Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 27 April 1872, page 4


SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1872.

The members for Mandurang, Messrs. J. J. CASEY and THOMPSON MOORE, were last night entertained by their con-stituents at a banquet at Eaglehawk. Mr. CASEY made a somewhat lengthy speech upon the occasion. The deliver-ance is apparently intended as a sort of

political manifesto, and it may mean more than at first sight appears. There was a certain peculiarity about Mr. CASEY'S action during the greater por-tion of the last session of Parliament which induced a very strong belief that the hon. gentleman was playing " a little " game" of his own, and the speech delivered by him last evening is calcu-lated to strengthen this impression. It

is known that he refused the office of

Attorney-General in the present Ad-ministration, and it has been very gene-rally surmised that in so doing he was actuated by some motive considerably stronger than any mere political objec-tion to the policy of the existing Administration. Mr. CASEY'S speech does not of necessity mean very much, but it may be interpreted to mean a great deal. The ex-Solicitor-General has evidently taken a leaf out of the Chief Secretary's book, and has been particu-larly careful not to be too explicit as to

his future course.

There are some passages in the speech which no doubt indicate, to some extent at least, the character of the opposition which Mr. DUFFY and his colleagues will have to encounter upon the re-assembling of Parliament. Fault will be found not so much with the measures they propose to bring in as with their conduct in ignoring subjects of far greater importance. Thus, upon the education question, Mr. CASEY is distinct enough. He draws attention to the fact that this was one of the principal subjects upon which the country was appealed to at the last general election, and questions the claims to statesmanship of a Govern-ment which has no opinion upon, and declines to deal with, a matter of such national and paramount importance. It is very true that the subject of educa-tion is surrounded with difficulties which will not be easily surmounted ; but if Ministers were to be allowed to keep themselves in office by carefully declining to deal with those questions upon which there is sure to be a great difference of opinion, con-stitutional government would become a

farce, and one,of the principal functions

of a Government would absolutely de-termine. It must be remembered also that Mr. DUFFY does not decline to interfere with the present system of edu-cation because be approves of it, but because his Government has no policy upon the subject, or else is afraid to touch it. The conduct of the Chief Secretary in this matter is very different to that of the Premier of England under

somewhat similar circumstances. The

disestablishment of the Irish Church, the Irish Land Law, and the abolition of army purchase, were all measures which literally bristled with difficulties, but Mr. GLADSTONE successfully dealt with them, and at the close of the various sessions he was able to say that he had achieved something which would mark an era in the history of his country. It would perhaps have been rather unfair for Mr. CASEY to have compared the Chief Secretary with the English Premier, had not Mr. DUFFY himself challenged the comparison by likening himself to such men as CHATHAM, PETER the Great, BISMARCK, and CAVOUR. .

It is, however, Mr. DUFFY'S attempt to terrorise over Parliament by the ex-pressions he has made use of at public banquets, and by the threats of a disso-lution which he has held out, to which Mr. CASEY most strongly objects ; and in this objection he will no doubt be supported by a considerable proportion of the members of the Legislative Assembly. Mr. CASEY puts the case well and correctly. The threat of a dissolution, he says, "is improper " because Parliament should not, any " more than other tribunals, be adjudged " by anticipation, and threatened with " punishment as a consequence of de-" ciding in a particular way. Why, " Parliament would be a huge farce if it " were supposed that its existence could " only be tolerated so long as it sup-" ported the present or any Govern-" ment. ... If Parliament mis-" uses its power, a dissolution is the " means the Crown may use to ask the " people to send in a new Parliament. " But that power is one that should " only be used on very grave occasions. " And it never ahould be used to in-" timidate or affect the Independence of " Parliament, any more than the power " of removing a judge should be spoken " of unless when it is intended to be " used, or used except when there is an " absolute necessity." Even supposing the GOVERNOR had promised the Chief Secretary a dissolution, Mr. DUFFY has been most injudicious in threatening it. There can be no doubt that such a course is calculated to interfere with the independence of members, for if it were not so, there would have been no inducement to refer to the matter. It does not, however, seem at all probable that the GOVERNOR has been indiscreet enough to make any such promise without knowing upon what grounds a dissolution may be asked for. It is well known that the Imperial Government is strongly opposed to dissolutions being granted except when it is found impossible for any Ministry to carry on the government.

