COLONIAL NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 90, 25 September 1852, Page 5

COLONIAL NEWS.

VICTORIA. We have Melbourne advices to the 10th of August. A bill styled the " Convicts Prevention Bill" was passing through the Council, the second reading having1 been carried by 13 to 7, the Attorney General leading- the opposition. Its clauses were stringently framed to meet the overpowering influx of British criminals vi& Van Dienjen/s Lund, requiring all arrivals therefrom to produce satisfactory proof to an Inspector before landing, that they were entitled or free to come. Gold still continued to be sent down to Melbourne from the various diggings at Mount Alexander in immense quantities. On the 2nd August, a private escort brought 34,676 ounces, in drays ; on the 6th a government escort brought 18,174 ounces on pack-horses; and on the Bth a private escort brought 32,689 ounces, in drays. On the 9th the escort from Ballarat brought down 2,533 ounces to Geelong and : Melbourne, the largest quantity we have noticed for some months. The price of gold on the 9th was £3 4s. to £3 4s. 3d. per ounce. Organised gangs of bushrangers haunted the Mount Alexander road, and very many robberies and outrages, including one murder, are reported in the papers. On the 31st July, the ship " Garland" arrived, from Liverpool, with 364 immigrants ; on the 2nd August the " Castle Eden" and the " Falcon" arrived, one with 173 intermediate passengers, and the other with 317 passengers' in the cabin, intermediate, and steerage. .;•" .

Gold Circular, August 7.—Gold has'continued throughout the week firm at 645. The news brought from Sydney by the " Ya'rra Yarra," of the decline in price, had no depressing effect here. This may be accounted for from the amount of specie arriving from home and the neighbouring colonies —£90,000 of which'has been received this week. Number of persons who have arrived in the colony this week 2,344 Number of persons who have left. . . 299 Addition to our population this week . 2,045 Gold previously shipped from Vie- oz. toria 1,265,640 Per iC Amelia," to Sydney .... 300 " " Selma," to Adelaide . . ." . 100 . " " Lady Flora," London, addition to last week but not entered at the custom house 3,000 To Adelaide Assay Office up to 23rd July 29,555 1,295,595 Or 54 tons 2 cwts. 16 lbs. 3 ozs., which, at 60s. per oz., amounts to £3,595,755.