LATEST NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA. [From the Sydney Morning Herald, Aug. 6.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 434, 29 September 1849, Page 4

LATEST NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA. [From the Sydney Morning Herald, Aug. 6.]

[From Sydney We have a Californian newspaper of the 10th of May, and Sandwich Island newspapers to the 16th of June. The news is of a mixed character. The gold still continued to he found in abundance; and the wages for all sorts of labour continued high; but still the robberies and the murders, and the sickness which prevailed, had caused much misery tnd discontent. Last winter

was the most severe one that bad been known for many years, and the snow tbat fell on the mountains being melted by the summer sons, bad so filled the rivers, tbat it was impossible to get at their beds, and it was feared that the floods would not cease until the winter set in. This had materially interfered with the diggers. The common necessaries of life were not dear, comparatively speaking, at San Francisco : but luxuries were enormously high. The bottled beer taken up in the Despatch sold for 10 dollars per dozen ; brandy, 5 to 6 dollars per gallon. The latter article at the mines was sold for 10 dollars per bottle. Rum was unsaleable. Salt beef, iron, earthenware, and flour, were not quick of sale ; bat would, when sold, realise fair profits. The want of storeage for the goods when landed it much felt by the holders of merchandise, and will be the cause of many things being sold below their value. Drinking and gambling prevailed to a great extent ; the stakes played for being from three to five thousand dollars at a time, the players were always armed with pistols, and the stakes guarded by two armed men, to prevent robberies. Labouring men were obtaining from 4 to 6 dollars per day, and mechanics three times that amount. Board and lodging of the most humble description was charged at the rate of 3 dollars per day. Washing was charged for at the rate of 8 dollars per dozen. Captain Jackson, of the American ship Inez, had been offered and refused 4,000 dollars for two horses, purchased by him in Sydney for £20 each. The duties imposed on all goods arriving in foreign vessels were enormously high, and when the Despatch sailed, the landing of spirits had been prohibited. Vessels sailing under the Tahitian flag enjoyed the same privilege as the Americans. Foreign vessels were not allowed to proceed more than thirtyfive miles up the river. A large increaie to the population was expected from all the South American ports, and 30,000 persons were said to be on their way overland from the eastern coast. A number of letters from persons who left the colony in January and February last have been received, some of which we believe express great dissatisfaction and discontent. We give below all the information in the papers before us ; it is very scanty, but we have little doubt that our letters and papers are on board the William Hill, which sailed from San Francisco a day or two before the Despatch.

[From the Polynesian, June 16.] The news from California by the Despatch is somewhat interesting, though not remarkably important. Id San Francisco elections have been held for Sheriff, Registrar, Treasurer, and Members of the Legislature. The citizens of Sacramento city held a mass meeting on the 30th of April, and elected a distinct Legislature of eleven members. We make the following extract from a private letter :—: — " We had a remarkably fine passage, being but 14 days from land to land. We 'arrived in port two days after the John Dunlop, two days before the Plymouth, three days before the Seis de Junto, and some hours before the Eliza. The Papeite has not yet arrived (May 6th) ; all these vessels sailed before us. " The price of goods has fallen much, and I hear of nothing wanting but lumber, boats, and small craft to run up the rivers. The Louise sold for 6,500 dollars. The Catherine (built in Honolulu) sold first for 7,000 dollars, and since for 10,000. Day labourers command from six to ten dollars per day ; mechanics from twelve dollars to sixteen dollars, and in some instances twenty dollars. Board is from fourteen dollars to twenty-five dollars per week ; and a lodging-room one hundred dollars per month. Washing, eight dollars to ten dollars per dozen. " There is a fleet in the harbour of from 75 to 100 sail, and increasing daily. From late news we learn that the whole world east of us is moving this way ; and the hundreds ! of steam and sailing vessels do not accommodate the multitudes that are so eager for gold; 30,000 are now on the way by land, the first of whom have already arrived via Mexico. " The prospects are not so good for mining as I anticipated. Many who went to the mines having returned within two or three weeks ; some disgusted with the place, business, and prospects, and all agreeing that the water is too high to work the mines to any profit."