The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-17 00:00:00

South Australia.

We take the following from the South Australian
Advertiser of December 27 :

" The English October mail arrived in Adelaide Decem-
ber 10.

" The Christmas holidays are being held, and the
weather, though warm, is very fine.
" The 28th is the anniversary of the foundation of the
colony, and will be kept as a universal holiday.
" The most important news of the month is the unex-
pected arrival of the Beatrice, Commander Hutchinson,
from the Northern Territory, with despatches to the 12th
of October. The intelligence brought was very unsatisfac-
tory, showing that the expedition was thoroughly disor-
ganized, through misunderstanding between the Govern-
ment Resident (Colonel Finniss) andhis officers. Provisions
were also reported to be short.

" The country, however, so far as it has been examined,
is said to be very superior for grazing and other purposes.
The climate also is spoken of as not being less healthy than
the generality of tropical climates.
" Two of the members of the Northern Territory Expe-
dition have died. The party, on the departure of the latest
despatches (October 12), were, however, all well.
" The Government Resident, upon his own responsibility,
has fixed Escape Cliffs as the site of the capital of the
Northern Territory ; and the entrance of the Adelaide
River (called Farrows), for the port. Members of the ex-
pedition offer serious objections against the site of the
capital. _

1‘ Three tons of quartz have beenbrought by Commander
Hutchinson from the Northern Territory for analytical
examination. A number of spears and other weapons
formerly belonging to the natives, as also other curiosities,
have been forwarded by the Beatrice.
" Commander Hutchinson's return with the Beatrice is
on of his ill-health, and it is feared he will have to
return to England for the purpose of reinstating it. He
is, however, now much better.
"The South Australian steamer, which left Adelaide in.
October with a second expedition for the Northern T rh.
tory, is expected back in in the course of next week.
route
ise
went by way of Torres Straits, but her homewards
ssund.
" The Governor has intimated his
by the Western coast, calling at King
the Northern Territory.
" Parliament was prorogued on December 9th to January intention George of visiting
2Jth, with a view to its dissolutian.
for the Queen's assent.
Bill gives four square miles
"The Port Augusta Railway Bill
h mile of railway they
" His Excellency reserves the Convicts Prevention Dill
of country to any company
a prominent point at the
4, The tariff question.
and growing
will construct from jiniffilta to the Far North.
strong tendency
next elections. Customs, and the establishment of
abolition of
toward the abo
a free P"„t* t have declined the Peninsular and
The urovernmen
y's overtures for a fortnightly mail service,
Oriental Company's There Porto
a
" The crops are not nearly so good as last year ; a hot
wind three weeks ago did considerable damage to the
growing grain.
"Large bush fires have occurred upon some of the nor-
thorn runs, including Canowie, Boobeorowie, and others.
"An independent line of telegraph (apart from Victoria)
is in course of construction between Adelaide and Sydney.
The directors of the Moonta mine have declared
another dividend of £lO per share.
4, The number
of immigrants that have arrived at Port
Adelaide up to December 17 is 5,517, and the departures
from the colony 2,471.
" The Kanappa Mining Company propose increasing their
resources by issuing £3,000 worth of new shares.
" Parliament has voted £20,000 for the purchase of
heavy guns for the defence of Port Adelaide.
" The exports of South Australian breadstuffs this year
amount in value to nearly one and a half millions sterling,
and our united import and export trade this year to nearly
four and three-quarter millions sterling. The quantity of
wheat and flour exported this year to December 19 was
74,730 tons.

"Share List.—Burras, £6l; Moontas, .£162 ; National
Bank, £5 7s. 6d. to £5 10s. ; South Australian Insurance,
£2 3s. to £2 4s. ; Adelaide Marine, £1 2s.
"Wheat at Port Adelaide, per bushel of 601b5., fetchog
7s. 6d. to 7s. 9d. An exceptional sale has taken place at 86.
Flour, fine silk dressed, £lBlos. to £2O per ton of 2,0001135.
" Exchange—Draughts on London, per cent• premium.
Baas purchase at 1 per cent. discount."