"VICTORIA.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 175, 24 June 1859, Page 4

"VICTORIA.

At the usual meeting of the Committe of the Melbourne-Chamber Gf Commerce, held on the 6th June, a letter was read: from W. P. Kirkwood, Esq., of Auckland, directing theattention of the Chamber to the Commercial advantages which might be obtained by the establishment of steam navigation between Melbourne, New Plymouth, and Manakau; also copy of a letter addressed to the'hon. the Chief Secretary, suggesting that a bonus should be granted in aid of the said enterprise, to which the provinces of New Plymouth and Auckland would probably contribute. The letter was ordered to be acknowledged.

The agricultural statistics for the year ending 31st March, 1859, are published in a Gazette issued on the 7th instant. The total number of occupants of land over an acre are 11,554, who hold 297,0*56 acres of cultivated land, which shows an increase of 1295 farmers, and 50,880 acres of land over last year. The quantity of land sown with wheat was 77,705 acres, and the yield 1,551,044 bushels, which shows a decrease of 9525 acres and 257,434 bushels from last year. In hay there is a fallingoffin produce, though an increase in area, the quantities being 85,330 acres and 112,099 tons in 1859, while 75,373 acres produced 137,297 tons-in 1858. Oats and potatoes show a large increase, the former cereal being 76,935 acres and 2,131,155 bushels in 1859, over 40,222 acres and 1,249,800 bushels in 1858; while potatoes are 29,823 acres, 106,461 tons this year, instead of 20,697 acres and 51,115 tons last. The average produce per acre has been, wheat 20 bushels, oats 27f bushels, potatoes 3| tons, hay 1. 4-9 th tons. The workmen at Fulton's foundry have raised a subscription for erecting a monument to their late employer. Simmons and Lindsay, who have undertaken to do the work, have been chosen to make the design. It repsesents a fluted column eighteen feet in height, broken at the top, and is to be constructed of Kangaroo Point stone. The proceedings at the City Council on the 6th June were interrupted by a "scene," in which Councillors Manuell and Keeley

took the prominent parts. . A discussion •ensued on one ofthe orders of the day, respecting the particular qualifications of the Inspectors of the Eastern and Western Markets. The Eastern Market Inspector was supported by Councillor Manuell, and the Western Market official by Councillor Keeley. Councillor Manuell accused Councillor ICeeley of being animated by private spleen in the position he assumed. This was indignantly denied by_ Councillor Keeley, and a violent altercation ensued, which ultimately ended in Councillor Manuell applying the epithets of " coward and liar to Councillor Keeley. A pugilistic rencounter between the two councillors appearing not at all improbable at this crisis, an adjournment was moved, and unanimously carried by the whole ofthe members immediately vacating the room. Thomas M'Elligot, who was so brutally assaulted by the three Chinese, atlronbark Gully, in the Sandhurst district, on the Ist of June, has died of the wounds which he received from the assassins. The Government have offered a reward of £200 for such information as will lead to the apprehension and conviction of the offenders.

The Melbourne Herald of the 25th ult. publishes the particulars of a daring mail robbery. "At an early hour on Tuesday morning, about four miles on the Melbourne side of the Broadford public-house, the coach from Beeehworth to town was stopped by three men, two of whom were mounted and armed with revolvers, and the third man, who was on foot, was armed with a gun.' All had their faces blackened. The bushrangers came at once to the coach and ordered the driver, Frank May, to get down from the box, and to hold the horses' heads. This request he was compelled to comply with, under the threat that if he refused his brains would be blown out. The passengers, five in number, and the guard, Edward Cody, were then ordered to get out ofthe coach. They were separately searched. Seven shillings in silver was taken from one passenger, his purse, which' contained half-a-sovereign, escaping their notice. From another passenger a gold ring and a silver watch were taken; from another a £5 note and two £1 notes, and from the guard two £5 notes. Whilst the passengers were being thus ransacked, the man on foot took the mail bags, ten in number, containing letters from all the surrounding townships, and gave them to a fourth armed man on foot, who was stationed behind a tree, probably as a look out. After the robbery had been finished in the most cool and business-like manner the passengers were ordered into the coach again, and the driver was directed to proceed. The daring outrage is supposed to have been previously concocted, from the knowledge that one of the passengers by the coach, a Mr. Dutton, would have money to the amount of £200 on his person. As soon as the coach was stuck-up this gentleman was asked almost immediately what was his name, and he was closely searched, but luckily contrived to conceal his money, partly under the coach cushions, and partly by the aid of his wife, who accompanied him. As soon as the circumstance of the robbery was reported at the next police station, mounted constables were despatched in search of the ruffians. A telegram was received at the detective office later in the day, stating that the mails had been burned, and their remains discovered, and that the police were in pursuit, with some chance of capturing the robbers. The night was fine, the moon was shining brightly, and at the time of its being ' struck- up' the coach was proceeding at a good pace, and along a good road. It has been since ascertained that the booty that fell into the hands of the bushrangers consists exclusively of drafts and notes, payment of which has, of course, been stopped at the various banks and houses at which they were payable." The Geelong Advertiser ofthe Ist instant gives the particulars of a melancholy catastrophe, by which two children were burnt to death. The fire occurred about 9 o'clock en Tuesday morning, in Mercer-street, Geelong, at the rear of Osborne's old store, on the east side of the street. No sign of any conflagration had appeared until the, whole building at once burst into flames. It appears that Mrs. Scott, the mother of the children, had gone out to buy meat for the family dinner, leaving them locked up in the house. On search being made, the bodies of the children were found lying in the corner by the chimney, in what had been the bedroom. They were charred all over, partially consumed, and had the appearance of two small logs of burnt wood, except where, by the falling in of the roof, the flesh had in some places been knocked off, and the white bones protruded. The only explanation that offers itelf concerning the origin of the conflagration is, that the children must have been playing with the fire in the kitchen, or that some clothes that may have been hanging before it caught fire, and communicated it to the partition separating the two back rooms. The children were a boy and girl, of the respective ages of four and two years. The house was a weatherboard building, and quite detached from any other premises.

