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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 770, 31 August 1853, Page 2

Our files from Melbourne are lo the 12th hist. The opinion gained ground that Mr. E. DeasThompson, Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, would he the successor of Lieutenant-Governor Latrobe in Victoria; and, judging from the comments in the papers, there was a general disposition to be well-pleased with the appointment. The gold diggers evinced tokens of a very dissatisfied spirit. After some monster meetings, they had sent delegates lo seek an interview with the Lieutenant-Governor, to press for a reduction of license fee, lo complain of outrages on the part of the Police, and to urge— the claim of the diggers to representation in the Legislative Council: The interview had not led lo results of a satisfactory character, —at least the delegates were not satisfied with his Excellency’s replies; and, on the 4th inst., a public meeting on the subject was held, at which the Mayor of Melbourne presided. Very violent language was employed by some of the speakers, and a Mr. McKillop, who contended that they should seek their objects ‘‘by all legal methods, but not by such threats as he had heard that night,” was vehemently hissed and hooted down. A subscription list was opened to aid the operations of a Society for procuring “Justice to the Diggers.” According to the statements of these Delegates, there was great distress even at the gold-fields:—“deaths on the goldfields, of persons in the most abject slate of poverty, were common.” The present number of diggers was variously estimated at from 40,000 lo *oo,ooo,—the latter being probably nearer the truth. The Argus says that the yield of gold for the last two months has not kepi pace with the increase of the population, or with even the ratio of last year, A result of this is that

the crowds of immigrants which are co tinually arriving, do not, as in former Urn* disperse, as a mailer of course, to lhe S (M fields, but skilful artizans, and even labon ers, prefer the immediate employment and more certain remuneration which thev 2 generally obtain in Melbourne and hj vicinity. Our contemporary .steadfast! maintains, however, the permanency 1 of .r gold-field, and anticipates richer result 6 than those of the last few months on th opening of the spring season. e

A murderous attack upon the P r iv Gold Escort, near the Mclvor Diggings fe£ excited a deep feeling of horror th rou T the colony. The. escort, consisting 0 f 3 troopers, were attacked by fourteen fifteen men who fired a volley of bullet sb° r and slugs from a hiding place, woundin! four of the Escort severely, (one mortali'f and compelling the other two to fly for\ n • lives,—leaving gold of the value of ahr!! 10,000/. in the hands of the robbers. '2 Government had offered a reward of Sow for the apprehension of each of the crb inals, and 500/. more for each, if thewh | should be laken, with a free pardon and passage from the colony to anv of them wb* may turn approver. Three men had oee! arrested on suspicion. It was understood that the Escort Company would make Sri to the Mclvor diggers and dealers thei S£ sustained by the robbery. ,:>

Rents in Melbourne were slill r^M The Argus (in a general view of the condi' lion of the colony prepared for transmission to England by the ChusanJ states,—*' $n reasonable accommodation as a dwelling bouse can be obtained within the bounds or the City under 500/. per annum, and even a common labourer will scarce get the scantiest house-room under 2/. per week. Shops in the leading thoroughfares are almost impossible to be bad, and offices, in similar situations, six or eight feel square, draw rents amounting to hundreds per annum. Stores in front shops, in favourite localities, when they can be obtained, fetch as much is from 2,800/. to 5,000/. per annum."

Shops, and erections of various kinds, are springing up, however, with extraordinary rapidity, notwithstanding the extrava<*ani price of land, and the cost of building—with Bricks at 19/. and slates as high as °Ul. per thousand, Timber proportionately dear and the wages of good masons and joiners 8/. or 9/. per week. The injuries resulting from the defective arrangements for postal communication between Victoria, and England, the colonies and America, were to be considered at a Public Meeting of the mercantile community, convened by Mr. Were, Chairman of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, which was to be held on the 12th insl., inordep that the representations to the Home Government which might be agreed on, should be forwarded by the Argo, which was to sail for Southampton on the 16th inst. Notwithstanding the departure of niauy thousands from Melbourne, the arrivals during the first part of the present year exceeded the arrivals of the first half of 1852 by no less than 28,0r>0. The Argus observes,

"Generally speaking, the immigrants now arriving are of the useful class, either of skilled arlizans, willing and robust labourers, or small capitalists. The crowd of clerks is not quite so plentiful; but it ought to be understood that clerks, shopmen, et hoc genus omne, are still literally a drug on the market."

