Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 7 July 1866, page 8


TOOWOOMBA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

AFTER a few mornings of white frost during the week, we are now enjoying a few days of beautifully mild open weather, more similar to

the genial spring-time of our "Home" May

temperature, and especially suited to the pro-gressive development of agricultural industry. The hands on all our settlements have been in busy employment either with the plough or the seed-lip, the extreme prices of all kinds of pro duce making each one anxious to put as large a breadth as possible under cultivation. Breaking up ploughs are at a premium, in consequence of the large increase of our settlers and the limited stock to be met with at any of our local stores, and all kinds of agricultural seeds are especially difficult to obtain, being only dispensed at grocery or book stores in half-ounce doses, or at rates equivalent to that homoeopathic sys-tem. In effect, the prices act as a preventive to their use, for the dubious and uncertain quality has too often made the produce too ex-pensive for any practical uses on the farm, but the trade connection of seeds with sealing wax, seems to be quite as legitimate as that of Wol-longon butter with Holloway's pills. Trade generally has been exceedingly dull, and the only articles which seem to be in ani-mated demand are those of horse feed, such as lucerne hay, chaff, corn, &c. A profitable trade is being done in green crops of barley and oats, which have been brought into early maturity for these purposes by the late favorable rains. Toowoomba flour is in fair sale at £29 to £30 ; Adelaide, £30 to £31; maize in liberal supply, at from 10s. to 10s. 6d. per bushel, according to condition; old maize, scarce, at extreme rates. The arrivals of hay have been liberal, but prices are still advancing, and have now reached £22 to £22 10s. per ton. Another case of suicide by strychnine has been the subject of magisterial investigation. Mr. Thomas Ensor,an old and respected towns-man, having, in a fit of delirium succeeding a drinking excess, committed the act of self-destruction. The deceased had for many years enjoyed the reputation of a steady and indus-trious man; but during a visit to Brisbane and Ipswich he had given way to excesses, which, on reaching home, had been followed by depres-sion terminating in the rash act. The medical evidence showed that the effect of the poison had been too rapid to render any mitigation of its virulence a matter of possibility, and a ver-dict was ultimately returned—That deceased died from the effects of poison taken while laboring under a fit of temporary insanity brought on by excessive drinking. At the meeting of the Municipal Council, on Monday last, letters of resignation were received from Mr. Alderman Flori, resigning his seat in the Council as Alderman for the South Ward, and from Mr. Hugh Swann, resigning his office of Town Engineer. The latter resignation arose from the unfavorable report given by Mr. Tillet on the plans and specifications which had been drawn up by Mr. Swann for the im-provements on Ruthven-street, and which the Mayor had been empowered to submit to Mr. Tillet, in consequence of an impression on the part of the Council as to their want of clearness, and adequate basis as working specifications. The two resignations were ultimately accepted, and advertisements ordered to be issued for supplying the two vacancies. The nomination day for supplying the vacancy in the South Ward has been fixed for Friday, the 13th July, but although several names have been mentioned as probable candidates, no addresses have yet been issued. The land fever in Toowoomba is steadily sub-siding, and a healthier tone is every day be coming more apparent. The system of rigging and bolstering the market has now become nearly worn out, and our local " land sharks " have great difficulty in catching the few remain-specimens of that shoal of flats who a few months since swarmed around the nets of mag-nificent allotments on " easy terms." The Toowoomba Chronicle commenced its sixth year of existence on Wednesday last on which occasion it made its appearance as a bi-weekly publication. (From the D. D. Gazette, June 30.) Masterman's Case.—A telegram was re-ceived last evening from the Sheriff, by Mr. W. Murphy, Governor of the Gaol, ordering that Masterman be released from custody this morning. Sping Creek Bridge.—Residents on Spring Creek will be glad to learn that the tender of Mr. Martindale for the construction of this bridge has been accepted by the Govern-ment, and the work will be commenced at once. Highfields Road.—The tender of Mr. S. Holmes has been accepted for the clearing of this road, and no doubt, before long, Highfields, which has hitherto been almost inaccessible, at least for anything except drays, will be a favo-rite locality for visitors on high-days and holidays. Found Dead in the Bush.—We have been informed by Mr. E. J. Finch, of Karoon Sta-tion, that last Monday week one of his shepherds found the dead body of a very old man, appa-rently about seventy years of age, three miles from the Moonie River, near Karoon. On Mr. Finch being informed of it, he went out with a man to the place, examined the body, had it buried, and sent particulars to the nearest Sub-inspector of Police. From the appearance of the body it seemed that the man must have been starved to death, and it is surmised that he had endeavored to make a short cut from Jones' River to the Moonie, a distance of forty miles, without water, and had got lost. In his trousers pocket was found the sum of £13 in notes. A knife was also picked up near the body, which an employe of Mr. Finch, named George Fagan, thought had belonged to an old man with whom he had travelled some twelve months previously. That his name was Mackle, and he had a mar-ried daughter keeping a public-house in Maitland.

If any person should recognise the body from the description here given, they will confer a favor by communicating with Mr. Finch, at Karoon Station, St. George. The Drayton correspondent of the D. D. Gazette contains the following item :—A very sad and melancholy accident occurred near the race-course a few days since, and as you have not given publicity to the fact, I will briefly narrate it. Two well-sinkers, named Peter Con-roy and Stephen Gavin, were engaged at a well for Mr. Stower. The hole was between 60 and 70 feet deep ; the men were engaged preparing for a blast, when the jumper, which was held by Conroy and struck by Gavin, emitted a spark which igniting the fuse, an explosion took place almost instantaneously. The unfortunate men's situation can be easily imagined, particularly as they had no help at the well; but Mr. Stower hearing the report, and knowing the men were below, ran at once for help, when Gavin, who though severely wounded and stunned, had presence of mind sufficient to get his leg in the bucket and was drawn up. Some of the party were then lowered, and found poor Conroy in-sensible, and a terrible sight, his head hanging in pieces, with the brains out, while the rest of the body was a large mass of breaks and bruises. The unhappy man was drawn up, and died about twelve hours after, during which time he neither saw nor spoke, and must evidently have suffered terribly. Gavin is, we are happy to say, improving, and under the gentle care of Dr. Burke, will, we hope, be soon strong again, though he will during life retain some of the effects of the catastrophe. Well-sinkers should be very wary, and learn from this sad affair the necessity of exercising caution in all their movements. (From the Toowoomba Chronicle, July 4.) A Masonic Lodge in Toowoomba has been initiated, which we hear will be formed under the Irish Constitution. (From the D. D. Gazette, July 5.) Good News for Overlanders.—Mr. H. W. Coxen has written to us from Melbourne, stating that 10,000 wethers he took overland from Bendemere have been sold by Mr. C. Brown. They left Bendemere on the 20th December, and were delivered on the 15th June at Deniliquin, Messrs. G. and F. Dessilly being the purchasers, at 12s 6d cash. There was but one faulty sheep in the lot, and, considering the season they had to travel, they were pronounced to be the best all round that ever came to that market. Mr. Coxen wishes his neighbors to know that there is now every prospect that good store sheep will sell better than ever. Most of the runs are understocked, and the late rains have given them both grass and water, and have removed all difficulty in travelling.