Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 24 October 1868, page 8


OPENING OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT.

The Governor's Speech.

(From the Evening News, October 13.)

S. M. Herald, October 13.

THE Fifth Session of the Fifth Parliament of New South Wales was opened to-day, at noon, by His Excellency the Right Honorable the Earl of Belmore.

His Excellency read the following speech : Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative C.until, and Gentlemen of'theLegislative Assembly, — ! The long duration of the last session of Par liament made it impossible for me, having due regard for your convenience, to call you to gether again at so early a period as would, un der other circumstances, have been desirable. 2. During the recess the railways and other public works have been vigorously proceeded with. On the Southern line twenty-nine miles i have been opened up for traffic, and it ia ex ! pected that the remaining nineteen miles to ■ Goulburn will be completed by the end of March : next. The Western line has been extended fif | teen miles beyond the Weatherboard, and j another extension of thirty-four miles will pro bably be opened within the next nine months. On the Northern line, the rails have been per-I manently laid for twent -two miles beyond Sin ! gleton, and by January next the extension of thirty-one miles as far as Muswellbrook will be completed. All the contracts are now taken to the several terminal points sanctioned by Par liament, with the exception of the last two miles i into Bathurst, for which plans and specifications ; are being prepared ; and tenders have been in j vited for the manufacture, in the colony, of the ■ whole of the rolling stock required for the next ! five years, commencing on the Ist January, 1869. i 3. These Southern and Western Extensions i have been productive of great benefit to the I public, and among other good results, a large ! addition has been made by them to the public revenue, the railway income of this year being twenty-eight thousand pounds in excess of the sum received during the corresponding period I of last year. j 4. The various extensive works for the im-I provement of harbors and navigation along the j coast have been pushed on as rapidly as was [ practicable, and within the last few days the I new basin at Wollongong has been thrown open i for public use. Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly, — \ 5. The estimates of expenditure for the ensuing | year will shortly be laid before you. I have ! satisfaction in stating that the revenue for the ; current year, received up to this time, exceeds ; the collections, from the like sources of income i during the corresponding period of 1867. The I loan of one million, for whioh Parliamentary I sanction had been obtained, has hot, by the I latest advices from London, been yet submitted ; to public tender, but there is every reason to | believe that, when so submitted, it will be dis-I posed of at a higher rate than has been realised | in England, for the debentures of this colony, I for several years past. Recent sales of our se i curities, both here and in London, have shown j that the credit of the colony never stood higher ; than at the present moment. Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly,— 6. A number of bills have been prepared for your consideration, amongst the most important of which are, bills to amend the Land Laws, to provide for the disposal of Church and School Lands, to amend the Impounding Laws, to authorise and regulate the construction of dams, and to consolidate the Public Debt of the colony. These bills will be laid before you without j delay; and the importance of the matters to j which they relate will, 1 doubt not, commend I them to your most earnest consideration. 7. I have to congratulate you on the favorable prospect of an abundant harvest, promising to afford seasonable relief—after several continuous years of agricultural distress. 8. I devoutly hope that, under Divine Pro vidence, in your deliberations upon the various measures that may occupy your attention, you will so act as will best promote the interests and welfare of the community at large. His Excellency then formally declared the session to be opened, and retired from the Chamber.

