The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-06-23 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.

Marks, had a branch establishment in Melbourne, con-
nected with a business in Hobart Town, and it transpired
that they were in the habit of receiving frequent consign-
ra.mts of gold at the latter place, while scarcely any duty
was paid on shipments to that quarter. The clue thus
obtained led to the seizure of two bokes, shipped at Mel-
bourne for Hobart Towns in which were found, concealed
beneath sonic drapery goods, nearly 2,000 ounces of crude
gold, valued at £7,300. Independent of the forfeiture of
the gold, the act rendered the smugglers liable to a penalty
of three times its value; but the city magistrates imposed
the minimum fine of £lOO only, much to the astonishment
of the mercantile community. Another trick has since been
resorted to by certain Israelite dealers—namely, pur-
.

chasing gold of interior fineness in Melbourne, .at,d
transferring it by coach to Ballaarat, where it has been
sold at the banks as the produce of that gold-field, which
bears a value of IS. to 2s. per ounce above other descrip-
tions.

Shortly before the prorogation of the legislative council,
two important measures were introduced in reference to the
gold fields. One of these was to settle the question as to
the right of licensed diggers to dig for .goll en privat„3 pro-
perty, and to set at rest the ownership of gold when found
to exist on purchased lands. Af,er five days' debate,

however, the council left the matter in the saint: do.

they found it, and much disappointment and irritation has
been the consequence at some of the diggings. At Castle-
maine, the diggers have claimed the right of sinking holes

on the government reserve, where the camp is
have boldly brought the matter to issue b

breaking ground
it been checked by

s in penalties ; but the
question is far from settled, and Present:a threatening aspect.
The other measure was to regulate and improve the newly
established local courts on the gold fields, by transferring
their judicial functions to a separate tribunal, appointed by
the crown ; but this measure also was abandoned, after
derable discussion. The council displayed more dispo-
sition to do something in reference to a proposition to
compensate individuals for their losses during the Ballarat
riots, in cases where it was satisfactorily shewn that such
individuals had not taken any Fart in the outbreak, and
where the loss and damage arose from the soldLrs and
oflic,:rs engaged in repressing it. One storekeeper has had
£5OO voted to him for compensation, and a number of minor
sums have been voted to other parties.
It was our pleasing task in February to record the
steady character of trade here, and the increasing excess
of our exports over our imports. That progress is still
visible amongst us, and in the five weeks under review
exhibits a balance in our favour of more than half a
million sterling. From the rapid progress of agriculture
and other local sources of production, we may confidently
expect to see this balance in our favour steadily increas-
ing. The eager desire now manifested for information on
this subject has led to the publication of an official return
of the quantity of agricultural produce and preserved
meats imported (seawards) into the colony during the
year 1855—the perusal of which will show our European
friends how far our wants exceeded our production of
these articles during the past year :

est and arnercen

of the par

THE RAILWAY STRIKE

MEETING IN HOPE HALL ON SATURDAY,

A meeting of the railway clerks and porters on strike,
was held in the Hope-hall, Hope-street, on Saturday.
The advertisement calling the meeting, invited the
attendance of sharLhulders. Eleven o'clock was the
hour fixed tor the commencement of the proceedings,
but that hour had long passed before the bushiess
opene.i. The chair was taken amid loud applause, by
Mr. George Wharrie.
The Chairman stated that no communication had
been received by hiM, as the representative of the men,
from the directors, since their last meeting. As they
had invited the attendance of shareholders, merchants,

and others interested in the prosperous carrying on of
the railway, the Chairman read a statement of the
causes of the strike, and the proceedings which had since
taken place. This document was a resume of the details
with which the public are already

