LATE AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 445, 4 January 1869, Page 2

LATE AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Mr William Weaver, formerly engineer-in-chief of the province of Auckland, and inspector-general of telegraphs of New Zealand, was found dead at the Victoria Hotel. Geolong, on the morning of thu 18th December, 1868. He had been there during the last fortnight on a visit. An inquest was held on the body, and the evidence disclosed the facb that death resulted from an attack of sanguineous apoplexy, and the jury returned a verdict accordingly. Capt. Grossard, father-in-law of Mr Small, solicitor, Melbourne, has been accidentally shot by Mr Grimwade, of the firm of Eelton, Grinnvade and Co., drug importers, Melbourne, while out on a day's sport on Philip Island.

Henry Carter Campbell, said to be the son of a wealthy squatter in New Zealand, has absconded under circumstances of the most discreditable character. He was employed to drive a flock of 700 sheep from Nanguuyah station, N.S.W., to Baechworth. On arriving at Rutherglen, ho vever, he sold 400 of the sheep to a couple of butchers, and disappeared on the Stli inst., leaving the remainder of the flock in the charge of two boys. A warrant will most likely be "issued for bis apprehension. A third case of smallpox has occurred in Melbourne. The person attacked is a girl who lived in the neighborhood of the Immigration Hospital, in which the two poor fellows, Webster and Bessell, died lately—the former from this disease, and the latter acute diarrhea, while laboring under an attack of smallpox.

A most destructive fire occurred last Saturday evening, 12th December, at Carlton, which in less than an hour consumed property to the value of £5,000. The fire began at Madelinehouse, a drapery establishment of considerable extent, at the corner of Madeline and Queeusberry streets, occupied and owned by Mr Edward Cornell.

Captain Stack's third enrolment has not proved so successful as the others, and the contingent of less than thirty men, per Eangitoto, still leaves him considerably less than his required number. Another Customs seizure, says the Australasian, has been made, and in this iuslance, as in the last, the smuggled goods have come from Sydney. Three casks of eggs were opened, and it was discovered that below the first two or three layers the contents were composed entirely of tobacco. The goods were, of course, immediately seized, and lodged in the Queen's warehouse, the quantity of the smuggled tobacco amounting to about 400 pounds. The entries for three casks of eggs were passed by Messrs. Spence Brothers and Co., of Flinders-lane, and in justice to that firm we are happy to state that no colour of fraudulent intent has been discovered in their share of the transaction. A person who, within the last few days, left Melbourne, in the Alhambra, for New Zealand, requested the firm to pass the necessary entries for three casks of eggs and fifteen bags of onions, leaviug at the same time the bill of lading and the payment for freight. Messrs. Spence Brothers are, therefore, in no way connected with the attempted fraud.