VICTORIA.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 124, 28 December 1858, Page 3

VICTORIA.

The Sydney Herald correspondent, under date Melbourne, December 9, writes:—You will have heard by telegraph, long before this reaches you, the "latest intelligence" of the Ministerial crisis we are now passing through. It arose thus: In committee of supply the Treasurer proposed that the sum of 41000 be voted for the salary of the Deputy Surveyor-General, when Mr. Snodgrass, usually a supporter of the O'Shanassy administration, proposed an amendment that this item, and the succeeding ones, be postponed until the policy of the Government, with regard to survey, sale, and management of Crown lands is before the House. This amendment was carried by a majority of four, in a House of thirty-two members. A very sharp debafs took place—Mr. Michie, Mr. Colin Campbell, and Mr. Ebden supporting the amendment, and Mr. Duffy and Dr. Evans supporting tbe vote. Mr. Duffy made a most dispassionate and telling speech, funning rapidly over the history of past extravagancies in the department over which the honorable gentleman now presides, and pointing out the great reforms that have been introduced. He claimed for the next Parliament, elected as it will be on a wider basis of representation, the right of settling this long agitated question.; " The Government would declare at as early a date as possible their policy. They did not intend to go to the country without one." This speech availed'little, however. The House divided, and the " surprise" was a success. As some* discission is taking place on the precis* meaning, of jthe amendment, .1 give you the exact words:—*' That the item, and succeeding items, be postponed, to allow the ftlinistry to bring in such a statement of their policy in relation to the survey, sale, and management ofthe Crown lands, as would enable the House to decide upon the Votes under consideration." By some it is contended that the Words " succeeding items" refer to those in the Surveyor-General's department, only, • while they are taken by. others to include all the remaining items in the Estimates. Much will depend oh the interpretation which the House will place upon them. It is useless to anticipate the result by letter, because it will be known to you by telegraph. The Government were taken aback by the vote, which, I must say, has all the appearances of having sprung from factious rather than politic motives. The convention members all voted against the Ministry; The Spirit Duties Bill for legalising distillation has passed the second reading in the Upper House, and will be read a third time and passed oil Tuesday next,

The Bendigo Waterworks Bill and the National Bank of Australasia Bill, have both been introduced into the Assembly. The latter willundergo considerable amendment before it is allowed to pass.... In the Assembly yesterday evening, a vote for £15,0.0 was passed as a supplementary estimate for 1858, to defray the cost of removal of miners from Rockhampton to Melbourne. Some surprise was expressed at the largeness of the amount, and even a little discontent was shewn. The House, like true Englishmen, grumbled and paid, as all seemed to agree that it would be lasting stigma on the colony of Victoria, if she allowed the New South Wales Government to suffer loss by relieving destitute Victorians on the New South Wales territory, after an understanding arrived at that the Victorian Government would defray all expenses incurred. The half-yearly meeting of the Melhournc and Hohson's Bay Railway was held on Monday, at the terminus, Flinders-street, but the attendance was by no means so numerous as on former occasions. The report presented was eminently favorable, as will be seen from the following digest:— " The affairs of the company continued prosperous, and both lines, with the "rolling stock, were in good order. The deviation line was complete,, and opened for traffic on the 16th of September, since which date the traffic had been greatly augmented by the trains stopping at Emerald Hill. The new goods shed at the Melbourne terminus had been much delayed, but would be shortly ready for the storage of goods. The extension of the pier had been completed, and twelve vessels, drawing from sixteen to twenty-three feet of water, could be accommodated. The pier was 1871 feet long and '60 feet wide. The directors had entered into an agreement Vith-the St. Ktlda and Brighton Railway Company, for the working of the latter line for three months, after its opening, at £30 per day. The directors had appointed a London agent for the transfer of shares and debentures. Debentures representing £ 19,400 had been disporelof in Mel-, bourne, and 100 debentures, payable at the expiration of seven years, had been sent to London to be disposed of. The profits of the half year amounted to £25,917 7s. Id., to which had to be added £2604 2s. 9d. reserved from the profits of the previous half year, making £28,521 9s. 10d., which, after deducting £1070135. lOd. for interest, would leave ,£27,450 16s. available for dividend.; The directors proposed to declare at the usual rate, viz., 14 per cent, per annum, and place thebalaftce (£3539 lis. 4d.) to the reserve fund. The number of ships discharged at the Company's pier from 30th of April to 31st of October, 1858, was 74. The receipts of the half year had amounted to : £39,359, 15s. 4d., and, after deducting working expenses, a balance of £27,450 16s. remained. The general account of the Company shewed assets to the amount of .£454,230 16s. sd. Our main trunk line may now be said to have passed tbe period of its nativity, as the Williamstown line and 20 miles of the main line will be opened in the beginning of January next. Al-. ready a committee of the legislature is named for the purpose of distributing the tickets, and there ! is no doubt that a very grand ceremonial will take place on the occasion. It must be admitted that the Government have been resolute and. energetic in carrying out the plans, and that two or three years will see us in possession of our main arterial lines of communication. ' The mysterious murder of a boy, of about eig>ht years old, in Richmond Paddock, is not quite cleared up yet; but the evidence adduced points almost conclusively to a female, with whom and the boy's father, an improper intimacy existed, as the author of this horrible crime. Her only mofive appears to have been hatred to tbe pooi* lad, who, the father said in his evidence,*'did not like . my intimacy with the woman. He appeared to have a great aversion to her." She first tried to drown him in the lagoon, but was disturbed by; two gentlemen, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Cameron, who found them in the middle of the water, the . boy crying for help, and who got them out, and then left them. It was very dark at the time, and soon after parting company, Mr. Cameron's suspicions became somewhat excited jfor he went back again to try to find them. These gentlemen describe the boy as an intelligent youth, who ans. werefl their questions readily. He was crying out lustily while in the lagoon!,'but Tie made no appeal for protection when placed on the dry land. The wretched woman has hitherto evaded the activity of the police force.