The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-19

resulted IN an lncrease,of sixteen per cent on IN
amount actually received for messages.
The abstract OF the estimated population OF Vie
tora for the qnarter elding the 3oth OF June last
4 furnished by the Registrar General. gives the tofa
population at 900, i6l, there being Sol ls0 males ant
30o0l5 temales During the quarter the pain 70 th'
nopnanon, ey excess OF births over deaths, wa
4 10y excess OF arrivals over departures was 26J5-
Wiz l. 4S9 males and ], s6 females. The total gain
was, therefore, 0,62S-vz., 3,3o2 males and 1891
a return furnished to Parliament by the Post once
authorities shows that the Slst December 1868,
there were d30 post offices open IN the colony, in
Guiding dtty nine offices In which the postal and
telegraphic departments are combined
Two earthquake shocks. one very slight, but the
/ other Of some twenty seconds DURATION were ex-
perienced on the morning OF the 3oth August in the
/ North Gpps Land and Beechworth districts The
principal shock occurred at about quarter TO i've
i A. NJ aud tue direction OF the wave appear ed 10 be
from east 10 west The vibrations are described as
/ being rapid continuous and distinctly marked, re-
/ semOling the quick pace OF heavy wagons over an
uneven road. the shock appears to have been more
severe NJ Sale. Az that place the party walls OF
Of the most substantial buildings in the town were
cracked diagonally from top TO bottom, windows
were violently and ylsibly shaken and the glass IN
some Instances cracked and furniture disturbed.
The shocks were plainly felt at the Heart clyde
bank, Nantin; Matra, heynTela' inc Foray,second,
appears TO nave been felt IN other parts Of the
colony. -
country TO the alterations which the climate OF Aus
trniia is undergoing IN consequence OF the sys-
teat,c deuudation OF tree covering which the sur
face oil the country 10 being subjected to. 10 Is
sho that in the case OF the Balaiat district the
destruction OF the timber has been accompanied by
a corresponding dimnntion in the rainfall, and that
since 1858 there has been more or less regular re-
duction from 1921 inches IN 1868 TO 1923 inches III
1868. During the past seven months or the present
year and Including two OF the ordinarily wettest
the rainfall has been only 1l.20 inches. In connec
ZION with this subject mention may be made OF the
tact that The government has appointed an inspector
OF state Forests whose duty VIII be to prevent the
waste of timber
Inc first load OF wool OF this seasons clip was de-
spaeched on tue 23d OF August from the ST. Ainaud
district This Is the earliest shearng known IN that
district
the Board or Agriculture of Victoria held its an.
nual meeting on tue lelh Of August 1t was agreed
TO set apart out Of the annual grant OF $4,000 tue
sum OF e. SEQ tor agricultural societies. and to de-
vote the remaining E,500 10 experiments, expenses
and national shows.
Geodetic Survey BY Mr. William Turton. assistant
geOdetc surveyor VINO h now engaged extending
the rianGulaton between the entrance Of the Snowy
river and Cape Howe, mentions tnat the survey
party Is now cainped on the Wingan inlet, about
sixty miles east OF Cape Howe. He also states
that about three miles ana a halt east OF cape
Everard there are Two rivers which unite into one
about hail mte iniaad-one river coming from the
northeast ana the other from the north. These
rivers are unnamed. tie reports having nearly
completed the erection or station on Ram Head
aud or making rapid progress towards Cape Howe.
The works Tor supplying the town OF GeeoAg WIN
water 1t Is stated on the authority OF MIR. Chris
topnerson. ensneer-in.ehef OF the Victorian water
supply VIII be completed by the end OF February
4 new church at the corner OIL Dana and Lydlard
streets at cost of Gl0, 900.
ne master bakers Vi Melbourne acceded to the
demand made by the jonrneymen FOR the reduction
OF the period OF labor TO ten hours per day.
Tue political and Parliamentary situation OF the
moment IL one OF huoble-buDele.
The returns OF the government railways for the
week ending September show u large increase over
the corresponding week of last year III all the main
sources OF revenue with the exception OF the re-
turns lrom the passenger ratlc, winch show fall
Ing OF OF fl63 IS. l0d, although 100 more passen-
gers travelled III the last week than IN the
spending OF last year. Tne weekly average
SHOWS considerable increase over that gwen NY
last mail. The revenue derived from tue carriage Of
passengers Tor tue week amounts to G3 As Id.
as against G35l6 los. Cd. IN the corresponding week
OF last year, showing deficiency OF fl03 5s lOd.
Ile rate OF wages during the past month shows
no falling of, although1t perhaps OF the duliest
months in the year. The arrivals OF second and
third class passengers from England have been
large, but all those desiring employment nave been
able 10 obtain IL wltnoat causing any reduction III
the rate OF wages.
As regards the state OF the public neaith during
the month, there little unusual chronicle.
owing 20 the variable and, NJ tunes, extre nelly
severe weather experienced OF late, many persons
OF weakly constitution may doubt ess have suffered
but, as rule, the health Of the community gene
rally remains IN Its normal condition