The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-04 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA!

By the Australian mail, a summary of the. Wel-
ligence brought by which, and telegraphed from
Alexandria, appeared in The Sun of July 23, we
have received Melbourne papers to May 29. The
following is from the Melbourne Age of that date :
Tne operations of the European and Australian
Mail Company have, as yet, not been very success-
ful. The accident to the Oneida and the late arrival
of the Simla on her voyage hither has caused no
small dismtisfaction, especially among the mercan-
tile community. At this juncture, an agent from
the West India Mail Company, a Mr. Wetton,
opened a negotiation with the merchants of Sydney
in behalf of the Panama route. The same subject
was taken up by the Chamber of Commerce of this
city, and a special meeting will be held about it on
Monday next, Ist June. The feeling in favour of
this route was general both on the part both of the
public and the press ; but, in advocating it an un-
fair advantage was taken of the mishaps of the E.
and. A. Company. A portion of the press fostered
this unfair and ungenerous spirit, which was carried
so far that a resolution condemnatory of the com-
pany was proposed yesterday in the Legislative
Assembly.

The Argus, speaking of the government which
has succeeded the short-lived oShanassy adminis-
tration, says :
The verdict of the country as given through the
ballot-box has hitherto been remarkably favourable
to the new ministry. Mr. Haines was returned
without opposition • but Mr. Michie, Mr. Moore,
Mr. Fellows, and Mr. Ebden, have each contended
ssith opponents, and have been victorious—in some
cases being returned by majorities perfectly over-
whelming. Only two of the ministry have now to
be elected, and their return is almost certain.
Taking all the signs of the times into account, we
believe that the present condition of our political
atmosphere is healthy, and that the people and the
Parliameut, wearied with change, will cease to over-
work their newly-acquired powers of overturning
administrations, and will now settle down for some
time to the steady and peaceable prosecution of the
real business of the country.
The Victoria Parliament met again after its ad-
journment on the 26th. The only new measure of
importance that has yet been brought before Par-
liament is one for the imposition of a duty of 10s.
por pound on opium, a tax which mty be regarded
us a sort of supplement to the capitation tax on the
Chinese. Mr. Michie (the Attorney-General) bag
given notice of a motion for abolishing state aid to
religion. Mr. Fester was about to bring forward a
motion against the renewal of anything like the
proposal of the late Haines administration, to send
80,0001. to England, in favour of providing suffi-
cient funds for tir3 free passage of 5,000 single
females.

The following comments are made by the Argils
on the state of the labour market :

As wages fall, the demand increases, and the
number of men unemployed is not so great as it
was. The late rains also have enabled many of the
employers of labour on the gold fields to resume
operations, and we now hear little of a want of em-
ployment in the interior. Most of the men seeking
work congregate in town, and their ranks are con-
stantly increased by the nt.w arrivals. Of these
there have been some within the last few days, and
we have seen instances of their being engaged on
the first day of their seeking employment ; but
these must be looked on as exceptional cases.
Many of them have to reek it in vain for many
days. For a short time female servants were more
numerous than usual with us, and their wages fell
about one-sixth—instead of 301. a-year, ordinary
general servants had to accept 251. ; t' at the
number of those unengaged is again decreasing.
The statis'ical returns not being complete, we
do not know how much additional land has been
brought into cultivation during the past season,
but there is little doubt of the quantity being large.
Complete returns have been received from five dis-
tricts and counties, and in all these except one there
bas been a large increase. In the district of Ben-
digo there were 5,052 acres under crop last season,
to 1,439 in the previous year. In the Ovens district,
4,045 acres in 1856 to 2,211 acres in 1855. In the
county of Norman by, 2,730 acres in 1856 to 1,329
acres in 1855. In the county of Dundas, 918 acres
in 1856 to 480 acres in 1855. In the county of
Follet there has been little change, as there is no-
thing grown there except what the squatters raise
for their own use. The numbers are 128 acres in
1856 to 123 acres in 1855. These five districts are
its different parts of the colony, the Ovens being at
the extreme north-zast, and the county of Nor •
manby at the sonth-we:t extremity ,and will afford
a fair idea of the average produce. In 1855 the
average yield of wheat for the whole colony was
28 bushels to the acre ; the average of there five
districts in 1856 is 26 bushels, and we may expect
this to be about the general average for the year.
The best criterion of the prospects of the agricul-
tural interest here is to be found in the constant
demand for more free access to the land. A land
league has been established with the object of ob-
taining greater facilities for settlement on lands fit
fur agriculture, and the farmers are petitioning
Parliament for the opportunity of obtaining the use
of a portion of the grazing lands. A re .ition is
also being extensively signed through the country
districts for the est&Jisbmeat of a board of agricul-
ture.

The railway from Melbourne to St. Kilda was
opened fur public traffic on the 13th of May, and
the rolling stock proved to be scarcely adequate to
convey the immense number of passengers who
poured into the termini on the next Sunday. It is
stated that the railway between Melbourne' and
Geelong would Le opened throughout in about a
fortnight ; and it is understood to be the intention
of the Government to hasten forward the construc-
tion of the trunk lines which are intended to connect
the principal gold fields with the seaboard as soon
as the requisite Parliamentary authorisation shall
have been obtained. _ _

With regard to the state of trade, it is said—
" Notwithstanding so•ne slight and merely super-
ficial appearances the commerce of Victoria is in a
decidedly healthy condition. Several small insol-
vencies have recently occurred, especially among
the storekeepers upon the diggings."

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
MELBOURNE, May 29.
No v that the recent advices by the Sim!a have been
properly digested, operations are proceeded with more
cautiously ; and it is only articles not dependent on
the home market there is any remarkable speculation.
The arrivals of large shipments of ales and porter, and
of spirits, has tended to suspend transactions in these
articles, though c3se brandies are readily saleable.
The most remarkable feature in present transactions
is a run upon opium. occasioned by the proposed duty
of 10s. per lb. This article has not hitherto cut-Tied a
prominent position in our markets, but its value and
importance increase in direct ratio to the na.nthly addi-
tioms to our Chinese population. The effect ofthe pro-
position for an increased duty bas been arise in the price
of from 501. to 801. a chest, and parcels changed hands
at 1451.

THE TILLAGE OF LANr.—Mr. C. Burcham, the pro-
jectnr of Circular T,l eige, writes to the Meekanie3
Magazine as follows : Sumo years since I made an
assertion, in which I have ever since persisted, viz
That I could till land very cheaply by steam power,
certain "conditions" being first complied with by the
farmers ; and that I could hoe or sow an acre of land in
live minutes of time, with or without the aid of stea n, &a.
In consequence of this assertion I have been rejected
and thrown overboard by all our most prominent agri-
cultural improvers, right up to the present time. yet
I can do all I state, for a' that, and am only awaiting the
riend to Rio And the opportunity to be afforded."