Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-31 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

By the Overland Mail we have received Mel-
bourne dates to the 25th of Juno. From the
summary of a Melbourne paper we extract the
following interesting items :
In the Assembly, on the 2nd of June, Mr. Michie, the
Attorney-General, brought forward a series of resolutions,
of which the principal was the following :—" That it is
expedient to abolish state aid to religion after the 31st
day of December, 1859." The resolution was carried
by a majority of thirty-one to twenty-three. Mr.
Michie intends to bring in a bill founded on the
resolution, but this will, in all probability, be
thrown out by the Legislative Council, even
If it should succeed in passing through its several stages
in the Assembly. The public mind is apathetic on the
subject, and we believe the preponderance of feeling that
does exist is in favour of a continuance of the grant for
some years to come. On the 3rd instant, Mr. Ebden, the
new treasurer, made his financial statement. when the
grand totals exhibited were—revenue for the year, in-
cluding balance from last year, proceeds of taxes, and
sums to be reimbursed to the Treasury by sale
of debentures, £4,102,425 Is. 101 ; expenditure,
£4,080,443 is. 7d. ; leaving an estimated balance
available for the service of next year of £15,081 14s. 33.
Collating the whole of the evidence, we can only
wme to the conclusion that there is an aggregate of
employment quite equal to the aggregate of available
labour ; but a more perfect machinery is requisite for
the regulation and dist,ibution of our industrial power, and
a somewhat more reesonablo and practical view necessary
to be entertained by the working classes themselves, of
the value of their labour in the existing circumstances of
the colony. such having proved to be the real state of the
labour market in the colony, it is not desirable that large
additions should be made to it just now, so the arrange-
ments for the forwarding of emigrants from Great
Britain are not to be carried out on such an extensive
scale as was at first intended.

The reports which we are enabled to send by the present
mail are very satisfactory as regards the production of the
great export of the colony—gold. The returns of escorts
and shipments have recently been ab3ve the average of the
year, and have approached more nearly those of 1856
Up to this present 24th June, 1,052,668 ounces have been
received at Melbourne by the escorts from the gold fields,
and 1,230,428 ounces have been shipped. With a week to
spare, the amounts of the years 1851 and 1855 have been
far exceeded, and those of 1856 approached within reason
able limits. We subjoin a statement of those quantities, for
the purpose of admitting of a further comparison.
_

First six months.

Ditto less
one week.

oz. oz. oz oz.
Receipts by 1854. 1855. 1856. 1857.
Escort... 929,637 932,649 1,358,984 1,052,658
Shipments... 1,077,431 1,182,810 1,588,051 1,236,423

From the several fields the returns continue to be well
maintained, notwithstanding the general unfavourableness
of the season for that most necessary process of gold
mining—washing.

COMMERCIAL.

Mzi.BountT2, June 21.

Although the current year does not exhibit that extraor-
dinary plethora of riches which was the great fact of the year
1856, when our exports for the first six months of the year
exceeded our imports in value by one million and three-
quarters sterling, yet we have been enabled to export goods
fully equal to the salue of our imports. Our commercial
position, in fact, is this. We have imported articles of con-
sumption to the value of six and a half millions sterling ; we
have exported goods to the like value, and we hold fully one-
half of the imported goods fur future use. Our warehouses
are crowded with goods which are only awaiting a market.
They aro not forced to realisation, but they are held until
such prices can be obtained as will admit of reasonable account
sale.. The Money Market has been very quiet during the
month that has elapsed since our last summary. There has
been a tendency to speculation in local joint-stock
undertakings, but this has been confined in the main to a
small knot of capitalists, who have not been joined by thp
public. The chief event of the month has been the opening
of the tenders for the new issue of debentures by the Govern-
ment. Exchange on England remains at 2 per cent. premium.
Drafts against gold are purchased at 1 per cent. premium.
Freight against gold by direct steamers and sailing vessels,
:lid. per ounce, deliverable in London. Insurance 11
per cut.

BOYS' CLOTHING MADE WITH GREAT TASTE
At LIGRIB k COMPANY'S. Itasoluck Vie: