NEW SOUTH WALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 659, 16 July 1864, Page 4

NEW SOUTH WALES.

This colony still maintains its pre-emi-nence as the most disorganised of the Australian colonits. The Sydney Morning Herald, of 21st June, says: — "We have not disguised the misfortune of this country in the existence of a class — reinforced by the- hereditary enemies of law from ail quarters — whose demoralisation traces back to the old convict system, and'who are living in districts which have never been within the pale of active government. We do not, however, think it ne cessary to defend the country froTi the language of caricature. Is it possible that the people whose property is lodged in the soil— whose accumulated wealth shows so on every hand — can really have any sympathy with criminals? Is it possible that m the administration of justice there can be any considerable number of jurors — householders — who feel sympathy with robbers ?"

We take the following telegrams from the Sydney Morning Her aid :— On Saturday evening, June 18th, al>out seven o'clock, when the mail coach from Bathurst to Orange had proceeded about eighteen miles on the road, it was stuck-up by three bushrangers with muffled faces. There were seven paseengersin the coach, amongst whom was Mr Chambers, Crown Prosecutor, who was on his way to the Wellington Quarter Sessions, Each of the passengers were robbed, and the mail. bags were cut open. The bushrangers made the whole party in the coach prisoners, and detained them until the imil from Orange to Batburst passed, when the down mail was stopped in the same manner as the other. Besides the driver, there was only one person in the coach ; both were robbed, an'l the mail -bags wer»' rifled. It was not till two o'clock that thecoiches were allowedto proceed. The bushrangers had no horses, and they are not supposed to be connected with Ben Hall's gang. Mr James Kirwan, the well-known owner of race horses, was shot dead at Cooma, on Tuesday, June 21, by a policeman, who was endeavoring to apprehend him on on a charge of horse-stealing. Extensive and devastating floods have recently visited the greater portion of the colony, causing a fearful destruction of property and wide spread distress amongst the agricultural settlers. Several deaths by drowning have been reported ; but the full extent of the disasters is not yet known. The only damage to the railway works has been the carrying away of portions of the embankments. Efforts are being organised for the relief of the sufferers.

The ship All Serene, bound from Vancouver's Island to Sydney, was vrecked at sea in February last. Several of the passengers and crew were drowned, but by means of a pu-'t the survivors managed, after enduring fearful sufferings for sixteen days, to reach one of the Fiji Islands, where they were hospitably treated by the missionaries. They have since arrived in Sydney.

Some important Departmental changes are being made by the Government. The Storekeeper's Department is to be abolished; the pilot astablishment is to be considerably reduced, and the two pilot vessels disposed of. The Alpacas were sold by auction on the 23rd June, at Berrima. There were few bidders, and lots one to ten were parsed. Lot eleven consisting of one pure male and four females, was the first disposed of. They were purchased by Mr Thomas Holt at fifteen guineas per head. Lot twelve was also passed; and lot thirteen, same as lot eleven, was purchased by the Acclimatization Society of New South Wales at Lls per head. The remainder were withdrawn.