Bright Celestial.—The ingenuity of the Chinese (says the Majorca Independent) in the art of manufacturing spurious gold is prover bial ; but a new dodge of increasing the weight of the parcel without becoming amenable to the law, through mixing inferior metals with tne sample, was tried at Mr. Samuels' gold office on Saturday, and was very nearly success ful. The invention at least deserves credit for originality. A. Chinaman, who has been in the habit of selling small parcels of amalgamated gold at the office for some time, came on Satur day morning with four or five small pellets of a few pennyweight^ each, and the quality of the gold was so apparently pure that Mr. Lloyd would not have thought of a closer examination but for the bulk being so great in proportion to the weight. The pieces were then broken, when it was found that the centre of each little knob was composed of a nice round or flat ironstone pebble, nicely coated with pure gold about the thickness of a shilling, and apparently put on in the shape of amalg*am, and afterwards re torted. West AusTßiMA.—We have Perth papers to the 16th ultimo. We extract a few items of general news from the Inquirer: —" The wool season has commenced, and vessels are now loading for London. It is impossible as yet to form any correct opinion as to the yield this year; but it is believed from the healthy con dition of the flocks, and the rate of increase, that the quantity exported wijl greatly exceed former years. Trade is somewhat more lively; in market prices, there is, however, no alteration to notice. In addition to the timber exports to India mentioned in our last summary, we hear that the Government of Victoria has decided to take some thousands of telegraph poles of our Jarrah timber, as well as railway sleepers. Our Marine Insurance Company has commenced operations. The Lady Louisa, from London to this port, has cleared for Shanghai with nearly 600 tons of sandalwood.—Reports from the Wbomboura Mine, in the Champion Bay District, are very encouraging. The lode has been opened for about 60 fathoms in length, and at most points it shews galena and carbon of lead, which is valued at from one to two tons of lead per fathom. Several tons of lead are already raised, and a large quantity will be" sent for shipment during the month. The following is an extract from the report of the mining captain—'Mines in this country generally have not been wrought to an equal depth to those in most other mining countries, and I must confess there seems no tangible geological reason why the matals may not be found as deep in Western Australia aB in any other part of the globe.'—Communica tions have been received from Nicholl Bay. The season generally was moat favorable to the squatter; grass and water were most abundant, all descriptions of stock in excellent condition. The native population was quiet. The take of pearl shells has not been great of late, on ac count of the state of the tides; but in a few weeks' time the favorable season will have arrived. The Bunyip Again.—According to the Gundagai Times, one of these mythical animals is said to live in a pool in the bend of the latter river known as Johnston's Corner, near Gundagai, and we have now to record that it has lately somewhat thrown off its usual re tiring habits, and has come to light as hidden facts or concealed offenders occasionally do. The simile suggests itself because it is to the eyes of the guardians of our peace that the bunyip aforesaid has recently deigned to reveal its existence. It was first manifested to senior sergeant Condell, who saw it in its pool at Johnston's Corner one evening some four or »

