dear sir ; 1 have not been in the country twelve months.' Vanquished, but not satisfied, the local — for a time at least — ' shut up.' Anthony went to the coach to journey on, and when in the act of ' boarding ' he was again accosted by, ' Your little game won't work. I know. Cuckoo, Cuckoo ! ' • All aboard,' said the driver, and away went the coach. It is only right to add that the gentleman who thus entertained the accomplished sojourner was an acquaintance of the Firebraces, and that he recognised — or thought he did — the features of Mr George Firebrace, and rashly came to the conclusion that Mr Firebrace was travelling to pick up some missing link in the chain of evidence required in the Firebrace trial."

An extraordinary and revolting case occupied the attention of the Melbourne Police Court on May 15. A woman named Elizabeth Miller, described as "a squat, deep jowled woman," charged Charles Wilson, " a diseased- looking over-grown boy," with assault with intent. The woman's story was that she had come from Geelong to seek for her daughter, who had left her and gone away with che prisoner ; that her daughter was a married woman, and that she had fonnd her in the houße with prisoner and his mother. _ She further stated that she had, after an interview with the prisoner and her daughter, left the house where they resided, in company with them both, and that coming over Collingwood Flat the prisoner had, in the presence of her own child, made improper proposals. She refused, and the prisoner then threw her down. She had no evidence to call except her daughter. When her daughter stepped into the witness-box a thrill ran through the Court. She looked a mere child, and said that her mother had stated the truth in saying she was married, but that she had under her mother's compulsion married her own father-in-law, so that " she might get some money on bills ;" that she had afterwardß left her home, and meeting the prisoner in Melbourne had gone to his mother's house, having been previously acquainted with them. It would be impossible to depict in words the expression of the child's face (she is only aged fourteen), while "giving her evidence. She looked at her mother with an utter abhorrence, and the mother looked at her with the j aspect of a wild beast. The girl said that her mother's story of the assault was an titter and baseless fabrication, that Slid W&S with the prisoner and. her mother during the

whole time of the alleged assault,- and that it was only because she would not go away with her that the offence had been laid to the prisoner's charge. The case was dismissed, and the police contemplate other proceedings.

The Adelaide Government state that they do not intend making the submarine cable immediately available. Mr Angus has given notice of motion that communication be opened up with the other colonies for the establishment of a steam service to Port Darwin.

Some of the local journals felicitated the Bendigo Mining Exchange the other day on the extent of the business transacted by the members, who number about three hundred and fifty persons. The amount named was, I think, L 240.000. This is doubtless very good for Sandhurst. 1 have, however, seea the books of a single firm of Melbourne brokers showing transactions for the first four months of the year exceeding L 350.000, and this is but one of several firms transacting extensive business. — JEgles in the Australasian.

Mr James, one of the members for BaUarat East, is desirous of preserving greater decorum among members of Parliament. He seems to think that some of the scenes in the House are traceable to the too frequent habit of " liquoring up." He has, therefore, given notice of a motion having for its object the prevention of the sale of spirituous liquors within the precincts of Parliament houses.