Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 569, 17 April 1858, Page 3

Colonial.

VICTORIA. (From a correspondent of the ' S. M. Herald.') F.iday morning, 19th March.—After a protracted period of hot winds and dust, we are now enjoying the comforts of a country freshened by frequent showers, and by a cooling sea breeze. This happens fortunately for the new ministers, for had the hot weather lasted, it is questionable whether the electors would have come forward to exercise their sweet voices at the hustings —so listless was every one becoming. Two members of the Cabinet, Mr. Chapman, Attorney-General; aud Dr. Evans, Post-master-General, have been re elected without opposition. The elections for Kilmore and Castlemaine take place to-day, when Mr. O'Shanassy, Premier; and Mr. Ireland, SolicitorGeneral, will walk over the course. The Central Province is now (12 o'clock), in the act of iv-elr^tiiifc' iii-'. Ilov.ry Miller, Commissioner of Tru.lo and Customs, to the Upper House. The Treasurer, Mr. George H.a-ker, is the only member of th to whom any opposition is offered; but his opponent, Mr. John Matthew Smith, has made himself so despised, for I can use no milder term, jy his promising to do everything for everybody, that he standi no chance whatever, v -1J he has damaged his prospects at the next general election. Mr. Duffy, Commissioner of Land and Works will be re-elected for Villiers and Heytesbury, on Tuesday,

The new Ministry will thus meet the Legia« lature in a compact body. The political programme of the second o;Shannassy Cabinet is not yet before the world, but one may gather from the election addresses of Mr. Chapman and Dr. Evans that the Reform Bill is to be first disposed of, and, after that, the newly arranged constituencies are to be appealed to. With regard to the Reform Bill, Dr. Evans stated, at Richmond, that the principle of the representation of minorities would be a feature ofthe bill. When the new House assembles, and not till then, the Land Bill will be introduced. There is a general feeling throughout the country to give an independent support to the Ministers, but at the same time doubts are freely expressed as to the power of Mr. O'Shanassy to keep his team well in hand. Mr. Gabrielli, the successful negotiator of the loans to the city of Melbourne and city of Geelong,^ arrived, as you are already informed, by the European. The mission of this gentleman to this country, on the present occasion, is to negotiate the railway loans. This fact was announced by Mr. Chapman to a meeting of the elec'.ors of St. Kilda. What the natu eof the proposition is which Mr. Gabrielli is empowered to submit to the Government is not yet known, nor the names of the capitalists on whose behalf he is acting; but it is stated that he is in a position to negotiate a loan of £8,000,000. or take the railway contracts on behalf of an extensive English contracting firm, receiving Victorian debentures in payment for the works to be executed. The Royal Mail ship Emeu sailed on Wednesday morning early for Suez, all prospects of a second mail arriving from Sydney being considered at an end. Yesterday we heard by electric telegraph from Portland that she passed Cape Northumberland on Thursday morning. A word, by the way, about telegraphs. The Australian colonies ought to be up and doing in the matter. The Indian rebellion will, without doubt, have the effect of causing the immediate prosecution of the works remaining to be done, to connect India and England by electric current. Great efforts will be made, and thia year will probably witness the wondrous event of London and Calcutta quietly talking together as though they were placed side by side. No time should be lost in making the necessary preliminary surveys for a continuation of the line to Australia. It is admitted on all hands to be practicable. To the immense benefit to be derived from the working of such a telegraph - none can be blind. To mention an instance, I the importance of which was comparatively trifling, but the application of which, being direct, is the more forcible, De Miranda, if the telegraph had been at work, would not now.be enjoying the fruits of his consummate roguery on the South American continent. Trade would of course be revolutionised, and indeed it much needs it. The Royal Charter has arrived from Liverpool, after a splendid ran of sixty-five days. This fine vessel had a narrow escape from being j„4._„ j; „,q k„ ft™ several cases of oilskins burst into names spontaneously, ana amruucw the passengers most fearfully. Fortunately Captain Taylor, who was in command, was quite equal to the dangerous position in which he was placed. On both occasions he kept the passengers in subjection by his firmness and decision, and obtained their ready assistance in getting out those portions of the cargo which had been seized by the flames. At the criminal sessions now nearly terminated two cases have excited much attention. j Lionel Levi was brought into court charged with forgery and fraud, when Mr. Dawson ap- | plied for his discharge, and, the Crown prosecu- , tor offering no opposition, he was discharged by ! proclamation. He is under surveillance, and j will be again arrested in all probability. The I other case was that of James M'Guire, formerly ! manager of the Victorian Club, w Tho was tried j for having embezzled the money of his employj ers, and with having forged signatures to the receipts for money. He was found guilty of i one charge and pleaded guilty to another, and the Court passed upon him the extraordinary sentence of thirteen years on the roads of tlie colony. This sentence will never be carried out, for it is a manifestly unjust one when compared with others that have recently issued from the Court. If injury to life and limb, and robbery with violence, be adequately punished by five years on the roads, and complicity in fraud by a bank clerk by one year's imprisonment, M'Guire's offence ought to have been visited with less severity of judgment. On Saturday evening last, some of the sailors of the Swedish ship Constance, now at anchor in Hobson's Bay, were bathing alongside the vessel, when one of them named Adolph Bollander was seized by a large shark, who completely stripped the flesh from one of his legs. The ship's and lighter's boats were instantly manned, and by the united efforts of the crews his body was recovered, but not until he had received such injuries that he died while being conveyed to Williamstown for medical assistance. It is supposed that this is the same shark that eat a large Newfoundland dog which fell overboard from a lighter some weeks since. We think that shipmasters should take some j steps to rid the Bay of such a monster. j Since the departure of the Emeu with tho I homeward mails, the effect on our markets of I the inward mails brought by the European has been more frequently discussed. The truth is, importers have nothing to do; as for trade, there is none; and that, at this time ofthe year, is extraordinary. It is strange that retail prices do not decline, but such is the fact. These houses must be making enormous profits, as just now they can name their own prices to the importer without much fear of rejection. If

