The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-13 00:00:00

FACTS AND SCRAPS PROM AUSTRALIA.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A MINT AT ADELAIDE, &c.—The
Council has voted addresses to the Queen, praying for
the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint in this
province. R has also addressed the Governor in favour
of a measure making gold tokens, of an uniform value, a
legal tender, and his Excellency has consented to intro-
duce an act to that effect. Tokens of 1/. value have al-
ready been struck off at the Assay-office, and will be
issued so soon as they are constituted a legal tender.
The machinery in the, establishment referred to is calcu-
lated to strike off 10,000 tokens a day.
RELATIVE PRICES IN ADELAIDE OF BANK BILLS ON
LONDON.-1850—In September, October, November,
and December, the premium was 1 per cent. 1851—In
January, February, November, and December, the pre-
mium was 1 per cent. ; in March, April, May, June,
July, August, September, and October, the premium
was 11 per cent. 1852—1 n January the premium was
11 per cent.; in February bills were issued at 3 per cent.
endSextdEseOpErtemLAbxerna.
discount ; in March at 41 to 6 per cent. ; in April at 6
to 41 ; in May and June at 31 ; in July at 5 to 31 ; in
September,
August at 5 to 31 ; and in the present month bills on
London are issued at 31 to 41 per cent. discount.
tu th
be
completed Australian
—The
nSoo
says—the returns of land sales for the quarter
instant, but the amount3o,ooo/.unßegtiliBthtere 7th
The
auction sales on the 23d and 30th Sept.,
averaged 1/. 17s. 3d. per acre, being 17s. 3d. per acre
above the upset price. The
'allotmentsm
of land gold at

Geelong, by Messrs. J. B, Hutton and Co., near St.
Paul's, Little Scotland, brought 81. and 11/. 5. The
whole sale realised nearly 6,0001. There was a Govern-
ment land sale at Belfast on the Ist and 2d IT istant, and
the sum of 10,381/. was realised,
PAY OF THE MILITARY IN AUSTRALIA.-- With respect
to the contemplated increase in the milit: try here, the
British Government is advised to raise he pay of the
soldiers, to mitigate temptation to the gold fields. With
respect to the officers, it is stated thatin In dia an ensign
receives 201. per month; in Ceylon and Hong Kong,
15/. ; but in Australia, only 81.—Geebsg l 'a Per.
PRICES OF WHEAT AND WAGES IN ILi JSTRALIA.—
. . .

Adelaide.-Wheat, 7s. 3d. per bushel, ix np. ; flour,
fine, 221. 10s. per ton of 2,000 lbs. ; bread, best, ls. 2d.
per 4 lb. loaf ; wages, 75., daily labourers. .Ikrelbourne.-
Wheat, Bs. per bushel, imp. ; flour, fine, 2 61. 10s. per
ton of 2,000 lbs. ; bread, best, Is. Id. peg e 4 lb. loaf;
wages, 155., daily labourers. Sydney.- -Wheat, Bs.
per bushel, imp. ; flour, fine, 231. per ton of 2,000 lbs. ;
bread, best, lid. per 4 lb. loaf; wages. , 75.9 daily
labourers. Robert Town.--Wheat 9s. per 1 Bushel, imp.;
flour, fine, 241. per ton of 2,000 lbs. ; bread:, best, 11d.
per 4 lb. loaf ; wages, no recent information..
PRICES OF BEER AND SPIRITS IN A:USTRALIA.-
Adelaide.-Beer, bottled, 11s. to 12s. per doz.; Brandy,
Martell's, 12s. per gallon in bond ; Wine,. Port 481. to
to 551. per pipe, Sherry 251. to 401. per ditto ; Sugar,
Java, 201. 12s. 6d. to 211. 10s. per ton Tea, Congou
61. 17s. 6d.. to 8/. per chest, Hysonskin. 4/. 17."-s. 6d.;
Coffee, Java, sd. to Bd. per lb.; Tobac co, 1-Jarrett's
Negrohead, 2s. 6d. to 3s. per lb. Melbourne..-Beer,
bottled, lls. to 12s. per doz. ; Brandy, 115fartcll's, 17s.
6d.; Wine, Port 201. to 501. fir pipe, Sb .erry 301. to
501.; Sugar, Java, 161. to 20/. per ton ; Tea, Congou
41. 10s. to 51. 10s. per chest, Hysonskin 31 . 10s. to 41.;
Coffee, Java, 6d. to 7d. per lb.; Tobacco, Barrett's Ne-
grohead, ls. 9d. to 2s. per lb. Sydney.-] 3eer, bottled,
10s. to 12s. per doz.; Brandy, Martell*, 135.; Tea,
Congou 41. 10s. to 5/. per chest, Hysonsl m i 41. to 41.
7s. 6d.; Coffee, Java, 6d. to 7d. per lb.; Tobacco,
Barrett's Negrohead, Is. 10d. to 2s. per lb.
THE DOGS OF AUSTRALIA.-A local act, to abate
the nuisance of dogs, has been passed. to streets of
Adelaide are infested by swarms of wretcl xed mongrels,
individually contemptible enough, but son letimes the
cause of serious accidents by yelping at the heels of
spirited horses, and causing them to bolt in affright.
In the country districts (the bush) dogs, that have been
left by their owners when they went to the diggings,
have crossed with the native wild dog, and. produced a
breed of ferocious animals, very destructive to the flocks
of sheep now remaining half tended, and. sometimes
dangerous even to mankind. The bill just passed is in-
tended to meet these evils, by authorising the summary
destruction of every dog that is not registered by his
master, and duly collare and numbered.
DEATH OF THE COLONIAL TREASURER OF VICTORIA.
-The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer of Victoria, Alastair
Mackenzie, Esq., who has been for some time past la-
bouring under severe indisposition, expired yesterday
evening, at nine o'clock, at his residence, Collingwood,
at the age of 48. He was the only son of General
Mackenzie, of Inverness (Scotland).- M dbourne Argus.
THE CROPS.-At no period in the history of the colony
was there ever such a prospect of a large and abundant
harvest. The land under cultivation in 1850 was 64,728
acres, or at the rate of upwards of an acre for every man,
woman, and child in the province. Since then, no re-
turns have been published by the Government, but the
quantity of land under cultivation may be safely assumed
on the two years at 33i per cent. increase. This would
give between 80,000 and 90,000 acres at present under
cultivation, and of this the proportion of wheat, and
barley, and oats, would be fully two-thirds.
THE COINAGE.-The Assay-office is issuing gold tokens,
each containing 5 dwt. 15 grs. of gold, and valued at
20s. The tokens are, in fact, coins ; they are circular in
form, and stamped on both sides. On the obverse they
have a Royal crown and the date of the year ; on the
reverse-the weight, the fineness, and the value of the
piece are specified. The execution is very good ; and it
is creditable to the colony that the dies were engraved,
and the machinery for striking the coins made, in Ade-
laide. Similar coins, of the value of 51. and 55., respec-
tively, are in preparation. The latter will be of great
service here, silver having almost altogether disappeared
from circulation.

