INTERCOLONIAL NEWS

West Coast Times, Issue 149, 10 March 1866, Page 7

INTERCOLONIAL NEWS

fllY ELBCTMO TELEGRAPH.] «, . BY THE •' GOTHENBURG." , MELBOURNE. Friday, Feb. 16. Mrßrentof London, formerlyof Sydney, succeeds Mr Bramwell in the management of the London Chartered Bank. The financial statement is to be delivered on Tuesday, and the new tariff will probably be in operation on Wednesday. Several London ships with consignments of soft goods are anxiously looked for. * Steam tugs are ready to meet them as soon as telegraphed from Cape Otway. Business dull. Flour very slow of sale at £20 for country, £21 for town brauds. • Victorian wheat 7s ; 5000 bushels of Ade- * laidc were disposed of at 7s 6d. Maize 5s 6d, in small lots ; more anxiety shown ' . to quit. Oats are quiet at 4s 6d to ss, but •> sales arc reported at 4s 3d. Malt is de- *"%. cidedly firmer ; sales at 12s. Coarse salt at[j£4. Guinness' stout at 11s. A private letter has been received unsatisfactory as to Mr Edward Wilson's health. * i ADELAIDE. *" Friday, Feb. 16. News from Lake Hope -speaks of very heavy rains and floods. One man died from the effects of wounds received in the late encounter with the blacks. The Government have not decided as to what course they will adopt with regard to Mr Finnis and the Northern Territory. • No change in corn market. Last sales of wheat at 7s 3d; holders ask 73 Gd. v Quotations in flour unaltered. Saturday, Feb. 17. A grain speculator is in the market buying .up all Adelaide wheat that he can secure at 7s 6d. Friday, Feb. 23. Massrs Andrews, Kay, and Letchford have been appointed a commissioner to ,W inquire into the working of the Real Pro- ' perty Act. The Customs Act is to be altered so as to allow drawback on goods exported from the Colony by way of the River Murray. There is nothing new in the corn market. Prices of wheat and flour are almost nominal. A sale of wheat is reported at 7s4jd. There is an increase in the revenue for the year 1865 over 1864 of £332,000. The general census will be taken on Snnday, 26th March. Feb. 24. The branch mail steamer Alexandria will leave at eight o'clock on Sunday morning for King George's Sound. The S. A. Advertiser says that on the news arriving hero of Mr Bramwell's appointment to the managership of the London branch of the National Bank, great .disapprobation was evinced, and a large number of shares were thrown into the market. A gentleman who has arrived here from Nicol Bay is purchasing sheep for that settlement. The Telegraph of this evening gives currency to a rumour that Lieut.-Coi. will be offered the appointment of Collector of customs for the port of Adelaide, Captain Douglas still retaining the office of president of the Marine Board. SYDNEY. Saturday, Feb. 18. The s.s. Erl King arrived from Melbourne at 1 1 last night. In steaming up the harbour,. Captain Pinel cautioned the pilot several times about the high speed at' which the vessel was going, lie, however, neglected the caution, and shortly afterwards the vessel went ashore at Dawes' Point with a tremendous shock. At first it was thought that the masts would go, the concussion being so great. The tide was falling at the time ; and, as the vessel was in great danger of capsizing, the passengers were sent ashore in boats. She floated at high water, and was taken to the Fitzroy Dock for examination. ,->a' small parcel of Adelaide wheat was sold to-day at Bs. Californian and Chilian wheat was sold, in small lots, at Bs. There s no Adelaide flouri 11 the market at present. Small lots of Californian and Chilian were disposed of at £20 to £21 per ton. Thursday, Feb. 22. 1 A provisional directory of the English, Australian, and New Zealand Insurance Company was formed to-day, consisting of Mr Arnold, Speaker of the Assembly, and six influential merchants. Operations are to commence forthwith. The Victorian Government has invited ours to a conference on the subject of the English mail contract, with a view to ending that now existing. A rumor is current that the long missing Benjamin Boyd, supposed to have been killed in the South Seas, is still alive. Messrs. Threlkeld and Co. report selling by auction the Victor's cargo of Bourbon sugar. Crystals realised, £42 10s to £43 ; white counters, £40 ; light counters, £38 ; yellow counters, £37 to £38 ; low counters, £31 to £32 103. ; ration, £29. Also, Mary and Edith's entire cargo ,/of 600 tons Chilian breadstuffs for export S to foreign market. At the produce sales to-day, tallow sold rather better; £51 was refused for best beef, mutton in demand at £54; eztra heavy hides 18s. Breadstuffs unaltered. ' Friday, Feb. 23. ' To-day's wool sales have been much firmer, and prices show a slight improvement. Fleece brought 15$ dto 21£ d; greasy, 9d to lOfd ; scoured, 15|d to 19|d. An investigation is now going on respetcing the stranding of the steamer Erl King.* Mr Laycock, member for the Clarence, purposes resigning his seat, to make a vacancy for Mr Robertson, ex-Minister for Lands. In the Assembly to-day the Colonial Secretary stated that only £14,000 worth of the Colony's debentures were sold in London during November. The price obtained was £90. 1 In. thfc Supreme Court Caston v. Westlake was tried, bringing up a question of -'whethifr damage to a cargo of Adelaide flour was occasioned by stress of weather. Verdict for defendant. Business is better. Maize is lower. Wheat, 7s to 8b 3d per bushel. Mackenzie's Scotch whiskey is enquired for ; sales Igt 8s 6d ; Preston's, 9s. Sugars are easier. declined 10s ft chest, Hyacinth's

