The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-29 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

In addition to what we published yesterday from
Australia, the following has been received per the
Argo. From Sidney, August 9th, a correspondent
of a morning contemporary writes :
" Those politicians who pay particular attention
to colonial affairs will be somewhat startled at the
intelligence which this mail conveys. Just as the
Chusan fired her farewell gun, Mr. Wentworth laid
upon the table of the Legislative Council the report
of the select committee appointed to prepare a new
constitution for the colony. This report recom-
mends not only that an Upper House be created,
to be nominated by the Crown for life, but that
hereditary titles should be conferred, together with
hereditary rights of legislation. The idea is bor-
rowed from Mr. Pitt's bill for the better govern-
ment of Quebec, passed in the year 1791. After all
that has been said upon the subject of colonial
peerages, after Mr. Gibbon Wakefield's and Dr.
Lang's writings, and the various little pamphlets
and heavy debates which this pet scheme has occa-
sioned of late years, it is, to say the least of it, rather
remarkable that the Legislature of New South
Wales, which Lord Grey seems to consider in the
light of a revolutionary body, should deliberately
propose the creation of a noblesse in Australia.
The scheme is not to establish a house of heredi-
tary legislators like the House of Lords, but to
ennoble a certain number of individuals, who, in
time to come, shall elect an Upper House from
their own order. Of the features of the report, I
may mention that it proposes to maintain the pre-
sent distribution of the electoral distiicts ; but, on
the other hand, it extends the franchoiseto persons
receiving a salary of 1001. a year, or c,.pflying 101. a
year for lodging, or 401. a year acboardand
lodging. It also abolishes property'" qualification
for members of the Representative Assembly, every
voter being qualified to be elected. lam credibly
informed That, on the subject of the electoral dis-
tricts, the report will be modified in the House.
At present the new interests which have arisen out
of the gold discovery are entirely unrepresented,
and the preponderance of the squatters' influence
is so great as virtually to swamp the opinions of
the popular members, and render their efforts at
reform entirely nugatory. A preliminary meeting,
to protest against the new constitution scheme, was
held on Monday last at the Royal Hotel, at which
between 400 and 500 people attended, and speeches
were delivered by several gentlemen of respecta-
bility and influence. Were it not that Mr. Went-
worth is bent upon taking home the new con-
stitution this year, I should almost be inclined
to think that it would be thrown over till next
session ; but I believe the honourable gentle-
man's influence, combined with that of the Go-
vernment, will be sufficient to get a bill passed
embodying the leading features of the report.
An united effort is being made to form a Church of
England college in connection with the University
of Sydney. Many persons have held aloof from
this movement, on account of the want of religious
instruction in the University. It would take more
space than you would be willing to afford to explain
the particulars, and it may be sufficient to say that
the difficulties have been overcome, and the college
will be established. A salary of 5001. a year will
be given to the principal by the Government. It
may not be out of place to say a few words of
warning to the better class of persons desiring to
emigrate to these colonies. Nothing can be more
melancholy than to observe the feelings of disap-
pointment, and almost of despair, with which gen-
tlemen and ladies, accustomed to the comforts, the
delicacies, and the decencies of life in England, con-
template the realities with which they have to deal
on first arriving in the land of gold. I have had
opportunities of conversing with many of these, and
the infatuation which they appear to have been
labouring under before leaving home is almost in-
credible. They literally came out with the notion
that gold was to be picked up in the streets ; and
they find, on the contrary, that in no place under
the sun must they work harder and endure more
to get bread than in a new colony. The first two
years of an educated emigrant's life are full of bit-
terness, full of struggle, and full of disappointment.
I speak from personal and recent experience. In
nine cases out of ten he has to begin life de novo
in a situation relatively far inferior to that which
he may have left in England, whilst his wife must
descend to the duties of the lowest menial if she
would keep things together at all. Soft hands that
erewhile rattled over the brilliant notes of Collard's
grand piano, now exhibit signs suggestive of the
scrubbing-brush and wash-tub. Fair faces, which
at home inspired love and admiration, acquire a
bronzed and freckled aspect, which, though indi-
cative of robust health and hard work, is but little
calculated to charm the beholder. On the other
other hand, however, there is the promise, the
certainty, of future independence ; and after the
first regrets have been smothered, and homesick-
ness supplanted by improving prospects, the mind
becomes accustomed to the change. Insensibly,
an interest in the country grows up. One by one
the recollections of home fade away, and nothing
remains but a mellow memory of happy days gone
by, and, perchance, a restless feeling of impatience
and almost disgust when an English newspaper is
opened, and the thought of what we might have
done at home flashes for a moment across the
brain. Expatriation is no light thing, even to a
golden land ; but he who will become a hero—he
who is capable of crushing the softer emotions of
his being, and of firmly encountering the rough-
. nesses of life in the physical and moral wilderness—
'that man will succeed. It will not be long before he
finds fields of usefulness and opportunities of noble
exertion opening up before him, which, if availed ,
of in a sober and hard-working spirit, will soon
raise him to a place in life which all the advan-
tages of his native land can never procure for him.
1 Far different, however, is the effect of emigration
upon the labourer. To him, the colony is imme-
diately and essentially a great improvement upon
the country he has left. He misses very little
that he has ever held dear ; whilst highly-paid em-
ployment, and constant opportunities of pushing
1 his fortunes, only wait his acceptance. Here he
1 has no anxieties—no struggle. All is smooth, all
i' prosperous, provided he be steady and avoid the
, I public-house. The colony, which, to the refined,
appears at first sight a pandemonium, is to the
Worldng-man a paradise. The moral of this is to

Total Tons..

23,093

15,080

From this table it will be perceived that America has
sent us no less than 9,036 tons during the last 12
months, against only eight tons in the preceding year ;
while the imports from the neighbouring colonies have
actually decreased in this article to the extent of upwards
of 3,000 tons. This is rather a striking commentary
upon the effects of gold as respects the cultivation of the
important article of food ; and the fact will appear still
mere striking when we mention that in 1851 there were
under cultivation in this colony no less than 29,733 acres
of wheat, yielding about 740 tons of flour, which had
decreased last year (1852) to 16,823 acres under culti-
vation, yielding only about 420 tons of flour. Here we
have a decrease in the supply from the neighbouring colo-
nies of 3,000, and a decrease on our own yield of 320
tons ; to compensate for which we have the enormous
imports from America and other ports, to which we have
already alluded. The quantity of these foreign supplies
has certainly been great of late, but they have been
removed by shipments of inferior qualities to England,
and of other and larger quantities to Sydney and other
colonial ports. No less than from 20,000 to 30,000
barrels has found an outlet in this manner during
the last two months, and, in consequence, the market
has been much relieved. At present, though it is
very difficult to form an estimate, it is pretty generally
believed that the quantity of all kinds on hand exceeds
considerably 100,000 barrels ; but great as this supply
is, we see no reason to conclude that it very far exceeds
what we shall be able to take off, within reasonable
limits ; and we do not consider that there is any ground
as yet for fancying, as many do, that stocks have
reached that extent when they begin to be oppressive.
The former opinion seems to gain ground, for stocks are
held firmer within the last week, and large holders are
now very considerably advancing their demands. Colo-
nial is held firm at 301., and tiOs. per barrel we know
has been refused for American, though small lots have
changed hands at lower prices. Other breadstuffs have
also experienced rather an improvement. Oats in Mel-
bourne are quoted at about 14s. per bushel. Maize and
bran are likewise firmer, though oatmeal continues at a
very low rate.
In referring under this Price Current List to the
ordinary articles of the trade, we may remark that
provisions, groceries, bacon and hams still continue
without improvement. The latter particularly are
difficult of sale at any price, and, when forced, as
they must be, sales are effected at ruinous rates.
Oilmen's stores, pickles, preserves, &c., come under
a similar category with the above, being also diffi-
cult of sale even at low rates. Sugar and tea are
quoted the same as last week, though the latter seems
rather to be on the rise, and must go up if disturbances
continue in China. Coffee has rather fallen this week.
Spices and fruits maintain former quotations.
Soft goods, if we may be allowed to use the expres-
sion, are the heaviest stocks in the market, and are
therefore moved off with great difficulty. When forced
which at present is too common, they do not generally
realise cost prices. Boots and shoes, from the large
arrivals, have also fallen and continue to fall, though
their sale is also very much hurt by the great quantity
of useless and worthless stock which has been recently
introduced into the colony.
Building materials are scarcely so high, though still
in great demand. Like everything else, it is quite pos-
sible even to overwhelm this demand ; but though the
quantities arriving are great, and will probably check
the utterly extravagant rates that have lately ruled, we
have no expectation that prices can possibly, at least not
for a long time, fall anything below a handsome remune-
ration to those who ship judiciously.
Hardware goods present little room for observation.
They are difficult of sale, and consequently, as we have
already said, are accumulating largely. There are few
articles so much requiring the opening of the spring
trade. Iron maintains good prices, and so do lead, oil,
and whitening.