VICTORIA GOLD FIELDS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 677, 28 January 1852, Page 4

VICTORIA GOLD FIELDS.

[From the Sydney Morning Herald."] The weekly gold escort of the 24th, was much less than previous weeks, amounting to 10,076 ounces from Mount Alexander, and 775 from Ballarat. The bringing down of their gold themselves by Christmas loving diggers was stated as the cause of the lessened amount by escort. The Argus published a return of all gold exported from Victoria to Sydney, Hobart Town, and London, up to the 25th December, when the Melbourne sailed for London with 60,586 ounces. To Sydney there had been sent 29,921 ounces, to Hobart Town 583, and to London 87,320 ounces, making a total of 117,825 ounces shipped from 20th October to 25th December, equal, at +‘3 per ounce, to £353,475. The Melbourne Herald thus reports the arrival of the last Government escort, on Wednes lay, the 31st ultimo. “ The Mount Alexander escort brought down yesterday eight hundred and eighty-three pounds, two ounces, and ten pennyweights, or ten thousand five hundred and ninety eight ounces of gold. The escort from Ballarat only the nominal quantity of three pounds, or thirty-six ounces. The accounts from the Mount confirm the report of our own correspondent, contained in his letter inserted in yesterday’s Herald, viz., that thousands are returning as fast as they arrive, owing to the scarcity of water. The Ballarat escort will be discontinued from this date.” The correspondent of the same paper writes as follows from Mount Alexander :—“ These diggings are now comparatively deserted ; large numbers left last week—many on Wednesday, and several more will be off to-day. The want of water is the principal cause of this emigration, for though a great many are gone holiday keeping, yet, had the water lasted out, a great many would have remained steady at work. The excessive bad weather for this week past has caused considerable illness. Within the last two or three days we have bad thunder and lightning, and but very little rain.”