Some time ago the Queensland Minis-try, although in a small majority, found itself unable to carry on the government of the country, in face of the strong opposition which it met, and it resorted to the extraordinary expedient of ad-journing the Assembly for five months. Subsequently, the GOVERNOR granted the Ministry a dissolution, but it is pretty evident that his conduct was not very favourably regarded by the home Government. In a despatch on the sub-ject, Lord KIMBERLEY said, "In the " absence, then, of any special cir-" cumstances, the obvious course to " be taken by a Governor where " Ministers, possessing a majority of " only one in the Representative " House, had, without consulting him, " proceeded in a manner which he could " not accept as constitutional, would be " to remove those Ministers from office, " and invite a leading member of the " Opposition to form an Administration. " If the Government so formed were " unable to command a working majo-" rity, there could be no question that " it would have a good claim for a dis-" solution." The language used here is very guarded, but it is evident that if Ministers, with a majority, are scarcely entitled to a dissolution because of the strong opposition they meet with, then a Government in the position anticipated by Mr. DUFFY-viz., in a minority, and having lost the confidence of an Assem-bly which has not lasted half the term for which it is elected - has certainly no claim for any such consideration. It is more than probable that Mr. DUFFY himself has constructed the reef upon which his Ministerial bark will be shattered.

Another meeting of the Cabinet was held yesterday, but Ministers were solely engaged in preparing for the meeting of Parliament.

A grand banquet was given last night at Eaglehawk, to Messrs. Casey and Thompson Moore, the members for Mandurang. The affair appears to have passed off in a very satisfactory manner. A full report of the proceedings will be found elsewhere.

In another column will be found an im-portant circular, issued from the Lands department to the various district surveyors and other land officers throughout the colony, These officers are requested to supply certain information relative to the settlement in their respective districts, and if the informa-tion required is carefully collected and pre-pared, it will prove, extremely valuable.

During the period from the 23rd October, 1871, to the 31st of March last, the total num-ber of persons sent for from the United King-dom and other countries, under the immigra-tion regulations of the 20th June, 1870, was 1,729. Of this number, 766 were from England and Wales, 697 from Ireland, 229 from Scot-land, and 37 from other countries. The num-ber of immigrants who arrived in the colony by sea during the month of March last was 2,390, and tbe number of emigrants who departed, 2,487, showing a balance against the colony of 97 persons.

Three rewards of £60 each are offered in last night's Government Gazette for the conviction of persons suspected of incendiarism. In one instance tbe property set fire to was the police stable and forage store at Euroa, in the Kilmore district, which were burnt down on tbe 25th of February last ; in the second, the property was the police stable and forage store at Trentham, which was destroyed by fire on the 18th of March last ; and in the third case, the property consisted of stacks of hay and straw, on the farm of James McKee, at Mount Pleasant, which were burnt down

on the 27th of March last.

From later Californian news, received via Newcastle, it appears that none of the pro-

-posed increased ocean mail subsidies are likely, to be granted. This may to some

extent interfere with the service from Aus-

tralia and New Zealand to San Francisco.

The tender that will probably be accepted for the extension of Brighton jetty is Messrs. Turnbull and Co.'s, the lowest. The Public Works department were not able to state the amount of the tender yesterday, because they had not yet arranged with the tenderers whether the extension was to be 200ft. or -250ft.

A petition from a number of inhabitants of South Gipps Land for the formation of the

road from Stockyard Creek to the Bass was

presented to the Minister of Railways and Roads yesterday by Mr. Mason, M.L.A. It

was numerously signed.

The Government Gazette notifies that, at a meeting of the Board of Education hold last 'Wednesday, Mr. Henry Henty was elected chairman of the board,

A deputation from the Mount Alexander United Shire Council, consisting of the president (Mr. C. Tolstrup) and the engineer, was yesterday introduced to the Minister of Public Works. During the visit of Mr. Grant

and Mr. McLellan to the Castlemaine district a few weeks ago, their attention was called to the injury which the storm-water channel was doing to the Campbell's Creek road, literally eating it away. The Minister of Public Works was now asked to add to the vote of £2,000 which had been passed for the protection of the road. The shire engineer stated that contracts Nos. 1 and 2 would abrorb the whole of the vote, and that a further sum of £2,500 would be requisite to carry out a third contract. The creek had already done much mischief, and parts of the road had become its bed. Mr. O'Grady said that the officers of the department advised him that the work was urgent, and he would have inquiries made to ascertain how much more money would actually be required to protect the road. At the request of the same deputation Mr. O'Grady promised to take steps for the establishment of a telegraphoffice at Guildford, through which the tele-graph line now passed ; and he gave directions for the erection of a small powder magazine at Fryerstown, upon the statement of Mr. War-dell, the inspector-general, that there was money available for a building which would hold five or six tons of gunpowder. Mr. Patterson, Mr. Zeal, and Mr. Farrell, M.L.A.'s, introduced the deputation.