cargo is advertised for auction to-morrow, and will indicate current quotations. Saturday, Feb. 24. Pilot Jenkins has been dismissed, for running the Erl King ashore. The Prospero and Melrose, from Chirm, bring 573,0001 b. of tea. Private letters by the mail announce that Dr Waddelan has been appointed the new bishop of Grafton. The City of Hobart has put back, through stress of weather. A fair amount of business has been done this week. Brandy has been sold in large quantities at from 6s 9d to 7s 2d per gallon. Teas are declining, owing to the number of arrivals lately, and the cargoes still looked for. No change has taken place in the price of rum, although speculators are anxious to invest under market rates. Flour and wheat are depressed, j Ale in bulk is very firm, as old lots are nearly all gone. Tobacco is easier. Oilmen's stores and provisions are scarce, and in brisk demand. The Melrose, from Foo-Chow-Foo brings 1,710 chests, 3,229 half -chests, and 3,382 boxes of tea ; and the Prospero, from the same port, has a cargo of 300 tons of tea.

BY THE " ALBION." Sydney, Monday, February 26. The Governor left Braidwood to-day, and will arrive hero via the Clyde River to-morrow. Clarke, Berriman, and three others, robbed two stores at Aralucn during Friday night. Berriman was afterwards captured by the police, and a portion of the plunder found on him ; but the remainder of the gang came up, rescued him, and carried off the ar^ius of the police. Bertrand, since his conviction, has sent for a Roman Catholic priest, and professed himself a member of that faith. He strongly asserts his innocence. Dunn's execution will likely take place next week. The appointment of local commissioners to aid the Paris Exhibition is contradicted. Small sales of brandy at 7s. 3d. to 7s. 4d. are reported. Kartell's is held for higher rates. Whisky is very firm. Maize, steady, with a slight export demand. Tuesday, February 27. In the Assembly, to-day, the Government stated its intention to introduce a new financial measure, embodying ad valorem and package duties. The Postmaster Generalship will bo continued as a political office, with a seat in the Assembly instead of in the Upper House as at present. Mr Wells, the present Under-Secro-tary for the Treasury, retires on a superannuation allowance. Mr Lane, late Commissioner of Stamps, whose office is abolished, rerumes his former office as Mr Wells' successor. Arrangements are being made to inaugurate Prince Albert's statue on Easter Monday. Two armed men stuck up Martin's public-house atDargo, yesterday, and took all the moneys and arms in the house. The Lyster Opera Company return here from Tasmania next week, and will open about a mouth hence. The Falcon brings one day's later Auckland papers. The news is quite unimportant. Maize is 4s. to 4s. 3d. Wednesday, March 28. The Governor returned from Braidwood to-day, and attended a meeting of the Executive, at which it was decided to allow the law to take its course in the cases of Dunn and Bertrand. Jackson, who was convicted of sending a threatening letter to the latter was pardoned ; and Captain Robinson's sen tence of death commuted to ten years on the roads. In the Assembly, the Treasurer stated his intention to make his financial statement to-morrow. The new Estimates were laid on the table, and show considerable increase on those the late Government proposed. That on expenditure |is L 36,225 higher, and on loan L 92.500. Gross increase, L 123,725 from Estimates, including loan account, L 2,733,245, against L 2,004,644 lust year. The state-aid party in the Assembly propose bringing forward a bill to reestablish state aid in country districts, and in all towns not containing a thousand inhabitants, Wilson's Mammoth Circus arrived to-day from Auckland, and will open on Saturday evening. The party of bushrangers who robbed Martin's Hotel, robbed a number of passengers on the Southern road yesterday. The next mail for England, via Torres Straits, will not leave Brisbane before the 6th April. Sugars are firm. Company's quotation and snowdrops, #18 ; crystals, £45 ; No. I pieces, £43 ; yellow, .£3B ; No. 3, £-34. Thursday, March 1. In the Supreme Court, the Brown v. Hunter River Steam Company collision case has been finished. Verdict for the defendants. In the case of Kilworthy y. Harwood, crim. con. case, the verdict is for the plaintiff; damages, £200. B The wool sales were well attended to-day. Greasy wools were neglected, but good samples of well-grown fleece were slightly higher, and in brisk demand. Fleeco brought 12d to 10f d ; greasy, 6|d to 9d ; scoured, 9£d. The escorts have brought in 2,666 oz. of gold. In the Assembly tli3 Treasurer made his financial statement. He estimates the revenue for the current year at L 2,084, 5 1 1. Last year left a deficit of L 2,671. This year is expected to leavo a surplus of 1449,094.

