The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-29 00:00:00

Ministers in the almost unanimous wishes of the
colonists when they are rightly understood will
remove the unpleasant feelings thus engendered.
Assuredly, no power or policy can keep the gate of
Panama closed upon the Australian cot nies.
The excitement which, during the past month,
inflamed the public mind in consequence of the
reported discovery of a rich paying gold field
at the Fitzroy river is in some measure subsiding ;
but the removal of so large a class of population to
a locality so remote on our northern coast, and into
a district hitherto occupiecionly by a few squatters,
with their stations 50 miles apart, will produce
more important results than are apprehended at the
present moment. The Sydney and Melbourne news-
papers very naturally put prominently forward
among the consequences of this exodus the suffer-
ing and anarchy that will ensue from the precipi-
tation of 5,000 or 6,000 persons on an uninhabited
desert, exposed to the exhausting influence of a tro-
pical sun, and many of them unfitted for the hard
and patiently-sustained toil by which alone they
can hope individually to be successful, and very
little appears to be thought of the new cast that will
inevitably be given to political events in this part of
the world, the variety of the natural products that
will be added to our exportable wealth, or the
extant of the commercial field that will be opened
by the colonising phenomenon now fixing the at-
tention of all the Australian communities.
That portion of the English public who have ob-
served the course of events in the colonies for the
last few years will be aware that formerly an at-
tempt was made by the Imperial authorities to form
a new settlement, partly for penal purposes, at Port
Curtis, a little over 700 miles north of Sydney, and
that the town of Gladstone at that port has since
been our most important northern station. The
Fitzroy river empties itself into Keppel-bay, about
180 miles further north, on the tropic of Capricorn.
It will be noticed that it is nearly as far beyond
Moreton-bay—the intended seat of the new Govern-
ment by those who have been agitating for the sepa-
ration of the northern districts from New South
Wales—as:Moreton-bay is from Sydney, and that the
settlement of a numerous population there is almost
certain to create a powerful influence against the
measure of separation as proposed. The people of Fort
Curtis and the Fitzroy, if they are to depend upon
a distant Government, will much rather preserve
their political connection with Sydney than be pro-
vided for by a Moreton Bay Administration. A
feeling of pride as well as self-interest will urge
them to protest against the separation schemes of
the Moreton Bay squatters, which would make
their fine districts the mere outposts of the petty
town of Brisbane, apiece of 2,000 inhabitants. Ano-
ther great consequence of the Fitz Roy settlement
will be its influence on the progress of civilisation
on the Pacific, from its proximity to the morefertile
and important island groups of Polynesia. But I
am forgetting the topic of the hour in these specu-
lations.
In the early part of Aug. reports reached Sydney
that gold of a rich quality had been found very
plentifully on the surface of the earth at the Fitz-
roy, and in the course of a few days samples of the
precious metal, duly ticketed, found their way into
the shop windows of our bullion dealers and jewel-
lers. The fever which almost instantly spread
through society has been a matter of astonishment
to most persons on the spot, who were here to wit-
ness the effect of the discovery of gold by Mr. Har-
graves in 1851, for the popular excitement even
then was not more general, nor did it • exhibit
symptoms of greater intensity. This is to be ac-
counted for on two or three distinct and obvious
grounds :-1. The new diggings were many hun-
dreds of miles further north than any gold field yet
discovered, and in a region that may be said to be
totally unexplored. The rich "finds" diffused them-
selves at once over an extensive field, and there
were no established facts to damp the ardour of the
.imagination. 2. The journey, all but a few miles
at the other end, was by water, and therefore pre-
sented no immediate hardships, and shipping
accommodation, even by commodious steamers,
readily offered itself. 3. The gold itself and the
peculiarities of its deposit were pronounced by ex-
perienced diggers to indicate a rich and extensive
field. 4. The state of business and general employ-
ment in Sydney for some time past have produced
a feeling of discontent, and many persons in situa-
tions at low salaries, as well as many out of situa-
tions and others unprofitably engaged in trade,
eagerly caught at the chance so suddenly presented
to them of bettering their condition. At all events,
in four or five weeks as many thousand persons were
on their way to the new El Dorado. A Govern-
ment township named Rockhampton has been laid
out on the Fitzroy, about 30 miles from the
sea, and the locality where the gold was first
