The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-29 00:00:00

our commercial positions now as compared with cor-
responding periods of last year :
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS AT THE PORT OF MELBOURNE. ; I
Iciports in the year 1855 up to the 22d of
September £7,032,590
Exports in the year 1355 up to the 22d of
September

8,793,300

Be,lance of exports over imports during the
current year
"Notwithstanding the numerous difficulties and im-
-1 pediments in the way, the enclosure and cultivation of
the land of the colony are advancing. The Port Philip
Farmers' Society are devoting themselves with great
earnestness to the promotion of agricultural industry in
all its branches. They have published a list of prises for
the next show, which at once demonstrates their zeal
and their liberality. The members of the society have
lately presented their secretary, Mr. McCracken, with a
silver tea-service, worth 1301.
"If anything were wanting to bring out in strong
colours the evils arising from the ignorance and disre-
gard of colonial wants existing in official quarters, it
would be supplied by the treatment to which we have
recently had to submit on the subject of the resumption
of steam postal communication. The withdrawal of the
steamers in connetiion with the Peninsular and Oriental
Company's overland route was looked upon at the time
as one of the most serious injuries to commerce that had
ever been inflicted. Previous to the arrival of the Cham-
pion of the Seas three mails were overage at one time.
We still have two (the Ben Nevis and the Shalinar), and
one of these, the Ben Nevis, has been over 100 days out.
"The state of doubt as to the supply of our markets
with breadstuff:4, which we have had to notice in our last
two monthly summaries, still exists. We have exhausted
the neighbouring colonies, who are now importers for
their own consumption, and the stocks in the interior,
which were unusually large at the commencement of the
winter, have been nearly all consumed. During the last
four months stocks in the hands of millers and importers
in Melbourne have rarely reached a sufficiency for a
monti's consumption, and nothing appeared to be known
as to the shipments from Chili, our chief source of sup-
ply. Cargoes have, however, dropped in one by one to
orders from this side, and an occasional speculative ship-
ment from Boston, New York, or California has unex-
pectedly arrived. These consignments, and the doubts
as to whether they would be continued or not, have
checked speculation, and by so doing have more than
once prevented a rapid rise to famine prices, which have
also been prevented by the almost entire absence of
transactions. The fact of business having been confined
simply to purchasing for consumption, from band to
mouth, for the town trade has also cheeked the tendency
to rise which has more than once manifested itself. Dur-
ing the week we have had two cargoes of flour and wheat
from Chili, and a very heavy one from San Francisco,
and further supplies are reported to be on the way. It
is believed that no very material reduction in price can
take place until the harvest of the colonial group has
fairly set in, when the great breadth of land under cul-
tivation and the healthy appearance of the crops give
promise of an abundant supply and moderate prices.
" The progress of efforts to provide for the education
of the youth of the colony has been illustrated lately by
the first annual examination of the pupils attending the
Model National Schools, Melbourne. The examination
was continued throughout a whole week, and the result
was highly creditable to both the children and their
teachers, and proves the efficiency of the system adopted
by Mr. Davitt, the superintendent, and the appreciation
of the national scheme by the people of Victoria. On
the 25th inst. 200 prizes were distributed to the more
distinguished pupils in the differeut classes by the hon.
the Speaker of the Legislative Council in presence of
his Excellency Sir Charles Hotham, Lady Hotham, and
a large number of ladies and gentlemen. The Speaker
stated that the average attendance on the classes was
500, and that in a few weeks the buildings would be suffi-
ciently extended to admit of the attendance of twice the
present number of pupils.
" The field of local politics has been unusually barren
during the last few weeks. The Council has been fur-
ther prorogued till the 6th of November, on the plea
that the session should not commence till the represen-
tatives for the gold fields have been returned. Al-
though there may be some force in this argument, it
scarcely comes with a good grace from the Governor,
whose inexplicable procrastination last session in giving
the Royal assent to the measure according to which the
diggers are now partially enfranchised has been, we be-
lieve, the sole reason ally the election, have been post-
-1 poned till the present time. The further prorogation of
i Council will be particularly objectionable, if our hopes
of the speedy arrival of the New Constitution Act are
realised before the 6th of- November. The present
Council will have much to do in 'inaugurating the new
system, and the impatience which has been felt at the
long delay that has already occurred in transmitting the
measure to us will become almost ungovernable should
we actually be put in possession of the new constitution,
but be unable to apply it in consequence of the pro-
tracted legislative recess.
" The gold fields have been free from disturbance,
and, as returns given elsewhere will show, have yielded
their treasures in increased quantities. Some little diffi-
culty has arisen with respect to the administration of
the local courts, in which it appears the calm and judi-
cial spirit that should be displayed has not on all occa-
sions been 'reserved. The members of the courts are ap•
pointed according to the somewhat fallible test of a show
of hands at a public meeting—derive their power, in
fact, from a very lynch-like expression of public opinion.
Here the resemblance to lynch-law might be made to
terminate, and, if terminating here, would be compara-
tively harmless.
" A few days ago Melbourne was startled with a
