SUMMARY FOR MELBOURNE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 557, 30 September 1863, Page 4

SUMMARY FOR MELBOURNE

BY THE ALHAMBRA.

Since the publication of our Summary for England on the 13th instant, the Provincial Council has proceeded rapidly with public business, and it is anticipated that the present Session will be closed on Eriday.next. The Estimates have been disposed of, and a''variety "of measures passed of local importance. The new Land Regulations, which are to form the. basis of a Bill to be introduced into the General Assembly' have been drafted,, and a draft Gold Fields Management Bill submitted, which the Council resolved to confide to the representatives'of the Province in the General Assembly. Amongst the appropriations voted is a sum of L4OOQ towards1 defraying the general expenses of the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1865. Large sums have been appropriated for the prosecution of public works, and the Council has affirmed a series of resolutions submitted by Mr Mossi a member of the Government,,ta the foliowing efiecfc :— "Ist That in ; the opinion of this House, the time has now arrived when the subject of railway s as a means of internal communication should, be .taken up by the Government, tinder a Commission to be appointed by bis Honor the Superintendent.' 2nd' That this House is of opinion that the Government should prepare some well denned plan of operations in .connection with this subject, .and- be prepared to submit such plan for the approval of this House at its next session." The ■ resolutions, the mover said, were designed to give effect to the recommendations of the Committee on Roads and their Construction, so far as they related to an immediate survey with a view to reserving from sale such lands, as might be necessary for the formation of railways. He was firmly of opinion that the time had arrived when the subject would be initiated. Whatever might now be done, it would be three years before a railway could be in operation, md atthe end of that time, if the Province was to rise at all ie would surely, -have, traffic enough to make railways pay. s^ :

The news from the Gold Fields is,- on whole, highly satisfactory and encouraging. ..Ther last fortnightly escort, which reached to wri"on" the 22udinst., brought down 18,453ozlfdwfc/i The Wardens report generally that with the sub-, sidence of. the rjvers and the setting in of. fair weather, the miners are setting to work with renewed energy, especially resuming operations on many beach claims which they have for some>past beeu debarred from working. Throughout the winter the yield of gold has been steadily maintained _afc~ an . borage- w hiah^h o^-s that amid every discouragement and disadVanrap^Targe"body of diggers have been working successfully. It is from the *atne class that the present escort returns are still chiefly derived. It is as yet too early to look for such an increase as may be expected to be the result of the resumed working of «, the ground from which the miners had for a time " been driven. Our gold fields' correspondents report preparations on a large scale for summer mining operations rather than work actually begun. In many places the destruction of all mining material by the late floois was complete, and ah this has to be replaced. In the shape both of repairs and of new works great activity is being displayed, and when the whole, is in full play the effect will doubtless be seen in the Escort Returns. Experience is proving the necessity qt machinery of various kinds for the fair development of the auriferous wealth of the Province, Extensive flats still flooded require to b« drained, and the, river beaches subject to inundation or "? permanently under water, can only be steadily - worked .by, dredging. This last plan of operation - will probably be largely resorted to. A dredging machine to be used on the Molyneux and Kawarau, was despatched from town on Monday ■last." "' . , :.,..•■ ■ ■;■]-:■ -

The population of the Province continues to be augmented by arrivals both from the mother country and the neighboring colonies, but the labor thus imported is rapidly absorbed. , ■ ; - ■:

The Criminal Sessions have occupied the Supreme Court for the. past fortnight. The trial of the captain and mate of the Rteam-tug Favorite, committed on Coroner's warrant, for manslaughter in connection with the late fatal collision in the harbor, terminated in a verdict of acquittal, without evidence for the defence beinf received, ,

One of our Melbourne contemporaries -was made the subject of a few minutes talk in the Proyjncial Council one evening. Mr Hughes read some very amusing extracts from ai recent article in it upon Otago, and proceeded to the length of seriously j>roposingthat the, article should be replied to. The Provincial Secretary however suggested, and the Council agreed with Uira, that-it' was beneath; the House to' waste its time in taking any notice of the matter. It was only part of a policy of falsification, that had been systematically adopted since/the discovery of the New Zealand gold fields. '.- , - ■;■■'; ,-