MAURITIUS. [From the Geelong Advertiser, February 11.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 793, 9 March 1853, Page 4

MAURITIUS. [From the Geelong Advertiser, February 11.]

The R. M. Steamer Lady Jocelyn arrived here from Calcutta, Madras, and Pointe de Galle on the 3rd instant, having accomplished the voyage from Calcutta, including stoppages, in 17. days. To the surprise of every one here, this ■vessel did not brinjjjbe Overland Mail of tbe 24th October, as it had not arrived at Galle on tbe 24th November, date of the departure of tbe Lady Jocelyn from that port. Cspt. Stewart brought a letter from the Postmaster, in which at Galle, he is told that he could not reasonably detain ttfe vessel louger than the 36 hours be bad waited. The Chamber of Commerce have addressed bis Excellency on the subject, and have pointed out not only the serious inconvenience and injury sustained by tbe commercial community, but that the Chamber, in their Reports to Government on tbe subject of Steam Communication previous to iti establishment, considered a prompt and regular conveyance of the mails to and from Ceylon as a "sine qua non" in any contract to which Mauritius was to be, directly or indirectly, s party ; that tbe contribution from this Colony for the present year was upwards of £9000 ; that the mails by tbe steamers via tbe Cape are, on an average, 4 days longer on tbe way, thin tbe mails were formerly by the sailing packets ; and that they trusted his Excellency would forward their communication to tbe Secretary of Slate, as the expression of public opinion on tbe Jisappointmenr tbe Colony wits exposed to. According to the contract of the Imperial Government with tbe G. S. S. S. Company, which we have republisbed ia. our daily issue from the Cape Government Gazette (our local Government did not publish this document — we don't know why), no obligation is imposed to wait for Mauritius mails at Pointe de Galle. It is to be hoped that the representations made will have his Excellency's support, and that they will be instrumental in obtaining a concession of the just demands of the Colony. Tbe arrival of the steamer Australian bas awakened attention to the importance of inducing tbe* packets of the Australian line to touch here on their way to tbe Cape. A letter from the President ofuhe Chamber of Commerce to bis Excellency tbe Governor, bas been recently issued, calling on tbe .Government, amongst other matters, to allow steamers with mails to enter this port free from Port Charges. Tbe reply of hiS| Excellency, as is usual when any such requests are made, is favourable ; and tbe Legislative Council have promised to embody this concession in an Ordinance, now under consideration, for reducing tbe Port Charges on vessels beyond a certain size. With regard to the inconvenience experienced in our present postal service, complained of in tbe same letter from the Chamber, we hope tbe remedies recommended will be adopted. Of course tbe Company cannot at once organize everything ia suA a manner as to suit all parties interested ; Ij'iit we have every reason to believe tbat, w»th lime, great improvements will be ac^ complished,' and, above all, that a considerable reduction will be made in tbe rates of passage money. The subject that bas most occupied public attention b«s been Australia. Before the steamer Australian arrived, a few persons bad left, and shipments of sugar bad been made in excess of last year ; but when the vessel just mentioned arrived in our harbour with gold to tbe value of a million pounds sterling, besides passengers to tbe number of 82, all with abundance of tbe precious metal, tbe diggers were a topic of general conversation, and a number of young men are now preparing to start to try their fortunes in those prolific regions. Several vessels have been purchased, one by subscription, and besides su^ar, a quantity of other goods which were reported scarce

in the Australian Colonies bave been sbipped, such as Brandy, Beer in bulk, Tin Plates, Canvas, Cord, Sardines in oil, &c, &c. Tbe Urge Emigration from Great Britain to Australia must supply tbe great want of people there, unless the gold discoveries extend over t vast tract of new country. It is also very probable that there will be an abundance of tbe necessaries of life attracted from all quarten of the globe before the end of the year.