SYDNEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 36, 24 January 1852, Page 3

SYDNEY.

The Census returns for New South Wales give the total population at 187,243, the proportion of females being 81,014. Of the whole population, 93,137 belong to the Church of England, and 18,156 to the Church of Scotland.

The Hunter River Vineyard Association held a half-yearly meeting early in November. The " Sydney Morning Herald" remarks, that up to this meeting the wines produced by members have evinced unmistakeable progress and improvement, but that the red wines were not this time equal to former exhibitions ; the white only iust maintaining their nlace. At

the early meetings of the Association, the red wines werei decidedly superior to the white, but the difference has been gradually diminishing until they have almost changed places in point of quality. Probably the disturbing effects of the gold discoveries on all industrial pursuits have also told upon this.

The Sydney Gold Fields.— -This branch of enterprise was still maintaining its uncertain and lottery-like character. Large quantities of gold were being constantly obtained, but by no means proportionate to the number of persons employed at the various " diggings." The " Phoenician," from Sydney for London, Aug. 11, took 22,909 ounces, valued at £74,455.

The prices of all the necessaries of life at the " diggings" continue exorbitantly high, notwithstanding the great reductions which have taken place at Sydney and Bathurst. The average rates are between three and four hundred per cent, on Sydney prices. Flour, in Sydney, was £12 ; at the gold field £45 per ton.