Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 - 1843; 1854 - 1876), Thursday 12 November 1868, page 2


TABLE TALK. Racs IEETrIo.-The adjourned race meeting, to receive the auditors' report on the accounts for the past year, and to make arrangements for the coming meet, was held at 8 p.m. on Tuesday last, at Bevan's London Ihu. Mlr. James Trangmar occupying the chair; The Secretary, bnr. WV. Ulapham, laid the auditors' report before the meeting, to the effect that the accounts for the. year had been audited and found correct. The report showed the total receipts from al0 sources to be £374 11s. 10d., and this, covered the expenditure, whilst the list of sub scriptions which the Secretary submitted showed a sum betwoeen £70 and X80 to meet the cost of the coming races. On the motion of Mr. E. 1'Mllen, seconded by 1Mr. . .Huxley the balanco sheet as audited was adopted. Mr. Clapham next resigned the position of Secretary. lie had filled the duty of Secretary for one year, and must now request that soineo other person be appointed. The chairman requested that in the present cundition of the Ilace Club, Mr. Clapham should act as Secretary and Treasurer for the coming year, but this.3ir. Clupham declined. Mr. Cooper volunteered, td prevent further adjouurument, to act as Secretaury pro tenc till 'a suitalble secretary coulk be found. The Secretary was directed to prepare a dozen subscription lists for the couming meet in 1869, to be distributed auougLst the .members:of:.tho club, `and at the Portland bunks &c. Messrsia. BE. Al'lullcn and G. Bevan were appointced t9 exaiiliqo thusate .tof the

race courso fence, and report on thle improvoments requirod. The Secrotary to call for tenders at an early date for the necessary repairs. The best thanks of the meeting were unanimnusly accordod to plr. Clapham, for the enoergeltio way in which, during the past year, he had dis. charged the duties of Scroetary, and which Mr. Claphanm acknowledged. A voteto of thanks to the Chairman' closed the nieting. NUaluEtI or NEwsrAPERn s (PUBLISHEDi tN TlE WonI)t.-By a citloilation made by a French journalist, compiled from official documents, it is comlputed that the number of newspapers published in Europe is about 7,000; in Atnmerican, 6,000; and about 500 in Asia, Australia, &o.; of these about 3,000 are dailies, and giving as an average of 2000 copies to each journal, it may be reckoned that not less than twelvo millions of copies of newspapers are printed daily. Our contemporary, the Coleraine Albion, las put the "extinguisher" on the Frenchman, when it asserted that it formed a fraction of an army of newspapers numbering 110 millions; being 109,987,500 in excess of Parlez-rous! If we mnlltiply thie French. nlian's numbie'rs -by 8,800, 'we arrive at those of the Albion's. Wide difference that. SATURDAY'S SALE.-A sale of potatoes, tea and sundries will bb held by Mr. G. G. Crouch on Saturday, at the mart, Percystreet. TENDERS.-Tonmorrow, Friday, is the day appoilnted by Mr. C. F. Crouch for opening tellders for addition to stone building. AsNUAL STATEMENT, &o.-The annual statement anid account of receipts and expenditure for the year ended 21st October, 1808, is ready for illnspectioll at the Shire Hall, Walook; and for the year ended 30th September, 1868, at the Town Hall. The annual .meetiung of the Shiro Council for examining -nid settling their accoulnts will be held at the Shire iall, at noon on YWednesday, the 18th inst., and that of the Borough Council aIt the same time, in tile Town Hall, Portland. I'ORTLANDSuIRE COUNCll.-Ii tile report of the lproceedinlgs of the Portlanldshbire Council, which appeared in the Monday's issue of the Guardian, we supply tile following emissiollns :-The annllual acecounts of the Narrawolng anld Drik-drik Commons were presented by the - Secretary, audited, as directed at preceding meetillg; also, bonds duly executed from Mr. )Dunllbar, as lIanlsger of the Tarragal and Mouzie, and from Mr Tunnock, as respousible malnager of the Drik-drik Common. There was also- presellted at the same meeting the receipt for premium oil renewal of the Collector's guaralntee policy for £500.BELFAST V lAaMILTON.