Mr. Thompson Moore, M.L.A., yesterday introduced to the Minister of Public Works a deputation from the Borough Council of Eaglehawk, consisting of Mr. Trumble (the mayor) and the town clerk. The deputation urged on the Minister the necessity of erecting a new post-office at Eaglehawk. Mr. O'Grady promised to consider the application, but inti-mated that the claims upon the department were very numerous. Mr. Moore replied that Eaglehawk had received but a small share of public expenditure. A request that the district of the letter-carrier might be extended from the main streets to all places within a radius of three-quarters of a mile of the postoffice was granted.

A site for the breakwater which is to do so much for the improvement of Portland Bay has been selected by the inspector-general of public works. The breakwater will begin at Battery Point, and run out in a northerly direction to a distance of 1,000 yards from the shore. At the furthest outpoint there are seven fathoms of water. The work, when undertaken, will be a heavy one, but the use of convict labour may cheapen the cost con-siderably. There is abundance of material for the breakwater at Battery Point. The in-spector-general has recommended the stop-page for seven or eight months of the harbour works at Belfast. The dykes have now been carried out a good way into the bay, and the strong current through the artificially-made channel between them has deepened the water on the bar to four feet at low tide. Formerly, the bar often showed above water. The object of stopping the further extension of the dykes is to find out what effect the alterations may have on the harbour- i.e., to ascertain whether the scour through the channel from the back beach into the bay will

cause any silting up. So far the works have been successful, and even by this time the jetty in the bay enjoys holidays. The life-boat shed is to be moved from the jetty to a safer position in the river.

Measures were taken by the Central Board of Health, some months ago, to have the liquors sold in licensed publichouses tested. Mr. Sydney Gibbons, the analytical chemist employed to perform this duty, has reported upon his analysis of 20 samples of liquors - ale, brandy, and rum - obtained in various houses in Melbourne, and the analyses show that in none of these cases was there carried on any deleterious adulteration which would warrant the taking of proceedings under the Wines, Beer, and Spirits Sale Statute Amendment Act. The quality of ales brewed of late years in this colony seemed to have much improved, and the only thing approaching to adulteration was the mixing of damaged English or inferior colo-nial ales with ales of a better quality, which would not, however, in the board's opinion be held to be a violation of the provisions of section 25 of the act referred to. As regarded the other two liquors examined, Mr. Gibbons's report showed that what adulteration was practised consisted in the mixing of inferior spirits (in many cases presumably illicitly dis-tilled) with imported spirits of fair or good quality, the mixing being done on account of the greater cheapness of the former article ; but in these cases, as in the others, the analyses did not show that any of the liquors were adulterated with any deleterious ingre-dient such as would justify proceedings under the act. The Central Board of Health, in a communication dated the 4th of last month, informed the Chief Secretary that they were of opinion that sufficient trial had been made in regard to the public houses of the city and suburbs, the houses selected being those pointed out by the police as suspicious in respect to the quality of the liquor sold, and though all in Melbourne, representing fairly the licensed houses of the immediately adjoining suburbs as well as the city. The board, however, con-sidered that the investigations should be carried on in some of the small hamlets and places within a near circuit of Melbourne, where from the fact of there being less competition, there was a greater likelihood of " deleterious adulteration" being carried on, and they had accordingly instructed Mr. Gibbons to direct his inquiries to certain houses in those places that had been reported by the police as suspected of selling adulterated liquors. On the 28th ult., the secretary to the central board reported to the Chief Secretary that the board had received from Mr. Gibbons a further report on the analyses of liquors made by him under the board's direction, and that so far nothing had been discovered which would in the board's opinion justify the taking of legal proceedings for the deleterious adulteration of liquors. It was added that Mr. Gibbons was under the board's direction pursuing his investigations in regard to some especially suspicions samples which had come under notice, and that the expense incurred

to date on account of experiments amounted

to £118 12s. 4d.

Yesterday, the adjourned meeting of the Foreign Industries and Forests Commission was held, and the progress report received many alterations and some additions. The members present were the chairman (Baron von Mueller), Dr. Thos. Black, and the Hon. Captain Cole. At its rising, after a rather long sitting, the commission adjourned to Tuesday at 11 a.m. Baron von Mueller placed on the table yesterday some plants of the saffron '(Crocus satinus) in flower,and he recommended that the roots should be planted in the ranges and so naturalised, in order that there may be an abundant supply hereafter if it should become profitable at any future

time to gather the flower for its yield of saffron.

