The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-24 00:00:00

stabliahment of a distirct agency for. Victoria in the United
Kingdom.
MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF 'TEE LEG ISLATTVE

COUNCIL :
MR. SPEaRaR AND GENrLEICIN OF t-11113 LEGISLA.TpIa

ASSEMBLY :

I am happy to be able to congratulate you on our financial
and commercial prosperity. Our credit is firmly established'
both at home and abroad; and the discoveries which aro being
almost daily made for new fields for labour induce the belief
that no diminution in the yield of our mineral treasure need
be apprehended. The improvements which are being effected
in the
.methods of working under the Salutary regulations
which.the experience of the miners has enabled them to frame,
have (ended greatly to increase the proportion which the
yield of gold has borne to the cost of its production.
I trust that avoiding every course likely to foster a
spirit of undue speculation, you will, by wise legislation,
enable Victoria to avail herself of the advantages which Provi-
dencia has bestowed upon her, as to beconao not only the most
realthy but the most hollered of the Colonies of the tnapire.
For myself, as dae of the early colonists who landed with my
late parents in Australia, and as bound to them by a grateful
and filial remembrance, I cannot but express the sense which
I entertain of the honor conferred upon me of representing her
Most Gracious Majesty in the Parliament of that country with
which I have been Bo long connected by the ties of property
and kindred. FDNYAFCD KACAIITHUIt,

Mijar-General and Senior Military Officer aditiniatcring

-251 h November, 1856. the Government. •
Soorar..:—The social condition of Victoria was excellence
compared with that of two years ago—theatres, concerts,
bags, races, &c., tvere in abundance. From a
Melbourne paper we take the following—The English
opera company consisting of 141isa Harland, Mr. Sherwin,
and Mr. Farquharson, with the assistance of Mr. Littlest
Norman as musical director, have prednced at the Theatre
Royal the oneras of Maritana, the. Bohemian Girl,.
Masaniello, and the Mountain Sylph, but the support
afforded by the public has not been adequate to the
excellence of the performance, and the company are about
to. campaign it in the Interior. Mr. G. V. Brooke
and Mrs. Beir (late Miss Cathcart) have beenplaying in
Geelong, and after appearing at the Royal for one night in
Richelieu, betook themselves to the diggings, where they
have been drawing good hurrOes. Altogether the drama is
rather at a discount hi Melbourne) and we are waiting for
the Christmas pantomitties to infuse new life into the
amusement-loving people, and to recruit the manager's
treasury. Madame Anna Bishop has been in Adelaide for
some weeks and met with beTeat success. While there she
gave a concert in aid of the sufferers by a grievous fire
which destroyed property worth £lOO,OOO, There were
about five hundred
.persons present; among whom were his
Excellency the Governor, Sir Richard Mactionnell;
We believe that definite arrangements have been entered
into by theSonth Australian Government for the completion
of the telegraph to the frontiers of Victoria, while in New
South Wales the matter bat already been brought before
Patllam. nt. In Tasmania, the line from the southern to
the northern capital of that island is in active formation.
The sub marine cable across BAss's Straits will soon follow.

In Victoria, steps have been taken towards extending the
lines already existing to the frontier of South Australia,
and communication with the great gold capitals of Bendigo
and Ballarat will be, effected within a fortnight. Tele-
graphic stations are being erected at all the principal points,
the appoietment of officers for their management is taking
place, and for the communication of news to and from, the
interior a reduced tariff has been adopted, vit., one penny
per word. These are all gratifying indications of progress,
and will, in themielves, practically affect the federal union
Of the colonies.

AGRICULTURE.—AIthough we have not sufficient data to
warrant us in giving a decided opinion upon the extent to
which agriculture has been carried on this season,'we never
the!ess, are satisfied that in no one year previous has the
country assumed a more luxuriant ap;:earance. The cool
showery weather or the spring months, was highly congenial
to the wheat crops, of which a large breadth of land has
been sown. The harvest will in all probability be a little
later than usual, but the yield from the present appearance
of the crops will be above the average.
GOLD.—Mining operations are now conducted in a much
more systematic manner and less expense than formerly,
especially on the older gold fields. On Ballarat, more
particularly, is this the case. 'Gold digging at one time
was a haeardous emulation on this gold field, and the
proceeds of the claims were very often swallowed up by the
expenses in working them, unless they turned out particu-
larly good. Now, however, under a new system, and with
largetclaims, the working expenses are considerably reduced,
while the earnings of the miners are not diminished.
Out of twenty-seven claims on the Frenchman's Lead,
held by 324 working shareholders, the time occupied in
working them, as estimated by the mining surveyoe of the
lead, was 332 days, or nearly twelve months each claim.
The total proceeds amounted to £93,819 worth of gold,
which, after allowing £10,764 for expenses (such as tools,
slabs, blasting powder, &c.), will leave a clear balance of
£83,055 as the remuneration for labour during that period,
amounting to 15s 61 per manner day. Not a bad result,
when we consider that these 324 shareholders did not work
more than one half the time, as, while the shafts were
being sunk, only a limited number could of necessity be
employed.
POPULATION : The arrivals and departures at Melbourne
during the month of November had been below the average,
but the arrivals were still greatly in favour of the colony.
The increase in the month had been nearly 2,000. One
remarkable feature in the emigration returns fir the months
of October and November was the almost entire cessation
of arrivals from China, either at Victoria or in the neigh-
bouring colonies. A new census of the colony will soon be
taken.

