The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-13 00:00:00

LETTERS FROM EMIGRANTS.

MELBOURNE, SIPT. 20, 1853.

I am still at work for the same mater (a builder).
Our wages have increased lately. Some masters are giving
30s. per day—ours is giving 25.. Our trade is rather un-
settled at the present time, many of the men have struck
for 30e., but I don't think wages will average more then
235.

I have now to inform you of the capture of some of the
escort robbers, who have been taken at last. One who
earned Q ..,en's evidence has committed suicide. His
be ;titer has l'so now turned approver, and yesterday the
trii lof three hers was concluded, and all three sentenced
to dc:h. The tiggings are now wearing a more favour-
able a; i earance, mid what with the few arrivals from
Englauu lately, ant. the large numbers that have lately
left town !zr the diggings, Melbourne is not quite so full
as it has been.

The foundation stone of a terminus for the Melbourne
and Geelong Railsr-iy was laid at Umlaut; to-day, and
it is espected the line will be opened in about a twelve-
month.

I have j ust beard that the Stratford, with the mail of the
4th of June, is arrived to-day. The Suesez, from London,
reachid here on Sunday last.
It is a treat to soli an English paper here. The Shanghai
reached this port on the 11th, being one day overdue.
The Post-office here is greatly Unproved lately, they have
now plenty of room, and we hope that now we shall stand •
chance of getting what our good folks at home are kind
enough to send se. —, who came out with me, is now in
the Pat-office here at • salary of 3001. a•year. I might
have obtained &berth there if I had chose, but I find my
trade—that of a carpenter—better.

The weather is now very fine, we shall soon have the
summer with its hot wig& and clouds of dust again.

GEELONG, VICTORIA, Sort., 1853.
Siaoe I last wrote to you we have gone through a
period of groat musty and apprehension, ascribable, I
believe, to the went of • proper person to govern the
colony with discretion, decision, and prudence. About
two months since a meeting was held on the Bendigo
diggings, to discuss the justice of the license fee of 30s. per
month, which was very numerously attended, and re-
sulted in • deputation being appointed to deliver •
petition to the Lieutenant-Governor, praying that the
fee might be reduced to the sum of 10s. An interview
was granted by Latrobe to the delegates, but, instead of
his throwing oil on the troubled waters, he discussed the
question as one in which only the dishonest and turbulent
diggers were interested, and then proceeded to use remarks
towards the German portion of the diggers, most ill.judged,
Billion], and foreign from the truth, and giving no hope
that any reduction of the license would take place. So
dissatisfied were the persons composing the deputation at
the ofthand manner of the Lieut.• Governor, that they called
a meeting of the people of Melbourne, which was presided
over by the mayor, Mr. Smith, M.L.C., at which they
gave an aegount of their interview and the irrelevant
remarks made by Latrobe, which caused so mach disgust
that not only the towns became interested in the question,
but the other diggings, especially at the " Ovens," and
Giulburn, became scenes of largo meetings, at which trio-
vances were detailed that struck many with surprise, and
one unanimous resolve was come to not to pay more than I
10e. per month for the future. Those who tendered more
were t►reatened with summary expulsion from the gold I
I fields, and red ribbons were to be worn by all to indicate
I the resolve that had been come to. Many were prepared
to go to "durance vile," rather than pay the larger sum.
The posts from the mines were anxiously looked for about
the lit of the month, when, judge of the further surprise
created when the intelligence came from Bendigo,
Mclver, Castleemine, and the Ovens, that no license fee
would be demanded during the month of September, about
the same time a paper was extensively issued by the Lieut.
Governor, half justifying the remarks made to the dele-
gates and half denying the statements put forward by
them, still, however, saying he could oat think of retom•
mending any diminution of the licensed fee, yet on meeting
the Legislative Council WWI weeks after, he, in his speech,
gays, on reconsidering the question of license fee, he in-
clines to the opinion that it ought to be reduced in amount,
' if not entirely abolished, and as • substitute a revision of
the tariff and an export duty ou gold could be levied. Can
I you fancy conduct so opposite taking place in • colony
where the greatest love for monarchy does not exist? Since
I the meeting of council a bill has been introduced by the
Colonial Secretary making the charge for digging for gold
the next three months 401., the government promising to
settle the future amount before the expiration of the
three months. At Ballarat the license fee has been gene-
rally paid, but a deputation has come down, eompoeed of
some of the members of the party I eame out with, they are
sow in Melbourne, end will urge upon the government the
claim of the digger to a share in the representation of the
country, • 10s. license fee, and a generally more extensive
sale of government lends contiguous to the diggings, that
men may have an opportunity of cultivating the soil
as well as digging in the immediate district of the gold
fields. Matters appear quiet, jest now, but I very much
fear that towards the end of the mouth another scene of
disorder will ensue, which most likely will end in a con-
11.et between the miners and the police and troopers ; nod,
should such take place, I cannot fancy the small force at
the command of the government would be able to effect
much. Latrobe is and has been a most unfit men for Vic-
toria, especially with her recent heavy importations of in-
telligence and commonsense. Ballarat has been during ,
the last fortnight a lively place, from the hundreds of new