VICTORIA. [From the Maitland Mercury.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 750, 9 October 1852, Page 3

VICTORIA. [From the Maitland Mercury.]

The weather had been very unsettled, and no news of importance had been received from the gold fields. From the state of the roads it was impossible to get supplies to the diggings, and flour was consequently selling at £150 a ton. The yield, in consequence of the weather, had beenvery small, but notwithstanding this, since our last ' dates upwards of eighty thousand ounces of gold had reached Melbourne, The last quotation of prices we notice was £3 6a. 2d. per ounce. A good deal of discussion had arisen as to an arrangement entered into by the Government with the banks, by which they bind themselves to take all the bills on Eugland they require for emigration purposes at par, the banks undei taking to do all the other Government business free of charge. As the Government business consists of receiving money and paying it out in cheques, which the banks do, and gladly, for their other customers, without charge, and bills on England have ranged from five to ten per cent, discount, this exceedingly green arrangement has transferred about £2*5,000 from the Government to the banks. While everybody can readily obtain a bank bill for £100 to £91, the Government is paying £100 for it, and this they have been doing for more than a quarter of a million. Outrages of every description are rife even in the streets of Melbourne, and private reports say that not one-tenth of the robberies and assaults committed are recorded in the newspapers. The new tariff came into operation on the 14th August. It imposes duties on the following articles only, all others hitherto heavily taxed being free. All Spirits, including cordials, liqueurs or perfumed, 7s. a gallon Tea, 3d. per lb. Tobacco, Snuff, Cigars, 2s. per lb. Wine, Is. per gallon Coffee, 10s. per cwt.