MELBOURNE.

Otago Witness, Issue 492, 4 May 1861, Page 6

MELBOURNE.

We j Melbourne Age) publish the usual quarterty revenue returns for the quarter ending the 31st of March, 1861, compared with the returns for the corresponding quarter in 1860. From them it will be seen that there is a net increase on the first quarter in the present year as compared with that of 1860 of £130,370 Is. 2d., whilst on the year ending the 31st of March, 1861, there is a decrease, as compared with the previous year, of £124,447 Bs. lOd. It will be observed that there is a comparative deficiency in tbe present quarter' of the revenue derived from Customs* duties of £34,284 6s. 9d. ; and from the duty on spirits distilled in Victoria of £1357 Os. sd. In the revenue derived from escort fees, and from licenses issued on the gold fields there is increase of £2358 16s. JOd. ; whilst on that from tonnage and pilotage, there is a decrease of £2445 4s. Id. On that derived from the s;ile of Crown lands, there is an increase of £181,878 14s. 5d ; from licenses of all descriptions, and assessments on stock of £30,677 12s. Id. ; and from postage of £202 16s. 2d. Awdecrease is shown in the revenue derived from , fees of the Supreme and other courts, and from fines and forfeitures respectively, of. £2845 Os. 3d., and £251 19s. Id. ; and on miscellaneous items there is an increase of £6435 12s. 4d.

The Victoria steam-sloop was made the sulject of a lengthened discussion in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday evening, ■ in consequence of some opposition being offered to the vote proposed for her maintenance. It was argued by some hon. members that, for all purposes of defence, she- was entirely useless, and that, in fact, she was but little more than a very expensive toy. Mr. Heales stated, in reply to their arguments, that a survey of the coast of Victoria had been determined on by our own and the Imperial Governments, and that, as a steam vessel would be required for the survey, the Victoria would be selected for the purpose. The cost of providing another vessel had been estimated at £1 000 per month, and, by the appointment of the Victoria, such an outlay would be entirely Bayed. Mr. Verdon subsequently stated that Major-General Pratt had concluded an engagement with the New Zealand Government by which the latter would be bound to defray the "extra expenses" of the Victoria during her term of service in that colony : but no definition had been given of what was to be considered as constituting those extra expenses. This arrangement he considered highly unsatisfactory, and he said he would certainly demand the repayment by the New Zealand Government of the larger proportion of the expenses of the vessel while she remained at their disposal. Mr. Heales afterwards said he would at once give six months' notice of dismissal to the crew of the vessel, so that, whatever future Government might have to deal with the matter, they would be untrammelled by any obligation to retain their services. The vcte was then agreed to without further comment.

The Denominational system of education in Victoria may be now fairly considered as condemned by the voice of the people, expressed through their representatives in Parliament, and its abolition in favour of the National system can be only a question of time. The two antagonistic Boards have already existed far too long a period, and the country has materially suffered from the differences which have sprang up between them. The Legislative Assembly was lately occupied in discussing the distribution of the annual vote for education. Dr. Macadam moved an amende ment to. the effect that the vote, for tjie National Board should be increased by th^ sum of £5000, the hon. member at the same time intimating his intention of subsequently moving another amendment to the effect that the vote forjhe Denominational Board should be decreased by a like amount. This amendment provoked a lengthy and angry discussion, during which it was not so much the respective amounts which should be granted to each Board which was debated, as it was the comparative merits of the two systems of education. Eventually the House decided, in favour of the amendment by a majority of 27 to 12, and this must be taken, as emphatically condemning the Denominational- system. Dr. Macadam then moved his §ecottd amendment, that the vote to the Denominational Board be reduced by the sum' of £5000. Some members who had voted for the previous amendment objected to "this, as they thought it would.be acting unfairly to tbje Board, who had perhaps contracted liabilities in anticipation of obtaining tne. sum set down on the estimates for them ; but after a short, al'thoughsomewhat. violent discussion, this amendment was also carried, many members voting for it' for the express purpose of giving tbe Deaomi* national Board due notice that its days? were numbered. — Age, April 16.

If" coming events cast their "shadows Before." we may affirm that the hail and;4arkD.es B'*of8 '* of - to-s> &vf is but the shadow of |h[e. ( ijomidg pijogwȣ;' " ; "" Let us be great in. our single "ffdyth^ rejiewing, ever the law of God. ' " ".

, "What 1 is wrenched by force fcan by force litrestored ;"' and -where there occurs irregularity',; nature will «hortly right herself.

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