SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 507, 12 June 1850, Page 2

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

A meeting of gentlemen had been held to prepare arrangements for forwarding some of the productions, &c, of South Australia to the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. A sale of ciown lands was held on the 10th April, including a number of sections on Emu Plains, supposed to contain minerals. An association bad been previously formed for buying mineral land there, and working them, but the members subsequently joined the Royal mining Company with their capital and

scheme. The 'Burra Burra Company had intended to compete, but they also came to ao understanding with the Royal Company. In consequence of these arrangements, which were kept secret, the total amount realised by the sale was only £9,996, other parties fearing to compete with the wealthy Burra Company, which openly bought many of the sections, the Royal and themselves subsequently dividing the lections bought. The highest price given for any one section was the section comprising 71 acres. The total quantity of land sold was 7,164 acres. Among the Official returns of ths quarter ending 31st March, the immigration return states that during the quarter the immigration into the colony had been 3,067, and the emigration from it 1,696; showing a balance of immigrants of 1,371. During the quarter 588 persons had left the colony for California. Burra shares were quoted at £161. - Mr. William Beddome, a commissariat clerk, was in custody (having absconded and been pursued and captured), charged with stealing five hundred sovereigns, the property of lier Majesty, by feloniously obtaining access to the commissariat chest, and removing 200 sovereigns each from three bags of gold, and substituting silver in lieu. The revenue returns for the quarter ending 31st March shows receipts amounting to £52,128, including £16,799 from land sales ; this is an increase of £10,152 on the corresponding quarter in 1849, the amount then having been £31,676.

The Second Judgeship.—lt is said that Mr. M'Causland. has refused the office of second judge of this colony, and that Mf. Crauford, another member of the Irish bar, has received the appointment.—South Australian.

Aborigines.—The Protector's report states that the natives throughout the province have been quiet during the past quarter. During the past harvest they had reaped nearly 1100 acres, chiefly at Encounter Bay and Strathalbyn. They had also kept down the bush fires, and at M'Grath's Flat bad saved a man from death by starvation.—lbid,

The Weather.—The rains which have fallen during the last few days have had a very considerable effect on the comforts of travelling throughout the country. The Onkaparinga has largely swollen, perhaps as vastly as the gold diggers, who look at present very care-worn and wet upon its broad banks. The rains, in the mountnia districts, have settled the fruit season into a premature close. Grapes and peaches have no chance against wind and rain like that of Sunday. Several new colonists have expressed their opinion that it uupleasantly recalls to them the miseries of an English climate; and the very uncomfortable drill we have lately experienced, mingled with a drizzling rain, most uncomfortably reminds us of Stamford Hall or Tottenham in "sweet November." —Register, April 16.