Last night the House decided by a majority of three to go into committee on an address to the Governor, praying him to place L 28,000 on the Estimates towonls defraying the expenses of religion. Maize is steady ; wheat, 8s Gd coffeo lower. The Persia cleared for London, with 3,625 bales of wool. Friday, March 2. In the Assembly, to-day, the Triennial Parliaments Bill was discharged from the notice paper. A majority of tho Assembly have determined on reducing tho salaries of all officials over three hundred pounds. Mail robberies are becoming more rife, Clarke's gang continuing their career with impunity in tho southern districts. An investigation is now proceeding respecting the alleged cowardice of the police on the occasion of last meeting with tho bushrangers, when Berriman was rescued. At auction, plantation coffee fetched 11 |d. # J Brandy was easier. Sales of Marrian's 3 ale at £7 10s. S Adelaide flour, £22 ; wheat, 8s 6d ; I buyers still holding back. Brisbane, Feb. 26. The Hon. John Ellis, squatter, of Barcoo, tho son of Lord Howard do Walden, has been elected for tho Mitchell district, over Mr Fairfax. Arrived.— Mary Lawson and Legion of Honour, from London. Feb. 27. The experiment of running a mail steamer by this route has proved highly satisfactory. Tho Souchays arrived at Batavia on the 30th of January, in time to answer the mail steamer from Singapore, the passage only occupying eighteen days. Captain Black was feted, and received the most flattering attention at Batavia. Tho vessel was exempted from port \ dues, and coal is to bo supplied to her ] ] there at cost price, which will be equal \ to Newcastle prices. , , She sailed from Batavia on the 6th ] instant ; from Port Albany on the 17th, ' and from Port Donison on the 22nd. i ! She had unfavorable weather during most of the time. Mahoh, 1. The immigrant ship Sultana, previously referred to in our telegrams, has arrived safely at Hervey's Bay. Seventyseven deaths occurred during tho passago, and sickness is still prevalent on board. At Brisbane to-day was observed as a holiday. Tho shops were closed, and tho eight-hours' men made a great demonstration, marching through the streets in procession. Tho departure of the Souohays (or Batavia has been postponed till the 6th i April. A general average has been struck on the Mary Lawson's cargo. She lost her deck load, and sustained other damage. The Contest, from Adelaide, brings 3,725 bags of flour. ADELAIDE. Monday, Feb. 26. Tho mail steamer sailed on Sunday morning. Mr Davenport has refused to act on the Northern Territory Commission, and Mr Goodo has been appointed in his place. Mr Finniss is talked of as Collector of Customs, Mr Douglass taking the Presidency of the Marine Board. No business is doing. Millers wou cl give 7s 3d for wheat, but there are no sellers. Flour is nearly unsaleable at £17 10s to £19 Supreme Court writs have been issued against Mr John Baker and others, on tho subject of the annual leases which wore sold by auction lately. Tuesday, Feb 37. Mr Baker's motion for tho appointment of a committee of inquiry into the working of the Crown Lands Department aud the Immigration Department is now under discussion in the Legislative Council. Business is at a stand still. No wheat offering. Millers would give 7s. 4d. Flour LI 7 10stoL19. Arrived. — Reindeer, from Puget Sound with 6G9,000ft. timber. Wednesday, Feb. 28. Mr Baker's motion, for the appointment of a committee of inquiry into the working of the Crown Lands Department, was withdrawn, on the understanding that it is to be introduced in the commencement of next session. The resolution has been passed affirming the desirability of granting drawback on goods exported by way of tho River Murray, and on articles of colonial growth in the manufacture of which sugar is used. The bill was read a first time. The markets are unaltered. Farmers will not soil wheat at present rate, via., 7s 4d. Flour is Ll7 5s to LI 9. Thursday, March 1. The Northern Territory Commission commences its next sitting to-morrow. The Waste Lands Bill is under discussion in the Legislative Council. There is no change in the corn market. In trade everything is frightfully dull. Leave has been given to the Assembly to introduce a bill to repeal the act authorising the sale of the railways. Sales of wheat were made to-day at 7ssdper bushel. In the Assembly this afternoon an amendment, giving the squatters the option of receiving a remission of their rent or an extension of their lease, was agreed to by a majority of thirteen,

Friday, March 2. A bill has boon passed for paj ment of the Imperial troops. Dr Montgomery, an old colonist, was thrown from his buggy, yesterday, and killed. The Blackwall is loading horses for Madras. Breadstuffs unaltered.