-We see by the Spectator that a football match was played on the groultd at Hamilton on Monday, anlud won by the local men. . In the evening. dinner was given by the Hamilton-Clubto their visitors from Belfast, at which a testimonial was presented to the secretary; Mr Mlassie. .. . VISIT To TILE JULIA PERCT IsLANo.-Six excursionists and four boatmen sailed fronl tihe New Jetty about 3 a.m. on Tuesday, bounld for the Julia Percy Island, in thei Portland, a smart fishing sajack 6f'15tons. Thewealther was light, but the smack made tolerable headway and at 10 a.m. tihe party was withllin six miles of the island, which at that distance began to show to advantage. At 12.30 reached the island, the landing on which,: unless under favourable circuelstances, is one of danger and difficulty. The landing effected the party proceeded to explore the island. The island is about one anld s-half miles long and one mile broad and is for the most part covered with scrub, parts open, with a lagoon of solme extent and splendid fresh water in the centre. Sonie six or seven years age a party gathering guano on the island letl a horse tere-anod he upon the approach of the sisitors gallopped up within 100 yards of the party and there stood gazing with great deliberation, but hle evidently was not disposed to make closer acquintaunce, for as the party approached he receded; thes a-imal is in capital couditibn. In addition to the horse, the greater part of the live stock discernible on the island were goats, five or six of whlichl remarkably wild acre seen scampering about, a great number of kangaroot rats and a multitude of white rabbits. IThere care also plenty of lizards, but apparently. no snakes, or it any, none were seen by any of the party. On the south and west sides at the island great nlumbers of seals were visible under the cliffs, but to get at them woulld bre next to impossible as thile clife on the average are about 800 feet and alhuast as plumb as the ulain-mast of a man-uf-war. 'There are also great caves into which the animllals plunge when disturbed, anld there but lew it;1n wouldl be rasi euughl to follow lthem. There are two graves on the island coverilng the bodies it is reported of two sealers buried there, one in 1822 the ether 1828. Our excursionisalts amused themselves shooting for some hours and left the island about G ip.mn, but owing to callhls for tbe first nine hours andtahead wind tfe lost flre, only arrivelt at 8 a.n. on Wednesday: All natids spss with raipture o01 tili trip aild express a deterImination to pay a slcolld visit on some uiltahlr occasion.GEELONO GEELONO TWtEEDS.-" The increased production of tweeds at the Geelong Factory," -says the Adeertiser, "has led to a colasiderable reductiou ill tha prices, dud to the opeuilng up of an Laoney ill Melbourne. The company slow advertise their trade mark as the waoid 'ieolotg' stlluped on esch end and on tha back of the selvlgo throughout the piece. Thi anntounucoumelt is. coupled with -n iltitmation that the prletIce of solne tratdesmen selling imported tweeds as of Geelolig manufacture renlders themn liable to crimillill proceedings." -A sNiOaOLia Fisu.-Tho followieg deecription of a flil, which -we believe to be a swordfislh, is iskell from the Ahacleap Uerald:--" A fail was caught a few days ago at the lBellilIger, which latasured siri teell feet. lig, lald four feet arouss the widest partof tohe back. I nl.addition .to beidg gnxtoee feet lohgthe flbi had a pike