rumour of fresh disturbances at Ballarat, where it was
said that a large party of diggers had taken possession
of a quartz reef on private property—the Clunes station,
belonging to a Mr. McDonald. A party of police was im-
mediately despatched to the scene of the supposed action,
but before they could have arrived there fuller accounts
reached town, and the first rumour was found to have
been scarcely oven 'founded on fact.' The real circum-
stances were, indeed, creditable rather than otherwise to
the diggers concerned, and evinced a disposition on their
part rather to maintain the law than to break it. The
following is our Ballarat correspoc dent's account of the
transaction :—' Mr. McDonald, the owner of the pre-
emptive right known by the name of Clunes, was in the
first instance appied to by a deputation of diggers to
know if he was prepared to allow them to dig upon his
group I ; and, if so, upon what terms. His reply was,
twat if an immediate answer to the query was wanted he
must decline giving any. The ground was known to be
auriferous, and has been so for a considerable period (I
believe since 1852), but has never until now been deemed
to be worthy of notice by the mining population as a
fixed field. The amount of population who have lately-
flocked to the spce, upon exaggerated statements these-
minated among them, has never exceeded more than from
500 to COO, at the outside estimation. They agreed to
wait until a certain time had elapsed before proceeding
with their mining operations, and that period having ex-
pired on the 24th, Mr. Warden Amos announced the
determination of the Government to protect the rights
of property which had been accorded to Mr. McDonald
in virtue of his purchase. One individual present pro-
posed that, coute qui coute, the digging should be pro-
ceeded with ; but not a single seconder even to the pro-
position came forward, and the general character of the
meeting was orderly and respectable in the extreme—
so much so, indeed, that at the present moment
not more than about 150 out of the original 600 are
remaining on the run. Mr. Amos pointed out, by re-
quest, the boundaries of the property, which the meet-
ing agreed very properly to respect. I may mention that
Mr. .McDonald had previously taken some four men be-
fore the police magistrate at Creswick for trespass, three
of whom, in the absence of any wish to press the charge,
weme dismissed, and the fourth was sentenced (owning
the knowledge of the trespass) to a fine of 10/., or six
weeks' imprisonment. There is, then, no disturbance on
the geld fields, nor do I believe there will be, and for the
best of all reasons—viz., that the miners, as a reasonable
b idy of men, know well that if they do not respect the
interests and property of others they cannot expect their
own to be respected ; and that, should such a state of
things arise, the g 01:: 311 hole of the weaker party would
be speedily jumped into by the stronger.
poverty and
haonudgh there is no legal provision for the relief of
in
claimcolony, n
n their
r inhabitantsaym pa sympathy
haveand
noto h
sufferingneglectful
of the aid which the afflicted of their fellow-colonists address to
them. The foundation-stone of a new institution of kin-
dred character to that of the hospital and benevolent
asylum has been laid. That ceremony was performed by
his Excellency on the 6th inst., in presence of a very
large concourse of spectators. The site of the edifloe is
Emerald-hill, and the chairman and councillors of that
new municipality presented an address to the Governor
on the occasion. In reply, Sir Charles, after referring
to the prime importance of caring for the destitute youth
of the population, said—
" `There are two passages in the address which are
so well written, and embody sentiments of so much im-
portance, that I beseech your attention to them. The
first is, "The occasion of this meeting cannot fail to
afford usjgreat satisfaction. We bear is mind that the
glory of our native land lies not alone in the unsurpassed
deeds of her army and navy, but chiefly in that spirit of
Christian feeling and goodwill which has studdel the
kingdom from north to south with buildings for religious
and secular instruction, with asylums for the protection
of the orphan and for the relief of the destitute and sick."
I am certain that every one who bears me now shares in
the feeling in my breast, which is, that we are absolutely
hound, sooner or later, to contribute to the Patriotic
Fund. The circumstances of the colony, however, have
been such that I did not deem it my duty to take a pro-
minent part in the matter; but, with a little patience, we
shall be able to raise a far larger subscription than is an-
ticipated. We, Victorians, won't be left behind in the
race ; we will bear our part with our brothers and fathers
in Eagland, and do our best, although we do not share
in the battles of our country. There is another point in
the address, upon which I wish to dwell :--'• We see a
bright future opening for this colony, and we desire, by
takini; part in such works as the 'one before us to leave
oururofo otmarks for the generations that will come after."
You :Ire only on a par with other nations in having gone
Our fri Otmarks for the generations that will come after."
YOU Lre only on a par with other nations in having gone
th 1;h a period of distress. It is not my business to-
day to address you politically, but I would observe to
you that this distress cannot last long. It has not been
brought about by mistake or accident. It is merely the
result of circumstances which could not be controlled.
Have patience, and in three or four months you will find
the colony very different.'

1, The reports of the condition of the labour market
preE .ant no material change. In some respects there is an
imp, •ovement in the rates of wages ; generally there is
no fai ling off. There are obviously fewer people in want
of env loyment than there wasa month or two a'o. Of
late a g, 'Nod deal of attention has been directed to the
want of e
znployment for females. In Adelaide the dig-
posal of tb hundreds of young women r(ceatly sent to
that cob) /ay has been found extremely difficult. A similar