MONEY MARKET.—The money market has scarcely
varied since the last accounts. The increase of avail-
able capital, and the scarcity of openings for its invest-
ment, owing to the exorbitant price of labour, have pro-
duced no perceptible effect upon the value of money,
excepting by raising the price of raw gold, which now
brings 71s. per ounce. This is partly owing, however,
to the prevalence of the conviction that a branch of the
Royal Mint will soon be established either here or in
one of the other Australian capitals. The quotations
are :—Burras : last sales at 1231. cash, and continue
buyers. Gold : 31. 1 ls, cash, firm ; buyers. Sovereigns :
Bd. to 9d. each premium, buyers. Melbourne Bank
notes Bd. to 9d. premium, buyers. Money : 10 per
cent. on freeholds. 121 per cent. on other securities.
Rates of freight : Adelaide to London or Liverpool,
wool, ld. to lid. per lb. ; copper, 50s. per ton ; copper
ore, 50s. per On ; bullion, A per cent. ; Swansea, copper
ore, 525. 6d. per ton ; India, copper, 20s. per ton ; Mel-
bourne, landed on wharf, 30s. to 355. ; Sydney, landed
on wharf; 355. to 435. ;.Swan River, nominal, subject
to agreement. Port Wakefield to Swansea, copper ore,
525. 6d. per ton ; London or Liverpool, copper ore, 50s.
per ton, with 5 per cent. primage. The rates for wool
are merely nominal, no quantity of this season's clip
being ready for shipment.
SHIPPING NEWEL—The desertion of seamen still con-
tinues, and is likely to continue. Of all classes in the
community, the sailor is the most easily led away by
excitement, and it is not wonderful to find that on their
arrival here there is an almost immediate desire on their
part to escape from their engagements. When the only
inducement was a difference of 21. a month between Eng-
lish and colonial wages, it was with difficulty English
ships kept their crews ; but now that the ordinary rate
of seamen's wages in Sydney is 101. a month, it would
be impossible, irrespective of the attraction of the gold
fields, to keep sailors at work at 21. 10s., which is the
usual English rate. It appears that at Sydney the
vessels lying in the harbour, quite deserted by their crews,
comurised a tonnage of 31,735. In Hobson's Bay, Port
Philip, there were vessels amounting to 45,305 tons ; at
Adelaide, 8,422 tons ; and at King George's Sound, 800
tons—amounting in all to 86,262 tons, exclusive of
coasting vessels. _

LABO'llli.—The demand for labour is increasing, and
employers are sadly put to their shifts. Shipwrights
are getting 15s. a day, and as a natural consequence do
not do two-thirds of a day's work for their money.
Labourers on wharves are paid lls. a day, and three
glasses of grog. Printers have 12s. a day, and le. 6d.
an hour overtime. All descriptions of building me-
chanics in demand, but the great expense of building at
present is from the price of materials. Quarrymen,
brickmakers, sawyers, and rough hands of that class,
are just the men who do well at the diggings: they can
stand the bush privation, and handling a pick or shovel
is second nature to them.

