LATE TELEGRAMS.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1152, 20 February 1874, Page 4

LATE TELEGRAMS.

MELBOURNE. February 7. The Governor, after an absence of more than a week, has returned to town, having explored the Gipps Land district, in company with the Minister of Lands. Bishop Perry proceeds to England next mail. He intends to resign his episcopate. The Church Assembly has constituted the colony a province, and has raised the Bishop's stipend to £2OOO a year. Terrible murders have been committed near Avoca. A boot and shoemaker named Porter cut the throat of three of his children, and hung himself io a rafter in the house. Mr W. Clarke's will has been proved. His Victorian properties are worth over a million and a half. An insolvent debtor named Sloman was arrested on board the Essex at the Heads. The Land Department is making a vigorous crusade against dummyism. Tait's M'Callum Mohr won the G-eelong Gold Cup after a splendid race. The steamer Great Britain took to Englaud over 600 passengers. The approaching elections now begins to excite great attention. The Chief Secretary states that the Government policy will contain no uncertain sound, but be uumistakeable. The firm of D. S. Campbell and Co, wine merchants, has suspended, with liabilities of £IO,OOO. Todd, Union Bank defaulter, and his paramonr have been convicted of embezzlement. The former was sentenced to four years.

LAUNCESTON. February 7. The Government are arranging to quell the riots. A mob peramulated the town, and broke windows and fences. Special constable were sworn in, and 100 sent from Holart Town. Owing to the riots Governor Ducane will probably postpone his visit to JNew Zealand. SYDNEY. l February 7. Hume reports seeing 15 camels near the telegraph line five months ago. He supposes they belonged to Warburton's party, and believes that the latter lost them. The Sheep Disease Act contribution has been reduced to 10s per 100. A.ndrew Hume, despatched by the Sydney Government in 1872 to search for tracks of Leichardt and to recover relics of the expedition, arrived at Brisbane per Boomerang, and reports having found Clapan, Leichardt's second in command, with the blacks, at the head waters of Stewart's Creek.

Claparj is getting very decrepid, and is anxious to return to civilised life, but was prevented by the blacks. He remained with Clapau some time. Clapan wrote an account of the fate of the Leichardt Expedition. Leicliardt's party, after a struggle with the leader, left him, when pushing on to the northwest coast. Clapan at the tune was searching for water. When he returned he found Leichardt insensible, the camp broken up, and the horses and most of the equipment carried off by the men. Leichardt died five days after the meeting. Clapan can point out where Leichardt's remains are. The blacks say Leichardt's men made for the settled districts of South Australia, but t'cy were hilled on the way by the natives. Hume is in possession of Leichardt's quadrant, a watch, and about 75 pages of Leichardt's records.