QUEENSLAND.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 87, 4 September 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

QUEENSLAND.

Ex Gothenburg' w'e^ have files to the 4th ult. The following items ,of intelligence are extracted from the Daily Guardian :— ■ .-••>•;- ■■■ .•

A meeting of the Queensland' Turf Club takes place to-day at four p.m., at M Adams Hotel* The meeting will, we believe, be for the transaction of business of the utmost importance to the interests sought to be promoted through the operation of the Club, and will, we hope, be attended both by the; actual members and by those desirous of becoming members. A petition appears in last Saturday's Government. Gazette from Mr William Miles, one of the late candidates for tho representation of the Maranoa, prayingthat the election of Mr Kennedy be declared invalid,' and an ew election ordered. The principal ground of objection taken by the petitioner is a certain alleged tampering with the electoral roll by Mr Gibson, Returning Officer for that district.

A notification appears in the Gazette to the effect that the several Clerks of Petty Sessions have been appointed Agents for the Protection of Coolies, and are authorised to act on behalf of the Protector. »

By the Gazette it appears that the public pound at Laidley has been abolished.

The men of influence and importance in this district (says the Burnett Argvs,~) have come forward very liberally in endeavoring to procure a payable gold field in the Jiurnefct, and it is to be hoped that their energy and enterprise will be crowned with success. Judging from the information we have up to the present time received, there is every probability of the enterprise proAing a certainty. It has often been stated by those who are supposed to know, that the geographical features of this portion of .the country are indicative of hidden wealth in the shape of auriferous deposits ; — many actually experienced diggers have uttered that opinion, and in it we are of course in clined to concur, for we feel confident that the yellow metal is not an ignis falus at any rate in the Burnett. We have no desire to create a rush to this district j it would be no gain to us, but probably a disappointment 1o many who might have thought thatin coming here they would readily realise a " pile." But, nevertheless, if we are to credit all we have heard lately, we should say that this was the El Dorado of the north. Here, on Sunday last, a person is reported as having come into town with upwards of three ounces of gold obtained out of some few dishes, at a place about fifteen miles hence ; whilst, again, it is whispered that Peter has already secured the reward. Such news as this is almost enough to reanimate tie dust of that gentleman, who, in passing over this district — (he certainly could never, according to these accounts, have explored it) — announced to the Government that gold did not exist here. We can only most devoutly wish that the reports We have heard fere true, and then should such be as we doubt not is the case, we augur a happy and prosperous existence for these, at present, rather dull localities.

In reply to a letter from Mr Duncan Macnee, the Secretary of the Burnett District Gold Discovery Reward Fund Committee, Mr Roberts, the secretary of like institution, in Wide Bay, observes : — " In reply to the enquiry whether the Gold Discovery Reward Fund Committee would be disposed to j>ive the reward advertised in the Maryborough Chronicle, or any portion of it, to a party discovering a payable gold field in the Burnett District, I have to reply that the subscribers to that fund are only pledged to give the reward for the discovery of a gold field in the Wide Bay District; the committee, therefore, <'.an do nothing in the matter without the consent of the subscribers. An early meeting of subscribers will be called, when your proposal will be laid before them. The committee have no doubt the 'subscribers will consent to the reward being offered for any gold field that will benefit this town and district.

The RocJihampton Bulletin of the 25th ult M says — "We have obtained from Mr Johnson, the teacher,' some information respecting the Rockhampton Primary School, which shows that that newly established and important institution is progressing very satisfactorily — at any rate so far as regards the number of sehdlai'S in attendance. On the Ist of April there were 140 names on the school books ; during the quarterrensuing there were 60 scholars added — '3,0 boys and 30 ;: girls— i and 20 removed, leaving on the 30th June 180 scholars on- the' books. The average attendance last 'week was ...105._. It may be mentioned too, that during the past quarter a school in connection with the,Korna'n Catholic "body has been ' established, which has, of , course, secured a number of children who would have necessarily attended, the Primary 'School. With an increasing juvenile population, itfis gratifying to r perceive,; riot only ail increase in the •number, but .greater efficiency in the conduct of pur educational institutions^

The Bxirhett Argus says-—" The'^iatte arrival of .immigrants at Hervey's Bay has fully ishown the'necfessitj for:having

"provision'nradfe for the~transmission of a J ; number of immigrants- by each vessel! from Maryborough to Grynclan, vvith "a" depot here for the temporary aceomrao*, dation of Sudh immigrants until they.: are hired. While there is a complete ? glut in the labor market at Marybo- ; Vough, hands can ■ scarcely hi got here v . "Nt any price. Within the last few days ' 25s per week has been freely offered for shepherding ; and, firord the fact of this : being what is always considered the r fullest time of^tbe year, 'if may ver^ T ( reasonably be inferred that a very large*, 'number of new arrivals would be ab- * jsbrbed in this'locality and. .the district "^ Ito the west of this. But the difficulty :i •of ? getting new .arrivals up-fro ( m ; Mary-y jb'drough to Gayiidah, 'especially families,-^ ■and the chances of their turning out of i jlittle, value, .ajmost- prevents -the eui■ployers of labor in this part from taking. :the trouble and running the risk, think- ' ing that the new hands must of necessity find their w"ay " inland; i and then \ -ttiey-will aVail themselves of their-ser-* jvices. What great advantage would it be to have a porfeiqn of those immi- ; grants immediately placed in the centre , of the labor market, where, they would have an of- so> much more - readily bringing their abilities into use. -