COLONIAL NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 76, 19 June 1852, Page 3

COLONIAL NEWS.

VICTORIA

We have Melbourne advices to the 20th May. The search for gold was still the object which commanded the greatest attention of the people, and persons of all ages, and of all grades in society, were subjecting themselves to the most severe privations and hardships in their strenuous endeavours to obtain a portion of the glittering metal. The parties who were taken into custody on suspicion of being concerned in the daring gold dust robbery on board the " Nelson," had been tried, and found guilty, but sentence was deferred.

The papers contain very little information about mining operations. The wet season, however, had set in, and water, which had previously been scarce, was now superabundant. Subjoined are a few extracts from our contemporaries.

Mysterious.—A bag containing one hundred and sixty ounces of gold had been deposited by a customer at the Bank of Australasia ; but on looking over the different lots on the same afternoon, it was nowhere to be found. It is supposed that some prowling thief (many of whom are constantly at the different Banks on the look out for a ' chance'), has succeeded in appropriating it to his own use. A Fact !—A few days ago, no less than eighty-eight individuals sat down to breakfast in a certain public house in Elizabeth-street ; such is the influx of population, that accommodation of any kind is occasionally with difficulty procured.

The Diggings.—Parties who have arrived in town from Bendigo report the weather as having been fearful there. The wind and rain actually contended for mastery, blowing a regular hurricane, and raining a regular deluge. Tents were blown away, trees were uprooted, fires were extinguished, and never was witnessed such a scene of cheerlessness. To make matters worse, it was impossible to rekindle fires, as the moment a light was obtained a gust of wind immediately put it out. Our informant states that the day before he left no less than five men were 'killed—three he saw himself drav/n dead out of a hole, the bank of which fell in upon them whilst at work. The other two also met their death in an accidental manner. The roads are getting into a fearful state, and he passed beyond Keil'or about thirty drays all stuck in a huge rut at the bottom of a hill, and in one scene of inextricable confusion.

Foubst Creek.—From the constant stream of carts, mid people arriving, Melbourne must be nearly drained ; thousands have arrived within the last ten days, and there are at least two thovisand now on the road. Preparations are being- made tor winter by many

who have made up their minds to remain stationary on the creek, and not a few are sending down their drays for extra provisions. This is necessary with those who have consumed part, for flour and other articles of consumption are rising in price. I paid, yesterday, ss. 2d. for a quarter of mutton, and Is. 3d. for what they call a two pound loaf. Notices have been posted over the diggings, by orders from head-quarters, that no store, &c, shall be allowed to sell on the sabbath ; none but the sellers can grumble much at this, and it will only interfere with a fewvas the majority shut up on Saturday and decline opening until Monday morning. The. insecurity of travelling along the \>\d line of road here after dark is already apparent.. A gentleman who keeps a store near the Argus Office was precipitated into a hole 17 feet deep, and was very severely wounded on the head, as well as received a severe shaking internally. The weather continues unsettled; and although threatening a deluge we have only a few flying showers. The diggers have already begun to complain of the want of fresh supply of water for washing with. " ' The Wellington Independent publishes the following extract from a letter from a person on whose statements every reliance may be placed, and who went from Wellington to the diggings a few months ago. " I have been here for more than a month digging away, and have just cleared expenses. I came up with a Mr. C, and we joined two others who came out in the same ship with him. We sunk four holes, taking out 2£ lbs. of gold, but this is all gone in necessaries, and we have bought a splendid cradle, washing and mining tools, and household utensils, which runaway with our money. The weather is now broken, rain mostly every day, which is not so agreeable, as we have only a tent, fire outside. C. and I sunk the hole-in which we got the most gold, it was 22 feet deep, and took us four days. ; When the heavy rains come, it will be mostly surface washing, as the holes get filled with , water, except those on the hills . where, the ground is harder, the water not getting through so easily. Provisions are going ; up to famine prices, flour is to be raised to.£lO per 200 lbs. When we got to the bottom of our holes, we undermined ten to twelve feet in, carted the stuff one and a half miles nine fur., and got one and a half to two ozs. per load. The diggers live in dread; robberies are of very frequent occurrence; it is dangerous to go out after dusk ; last night we had to sit up all night, there were some robbers prowling about; at 10 o'clock we heard shouts of murder 100 yards from our tent, we rushed out with our gun and revolver, found a digger had been seized by three men, who took his pistol from him, and having secured, fired it at him, and bolted. We found two hats belonging to them, but so dark we could not see which way the robbers ran. We were startled about one this morning again, further off, by cries of murder, but did not go out, looked out and saw the people running about with lights. We were encamped on Campbell's Creek before this week, (three or four miles from this) and when there about ten days ago, we were awoke by robbers trying to break into a store next us,* the storem'en fired at them, and we heard the villain's run past our tent, they were past, however, before we could give them a volley. We all expect strange doings this winter, there are so many escaped convicts."