out of the end of its nose measuring four feet nine inches, on which: wore spikes measuring from four inches in length to about one inch and a half at the tip: It was caught about five miles from tho Hleads by hook and line." -Conrelorros Is Bur.rAsT.-Receipt of the following letter has cals d quite a commoti'on in IBelfast:-" Department of I'Pblie Works, Melbourne, 30th October, 180S.-Sir,-In nclknowledgment of the receipt of yoiur letter of the 22nd inst , Il am directed by the hon. the Commissioner of Public Works to infornm you that before commenclog anyowork for the improvement of the harbor of Belfait, it will be necessary to ascertain what proportion of the outlay Mr. : Atkinson, as proprietor of Belfast, will contribute. This informnation, it is considered, could be better obtained by the borough council than by this departmenty 'I encelose, by Mr Jones's direction, a- paragraph fromn Mr Atkinson's letter of the 21st Septembler, 1847, having reference to the conditions on which that gentlemans became possessed of the land at IBelfast. I have, &c., A. GALT, cliefelerk. The Town Clerk lelfast." Extract relerred to: "'The DepitySstrveyor-General is awarre of his Excellency the nlate Governor authorising the land, us! well tns,-.ertaini islunds in the Port Iairy Bay, being sold, to enable me to forms n so wall antd breaukwater, as the mieans of clearing the bay ol, or formnilg a passage througl.h, the s tud bar." An emnergency meeting of ite borough council was ismmediately called, whens the following resolutions wecre passed:-lst. "'That this cn:ncil view wills.surprise and regret tihe attemspt ott the part ot tle,1 Coommisioser' of Public Works to mitake the oiseisenementiii of tile works for thie inmprovement of the harbor of Belfalst conditional on thle course any individualt ratepavesr miay talke, as to coistribtintiig to thle cost thereof." 211d. " TIhat it occuOrdance with . ttse.foregoing resolution, this couneil dietinctly states liat IBellist shouldl not Iie treated in a different nmanucrfront saiy otlher towrlship-thal t it is not at private township, but belongs io a lasrge snumber of piroprietors, and that 0to view B.elfast Us now a ggested by the haot. tihe Conllnissioner of Public Works is an act of the greates. isjustice to the town and district." 3rd. "'that at the meeting of tlhe deputiion'wltd waitled on aMr Vale, thle late Conmmissioner of 'tibllie Works, in October, 1817, he distinctly stated that the only obstscle its the Iway of calling for teniders for the Works foru the imsproveieint of the hurbor of Uellast, tiwas the delay in passing tihe Appropriation Bill, nalking the votes for the work uvailuble tithat plans and specilicatioes were lire. pIared; anti thist in thea opinion of the cuunctil the promisie matte by . r Jones in B.Itast, thati the ssoney voted for the wort should be spolt ott it, and tlhat thee promises of the Government in reference to, it shIould be faithhllilly carried oat, ought to be [aitliflly otscrveet by him."' 4th. "''ThLat in voting moneys in several successive sessions for the untpsovcient of' thle lharbor of IBelfast, thei I.egislatnse itntpoedl no conditions as to piivate contributions, and tihat in view of this ict the council canniot suppose tihat the Coasmitsioner of Public Wh'orles will, ibytnny nction of Ihis, at this taige, prevent the uein expenditure of the votes of Parlissament.'" 5th. "'lhat copies of these resolutions' be forwardted to thle timbersos for Belfast and the countiesic." tLAKEs YAtnsnuc.-" Mr Henry West," says the Age of the 7ill, '" was intriodced by Mr liayles, M.L.A., to ithe lion. Mir Jones,. the object of the interview being to call the attention of the Government to the adtvanttuges whlicl woulll lollowv frost openin;g an entrance to Lukte Yashmblckl, at the aIoetn of tile Shluw tlvcr. 'IThe entratce would be protected by the Ladty Julia 'Pery Islittl, ;:nd the lake twouid become it harbour of reisge, as well ns all enl'esot for the tralde of Ctue ('estern district. Air Jones plromisled that he would have the lake, sand the feasibility of converting it into ai harbor, reported upon by a competent surveyor." Ihreia'a r Dslcoaaver.