New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-10-12

about fifteen square feet to labor in. Shortly
| after. on the banks of the Turon some miles
! further north, the celebrated Ophir diggings
we're discovered-and indeed along nearly the
whole range of the Blue Mountains gold is sup.
posed TO exist II was at the Ophir diggings
that mass of gold, in single piece, weighing
one hundred-weight, and sold for $4,000, was
found accidentally by native black About
this time gold was found in large uuan-
titles III Victoria, at a place called Bal
larat, about 80 miles west of Port Philip Bay,
and shortly after still more productive deposit
at Mount Alexander, which, in its turn, has
been eclipsed by new field at Bendgo Creek;
and no doubt many other gold-beds will be dis
covered. Indeed, an eminent English geolOgist
estimates the gold-feld of Port Philip alone 10
extend over 10000 miles, and likely to give
an unlimited supply. PrOdigOus as has been
the yield of pure metal hitherto no quartz
crushing machinery has yet been introduced,
though several companies are now forming in
London, with view of exporting all the latest
improvements founded on Californian and 9th
er experience, and il ia anticipated that much
larger quantities viii then be produced. Not
witbstanding the great immigration and the
flight of all classes, laboring and otherwise, to
the diqgings, we learn from the last accounts
that now that the first novelty of gold diScoye-
~ is over, and in view OF the excessive labor,
privation and uncertainty attending its acquisi-
ton, and the many new channels now opened
TO make money in the towns, the price of pro-
visions has not much increased, though there
is al augmentation of wages in all branches of
industry.
Though there has already been a consider
able efflux from the American ports, both At
lantic and Pacific, and which will doubtless be
much augmented IN few weeks, we find from
inquiry, that many perhaps the majority, of
the adventures are British subjects, and of
the remainder the greater part, we anticipate
consist of such as go out solely with the view
of amassing their "heaps" and returning to
their native land But as the beauty of the
climate and fertility of the soil of Australia,
together with its commercial capabilities, may
have prompted some to desire permanent
home in that new country, few words of in
formation as to the administration of govern
ment, purchase of land, price of wages, &c,
may not prove uninteresting to such as are In
clned to follow, or TO the general reader who
peruses the tdngs of the new Ophr as part of
the news of the day, without taking any person
al interest in the subject Without entering
into a review of the various changes of policy
that have been adopted as to the alienation of
the crown lands-frOm the free gifts of hun
dreds of thousands of acres to official favorites
to their sale at five shillings sterling acre--it
will be sufficient for the present purpose to
state, that according to the last regulation of
the Imperial Parliament on the subject, the
price Of land was fixed at minimum of FL
per acre, to be sold in lots of not less than GAO
acres, or square mile. The tracts are put
up for sale by public auction which may be
called at any time when a purchase is wished
to be effected, and knocked down to the high
est bidder, though no offers are accepted be-
low the { per acre. These are for country
lots, the suburban lots being put up at CO 10;
but in the older cities, such as Sydney and Mel
bourne, especially the former lot will bring
at least as much as in the most valuable part
of the City of New-YOrk. Though We cannot but
regard this plan of selling in large lots at high
price as inmcal to the true interests OF the
colony. and eyincing far less foresight than the
plan of the United States Government in en-
deavoring to induce settlers to cultivate even
by free grants, if necessary, it does not APP
pear, Judging from the enormously increasing
sales that are yearly effected, to have such
pernicious influence as might be imagined nor
does the large area of land offered prevent the
country being divided ont among small farmers,
as parties wishing TO purchase in less quanti-
ties combine together and afterward divide it,
thus forming little communities within neigh
| bory distance of each other. We are, how
ever, inclined to believe that another will
shortly be added TO the long list of changes as
| to land sales, and that lower price and much
smaller quantities will soon be offered as an In
ducement TO the poorer agricultural emigrants
from the mother country. We have no relia-
bic information as TO the impediments in the
way of foreigners holding land, but as there are
numerous French and German cultivators of
the soil, we presume that aperson may become
naturalized on taking the usual oath of fidelity
10 the existing authorities
Previously to the discovery of gold, the
wages of all persons engaged in mechanical
trades were good, and the price of living excess
sively cheap. There was, however, no opening
for clerks or others ignorant of any business,
] and fhev had oenerallv IL nnahle 10 oet hmm