MELBOURNE.

Evening Post, Issue 22, 4 March 1865, Page 3

MELBOURNE.

The Land Act Amendment Bill passed ira seconfl reading in the Legislative Council without a division ; but alas for the muvh talked of but half mythical individual the " boiia fide " settler, their colonial lordships have cut out of that measure some of the most liberal of (he provisions relative to the agricultural areas «i favor of the auction system. As the Bill stood when it left the Assembly it Contained a provision to the effect that lands once thrown open for agricultural selection and settlement should remain tabooed from the auctioneer's hammer for the space of three years ; and, also, it provided that even at the expiry of that term not more than 200,000 acres should be sold by auction in any one year ; but the , majority of the Council, with secret, although I trust not ma ignant exultation, now say to themselves and to each other, uWe consider one year quite long enough for the enterprising capitalist, squatter, or other, to be denied the luxury of a big agricultural investment, and 200,000 acres little enough for him to come and go upon in a wliole twelvemonth." It is not at all improbable that mangled as it will be by these and further amendments, the Assembly will object to have anything now to do with the bill, and then the' question will ariso, •' What is to be done next?" The Council won't reform itself or its Wdj's, wont pass a land bill, and like all other respectable people of anti-revolu-tionary principles, we must, of course shut our ears to all suggestions of that kind, and submit to be governed by the wealthy dullards that occupy the crimson scats of Our magnificent Upper Chamber, with as good a grace as is possible under the circumstances, indulging our spleen no further than by philosophically pinning our 'faith to the old Latin proverb, " Quern Deus vult, &c, &c. — Otago Times correspondent.

If a general invades an enemy's country and meets with a check, he thinks it a misfortune. If a man applies for a -loan of money, and receives a check, he considers it no misfortune at all. A jockey, who incautiously burned his finger by taking up his toast from the fire, and broke the phtte by letting it fall, observed that it was too bad to lose the plate after having won Mie htftK