Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 618, 9 October 1858, Page 5

Colonial.

NEW SOUTH WALES. From the ' Sydney Morning Herald' of Sept, 20, we clip the following

NOTES OF THE "WEEK.

The revival of the gold fever during the past week ha 3 been too decided to admit of serious attention being given by the great mass of the people to any event or subject not having some connection with the reported Dorado of the north. In all quarters and among all classes we hear of men packing up for the Fitzroy River diggings, and vessels for this quarter have been filled up as fast as they could be " laid on." It is true that next to nothing has been heard from the new gold field. That which has been heard has been highly favourable, and this has sufficed to create a perfect mania for gold-huntino-among all whose position in life does not abso° lutely prohibit them from embarking in this facinating pursuit. " What news from the Fitzroy?" or, "When are you off to the diggings?" are the questions with which one is met at every turn. It seems of little use to preach patience; for every adventurer one meets with appears anxious to be among the first in the scramble. But it is greatly to be feared that there will be much suffering and disappointment. Among those who are crowding northward in search of gold there are a great many peculiarly unused to a life of hardship and privation, such as they are pretty sure to encounter in a wild and unsettled country on the very edge of the tropic, where supplies will, in all probability, be only procurable with very great difficulty, and at very high prices. If the new gold fields should turn out to be really as extensive as they promise to be, there will be quite as good a chance for industrious diggers six months hence as now, and they will run less risk of sacrificing their energies and their health.

_ By the last accounts from California we find, singularly enough, that the same pressure is going on in that country also; the discovery of gold near "Vancouver Island having occasioned an emigration to that quarter, from California alone, ot 20,000 souls.

Mr. Plunkett was returned for the North Riding of the county of Cumberland without opposition.

Mr. S. A. Donaldson delivered a very admirable lecture on Mexico, at the School of Arts, on Tuesday evening. Much as has been said and written upon this strange and picturesque land, upon' its vast resources, and upon its wretched government, Mr. Donaldson managed to give a series of sketches not only brilliant, instructive, and amusing, but, to. a very great extent, original also.

The Electoral Reform Bill has been read a second time in the Legislative Council, after a most spirited and ably conducted debate—one which must force a concession of its ability from the most hostile quarters. Its committal, however, stands over until the sth of October. The supporters of the bill in general, and Mr. Lutwyche (the Solicitor-General) in particular, was very wroth at the postponement, and tried to scold refractory members into a decision to deal with the bill at once. This, however, the House would not submit to. Time was required, in the opinion, of a majority of its members, to consider the details of the "bill and the nature of the amendments which it might be advisable; to make in it, and this time they were determined to have. In the interim the Assembly has little to do, and intends to sit but two days in each week until the Electoral Bill is returned to it.

The arrival of one of Captain Cadell's river steamers at Gundagai is one of the most important of recent events. The Murrumbidgee is now navigated as well as the Murray. Not only is this of great importance in reference to the districts watered by those streams, but because it turns attention more strongly to the expediency and practicability of internal navigation in various parts of Australia. There are few Avhose names will stand higher in the future annals of this young nation than Capt. Cadell, when the historian conies to enumerate those whose enterprise has opened up new fields and afforded new facilities for production.

The Hunter River Steam-Navigation Company has declared a dividend at the rate of ten percent, per annum, on the profits of the past halfyear.

At the Churchwardens' meeting during the past week, the question of Synodicat organisation in the Church of England was fully discussed, and it was finally decided, as the opinion of the majority, that the only Legislative measure called for was one for enabling the members of the Church to meet in Synod. It had been held by legal advisers, it was said, that legislative sanction was necessary for this purpose, but no further action from without was called for.

A deputation waited upon the Hon. W. Bland, on Wednesday, to present him with an address, a piece of plate, and a cheque for. A'lo6B. being the proceeds of a subscription, by way of tribute or acknowledgment of the many and great public services which Mr. Bland has rendered to this community. The piece of plate bore the following inscription:—"Presented to the Honorable William Bland, Esq., M.L.C., by the Colonists of New South Wales. The Australian National Tribute, of which this forms a part, was subscribed to commemorate his bounties to the poor and aSSieted; his generous exertions in the pro-