-" An. Important discovery of coal and lignite in the Cape Otary Itiacges,'' says the Ballalrat Erening Post, "is reported to us by Mlessrs George Lumax and Juames Bowes, who to-day called at our ullice and left samples of botlh articles. 'They left Ballarat about a mtontthf ago to lprospect for coal or gold, and recently cusse across two or thtlee well-developed seauts of coal,'and a similar nuimsber ol seams of lignitce - both minerals being ol ita superior qun lity. The locitlity is wvithin 50 mi0le of Geelong, and less than t1O.0 front Ballarat, and'is easily accessible. Tae discoverers intend to apply for a lease of the ground, and, this done, to form a company is Ballarat to work it. The discovery 0of coal abounding in large quantities will be hailed wiith satisefac. tioan, especially in the itee of the gradual dlestruction of the timber in else vicinity of the gold-oields; sud there call be little doubt that it thle promoters can slhot tlhat their discovery call he imade remunerative they will rapidly obtain aid and assistance from capitalists. We may add that specimens of oti coal asod lignite Umay be seen at the ltretifuug Post office." bclcCK O' At EAtiruQuAKc.-ti aspears that the shock o1 sit c'rthqustske, whiU was. teli at EulSerald-lill and CuOatliuuaino extended as Car as th Buallarat district. -i r - 'Thomats Bath, of Cerus, Lcarsoislt, wtites:to shs Ballara1. .tar its, follows, under 'dat 4ths Notiumber :-" 1Oee thiatt tito siock,.of-" it eslrtsbaulta was hi at aEmt erld.lhill and Ctar tloisitins son Moneday ulrniruisug' ,n hsastemuid told Mis Balth on Metuitty surnting isut site Colt tite shuck ol' an eartisqssake at sibost otie o'clock titti sstorning. .I tliitie ntow tisked thoe girl uboust it, nitiC altu says thiit'stie distlitetly .lCIt ter beil shako ubosreticv initiutes before oeie o'elnck, and a tewutvinsliot otie'rtis clock situck one therm, sois a loud clots sl f tIeunodur. Thu girhl' statetmett is to be relied ott." T'ne Co.tntsa WVAra SCrsE.--LA Msulmtiesbury, 'lottlalualtl Caoslsaknisle, rnird islI elonsg use lisse ofoquoduct, ws.lesra frot, Cthe Dcolesford Alerciry5, 01w joylul Istielligottenc tao t loat C etluel thie atosekeopers snd soorkinig titan tisat it it[ t[a istoenstiot nl Goveroesnt to sirtcesd swilh ansd lisllt tlh great Colibun aelr bcoemlo . Evetyutsitig is tireliared fur action, aud ithe cntcires will be tadvertleed Ceorthwlvith. 11-ed the lworlks been deloyed issuch losigir, it vuolti lnam beets .Intshosiblu . to avoe contitleted bse Maolmsbury reservoir bilfors the stoxt winter's rains. Now tOti reservoir will bt reedy tor titemt, nd Crstitsninite will be tbn firt itlacu to dorive adistissige ftoe' thu fC'ict'I'hssrs is ott tusnash tise tesonrootor, O'Kcele, did not comiloso, betwvean that place stud astidlrs, whicll will tuke twisiso isonulis n o finish. 'Thitsc Ouiot' INoTI rus WeSTEaR DfsraTr. -Advery ounabl corroipoinident writes to

r us (Argus) as follows as to toe state of a the orops in the Western distriot:--" i have examined the crops from liamnilton t to Ponola, by way of Coloraino, Casters ton, and thence to Ponola, I find that at and immediatoly around Ponols, the , orops are (as regards coroeals) further forward than any crops iii the Western distriot. Mr. Iliddooh has undor crop, 1,121, and Mr. Canmerou has 1,016 acros,, and theroe 'alire many whose names I cannot report who have under cultivation areas from 800 ocres ddwvnwards. The bulk of the crop is whoat and oats. .The clops betiveen Castorton and Colorniuo are looking-.very.