THE TURF IN AUSTRALIA.—The love of racing seems
to be as great in Australia as it is in the mother country,
and most of the papers contain long sporting programmes
of some sort or other. The entries for the chief stakes,
however, appeared to be restricted to horses bred in the
colony.

TlAATElCALS.—Theatricals of every description ap-
pear to be in a most flourishing condition. Every town
or district has its theatre ; while the capitals of the three
colonies, in addition to the theatres, boast of several
musical societies, besides a troupe of equestrian per-
formers.

DENS OF INFAMY.—Representations have been made
to us that gambling and other dens of the worst charac-
ter have latterly sprung up in neighbourhoods hitherto
free from such nuisances. We have no doubt this inti-
mation will be sufficient to put the police on the alert,
and act up to the instructions of the Mayor, which are
not merely to arrest the proprietors of the establishments,
b
THE AUSTRALIAN S MAIL.--
may find on the premises.
heam Packet Australian,
email from London,
ut
broughtevey r
by personth e Royalwhom they
Mail
l
consisted of nineteen leathern bags of the largest size,
being just as much as Mr. Liardet's horses could pull
up from the beach on the two drags. This was probably
the largest mail that has ever been delivered at the Post-
office ; although mails twice that size have frequently
been dispatched thence for London.—Melbourne Argus.
id
BUILDING SOOIETIEE!.—T
waymaking in
Melbourne Australia. We learn
rap
Argun that at one meeting of the
Melbourne
Society, thereceipts of the evening
amounted to 2151. 19s. 4d. Eleven shares were also
fromieie sth is
eßuilding
sold, at the following premiums, six at 161. ls. 6d., and
five at 151. 10s. 6d.

ABSTRACT OP RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE.
Thursday's Government Gazette contains an abstract of
the public receipts and expenditure of this province for
the cusarter ended 30th June last, front which we present
the following compendium :
The ordinary revenue for the quarter derived from
import duties, rents of Government wharf and bonded
store,
postage, fines, licences,n, depasturingcertificates, assessment on
stock, forfeitures, fees of court, and
fees of office, together with sundry reimbursements, mis-
cellaneous receipts, and interest, &0., amounted to
24,9581. 13s. 10d. ; and the total of ordinary expendi-
ture being 11,9341. 19s. ld., there remains a surplus of
13,0231. 14s. 9d. But upon this is chargeable the cost
of the following establishments :
6d. ; colonial trealurer, 235/. Bs. Id. ; audi-
tor-general, Ls. ;law offices,
Lieutenant-Governor,
1500:30.1; colonial secretary,
4241. is.
. ; Supreme Court,
tor-general, 2501. 4s. ; total, 2,336/. 15s. 7d., leaving
a nett available surplus of 10,6861. 19s. 2d.
The land fund revenue for the quarter amounted to
13,2201. lls. id. ; and the total expenditure being
3,6181. 7s. Bd., there is a, nett surplus of 9,6021. 35. sd.
available for immigration expenditure.
The quarterly abstract of revenue and expenditure of
the Colonial Government of South Australia, arising out
of the discovery of the gold fields of Victoria, is also
satisfactory. The charges at the Gold Assay and
Smelting-office, and the gold escort dues, amounted to
4,305/. 115. ld. ; and the total expenditure for the Assay-
office establishment, escort, and bullion departments,
and that of the Assistant Gold Commissioner, resident
in the colony of Victoria, being 3,2321. 14s. 5d., there
was a surplus of 1,0711. 16s. Bd. available to the subse-
quent extension of this self-supporting branch of the
public service.
We cannot close our notice of this very satisfactory
financial condition without expressing our regret that we
have not the opportunity upon this occasion of review-
ing the accounts of the quarter lately ended, which are
likely to present materials for a still more satisfactory
statement. The customs receipts are known to have
been very large ; and judging from the land sales already
published, and statements as to the private contract sales
of land by
.the Government during the past month, our
impression is that the total amount realised by sales of
public lands during the quarter ended September 30,
will not be short of 301000/.

P 6
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Aberdeen .

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& Eastn. Junc.......
Birmng. Wolverh &
Stour Valley
Birkenhd. Lancsh &
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Do., £2O
Bristol & Exeter
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Dundee Perth &Aber-
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& E. & L. & D.).....
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