The second day of the Ballarat Miners', Races came off yesterday, and was in every respect a much better day's amusement than the first. The weather was fine but rather cold, and the attendance more numerous than on Thursday. The Selling Hurdle Race was carried off in such fine style by Polka that her price for the Bendigo Hurdle Race was at once raised to 3 to 1. Shamrock won the Selling Race, beating the favourite Teddington easily at the finish. In the Corner Handicap, Finnigan easily disposed of his two opponents. Stafford won the Selling Race, and was bought in for £19. The Consolation Stakes fell to Mermaid. The racing was got off very slowly, it being quite dark by the time the visitors got back to Ballarat.

There will be a very agreeable little race meeting this afternoon on the Heidelberg race-course. The programme consists of a hurdle raco, steeplechase, selling race, and pony race. _ There is also somo probability of a race being"got up on tho ground to take the place of the handicap that fell through. This meet-ing is always well patronised by tho public, though more perhaps as a pleasant excursion than im any expectation of seeing good'

racing.

Thero was a sitting of the Vice-Admiralty Court yestorday, before Sir W. F. Stawell, the matter in dispute being the amount of salvage compensation to be given to the owners of the Oliver Cromwell for assistance given to the Whirlwind in December, 1869. The Whirlwind was on a voyage from Hong Kong to Melbourne, with a cargo of tea, mats, &c, when she grounded on Brower's shoal or reef, in the Java seas. The Oliver Cromwell rendered effectual help in getting the Whirl-wind off, and for what was done the owners of the latter offered £400. The owners of

the Oliver Cromwell refused to take this . amount, and demanded a larger sum. Judg-

ment was reserved.

The Criminal Sessions for April were brought to a close yesterday, when sentences were passed on Henry William Dickson, for stealing property belonging to John Milward, with whoso wife he had eloped ; and on Susan Kingsley, the wife of a bootmaker, for receiving money stolen from one Edward Hel-lings. Dickson was sentenced to a month's imprisonment, the first and last weeks to be passed in solitary confinement. Mrs. Kingsley was sent to gaol for 12 months.

At the Sandhurst Circuit Court yesterday (writes our Sandhurst correspondent), before his Honour Sir Redmond Barry, Samuel Wil-liam Cliff was charged with having committed a capital assault upon a little girl named Mary Ann Johnson, in the vicinity of Grassyflat. The evidence was unusually clear. It appeared that the child had been sent with a shirt to Cliff's, which she left. Subsequently he complained that he could not find the shirt, and the girl was sent by her mother with the prisoner to point out where it was. The house being a lonely one, he took advantage of no one being at hand and perpetrated the crime under circumstances of great brutality, the unfortunate child being dreadfully injured. The medical evidence left no doubt whatever of the character of the offence. The defence set. up by the prisoner was very weak and improbable. After a very short retirement the jury re-turned a verdict of guilty, and the learned judge sentenced the prisoner, who appeared quite overcome, to death in the usual solemn manner, holding out no hope whatever of a commutation of the sentence. A cargo of riot and assault, preferred against three miners named Milias, Reanlor, and Ricketts, was postponed until the next Circuit Court. James Trevarrow was placed at the bar, charged with criminally abusing a girl named Ward, at Grassy-flat This case has caused a good deal of interest, the defendant being well known as a suc-cessful miner. The details may be remem-bered. Tbey briefly were that Trevarrow treated the child, with some others, to a drive to the Grassy-flat reservoir ; that on some pretext he got rid of the other chil-dren, retaining Ward in the buggy, whoa he committed the offence. This was posi-tively sworn to by the girl in the police court, but on the present occasion not a word with reference to the assault could be elicited fiom her, as she resolutely declared that she could not remember that Trevarrow had done anything to her. His Honour, ander the cir-cumstances, directed a verdict of acquittal, and the prisoner was discharged. The Court then adjourned.

The sittings of the Geelong Circuit Court commenced yesterday before his Honour Judge Williams. The following prisoners were found guilty of the charges preferred against them, and sentenced accordingly:Alex. Panton, larceny, 12 months' imprison-

ment with hard labour ; Martha Hunter,

concealment of birth, two months' imprison-ment ; James Kerg, shooting with intent, one year's imprisonment; Mary Alice Halby, perjury, one year's imprisonment ; James Cummings, stealing calfskins, three years' imprisonment with hard labour. The following cases will be proceeded with to-day :-George and Dora Nanglo, arson ; Herbert Francis Bran, arson ; John M'Kinnon, fraudulent insolvency ; Michael and John Clarko, cattle-stealing. The following caseBinthe civil jurisdiction have also to be heard before special juries of twelve -Forbes v. Macdonald, Henery v. McMullen, bank inspector ; and before juries of four - Clarke v. Johnstone, and Silk v. Cameron. It is scarcely expected that all the criminal busi-ness will be disposed of to-day.

