VICTORIA.

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

VICTORIA.

We extract, the following from the Leader 1 , 9th May : — It would seem, from all accounts, that Victoria has now lo Fear, not a New Zealand exodus, hut one across the Murray. The soil, the climate, the ling river frontages, ahove all the easy terms of settlement on the border land, are attractions rapidly drawing off those who are wisely resolved to invest the proceeds of their industry in the soil. We hear that some Melbourne men are now turning a wistful eye towards this land, so promising of fertile fields, and that not a few of the mining population are resolved to try diggings for gold rather different than (hose they have been accustomed to ; in other other word-! to turn Murray farmers. This is what might have been expected. New South Wales had the wisdom to enact a land law that invited the industrious to settle on her soil. Victoria has done all she could to repel such settlers. Victoria may soon have occasion to regret her suicklai pel icy. It is reported that gold in limestone has been found in the neighborhood of GeeJong. The concrete produced is an imbedding a quartz-lrift in a limestone mairix. The honor of starting the first woollen mill in Victoria belongs to Bacchus Marsh. A few gentlemen residing in that township have formed themselves into a company, subscribed as much of the nominal capital of L! 0,000 as was necessary to begin with, and the requisite machinery, together with a competent manager, has been written for from Scotland. It is proposed to give employment to nearly one hundred persons in the manufacture of blankets, rugs, tweeds, &c. We learn from the Murray Gazette, that there have been two or three oases of cholera in the neighborhood of Rutherglen lately. A death from this disease occurred atYackandandah last week. After the Riverine meeting at Deniliquin, on Tuesday, we le?rn from the Pastoral Times, that Mr. Woods ML A., of Victoria, was introduced by Mr- Forlonge. for the purpose of explaining his views of the desirability of having a tramway constructed over the plains from there to Echuca '• Mr. Woods stated that the system which lie wished to be inaugurated here had been in existence in Victoria for more than two years, over a distance of 18 miles, during which time the locomotive had run 28,000 miles, drawing a train of IDO tons at the rate of 15 miles an hour and as yet there was not the slightest deterioration in either the rails or engine He thought such a tramway whould be admirably suited for this district; and he would be prepared to construct such a line, place three locomotives upon it, fifty goods waggons to carry five tons each, and four passenger carriages at the rate of L 5,000 per mile'" Although nothing was done in the matter, says the Times, it was evident that many of those present took a j lively interest in the proposal. ! In the City Council on Monday, the Van Yean water supplied to the city has again been the subject of an analysis by Dr. Macadam. Each of the three samples he tavied had a sort of vegetable odor,with a very disagreeable taste, arising from dissolved organic matter. The proportions of clayey and vegetable matter had decreased since the last analysis in 1858, but the deterioration of the water was not consequent upon the quantity of organic matter present, but on the degree of putrefaction in which it existed. Another cause of its deterioration was because the recommendations of the select committees of the Legislative Assembly had not been carried out in diverting the course ot Bruce's Creek, which serves as a channel for the sewerage of the township of Whittlesea, running off the waters in the reservoirs as speedily as possible, and not allowing it to remain for any length of time in the mains. The droppings of cattle from the Upper Plenty Farmer's Common, which abuts on the south side of the reservoir, had also greatly injured the water. The report concluded by stating that the on!y way to prevent the putrefaction of the Van Yean was by carrying out the filtering arrangements at Preston

