MELBOURNE.

Otago Witness, Issue 608, 25 July 1863, Page 4

MELBOURNE.

(IKOM ME DAILY TIMS* CORRESPONDENT.)

The Peninsulnr and Oriental Company's steamer Madras, with the European mails, anchored in Uobson's Bay at an early hour on Tuesday morning 1 , and the news brought by her has, of course, formed the cliiet topic of conversation since. While there is but little intelligence of interest from tireat Britain itself, beyond the pleasing- fact that the newly-marrrd Prince aud Princess of Wales appear to bo enjoying a, long honeymoon, by— as the telegram has it— " going a round of gaiety," the news fiora Continental I'urope is calculated to excite the deepest sympathy in the minds of all true lovers of freedom. — I allude particularly to that respecting the gallant strusele maintained single-handed by the brave Poles against their llucaian oppressors: a struggle which is aide! hy the moral support of a large proportion, not only of the inhabitants of Great Britain, but also of that of the people of other European countries— Buttering, as some of them are themselves more or lea* from the effect* of despotic rule. The American news, * hich comes dawn to much about the same date as those voracious Fedoral telegrams received a few days a<yo vid California, fully confirms the fact that information respecting the civil v.ariu the dw- United Stitcs comng through such a channel ought to bi taken net merely (mm grand salix, but with a whole bu Jiel of that useful article. It appears, indeed, as if it wo ild be safe in (he interest of truth to read nil the rep -ts of Northern successes received from Noitheri sources by the rule of contrary, and landingtha ji^uipt of Jul'er information, to regard all auch soi-dUant vic'oiies simply as defeats^ Tne political world of Victoria is, as may be suprosed, quiet euouprh just now. The Ministerial elections, witjithe unitnpoitant exception mentioned in my lu-t, b}t ng oyor, and tin new Cabinet having been strengthei.ed and invisjojuted by the accession to its ranks of Sir Michie -whose appointment to the office or_ Minister of Justice has been duly 'gazetted- the " ma" and the " outs" are now quietly mustering their respective tows for the coming struggle on the fl >6t of the Legislative Assembly. Whatever may be the ultimate fate of the new Minis tiy, it is expected that tiff) opening sittings of the House will be stormy, and that tlie jjta^orjtv which, they will ba

able to maintain there will, at best, be small. It is confidently asserted, however, that in the event of a vote adverse to their policy being passed, they v i!( advise Hl3 1 xcellency to dissolve the Ass a ml y. Should such, a step b^ taken there is every rea-on ro believe that the fresh elections would send then bick to their seats with a strong body of supporter- ; as, although not looked upon as comprising "all 1 c tilei'ts" v very general impression prevails among t .c public, that the new ministers aie Miicerely dUno .'d botli individually and collectively, to use their b^r effoit.3 for the welfare of ihe eominunitv, and th it they will, to the be^t of their abilities, endeavor ;o hi iue about a final anl equ. table sjttlemoi.t of t c Land question. An opfnintf to a seat in the r s seinbly has teen made for the new Minister of Ju»( a by the resignation of i\Tr Nixon, the late niemb -r 1 nPotwarlA aud South Grenville, for which district Micbie will be probably returned without- oppo»Hii> 1. The criminal proceedings, instituted bythe&hy:eholders and depositors in the Provi lent Ins itu c, hps_ terminated, so far as the invcsiitration by t<;e Police Court is concerned, ia tbs committal for ti A of the three directors, Hancock, Sawell and An!, rson. against whom the Magistrates considered tha a prima facie case of con<=pi' acy and fraud lial b"!-i made out. The case occupied the attention of t i;e Fo i^e Court the greater part of three days, and ( icited a hrge amount of public interest. It is siir.3 v, hat doubtful whether a conviction will be obtained against tbe defendants.

Two men named John Johnstoa and Augu te Nolan have been arrested near Sohnapper Point, <m suspicion of being concerne.l in sUbuiug the uuhrij i>y woman, Julia DavLs, the former as principal a-id x.ta latter as accessory .

It appears that there 13 at least some prospect of the establishment of a regular fortnightly couinui Ication between tho Aubtralian colonies and Gri. it Britain, as we learn by the mail ju--t arrived that i cgjtiations have been op3ned with the Peninsular a ul Oriential Coni|'fmy by tha Imperial Government with that object in view. Up to the departure of the m .il however, noiiing further seems to liav-i been done i 1 1 he matter, than the ascertaining of the fact that f lo company would be prepared to take ilie /u-trali.m mails from Galle, fortnigutly instead of month!}, is at present, on the consideration of an additional suo tidy of L50,C00 pev annum. Information has be^u receivel hera to the efi' t that psissases ha- 1 been eugHgei in the pood s, ip Suffolk, to sail from Lon.lon abo'it the 28th June, .or air future Governor— Sir Ciiailcs Darling aud hN fimily. They will, therefore, probably reach. Victoria early in September; and soon after their ariv.al Mr Henry Baikly will take his departure, carry ;i^ away with him tlie respect and esteem of the gi uit body of the colonists over whom re lias so long :. id so judiciouslyj udiciously exercised the vice-regal power.