VICTORIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 588, 23 June 1858, Page 4

VICTORIA.

Prom the Sydney papers we pick up some scraps of Victoria news to the 3rd instant.

The ' Rendigo Advertiser' states, that in consequence of- an arrangement come to between the bankers and gold buyers, at a meeting held on the Ist instant, the price of alluvial gold will be^£3 los.'per ounce. Amalgamated will -still be bought either by sight or essay, as buyer . and seller may agree. A meeting of Italians convened at Melbourne . passed resolutions for forwarding addresses of -.condolence to the relatives of Orsini on the occasion of his " martyrdomnn the cause of Italy." A _fiood had occurred at Bendigo, which -caused considerable destruction of property. A torchlight procession and meeting of a .somewhat riotous character took place on the •fi J? S.tant) the W'ginators and supporters of the affair appearing to be a number of men who have earned for themselves an unenviable notoriety in connectiou with gatherings of the Con--vention and the. unemployed. The object of the demonstration was difficult to discover and a large proportion of the followers and bystanders appear tabe<quite in the dark as to the -meaning of the event which they assisted in rendering conspicuous. Such questions as ""What does.it jneair?" "Who are they?" -" Where ".are they .going.-?" .were heard on all v-aßidela. >.■

So far as could l»e gleaned from the numerous, speeches winch were mad«, and the mottoes upon the banners which were exhibited, the design .of the night-walkers was to denounce everytliing as at present constituted, and to advocate a radical change throughout universal

The gathering commenced at about six o'clock an the Eastern Market-place, where a meeting was held, and the line of procession duly arranged. A number of men, amounting perhaps, to 1500 or 1600, took part in it, several of them bearing flaring torches, and others banners, and others limiting their exertions to cheering ar groaning, as they liked or disliked any well-known establishment which they happened to pass. The procession, which was headed by the Convention flag, had a band of music, took its way down Bourke-street., Swan-ston-street, and Collin's street, and again round by Bourke-street, to the reserve in front of the Parliament Houses. The rear of the line of march was brought up by a conveyance containing the instigators of the affair. Some of the flags carried bore mottoes; the English Union Jack and American banner figured prominently among the remainder. The lettering upon some of the flags was as follows :—

"Where justice is denied, Allegiance Ceases to be a duty." " Loyalty to our Sovereign. Faith in ourselves. Contempt for the enemies of Keform." " Victoria as she ought to be, With happy homes, And a people free. " We have left our parent homes, Much better times to see; And better times we'll surely have,

Yes! better times shall be!"

The procession stopped, among other places, in Collins-street, and if? was then noticed that it extended from Mr. Wilkie's shop to the corner of Swanston-street. This space is about 160 yards long, and as the body averaged about 10 men abreast, the number that took part in it can be closely approximated. Arrived at the Parliament Eeserve, a torchlight meeting was held, at the very door of the Legislature, the more popular branch of which was sitting at the time. The sounds of the music and the shoutisg of the mob were distinctly heard within the Assembly Chamber. The principal airs played by the band were " The Marseillaise," " Mourir pour La Patrie/' " Partant pour La Syrie," " Yankee Doodle," " Rule Britannia," " St. Patrick's Day," &c. The " National Anthem' 1 was frequently called' for by foolishly loyal people at the outskirts of the crowd, but was not performed. A very silly feat, for which it would seem careful preparation had been made, was here enacted by one of the crowd. A black board, upon which was painted in white the words " To let, the upper portion of this house" was borne aloft, and nailed upon the temporary boarding which makes up the present front of ! the Legislative Council. This gallant deed accomplished, a number of orators addressed the meeting, whi»h of course by this time numbered thousands. Men, women, and children poured into the place from all parts of the city, many of whom were overheard to remark that it was better than a play. The only legitimate business done by the meeting was the apparent adoption of a petition to his Excellency the Governor, calling upon him to dissolve the Assembly. This petition it was alleged, was to be presented to his Excellency during the current week, and the result made known at another gathering, convened for Monday next. After spending about two hours in the Parliament Reserve in an oratorical and musical manner, the mob moved off down Bourke-street and Elizabeth-street, and returned by, way of Collins and Russell streets, to the Eastern Market.

Here several men mounted a waggon, and harangued the multitude. One man declared that he had just been informed that the mounted troopers had been kept in a state of readiuess during the evening—"the saddles upon their horses, and their sabres prepared to shed the blood of the innoient at the slightest provocation. The signal for them to mount was to be a rocket fired from Taxtrap." Another felbw, who wore, in a laughably theatrical manner, a kind of red republican scarf, observed in a melodramatic tone—•• The first act of the drama has been performed; God knows what the second will be !" Another insinuated that the second act would come off on Monday night, and that it would consist of a seizure of the Parliament Houses by their owners, the people. The general current of the speeches of the night may be imagined from these extracts. The affair terminated at about 11 o'clock, when, at the instigation of one of the agitators, three cheers were given for " Liberty, fraternity, and equality." BtJSHEANGING. DESPEEATE AfFBAY.—A desperate affray took place on Thursday the 27th ult., near Creswick's Creek, between the police and a notorious bushranger known as " Big Bill," charged with cattle stealing and other crimes, and for whose arrest a warrant had been issued. In consequence of information received, sergeant Orridge, accompanied by mounted trooper Corbett, proceeded to the neighborhood of Cabbage Tree Hotel on the day named, and there lay in wait for their man, whom they expected to approach driving a dray. Both constables were mounted, but in colored clothes, and armed with revolvers. He came up as expected, and the constables went up to him and told.hira who they were, and for t what purpose they came, whereupon he said they should take him dead and not alive. He then raised a gun with which he was armed to his shoulder and presented it at Sergt, Qrridge, but did .not tire. He theatened to do scy how-

ever, and kept running from one tree to another, all the while presenting his gun at the constables, they in the meantime calling upon him to surrender, and he in reply challenging them as -—— to come on, and repeating that he would die sooner than allow himself to be taken. Constable Corbett then fired, and missed him. The shot was instantly returned, but with no better effect; the sergeant in the meantime also fired and missed. Corbett again fired, and the ball passed through "Bill's" hair, grazing the skin. Peeling himself hit, the bushranger kept dodging round the dray, and in the meanwhile loaded his carbine with heavy duck shot. Sergeant Orridge's horse having shied at the report of the fire-arms, and thrown him, the battle now lay between Corbett and the bushranger, the former having dismounted. But here he was again at fault. " Bill," who was not only a wary opponent but a powerful one, now fired, and in return was hit by Corbett in the arm, the ball fracturing both bones; He was not yet disabled, however; on the contrary, he had strength left for another encounter, and having clubbed the musket, he again advanced to the attack, repeating that he would sooner die than surrender. Making a furious blow at constable Corbett, he hit him on the temple and laid him prostrate. At this juncture sergeant Orridge came up and seizing a wattle branch knocked the desperado down, when he was instantly secured. Nine shots were interchanged between the parties.— Jßallaarat Times.