AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 881, 31 October 1871, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

The schooner Hercules arrived at Sydney on Oct. 18th from Timaru, having lost her mainmast, jibbnom, and sustained considerable i.hher damage, during a gale of wind "near tie coast of New Zeahwrd. The sailed on the 28th Sept., and when "300 miles

off the coast a south-west gale commenced, with a terrific sea, which threw her on her beam ends, while the sea swept after the vessel with such force as to wash her hatchways off, and in consequence a considerable quantity of water found its way into her hold. The schooner was expected to founder, and as the only means of saving the lives of those on board, the crew cut away the mainmast, and it was lost with all the sail attached. The vessel then righted herself, but was leaking so badly as to necessitate the constant working of the pumps throughout the remainder of the voyage. The gale lasted for three days and afterwards strong breezes prevailed. The residence of the Sisters Zavistowski, in Nicholson-street, Fitzroy, Melbourne* was rob bed on the 14thinst. while they were performing at the Theatre Royal. The glass of the front window was cut in such a way as to allow of the latch being pushed aside so tiiat the sash could be easily raised from the outside. Jewellery, consisting of watches, chains, rings, &c, to the value of about £3OO was taken. The ketch Collingwood from Sydney to Newcastle narrowly escaped foundering during a heavy gale. When off Redhead the sea was so heavy that Captain Demon was afraid she would go down, and threw a quantity of his cargo overboard, consisting of Oregon pine, which was afterwards washed ashore between Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, causing the public to fear that some vessel had been lost on the coast. The proposal to grant a gratuity to Lady Palmer has been negatived. The Victoria Assembly have passed the Estimates, and the Appropriation Act was to have been introduced on the 24th.

The Australiaa Meat Preserving Company have resolved to wind up. A. meeting of the Bar was held to protest against a barrister touting for practice. The Attorney-General occupied the chair. The charge of perjury against Ushen has been postponed in consequence of death in the family of one of the jurors. The market closed quiet; sugars are firmer, and tea is improving; kerosene sold at Is lOj. ; feeding grains are easier. A man, named Hawkey, at Tomerong, in the Shoalhaven, was shot at by his own daughter, on the ICth instant. The man is not dead, but seriously wounded. The girl is in custody. On the 7th instant, a young man, named Patrick Flynn, was washed off his horse and drowned while crossing the Bangor Creek, just above its junction with the Endrick River. On the 15th instant, an infant child, named Christie, was saved from being crushed to death at Newcastle by the courage and presence of mind of an engine driver. The child was snatched from under the wheels of the train at the Newcastle terminus. A lode has been struck at luverell by Swanson's party on ground opposite the Ellesmere tin mine; the Cornish miners there Bay it is very rich. A distinguished Russian naturalist, M. Von Machy, has arrived at the Samoan group in the Russian ship Vitias, on his way to New Guinea. The dead body of a man named Martin Maloney, was found in the waters of the Sydney Cove on the 13th inst.

At Wagga Wagga an unfortunate old man named William Blyth, was refused admission into the hospital, and died shortly afterwards. Last Thursday week, a terrific hailstorm burst over the neighbourhood of Junee, near Wagga Wagga. The hailstoues are said to have been the size of pigeons' eggs, and to have covered the ground for some time like snow to the depth of several inches. A large vicious, short-legged animal —probably a species of a wombat — was recently killed at Uriara, near Queanbeyan. The body is iu possession of Mr Wright, who intends to forward the skin to the Australian Museum. A similar animal (the large wombat, or Platyrhinus) was also killed, a few days ago, in Webb's Creek, and after having been exhibited at Windsor, the carcaße has been sent on to Sydney. The weight of this last described "Yahoo, or Debil Debil," is about 100 lbs. On the 14th instant, a man, named Samuel John Butler, was pitched out of a dogcart, in George street South, and killed. On Sunday, the Isth instant, the heat all day was fearfully oppressive in Sydney. A man, named William Chandler, of Kyde, had a sun-stroke, as he was passing through Balraain, and narrowly escaped death. The Chief Justice has publicly stated that there is a decrease of crime in the Southern districts. The crime of bushranging, he says, is now almost unknown, owing to the severe sentences passed on this class of criminals, and the determination of the Government to put down those grevious offences. Mr Macnab, the Sydney diver, was unfortunately drowned in Torres Straits, on the 6th of July last. Mr Anthony Trollope arrived at Mudgee from Bathurst on the 13th instant, and visited Gulgong on Saturday last. On the 14th he left Mudgee for Forbes. The Rev: Joseph Charles Summer, Dean of St, Mary's Cathedral, ah aged and much respected clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church, died at Subiaeo, near Parramatta, on Tuesday

morning, the 17th instant. This gentleman was in the 72nd year of his age, and the 35th of his priesthood, having first come out t-> this colony in 1835. The opinon of the Royal Agricultural Society of England respecting the Point System of Judging has been solicited by the New South "Wales Society. The New South "Wales Government intend at once to bring in a measure for dealing with the waste lands of the colony. Our " Permanent Defence Force" is making a Satisfactory progress. Artillery and infantry amount to 206 men. At Mudgee on the lGth instant, two brothers, Hall and Moore, were committed for trial for stealing forty-one head of cattle from Rand and Chapman's station, on the Macquarie. The cattle were sold to a Mudgee butcher The prisoners were arrested at Collie by Sergeant Webb. The first patient admitted into the Gulgong hospital on, the Isth instant, was an old man, with both legs broken by falling down a shaft ninety feet deep. The City Council of Sydney has passed a very salutary by-law against indecent placards.