Tho sub-committee appointed to undertake the preliminary arrangements for the esta-blishment of an asylum for inebriates resigned their trust into the hands of the subscribers at a meeting held in the Townhall yesterday evening, at which the mayor presided. Dr. McCarthy, the hon. secretary, read a report showing that the committee bad accomplished their object, and obtained subscriptions to the amount of £555, a sum considered sufficient to entitle them to apply for tho Government support promised by the Chief Secretary. The report was adopted on the motion of Mr. Harker, M.L.A, A reso-lution was passed requesting the Government to place a sum upon the Estimates sufficient to enable the institution to be established. A general committee was appointed. Votes of thanks were passed to Dr. McCarthy, to whom was ascribed the credit of founding the asylum, and to the press for the encourage-ment it had given to the subject. The attendance was small, bnt several influential gentlemen were present.

The Exhibition of the Victorian Academy of Arts will shortly close, and those who have not yet seen this collection of the works of our own artists should lose no time in doing so. Some of the pictures are well worth a visit, and a very pleasant hour may be spent

at the exhibition.

A meeting of the members of the Port Phillip Yacht Club was held last evening, Mr. TimmB in the chair. The number of members enrolled was announced to be 58. A sub-committee was appointed to frame rules, and arrangements were made for a special meeting of the whole club next Friday to adopt the rules, elect permanent officers, and to deter-mine whether the name of the club should be changed to " Victoria " or not, Mr. Sabelberg was appointed secretary and Major Stokes

treasurer.

The very "last snake story," not from the bush bnt from the sea, and yet in no way concerning the great sea serpent, is furnished to us by Captain Fisher, ,of the brig Wild Wave, which arrived yesterday from Batavia. Captain Fisher states that nine days after leaving port he sent his steward to the cabin to fetch something he wanted, and the steward on putting his hand behind the door touched a living substance which caused him to rush back in a state of undisguised con

sternation. The captain and steward, and Cap-tain Dow, a passenger, then formed themselves into a procession of three with fixed bayonets, and moved warily to the cabin, where his snakeship was discovered, and pinned to the deck before he could do any mischief. The reptile was of the species known as carpet snako, and measured eight feet and a half long, and was nearly as thick as a man's wrist at the head. The wonder is, however, how the snake got on board, for the brig was not alongside any wharf or pier where it conld have introduced itself.

Mr. Longmore, shortly after his late visit to Avoca, forwarded to the head teacher of the common school there a donation of three guineas for the school. It is intended to appropriate the gift to three prizes, to be called "The Longmore Prizes," to be con-tended for by the three upper classes at a competitive examination conducted by the Education Board's inspector.

Fredk. Hugh Thomas, an elderly respect-able-looking man, was charged on remand at the City Court yesterday with having uttered a forged bill of exchange for £51, It was stated in evidence that the prisoner was in the employ of Mr. Wm. Hornby, brewer, at Williamstown, trading as Hornby and Co., and left the employment about two years ago. The bill of sale produced purported to be accepted by Hornby, but the latter said he had never seen it, and that the signature purporting to be that of the firm was only an imitation. Hornby had no partner. Mr, J. J. Miller, landlord of the Garrick's Head Hotel, Bourke-street, for whom the prisoner had worked, discounted the bill about two years ago for the prisoner, who said that Hornby, the brewer, of Williamstown, had accepted it. It was on the strength of Hornby's name being on the bill that Miller discounted it. The bill passed through, the Colonial Bank, and being presented was re-turned marked "acceptor states it is a for-gery." The prisoner reserved his defence, and

was committed for trial.

At the East Collingwood Police Court yes-terday, three prisoners charged with larceny were brought before the Bench. Henry Allen, a young man, describing himself as a jockey, was accused of stealing several calfskins from his employer, Wm. Wilson, a dealer in Fitzroy. The skins were missed on the 25th inst., and it was discovered that the prisoner had sold them in Flemington. He was sent to gaol for 14 days. Wm. King, for stealing a shirt from Annie Brown, Spring-streetFitzroy, was sentenced to one month's im-prisonment. The third delinquent was a boy named Cornelias Ward, who with a small gang of companions had made a practice of stealing the brass axle caps from cabs and other vehicles and selling them for a few pence. He had fortunately been captured. The boy being only 14 years of age, the Bench considered his parents were to blame in not exercising more control over him. An order was therefore made for the boy to be fined 10s., and his father to find security for £20 for the good behaviour of his son.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. Louis Barnard, who is one of the defendants in the alleged mining conspiracy case just heard at the City Court, was annoyed by a Mr. George Illman in Collins street. Mr. Illman, accord-ing to what is stated, went up to Mr. Barnard in an excited state, and said that he would take out Mr. Barnard's (adjective) liver and heart. Mr. Barnard gave him into custody on a charge of using threatening language in a public place. Mr. Illman was almost imme-diately released on £100 bail.