-well, but - hero e and there are indioations of eithler grub or blight. Mr. Templeton hlis, about 100 acres under crop of cereals and grass, and both look partiuonlarly good. In all, I estimate that from IHamiltoll to Penola there are over 10,000 acres under cereals, 'which will be doubled, next year. In addition to this, the gardens, which are Ilumerous and large, are stocked with piroduco. If the nmembers of Government can be induced. to. visit the district, they can see for themselves the urgent neocessity of a bhort lino of railway to tap the hllutham country,. and toprovenat, .te trade going into the hands of South Aestralia." .Tun Tun ilELnoUNse RACES.-The Ares of the 9th says:-"' On Saturdsy the Victoria Raciing Club was extremely fortunate i being favoured with a continuance at the beautiful eusummer-like .weather so horoughlly appreciated on the two preceding days of the meeting. About 10,000 or 12,400 persons visited the course. No doubt Ite Cup day, of all days in thle year, is thesone fraught with the most interest to the raing conemuunity;' but althoughl the great hindicap possesses all the essential requisites to render it the most excitingll event of ;he year, the public still lodk forward" to tce' 'late and Steeplechlase day as one for their special pleasure. Both rail and roadt wire extensively patronised. His Excellency, family, and suilevwere again present. The V.It.C, Ilandicap, which had beeln looked upon as one of the mlost interesting items d tile day, was shorn of its principal features through the neglect of several owners of horses to pay up for their respective- noaainations before ten o'clock oil the mnrning of the race. Formerly the rule with reference to the race was sufficiently libtral to allow of owners delaying the paymlelt of the last instalment of tihe sweepstdies until an hour or so before, the evert took place. On the tirst say of tihe meetig it wals dtillicult to obtain the lnames of tih riJers without agreat deal of usnecessarj trouble; and even when tlhey wero provided, they were not without illneccerncis, tie nami of Fountain, .who rode in two or three rtcet, being given as Jones The winlnlers on Satirday were:All-aged Stakes, Ghlnooc; 't' Oaks, lMy Dreams ; the Victrlia Racing Ciub Htlndicap, Sheet Anchor; the Steejplechuse, Vsking; the Qseen's 1'Plste, Glencoe ; sad tue Freu Handiculp,, Strop. Potsosso.-TThe Bendigo district coroner received a telegram on 'Thursday the thi inst. fron: Hleatlheate, stating that a loan named George Wilson, "white in the bar of tile Prince of VWales hotel, Ileathcote, helped himself to a nobbler froel one of-the botties marked " whiskey," on the stand on the counter. He drank it off quickly, too late to discover thait it was not whiskey, but cyanide of Ipotassiulm, which hie had drunk. In a few mlinutes he was desd. The coroner at once proceeedd to HIeathcote to Ihold an inquest. These particulars we glean from the iendligo ddrertiser, but the Bendigo Indepndenlnt gives a somewvhat different accounlt of toe sad occurrence:-'" At about tenll o'clock on Wednesday nighlt a mlniddle-agcd sann, named George Wilson, went into Jackson's P'rince of Wales Hotel, Heathcote, iand called for a nobbler of whiskey. A young girl who waiss standing at the bar took lrom na shelt containing several other bottles Onle lwhich was labelled' whiskey' and served out the usual quantity in a glass. Wilsoln took it off at a Oraught, and immediately exclaimed, 'I'm poisoned, I'm poisoned'-the oslly words he ever afterwards uttere." It was speedily discovered that he isad drunk out of a bottle filled 'with cyanide of potaestuon-a chenmical, preparation used byA Mr Jackson, who combsined photography with hotelkeepiug, and who would nat appcar to have taken suiceent care inoseparating the quick poisoubs from the slow. Medical assitatlce was soon on the spot, and relnmedies were sought to be introduced, but all in aiui, as they are said to have. been ejected -with a violence quile shocking to witness. The poir tellow breathed his last in about sevlen lillutes after having swallowed inle terrible mixltulre, leaving a wife and two children to muourn his untimely iend."