[Editor: These news items are extracts from the “News and notes” section published in The Ballarat Star (Ballarat, Vic.), 14 May 1873. Some of the news items came from other newspapers.]
News and notes.
A Chinaman named Ah Yuck was arrested on Tuesday evening by Constable Thompson in the Chinese Camp on a charge of stealing fifteen yards of cloth the property of Fitzgerald Bros. The theft from the shop was committed on Saturday, and the police were communicated with. Constable Thompson traced a portion of the stolen cloth to the possession of a hawker, and afterwards ascertaining that Ah Yuck had sold it to him, he arrested the latter. Ah Yuck, who gives the police plenty of trouble, was searched at the eastern lock-up, and several packets of opium were found neatly stitched in the lining of his poncho. The opium was removed, much to the disgust of the Chinaman. A large packet of the stuff was also found in his boot. When the latter was discovered, Ah Yuck made a desperate and successful effort to get hold of a small piece of opium lying on the lock-up table. The opium was swallowed greedily by John, although every endeavor was made to prevent him from taking it.
At the committee meeting of the Orphan Asylum, held on Tuesday evening, a long acrimonious discussion took place on the fact that instead of tenders being advertised for supplying a number of bedsteads, the secretary had, under instructions, visited a number of persons who sold articles of the description named and solicited them to tender. All the evils arising from such a course were pointed out by various speakers, and threats to make the matter public at the next annual meeting were held out.
At the Town Police-court on Tuesday, two drunkards were dealt with in the ordinary way, and Joseph Nugent and Ellen Knight were remanded till Thursday on a charge of stealing a watch, the property of Jas. Ryan. Mr Scott, J.P., attended at the court house.
Another accident happened on Tuesday afternoon at the Yarrowee Creek, below the Little Bridge street bridge. A drunken man staggered over the side of the creek and fell from a height of eight feet. The man fell on his head and neck and lay on the flooring of the channel apparently stunned for a few minutes. Assistance was speedily at the spot, and having found that the drunken fellow had escaped injury, Constable English escorted him to the eastern lock-up.
The City Council of Ballarat still proclaims its inability to do for the streets of the city what we are informed the people of Learmonth succeed in doing — keep vagrant cows away. Any night, and almost any day, cows may be seen grazing about the fences and corners of streets in the heart of the city, in and about Sturt street, the principal thoroughfare. Such careless administration in a large city is, let up hope, unique.
The Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Society held a meeting at the Buck’s Head hotel on Tuesday night, and unanimously resolved that the committee of the Early Closing Association receive all the support in the power of the society to procure shorter hours of labor for needlewomen, and that it will use its utmost endeavors to have the bill introduced by Major Smith, M.L.A., for this purpose carried into law. It was also determined to advise the society at its next quarterly meeting to co-operate with the Early Closing Association in its efforts to raise a testimonial to Messrs Wooten and Fraser for the exertions they have made in the same direction. The society would have taken action at once, but its rules provide that all such matters must be disposed of at the quarterly meetings.
On Tuesday afternoon a cabman had both shafts of his cab broken in a peculiar manner. He backed up to the footpath opposite the Lydiard street Police Station to pick up some passengers, when his horse suddenly choked, and, falling down, broke both shafts. At first it was thought the horse had dropped down dead, but in a few moments it was all right again. A lady who had just got into the cab received a severe fright but was not hurt.
On Thursday evening, 8th instant, about nine o’clock, the cottage belonging to Mr Joseph Dudley, a miner residing by himself near the Linton Police Camp, was completely burned down, and all or at least most, of the household contents were consumed. Mr. Dudley had, it seems, left some fire on the hearth when he went out to go down the street. The loss was estimated at about £25.
It has been reported to the police that a man named Gordon Reid, a resident of Springdallah, has been missing since Easter, and it is feared that he has met his death by falling down some hole.
The double funeral of Mr Howe’s two sons took place on Tuesday afternoon. The two coffins were carried by youngsters aged from eleven to sixteen years, from Mr Howe’s residence to the Raglan road, where they were placed in a conveyance and followed by all the inhabitants of Alfredton and Windermere who could possibly attend this (as far as this district is concerned) most melancholy ceremony. On arriving at the New Cemetery the young people again took possession of the remains of their late playfellows and friends, and deposited them in their last resting place. The funeral service was read by the Rev. Mr Horsley in a very impressive manner, to a most attentive and sympathising audience. We hope it may be long before they have to witness the like again.
A Chinese smoked opium at Maryborough till he was dying, and the doctor called in found him covered with blood. The Advertiser says:— “The appearance of the blood was ultimately found to have arisen from the fact that the deceased, knowing he was about to die, told some of his countrymen that nothing but the warm blood of a duck could save him. They accordingly procured one, and chopping its head off in the room, gave him the neck to suck; but he soon expired.”
We (Daylesford Mercury) learn with regard to a recent case that has attracted attention, the victim was not seduced, but violated by some villain, in broad daylight. The outrage was perpetrated in the bush, within 200 yards of the parents’ house, and as the scoundrel kept his face carefully covered, it is feared he cannot be identified. The police, however, have the matter in hand. The unfortunate girl must have been under fourteen when she was outraged.
In the Warden’s Court, Creswick, on Tuesday, in the case E. Milner v Ah Fee and others for encroachment on complainant’s claim to the value of £50, a verdict was given for defendants, with £4 6s 6d costs.
Abraham Isaac Abimelech and others were cited at a meeting of miners at Stawell, on Saturday, held to protest against “the indiscriminate leasing of auriferous lands,” the citation being made to show that use, not monopoly, was to be looked after. From the Chronicle we learn that the meeting adopted the following resolution for presentation to the Minister of Mines:— “That no lease for quartz or alluvial land should give more than 30 acres, and that in no instance should the labor basis be less than 4 men for the first six months, and subsequently one man for every acre so leased.”
The ceremony of baptising the new apparatus carriage belonging to the Creswick Volunteer Fire Brigade was performed on Monday evening last by Councillor Gardiner, at the engine-house, in the presence of the whole of the brigade and a number of visitors. The carriage, which was manufactured after the design of the Ballarat City Brigade by Messrs Trembath and Leach, was much admired. After the ceremony had been duly performed by breaking a bottle of champagne on one of the wheels and naming it the Vulcan, the party spent a couple of hours very pleasantly with the aid of a few bottles of Host Birch’s best liquors.
There was a good house at the Alfred Hall on Tuesday. “A Kiss in the Dark” was the first piece, and Mr Greville kept the house alive with it. “My Daughter’s Debut” followed, and Miss Juno as Rose Duferd and Mr Stuart O’Brien as Achilla Talma Duferd made this pleasant little trifle go off very well. Aladdin took better than ever, and those who performed in it entered thoroughly into the fun and spirit of the burlesque, and were as merry as possible. The same bill will be repeated to-night.
Source:
The Ballarat Star (Ballarat, Vic.), 14 May 1873, p. 2
Editor’s notes:
auriferous = containing gold; gold-bearing; producing or yielding gold
expired = a euphemism for “died”
Jas. = an abbreviation of the name “James”
J.P. = Justice of the Peace
lock-up = police lock-up, police cell, jail cell, the building where the police cells are located (also spelt “lockup”)
Messrs = an abbreviation of “messieurs” (French), being the plural of “monsieur”; used in English as the plural of “Mister” (which is abbreviated as “Mr.”); the title is used in English prior to the names of two or more men (often used regarding a company, e.g. “the firm of Messrs. Bagot, Shakes, & Lewis”, “the firm of Messrs. Hogue, Davidson, & Co.”)
Juno = Eloise Juno, the stage name of Bessie Junor (1840-1923), actress; she was born in Longniddry (East Lothian, Scotland) in 1840, came to Australia in 1867, and died in Studley Park (Melbourne, Vic.) in 1923
See: 1) “Miss Eloise Juno”, Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic.), 6 December 1889, p. 3
2) “Celebrated Melbourne actress Miss Eloise Juno moves into Rushall Park”, Abound Communities (was: Old Colonists Association of Victoria) 27 April 2019
3) “The theatres: Madame Celeste in the “Flowers Of The Forest”””, The Age (Melbourne, Vic.), 22 April 1867, p. 6 [mention of a performance by Eloise Juno in a Melbourne theatre in 1867]
4) “Death of Miss Eloise Juno: Famous and versatile actress”, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 16 April 1923, p. 8
M.L.A. = Member of the Legislative Assembly
outrage = a euphemism for “rape” (past tense: “outraged”, meaning “raped”)
Rev. = an abbreviation of “Reverend” (a title given to a minister of a church, a priest, a member of the clergy)
[Editor: Changed “for for supplying” to “for supplying”; “Mr Scott J.P.,” to “Mr Scott, J.P.,” (added a comma).]
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