originally projected, ft c&me out during, the discussion that there was enough water in the reservoir to last four pr^five years ; and that another cause of its putrefaction, and indeed a most likely one*: was that the current running from it for the supply of the city was only flowing at a mile and a half per hour instead of about four miles. The Council seemed also 10 consider that more wastage should be allowed in the taps, and thereby, as far as possible, prevent the water from becoming noxious. Attention has been lately called to the studious manner in which the Chinese are endeavoring to acquire proficiency in European accomplishments. At the first commencement natives of the flowery land could bardly expect to arrive at the proficiency of graduates, but as a matriculated student in the insolvency department. Ah Tee, of Jackass Flat, near Sandhurst, butcher, on Mond-iy made a very promising debut — havingr filed his schedule For liabilities, £196 19s 3d ; assets, £h\ -5s Id The justifications pleaded for this step were the usual ones, pres-sure of creditors, depression in business, and losses in trade, his property having been sold off under an execution. The trustees of the Geelong Botanical Gardens seem to love darkness rather than light, for on Saturday last they came to the resolution, according to the Geelong Advertiser, to exclude reporters for the press from their meetings. One of the reasons assigned for this decision is an odd one— namely, "that those trus'ees who know how to conduct themselves, and who attended the meetings which have'lately been reported, and at which some ' scenes ' have occurred, do not like to see their names mentioned in connection with those of the trustees on whom the whole discredit attaching to these proceedings should fall." We should have imagined, but for the resolution aforesaid, that gentlemen who know how to behave themselves, would only be too anxious to let their good behavior stand forth to view, if not for public example at least for their own credit. An interesting notice of the early use of Australian kaolin in pottery is given by the Maryborough Ahertiscr-.—^We have been shown a curiosity in fictile ware, a medallion portrait of the celebrated Wedgwood, executed in porcelain. At an early period in the history of New South Wales one of the convicts fell in with a deposit of kaolin, and being struck by its .similarity to the finer descriptions of clay employed in the Staffordshire potteries, sent some of it home to Mr Wedgwood, and one of the artificers in his employment modelled the portrait referred to and presented it to his master ; whose son subsequently gave it to its present possessor. It is probably the earliest specimen of artmanufacture from Australian kaolin extan'; and as such, tin historic value attaches to it." The Government that hoasts the enlightened liberality of John O'>hans^sy a^ its head, and the scrupulous conscience of Richard Ireland as an instrument, inscribed on Tuesday a black page in the annals of Victoria by the proposal deliberately submitted to Parliament to stifle the voice of public opinion and all free discussion in the country. Rome could not more significantly indite ihe proscription of the literature of fre<> thoniiht than did these, our ruling mpn, the audacious law against the freedom of the press, proposed in a Parliament of Englishmen. The modern Csesar himself has tried nothing more repressive or hateful to liberty. The representatives of the people, nevertheless met on Tuesday, witli as much seriousness and sense of responsibility as if they had gathered together to settle the details of some up-country road bill. The Attorney-General, no doubt, correctly measured the intelligence of his auditory when he a«ked them to deliberate on a measure, the provisions of which he did not even deign to explain ; for, thou»h in moving the second reading he promised modification of the bill, he vouchsafed not a word of information as to the extent of the change. There, however, were the obedient followers, ready and willing to vote black or white at the command of their masters. The debate was not without its amusing features and episodes, as, for example, the ludicrous attempts of Mr. John Oennistoun Wood to look like a Minister of Justice, when from hisexalted eminence he sneered at the press, and laohrvmous appeals of poor Dr. Macadam to "the pity of the House, and to the memories of the Burke and Wills coffining, The shareholders in the National Bank held their fifth annual meeting on Tuesday. Mr. Kolfe, chairman of directors, presided. The report was of a very satisfactory character showing gross profits during the last year equal' to 1,44,238 Os 4d. Deducting expenses at the head office, and twenty -two lor-' bravcher, and agencies, the net profits i-ere L 28.336 16s 9d, of which sum L 13.600 was applied to the payment of a dividend at the rate of eurht par cent. ; L 3.085 16s_6d to the diminution of the account of preliminary expenses L 2.000 were written off for bad and doubtful debtf L 591 7s 6d in payment of furniture and stationery accourt, and the remainder, L 9.059 12s 9d, ras transferred to the reserve fu ds. The report was unanimously agreed to, and a special meeting was ■ aft-warls, at which losses amounting - wards of L 52,000. written off at the tirre the bank was in difficulties, were now restored to the ordinary account. At the close of the meeting it was announced that the dividend agreed to would be payable alter ten a.m. the following morning. The Board of Agriculture, at the adjourned meeting on 6th inst., adopted a report from the committee on the Model Farm, recommending that it should be leased for a term not exceeding seven yca-s. One recommendation was not adopted, ' mely, that the Board should retain some sev ateen acres ot the farm for experimental purposes. A committee has been api.ointad to confer with t'i3 Go ernor as to obtairnn : the necessary wer to lease. The board will meet a forti hence to determine as to the particular -„ ""e of applying a sun of L 560 in hand in priz ? for the e.icourr ement of agriculture. The riarendon-street Presbyterian Church, Emerald Tlill, was aned for public worship on Sunday, by t'.ie Key. Hugh Darling, minister of the cop-Teg," 'on. The new church, the foundation stone of which was laid only a short time ago, is both handsome and comrr "ious, and reflects credit on the taste and enterprise of the congregation On Monday evening a soiree in commemoration j of the occasion was held in the church. After tea, interesting addresses were delivered by the Rev. Messrs. Macdonald, Mercer, Caldwell, Crawford, and Mackie. The treasurer stated that the church was almost f reeof debt. The Seasons. — This even climate of ours works strange freaks. So unmarked and undefined are the seasons, it is impossible to veeo^nize thsm from the face of nature. At mid-autumn of this year, for instance, our gardens were adorned with the robes of spring. Trees shot forth anew ; fruit trees were seen in full blossom ; and now that we are in vrtntar, a crop of half-developed apples, and ripe raspberries may be gathered; while light clothing is even more requisite for the baing raan, than what it frequently is during the middle of summer proper.--