Two casualty cases were admitted to the Melbourne Hospital yesterday. Edward Wells, aged 35 years, had a leg broken by a fall from a cab at Emerald-hill. Edward Morris, aged 24 years, employed at the Emerald-hill ropeworks, sustained severe laceration of an arm by getting it caught in the cogwheels of the machinery.

A prisoner named Edwards escaped from the prison hulk Sacramento in the bay on Tuesday morning, and had not been recap-tured up to yesterday.

Two young men, who gave their names as John Wilson and Henry Wilson, were brought before the Williamstown Bench on Friday, charged with stealing a felt hat value 7s. 6d,, the property of Mr. McMillan, outfitter, in Nelson-place. Mrs, McMillan stated that the prisoners came to her husband's shop be-tween 3 and 4 o'clock p.m. on the 23rd inst,, when Henry Wilson asked to look at some hats. He partly decided upon one, and then requested to see a smaller size, which was show him. At this time witness noticed something concealed under the coat of John Wilson, and on lifting the skirts, she ob-served a soft drab felt hat, her property. The prisoner remarked that it was the hat his mate had selected, and that he had stowed it away for him. He then offered to pay for the hat, and remarked that there was no need to make a fuss about it. Witness declined to accept the money, and said she would have them both searched before they left the shop. She detained them fully 10 minutes, but was unable to obtain any assistance. Henry Wilson then pushed his way out of the shop, remarking that she had no charge against him, and both pri-soners escaped, leaving the hat behind. Information was given to the police, and a constable proceeded at once to the North Williamstown railway station, where he arrested the prisoners. On being taken to the lock-up and searched, a meerschaum pipe and case were found upon John Wilson. It was subsequently discovered that these articles had been stolen from the shop of Mr. Charles Dean, a tailor and tobacconist carrying on business in Nelsonplace west. Mrs. Dean and Miss Dean proved the larceny, and the Bench sentenced both prisoners to a month's imprisonment, with hard labour, for each offence.

A special meeting of the Victorian Natives' Association took place on Thursday even-ing last, and there was present an un-usually large number of the members. Mr, S. Lyons, J.P., vice-president, occupied the chair. The motion brought forward for the admission of Australian natives as benefit members was carried by a large majority. The association will henceforth, under its new title of the Australian Natives' Association, hold its meetings on every alternate Wednes-day evening in the Temperance-hall, Russellstreet. It was reported that, with two excep-tions, the defaulting members had made themselves good on the books. It was also decided that the anniversary on the 1st of July should be celebrated by a concert and ball, for the carrying out of which a large and influential committee was appointed.

The difficulty which persons who have once been in gaol have in obtaining honest em-ployment was shown at tho City Court yester-day in the case of a young man named Frederick Russell, who was charged with stealing hides. At nearly 3 o'clock in the morning of Saturday last the movements of the prisoner and another man in Elizabethstreet attracted the attention of Constable Dowling, who went towards them, where-upon one of the men walked up the street, while the other remained sitting on the kerbstone having beside him a bullock's hide rolled up and another in a bag. Dowling touched him on the shoulder, and the man jumping up ran off towards the Flagstaffgardens, but was caught by Dowling when half way there. The hides were identified as having been stolen, and it was stated that two men must have been concerned in the robbery, as the hides had to be got over a fence 8ft high with spikes some 6in. long. The prisoner stated that having only come out of Pentridge three weeks ago. after undergoing three years' imprisonment for forgery, he was very hard-up, and being unable to get work, was ready to earn a few shillings in ony way. Therefore when a man offered him 5s. to assist him in carrying the

hides he was glad of the job. He said he did

not assist In the stealing, and did not know the other man's name, though he knew he was a Pentridge man. Detective Hartney stated that he had noticed Russell looking very miserable since he had come out. The constable found on the prisoner a piece of candle, which Russell said was what he used at the sixpenny lodginghouses. The Bench told the prisoner that his story was very unlikely, lectured him, and sent him to gaol

for three months.

