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INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.
By the Overland Mail we have our usual files from
South Australia and Victoria to 29th September, and
from the other Australian Colonies to nearly the
same dates. We give the most interesting items of
inteligence.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
The Emily Smith, hence to Adelaide, arrived there
on the 3rd September, and the Sea Nymph cleared
out from that port for King George's Sound on the
21st September.
Mr. B. T. Finniss has netitioned the House of
Assembly for redress and compensation for his
grievances.
It is said that Major Warburton has discovered a
river in the Far North, which he ascended for 300
miles, and found to discharge into Lake Eyre. The
settlement of the western country between Fowler's
Bay and the Bight is progressing successfully.
The Beatrice arrived on September 26, from the
Northern Territory, having Mr. McKinlay and three
of his party on board. The news from the Territory
is very unsatisfactory, and there seems to be no
alternative but now to abandon the place. Mr.
HcKinlay's exploring trip appears to have been a
total failure, the party having been placed in immi
nent danger by immense floods. Great dissension
and dissatisfaction is said to exist at the Camp, and
Mr. Wanton is spoken of as no better than Mr. Fin
niss. The natives have been a little troublesome, but
on tbe whole are friendly. Mr. McKinlaj .reports
that he went exploring the country ou the banks of
the East Alligator River, but heavy floods came down
the river and prevented his getting back to Escape
Clins.
The great house of P. Levi & Co., engaged in large
shipping, mercantile, and squatting operations, has
been forced to suspend payment, and an assignment
of the estate has been made to the Hon. H. Ayers,
R. B. Smith, W. Townsend, and W. S. Douglas (of
the Bank of South Australia). This great firm has
been brought down partly by tbe drought, which has
entailed upon them very heavy losses, and partly by
other causes not yet sufficiently explained. The
liabilities are £312,000, so far as yet ascertained; the
assets are not ascertainable, as they consist largely
of depreciated properties, and which must (in the
present condition of tfce money market) be sold at a
ruinous sacrifice if forced into the market.
VICTORIA.
We observe by the Australasian that the barque
Douglas aud schooner Stanley were on berth for this
colouy.
The Exhibition will be a very large one; eountry
districts are sending in numerous contributions. The
Commissioners to the Exhibition had arrived with
produce from New Caledonia. The building was
finished on the 1st September. Many exhibits had
been received from Tasmania and Rockhampton.
H.MJS. corvette Chaixengeb, 18 guns, which
left Portsmouth on May 30, has, it seems, gone on to
Sydney, without calling at Fremantie, She was seen
off Cape Otway on the 10th ultimo. The Challenger
carries the flag of Commodore Rochford Maguire,
and will replace H.M.S. Curacoa on the Australian
station.
NEW SOUTH WALES.
In the Assembly ibe Colonial Distillation Bill has
passed the third reading.
* TASMANIA.
A notice of motion has been given in the Tasmanian
Parliament by Mr. Murray, having for efiect the
annexation of Tasmania to Victoria.
NEW ZEALAND.
The Cook's Straits cable has been successfully laid,
the missing length having been supplied by the use
of the portion of the cable lost on the occasion of the
first experiments. The submarine line is now open
to the public, and congratulatory messages were
transmitted by the Governor to the several superin
tendents of the provinces.
Two gentlemen, whose official duties have recently
taken them separately over almost all New Zealand,
have made, independently of one another, each his
own estimate of the number of Haories now existing.
It has been supposed that the native population
varied from 40,000 to 50,000 persons; but one of
these estimates gives the number at 34,000, the other
at 27,000; certainly not ovpr 30,000.
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