SYDNEY.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1716, 20 August 1862, Page 3

SYDNEY.

By the Eugenie we have received six days' later intelligence. A large and disastrous fire occurred in George-street, by which much property had been destroyed. The Sydney Morning Herald, in a leading article in its issue of the oth instant, draws attention to the inefficiency of the law, which, while it provides for the safe custody of gunpowder, leaves to the discretion of the public that of substances little or dangerous, such as kerosine, paraffin, &c. At Newcastle, we are happy to say, that after the meeting held on the evening of the Ist instant, to bring about a reconciliation between the miners of the A. A. Company and their employers— Mr. Curless, one of the delegates, expressed to the committee that he believed the miners were willing to leave the whole of the dispute in their hands, and abide by their decision, providing Mr. Winsbip would do the same. We extract tho following from the Herald of the 2nd : The movement in aid of the Lancashire relief fund continues to progress. We learn that the Sydney committee have now upwards of £2OOO in hand, and meetings in support of the object have been attended with most satisfactory results at Windsor, Parramatta, and other inland towns. It is hoped, indeed, that a second draft of £SOOO will be despatched by the next mail steamer. In politics there in little news. The Government are about to introduce a bill into Parliament fcr regulating the civil service, fixing the grades of office, salaries, terms of promotion, leave of absence, &c. This measure is said by its promoters to be similiar in its details to that some time since introduced in the Victorian Parliament. Prom the Herald of the 2nd, we take the following:— It is understood that a bill for the reconstruction of the Legislative Council, on an elective basis, 'will bo shortly introduced, and that the measure will embody what is known as " Hare's system" of representation, so ably advocated by the Hon. G. K. Holden in the Upper Chamber not many months back. Considerable excitement is still existing upon the lately vexed question of state aid to religion. MELBOURNE. By the Eugene we have received Melbourno papers to the 31st ult. Political news there is of course none. At Wuliamstown a large fire had again occurred. Early on the morning of the 29th ultimo a disastrous tire occurred at Williamstown, when several of the principal houses in the front street were destroyed. The fire originated in one of the back rooms of the Albion Hotel, and spread with great rapidity. The crew of H.M.C.S. Victoria, under Lieut. Gascoigne and Mr. Griffith; the men of H.M. Customs, under Messrs. Macfarlano and Hock; and the police, under Mr. Inspector Nicholas, were promptly on the spot, and rendered efficient assistance; but owing to tho combustible nature of the buildings, they were consumed in a very short space of time. Several tenements were torn down, and tho greatest exertions were used to prevent the fire spreading. Tho value of the properties destroyed is estimated at about £4,530, some portion of which is covered by insurance. The greatest loss falls upon Mr. Gibbs of the Ship Hotel, who was not insured. In the general dearth of news during the parliamentary recess, the papers have fallen back upon matters of local interest, and from the published Miners' Surveying reports for June, which appear in the Melbourne Herald of the 31 st, and form a most interesting and instructive article, wo extract the following, which will not at the present moment be devoid of interest to our Coromandel speculators:— UALT.AAUAT PIBTKICT. No. 1 Division.—The progress of mining operations | ip, tlvk division durin;j rhernQ-UU b;is l«)$n very sa,tis s

■ ■■ - i 7" factoiy. The Great Republic Company, Lo&erman lead, have been successful in discovering another tributary in their workings of extraordinary richness. This discovery had the effect of raising the value of shares in the company from about JEI6O to over £llOO. The Hand in Hand Company have also discovered some very remunerative ground in their claim. No. 2 Division.—Quartz mining in this division is being carried on with much energy, notwithstanding that the general yields are comparatively small. In some instances, probably resulting from good management and efficient machinery; they are, however, suffi cient to allow of a dividend being declared; for instance the Independent Company have crushed during the month 1000 tons, which yielded only 151 ozs. of gold, which gave a dividend of £2B Bs. per share for the month. A crushing of 200 tons of quartz from Adams* new reef has yielded 2400 ozs. of gold, the stone was taken from a dept of 170 feet.