VICTORIA. [From the Empire, September 12.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 854, 8 October 1853, Page 3

VICTORIA. [From the Empire, September 12.]

We have received the Melbourne papers to the 6th instant. The Melbourne Herald of Tuesday, the 6th instant, write? upon information dated from the diggings on the previous Friday, that a rumour had reached of the intended abolition of the gold license by Government, and the diggers were, consequently, beginning to be peaceably

dhsposftJi- Captain Brown, a member of the deputation 1 sent ljy the di<;g^rs to the Governor, some time previously, was arrested on a charge of exciting the people to' arms. No resistance, if is said* was- offered against his arrest, and he was discharged by the authorities the next morning. At Ballarat, a committee of the diggers post-, ed a notice calling upon their friend 3 to pay the license for the current month, and conform to the laws in every particular, pending the receipt of intelligence from- Melbourne. A deputation was appointed to proceed to the Legislative CounciJ, ami £200* instantly subscribed to defray their expences. The deputation arrived in Geelong on the sth instant. The Geelong Advertiser of the sth instant states that at Forest Creek and some other districts, the Government officers had intimated their intention of not enforcing the gold license for the present month. On the 3rd, all the troops in Melbourne were ordered to the diggings, and a "body of marines, from the Electra, were stationed in the town to guard the public offices. The " Jeweller's Shops," as the newly discovered strata of gold at Ballarat are called, are described as being of surpassing richness. A Geelong correspondent of ihe Melbourne Herald states that people were arriving after a month's, work -with from 200 to 400 ounces of gold. The,, rich new discovery is described as being a " basin" of gold. The gold is found in aa immense circular patch, or monster pocket, and already about a dozen of holes have been sunk into it, every one of which has hit. So uniform is this rich stratum, that its value, wherever tested, has been found to lange from. £1200 to £2000 per superficial foot. From other parts of Ballarat the accounts are little less successful. It is said that the miners earn on an average, from £2 to £3 a day.

Mci bourn* Gold Circular. — The price of gold has declined, after continuing at 775. 6d. for no lesa than six weeks, the longest period at which it has remained steady since the commencement of the gold trade. The price may now be quoted from 765. 9d. to 775. Number of penons who hare arrived in the colony during the week 792 Number of pei sons who have left 419 Addition to our population this week 373 The Government Escorts brought from oz. Mount Alexander and Bendigo 39,077 Eallarat, including Geeiong 8,377 M'lvor 2,597 Ovens 5,995 The Private Escort Company brought from Mount Alexander and Bendigo 4,846 60,942 Gold shipped from Victoria in 1853 1,522,960 Or 63 tons 8 cwt. 131bs. 4ozs., at 755.. ..i?5, 711,100 Exchange on London. — Drafts against gold taken at par. The banks advance from 50s. to 60s. per ounce. Freight of Gold delivered at the Bullion Office, London, 4 |d. per ounce ; insurance, 2J guineas per cent. Edward Khull, Bullion Broker, 55, Great Collinsstreet, West.— September 3rd, 1853.