LATE AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 461, 4 February 1869, Page 3

LATE AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

A cyclone has passed over Grafton, and swept away All Saints' Church. Several barns and other buildings are much damaged. The maize crop is greatly injured. The wreck of the ship Australian, bound from Sydney to London, inflicts a loss of about £30,000 on the local insurance offices. Greville, manager of the Joint-stock Bank at Forbes, has been remanded to that place, on a charge of embezzling .£IOOO. The evidence before the committee, sitting at Sydney, On the alleged Fenian conspiracy shows that official circulars were sent by the New South Wales Government, to the other Colonial Governments, asserting the existence of such a conspiracy, and asking them toco-operate foritssuppression. It is disclosed that a man named Benedict was despatched to Ballarat to watch the Fenian brotherhood said to be there, and that he frequented " the Corner " for that purpose. The witness says that he attended the Weslevan Church, Lydiard-street, in company with one of the conspirators. The committee adjourned for a week. The South Australian harvest is so good that a day of thanksgiving has been appointed to be held in all churches throughout the colony. Great preparations are being made fora grand racedaywhicb.itisproposed to hold at Adelaide during the visit of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. A despatch has been received by the Government of South Australia from the Duke of Buckingham, in which the colony is specially requested not to expend any more of the public revenue on account of the second visit of the Duke of Edinburgh.