The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-04 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

The Melbourne Argus, which has arrived with
files of the other Australian papers, in anticipation
of the mail, has news 'down to the 17th December.
The Reform Bill, the passage of which through the
House of 'Assembly, with some important amend-
ments, was announced last mail had not yet become
the. law of the land, though it awaited Only-the
royal assent. The reduction in the proposed number
of members, and.the consequent alteration in 'the
proportion f representatives allotted to the
,digging
and urban constituencies, had the effect of neu-
tralising much of the opposition felt to the measure
in the Legislative Council. - By this act the colony
will be divided into 49 electoral districts, and the
number of members constituting the Legislative
Assembly will consist of 78. The maximum number
of representatives allotted to any single district will
be three, and the average proportion of representa-
tion to population will be one member- to about
every 5,700 persons. The object effected by this
reform bill is simply an increase in the number of
members and a re-distribution of the representatiOn.
Another measure has just passed the Council, and
also awaits the royal assent-, which limits the dura-
tion of Parliament to three years instead of five,
according to the present law. There is also a third,
disqualifying all persons receiving salaries or fees
for services from the Crown from holding seats in
Parliament except the responsible ministers.
The mining intelligence by this arrival has few
if any features of special interest. The Arias
says :

No discovery of importance in alluvial ground has been
made since the finding of the deep lead at Indigo, but from
all parts of the country we have accounts of the discovery
of new quartz vein's, some of them giving promise of great
richness. In the Ovens district, where, in consequence of
the diStance from town, but little crushing machinery has
been vet erected, several reefs with most promising indica-
, tions have been lately, found, and are now being worked in
anticipation of machinery being soon on the ground. On
all the gold fields there is n growing tendency towards more
settled habits, and an increasing disposition on the part of
the miners to render this a snore steady and regular pursuit,
so that when leases can be obtained we may expect to see
this class avail themselves largely of the advantages to be
derived from a fixity of tenure, and the right to tae up an
extent of ground that will afro rd occupation for years to
each company or co-operative association.
With regard to the labour market, the same
journal says :
During the last week or two the general labour market
has been in a better condition. The demand for men
suitable for most kinds of -country work has much in-
creased ; still there are more men unemployed than should
be idle at harvest time. Many cannot obtain work,
`nor is there a probability of any sudden demand
for skilled workmen arising. The construction of
the national lines of railway is being proceeded • with,
but not with that celerity which the present com-
paratively low rate of wages would admit of under more
spirited management. However, the government is satis-
fied that the number of men employed is sufficient to com-
plete the formation of the lines within the given time, so
the public has no right to complain.
Melbourne commercial intelligence comprises
the following summary of transactions in the gold
market throughout the month :
There has been an active demand, and a leas than average
supply, but no change has taken place in rates. These are
now quoted by the Melbourne bullion brokers at :—For
Omeo, 675. 9d. to 71s. 6d. ; Pleasant Creek and Goalburn,
745. 6d. to ; Castlemain, Sandhurst, and Jim Crow,
755. to 765. ; Ararat, Maryborough, Dodolly, Fiery Creek,
Avoca, and Amherst, 765. to 778. ; Ovens and Yackandan-
dah, 775. to 78s. 6d. ; Ballaratt, 775. 6d. to 78s. 6d. per
ounce.

The shipments have not been heavy lately, but entries
have been passed for lary parcels for England by the ves-
sels on the berth. The 'clearances of last week amounted to
98 tons 6 cwt. 2qr. 231 b. 190 z., the value of which, at £4
per ounce, amounts to £9,248,380. The quantity shipped
nn to the same period of last year was 2,582,793 ounces, or
107 tons 12 cwt. 1 ir. 71b. 90z., of the value of £10,301,172.
From New South Wales we are furnished with
accounts to the 10th Dec., by the Sydney Morning
Herald, which says-:
The Electoral lial sent down from the council to the
assembly, with amendments, was returned to that body, the
only amendment on principle which was retained being the
addition of a member to the assembly to represent the uni-
versity. The principles, therefore, of manhood suffrage, the
ballot, and of residence without regard to property, have
been assented to. The Assessment Bill has also received
the royal assent. It is thought by most professional men
to be illegal and unconstitutional, on the grounds that it
interferes with regulations contained in leases granted
under imperial enactment.
On the 11th Nov., Mr. A. J. P. Lutwyche announced in
the Legislative Council that he
.had been appointed attor-
ney-generalof the colony, Mr. James Martin havinr, retired.
A similar announcement was made in the Assembly by Mr.
Cowper, and the explanation given was that the resignation
arose out of no legal or political differences with his col-
leagues. Eventually, however, an explanation from Mr.
Martin and Mr. Cowper, it appeared that the resignation
was to a certain extent compulsory on Mr. Martin, on the
ground that he had not in his capacity of Minister efficiently
or zealously supported the measures brought forward by
his colleagues in Parliament.

Syney commercial intelligence is as follows :
The wool market is much firmer than it was at the com-
mencement of last month, and the disposition to purchase
has caused an improvement of fully Id. to 2d. per lb. Tho
following wore the rates obtained at the weekly produce sale
of Messrs. Mort and Co.:—fleece, 171 d. to 231 d.; scoured,
2s. 3d. • handwashed, 151 to 244. •, grease, 10/d. to 13d. ;
locks, 101 to 13d. ; New Zealand, 12d. to 171 d.
The quantity of gold-dust received by the escorts front
the several gold-fields during the month of November was
26,577 oz. plain.. the corresponding month of last year
the amount received was 14,4.54 oz. The increase on the
receipts of the monthis, therefore, 12,123 oz., or about 84
per cent. For the eleven months of the year 1857 the
amount of gold-dust received was 131,947 oz. During tho
same period of 1858 the quantity received has been 230,690
oz., which is an increase of 98,743 oz., or nearly 75 per cent.
in favour of the present year. The increase on the receipts
from the Western gold-fields is 55,560 oz., or 70 per cent. ;
Southern, 33,414 oz., or about 155 per cent. ; Northern,
4,770 oz., or 18 per cent.