five weeks ago, but as he approached nearer to inspect it the stranger, startled by the Bound of his horse's hoofs, disappeared with a great plunge and splash. On the second occasion the bunyip seems to have been taking an airing, for constable Keane and a com panion saw it floating on the river about 200 yards above the bridge, towards noon, on Sunday. Finding itself observed the creature made a rush towards the bank where the spectators were standing, gave a spring out of the water, and dived with a splash, says constable Keane, such as a horse falling into the water would make. He describes the creature as being about the size of a calf, and of a dark brown or black color, with a long, curved neck, a head rather like a pig's, a long snout, and large eyes. His companion, we have heard, reports the creature to have been considerably smaller, and to have borne a great resemblance to a water-mole. It is open to our readers to adopt either hypo thesis, but as we have few interesting speci mens of zoology in this country we think the people of Gundagai ought to maintain that a bunyip the size of a calf lives in a pool of the Murrumbidgee, at Johnston's Corner, until the assertion is disproved. Soura Atjstbalian Items.—Adelaide papers to the 6th instant contain the following items of news:—" Mr. J. B. Talbot, of Peachey Belt, secretary to the Smithfield Farmers' Club, j brought to the office of the Begister, on Satur ! day morning, October 3, a bundle of wheat plants, the produce of rusty seed sown in May I last. We understand the seed, which was the smallest and rustiest that could be procured, was sown as an experiment for the purpose of testing Mr. Scoular's theory as to the cause of the rust disease, of which doctrine Mr. Talbot is, we understand, a stanch supporter. The plant is strong and healthy, and shows no traco of rust, and it is looked upon by him as a con firmation of the theory of red rust being caused by an excess of nutrition.—The Hon. Commis sioner of Crown Lands (Mr. Townsond) re ceived the following telegram from Mr. W. T. Hipwell, a well-known resident at Lyndoch:— ' Alluvial "gold, water-worn and nuggetty, in considerable quantity, has been discovered to-I day by Samuel Potter, John Springbett, and a small party, on Crown lands, about one mile north of the South Para River, about five miles from Gawler by the course of the river, and about five miles south-west from Lyndoch. I have seen about one ounce of the gold, and can vouch for the respectability of the men. The land is supposed to be open for sale. It is ur gently requested that all land in the locality be withdrawn.'—Quantities of copper ore are now finding their way from the hitherto forsaken mine at Reedy Creek, and^being carted to the Blumberg Smelting Works recently erected. The smelting operations have been conducted, on grounds of economy, at Blumberg instead of Reedy-creek, owing to the scarcity of wood at the latter place." An Adelaide telegram, dated the 15th in stant, to the following effect, appears in the 8. M. Herald of the 16th :—" The Govern ment have abandoned their old soheme of the ■ale of land by tender, and propose to declare agricultural areas in lots of eighty, one hundred and sixty, three hundred and twenty, and six hundred and forty acres, open for free selec tion, at one pound per acre, four shillings de posit paid down, and the balance within one year, one quarter of all selected land to be fenced and cultivated within one year, proof of which will be demanded before the receipt of the balance of the purchase money. Selection limited to six hundred and forty acres ; in case of simultaneous selection, choice to be decided by lot. Townships are to be laid out in these areas, with small suburban sections ; these are to be sold by auction ; all other land to be sold at auction as at present, Government stating they will take steps to counteract the present injurious operation of the system of land-jobbing; they also propose to extend their operation to the Scrub Lands Act. They adopt the northern territory policy of Hart's Government, including three thousand pounds bonus to Goyder, should he Burvey the land; and they propose to abandon the Scab Act. Mr. Strangways haß given a notice for Tuesday of a motion of want of confidence, promising them to bring in a land scheme of his own. The House adjourned till Tuesday. Appalling Accident at Wangabatta— Thbee Pebsons Dbowned.—The Ovens and Murray Advertiser furnishes the following par ticulars relative to a distressing accident at Wangaratta:—" A sad catastrophe, eventuating in the death of three human beings—viz., a little boy of about four years of age, a girl of about 14, and a grown-up person —happened at North Wangaratta on Tuesday forenoon, the 6th instant. The following are the particulars:— A family of the name of Richardson, perfect strangers in Wangaratta, having only recently arrived from Wagga Wagga, and who appear to be steeped to the very lips in poverty, put up their tent only a few days ago at North Wan garatta, in close proximity to one of the nume rous small creeks on the flats on the road from Wangaratta to Beechworth. Their dwelling was one of the most miserable description, being only some ten feet by eight feet. In this place there were huddled no less than nine human beings, with only a sack or two and a little bit of straw for a bed. The father of this indigent family, who it is said is in delicate health, was at the time of the sad occurrence looking after employment, as was also the mother; the children being left in charge of the eldest daughter, a girl of about sixteen years of age. It die* not transpire at the inquest how the children fell into the creek, —evidently no one knew; but the eldest daugh ter first observed her little brother Henry float ing on the water. She apprised another brother of the circumstance, who instantly gave the alarm. A man of the name of Patrick Dog gett, recently a cooper in the employ of Mr. Ward, the brewer, but who had been working for a few weeks at Eldorado, and who was pro ceeding to that place on Monday forenoon, when he heard the alarm, instantly made for the creek, and, as far as cau be judged, jumped into the water to save the little boy. It is supposed that the girl had sunk to rise no more before Doggett arrived; the result was that they were all drowned. A witness of the name of Hum phreys, who was proceeding with the deceased man to Eldorad", stated at the inquest that he threw a rope to Doggett when he had the little boy in his arms, but he did not seize the rope, and sank shortly afterwards ; he instantly gave information to the police. Sergeant Cummins, along with some members of the police force and a few energetio inhabitants, did all they could with grappling-irons and other instruments to bring the bodies to the surface ; their efforts in this respect were crowned with success. The girl was first brought up, when Dr.Dobbyn, district coroner, who was promptly on the "spot, did all he could to restore animation, but with out avail. Shortly afterwards, the unfortunate man Doggett was brought to the surface, with the little boy, a fine little fellow, closely locked in his arms, almost smiling in death The scene touched the hearts of all present. It is almost unaccountable how the accident happened, as it is said Doggett was an excellent swimmer. The creek is very narrow, and there is no current, although after heavy rains it is very deep in some parts. Doggett is a married man, and the father of three children, who we understand are totally unprovided for. We believe the inhabi tants intend getting up a subscription for .his widow and children, as the poor fellow lost bis life in a very praiseworthy act. We also hear that some good-hearted persons are getting up a subscription to alleviate the needy family of the Richardsons." The Gray Biter Argus says : —" A report is current in town, and generally credited, that prior to his departure Sir George Grey made an offer to the Government to undertake the capture of the Natives who are causing such trouble on the West Coast. Sir George said that he would go with a few friendly Natives and capture the lot. This offer it is said was deolined." Gbeat Nobthebn Railway.—Tenders for the construction of No. 5 section of the Great Northern Railway, which will carry the line into the town of Murrurundi, were received on Tues day last. They were ten in number, and the competition was keen, the difference in the prices of several of them being very small indeed. The tender of Mr. Macquarie, who ia at present constructing the new coal staphs at Newcastle for the Government, was accepted, for the sum. of £L19.fi55 3«. <M .