found is about 40 miles further inland, and bears the
aboriginal name of Canoona. The river is navi-
gable for good-sized vessels as far as Rockhampton,
which consisted at the time of the discovery of
three tenements, a public-house, and two provision
stores. The Fitzroy is now the name on every-
body's tongue, and flaming announcements meet the
eye at every corner of powerful steamers and first-
class ships laid on for Rockingham. According to
a Government return, dated September 30th, as
many as 3,232 persons had then sailed from the
port of Sydney alone, and several large vessels
crowded with passengers have since left, though the
arrival on the 12th instant of the steamer Wonga
Wonga with 238 returned adventurers has very sen-
sibly checked the movement. Yesterday 101 re-
turned in another steamer. When a ship is about
to sail a crowd of 4,000 or 5,000 -men, women, and
children collect on the wharves, and she leaves
amid a loud interchange of huzzas. The return of
disappointed men under such circumstances is not
surprising, and proves nothing more than the folly
of persons who go out so thoughtlessly on such an
errand. By the Wonga Wonga a reporter of the
Sydney Herald returned, and he describes as follows
the state of things at Rockhampton when he reached
that place from Canoona on his way back to
Sydney :
" I did not reach the Rockhampton tilL the after-
noon of Monday, when I found about 3,000 persons
encamped on the banks of the Fitzroy. They were
in a state of great excitement, and were rushing
more vigorously to the vessels that were to take
them to Sydney than they had done to those that
brought them from it. On board some of the vessels
that arrived there was also some commotion, the
passengers refusing to land from the vessels that
had brought them.
"On Tuesday there was a large assemblage of
persons round the tent of the Australian Steam Na-
vigation Company on the arrival of the Sampson
with the first instalment of the Wonga Wonga's
passengers. Some threatening language was used
about rushing' the company's tent, and maledic-
tions were cast upon the company's directors, who
were believed to be in some way, though how was
not explained, implicated in the delusion under
which the men had suffered. One person made
himself very conspicuous in this difficulty, and
harangued the people for some time. Ultimately
the crowd broke up into small knots, and, amid
much grumbling, gradually dispersed.
" Wednesday morning was ushered in with a
report that it had been determined by certain par-
ties to rush' the stores ; and with the intelligence
that a meeting of diggers was to be held that after-
noon to take the whole matter into consideration.
The rushing did not come off, though the meeting
did. It was not numerously, and certainly not
respectably attended. Its gist may be gathered from,
the speech of one of the gentlemen, evidently one of
nature's orators in the rough, or rather in the very
rough. He said, ' Look here, mates, we're not going
to starve in this here hole. I'm for rushing
the stores ; and if any of you will stand by me, here's
the man as will lead you on.' The sentiment was
cheered,. butit _did not meet with further support;
and, luckily, a diversion in favour of order was
created by the arrival of the Eagle. Here ensued
another scene of confusion, some 300 or 400 persons
assembled on the shore and shouted to those on
board the Eagle not to land, but to seize the ship.
After some questioning and answering, those on
board made up their minds, and declared by their
spokesman, We'll stick where we are.' Capt. Moodie
now came ashore from the Eagle, and yells and
hootings resounded from the bank, all aimed at the
unfortunate little steamer. As soon as Capt. Moodie
had landed he was surrounded by about 150 per-
sons, evidently with no friendly intent, for nume-
rous criss were heard of Pitch him overboard ;
he's as bad as the rest.' By the employment of
considerable taet and by the manifestation of much
coolness of temper the jolly old captain managed to
drag through the difficulty, and at last soothed
down the disturbance by announcing that those
anxious to go back should be taken at half price.
This at once allayed all the excitement, and on the
following day the tickets were taken up as fast as
they could be issued; and the Wonga sailed on
the following Friday for Sydney."
It is evident that many of the gold-seekers of
this class turned back before the search commenced,
as will ever be the case where people suffer their
desires to outstrip their reason. The practised dig-
gers are, however, still confident that a vast gold
field exists in thefar north, and the work of re-
moval is steadily going on among them both in this
colony and in Victoria. The latest letters from
this description of adventurers are not calculated
to discourage their own order from, following them..
The Fitzroy gold is in
coarse , nugget ty" grams,
and is of a redder colour than the produce of other
diggings It has been found at a depth of from two
to 12 inches. A parcel assayed at the Sydney mint
gave a value of 1;3 11s. Bd, per oz. of gross pro-
duce.