the next mail bring news of increased shipments arising from an abundant money market, a crisis as rapid as tliat which has just subsided "-■in England may be expected. Mr. Henry Miller has just been returned to •represent the Central Province in the Legislative Council, without opposition. Nothing 'worthy of note transpired. -From 'files of Victoria journals to the 19th the "* Empire' makes the following •extracts;:— The Government ' Gazette' contains a return showing the population of Victoria on the 31st of December, 1857. By this it appears that on tlie 30th September, 1857, there were 287,721 males, and 159,197 females, or a total of

446,918. Increase Ity excess of immigration over emigration during the quarter ending 31st Dec, 1857, 6244 males, 4712 females —total, 10,956. Increase by excess of births over deaths during the quarter ending that day, 1293 males, 1697 females—totaly 2972. Increase by Chinese landed in South Australia during the quarter ending '30th Sept., 1857, 2889 males. Total—males, 297,547; females,

165,588; grand total, 463,165. The increase during the quarter ending 31st Dec., "1857, is as follows:—males, 9826; females, 6391; total, 16,217. The excess of' Chinese emigration over immigration from and to this colony during the nine months ending the 31st Dec, 18-57, has been 2422, but the increase during that period after deducting-these departures amounts /to 9450, which 'being added to number on the census returns (25,424) makes the total ascertained Chinese population at the commence■ment of the present year, 34.874. The 'Age,' of the 17th, has the following -account of a recent execution: — Yesterday •morning the culprit George Robinson, convicted at the last Castlemaine Circuit Court, was executed iv the Central Gaol. This man was found guilty of the murder of a woman ■with whom he cohabited. They latterly led a very unhappy life, and often got drunk together, and as often quarrelled. At the time the offence was committed the convict said they were both drunk, and he in his drunken madness threw the woman into a mining shaft, 120 feet deep. She was killed on the spot. George Robinson was a Swede, a native of Stockholm, and was 36 years of age. He was a sailor, and -arrived free in this colony, in the year 1852, by 'the ship Anne Maria. Since his arrival at the Central Gao\ he has been constantly attended "by two clergymen of the Wesleyan denomi--.nation. Afc the St. Patrick's Banquet, on the evening of the 10th, Mr. Duffy, who was received with cheers, gave-the ""St. Patrick's Society." He

said that two years ago, when a stranger in this

country, the St. Patrick's Society was the first to extend to him the right hand of fellowship.

The society had other and greater claims, but this to him was paramount- He was glad to

see this society in existence. It was the same in every great city in the world. But he would like to see the society undertake some work of utility. At this moment the greatest calumnies ■■JiV(trn'-inr-."'oirv'niation''J^'~'J^cland.~'~-QI>ho la.-t m.tt? - brought out Irish papers, which stated that society here was disorganised—bakers* shops

being rushed, mobs rushing about the streets with banners inscribed " Bread or Blood," and

that a Chartist Convention was sitting in Mcl-

bourne overawing the Parliament. Such state-

ments as these were enough to drive population from our shores, ami it should he the work of

the society to contradict these statements. Another action they could undertake would be to

teach the people who were the great Celtic men of antiquity, and of modern times. For in modern times there is no country in the world in which there was not a marked man of Celtic blood, holding a marked place. To do this, and much more that it is necessary, he would have ! the St. Patrick's Society bestir itself, and not ««nly; increase its Celtic members, but mingle •■Ahat eloment with that of other races, which would give it a broad foundation iv the country.

Prom the commencement of the year up to the present date, the_ number of insolvents had been eighty-six. Up to the 16th March, 1857, •the number of insolvents was fifty-seven, from the commencement of that year. This shows an increase for the present year as nearly one hundred per cent, on the number of insolvents that have already filed their schedules.

