THE GOLDEN PROSPECTS OF AUSTRALIA. [From the "Sydney Herald," May 17.]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 536, 4 June 1851, Page 4

THE GOLDEN PROSPECTS OF AUSTRALIA. [From the "Sydney Herald," May 17.]

[Fiom Thk excellent letter which appeared in our columns of yesterday, under the signature ot Viator, has anticipated several of the observations we had intended to lay before our readers on this exciting subject. A more txciiing one it has Dover fallen to our lot, as jomnahs's, <o cHtus*. The mania for emisrutit"; to tbe o-old-fields of Californin, which at one Time threatened^ decimate our population, and which naturally filled sober-minded colonists with an anxiety bordering on alarm, h«s often occupied our most seiious consideration ; but that mania, compared with the one with winch we ore now menactd by the discovery of gold within our own tenitory, wns as notbiug. Emigration to California was »e<e^arily a woik of time, requiring forethouaht and preparation, and in most cases needing the courage and enthusiasm which can sacufUe pment coiufoitp, and risk imminent dangers, lor the sake of a remote and at best a doubtful good. The scene of adventure lay in a land of stranger*, a land hwarming with ferocious barbarian*, and f.equently ravaged hy deadly ptstil-ncc. Ere it could be reached, tbe ocean had to be ciosscd. a round cum ot moi.ey to be raisid, property sold, establishment* broken up, domestic lies rent asunder, and the whole habits of life suddenly and violently wrenched. These considerations fetvrd as a whoesome check upon the tasce for gold, and induced multitudes to stßy ut home who would otheiwise have rushed headlong into the glittering snare. But the Eldorado which has sprung up within the last few days, and which ii t-veiy where and <*ith every bo'-y the all-absorbing topic of discourse, is attended with none of these difficulties. It is in the bosom of our own country. It is on the very tUirts of our settled districts. It is w.thin a week's ride of our me'ropotts. And should its charms prove to be half so seductive as the. sanguine imaginations of many amongst us are at this moment picturing them, Australia" will have reason to rue the day when her Eldorado was brought to light. Already, we are told by our Bathur&t correspondent, there are said to be two hundred persons on ttie gold ground, and tbe number daily increasing. "And within six clays' sail of them, scatlred over the colonies," says Viator, •• there are more than 50,000 persons who have been traniported for various crimes, and .i very large number of them, •within a few hours' distance. Should the rpports of gold prove true, the excitement, speculation, and license will attract thoutaods of the worst character*. Una," he adds, "no one can doubt, and the consequences to security-of life and projerty, without any needless exaggeration, are sufficiently obvious and appalling." Exaggeration would be as ciuel as it is unnecessary, but it becomes the du'y of every sober minded man in the community to look the danger calmly yet fully in the face. That there is gold on the surface of our western interior is a fact that cannot now be doubted. But let us cling to the hope, until driven from it by irrcbit-tible evidence, that the treasure does not exist in large quantities ; that the co«t of finding, collecting, and conveying it to market, will prevent the speculation from temg more than moderately remuneiative ; and that experience will soon convince the masses ol the people that, after all, the ordinary pursuit* of industry are the safest and tbe best. Should this hope be realised, ail will be well Thr rage for emigration from these colonies to California will be quelled; whilst New Souih Wales will in her turn become an object of general attention and of powerful attraction. If the precious metal be no more than an auxiliary to our general resouices, augmenting and not superseding our or Unary sources of wealth, then-.hall we have rea>on to rejoice ih its discovery, for then will a new impure be given to evciy branch of our i.idustiy, and a m-v character imparted to our couutiy in the eyes of the woiUL Then shall we become a rich and a prosperous pe< pie in the true senee of the words, for j our wealth and prosperity will be solid find enduring, j and attended by a corresponding advam etnent in those moral and social virtues without which riches aie not a blessing, but a cime. Bui bhould these hopes be disappointed—should our cold prove to be abundant in quaiuiu, rich in quality, and easy i-f aces'—let the inhabitants of New South Wales mil the neighbouring colonie* stand prepated for calamitits far mote terrible ibun earthquakes, or pestilence. On the feaiful pictured which the baie thought of such a consummation calls up to the mind, we will not, dare not dwe.l. Nor would it be right to allude to lli^m, even in these vague and general tarns, for the mere porpo&e of agitation. But the mere possibility of ttieir being realised imposes Upon the Government, and upon all the intelligent c!a3s,es of Ibe community, a solen.n and an ut gent duty. It is the duty of the colouiitb not only to take every possible precaution, in good time, against the disasters which u.i«y befall them ; but to employ all the influences of reason and good sense in counteracting and eubdui q the opiric of <xcUetm.nt Hi its earli-st BtagCh. Let every man reflect that, upon the prevalence ol ih»ic influctues hid own safety, tns safety of lilt peis n and pioiH-rty, lhe safety ot all Uiat is neaiest and dcareht to him, may eie long depend. The duty «f th« Goveinment is obvious. riio invests ol the crowd —which is only another word for tbe interests of the commonwealth— aud the s>»lety of society, pre both tit t.take. Oui rulers are hound to take itistdnt afiliou in order that Uiesv interests and tbi* safety may tecetve', all possible protection. And we jejoice U> (earn, from undoubted uuthouty, that they aie doing so. The Law Office is ol the Crown

have been called upon to advise the Executive, without » moment's unnecessary delay, as to the precise powers with which the Crown is armed by the existing law, for the enfoi cement of its rights with regard to precious metals found upon 1 >nds owned by private person, upon landi held under depasturing lenses, and upon lands in the possession of the Crown. If these powers are found sufficient, they will be carried out with all the Dromptitude and vigour which the Government can exert. But if it is found that the emergency requires that they should be strengthened by special legislative enactment, in that ense the Legislative Counril (which, fortunately, has not been dissolved) will doubtless be summoned for that purpose without delay. What steps the Executive are contemplating, with a view to the conservation of the public peace, in the event of im being exposed lo extraordinary danger, h«s not transpired ; but that such sti-ps are necessary is beyond all question, and that the Government will do its duty, as the guardian of society > we uuhenitalingly believe.

The following is the whole of the Letter referred to by the Herald in the preceding article •.—