LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 514, 8 June 1869, Page 3

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

By the s.s. Alhambra news Las been received from Victoria to the 2Stli ult., from New South Wales and South Australia to the 27th. and from Tasmania to the 26th. The following are some of the more interesting items : VICTOEIA.

The police have very conclusive evidence that a man named Frederick Weigart, who has been sent from Sydney on suspicion of being implicated in the murder of the woman Bridget Maria Lynch, is one of the parties concerned in that atrocious affair. A shipmate of Weigart was heard to remark, on the arrival of the barque Sussex at Newcastle, that the latter could not sleep, aud appeared in a state of mental disquietude. He was brought before the local bench immediately upon his arrest, and remanded to Melbourne. Weigart and Thomas Daly have both been committed for trial for this murder.

Hugo Levingcr was brought before the City Court, this time on a charge of being about to break his bail, aud abscond before his trial on a charge of murdering three natives of Polynesia. The reason of his arrest was a* belief that he would abscond immediately on hearing that Captain Howell and a South Sea Islander, named Rangi, had been sentenced to death for thenshare in the same crime for which Levingcr was about to be tried. He was sent to gaol to await his trial.

Large nuggets still occasionally turn up when least expected. The Koh-i-noor Company, Ballarat, have obtained a nugget weighing lOSozs. A rather unusual ease of " treasure trove " occurred at Avoca very lately. A workman employed by the New Holland Company, while crossing the paddock enclosing the company's lease, picked up a chamois leather bag, which, on being opened, was found to contain a very respectable number of golden sovereigns. One or two of the oldest inhabitants of Avoca, it is said, remember, about twelve or thirteen years ago, that a miner complained of losing a large sum of money near the spot referred to. It is now said that Air Butters will not take his seat unless he is introduced, and that he has been making overtures to several leading men on both sides of the House for that purpose. Mr Jones tcok his seat without introduction.

The Constitutional party has been reorganised, and Mr Fellows has been appointed leader. The quarterly returns estimated the population of Victoria at G90,000. Hughes, the second best billiardplayer in England, has arrived in Melbourne, and intends playing a scries of matches.

According to the Castlcmaine "Daily News," a journeyman painter ofthat town, named Duncan Leonard, lias just come into a legacy of .£20,00(\ by the death of a distant relative in Scotland.

Mr Yale has resigned his portfolio as Minister of Trade" and Customs in the Victorian Parliament.

NEW SOUTH WALES. Judge Cheek has sentenced a man named Turnith to seven days' imprisonment for bigamy. M'Plicrson is the name of a Customs clerk at Newcastle who disappeared a day or two ago. The Auckland, steamer, has arrived from Cleveland Lay, with dates to the 12th hist. The brings ISOOozs ol gold, and reports that there is a great rush to the Gilbert goldfields. The diggers are making from £3 to £2O per man weekly in alluvial sinking. News has been received of the robbery of the Townsvillo mail. The letters were burnt. A destructive fire bns occurred at Suiell's Hotel, Pegentville, near Penrith, by which a great deal of property was destroyed. The origin of the lire is unknown.

Captain Vino Hall, late manager of lie Panama and New Zealand Steam Navigation Company, was a passenger by the Alexandra to Melbourne. The Auckland, s.s., has sailed for the lownsville diggings, with seventy diggers who have returned from the Cape of Good Mope. An unsuccessful attempt has been made to shoot a boy named Knox, the child of Mr Knox, the magistrate, of Haitian d. The cause of the cowardly act is at present a mystery. A nugget, weighing seven pounds, and also a number of smaller nuggets amounting to the same total weight, have been found at the Ophir in the Orange district. Advices have been received from the Imperial Government to the effect that Sydney is to be made the headquarters of the 14th Regiment, but that the staff at present stationed in Melbourne will remain there. The extension of the Great South, em Railway from Marulan to Goulbiirn was opened by Earl Belmore with great eclat.

QUEENSLAND. Mr Daintrce, the Government geologist, has officially reported the existence of a payable goldfield at the Gilbert. He states that it extends over a considerable area.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA,

Charges are about to be made, before the Bishop, against several members of the clergy, for ritualistic and heretical preaching ; and in the event of his Lordship declining to fake any steps in the matter, legal Proceedings will be instituted against we offenders.

TASMANIA. The whaler Sapphire has arrived, with fifteen and a half tons of oil. She reports having spoken the Derwent Hunter, at Cape Northumberland, with twenty-two tons; the Louisa, with fourteen; the Runnyniede, with fourteen; the Planter, with fifteen; and the Zephyr, with six and a half tons. The City of Hobart, which had arrived, had spoken with the Victoria whaling brig with eighteen tons of oil on board. She was fast to a large whale, which she lost in the night. It was picked up next day by an American whaler, which had been seven months out without ever having cast anchor. Mr Snowball is prosecuting inquiries respecting the Tasmanian coalfields on behalf of a projected Melbourne \ company. ' j