The following is from the ' Herald' of the 10th:—"The Port Phillip Farmers' Annual Grain aud Produce Show was held yesterday in the Olympic Theatre, and afforded the highest satisfaction to every one by whom it was visited. His Excellency, who minutely inspected the -several departments, expressed himself astonished afc the evidence afforded as to the advanced state of agriculture-in the colony. It is a remarkable fact that the first and second prizes for wheat were awarded to the produce of land only recently subjected to the plough. Four hags of the wheat that obtained the first prize, were purchased to be forwarded to England. When sold by auction in the afternoon, it brought from 14s. 6d. to 17s. per bushel. Its weight was 63 fl>. 6 oz.—only two ounces under that which obtained the first prize at the Exhibition in England in 1851. The weights of prize grain were as follows : —Wheat. Ist prize. (33 lb. 6 02.; 2nd prize, 65 Hi. 15 oz.; barley, Ist prize, 57 lb I' 2 oz.; and oats, Ist prise, 41 Bi. 4 os."

The ' Ovens Constitution ' says : —The total amount awarded to the Chinese claimants ibr compensation, in consequence of lo.ss through their expulsion from the Buokland, and the damage to their property, is £7336 17s. 7d. This very large sum is to be divided among fifteen persons, and has no reference whatever to the loss sustained by the greater number of Asiatics. The list is as follows: A Fuk, £340;

. A Put. £340 14s. 2d.; Kong See, £92 135.; Foo Fee & Co., £535 12s. 9d.; A Sec and Gee i Foo, £498 2s. 6d. : John See, £850; Si Tong, £458 lis. os.; As Sing. £576 6s. 5d.; A. Sim, > £257 2s. Sd.; A. Tub, £492 2s. 9d. ; A. See, .: £615 Is. lOd ; A. Sul. £875 Os. 9d. ; Thomas , • A. Young, £474 Is. 6d'.: A. Pong, and Quang ' Ho, £255: A. Joss, £165 Bs. 3d.—Total, L £7336 17s.' 7d. We take the annexed paragraph from the " Herald" of the 18th ;—James JVlaguire, late manager of the Victoria Club, was tried yesterday for forging a receipt for money, purporting to'be signed by a clerk in the employ of Messrs. Morgan & Mackintosh, tobacconists. He was found guilty, but was remanded for sentence, and probabiv will be tried ■ to-day on another charge. Jtendall and the woman Glover, charged with stealing about £1200, lost by an old carrier named Martin, were placed on their trial, but the case broke down in-consequence of the Court refusing to receive the evidence of the child, who it was supposed found the money, and who was the principal witness. Lionel Levi will not he tried this session. Our readers will be glad to learn (says the " Age") that the treasurers of the central committee in aid of the Indian Relief Fuud have, by this mail, been enabled to transmit to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London a draft for £3000, towards the relief of sufferers by the Indian rebellion. The Union ! Bank have "liberally granted the draft at par. The "Herald.""of the 17th, says:—The entries for the Turf Club March meeting were made last night at Tattersall's hotel. There was a moderate muster of our turf celebrities . and amateurs, and the promise of good sport j next week, from the large number of horses entered, was heartily welcomed. The Corporation of Melbourne are now absolutely without funds; an application made to the Government for a grant of £25.000 has been refused, and it has become a matter for grave consideration where more money is to come from. The streets which have been form-

Ed by the G-abrielli loan are getting out of condition, and unless speedily attended to all past labour will be thrown away. The Dunolly correspondent of the "Age," gives the following particulars of a murder lately committed in that district: —" On Sunday morning the inhabitants of Dunolly were startled by the report of a horrible murder being perpetrated almost in the very township, and committed so far as we can learu at present under circumstances most atrocious. It appears that a butcher and a storekeeper named Webster, near Junction Hotel .Burnt Creek, has been living for some mouths with the wife of a carpenter named Williams. Having business at Dunolly on Saturday, he met his wife and child, and was very anxious to get possession of one or both of his children, which khe refused. He was seen later in the evening very drunk, hovering about Webster's premises. About 2 a.m. Sunday morning, those persons living near heard a noise and scuffling but not of an alarmdiscovered lying in the road within a few yards ofthe store quite dead. There was a deep, wound in the left eyebrow penetrating the bone and totally destroying that eye, also a wound in the region of the heart. A. knife was found near the spot. The woman and her two ehilddren are in custody and Webster has since been taken. He is about 5 feet 8 inches high, very stout, in fact corpulent, of florid complexion, no whiskers, dark hair. Since this, information

was brought that a man was found dead near Sandy Creek, and that a Frenchman had committed suicide. [Later accounts mention that Webster had given himself up, and that he had been committed by the Coroner's jury.j"