LATE ENGLISH AND AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 470, 25 February 1869, Page 3

LATE ENGLISH AND AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AT ADELAIDE.

MONSTER NUGGET AT DUNNOLLY.

By the Tararua, which arrived at the Bluff on the 28th inst., Australian news to the 15th inst. has been received, and European news to the 12 th of January. A few items have been telegraphed to the West Coast Times. The Duke of Edinburgh, in H.M.S. Galatea, arrived at Adelaide at 9 a.m. on the 15th inst. A monster nugget was found at Black Eeef, Dunnolly, weighing 22680zs lOdwts 14grs smelted gold. The Tasmanian Government have had a claim made on them for the reward for the discovery of gold at Eingal. Particulars to hand give account of the discovery of a rich quartz reef ten miles from Eingal. The reef is from 400 to 600 yards long, and about 10 feet thick. The land has been withdrawn from sale by G-overnment. A close holiday and special service have been held at Sydney, with prayers for rain. The drought has been broken up, and there is rain in abundance. The weather outside the Heads has been very boisterous, and has greatly interfered with the shipping. The African goldfields are said to be not so promising. The weather in Victoria is excessively hot, the thermometer standing at 152. The cricket match between Victoria and Tasmania players, was won by the latter in one innings, with 260 runs to spare. Shortly after midnight on Eriday, three men attempted to break into the pavilion on the cricket ground, with the view of stealing the money taken at the gates during the day: The Great Eastern h&s commenced shipping the Atlantic cable, intended to be laid between France and America. One thousand and nine miles are already completed. The Coromandel, from Glasgow to Hong Kong, with coals; has been burnt at sea, near Batavia. Crew saved.

GOLD-MINING IN VICTORIA

From a pamphlet published in Melbourne, wo gather the following intelligence respecting gold-mining:— The goldfields of Victoria now extend westward from Stawell to the Bendoc, on the eastern confines of the Colony, a distance of 350 miles, and from north to south nearly 180 miles. The number of miners employed in 1866, was 73,577; in 1867, 65,857, showing a decrease of 7720. On 31st December, 1867, there were 15,629 Chinese engaged in alluvial, and 47 in quarter mining—being a decrease of

4458 on former year's returns. The following is a statement of the average arningse per man per annum of alluvial quartz miners from 1863 to 1867, and omitting fractions : ALLUVIAL MIKEBS.

These calculations are supposed not to be absolutely correct, as there is little doubt that a much larger quantity of gold is raised in the Colony th\n is recorded in the returns. In 1867 there were 470 steamengines employed in alluvial and 532 in quartz mining, of an aggregate horse-power respectively of 9863 and 9955 tons; number of stamp heads, 5529 ; the total value of the machinery being £2,079,185 ; the estimated value for each district being—Ballarat, £713,775 ; Beechworth, £246,607; Sandhurst, £421,150 ; Maryborough, £211,500 • Castlemaine, £254,805 ; Ararat, £110,558; Gipps Land, £120,800. In 1867, 2381 auriferous quartz reefs had been opened, and 86S£ square miles of auriferous ground worked more or less.

MURDER AND SUICIDE IN VICTOEIA. A horrible murder and suicide occurred at Spring Creek some time between Thursday night and Ericlay morning, the 28th and 29th January. The few particulars which are to hand were brought down hy a passenger by next night's coach, and are as follows: —A woman named Thompson, understood to be married person living apart from her husband, arrived at Spring Creek some time ago from Bullock Creek in Bendigo district, and established herself in a shanty. On Thursday evening, a miner from Bullock Creek, with whom the woman is supposed to have been living when there, reached Spring Creek in search of her, and succeeded in finding her house. _ A quarrel ensued, which lasted into the night, one chief cause of it appearing to be the alleged burning down of a hut at Bullock Creek by one of the disputants. About two or three o'clock in the morning screams were heard to issue from the shanty, and the man was seen to run out of it, but being observed by some persons passing by, he returned and went inside. Suspicion having been aroused, the shanty was visited after a time, when a truly ghastly spectacle presented itself to the visitors. On one side of the shanty the woman Thompson lay with her throat cut, almost to the extent of severing her head from her body, and on the other side lay the man with his throat cut also. Both were dead, and the miserable hovel was drenched with blood. Between five and six in the morning, the news having spread along the creek, there was considerable commotion among the inhabitants, and many persons were assembled at the scene of the tragedy when the daily coach started for town. Further particulars, and some account of the antecedents of the unhappy couple, will no doubt be elicited at the inquest upon their remains.

Earnings Year. Numbers. per Man. 1863 . .. .,. 76,343 ... £59 7 10 1864 . 67,982 ... 61 6 0 1865 . 65,484 ... 66 16 3 1866 . 57,892 ... 66 4 1 1867 . 51,719 ... QTXARTZ MINERS 67 10 7 1863 . 16,024 ... 123 3 9 1864 . 15,514 ... 130 13 9 1865 ., 17,730 ... 101 10 5 1866 .. .. ... 15,685 ... 132 17 4 1867 .. 14,138 ... 158 U 8