A body of Chinese residents in Melbourne, about 150 in number, marched on the Ist instant, en masse, from the purlieus of. Little Bourke-street to the Treasury, for the purpose of paying the residence-tax.. In consequence of the lateness of the hour at which they arrived, the clerks were unable, prior to the usual hour of closing the offices, to receive all the payments tendered; about 70 succeeded in depositing tho amounts due from them, and the remainder were told to come back next morning. The first quarter having already expired, a payment of £2, or a moiety of the yearly tax, was demanded and paid. The "Chinese complain that, although 'the proclamations announcing the imposition of the tax were circulated on the gold-fields in February last, no intimation was given to those who reside in Melbourne that they would be called upon to contribute. Ano-

ther subject of complaint is, that several Chinese, who arrived by the Beatrice ten days ago, and who have paid £10 capita-tion-tax, are now required to pay the same residence tax as those who have been the colony since February last. . In course of the Chinese interview with the Chief Secretary on the 31st ult., concerning the new residental tax, it transpired that the amount collected in the year 1858 was £26,960; in 1857, £21,000; and in the present year, only £6092. It was also stated by Mr. O'Shanassy that, from returns which have been furnished, it appeared that.the quantity of gold shipped by merchants to China was £454,228, and that by Chinese £498,204. A deputation of gentlemen representing the mercantile interests of Ballaarat, Sandhurst, Castlemaine, and Kyneton, waited upon his Excellency the Governor, with memorials from their respective districts, praying for the establishment of local Insolvent Courts, to be presided over by the County Court Judges. His Excellency informed the deputation that the insolvency law generally was at present under the consideration of tho Law Officers of the Crown, and he believed that the Ministry were prepared to introduce a bill in the ensuing session of Parliament which, among other emendations, would provide for the establishment of Insolvent Courts in the larger towns of the interior.

The Irish comedian, M>. John Drew, arrived from California by the Tuisco.

Two1 public meetings have been keld for the purpose of instituting a subscription on behalf of the widow and children of the late Mr. "William Kerr. Resolutions expressive of sympathy in the object of the meetings were unanimously adopted, and subscription lists opened.

The Theatre Royal was re-opened under new management, Mr. Robert Heir replaces Mr. Richard Younge, as stage manager; Mr. John Winterbottom, of Sydney, is to be conductor of the orchestra.

The Age says : —We have been favored with the following extract from a private letter: dated South Australia, 25th May, containing an item of information that.cannot fail to interest those of our readers who have paid attention to the subject of exploration :—" Most likely you are not aware that Mr. Sturt, that daring explorer who indeed discovered all that Babbage and Warburton claim, has again started on a

private spec, as before,'but well equipped and with twelve horses, f His course is secret. I have no doubt he will cross the country, but his object is mainly the discovery, of runs."

North Melbourne has had a narrow escape from disfranchisement, or, at any rate, from being thrown back upon the supplementary rolls.

The new wing of the Public Library was formalty opened by his Excellency the Governor, between twelve and one o'clock on Tuesday, the 24th ult., upon which occasion Mr. Justice Barry, the President ofthe Institution, read an address, containing a lucid statement of what tbe Library is and what it will be when completed.

The New Trades' Hall and Literary Institute was inaugurated by a grand musical soiree, which the Age describes as one of the most successful entertainments of the kind that have ever been offered to the inhabitants of Melbourne, and says we cannot but congratulate the committee of this Association on the manner in which they have carried out their laudable project. About 800 persons sat down to tea, and we have seldom seen such mingled good humour, order, and merriment as was prevalent on the occasion. After tea the President of the Trades' Hall Committee took the chair, and delivered the opening address, in the course of which he alluded to the gratifying success that had attended their efforts to reduce the hours of labor, and pointed out the duties devolving upon the working men of Victoria. He was listened to throughout with great attention, and *at the conclusion greeted with loud applause. Several other addresses were delivered during the course of the evening, relieved by singing and music.