Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-09 00:00:00

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

AGRICULTURE IN AUSTRALIA.—SeIdom has such steadi-
ness, continued over so many months, been perceptible in
our grain markets as during the last half year. Specu-
lation appears to have lost its zest, and purchasers have
accordingly been almost exclusively confined to actual
requirements. A short time back, and a very general cry
of failure in the crops led to a temporary rise in the
prices of cereal produce. Writers, both in the metropo-
litan and country newspapers, were loud in their com-
plaints of drought and consequent scarcity, and the cry
was echoed from some of the neighbouring colonies.
Subsequent inquiries have, however, established the fact
that, except in those districts which have been long
cultivated, and are naturally not of a very fertile charac-
ter, the alleged failure of the crops was to a great
extent mythical. It is still true that much of
the earlier ripened grain will not yield nearly so
well as at the beginning of the season was
anticipated ; but at the same time it must
be remembered that the late heavy and continued rains
have done much to improve the appearance of wheat and
barley, and late oats, all of which will be but little deficient-
in quantity or quality. Some new wheat was last week
brought into the Geelong market, and it is reported to
be both heavy and of excellent quality. The accounts
from Tasmania inform us that the crops in the best
agricultural portions of that island are particularly pro-
mising, and the attempt to influence the markets both
here and there, whereby encouragement is- given to the.
excessive importations which have before proved so
mischievous, are greatly deprecated. Upon the whole,
therefore, we are led to the conclusion that the harvest
this year will not be so much inferior after all to that of the
previous season. This view is borne out by the com-
parative want of animation in the markets, and the
small disposition shown to make heavy purchases.
THE INDIGO GOLD FIELDS. —Letters from Melbourne
of the 18th of December, state that the Indigo gold field
is now employing a population of near 10,000 souls. The
Indigo is a district on the Victorian bank of the Murray,
about twenty-five miles from the Ovens. Auriferous
indications had long been known to exist there, but it
was not until two months ago that it was manifest that
an extensive diggings had been discovered. Up to last
week only one lead had been found, but this was very
long and exe,eedingly rich. Within the last few days,
however, a second lead has been come upon, but the yield
has been comparatively insignificant, and doubts are
entertained of its being, a true lead after all. The rush
to Indigo, like every other popular stampede of the kind,
has been in excess of the demand which the working, of
the new gold field justified, and according to the local
journals, there is likely to be a re-action. In the
meantime, however, those diggers who have been so
fortunate as to get on the lead, are making money.
There now seems to be very little doubt that on the.
upper part of the lead, the gound has been nearly wrought
out, but, that upon the lower, a second lead appears to
have been struck. Ido not give this as a positive fact—
on the contrary, I write with my usual cautiousness—but
this I am emboldened to affirm, that the gold found
there is of a far different colour to that discovered on the
upper portion of the lead,—that it is much darker, that
it is a great deal finer, and that it is coated a little with
iron, as if it had been, as most probably it was, touched
by volcanic agency.
THE SUPPLY OF GOLD PROM AUSTRALIA.—The Mel-
bourrr Herald, of Dec. 18, says :—" Although our ship-
ments of gold for the year will show a decline in quantity
as compared with the exports of 1857 and 1856, yet we
shall not after all be far behind our usual annual contri-
bution, namely, to the value of ten millions sterling. Up
to the 11th inst., the quantity shipped during the current
year amounted to 2,311,601 oz., which, at 80s., would
give a value of £9,246,404. The gold exports, and
quantities brought down to Melbourne by escort, both
exhibit a falling off during the month as compared with
the parcels of the corresponding periods of the two
previous years."
RAILWAYS IN AUSTRALIA.—The construction of both
lines of what may be termed the national railways,. is
progressing satisfactorily, although the contractors are
occasionally brought to a temporary stand-still through
the occurrence of strikes. Messrs. Cornish and Bruce,
and Messrs. Evans and Merry, advertise that they are in
want of masons, notwithstanding that the association of
masons declare that there are sufficient hands in the
colony to meet the full demand. However, the works are
progressing with great rapidity, particularly with respect
to the Melbourne and Mount Alexander line. The con-
tractors have nearly completed the first twenty miles of
this line, and have announced that the railroad will be
opened to the Diggers' Rest —a locality about that
distance from the Melbourne terminus—on the 6th of
January. This is quick work, for the operations only
commenced on or about the 6th July. Messrs. Cornish
and Bruce have determined to give a fete champetre at
Sunbury on the day of inauguration, and a ball on an
equally extensive scale the same evening in Melbourne.
Nearly 5,000 arc employed on this line. We have also
good reports of the works on the Geelong and Ballaarat
Railway. The contractors had to start with a severe en-
gineering difficulty, namely, the construction of a viaduct
at the Moorabool. Consequently, in regard to the
distance which they have completed the works,
they arc behind the average accomplished by the con-
tractors for the other line. It is said that the Melbourne
and Willamstown Railway will be open for traffic early
in the year. The bridge across the Saltwater River has
been the prime cause of the delay in completing this line.
The Melbourne and Suburban line is nearly finished to
the Punt-road, Richmond, and the directors contemplate
opening it to the public on New Year's Day. At a general
meeting of the shareholders of the. Geelong
alld Mwel-
bourne Railway
.on the 13th of December, a motion
carried, authorising the directors to enter into
_a bond was
£2,500, to enable the campany toseeure the observance
of the agreement with the Ashby Association. Two new
directors—Messrs. Davies and
A.
_George Wright, were
elected in the room of Messrs.Fyfe and Burrows, who
had resigned. The half-yearly meeting of the Melbourne
and Hobson's Bay Railway Company was held on the 7th
of December. The report disclosed a most satisfactory
state of things. The financial condition of the company
is so prosperous, that the directors were in a position to
declare a dividend of 14 per cent
with a tran,,ferenee of
a stun of .£3,639 lls 4d to the reserve fund. Some
improvements have lately been made in the goods shed
and store accommodation ou this line.