PER S.S. HERO,

By the arrival, in horbour, of the s. s Hero this morning we are n receipt of files of Sydney papers to the 18th inst., and of Melbourne dates to the 14th. The follow ing items are condensed from the files to hand :— SYDNEY. The Working Men's Defence Association has been reorganised under the name of the "New South Wales Political .Reform Association." The sculling match betweenf.Trickett and Hanlon will "be for £500 aside.—The Im perial Government has agreed to build an ironclad for New South Wales.—-A snake was killed crossing Pitt-street, Sydney.— At Cootamunda an engine ran off the line killing one man and wounding others.—A boy named James Costello kick a girl to death, at Goulburn, during a child's quarrel. —An impostor calling himself Rev Michael Cregan, has been victimising Roman Catholics in the country districts.—The schooner Industry went ashore on the rocks at Bungarce Norah —The Georgia Minstrels are performing in Sydney. 1 MELBOURNE. Mrs Fisher has appealed to the Provincial Council against the decree divorcing her h'isband, and she intends to petition the Queen.—A hurricane passed over Mel bourne, damaging many houses, and kill in<* Mrs Marks and a boy named Jacobs.— The Jeanette, of 169 tons, was wrecked oft Wilson's Promontory.—Great excitement has been created in consequence, of a child having been kidnapped by a woman.—John Hunter, for the murder of Lycester Dean, was sentenced to four months for man slaughter. ADELAIDE. Captain McGowan has been picked up at sea in a boat.—The Customs Convention between New South Wales and South Australia extended one month.
CHRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS.
