SYDNEY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1412, 13 March 1860, Page 5

SYDNEY.

The -following telegraphic summary for Europe jS from the Sydney Herald- of the 14th instant.

Sir Alfred Stephen, the Chief Justice of the colony, proceeds to England- by this mail on a twelvemonths' leave of absence. Mr. Justice •Dickensou will be Acting Chief Justice ; and Mr. Wise, the piesent Attorney' Geueral, will be raised to the Bench.

Parliament re-assembled on the 24th of Jan; after the Christmas holidays. i Sir Daniel Cooper resigned the chair of the Legislative Assembly, after filling it nearly four years, and received the unanimous thanks of the House for bis services. Mr. T. A. Murray was elected to the racant Speakership. The Government will introduce vheir Land Bill into the 1 Assembly on the 16th instant, and a bill to abolish State-aid to religion to.morrow.

The Estimates for 1860 are still postponed. A vote of credit for February has been giyen to the Government by the Assembly. Dr. Lang's Triennial Assemblies was thrown out on the third reading. The Assembly has voted the sum of £3000, for a reward for the discovery of new gold fields.

A resolution, condemning tbe late Government for withholding from Parliament despatches from the Secretary of State, relating to the Assessment on Huns Act, has been almost unanimously carried in the Assembly. Mr. Cowper having resigned, on his second election for East Sydney, Mr. Faucett was returned by a small majority. The telegraphic Hue to Maitland has been opened. A second wire to Albury is being stretched.

Floods heavier than any yet known have visited the country to the southward dining the last few days, but are now subsiding. At Catndeu the river has risen thirty feet, and the waters cov.er halfofjtlie town. A large amount of property has been damaged. Messrs, Peto and Co's railway works are progressing.

New diggings have been discovered at the Snowy River, sixty miles from Cooma. Abo'.;t 1500 miners are on the spot, aud the yield hitherto is promising. Two bales of alpaca wool, the produce of Mr. Ledger's flock, have been shipped by the Government, for sale in London.

The receipts by the gold escorts during January were : 20,559 ozs., being an increase of 3£ per ceiit. on the same month of last year. The rjceipts at the Sydney Mint for January were 72,830 ozs., and the issue 274,000 soverings. The Customs revenue for January amounted to £43,215 13s. Id.

Trade is improving. Wool is .coming down freely from the stations. The price of wool has lowered about l£d. per lb.

Exchange on London: Selling rate per cent premium at 60 dnys' sight. Buying 1 per cent, discount to par.