VICTORIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 413, 18 October 1856, Page 4

VICTORIA.

We have Melbourne journals to tlve l9fch September. They are full of electioneering speeches, and editorial comments upon the candidates for seats in the New Legislature; and, in consequence, contain little news of general interest. Alleged Lyncii Law.—We have received the following letter from a storekeeper at Brown's Diggings, who hands us his name as a guarantee of the truth of his statement, for which, however, wo do not pledge ourselves. Wo publish the communication just as we received it, with, of course, the omission of our correspondent's name:— Horrible murder and midnight assassination, by a mob of about 30 Tips at Brown's, on tho night of the 12th July last; a New Zealander burnt alive, cut in pieces, and put down a hole; discovery of the body, but no public account as yet, as the investigation is still going on ; death of three of his murderers mid one shot since.

A New Zealander and his mate were washing their stuff, when a party of rowdy Tips, about ten or twelve came past, when the contents thrown out of the hopper of the cradle fell on one of the Tips feet, and he felled the man to the ground, when his mate came to his help, and they were both horribly abused, knocked into a water hole, and one had his eye knocked out, when one of the two men attacked seized a spade, and in self-defence struck one of his assailants on the head, when they were caught and tied to trees, and abused horribly, but were let go, and managed to crawl to their tents more dead than alive. When the man struck with the spade died, a mob of about 30 rowdy Tips and Irish Yankees surrounded the tent, and took the New Zealander, pretendingly to prison, but into the bush, and roasted him alive, and put the body down a hole, after cutting it into pieces. The body has been found, and investigation is going on into the aifair. Three of his murderers have died, and one has been shot since.— Weekly Herald. THE CIIINESE IMMIGEATION. The Chinamen who are now arriving in this colony by the overland route from Guichen Bay may be divided into two classes—the first, those whose passages have been paid by Chines© speculators resident in the colony; and the second those who are seeking their fortune independent of such aid. The former are met on their arrival by the agents of their employers, who do all in their power to mitigate the sufferings to which they are necessarily exposed during their walk overland,- and who, being well provided with funds for that purpose, spend them liberally. The poor fellows who are left to their own resource.B fars very badly. They are generally very poor, and appear to have exhausted their means by paying their passages to Guichen bay. Fortunately, they are by no means particular in their diet, arid the carcases of dead bullocks, dead horses, and even dead dogs, are devoured greedily by them. They are very desirous to barter the toys, pipes, pictures, and boxes, which they have with them, for money and provisions, and display a great deal of keeness in their commercial transactions. Their money is in sovereigns, Mexican dollars, and small copper or brass coins. These latter are round, with Chinese characters | around the edge, and a square hole in the centre, and sire about the Bizo of a farthing, but not nearly so heavy. They state that 1000 of them are only worth a dollar. The dress worn by these adventurous celestials, although peculiar, is not badly adapted to the rigours of an Australian winter. Incir wicker hat defends both the head and shoulders from the rain. They wear a quilted jacket wlich appears waterproof, and affords an excellent covering Jbr the chest and loins. Iheir legs and feet are quite bare, but to this they appear to have been accustomed from infancy. On encamping for the evening, they iirst hx their tents, one of which covers six men, j»> a they then break down a quantity of brandies, and Rprnad tho twigs and leaves on the ground. Tlrcy sles > in bags, composed of matting. Vnea with"woollen fabric. After tho tents are pitched, and whilu the culinary operations are being proceeded with, barbers go round, ana shave t'ne chin and temples of every man m t»° party, a-id the greatest possible attention ispilia to cleanliness. j The allowance of food to each man is a pounu of flour and a pound of meat per diem, ultUoug

when they can obtain rice and fish they prefer doing so. Their usual beverage is water, but; they occasionally make tea. After their meal, they amuse themselves in various ways by singing and playing a sort of fiddle. If there are any Europeans in the vicinity, they exhibit their wares, and and a most amusing scene of chaffering generally ensues. One fellow wanted to sell me the ' Portrait of a lady.' She was 'a very prim personage with long nails, languishing eyes, and a very strange doll-like expression of face. The picture was framed and in a case resembling those in which daguerreotype portraits are enclosed. Beside the picture Avas a small looking-glass,and theChinainan explained to me that by looking on this mirror-he would see bofch himself and his sweetheart at the same time. He was very willing, however, to deprive himself of this gratification for a couple of shilling's. Those among them who can speak English appear very favourably impi*essed with the aspect of the country, and say that if it were theirs they would grow rice in the neighbourhood of the various swamps. Could not some plan be devised, by which these; men could be made useful to the colony, by developing some of those resources- which Englishmen systematically overlook ? , Thei#c are two millions of acres of land in the Wimmera district, to say nothing of other portions of the colony, utterly useless both foiagriculture —as it is carried on in Europe—or for grazing. There would surely be no harm in allowing the Chinese to occupy some of this. They might plant cotton and tea in the shrubs, and rice in the swamps. Whether it would be good policy or not to prohibit their landing here, it is quite certain that it is impracticable, and it would be surely better to encourage them to settle, and produce rice, cotton, tea and silk, than to compel them to go to the diggings^ where their presence is by no means desired by .the other miners. The experiment is at any rate worth trying.-— lbid.