Last modified on 20 November 2015, at 21:59

Alexandra Times at KellyGang 3/3/1871 (2)

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Local and General News

In Melbourne Mr Noel is appointed the judge, with jurisdiction over Melbourne, Kilmore, Mansfield, and Upper Goulburn, and his court is to sit monthly, except in January. The chief clerk of the Insolvent Court, Melbourne, and the chief clerks of the County Courts at Ballarat, Geelong, Belfast, Beechworth, Sandhurst, Castlemaine, Maryborough, and Sale are appointed the chief clocks in insolvency.

At a meeting of the Grant Testimonial Committee lately held, the secretary reported that since the 21st January he had received and paid into the bank £204 19s 6d, making the net sum now in the bank £291 18s 2d. There still remained outstanding promised subscriptions to the amount of £117 5s. Beyond this he expected about £20 from Geelong, £5 from Portland, £40 from Sandhurst, and £40 from Kyneton, which would swell the total to a little over £3000, the amount which it was estimated last month the fund would reach.

Most of the creeks running into the Murray abound with cat fish, a species of the finny tribe particularly repulsive in appearance, but which it is said are by no means bad for eating. These fish, however, are armed with three sharp spikes at the extremity of the same number of fins near the head, and with these formidable weapons it is probable they strike and destroy the smaller fish upon which they prey. How much care requires to be exercised in handling these fish the following will show (says the Benalla Ensign).

A gentleman was enjoying himself for the afternoon in catching this description of fish, when a thoughtless lad who was fishing near, in landing one of the same species, hastily and carelessly swung the fish up against this gentleman's leg, and one of its spikes was driven with great force deeply into his leg, just below the knee. The effect was instantaneous, and almost like an electric shook. Intense pain followed, becoming every moment more and more excruciating, and spreading up the leg and almost paralysing it, rendering the gentleman struck unable to rise. With great difficulty he was assisted up to the house, when the intensity of the pain brought on faintness. Restoratives were used, and for nearly two hours it was necessary to apply constantly lotions to allay the pain and keep down the fever. By the aid of poultices and warm water applications, the pain be came sufficiently reduced to unable the patient to fall asleep, and the next day little remained but a stiffness in the leg.

In a libel case heard recently at the Avoca County Court, in which a Miss Agnew, who had been collecting subscriptions for building a Wesleyan church at Homebush, was sued for damages by Mr and Mrs Debenham, the following extraordinary letter, which constituted the libel complained of, was proved to have been sent by the defendant to a Mr Cardew:- "Mr Cardew - I charge you before God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, with writing to Mr Minns about me denying the fact, I charge you with doing an underhand action, and then telling a wilful deliberate lie to hide it; coming into my place with a part of Mr Minns' letter, and trying to deceive. I also now tell you to your face that you and your friend Mrs Debenham are a great deal too intimate, and God will find it out yet. As to your impertinence about my temper, your own and Mrs Debenham's are quite as bad when it suits you. Mrs Debenham is a hypocrite, and I think Mr Cardew one also. Where has God been when you have wilfully lied this last week or two. You need not write to me, for I have a thorough con tempt for you. You can no more deceive me. f have no doubt the Lord has seen some strange goings on between you and Mrs Debenham. - Margaret Fleming Agnew. My Heavenly Father, remember this old man, how far he has fallen." For sending this epistle, which the Judge said was a disgrace to the writer, Miss Agnew had to pay only £10 damages.

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