VICTORIA.

West Coast Times, Issue 351, 7 November 1866, Page 3

VICTORIA.

(fKOM THE MELBOURNE PAPERS ) A suicide, attended by circumstances of a very shocking nature, occurred at Echuca on the 19th ult , a man named Dugald Campbell, a shipwright, who hns been resident in Echuca for the past two years, having put an end to his existence. " From what we have been abie to learn of the sad affair," s.iys the " Riverine Herald," " Campbell had been drinking somewhat heavily lately, and yesterday «iorning left his home, returning at a still early hour. He had a few words with his wife, and subsequently shot himself. Death was not instantaneous; and Dr Cross' n was called in and did his utmost to preserve life, but without avail, Campbell dying at half-past three o'clock in the afternoon We believe that he made a statement to the effect that the catastrophe was due to accident, but his wife states thas this was not the

case. He was sober. Campbell was known as an industrious workman, and a quiet, well-behaved man.' 1 The CekstiuLs of Emerald Hill claim for their Temple of Joss the same privileges as are extended to churches : that is, they claim exemption from rates. The justices of the hill, however, doubt whether a josshouse is a '' place of worship" within the meaning of the act. We hear that the point has been referred to Mr Higinbotham. We have no doubt that that honorable and learned gentleman will weigh the question well before lie gives a decision, and we feel pretty confident that lie will decide in favor of Joss, simply because the act leaves him no alternative. But is it not rather a startling proof that any sort of state ate aid religion isindefensible, when we find ourselves compelled to patronise and support the heathen and barbarous superstitions of the Chinese ? 11 Considerable merriment was caused at the meeting of the subcommittee of the Anglers' Society on Tuesday," remarks the " Geelong Advertiser/ " by the reading of a tender, written in a lady's hand offering to undertake the office of water bailiff, if the sockty would lend the fair writer, who stated she was a good hand at fishing, a buggy and pair once a week. The applicant stated she would call upon the president during the week to see if her tender was accepted, when it is <o be hoped that that gallant gentleman will treat her ten-der-\y."" "As Constable Bradley was passing along Pegleg road, Eaglehawk, on Saturday last," says the " Bendigo Independent," "his attention was drawn by screams in the direction of the Market reserve, and on running to the t-pot he found th it two children had, in cr.>ssinsj some old workings there, fallen i.ito a bed of sludge. The constable at once rushed in to endeavor to rescue them, at the imminent risk -of being himself swallowed up, and succeeded in dragging them to land. A delay of one minute would have been death to hoth the children, who owe their lives to Biadley's courage and prompitude. The constable after having saved the children was unable to extricate himself, and had to be pulled out by a man who came to his assistance." A meeting of the friends of Mr James Harrison (late proprietor of the " Ge< long Advertiser ) took place on the 25th ult., at the Town Hall, Geelong, for the purpose of presenting him with a testimonial, prior to his departure from Geelong. Mr Johnston, the iniiyor, who presid< d. read an address, and afterwards presented it to Mr llairison, together with a purse containing 100 sovereigns. Mr Harrison very feelingly acknowledgid the compliment. Jt is understood that Mr Harrison will in fu f ure be identified with a leading Melbourne weekly journal. Au inquest was held by the district coroner on the 20th ult , at Sunbury, in view of the body of Henry Edward Dennis, an ironmonger, twenty-two years of age, who had hem missed from his home since the 7th. From the leading points of the evidence elicited at the enquiry,- it transpired thut the deceased had left his home at Aitken's Gap on the morning of Sunday, the 7th, with the avowed intention of visiting his uncle (a gardener, living at Sunbury), in order to ascertain the. amount of damage caused by the recent floods. The deceased was last seen alive and sober at the store of Mr Barker, on the 7th October, at which date Jackson's Creek was grtatly swollen. Deceased at that time again expressed his determination of going to see his uncle. After this date all clue to his movements was lost, and a subsequent suspicion arose that he had lost his life while endeavoring to cross over the creek, in order to obviate around--about of two or three miles. The body was discovered floating in Jackson's Creek on the 18lh by a platelayer, while in search of timber. A post mortem examination, made by Dr Dougan Bird, showed that no injury had happened tothe skull, no bones were brokeu, nor were there any visible external wounds, but the body wsis in such an advanced stage of decomposition as to prevent any minute observation of the presence of bruises. The j-vry returned a verdict of " Found drowned without any marks of violence."

Coaches.