VICTORIA. [From the Maitland Mercury.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 743, 15 September 1852, Page 3

VICTORIA. [From the Maitland Mercury.]

A long debate took place in the Legislative Council on the 28th July, on a motion by Mr. Fawkner for an address to the Governor praying him to recommend the Home Government to extend the settled districts of Victoria so as to include all the lands now known as intermediate, and all the land found to produce gold to a. profitable extent. The avowed object of this motion was to make this large additional extent of country available for ordinary purposes . of sale and occupation. The motion was opposed by the squatting members and by the Government, and an amendment was carried by a majority of 18, to 9, recommending that leases be forthwith issued" to the occupiers of crown lands, in order that lands might be open for sale, under the Orders in Council, in quantities to meet, the demand of the increased population of . "the colony.- On , ,the motion of Mr. Miller, an address was adopted, praying; her Majesty' to establish a branch mint at Melbourne.- ' .r ' - - -

<The Bushrangers. — Two Men Shot. — When the private escort, which arrived in town last night; was' withWtwo miles, of the Inn, on its journey hither, it overtook a.dray proceeding to town, accompanied by three men/ who had a fourth with them, a prisoner. 'The dray had been attacked by six mounted bushrangers, but the men travelling with it, being armed

with revolvers, and knowing how to use them, shot two of the villains, and secured a third. We shall hear further particulars to-day.-^ws, July 26. [The captured bushranger was subsequently brought to Melbourne, and had been committed for trial by the magistrates. Four men, sleeping under the dray, were aroused by three armed bushrangers, who oidered them out singly to be bound ; three had been imperfectly tied, when the whole four rushed on the three bushrangers, and weie assisted by a man who wa.s sleeping utider an adjacent dray ; several shots were exchanged, but the bushrangers were beaten off, and one pf their nura--her captured ; one of those who escaped was wounded, it was believed.]

Mount Alexander. — Bendigo, Aug. &, 1852. — During the last fortnight I have paid a visit to Bendigo and its neighbourhood. These hitherto wonderful diggings are now disappointing thousands. Little is doing among the majority of the diggers ; after weeks of toil in sinking and driving many holes, they leave off disappointed, and are about returning to Melbourne. There is no doubt that Eagle Hawk, Peg-led, Spring, Sailors, American, and some other gullies, have turned out some wonderful yields, but now the neighbourhood appears to hare given up its treasures, and though 50,000, at the lowest calculation, are working, still not more than one-fiftieth are paying for provisions at the present enormously high |prices. Flour has had a sudden fall from £20 to £12 per bag on Bendigo, but sugar brjngs Is. 6d. per lb. ; tea 35. : butter 4s. to ss. ditto candles 3s. ; raisins 25. ; currants 25. ; coffee 35. ; bread 4s. 41b loaf; salt 25. ; while fodder ranges still higher: maize £2 per bushel ; oats £2 10s. per do. ; bran £1 per do. ; and hay £5 to £7 per hundred lbs. ,- horses can be purchased much cheaper here than in town, owing to the heavy expense of keep. — Forest Creek, August 6. — From Bendigo to Forest Creek the road is lined with drays and pedestrians returning. Most of those I have conversed with, state it as their opinion, that the latter creek is the best at present, and from the wonderful success of some parties during the last week I feel pretty confident that our neighbourhood will soon look as lively as ever. A gully leading from the Adelaide Gully to Spring Flat, aud which has hitherto been passed over as not likely to pay for working, has of late been more closely examined ; hundreds are at work upon this hitherto neglected spot, while thousands are wending their way to this precious stripe of land. It appears a party sunk a hole within two feet of the bottom, while a neighbour who had got down a little sooner with another, found nothing ; the former who was not down gave it up, on hearing of his neighbour's ill success, and thus the hole laid for some days. Another party thought they would try their luck in this deserted spot, sunk to the rock and drove in two directions without any success ; one of this party, more persevering than the rest, said he would drive once more in another direction, and before he had penetrated a foot came upon the gold, not in handfuls but spadefuls ; that night they sold the proceedings' of the day's work for £6000, and have since averaged two pounds weight per day. Others are tearing and sweating in adjoining holes, in the hope of finding similar pockets ; many of them are not obtaining one ounce per day. Some 20 yards higher up the gully, diggers find it distributed more generally over the face of the rock, and several have been obtaining pounds weight in the day. Another gully has been opened about one mile from Forest Creek, on the Bendigo road. Two brothers obtained fourteen pounds weight in two days, while most of the diggers are doing well. — August 7th. — The road from Forest Creek to Melbourne has a fair quantum of travellers on it, most of whom are plodding knee- deep through the mud for town. Some have done well, but many complain of hard fare, hard work, cold weather, and hard luck.

Melbourne Gold Circular. — Gold has continued throughout the week firm at 645. The news brought from Sydney by the Yarra Yarra, of the decline in price, had no depressing effect here. This may be accounted for from the amount of specie arriving from home and the neighbouring colonies — £90,000 of which has been received this week. Number of persons who have arrived in the colony this week 2,344 Number of persons who hare 1eft ............ 299 Addition to our population this week 2,045 Ounces. Gold previously shipped from Victoria.. .. 1,265,640 Per Amelia, to Sydney 300 j „ Selma, to Adelaide 100 „ Lady Flora, London, addition to last week but not entered at the custom house 3,000 To Adelaide Assay Office up to 23rd July 29,555 . 1,308,595 Or 54 tons 2 cwts. 16 lbs. 3 ozs., which, at 60s. per oz., amounts to £3,895,785. Exchange on London on drafts against gold hypothecated, 30s. per ounce, and 10 per cent, discount by the Bank of Australasia, and 12 per cent- discount by the Bank of New South Wales/ Freight of gold delivered at the 1 Bullion Office, London, 4£d. per ounce. . Edward Khull, Bullion Broker, 7th August, 1852. — -.Argus.