Mr. Solon entered into a statement of the grievances
complained of, for the instruction of any shareholders
who might be present, in compliance with the published
invitation. He complained of Mr. Carter as having
done everything to cause disorganization and dissatisfac-
tion since he came to that station. The speaker
repeated all the details which have been already fully
laid before the public. lie called upon all present to
say, if there was a man present whO was not
prepared to go back to his duty and work
faithfully for the company, if he only got a " fair
day's weges for a fair day's work." (Cries of No, no,
and cheers.) No personal dislike whatever was felt by
any man there to any director of the comypny. (Hear,
hear.) £lO a week would settle the whole difference
between the men and the company. Let the v, hole
affair be managed in a fair manner; let them go back to
their work, and let there be an end of strikes. (Cheers.)
They all disliked having recourse to a sjike, and all
they required was a fair concession to just demands.
(Cheers.) _ _

Mr. Sergeant next addressed the meeting, expressing
his regret thlt they had w assemble again, and that the
directors had not conceded to the reasonable require-
❑ients which they had urged. The speaker emphatically
contradicted a statement published in the Liverpool
Journal, to the effect that the directors had obtained
sufficient hands from the disembodied militia to fill up
all vacancies, and that the strike was, therefore, virtually
at an end. lie expressed great regret that the Liverpool
Journal should have taken the course it did, but on the
other hand, he was gratified to be able to call their
attention to an article in the NORTHERN DAILY TIMES,
which he had been requested to read to the meeting.
The speaker then read an article from the NORTIIERN
TIMES of Saturday. He said that he felt sure all
who had read the aricle would thank the editor
of the NORTHERN TIMES, for like a man, he
had taken up the question in a proper spirit, and
not taken it up in a milk and water manner, as others
had done. (Cries of hear, hear, and cheers.) Mr.
Sergeant stated that to enforce their opposition the com-
pany had actually taken back into their service parties
who had been dismissed for theft. This did not say much
in their favour. (Hear, hear) He concluded by calling
on all present to stand firm to the cause they had taken
up, and added that he felt satisfied the directors could
nut do without them, and that before Monday evening
they would all be back again in their places. (Hear,
hear.)
Mr. Scaife, who next spoke, complained especially of
the refusal to give written characters to the men who
left the employment of the company. This was the more
strange, inasmuch as it app,ared that the company
received 'written characters from the men whom they
took back into their employment.

A voice : Some of tlieni brought written characters
from Kirkdale gaol. (Cheers and laughter.)
Mr. Scaife, in conclusion, called on any shareholders
who might be present to look into the matter, and give
the requirements of the men a fair consideration.
The Chairman urged an amicable arrangement by a
meeting between an equal number of the directors, of
impartial merchants of the town, and delegates of the
men. _ _

MR. ROBERTSON GLADSTONE AND THE
" GLOB E" NEWSPAPER.

The Globe of Saturday evening contains the following
letter addressed to the Editor of that journal by Mr.
Robertson Gladstone, in reply to certain strictures upon
the address of the Liverpool Financial Reform Associa ion
to the people of the United States. The letter rues the
following terms :

TO THE EDITOR OP THE GLOEI

Sir,—ln your paper of Tuesday, the 17th inst., you s,„
of the address of the Liverpool Financial Reform Associa-
tion to the people of the United States, that you do not
find much to object to in it, " except two statements—
first, that the American system of diplomacy is more open
than the English in its objedts and operations ;" and
secondly, a statement equally at variance with truth and
good taste—that " We were told by our Prince Co,„_
during the late war, that war had put representaliv
institutions on their trial, and that it might be found neces-
sary to diminish our present freedom both of speech and pub-
lication." " The portion of the above statement which we
have put in italics," you add, "is simply and stupidly
untrue. By what, extraordinary fatality are Reformers,
Financial ' and Administrative,' ever blundering into
such scrapes of tongue or pen ?"
Now, sir, as to your first exception, knowing as you do,
that the American President and his Ministers can do
nothing decisive without the previous sanction of the
Senate, whilst our government maintains that it is the
prerogative of the Crown to conduct, and to conclude all
proceedings relating either to treaties of peace or declara-
tions of war, without any previous communication either
to Parliament or people,—that is in 'perfect privacy, so
far as they are concerned,—:.yott surely cannot me,-