motion of education, literature, and the arts; and his noble and triumphant advocacy of their nghts and privileges as British subjects for upwards of forty years. a.i>. 1858." The address was read by Mr. Justice Therry, and was suitably replied to by Mr. Bland. The Sydney folks have at length had an opportunity of seeing a real live horse-tamer, in the person of a Mr. Edmund Cheverov, who. on iriday, exercised his singlar powers of fascination over an animal sent for sale to one of our principal horse bazaars as irreclaimable. A ' large number of gentlemen, and of persons more or less interested in the trade, were in attendance, all ot whom went away abundantly satisfied as to the reality of the man's pretensions. The subjugation was a decided fact, and brought about in the comparatively short space of one hour and ten minutes. Cheveroy has already several pupils in the horse-taming art, and is likely to be well employed for some time to come. A very dreadful and melancholy accident occurred in the afternoon of the same day, at the South Head, where Mr. Robert Broughton, an attorney of this city, fell upwards of 150 feet from a ledge of the cliff near the flapr-staff, not far from the hotel. The unfortunate gentleman was, it is almost needless to say (to all appearance), killed on the spot; but although every effort was made, the body could not be recovered until the afternoon of the following day, and even then with much difiiculty. The deceased was a very near-sighted man, and to this circumstance, in addition, perhaps, to the want of an ordinary and proper degree of caution in approaching the brink of the precipice, this calamity is to be attributed. His sudden and terrible end has given a severe shock to all who knew him, and been to the public generally a matter of sincere regret. The same paper has the following:— THE FITZROY EIVER. By the Uncle Tom, which arrived on Saturday evening, we have several days' later intelligence from Port. Curtis.; the news, with reference to the new gold-field, upon the whole appears satisfactory. Captain Lake, of the Uncle Tom, has furnished us with the following particulars :— All his crew, with the exception of the cook, deserted at Roekhampton, the mate leaving the vessel in a boat about three miles before reaching there; and had it not been for the assistance of some of his passengers, he could not possibly have discharged the cargo. The vessel lay at Roekhampton from the 28th to the 30th August. The difficulty then arose as to how the Captain was to get his vessel away, being left with the cook and one seaman. At last he obtained the assistance of four shepherds to work her from Roekhampton to Gladstone, and induced them to assist in bringing the vessel bac~k to Sydney, j The Uncle Tom took down several shepherds for Messrs. Ronnie's station, Castle Creek; two of them ran away from the vessel at Port Curtis, and walked 120 miles to the diggings; the remainder set off immediately, upon their landing at Roekhampton, although aware of the fact that drays had come down a considerable distance from the stations to carry them up. The excitement at Roekhampton and all round wa3 very great. There were only about twelve persons left at Gladstone. People are flocking on to the diggings from Wide Bay.'the Burnett-, and all quarters, some of whom, it was stated had walked 200 miles. It was reported there were about 400 on the diggings, and all the gold was obtained by tin pots and dishes—there not being a cradle to be seen. It was estimated that upwards of 30 lbs. of gold was amongst the diggers, but they wonld not sell, owing to the uncertainty of its value; besides which there was not sufficient money to purchase. A man who had been to the diggings said they were doing well, and the earnings about .£6 to £7 per man per week. On the 28th and 29th August, Miller and Nelson's party of four got from a surfacing claim 36 ozs., amongst which was a six-ounce nugget, which Captain Lake has brought on to Sydney. The Uncle Tom has only brought 22 ozs. of gold. In addition to the above, the following despatch from Captain O'Conne 1, has been poiitely handed to us for publication by the honourable John Robertson, Esq., Minister of Lands and Works:— Gladstone, September 7th. 1858. Sir, —As the sailing of the Uncle Tom t!i* day presents the first opportunity which has offered of communicating with Sydney since my return to Gladstone, I have the honour on this occasion to report to you. for the information of the honourable the Secretary for lands and public works, that I find the progress made, both in population and yield of gold, on tlie Canoona gold-fields since their discovery to be such as to warrant their being admitted amongst the recognised gold fields of the colony, and to necessitate the adoption of those measures of protection and police contemplated in such case by the Goldfields Management Act of 1857. 2. I am enabled to state, although not as yet from personal observation, that there are about 300 persons engaged on the Canoona diggings, and that instances of great individual success in obtaining gold are reported, two persons having last week in two days washed out 16 ozs. of the precious metal. 3. 1 believe the quantity of gold sent to Sydney up ...to the present moment to be about 80 ozs., but there is not much disposition on the part of the diggers to sell their gold until its value at the Mint is ascertained—and therefore the great bulk.of that obtained is held by the finders, and is said in the aggregate to be as large a yield as has-been procured on any field in the colony. , ,:/;■' < ! 4. The portion of country thus occupied jas a gold-field may be described as being, in | the county of Livingstone, on the north bank, of the . river Fitzroy, and more particularly as on a: rim tendered for in the month of March, 1854, by Messrs. Henry and Thomas Herbert, as Livingstone, No. 3. -: 5. The departure of the Uncle Tom fJ .is morning prevents my addressing any further1 communication to you on this subject by the pc ent opportunity, but I shall be enabled to write' again by the overland mail, which closes!this evening. ' ' I have the honour to he,,sir, Your most obedient servant, M. C. O'CoxtfELi., G.C.