AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 933, 29 February 1872, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

The Menere gun carriage will be put to a greater test than was at first proposed. The Government have sent to Fulton's new foundry, at Mr Menere'a desire, an 80-pounder of Armstrong's patten, rifle bore. At first they proposed to mount a 68pounder. Mr John Valentine has ably drafted out the working plans under Mr Menere's directions. The gun will be built at the Melbourne foundry, and taken to Williamstown for trial, it is expected, in about three weeks. The timber used will be blackwood, and the elevating carriage built on Mr Menere's new pattern of a triangle, so that, if injured by firing or other cause, it can be quickly repaired. The four parallel guides will be iron instead of wood, as first proposed, and the base of the descending carriage cushioned with, indiarubber buffers.

We " Melbourne Age " have been informed that one of the leading firms in town bought by sample, a quantity of fine wheat for shipment to England. Each bag was sampled, and the bulk was approved of. The bass holding the wheat were too old for shipment, and it was necessary to turn the wheat into new bags. While tbis was being done, it was discovered that the centre of the bags was filled up with rubbish and shrivelled wheat fit only for fowls food. None, we are sure, will bo louder in condemning such a practice than the farmers generally of the colony, and it is a pity that the delinquent's name has not been published.

No less tban 133 applications for the vacant post of secretary to the Alfred Hospital have been sent in to the managers. The applications are from all grades of society, including clergymen, ex-military men, ex-bank managers, civil servants, and the oi polloi usually to the front on such occasions. The number has been reduced to fifteen, from whence the election will bave to be made by the committee.

The Model Lodging-house Company, Melbourne, offer a premium of twenty guineas for the most approved design for a building to accommodate 200 lodgers. The " Courier " states that several parties of working men are now forming in Ballarat to tender for small sections. Some of the parties, if successful, intend to adopt the co-operative system—that is, to work together for their own benefit, instead of, as under the old principle, doing all the hard work whilst the capitalist tenderer for railway works has carried off all the p refits. A man named Thomas Hunt, while engaged at killing sheep at the meat preserving works at Boileau, February Ist, suddeuly fell -down dead. A man named Chr.rles Baird has been arrested, near Broadford, on suspicion of having brutally murdered a woman at the Dry Creek, nearKilmore, 12 month sago. Rabbits are extending to the mining districts. At the Big-hill, Pleasant Creek, they are to be found among the claims that are being worked. At the Alexandra hospital, Melbourne, there is but one patient, an old man known by the sobriquet of Old Daddy. He states that he came to the colony with Batman, and was here before Fawkner.

A correspondent informs us (Melbourne " Age "), in reference to the Tichborne case, that in October, 1859, a person calling himself Tom de Castro occupied a shop in Bay-street, Brighton, and carried on business ; he was about five feet eleven inches in height, dark, and appeared to be a Frenchman, although he was not known to speak the language. He did not remain long in Brighton, and on his departure sold to his landlord (Mr G-ibbs, three pictures that he valued very highly, saving he. could not carry them up the country with him. John Smith* convicted at Beechworth of assault with intent, was sentenced to three years' hard labor, with three floggings of twenty-five lashes each. The Earl of Belmore will leave his colony without a Parliament and without supplies, and with a border quarrel which may lead to very serious complications. The imbroglio was

perfectly preventive; the ordinary constitutional course would have removed all difficulties, so that the deadlock iu the Governor's owu handiwork. No lesß than seven peraons were taken to the city watchbouse yesterday in the course of a few hours, suffering from delirium tremena. They were remanded to the gaol for medical treatment. A sailor, goaded to anger by a Melbourne police court attorney, made use of a hanty expression, and was committed for 18 hours because he had been betrayed into a " contempt of court. The man of law, after badgering his victim, eatd, " I'm not fully instructed." " No!". retorted the oilier. " I'm " (naughty word) "if you are !" This was the contempt. It was this contemptuous sailor who, the other day, undertook a kindly duty which everyone else neglected. Although only a visitor to the port he collected over 100 guineas for the widow of Pilot Hansen, who was killed by. lightning on the deck of his (the sailor's) ship, a few weeks ago.