At the City Court yesterday, it appeared that the watch which it was mentioned a female prisoner named Elizabeth Avery had concealed in her mouth when at the watchhouse, had been identified by Mr. James Stephenson, watchmaker, aas having been stolen from him. The woman was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

A curious story waa told at the City Court yesterday. A girl named Mary Jane Peat went to the Immigrants' Home a day or two ago, having quitted the house at which she had been left by her father. She said her step-mother ill-treated her brutally, and that she did not know what had become of her father lately. She was being taken to the City Court as a neglected child, when she met a man whom she claimed as her father; and the man, who did not deny it, came to the court also. He said his name was John Scott Peat, that he lived at 19 Car-digan-street, Carlton, and that the girl was 17 years old. The girl was very stunted and not at all good-looking, but she seemed very miser-able, and to have experienced a good deal of suffering. Peat said she was " under the jurisdiction of a stepmother," who ill-treated her in every way, by beating her, throwing hot water over her, and otherwise. He said he would have brought the conduct of his wife, to whom he had been mar-ried seven years-before the court, but that he did not want to make a show of himself. He had been away for the last few days, and in the meantime the girl apparently had run away, but he was willing to place her under a friend's charge, and pay for her support. He said he dared not spend a shilling for fear of his wife, and that his life was not worth threepence, be-cause if he were an hour from home she thought he was with this child, and she made gross charges against him. He had three chil-dren living now, and had buried two. Three were by a former wife. Inspector Kabat said it was a most disgraceful thing that the man had not brought the ill-treatment of the girl under the notice of the court. He applied for a remand, in order that the police might make inquiries and act accordingly. The girl was therefore remanded till Monday, being in the meanwhile sent to the Immi-grants' Home, the father to pay for her sup-port there. ,

Last month a woman named Bates ob-tained at the District Court an ex parte order for maintenance against her husband, who, she said, deserted her three or four years ago, She said an order was made against him at that time, but that he had never complied with it. Being given a minute of the order to serve on the husband, she afterwards stated to the Bench that she had served it upon him at his residence. The husband did not ap-pear, and a summons was issued calling on him to show cause why he should not comply with the order. The summons was given for service to the police, who found that the woman's story of having served the minute of order at her husband's house was a fiction, as the husband died two years ago in the Melbourne Hospital. When the case came on at the District Court yesterday this was stated, and it was also said that the woman, it had been found out, was not right in her

head.

The cricket season will be brought to a close this afternoon, with a match on the M.C.C ground between two teams chosen by Messrs, Wardill and D. Wilkie, the names of which have already appeared in our columns. At the termination of the game, which com-mences at 2 o'clock punctual, a dinner will be given in the pavilion. Should the weather prove very wet, the match will have to be given up, but fair weather or foul, the dinner will take place at 6 p.m. Mr. D. C. Macarthur, the president of the M.C.C, will occupy the chair.

Should the weather prove favourable, the football season will be opened this afternoon, The Melbourne Club play a scratch match on their own ground, sides to be chosen at a quarter to 3 o'clock sharp. The Hotham Club also meet in the Royal-park, and the South Yerra Club in Fawkner-park, at half-past 2

o'clock.

The Geelong Advertiser has the following :" As showing how some fortunes have been made during the late rise in wool, it may be

stated that a woolscourer in this district pur- chased in January, 1870, 146 bales of washed

locks at the rate of 6½d. per lb. He kept them

for some time, and in November, 1871, they were sold in London for 17d. per lb. The bales averaged nearly 4001b. each, and his profit was an average of £19 13s. per bale, or a lump sum of £2,86818s. This was only one among other profitable ventures that were made by the same gentleman."

The members of Cagli and Lyster's Italian opera troupe, in a very generous manner, have volunteered to perform at a grand con-cert for the benefit of the Melbourne Hos-pital. The offer has been made to the committee through Mr. Cagli, who explained the desire of the company to be of some service to the institution. The concert will take place in the Town-hall next Monday week. In order that the entertainment may be a great success, the committee have made arrangements for the attendance of the English opera company, as well as of the chorus. With the united strength of the two com-panies there will be no difficulty in rendering effectively various selections from the operas. That there may be no rival entertainment on the same evening, the committee of the hospital have arranged with Mr. Lyster for the closing of the Princess's Theatre, The consent of Messrs. Cagli and Lyster was neces-sary to the giving of the concert, and they have not only readily granted it, but are doing what they can to help it on.

The lady members of the theatrical and musical professions resident in Melbourne have been at considerable pains to make the fancy fair which is to be hold next week in St. George's Hall, in aid of the Australian Dramatic and Musical Association, a success. The novelty of the affair will no doubt go a long way towards accomplishing this desirable end. The fair will extend over Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The doors are to be open from 2 to 5, and from 7 to 11 p m. The attractions of the ladies' stalls will be supplemented by dramatic entertainments. "The Bonnie Fishwife" will be performed at 3 and 8 o'clock, at 4 and 9 o'clock an operetta will be given, and a farce will be played each evening at 10. During the " festival week," as it is called, it is also proposed to have an entertainment, on the model of Richardson's Show, in the vesti-bule of the late Theatre Royal.

