The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-17 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

We have received papers from Melbourne to May
25. The political news is unimportant. The
Ministry was making slow progress both with the
estimates and with general legislation. Respecting
the gold fields we are informed :
The yield of the precious metal continues steady,
though considerably below the average of last year
and of 1859. Up to the present time the quan-
tity of gold received by escort has been 727,281
ounces, to the value of £2,908,124, against 791,963
ounces, valued at £3,167,852 for the corresponding
periods of last year. The shipments for the same
period have amounted to 711,649 ounces, worth
£2,846,596, against 822,942 ounces, valued at
£3,291,768 for the same period of 1860. Large
parcels of gold are being brought forward for ship-
ment in the Great Britain and Suffolk, both of
which vessels are announced to sail in a few days.
Reports from the mining districts continue fa-1
vourable. The reefs at Inglewood are said to be as
satisfactory in their yields as ever. A new reef
has been discovered between Amherst and Black-
smith's Gully, which has been called the Saturday
Reef. From it two tons were crushed, yielding 11
oz. 10 dwt. The Deep Lead, in the Mountain
Creek district, is increasing in favour. The pros-
pect of the district, as a whole, is becoming valu-
able, for quartz mining is becoming daily more
encouraging.
Mining affairs at Indigo have improved. The
miners are now busily engaged in washing up, and
from the more plentiful supply of water the prac-
tice of reworking abandoned claims is resorted to,
and with very successful results. Wahgunyah is
also more prosperous than it has been.
A rush has taken place to a locality three miles
from Redbank. The correspondent of a local jour-
nal gives the following account of it:—" It is with
much pleasure that I am able to state that the pros-
pects of this district as a goldfield are daily im-
proving, and likely to improve for a lengthy period
to come. On Thursday and Friday a considerable
rush took place westward of the town, a distance of
about three miles. The sinking is only twenty feet,
and the yield 21 dwts. to two nailcans full of wash-
dirt. On Friday last there could not be, at the
lowest estimate, less than 1,800 miners on the
ground, including the usual attendance of shepherds,
according to the magnitude of the rush. Every
probability now exists that the whole flat—which
stands between Redbank find the ranges which
divide it from Navarre—will be torn up during the
next twelve months; and no doubt with the 9105 t
satisfactory results, judging from all present indi-
cations. Another discovery has been made on the
Avoca-I'9o, where at the depth of twentrfour feet

stuff was obtained giving from i to 1 oz. to the
load."

Of the state of New Zealand we read :—" Since
our last summary was written New Zealand affairs
have assumed a new aspect. Then there was a
general feeling that the war had been brought to a
close, and that the rebels had been awed into terms
of peace which it was thought would prove lasting.
It would appear, however, that the anticipations of
peace have been somewhat premature. The rebels
have withdrawn their forces from Taranaki, but in
the opinion of some it would seem only for the pur-
pose of renewing hostilities in other parts of the
island. On General Pratt's departure there were
good grounds for supposing that the war had been
brought to a final issue, but it appears probable that
something may be yet left for his successor, General
Cameron, to do. William Kingi and his rebel fol-
lowers have retired from Taranaki, and further hos-
tilities in this quarter are at an end for the present
but there are very threatening accounts from the
north of the island, and it is generally supposed
that the next scene of operations by the insurgent
natives will be Auckland. The natives in the north
have hitherto behaved peaceably, and have obtained
large portions of the spoils without having to bear
the brunt of the war. The troops are now congre-
gated in and about Auckland. The southern natives
represented as anxious to accept the Governor's
terms, but there is an opinion abroad that the
rebels, with the cunning which is so characteristic
of them, have no real peaceful intentions, and
are only waiting to gather strength to resume
hostilities in the northern parts of the island."
We gather the following monetary and commer-
cial intelligence from the Melbourne Berald :
" The money market is becoming easier, and instead
of 8 and 10 per cent., that for some time past has
been demanded by capitalists, a lower rate appears
to be inevitable, in default of first-class securities
presenting themselves. Town and suburban estates
are far from being held in high estimation by per-
sons seeking to invest; although in good business
situations rents have not experienced a reduction
beyond 12 to 16 per cent.