TRADE AND COM/BRCS : There is but little to notice
under this head. We have to report a continuance of the
activity of trade with the interior, which, thanks to the
uninterrupted fineness of-the-weather, has become fairly
establi-hed. The roads are now hard. Dray hire has
lowered, and the heavy stocks in town are daily lessening,
by the transmission of orders which have been long in
hand. The roads to the interior present an almost
unexampled scene of bustle and activity, and in the
most frequented ron'es there is a continual stream
of heavily laden bullock waggons and drays. The
demand for light wines and ales is steadily increasing, and
indeed prices generally are well maintained, except in
spirits, candles, and a few other articles. Up to within a
few days at least, there has been considerable speculation
in rice and opium, in anticipation of the Government
levying a duty on these articles. The stated amount of
imports and exports for the three weeks ending the 22nd.
November, is as follows : Imports. Exports.
Week ending Bth November ... £333,306 4258,331
Do., do., 15th November.... £408.821 £423,680
Do., do., 22nd November.... £193 660 £48,183

£937,787 £730,194

MISCELLANEOUS.—On the 9th and 10th November
fearful wind storm swept over the whole of the Australian
Continent, causin; immense destruction of land, property,
and shipping. Its effects were severely felt in our own
port, and still more so in that of Newca3tle, where the loss
was very serious. The Lawrence Frost, which some months
ago was sunk in Hotson's Bay, and by great exertions
again raised, has been wholly lost on her way to Sydney
for repairs.
LABOUR.—Labour of all kinds was still in demand. At
Geelong several hundreds of emigreints had 139 en immedis
ately engaged on their arrival there at high rates of wages.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

MELBOURNE, DEC. 1.

Our markets for imported goods have for seine time past
presented no change. To imports which some weeks
since crowded our markets have become more regular,'
and although stocks generally are very large, and in
many eases excessive, the regular demand for con-
sumption has afforded a continuous outtet, and has
imparted stability to many articles of undoebted. brand.
of which the bulk of stocks are of inferior:quality. A
steady trade with the interior is carrying of The rates
of cartage to the diggings are fast approaching summer
prices. It appears to be certain that out. stocks are
fully equal to all our wants, and with every inospect of a
cool summer before us, a less than ordinary supply of
summer necessaries may prove sufficient for our wants.
Liquors : We still hear of large transactions in Marteli's
brandy at 12, 91, but parcels are also sold atd3 a and the
arrivals per Briceis do not appear to havW'affected the
market. Case brandy is firm at our quotations. Low
qualities are vary dull. Rum and whiskey are likewise
very dull, and both have declined. For West India ruin,
25 to 30 0.P., not more than 5s Id; and for the best
Scotch whiskey not more than 4s 6d can be realised. In
our last, it was inadvertently reported that there was no
single diamond port in the market. There are now
stocks, and sales have been made at £5B. Hunt's double
and treble have been sold respectively at and £6B.
The weather hitherto has been very unfavourable for
light wines, but there is now enquiry, and prices of some
kinds are improving. Champagne has been sold at 30s.
Johnston's claret at 2Ss, and ordinary at 245. Burgundy
has been sold at 365, and Haut Sauterne at 255. A sale
of Leoviilo claret at 55s is reported, but this must be
exceptional. Beer.—Bottled beer is in great demand, but
there is little improvement in prices. Sales of the best
brands of ale to arrive have been made at 12s to 12s 6d,
and Byass's porter has realised as high as 12s. There
is no sale for cyder.
Groceries, Oilmen's Stores, &c.—Candles are enquired
for ; sales of pure sperm are reported at 2s Id; of Price's
patent Belmont, No. 1, at Is 2d; Nevas at Is 6d; Star
candles at is to Is id. Sales of new Kent hops at Is 2d
to Is 2id are reported. This article is now in demand.
Pickles and sauces are advancing ; Lea and Perrins'
sauce is worth, b-pints, 103 6d to 14s; pints, 24s to 255.
Liverpool coarse salt is now worth from .e 4 5s to £4 10s.
Soap and starch are still very dull and declining.
Breadstuffs, &c.—The prospects of the flour market are