NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, November 13, 1852.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 760, 13 November 1852, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, November 13, 1852.

NEAR MELBOURNE.7— O| I Saturday afternoon, about half- past three o'cloa lof a fine bright sunny day, two industriou residents of Brighton, William Kell and Williac Robinson, were driving in a cart along the higf road leading past the St. Kilda Race-cours towards the special survey. Two men wet walking before them at a little distance. Th<j| saw two or three other men with guns at their | sides apparently looking up in the trees foi birds. .Of a sudden they found themselves, surrounded, guns were placed at each of their] heads, and that of the horse ; and they were ordered to descend. The attack was so outra- j geous that they thought it was a joke ; bu| as they were addressed in the most abuiive language and told that their brains would be blown oat if they delayed, they got out of the dray and subraited to be rifled — the one of £23, the other of about £46. The robbers, whose horses were Hung up to the trees in the neighbourhood, and who were entirely without disguise, then ordered them td-'proceed^with into an adjacent wattle -fccrub; an hempen halter was cat into shreds, and they wer^ tied hand to hand "with a strand, and ordered to sit down on the ground ; two men I 1 with double- barrelled guns keeping guard ovei , them-. In a few minutes, the two men whom they had previously seen on the road were brought in, -robbed, and also tied and made to 'sit down. A- watch was then made up aDO down the road, and every individual who came

up on foot, .or horseoack.jor in a vehicle, for two hours and a half, was stopped and robbed, amongst them being, Mr. and Mrs. Bawtree, jMr." . Larman, of Brighton, Mr. Striker, .returning fiom his duties as a juror, a Mr. Chambers, in the employment of Mr. Powell, ironmonger, of Collins-street, and nearly twenty others. — Argus, Oct. 19. Three additional gold escorts had come down from Mount Alexander, On the 4th a private escort brought 54,941 ounces ; on the 6th, a Government escort brought 44,117 ounces; and on the 10th a private escort brought 52,137 onnces. While this is fully equal to any amounts formerly noted, a Ballarat escort brought down on the sth 12,268 ounces, which is very much more than any former Ballarat escort brought. The public meeting to consider the ease of the " houseless immigrants" met on the sth, when resolutions were unanimously passed to j carry into effect tbs plans proposed by the committee founded on Dr. Bowie's suggestion. The Government had pledged its, hearty cooperation, and given the use of every spare yard of canvas or sails it had in store. The plan adopted is to raise a public subscription of about £4000, and to ask £8000 more from the Government, with a free grant of a site. Tents to be erected to hold fifty persons each, with separate sleeping places, it being calculated l that £12,000 would pay for the-construction of such accommodation for 2000 persons ; but a moderate rent to be charged, and if a surplus be thus created the committee to have power to extend the accommodation if necessary. The i requisite amount of public subscriptions had been nearly raised by the 10th, several individuals and firms contributing one hundred guineas. The members of the Jewish body met on Sunday, pursuant to advertisement, at the Vestry room, in Bourke-street. This was an adjourned meeting from Sunday last. A. H. Hart, Esq., took the' chair. The committee appointed at the previous meeting brought up their report aud prospectus, which were adopted. The report recommends the erection of a building on a place that will allow of its enlargement when necessary, and the present outlay to be £800, with a further sura for necessary fittings, &o. The piece of ground chosen for a site is in Jeffcott- street, and is the property of S. Benjamin, Esq., who presents it for one year without charge, and afterwards for a number of years, fourteen if desired, at a small annual rental. Subscriptions were entered into in the room, and although only a handful of persons were present, £605 vras subscribed. The meeting is further adjourned to Sunday next, at eleven o'clock, before which time the list will be complete, as several warm friends to the cause were absent from the meeting. It is intended that the election of a permanent staff of officers shall take place at the next meeting.