The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-18 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

ARRIVAL OF THE BEN NEVIS

---
The -Whiter _______
Sar Line of packet-ship Ben Nevis
arrived in the Mersey yesterday, from Melbourne,
after 4 passage of 89 days, having saild on the
19th of October. She arrived off Capee Clear on
dthe Ist of this month, and has, therefore, been
etained over sixteen days in the Channel. She
badbrought home 45,000 ounces of gold, 6) cabin
scond cabin passengers, 600 hales of wool, 309
a of rags, 5000 ox horns, 1600 hides, and a
Miscellaneous cargo.
BY her we have received our files of papers
from Melbourne to the 18th of October inclusive
Trade was rather depressed, chiefly owing
Markets being in some degree overstocked.
arrivals of oats and butter were much in excess
,c
c
the wants of the Colony.
demand, and were selling at
goo Deals were in goong
prices. Coals were rather lower,d in consequence
of the reported discovery of new fields in the
Colony.
The Ben Nevis arrived out at Melbourne from
Liverpool on the 3rd of October, and discharged
her large cargo, and 245 passengers and
having sailed on her return on the 19th, was only
ever xteen days in port, being the greatest despatch
eknown in Australia. The David G. Fleming
arrived at Melbourne, from iol on the 9th
of October. The Shalimar arrived verpoout, on the 25th.
The Champion of the Seas would sail, on her
return to Liverpool, on the 25th of October, with
the mails,
The Melbourne Argus, of the 18th of October,
publishes the entire of the new constitution, and
prefaces it with the following remarks :
It gives us very sincere pli'asure to be enabled to publish
the acia t of parliament embodying the new constitution act of
Will be
Victor, which we received at a late hour last ev
act ca ening. lt,
seen by the 27th clause that the new nnot
take effect until an act is passed by the existing legislature
for regulating the elections. We sincerely trust that no
time will be lost in taking steps for this purpose. The
grievances under which this country has laboured for want
of adequate legislation are so great and so numerous, that
the remedy should be provided at the earliest possible mo-
ment, and the executive will incur a very heavy responsibi-
:tty should it hereafter appear that any unnecessary delay
:aas occurred in the matter from their omission or neglect.
gloryOn the other hand, it will be to them a subject of pride and
, and of gratitude by the colonists, if by their agency
his
the most progressive and important colony of the Australian
gr
giou ,should be the first to achieve the great privilege of
lestive and practical independence.
The offieirl return of the ending the 30th of September, had been published.
Quarter's Revenue
The following is a synopsis :
revenue Although an apparent increase is shown on the general
, the return, even in this branch of it, is not very
flattering to our pro
period gress during the last twelve months, a
, be it retnemb:red. in which our population has in-
creased by some fifty thousand souls, or at the rate of 16
per cent. on the gross population of the colony. Under the
head of the general revenue, the present return shows a
decrease upon the gold revenue of £57,536 for the clear-
ter, and of £196,620 for the year. To counterbalance this,
under the head of custom g, we have an i-crease recorded of
£147,712 for toe quarter, and £159,971 for the year. A
different arrangement the natureis, however, necessary to illustrate
the dutythe on gold included, would amount to £142,218 for
for
qu or £39505 ,0 for the year ; against £105,198
the quarter, and £456,062 for the year, in the cor-
responding periods of 1834. Deducting the gold duty from
the other Custom's revenue, we should then find the
amounts to be £239,822 for the quarter, ad £950,575 for
the year ; against £186,666 for the quarter,n and £926,213
for the year, in September, 1854. This view of the case,
which we apprehend to be the only correct one, exhibits
only the following small balance in our favour, under the
receipt of several new duties imposed since September,
1854:

to the
• The

Qqarfer. Year.
Customs' Revenue, September, 1854, 186,666 926 213
Do. September, 1855, 239,822 950,575
The larger ratio of increase visible on tune quarter, as
compared with the year, is owing to the adoitional duties
above alluded to, finding no place in the September
quarter of 1854. As compared with the June quirter
the Customs' revenue, exclusive of the gold duty, exhib
a trifling Inc'-'"-

against :€.223,36,
in the general revenue are the a,
shows a derrease of £60,802 on the quarte,,
ccencrease 0ft!1,689 on the year ; the receipte for night
lies to publicans and for billiard tables, which show an
increase of £1,450 for the quarter; of the Post.nl
revenue, which shows a decrease on the quarter of
fbut an increase of £29,278 on the year; and ti'
rport and harbour dues, which also show a
goarter of £4,168, and an increase -
£19,198. Pines and forfeitures collected at petty sess,
show a marked deerpase both on the year and quarter, viz.
£10,341 and £4,858 ! an indication, we trust, of diminished
drunkenness, petty breaches
other minor statuteable of the peace, and
offences, The decline
'under the head of territoral revenue is of great magnitude.
In the proceeds of the sale of crown lands, the decrease for
the quarter is £305,185, and for the year £704,229. A
alight increase on the year is visible under the head of
leases and licences to occupy crown lands, viz, £2,238; but
134 tbi% as well as on all other.branches of the territorial
revenue there has been a decrease on the q't trter. The
general results shown are a decrease on the two branches of
re
26. venue
fo
combined, of £302:447 for the quarter, and
erio
46107 r the year as conapared with the curresponding
pds of 1354.
GENERAL REVENUE--

amounts

toe other items regain

£239.8

sent on s

but an in

£7,015,

Gold
Customs ..
Other receipts

June 3D•
• • • £17,839
•.. 264,419

Sept. 30

. 157,877

TER it Ill:1111AL REVENUE-- Sale of Crown lauds ......
Other receipts..._