SYDNEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 36, 26 December 1861, Page 4

SYDNEY.

By the Hirondelle, from Sydney, we are in possession of late papers— An attempt to blow up the, powder magazine at Moruya has been detected. It is not yet discovered who laid the train. , An attempt has been made to poison Mr. Thos. Gillespie, of Warwick/Queensland, and a whole party of friends. The man-cook is suspected. The Balclutha has been purchased by the Australian Company. There-were most violent storms in the country yesterday, and for two or three days previous. At Parrainatta ice fell in heavy lumps, breaking windows, and doing much damage. .

THE LACHLAN". The news from the Lachlan gives less prospect of the formation of a large and permanent goldfield than5 was at one time anticipated. Not that there seems^to have been any exaggeration as to the great richness of the profitable claims, but the extent of payable ground is far less than was at one time anticipated. In this respect the Lachlan seems likely to maintain the reputation our goldfields have hitherto acquired of being patchy. Both at the northern and southern end the lead has been lost. Whether it really terminates, or whether there is merely the interposition of a break is uncertain ; but the process of finding this out is rather costly, and diggers not over-flush of money are naturally deterged from prosecuting the enquiry. A decided reaction, therefore, against the rush to the Lachlan has set in, and men are now leaving the place faster than they came to it. There has been some ten thousand pilgrims to this golden shrine. Perhaps five hundred of them will have done well. The rest will all have been unfortunate. Many are .falling back again upon Lambing Flat, as after all, the best poor man's diggings, and where at least, a subsistence can be guaranteed. There is a new rush too, at Lambing Flat, to some fresh ground opened up, and wliich seems to promise moderately well. A large number of miners have arrived from Victoria, and a good many are still on the road, but the discouraging news from the Lachlan will, probably, induce them either to turn back, or to prospect for new fields. — Sydney Morning Herald, 7th Dec.