AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 935, 4 March 1872, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

A horrible story was told by a mounted trooper lately at an inquest on a blackfellow named Peter, who had thrown a spear at a settler in Queensland. Peter, after his arrest, tried to escape. The trooper states that when Peter lay on the ground struggling he lucked him twice in the belly. A chain was then attached to the hlackiellow's leg, and having bound him by the chain, walked away. Turning around he saw that the black had broken ofi a bough of the tree. The trooper then armed himself with a thick stick, and beat the blackfellow till he was insensible, and having done this he next took his revolver and shot him dead. Such was the evidence given with the utmost coolness before

a Queensland jury, and they found a verdict of "justifiable homicide !" The miner's strike at Sandhurst has ended, the directors agreeing to pay £2 5s per week. The Harbinger Company, at Wood's Point, obtained a yield of 212 ounces from -150 tons of stuff.

Paxton's claim, at Tambaraora, New South Wales, which old miners say that nothing was ever shown like it, being a regular pillar of gold between the slate casing, lias yielded 4100 ounces of gold from a crushing of 80 tous of quartz —making over £25,000 worth of gold for a fortnight's work. The last year's yield of gold in New South Wales amounted to 296.928 'ounces, which is nearly 100,000 ounces, jover the yield of the previous year. I From Sydney we learn that Coriporal Markham of the Marines died jofa wound from a poisoned arrow at the late unaccountable attack of Santa -Cruz by 11.M.5. Ilosario. : An old Waterloo soldier, named [John Ingleson aged 87, died recently the Benevolent Asylum at Sandhurst.

Wheat is scarce in Sydney. All Adelaide there is being shipped for England. Speaking of the recent attack of H.M.S. Eosario on Santa Cruz the "Leader " includes an article in these words :—The visit of the Eosario to Cruz has conveyed to the native mind a lesson not soon to be forgotten, and as Bishop Patteson fell a victim to the doings of lawless whites, so may we expect other whites to be made a sacrifice to the ignorance and inhumanity of the commander of the Eosario. Ten candidates for the industrial schools 'or reformatories came before the Sandridge bench in one day, seven of which were passed. The cause was attributed to the drunkenness of one ro both parents. The ship Stonehouse, which lately arrived in Melbourne with 4-12 government immigrants, sailed for Hong Kong with the largest number of Chinese passengers that have left Melbourne for a number of years. The following are of the principal returns from among parties engaged at Stockyard Creek : —Narney & Co. 121b. (?) gold, being the result of one day's work for four men. A week's yield was as follows : —Prussians 2640z ■ for eight men : Prospectors 80oz ; Big I Log frloz ; Narney and party (four) 1490z.

Three Germans brothers have established a manufactory for flaonels and blankets at Ilahndorf, South Australia. Eight handlooms, capable of turning out 800 yards per week, will soon be in operation.