The Bharebrbkers:bf Ballarat .are taking steps for the .formation, of a> is£ock eichange in that 'town. At a meeting held on Tuesday a committee •consisting ;of Messrs^ Walsh, "Were, Smith; ,D6wneß; and Sayevaswete. appointed to draw up rules and make suggestions, ''to be considered at an :adjourried meeting Jiexfc' week, -r . The Commission of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria resumed its sittings on Wednesday, in Mr Hetheringioa's Church, Collins-street. The most interesting business before the Commission has been an application brought up, on a reference from the Presbytery of Melbourne, for the admission of the Rev, C. J. Baird, a Wesl«yan Minister, as. a minister of the Presbyterian Church. A good deal of discussion also arose regarding a call to the/Re?. M. Dixon, from the congregation of Smeaton, the Rev. Mr M'Murtie, the late minister, objecting oa the ground that he had not; rc^jed payment of a portiou of his ■stipend. The ; Commission met again on Thursday. The appointment of a committee was f^recd .to, who should endeavor to raid? a sum of XCOOO, which should be set apj.rt as an endowment for a professor of divinity in connection with the church. It was agreed to adopt a law similar in its character to the Barrier Act of the Established Church of Scotland. The otn^r matters disposed of were of minor importance. Melbourne is likely to be the scene of some gaieties during the visit of the Djamba to our waters. We hear that the representative of the King of Holland is making hospitable preparations, to give a suitable welcome to the officers of the Dutch man-of-war. The Rseistrar-General's report on the vital statistics" of Melbourne nnd suburbs for the month and quarter ending 31st March was published on Tuesday. The deaths for the month amounted to 267, and for the quarter to 1009. The mortality of the month was unusually low. "while the mean temperature, and the mean atmospheric pressure were about the average. The quarterly return is likewise low. being as 1009 against 1076 in the correspondent quarter of 1862 ; 1169 in 1861, and 1066 in 1860. The mean daily range of temperature at the Melbourne Observatory, was 22.8 in January: 18.1 in February ; and 20.0 in March, and nearly identical with the average of the same quarter for the last four years. The recent introduction of small-pox into this colony by the passengers of the Mik-'-s-t was t'»e subject of a question put on Wednesday by Dr. Girdlestone to the Chief Secretary. The reply of the latter wns to the effect that this introduction had resulted from the master of the vessel giving false replies to the lisr of questions on a printed paper put into his hands when entering the Heads. For this offence the Govetnment had instituted a prosecution aga'nst him. Dr. Girdlestone intim- j ated that in his opinion the machinery at the Heads for enforcing the quarantine laws was even more ' worthless in its character than the Act itself, and that if the Health Officer there was not to examine the passengers as they arrived, a policeman might ] jusr. as well be employed to put the printed paper into the hands of captains as a medical officer.