There will be no performance at St. George's Hall this evening, the most promi-nent members of the dramatic company con-nected with that place of amusement having given their services to aid in the entertain-ment for the benefit of Mr. George Coppin, which takes place in the Town-hall to-night. Mr. Coppin, it will bo remembered, was the heaviest loser by the destruction of the Theatre Royal, and the effort which is to be made in his behalf this evening it is hoped will recoup him in some measure. The musical portion of the programme will be carried out under the direction of Messrs.

Siede, Schott, and Herz ; and the attractions

offered are very considerable.

The Princess's, although it is the only theatre properly so called that is left in Mel-bourne, might close its doors unless it could

present something worth seeing and hear-

ing. There is only one part of the house now that will hold more people than are in the habit of attending it - namely, the dress circle; and if the ratio of in-crease goes on in that place as it has done since the production of "Barbe Bleue," the house will be nightly crowded in all parts. We have hitherto paid particular attention to every detail except those of scenery and dress. There are four scenes in Mr. Hen-nings' own'style, and the first, second, and fourth are so good as to coll for distinct ap-proval on their own account. An observer may detect in the architecture of Blue Beard's castle (the back ground of the first scene) how the artist has mixed up turret and minaret, feudal schloss, and Turkish palace, in the very manner that the extraordinary con-fusion presented by the living personages on the scene renders fitting and appro-priate. Theatrical dresses always deserve a word of notice when they are new and of good quality, and the "dressing" of " Barbe Bleue " may in this wise be spoken of most favourably. The performance was so good last night that the act-drop had to be raised upon each scene, and in the case of the second act the audience were not satisfied without a second reappearance of all the principals. "Barbe Bleue" is now fairly launched upon the floodtide of popular favour, and may be left to pursue its own successful course. It is to be repeated to-night.

The justice of the peace who sat on the City Court bench during the hearing of the alleged mining conspiracy case, and whose presence elicited some remarks from Mr. McKean, solicitor for the prosecution, was Mr. S. H. Cohen, and not Mr. P. Cohen, as was stated.

In our advertising columns will be found a list of the successful numbers in connexion with the art-union and drawing of prizes for St. Mary's Catholic Church at Williams-

town.

During the week ending the 20th April, the number of births, registered in the metro-politan and suburban districts was 163, and the number of deaths 75, All the reports are

favourable.

It will be seen from our advertising columns that, the anniversary sermons of Erskine Church will be preached to-morrow. The Rev. ,P. S. Menzies will preach in the morning at 11 o'clock, and the Rev. James Ballantyne in the evening at half-post 6.

The opening services at the new Presby I terian church, Napier-street, Fitzroy, will be

continued to-morrow. The officiating minis-ters are the Revs. Dr. Cameron, J. Walker, and R. Hamilton. A tea meeting will be held on Tuesday evening.

The annual meeting of the North Mel-bourne Football Club was held yesterday evening, in the Victoria Hotel, Hotham. Mr. R. J. Alcock was in the chair. The report

and balance-sheet were read by the secretary, Mr. McIndoe, showing the club to be in a prosperous state. The office-bearers for the ensuing season were elected as follows:President, R. J. Alcock ; captain, H. Fahrhop ;

treasurer, J. Walker ; secretary, A. Walker ; match committee-Messrs. Hastings, Dobson, J. Walker, and Fahrhop.

The annual meeting of the Carlton Foot-ball Club was held last night, at the Bowlinggreen Hotel, Lygon-street ; Mr. Walls in the chair. The eighth annual report stated that the season of 1871 had been the most success-ful achieved by the club,-out of 13 matches played, only two having been lost, while six were won and five drawn, In the two lost 15 of the Carlton were pitted against 20 of the opposing clubs. The club had won the challenge cup, and now was the premier club of the colony. There were now 68 i members in it, and there was a good

balance, viz,, £15 8s. Cd,, to commence the coming season with. Mr, Geo. Coppin was re-elected president, Messrs. John Walls and R. Robertson, vice-presidents ; Mr. Thomas Power, secretaryand treasurer ; Mr. Donovan, captain; and Mr. Thomas Power, captain of the second 20. The players and emergency in the challenge cup victory, and the office-bearers, had been photographed, and the picture was presented during the evening. The report was adopted, Before the meeting separated gold lockets were presented to Messrs. Clarke, Donovan, and Thomas Power for services rendered to the club ; and an address was presented to Messrs. O'Brien and W. Williams, veteran members. A vote of thanks was passed to the old captain of the club, Mr. John Conway, who had recently been incapacitated from playing by an acci-dental injury.