NEW SOUTH WALES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 431, 20 December 1856, Page 5

NEW SOUTH WALES.

The Sydney papers are full of parliamentary reports. The ' Short time movement'and the theatres appear to be the other points of public attention. Mr. Donaldson, the Finance Minister of New South Wales, has been elected for the representation of the South Riding uf Cum' herland, in the Legislative Assembly, without opposition. Judging from the tone of the Sydney press, a reaction in favour of the new Ministry had set in, and the fiscal measures of the new administration were likely to meet the approval of the country. Short Time Movement. —A public meeting of the bricklayers of Sydney- was held yesterday evening at Mr. C. Beal's, Simpson's Hotel, corner of George and Park Streets, for the purpose of discussing the Eight Hours question. The meeting was attended by about forty persons, and was presided over by Mr. Berry. Resolutions to the effect that the bricklayers were determined to adopt the short time principle and to bring it into operation on Monday next, by working on!} r eight instead of ten hours per day as hitherto, but with a proportionate reduction of wages, were carried unanimously. A committee of twelve was then appointed to concert measures for sustaining the movement, and, after a vote of thanks to Mr. Berry for his impartial conduct in the chair, the meeting dispersed. — Empire. Grand Sailing Match of the Sydney Yacht Club.—This nourishing society have opened the aquatic season in real earnest, and offer to the public a varied programme of sports. Last, week we bad the opening trip (quite a new feature in the yachting world on this side of the line), aud next week is announced the grand sailing match for Saturday, the 2i)th instant, for a very elegant silver claret jug, over the new course adopted by the Club, from the Red Buoy to Manly Beach twice and back, instead ol beginning the match as in former times by a two hours' taste of the calms and variables in Darling Harbour, well calculated to lest the drifting qualities of the vessel and the patience of the spectators. The on-

tries will take place on Wednesday next, at the Club House, and we have been informed that the list will probably contain Challenge, Eclipse, Mischief, Enchantress, Presto, Truant, Kelpie, and others. A steamer has been chartered by the Club, and the German band engaged to add to the attractions of the day ; and undoubtedly the ladies will muster strong on the occasion, as they may be considered the presiding deities of aquatic sports. Members of the Club are admitted free on board ; their friends by ticket. We have no doubt that if the weather be proptious a more delightful day's amusement cannot be obtained-

A Piece of Good Luck.—A few days ago, as Mr. Hunter Watt, of Esrom, was on his way back to the Turon, he dropped bis knife amongst the grass on the Wattle Flat, at no great distance from the Wyagden Hill, and whilst in the act of searching for it. perceived something yellow glisten in the earth, which,when disembedded, proved to be a nugget of the genuine metal weighing four ounces. With an instinct peculiar to our race generally, he pocketed the prize, and has since, we understand, converted it into pound notes. The Upper Hunter,—-We have seen an extract from the letter of an English farmer of great experience, who has established himself a farm on the Puen Buen estate near Scone. The writer says (under date 10th November), the country looks most beautiful, and the crops here are better than you can conceive. lam by no means a sanguine farmer, and having English blood in me am rather apt to look with contempt on anything colonial, but I don't know that I ever saw anything better in England ; if they were growing in England I should not hesitate in pronouncing some fields a forty-five bushel per acre crop. In my recent journey from Sydney home, I have seen nothing to equal the wheat here. We shall not commence reaping here for a fortnight. The rain has not been so heavy here as in Sydney, but Dart Brook has been running strong more than a week, and is running yet. — Empire, Nov. 15. The Debate on the Boundary Question.—Moreton Bay appears by the papers to have been argued with considerable warmth on the part of some honourable members. One honourable member (Mr. Lang) alleging that the Moreton Bay people wanted to include New England in the new province, because they wanted the fertile lands of that district to be sold to enable them to support a government, by which reasoning it may be supposed there is no land to the northward of that parallel worth selling; in this we join issue, for, whilst admitting that the New Erie-land district contains much valuable land, we cannot refrain from pointing out to that gentleman the millions of acres suitable for every purpose of cultivation in the districts lying north of that locality, and quite as capable of growing grain crops as that favoured portio:, of her Majesty's Australian dominions. But the unkindest cut of all was the remarks of one of our Borough members

(Mr. Holt), who complained of the Home Government for listening to a few squatters respecting the proposed boundary. Surely Mr. Holt forgot that the Act of Parliament fixed the oOth parallel es the boundary of the northern province ye:u-s .-:■..:e. and when he accepted a sent in the !e_ris!ature from this constituency, he . -':_:' >' himself as his written speech (iv\b.-d by bis own band) will testily, to that nmndiel ' '■•it.itude as the natural boundary of w, ■■■:'.': V. As to other honourable m'M-.nx'i'.-v' ;..- s-i; :-n:ss tlm the leading people vi' ;he-. .b-uk-ts desired scpurafon coupled v»bu K;ch:tro~ duction of convicts —it is u.vbl.nUv tnurae. A few who dure not avow si.''-,'..uniiLts may covet the system, but '.:■-■■ ;,. ■■; nt:i jority of the inhabitants, sq\;v;..--.. s'l-r.

chants, and others, ever have, and will continue to protest against transportation in any form, to the colony about to be established. And it remains to be proved whether the inhabitants of New England and the Clarence districts are averse to casting their lot in with vs —time will prove it. To our other members, Messrs. Richardson, Buckley, and Sandeman, we are under an obligation for the manner in which they individually supported our claim—and, although they stood nearly alone in the division, they have earned for themseves golden opinions here.— Empire Correspondent.