SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 698, 10 April 1852, Page 3

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

[From the Maitland Mercury, February 14 ] Adelaide papers to the 19th January have reached us. The Governor had declined to accede to the prayer of the memorialists who requested him to take measures to assay and stamp gold, and take it for payment for land and taxes. Sir Henry says this would be impracticable, as being beyond his power, and would be unavailing to check the commercial depression the memorialists deplore. He suggests that the depression has been magnified unnecessarily into a panic by the fears cf some and .unprincipled designs of others ; and he thinks steps have already been taken to lessen the pressure. As the only just and really remedial measures he has already, on the part of the government, directed the nearly total stoppage of public works, in order not to interfere with private employers, and has lessened the publie expenditure in every way to meet the expected deficiency in the revenue. And on the public he urges that most effectual aid in restoring the colony can be rendered by creditors universally treating debtors with forbearance, thus avoiding the forcing property on the market. And he thinks the banks will probably lend their aid by advancing moderately on gold, and discounting bills drawn against shipments of it. Another measure urged on the government was the opening up a shorter route to Mount Alexander, adding to the facilities for parties returning from thence with their earnings. Steps to this end had, it was stated, already been taken by the government, sappers and miners having been sent out to sink wells along a tract of dry country on the route, and officers of the surveying department being charged to ascertain the best line. All property that was sold was being sacrificed at very low rates, and Burra Burra shares had fallen to £B5, £B6, and £B7 cash. Reduction in Salaries.—A circular has been addressed by the Governor to the officers in the employ of government, informing them that a reduction would be made in their salaries for the current year; the rate of which will depend on the amount of revenue. Several of the junior clerks, we hear, have tendered their resignations. Emigration and Immigration.—From the published returns we can now give something like a correct idea of the loss the colonv has already sustained in working men. The numbers who departed overland in the last quarter of lhe year was ........ 3688 The number of departures by sea 3161 6849 Number arriving by sea 1760 Overland say 240 2OOO Net balance of emigration in 3 months .. 4849 Commercial Intelligence.—Business remains in a very inactive state, and the rush to the gold fields still continues. We have had several arrivals since our last report, but the demand for imported merchandise is very limited ; indeed the merchants in many instances are shipping their stocks to Melbourne. Wines and spirits and all other goods (with the exception of the a.tual necessaries of life) are dull at sale at any price. We do not know, nor can we divine, when this state of things will end ; it is apparent that there is an evident want of confidence existing, and we fear that some months must elapse before business will assume anything like a healthy appearance. We quote flour at £ll 10s. per ton, and wheat at 3s. 9d. to 4s. per bushel.