VICTORIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 177, 7 June 1864, Page 3

VICTORIA.

Fkom Melbourne we liave live days' later news, via Sydney. A return Ims been laid before Parliament that the effect of the operation of the new Electoral Art hns been to reduce the number of the constituency of the Legislative Council from 1G,723 to B,'JS2, and of the Assembly from 178,632 to 120,821). f i he greatest decrease in the constituencies of the Council is in the Central Province, and of tlie Assembly in the uuuihers of voters in Crowlands district. In the last mentioned instance the decrease is remarkable, the number of voters in 'December, 1.81)2, having been and under the new Act only 3101 names having been registered—a decrease of not let?* than 14 f :MU. The first of the Melbourne races, under the management of the Victoria Racing Club, came off on tin; 2l)th. The Australian ►Sires 1 Produce Stakes were carried otf by Freestone, by Touchstone ; and the St. Ledger, hy (Jrill:iimnc, a liolardo colt, from tin- "Woodlands stud. The Autumn Handicap and thelh-lter Skelter Stakes w» ro both won by Mr. Duwling's -well-known horse Falcon. The second day's racing attracted a largo company to the Metropolitan racccour>u oji Saturday. The principal race of the day, the Australian Mare's Produce Stakes, fell to tin; prowt-MJ oi Oriflamme, a chesnut colt by l'.uhirdu—Tricolour, with a pedigree of the highest jharacter, :uiil who had previously shown himself a successful runner in tin' host company. The trotting match between siir William l)on anil Jlr.gic ended in the runner coining tirst past tlie winning post, but as neither brought in the overweight declared, the nice was declared void, In the Steeplechase, the veteran Donovan llrown came out as lrcsh as he ever appeared, and won one ol' the fastest run steeplechases ever seen on the ITleiuington course ; Countess was second, and Alice third ; the favourite, Turn O'tJlianter, having fallen soon alter starling; and Happy •lack having been attacked with the " nnserables" at the water jump, which he rei'used. Almost everybody hailed with delight Sir. Hurtle Fisher's success in the Australian C'up, won by his beautiful Ki.glish lillv Nathalie, hy Warlock, winner of the I)'■nenster St. Jaeger. The sports of the; (lay concluded with a huiry scurry, won by Dan "Hobinson, with Kdilh Watt let ree. Wo quote from the Ar<ju-s of the 23rd as follows :— The preparations lor the coming elections are already so far advanced as to enable us to perceive that the next political struggle will be at least vigorously conducted. There is 110 longer any room to reproach the pi ople of Victoria with indifference to t icir political duties. 'The activity of the electioneering agents in fact seems to be in inverse ratio to the necessities of the situation. When parties were divided into two distinct camps, as they were some throe years ago, we could get 110 candidates. When there is really little to go to the country about, the number of good citizens anxious to serve their country in I'arlianii nt is marvellously large. Wo nl.so learn that : — Considerable anxiety is felt by sorrowing friends as to whereabouts of a well-known citizen of Melbourne who is said to he missing from his accustomed haunts. The gentleman in question kept his carriage, bore the reputation of considerable wealth, and there is no doubt that he acquired by marriage the inheiilance of large property. It is stilted that should bis absence not bo satisfactorily accounted for bis creditors may make up their minds to a loss of WO,OIIO, a considerable portion of that sum hcing represented b\ accomodation bills, now close to maturity.