NEW SOUTH WALES.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 3, 19 May 1863, Page 2

NEW SOUTH WALES.

We are in receipt of Sydney papers to 9th May. We extract the following : — The delegates at the Intercolonial Conference have had their secrets prematurely betrayed. When they broke up their siltins;s they made a mutual agreement not to divulge their conclusions till a given date— the beginning of June. They had scarcely all got home, however, before the general result of their Conference was j published. The news came from Tas- j mania, so (hat it is pretty clear that it was one of the delegates from that colony that must have •' split." The others are of course all very an^ry ; but in order to make the treachery of their colleague the | more marked, they have agreed to remain mum until the date agreed upon. To some extent, therefore, curiosity must still remain unsatisfied. The most important part of the premature confession is that a common tariff has been agreed upon, from which all ad valorem duties are rejected. This tariff is to be urged upon the acceptance of all the Parliaments, and if adopted is to remain unalterable except after another Conference. What is this tariff on which they have all thus come to an agreement ? It is most probably the csisiing one, or one very nearly resembling it, for they could not depart widely from it without committing serious error. Yet as the Tasmanian delegates were appointed by a Ministry avowedly protectionist, we shalJ be curious to see how they are satisfied with what satisfies free-traders. The delegates agreed also that each colony sheuld have the revenue to which it was fairly entitled, though it is not clear whether any scheme for effecting this was approved. But this resolution shows that they did not consider the scheme of a general Customs union feasible at present. This, however, is undoubtedly ihe ullimatum towards which we are tending, and in which we shall settle at last. On several minor matters it was agreed to have common action, such as the recognition mutually of all certificates gr.inted in any one I colony. Immigration, too, it was agreed I should be dealt with as a whole, though on what basis the agrement should be founded, it was left to be decided by future discussions. An assimilation of the bankruptcy laws was agreed to be de sirable, but the establishment of a general Court of Appeal— a plan often proposed to save the cost of an appeal to England — was not decided on. The proposal to establish a fortnightly mail communication with England, as well as the project for telegraphic communication with the mother-country, were both adjudged it to be premature. A step, however, towards the gradual realisation of the latter project is being taken by the Queensland Government (which was not represented at the Conference) by the construction of a telegraphic line northwards as far as Port DeniI S on — a vote for which has been placed on the estimates. It is possible enough that all that the Conference has proposed may not be realised. The delegates maynothave sufficiently represented the waywardness of the several Parliaments. Local politics may bristle up, and, and oppose thesuggested harmony of action. But it is, at any rate, so far matter for congratulation, that the first Conference has Jed to amicable discussion, and to some unity of recommendation. Still better and broader results may be hoped for hereafter. A beginning has been made ; it must be left to subsequent years to follow it up. The" intended demonstration at Botany Bay on the 28th ultimo, in honor of the landing of Captain Cook In Australia, has fallen through. The weather towards the latter part of last week was very wet, and there was no appearance of its drying up The sub-committee appointed to arrange everything for the celebration accordingly determined to postpone it fof*a week, on the ground that even if the weather did break, the ground would be toTwetfor ladies, or even for gentlemen to be present with comfort. No sooner, however, had this decision be?n published, than the clouds dispersed and the sun shone otit again, and Tuesday was as fine a day as could be desired for any out-door celebration. It was then discovered that the Governor could not be present on the date to which the affair had been postponed, as he had to set off in the evening to preside at the opening of the Northern Railway to Singleton. After some discussion, therefore, it was decided that as any further postponement would only result in failure, the whole ceremony should be deferred till next year, when the anniversary should be positively kept on its right date. The tickets have accordingly been called in, and the money returned, and the committee

hare been taught the lesson not to b fickle as the wealher. Beyond plenty of controversy, which ( hibits as irreconcilable^ diversity of opini as ever, there is no further development , the scab question* ,We do not bear of I breaking out an 'any new locality,' nor I any wholesale^slaughter of floe.*-^ tj; public anxiety will probably be£^aye< I the precautions taken to prevent fne spn . of the disease prove effectual." But! ; should turn out that, in spite of them, disease has crept out of its present habil ■: and begun a new career of mischief, tl the alarm would be renewed. ; ' The police who are scouring the westi country, have captured one inoTfc6£Gai i ner's gang, though not one appaiently the most notorious,. His name is Taj and he is known to have been connet with two or three cases of : robbery, w arms. By incessant vigilance in follow up the trail they have hitherto pursued! is to be hoped that the police will succJ if not in capturing, at least in finally J persing, Gardiner's mob. Justice, h« ever, will not be satisfied unless this wuL gang of lawless ruffians are brought toy*/ count for their crimes. The man who j companion, at Wavland's Range, to I murderer of Peter Clarke, has also bl caught by the police, after a chase of a hundred miles. These captures should remembered when people complain of l inefficiency of the police. The highwl men have generally a great advantage! the matter of horse flesh. They are] the most part excellent jndges of gl cattle, and of course do not scruplJ change their jaded beasts for any fj I horse they may drop upon that sel likely to suit their purpose* The pol however, cannot imitate these tactics,! • have to. urge their wearied steeds ol best they can, or else beg, borrow, or I as opportunity may pre^nt. | By way of clearing out the nest of J pathisers in the Western districts who! afforded so much aid and comfort to! bushrangers, Mr. Robertson hasdeterm to dispossess all of them who are ni authorised occupation of iheir hold As the trials showed, many of these are settlers on Crown lands without ha any right to be such. Simple as thef are for taking up land, either in free or leasehold, they have never com! with them. Complete lists of all wbi entitled to hold land have been forwJ and all who can show no license are! dealt with under the Act as persons! gaily in possession of Crown land. 1 can, however, in all cases become legal sessors either by free selecting theirhj stead section, or by claiming a pre-eml right in virtue of improvements, or b| dering for a lease of the squattagel have been occupying. This will put! in a legal position, but it will noil their moral character or their tastes. I change can only be brought about! very different process. They will, I ever, learn a valuable lesson, which! to some extent, deter them from cril pursuits in future, if they find that, J a vigorous police administration, I pursuit follows immediately on crimj tection on pursuit, and punishment ol teclion. I Asa si^n of the waning fortunes J Lachlan gold fields, the local news which was established ihere has been I to close its career. The populatio dwindled and is dwindling, and there presentsign of therevival of the pros of that ow.e famous locality. At Ei gong, too, matters are very dull, however, is being taken up in the! borhood of that gold-field, so that the! ship of Young will probably become! manent settlement. There is a gool of gold still to be gathered up in tbl lity; but then the process naust*iy* v carefuHy and economically conduciw a preliminary outlay of capital is m quisfte. Dam* must be constru':te| large stores of water collected, anl with large claims and systematic sIJ profitable results maybe obtained. Gl less auriferous than that which the! Burrangong is known lo be has been! to advantage in this way, and the tin no doubt come when we shall lei treat these poor soils in a reasonatl efficient manner. For the present! ever, diggers have not got over theirl ence for new rushes. It will tall i before they wIH settle down to al ! fixed per-centage of profit. I The squatters afc Deniliquln cell the anniversary of Captain Cook's lJ by holding a meeting in favor of I tion. The attendance was not so lal was anticipated, there being only tl five present They were unanimoul ever, in their opinion, and subscl handsome sum to commence opal They are unfavorable to aunexaf Victoria, and intend to apply in fl instance to Sydney for a full rei | grievances, and failing that, to appll Home Government for separation. I