WELLINGTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 398, 30 August 1856, Page 5

WELLINGTON.

(From the N. Z. "Spectator.") Our files of Sydney papers by |tlie William Alfred, extending; to the 2th instant, do not contain any later English intelligence thau had previously been received by the Lady Grey. The principal topic of Sydmy news ; p>enri to be the discovevy of new diggings at tue Bocky River in the New EnglamrDistrict, which are favourably reported upon,and which a<c>unts state are atracting an influx of digucvs irom various quarters. The Sydney Gold fields have been so completely eclipsed by those of Melbourne that for a long time past they have ceased to obtain any considerable amount of public attention, and this revival in favor of me New England Gold fields may prove only transient, and its value more of a relative character in reference, to the average produce of.

the Sydney gold fields of late years, than to the rich returns -Which rewarded the exertions of the fortunate diggers on the first discovery of gold in the Australian Colonies. Another topic of importance is the late rise of flour in the Sydney market owing to the damage suffered by the crops in Chili. This improvement in price will give encouragement to the New .Zealand cultivators, as it holds out to them the prospect of a remunerative market for their produce. While the importations'of flour to Australia from South America will probably be greatly diminished, it is fair to suppose that the establishment of peace will cause a renewal of emigration to these colonies from Great Britain, so that whatever temporary fluctuations may take place, the price of wheat will have an upward tendency, and this would be greatly increased if the Australian Colonies should be visited with an unfavourable season. An iucident connected with the question of privilege of the Legislative Assembly occurred recently at Sydney, which is worth referring- to as throwing some light on the pretensions with reference to privilege which have been raised for the Provincial Council here. It seems a member of the Legislative Assembly was severely horsewhipped, on some private quarrel, within the precincts of the House of Assembly at Sydney. This led to a long discussion in the House, which led to—nothing. No steps were taken of any practical kiud, and the impression seemed to be that the lion, member who , had suffered eastigation would obtain sufficient redress at the ordinary tribunals of justice. The Sydney Herald, in treating of this question, says:— ' '"We are happy to see that the Assembly left the question of privilege as they found it. There is not the slightest chance of the* House making good a claim to the powers of the High Court of Parliament. It is itself the creature of a statute, not of common law, as trancendentalists have maintained a Colonial Legislature Should be. But the British Parliament, ■when it conferred a constitution, gave nothing save that it expressed in the ■words of the Act—or it gave everything the Assembly or Legislative Council may choose to declare its own—a power which -would subject every man ia the colony to a dominion worse than Algerine- ... : ■ . .' ; ■■ •■ . What a contrast this affords to the " Privilege question,, here, and the absurdities of our Provincial Lord John Russell! The elected Legislative Assembly of the oldest and most important Colony in these seas does not pretend to any inherent right of privilege, such as that ! possessed by the Commons, because it knows such pretensions to be .groundless ; and the press in commenting on the question, deprecates the existence of such a power, in such a quarter, as likely to lead to the most insupportable tyranny. How much more odious and insupportable ■would be the exercise of such a tyranny, wielded I by such a body as the Provincial Council of Wellington, if by any stretch of the imagination •we could suppose them to usurp such powersi Of course, some independent member will ask at the next session of the Council for an answer sent by the Colonial Minister through the Governor to the " Privilege question." It was shelved in the House of Assembly at Auckland, under the plea of its being a ridiculous Provincial squabble,—but in the Provincial Council here such a request we should hardly think can be .-well refused.

: Information readied Wellington on Wednesday week, from the East Coast, of the total -wreck"of the schooner " Ann Lloyd," at Poverty Bay. The particulars of the s>ad catastrophe, as far as we have been able to learn them, are as follows. The schooner belonged to Auckland, from whence she was bound to the Wairoii Kiver, Poverty Bay. In crossing the bar of the river, early in August, a heavy sea broke aboard and stopped her way, and she went ashore on the bank. When the tide began to ebb, the sand was washed away from under her stern, and she weni down over end, stern first, into deep water, and the vessel and everything on board was totally lost. Fortunately no lives were lost, although the captain and crew had a very narrow escape.— lndependent. The brigantine "William Alfred,'1 Captain Tin ley, arrived in this harbour on Thursday night (21st instant), after a passage of eleven days. By this opportunity we have received files of Sydney papers up to the mil instant, being 24 days later than had previously come to band. She-brings no later English news, however, than that brought by the " Lightning" ivhich extended to the 6th May. The yacht 4< Wyvern' had not arrived at Sydney tip to the 9th instant. She was then out 30 days ; but all the vessels coining from the eastward yyere making long passages, in consequence of the

prevalence of heavy°vvestevly gales. The " James Gibson" was 45 days on her passage from the ChathamTslauds to Melbourne, and experienced very rough weather ; and the " Mountain Maid," and several other vessels on tlieir voyage from New Zealand to Sydney, had met with very hoisterous weather. Trade had considerably improved in Sydney, and there was a prospect of a still further improvement. — Ibid. The ' Libertas' sailed from this port for Lyttelton on Sunday last. We very much regret the amount of litigation in which the Captain was involved during his stay here, and take this opportunity to express our feeling that disputes between Captains and Passengers would be much better settled between themselves, than by expensive and irritating proceedings before the Court.— Spectator.)