The Government
have acted with much fore-
thought and promptitude in sending to the new

settlement police protection and the requisite means
for preventing starvation and. suppressing tumult.
ThreG of the Sydney banks—the Union,. the Joint-
Stock, and the New South Wales—have sent offi-
cers to establish bullion branches at Canoona.

It has long been thought by many persons who
take an interest in Australian colonisation that
sugar, coffee, and spices, as well as cotton, will yet
be successfully cultivated in the northern parts of
this extensive and varied territory. It has been
urged, too, by East Indians that the soil and cli-
mate are well suited for opium. The great obstacle,
no doubt, to these pursuits is the present cost of la-
bour, which, however, does not appear to be an in-
surmountable one in the arrangements of the future.
The interesting country which has been suddenly
unlocked by this northern gold discovery, it may
be reasonably inferred, will be admirably adapted
for tropical cultivation. One of the Fitzroy diggers
in a letter just received, says :—" I consider this
the finest climate I ever rambled in, and I have seen
a great part of the world."
Little has been done in the Legislature during
the past month. The Electoral Bill is still in com-
mittee of the Upper House. As it was sent up
from the Assembly, this bill conferred the suffrage
on every British-born or naturalised subject of the
Crown of full age, and not under any legal dis-
ability, who at thetime of making out the electoral
roll of any district should have resided there con-
tinuously for six months. This clause has been
altered in the Council on Mr. Deas Thomson's
motion, so as to establish a complicated system of
franchise similar to the present. By the amend-
ment every freeholder, every 110 leaseholder, every
£5 householder, every recipient of a yearly salary
of £lOO, and every depositor of £5O in the savings
bank, will have a vote. The object aimed at, no
doubt, is to preserve a property foundation for the
right of suffrage ; but it is difficult to see the sub-
stantial superiority of this scheme over the simple
plan proposed by the Government, while it will
give rise to endless complaints and agitation. It is
not likely that the Assembly, consisting of the
" representatives of the people," will submit to this
wholesale alteration of the franchise clause by the
Council, which is composed exclusively of the Go-
vernor's nominees. The unsatisfactory result will
probably be several months' delay in the passing of
any bill on the subject.
As yet nothing final has been done for the restric-
tion or regulation of Chinese immigration. From
one cause or other, chiefly owing to the large hold
of the Fitzroy goldfields on the public mind, politi-
cal feeling just now is at a low ebb ; but, whenever
a general election comes round, the question of
Chinese immigration will assume a sudden import-
ance little dreamt of by some of our legislators.
Among the small settlers and the working popu-
lation it is felt as an intolerable grievance that
these people should be prowling about the colony
in thousands, all of one sex, engaging in none of
the permanent industrial pursuits, and apparently
bent exclusively on carrying off our gold to their
own country. In many instances, on the gold-
fields where they have had a numerical preponder-
ance, they have assumed a menacing attitude, and
numbers of them carry arms. The feeling very
general is that the convicts of Great Britain would
have been a preferable class to these Chinese pagans.
The revenue of the colony for the quarter ended
Sept. 30 was £352,230 against £337,916 for the
corresponding quarter of 1857, showing an increase
of £14,314. The revenue for the year ended same
date has amounted to £1,248,011 against £1,182,361
for the year terminated Sept. 30, 1857, showing an
increase on the 12 months of £65,650. _

Among the occurrences of the month a public
testimonial, consisting of £1,068, has been pre-
sented to an old colonist, Mr. Wm. Bland, who was
among the earliest and the most faithful advocates
for the introduction of free institutions. The name
of Wm. Bland will be honourably known to all
Australians resident in England.
The total quantity of gold received in Sydney by
escorts from the different diggings, from Jan. 1 to
Sept. 30, is 182,092 oz. 8 dwts.

The gold received at the Mint in Sydney during
the same period has amounted to 261,276 oz., and
the coinage of the same establishment has amounted
to 791,500 sovereigns, and 486,000 half-sovereigns.
The total shipments of gold and coin have reached
the following totals :--41,021 oz. 16 dwt. golddust,
and £170,103 bullion.

THE CHAPLAIN OF ST. PANCRAS

WORKHOUSE.

