SOUTH AUSTRALIA. [From the Maitland Mercury.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 760, 13 November 1852, Page 3

SOUTH AUSTRALIA. [From the Maitland Mercury.]

We have Adelaide journals to the 25th September. The Register of that date contains the fol-lowing-obituary notice : — " We announce, with feelings of deep regret, the death of an estimable tnan tad upright Judge in the person of Mr. Justice Crawford, who has occupied the position of Second Judge of the Supreme Court in this province for about two years. Judge Crawford presided over the sittings of the Supreme Court in June last, and was then remarked to be suffering from ill health, although not so severely as to cause any alarm to his friends. He bore his illness with the fortitude of a Christian, retained his consciousness almost to the last moment of existence, and died surrounded by his family and friends yesterday morning at half-past 12 o'clock." In the Legislative Council the debate on Mr. Hare's motion for issuing tokens, and making them a legal tender, was resumed. It occupied a considerable time, the remarks of the members being chiefly directed to the mover's avowed desire to raise the legal value of gold from £3 11s. to £3 17s. 9d. per ounce. The general opinion, including that of the Government members, was against any change; but the motion was carried without a division. In the course of the debate, Mr. Barker requested the Colonial Secretary to inform the house in what manner the pledge of protection given by his Excellency to the Banks was to be carried out. The Colonial Secretary replied that the Government was prepared to redeem the pledge ; but hoped that the issue of tokens as a legal tender would render an extension of the Bullion Act unnecessary. He requested Mr. Elder to withdraw his notice of motion on that subject, which the latter consented to do. The Coinage Dras tor thx GdLD Tokens. — The dies for the gold tokens have been finished. The devices, which are appropriate and handsome, comprise — for the obverae, a Queenly Crown, with the date of the present year of her Majesty's reign ; and for the ref verse, the metallic designation, with its weight, assayed fineness, and value. The reports from the Echunga diggings were rather more favourable. The profitable ground was still confined, or nearly so, to the spot first discovered, but several parties had sunk holes, and with fair success. The largest amount spoken of as being obtained by any party was 53 ounces, the proceeds of two men's work from the commencement. - The great majority of the diggers who went there had, however returned disappointed. South Australian Gold. — The first auction sale of South Australian gold took place at the City Mart, on Friday last. The price realised by Messrs. Solomon and Co., was £3 1 Is. 6d. per ounce. The Monster Engine at the Burba Burba. — The' great engine commenced its operations on Thursday, and nothing could fee more satisfactory thin its working, which was free from' any of the perplexing circumstances often attendant upon the first exercise of so vast a powers Adelaide Grain' and Flour Market, 23rd September.— -Wheat, 7s:; flour, £23; bread, 7d. the loaf; barley, English, ss. per bushel of 501b5. ; Cape, 4s. 9d. per bushel of 501b5. ; oats, " :7s. 6d. to Bs. per bushel, in great demand ; bnn, Is. Bd. ditto ; pollard, Is. Bd. ditto. Advices by the arrivals this day from Melbourne, which quote flour £28 to £30 per ton, have's caiisedi the market, here to riße,

and it is generally understood that large orders have arrived for shipment to that place. Echukoa. Diggings, — The special reporter of the Register writes: — September 30, 1852. The opinions here are still various as to the profitable nature of the diggings. Some parties are paying expenses and a little over, while others, who are less energetic, perhaps, grumble at their lack of remuneration. The best indication of the prevailing sentiment after all is the taking up o( licenses, the number of which was yesterday extended to 310 ; and there are some thirty to forty persons more who intend taking licenses to-morrow, being the first of the month. The opinion is, that there are about 400 persons here at present, and that four out of every six are not only paying expenses, bat earning very good wages.