AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1024, 22 November 1872, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

VICTORIA. An extraordinary escape from death has been experienced at Ballarat by a laborer named Henry Backhouse. The ' Ballarat Courier ' describes the occurrence in the following manner:—> '■ Backhouse, who lives at Lake Learmonth, had heen indulging in a neighboring ' public' till an early hour yesterday morning, when he started towards his own tent; but on reaching the main road, which intersected his homeward path, he must have fallen down and gone to sleep. Shortly afterWards the night coach from Ballarat to Avoca passed by, or rather over him, and, strange to say, although Backhouse was lying in the middle of the track, none of the horses' hoofs touched him. Nevertheless, although the poor fellow escaped fatal injury, his right ear was torn off by one of tho coach wheels, and his hand was also severely lacerated. Backhouse was brought into Ballarat Hospital yesterday, where the ear was'ampu* tated ' and the other injuries attended to. A Miner's Association has been formed at Stawell, one of the objects of which is to secure tho adoption of the eight-hours' system in the mines of the district. The body found in the Tarra at Collingwood, with tho hands and feet

tied, has been identified as that of Eohraim Myles Shelley, brother of Mr W. Shelley, the Mayor of Eichmond. A most lamentable part of the epritist business now reigning in Melbourne is (says the ' Courier) that a promising young man, who held a good appointment under Government, has not only lost his situation, but gone raving mad, and is now in the Yarra Bend Asylum, where ho had to be removed by his friends. It is not all plain sailing, however, with those in the " inner circle," as one section of the " faithful," under Nayler, denounce James Smith and his section, as arrant humbugs and imposters, whilst Mr Smith avers that his is the only true gospel, and that Naylor is a rank duller. What a pretty lot. SYDNEY. November, 9. Parliament was opened on the sth instant. The border duties and mail service are to be remitted to a conference. Mr Parkes has sent a lengthy protest to the English Government against Victoria assuming the right to dictate that Melbourne shall bo the terminus of the Suez service. Mr Francis replies that Victoria will uot enter into any arrangement by which Melbourne is not the terminus. Layton, the accountant at the Treasury, has been remanded on a charge of embezzlement. Hume, the pardoned prisonßr, who was sent to search for Leichardt, reports a splendid pastoral country west of the Port Darwin Telegraph Line, with a lake 70 miles long, well stocked with fish. Greasy wool, dull; fleece, 2s Id. Much was bought in at the sales. A butcher at Charter's Towers was mobbed by diggers, and shot three of them. He been arrested and committed for trial. There have been large diamond finds at Oberon. Large shipments of Queensland sugars have arrived at Melbourne. The Permissive and Divorce Bills have passed thorough Committee. McLeven and crew have been discharged re the Nakalulu massacre, as no interpreter could be obtained. The grand telegraph banquet will be held on the 14th inst, when there will be instantaneous communication with London. News from Fiji states that there is an agitation among the settlers to reduce the Government expenditure. Peckham, a planter, has been fined £l5O for receiviug a number of Kidnapped islanders from the Florida schooner. TASMANIA. Mr Times has been sworn in as Treasurer and Premier, Mr Wilson, late Colonial Secretary, will be President of the Council. ADELAIDE. Mauritius sugar is established at an advance of £1 per ton. Sales of greasy wool have heed effected at 9jd. per lb. Mooufa shares are advancing; comsacks scarce. Mr Fergusson, the Governor's brother, will represent the colony at the intercolonial cricket match at Melbourne. BRISBANE. The Government calls for tenders for a new loan of half a million at 4 per cent. The special constables at Charter's Towers have been roughly handled by the diggers.