VICTORIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 493, 25 July 1857, Page 5

VICTORIA.

We are in receipt of Melbourne papers via Sydney, to the 25th June. PARI/lAME » TART. The Amended Immigration Bill has been laid before Parliament. Mr. Childers'gigantic scheme of lavish expenditure, for throwing helplessly upon our shores a large accession to our population, has, says the 'Age,' bean abandoned. The voice of the people has so far had its due influence with the Ministry. The weight of evidence, which pressed forward from all sides, on the announcement of that crude project, and which showed that so far from their being a lack of labour in the colony, there was abundance of it available for all our immediate wants, was irresistible ; and Mr. Haines and his colleagues, with a keener sense of the growing force of public opinion on important political questions than they have hitherto exhibited, have prudently withdrawn the obnoxious measure, and replaced it by one of a comparatively innocuous character. This latter simply retains the system of immigration, with an alteration in-the machinery for carrying out its arrangements in the United Kingdom. This alteration consists in substituting for the present Imperial Commisioners in London, an agent and three sub-agents appointed by the colony to undertake " the superintendence of immigration to Victoria" in conformity with instructions to be framed for their guidance by the Executive of the colony ; and these officers are to give security for their good conduct and the due performance of their duties—the selection or approval of suitable emigrants and of proper ships for their conveyance, constituting the nature of the duties.

In connection with the Land Bill, Mr. [ Brooke has given notice of a motion which is exciting considerable interest in political circles. It was to be brought in on the 30th I instant, and is to the following effect:— 1 " That the practice of honorable members voting on questions in which they have a direct pecuniary interest, is a violation of the Standing Orders of Parliament, and calculated to impair the integrity of this House and that the names of such members who voted on the second reading of the Land Bill, be expunged from the division ist." The "Argus" of the 23rd gives the following account of an " unparliamentary fracas " which occurred on the occasion of this debate. We quote as follows :—" At the close of the protracted debate on the land question on Saturday, at noon, Mr. Campbell rose and complained that he had been subjected to gross personal insult, which had been offered within the walls of that house, and in the presence of three honorable members whom he named; Mr. O'Shanassy had offered this affront. Mr. O'Shanassy rose in his place and denied that this was the case, alleging that he had been very much provoked by the honorable member for Richmond, who addressed him in a very extraordinary manner without his having spoken to the honorable member at all. As a desire was expressed by Mr. D. S. Campbell to postpone the ' affair' until the gentlemen he had named were present, and as honorable members were tired, no objection was made to the postponement of the matter ta Tuesday. The quarrel must be • a very pretty quarrel us it stands,' if the following rumour of what transpired be correct: —While both sides seemed obstinately bent on sitting each other out, Mr. O'Shanassy went into the lobby, and was was there met by Mr. D. S. Campbell, who asked him why the opposition persisted in their factious course. Mr. O'Snanassy

denied that the course they were pursuing waa factious. Mr. D. S. Campbell said that it must be admitted that Mr. Duffy's was. Mr. O'Shanassy replied, that he was not responsible for what Mr. Duffy did. Mr. D. S. Campbell replied, that it was generally understood that he was. Mr. O'Shanassy replied, that Mr. D. S. Campbell could not be a gentleman to persist in his remark after what he (Mr. O'Shanassy) had said. Very warm language arose on this, and at last—so says the rumour—Mr. O'Shanassy said to Mr. D. S. Campbell, j 'You are ad—d liar and a blackguard.' j Mr. D. S. Campbell rejoined, that Mr. O'Shanassy dared not use those terms to j him beyond that house, and Mr. O'Shanassy at once announced that he would use them at any place and at any time, and further invited Mr. Campbell to follow him outside the house. Steps were, we believe, taken to prevent further hostilities; but it seems that the affair will occupy the attention of the house to-day, somewhat to the scandal of the public, if all we hear be true." Both Houses of Legislature adjourned on Wednesday last, until to-morrow, in order allow honorable members the opportunity of being present at the opening of the Geelong and Melbourne Railway. MISCELLANEOUS. The proposal which has been made to the Government by an English firm, through a legislative committee, to conduct extensive lines of railway for us, and find all necessary capital, labour, &c, is, the ' Herald ' understands, about to be met by a similar proposition from some resident capitalists. It would be premature to offer an opinion in the present state of the negotiations, but the offer on the part of the English firm appears to be so comprehensive and sound that their opponents will need to make their scheme as perfect and liberal as possible to stand any chance of competing. At the same time, it is onlj reasonable that our own capitalists and engineers shonld desire to secure to themselves and to the colonists the execution of an undertaking so remunerative as this ought to prove. We refrain from savin g more on the subject at present, but hope that good may come of the proposition. In connection with this matter, we observe that a large meeting of the contractors and builders of Victoria, assembled last night at the Australasian-Hotel, for the purpose of arranging for a public meeting to be held to oppose a monopoly of railways being conceded to any particular contractor. The following resolution was submitted to the meeting by Mr. Bruce, and seconded by Mr. Smith :— *' That a public meeting of the contractors of Victoria be called on an early day, for the purpose of taking into consideration the attempt now being made to give, without competition, a monopoly of colonial railways."

On the evening of the I6th instant, Joseph Smith, a publican at Hexham, and his servant Joseph Buchanan, were proceeding on horseback on some business a few miles from Hexham,-when they were sudchnly stopped by two bushrangers and an aboriginal youth about seventeen years of age. The robbers were armed and on foot, and, presenting their revolvers, they commanded the others to dismount, which was done without loss of time. Smith and Buchanan were compelled to walk two miles into the bush, where they were robbed of all the money they were possessed of, and tied to two trees. The robbers then mouuted their horses (a dark bay and brown mare), and with their sable attendant rode away. Buchanan had little or no cash with him, but the following property was taken from Smith, viz : —An order for £19 45., dated ' 16th June, 1857, and drawn by Mr. Linsday of Wombat, Spring Creek, in favour of Smith, on Messrs. Kutledge and Co., of Belfast; a cheque for £15 drawn by James Carrnichael on the Union Bank of Australia, Castlemaine, and payable to Smith; four £l notes, 12s. in silver, and two silver Geneva watches. Smith and Buchanan remained tied up from the evening of the 15th, until 3 p.m. on the 17th, when they were released by a shepherd who happened luckily to come that way.