VICTORIA (late Port Phillip.)

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 11, 22 March 1851, Page 3

VICTORIA (late Port Phillip.)

From the N. Z. Spectator. Melting Moments.—Thursday was the most oppressively hot day we have had during the present summer; rump steaks might have been grilled on the flagging in Collins-streeet, and would have required sharp turning to prevent them from being done " brown." In the shade at noon the thermometer was 105, and at two o'clock 108. A public meeting had been held in Melbourne to consider the advisability of starting a company to form a ship canal from Melbourne to the beach. It appears that at present all goods imported into Melbourne are transhipped from the vessels into lighters, which proceed with them up the Yarra to Melbourne: the navigation of the Yarra is circuitous, and obstructed by three bars; the lighter system is therefore tedious and costly, but an additional evil is that the goods not only suffer injury by transhipment, but that a system of speculation is practised, which causes every large importing house considerable loss. The direct distance from Melbourne to the beach is only 2K miles, and the intervening ground is level swamp, the descent from Melbourne being estimated at only two or three feet. Three projects are named to remedy these evils—to improve the navigation of the Yarra; to cut a ship canal through the swamp to Melbourne ; and to erect along pier or jetty at the. beach, running a railway or good macadamised road from thence to Melbourne ; a fourth plan was named at the meeting, to cut a ship canal across a neck of land on the Yarra, thus avoiding two out of the three bars. The meeting decided that the ship canal from the beach was the most advisable plan, and that the best way to effect it was for the Government to introduce a measure .creating a public trust for the purpose. Edwabd's River. —I have already advised you of the scarcity of feed and water for flocks and herds, unwonted, at this season of the year, in this district. On some of the vast plains there is scarcely a blade of grass. A carrier has just come here (at the station where I write) with three loaded drays and teams. In crossing the plain (35 miles) between the Murrumbidgee and the Moulemein,two of his bullocks dropped down from exhaustion, want of water and pasturage. He had to leave them there to perish; he had to leave another bullock on the plain between the Nyang (the Bank Company's Station) and this place. Here (around the Sir Walter Scott Inn) there is abundance of fine' feed, and the carriers, as they come, give their bullocks a " spell " for a few'days, to get them in condition for the remainder of' their journey to the metropolis of Victoria. It is a remarkable fact that there has been since the oldest aborigine can remember, an annual flood of the River Edward at this season of the year: so that the creeks and lagoons, which are tributaries to it, were filled for the summer season. But, this year, there has been no overflowing of the waters ; many of the lagoons are dry, and the creeks are but scantily supplied. The only feed for the sheep, in many instances, is from the young shoots of the small furze bushes, which flourish even in seasons of drought. The largest shark ever seen in the colony (says the Melbourne Daily Neivs) was taken a few days since in the bay by Captain Edwards, of the " Bussorah Merchant." In length it was found to measure, without stretching, 20 feet, when the jaws of the monster were open, three men with case walked inside and stood upright!!!— Captain Edwards took the jaws of the monster home with him, stating' that he would be able readily to obtain a handsome sum for them.

A mob of horses, the property of the Royal Bank of Australia, was (says a corespondent of the Melbourne Daily News) taken to one of the Lower Murray stations. These horses had come from beyond Bathurst, the original number at starting was 370 head, but from want of water and the great distance (upwards of 600 miles) they had dwindled down to 117, when I saw them, the remainder having perished by the way. They were indeed miserable looking objects, and were scarcely able to walk. Had food and water been plentiful, these horses would have arrived in good condition, and realized good prices. In consequence of the drought eight shillings is charged by the innkeepers on the Murray for stabling and feeding a horse for a night.