The Government Gazette invited Tenders for an Electric Telegraph from Melbourne to Williamslown, and eventually to Geelong and to the Port Phillip Heads.

By the Daniel Webster, which arrived in our port yesterday,- we have our usual Sydney files lo the 4th of this month. News from Sydney to the 6th had, however, previously reached us via Melbourne. But we are obliged by press of mailer to postpone until Saturday more than a brief notice of the contents of these journals. The political topic engaging most attention was a proposition for tlie creation of a hereditary Peerage in New South Wales, embodied in the Report laid before the Legislative Council by a Select Committee, of which Mr. W. C. SVeotworlh was Chairman. As might have been anticipated, ihe proposal met \tith strenuous opposition. A preliminary Public. Meeting had been held, at which a committee was appointed, and other steps taken, to organise a general resistance to the scheme, fn the colony of Victoria a similar hostility toilras manifested, and the Argus alternately denounces the proposal in terms of caustic severity, and pours a torrent of ridicule on the very idea of "A Botany Bay Hereditary Peerage V There was a more than ordinary amount of sickness at Sydney, from a return of Influenza and other causes; and a considerable amount of anxiety had been produced by accounts of the ravages of small-pox at San Francisco, Honolulu, and the New Hebrides leading to an apprehension tfiat '* w& scourge is drawing nearer." The following is from the Herald of the 3rd iiist:— " A Proclamation was issued last nign*', setting forth that it has been reported Ural smallpox is prevalent at San Francisco,, at Honolulu, and at the island of Tanna, in u*e New Hebrides, and directing thai all vessel from these places shall, on arrival id bjancy be placed in quarantine. A second proclamation declares that the small pox liasmao, its appearance on board the brig " w,recl 1 0, ''ji which is ordered into quarantine, ana passengers who have left the said brig w» warned that unless they proceed to ■» quarantine station with their luggage wywill be apprehended." Meanwhile we cowmend to the attention of our readers speech by Lord Lyttelton on the subject w Compulsory Vaccination whicb w»i found in another column. v It is earnestly to be hoped that «* m be spared from a share in this visitation' New Zealand. But the remotest tlireateomb of its approach should lead to a pw attention to Vaccination, which, we ' , has been lamentably neglected. We sn probably return to this very important sn ; ject. , . We have received the Alia California w the J6th of May, and the Polynesian WW 4th of June, and shall in future nußiDep glean from their contents. ..i The latest Commercial Intelligence wm be found in another column. Tbe ,fl h "l Correspondent of the Argus says,—" 1D ? is a considerable sensitiveness, aniountmb almost to timidity, exhibited in ourconuneiciaj circles, There is a fear of an over-sti[.

ntv of goods, spare storeage, and high rents, which induces the belief of forced sales at . vcrv much reduced rates at no distant Bcilod." The writer adds however, "r believe this feeling is very much exaggerated."

Wesleyan Tea Meeting.—The officehearers ol the Wesleyan Societies of the three Sydney circuits took lea together last evening, in "the Schoolrooms of York-street Chapel,'after which a public meeting was held. The chair was taken by the Rev. W. B jjovce, and addresses delivered by the Rev. R. Young, the deputation from the British Wesleyan Conference, with other ministers and friends, when the sum of 300/. «as raised to pay the outfit and passages of six young ministers from England to this Sydney Herald, August 5.

Supreme Court.—On Monday last an apolieation, in the case of Brown v. Williamson'and Wilson, was made by the plaintiff, the object being to have the time and place of trial changed, so as that it should take dace at Wellington. Counsel having been heard, His Honor the Chief Justice postponed his decision until this morning.