Yesterday a meeting of the directors and guar-
dians of the poor of St. Pancras was held at the
Court-house, Camden-town, for the purpose of re-
ceiving the report of a committee appointed to draw
up a statement of the facts which led to the dis-
missal of the Rev. Thomas Pugh from his office of
chaplain to the workhouse.
Mr. Churchwarden Cameron having been called
to the chair,
Mr. Plaw, the clerk to the board, read the report.
It stated that the true statement of the recent
painful events which led to the dismissal of the
chaplain were the following :—" On Tuesday, the
7th•of December, Mr. Wyatt, as chairman of the
Officers' Duties Committee specially summoned it
together to report that on the preceding day it had
come to his knowledge that the chaplain had, on
the previous Saturday, visited Mr. Muskett, a fugi-
tive from justice, and that after consulting Mr.
Humphreys, jun., solicitor, he sent for the rev.
gentleman, in the presence of Mr. Humphreys
requested to be furnished with Muskett's address;
to which Mr. Pugh replied, Ido not know it.' On
being told that the answer was not satisfactory, as
it was well understood that he did know it, he said,
You cannot know that ; you are only guessing it.'
On being further pressed he admitted that he did
know it, but declined to give the information. He
was cautioned of the impropriety of aiding a criminal
to escape from justice; that such conduct might
possibly lead to his own dismissal. Mr. Wyatt
begged the chaplain to reconsider the matter. About
two hours later Mr. Pugh called on Mr. Wyatt, and
stated he had seen Mr. Dale, the vicar, who quite
approved of his determination to withhold the
required information, it being a privileged commu-
nication, received as a 'confession' betwecnminister
and layman, and Mr. Pugh further suggested a
reference to the bishop. On this latter point Mr.
Wyatt reported that he very carefully pointed out to
Mr. Pugh that he did not ask him to reveal one
word of what had passed, but simply that he should
name the place where he himself had been to as
this fact could not be deemed any part of the com-
munication made in confession. On being sent for
by the Officers' Duties Committee, Mr. Pugh
declined to fufnish them with Muskett's address,
on the ground of its being a privileged communi-
cation. He was duly cautioned as to the conse-
quences to him, and it is distinctly affirmed by
the Officers' Duties Committee that, while before
them, Mr. Pugh never gave the slightest intima-
tion hat he had pledged his word to a third party
not to reveal the address, but founded his refusal
simply on the privileged character of the commu-
nication between and himself. The committee
reported the same day to the Board of
Directors, before which Mr. Pugh was called and
interrogated. He was asked what he meant by
saying he did not know Muskett's address. He
denied at first ever having done so ; but, on Mr.
Humphreys fully corroborating Mr. Wyatt's state-
ment, Mr. Pugh admitted it, and replied, that it
was a long address, and he could not remember it
without referring, and, further, that he wished to
evade the question. He still refused to give up the
address, on the grounds already stated; but, just
before leaving the room, in reply to a question put
by a director, he stated that, before receiving the
address, he had given Mr. Muskett's solicitor a
solemn promise not to divulge it, thereby putting
the matter in an entirely 'different light." After
referring to the resolution sent up to the vestry,
recommending his removal from the office, the com-
mittee stated " that they were satisfied that the
chaplain's evasive and unsatisfactory conduct before
the board mainly produced this result, and not his
refusal to reveal the address. Even had he stated
the entire truth in the first instance the committee
had no doubt but the board would have considered
him very blameable, in consenting to receive the
address of an officer suspected to be guilty of a
serious crime, under the promise to maintain the
same inviolate." The report next gives the resolu-
tions of the vestry for the dismissal of the chaplain
and those adopted last week, and remarks that
" the subject had been much discussed in the public
press ; and in some cases, from a want of knowledge
of the real facts, the conduct of the directors had

, _ -- ----
been severely animadverted upon.— It also appeared
difficult to credit that the bishop, the archdeacon,
and the vicar could have had the whole truth before

them when they gave the unqualified approval of
the conduct of the chaplain, as stated in the motion
of Mr. Young. The committee recommended that

a copy of this report should be forwarded to the
vicar with a positive assurance from the board
that they never pressed Mr. Pugh to reveal
the address after he had informed them
that he had pledged his word to a third
party to keep it secret, and that his dismissal

was mainly caused by his own evasive and
unsatisfactory conduct before the board, which
rendered it impossible for them to recommend
his restoration to the office of chaplain to the work-
house, and that the vicar be requested to communi-
cate these facts to the vicar and archdeacon."
Mr. WYATT moved the 'Adoption of the report,
and that a copy be sent to the vicar, with a request
that he would lay the same before the Archdeacon.
of Middlesex and the Bishop of London. He con-
tended that this statement was a faithful exposition
of the whole of the painful affair. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. STOCKTON seconded the motion, bearing his