The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-26 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

We have received Sydney papers of tho 15th o:
September.

\Ve take the following from the Sydney Morning
Herald of that date :

"The Government gold 'escort arived this morning
from the western fields, and delivered at the Colonial
Treasury the following quantities of gold dust :—From
Sofala, 5980 z. 9dwts. 6grs. ; Tambaroora, 188 oz. Gdwts.;
Avisford, 4510 z. 10dwts. The total amount received
was 1,2380 z. sdwts. 6grs. There have been rumours
circulated in town to-day of the discovery of rich dig-
gings at Oakey Creek, on the Turon.
"The amount .of gold dust imported into the Sydney
branch of the Royal Mint during the week ending to-
day has been 2,003 ounces. The issue of sovereigns to-
day was 8,000.
"The acts for granting duties of customs, and to alter
the duty on colonial spirits, assented to by the Legisla-
tive Council yesterday evening, involve so many impor-
tant considerations that we shall trespass beyond our cus-
tomary space, and give the chief of their provisions in
extcnso. The first act—that for granting duties of customs
—repeals, in the first place, the acts of Council, 16th Vic.
No. 7, and 18th Victoria, No. 24, except in so far
such acts, or either of them, may have operated to re-
peal any former enactment. The second section pro-
vides that in lieu and instead of all duties of Customs
heretofore levied upon goods, wares, and merchandise
imported into the colony of New South Wales there
shall be payable the several duties of Customs which
have just been published. The third section enacts that
all goods imported for the supply of her Majesty's ser-
vice shall be exempt from all duties and imposts of every
description whatever ; and that nothing in this act
contained shall be deemed to alter or repeal the provi-
sions of the act passed in the seventh year of her Ma-
jesty's reign, to authorise the issue of wine duty free to
military officers. The fourth section enacts that it shall
be lawful for the importer of any goods subject to any
duty of Customs to warehouse such goods upon the first
entry thereof, under the laws in force for the ware-
housing of goods, without payment of duty upon such
first entry ; and all goods warehoused before the
passing of this act, and which remain so warehoused
before the passing of this act, shall be liable on entry
for home consumption to the duties imposed by this act.
The fifth section provides for the drawbacks upon
the exportation of refined sugar made in this colony.
Upon refined sugar having been duly clarified and
thoroughly dried in the stove, and being of an uniform
Whiteness throughout, the amount of drawback is fixed
at 6s. Bd. Upon refined sugar, known as bastard sugar,
the amount of drawback is fixed at ss. It is provided
that such sugars respectively shall be shipped under the
care of the proper officer of the Customs, in order that
the shipment and exportation thereof may be duly certi-
fied on the debenture. The sixth section declares that
the act shall be deemed to have come into operation on
the 12th day of Sept. inst. The seventh section provides
for the indemnity of the officers of Customs, and all other
persons concerned in closing the offices of the Customs
on the 12th and 13th inst., and refusing to transact the
ordinary business thereof. The eighth section enacts that
every person who shall, on or before the passing of this
act, have made or entered into any contract or agree-
ment for the sale or delivery, free of duty, upon or at
any time after such day, of any article whereupon any
additional duty shall be payable under the provisions of
this act, shall be at liberty to add to the price contracted
for, so much money as will be equivalent to the addi-
tional duty which shall by reason of such provisions
have been paid or made payable on such article, and to
sue for and recover the same against such purchaser.
Provided that it shall be at the option of such purchaser,
by notice in wetting under his hand, to be served on the
other party to such contract, within two months after
the passing of this act, to declare the contract null and
void, and the same shall be null and void accordingly.
" The act to alter the duty on colonial spirits, which
was also assented to last evening, enacts that, in lieu of
the duties now payable upon spirits distilled in the
colony, there shall be paid upon such spirits, when made
or distilled from sugar which shall have paid Customs'
duties, for every gallon 6s. sd. Upon such spirits, when
made or distilled wholly, or in any proportion exceeding
10 per c3nt. of the whole, from materials which are not
subject to any duty of Customs, for every gallon 7s.
The second section provides that nothing iu the act
contained shall render liable to the payment of any
duty as before mentioned any brandy which shall be dis-
tilled by any maker of wine for the purpose of and for
fortifying the wines the produce of his own vineyard to
the degree of strength authorised by the act of Council,
13th Victoria, No. 27. The third section enacts that
the act shall be deemed to have come into operation on
the 12th inst. The last section provides, as in the first
act, that duties on spirits contracted for before the pas-
sing of the act, and delivered after it, shall be paid by
the purchaser, who may, however, within two months
after the passing of the act declare the contract null and
void.
"The following is the return of duties collected for
the Customs for the Port of Sydney on the 10th, 11th,
and 14th inst., the Custom-house being closed on the
12th and 13th :

S.: a. d.
Brand 2
Gin,Bry 84itish 179 15
2 3
Ditto, foreign
Liqueurs and cordials. 3O 4 8
Whisky
Rum, B. P 1,593 16 0
Wines
Beer in wood 5 4 2
Ditto in bottle 1 10 6
Tobacco, manufactured B6 9 0
Cigars . 282 17 0
Tea 2,953 11 11
Sugar, raw 1,153 0 11

£7,987 9 8

" In our wool market we have to note far more brisk-
ness than we have been enabled to report during the last
fortnight. On 'Thursday Messrs. Mort and Co. offered
186 bales, and the prices obtained were satisfactory.
Sooured, le. 6d. to 2s. Icl., the latter high quotation
being for a very fine sample of New Zealand wool
scoured by Mr. Hays, of the Waterloo Mills ; superior
clips are quoted at from ls. 4d. to ls. 61d.; fair to good,
le. 2d. to ls. 41d.; low to middling, Is. to is. 2d.;
handwashed, 11d. to Is. 4j.d.
"In tallow hut few transactions havo occurred during
the week. Mutton is quoted at 381. to 391. ; beef, at
361. to 381. In hides there has been inquiry for heavy
and sound-conditioned samples • a parcel from the
Clarence Riyer Ras bold at 3,0.