QUEENSLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 629, 8 February 1867, Page 2

QUEENSLAND.

(From the RocJchamptou Bulletin, Jan. 8.) Riots on the Nobtheen Goumfields. — News of a violent collision between the Europeans and Chinese, at the Crocodile Creek Diggings, reached town about halfpast four o'clock yesterday afternoon. The facts of the affair are we learn as follows: — On Friday or Saturday last some Chinamen, in sinking a shaft close by the Chinamen's garden, struck on some rich washdirt, yielding about a pennyweight to the bucket. Some of their countrymen had marked out an adjoining claim, but the bounderies were not defined by pegs of the height prescribed by the regulations, viz., "to stand at least two feet above the ground, which shall be kept at all times clear of rubbish or soil charing the occupation thereof," on pain of forfeiture. A number of Europeans, described as a class of low new chum diggers, took advantage of the laxity of the Chinese in complying with the terms of the regulations, and jumped the claim. An appeal was made to the commissioner, who was bound to adhere strictly to the provisions of the section, and gave the Europeans possession. Almost immediately following this, Beveral others of the same class rushed the garden, tore up, and wantonly destroyed the produce which the industrious celestials had raised, and beat the Chinanfen off the place. A party of Chinamen then sank a hole in the neighborhood of the garden, and were obtaining gold in payable quantities, when the same fellows, setting regulations and commissioner at defiance, yesterday morning jumped the claim, and beat its proprietors off in a most savage manner. Not content with carrying their rufiianly conduct so far, they set fire to about thirty tents belonging to the Chinese, and destroyed their tools, clothing, provision, bedding, and everything they could lay hold upon, they chased the Chinamen off the field, and several of the poor wretches were obliged to seek shelter at the publichouse on the creek, three miles this side of the Crocodile. When the mounted messenger — a Chinaman — arrived at the police station with information of the fire raising, the gold commissioner, Mr Jardine, was communicated with by the police authorities, and it was arranged that a force of about seventeen police, with the sub-inspector and gold commissioner, prepared 1 for resistance, should proceed to the diggings, and endeavour to effect the capture of some of the leaden and participators in, the diabolical act. They were to leave town at an early hour this morning, so as to arrive at the Crocodile by daylight. "We hear that there has been a "roll up" on a small scale on the Morinish Diggings. A number of Chinese, variously stated at from 40 to 100, who were there reported to be doing well, have been all driven off the field by the European diggers.

The Poet Lattbeate. — It is said that the Laureate is about to leave the Isle of Wight, where he has a pretty little house and grounds at Faringford. If the report be true, he mil actually have been driven away by the curiosity of his neighbors. He has bought up all the land he could get round his grounds, but to no effect. He is watched and dogged wherever he goes. If he opens a window or pulls up a blind, a score of eyes are upon Mm, aided by opera glasses and telescopes. In London he is quiet enough; no one suspects, the great poet of our day to be that tall man with a wide-awake, long beard, .and spectacles.— Court Journal. ; It is stated that a large quantity of the whiting manufactured at the chalk quarrieß on the banks of the Thames is exported to America to be re- • turned mixed with flour.