There is a report that gold has been found in the
Waterkloof; from whence, it is said, an officer has sent
down a specimen of sand or soil containing particles of
the precious metal. Some excitement had been raised;
but the story is unconfirmed. The report of the
Committee appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor to examine
the indications of the alleged deposits of coal near
Cape Town has decided against the existence of the
deposits.

The advices from Canada state that the Provincial
Assembly after a very warm debate, which lasted four
days, adopted the address to the Queen, asking for
power to distribute the clergy reserved lands. Mr.
Young, the Commissioner of the Board of Public Works,
has resigned in consequence of the government having
resolved to put on American vessels passing the Welland
Canal the same tolls as are paid by British vessels passing
both the Welland and St. Lawrence canals, and to
restore the differential duties against direct American
trade by placing higher duties on goods coming that
way than on those coming by the St. Lawrence. Mr.
Hincks, in behalf of the remaining members of the
cabinet, explained to the Assembly that the object of
the new policy was to induce the United States to grant
reciprocity.

In the Canadian Legislative Assembly an important
bill has been read a second time for the modification of
the usury laws. The object of the bill is to destroy
penalties for usury, but only to allow the present legal
rate of 6 per cent., to be recovered by law. Almost the
entire voice of the representatives from Upper Canada
was in its favour, but it was strongly opposed by the
French Canadians, who consider usury a crime. The
resolutions of the government for making the
Legislative Council elective have been discussed by the
house, but no vote has yet been taken upon them.
Much exception was taken to the details of the
ministerial scheme, but all sides of the house, and marvellous
to relate, even the Tories admitted that the principle of
election would have to be applied to the second branch
of our legislature. The proposed change is a very vital
one, and the sentiments expressed upon it show how
rapid has been the progress of political ideas in this
province.

The parliament of the Ionian Islands was prorogued
by Sir Henry Ward on the 15th of September, to the
1st of March, 1854; on the ground that the members
had refused to enable him to establish measures of
moderate constitutional reform. In dismissing the
parliament, the Governor threatened to use his
extraordinary powers "without scruple."

The news from the Australian Gold-Diggings
continues to be favourable. The number of ounces of gold
brought by the weekly escort from Mount Alexander
into Melbourne during the last week in July was
100,000; and it was estimated that a million sterling of
unemployed money was in the hands of labourers. As
labour in Victoria is said to be too dear for sheep-
shearing, the sheep were to be slaughtered to supply
the diggers with mutton. The monthly escort from
Mount Alexander to Adelaide has been established; and
the assay-office in Adelaide has got into working order.
The total amount deposited in the office to the 25th of
June exceeded £550,000. Stocks are reported as being
low, and money was finding an investment on land.
A proclamation from the Lieutenant-Governor prorogued
the Legislative Council of South Australia from the
1st of July to the 1st of September.

PROGRESS OF EMIGRATION AND COLONISATION.

Mrs. Chisholm is assiduously engaged in holding
Group Meetings for the promotion of Family Emigration
in different quarters of the metropolis. One of
them, held in Spicer-street Chapel, Spitalfields, on the
15th inst., was attended by a large assemblage of persons
belonging chiefly to the classes of clerks and governesses
to whom she especially directed an address replete with
sound and practical advice. One portion of it, relating
to herself personally, was peculiarly interesting:—

"I am," she said, "going, next year, to return to the colony,
where all must feel that it is necessary to make preparations
for females on their arrival, and, when that is done, thousands
of parents will gladly send their daughters to Australia. It is
to meet, in some degree, this difficulty, that I am going out in
June next. I hope that many young girls will by that time be
able to wash their own caps and frills for the first time. They
must learn to make puddings and pies, and toss their own
beds; and when they can do these things, all that is necessary
to be done in a house, they will be fit for Australia. It seems
that a greater number of situations are offering in Australia
for clerks and book-keepers who understand double entry.
There is, therefore, a better prospect of obtaining what are
called light employments in the colony. Emigration was
expected to do a great deal of harm; but I find it has done good
to everybody. I find that the 'poor' curates, as we call them,
are to have their salaries increased in Australia. You know
that there is always a difficulty in finding one's relations and
friends in Australia. During the time I was there, I kept
a registry of every person with whom I had any connexion.
I have that registry here, so that I may so far be of use
to those who wish to know where their friends are. I
have remittances mentioned in this paper to the amount of
£3000 for the conveyance of 474 persons. My son, who is
here this evening, will be shortly leaving me for Australia.
He is going there to earn his bread, but I have a claim on him,
and his father has a still greater claim on him. For a time we
want his help—that is to say, his leisure hours—and if young
men would only employ their leisure hours in something useful,
it would keep them from a great deal of temptation. He is
going to the diggings, not for the purpose of digging gold, but
for the purpose of being a link of communication between
Captain Chisholm in Melbourne and myself in this country,
with the view of finding out the relations of persons here. His
occupation to-day has been to see wives, in order to get from
them a description of their husbands. And his particular
office, when he. gets to the diggings, will be to look after the
'shufflers,' as those men are called in New South Wales who in
any way neglect their wives. Many make an excuse by saying
that they cannot write, but my son will write for them, so that
excuse will no longer do. Men may say I would send for you,
but I feared the danger of the sea voyage, with nobody to
protect you on the passage; but I will take as many wives as are
sent for, and those husbands who do not send for their wives
will see me every week at the diggings till they do. I know
many wives might have gone with their husbands if they had
not listened to the advice of some foolish friend or relative who
suggested to them that it would be better for the man to go in
the first instance. That is bad advice, for I know, when it
comes to emigration and the bush, man has not half the energy
of woman. If any persons are anxious to hear of their relatives
in the colonies, no matter whether they have been 'sent out' at
her Majesty's expense or not, they have only to give me the
name of the party, and if I do not find him out it will be a
strange thing to me. I am certain that 90 out of every 100 persons
would be glad to assist their friends to go out, if they knew
they were anxious to do so; but no man who lived in Australia
was willing to undertake the responsibility of advising others to
emigrate. If you give me the name of your friends I will send
it to my hushand, who will find them out, and they will no
doubt send for you. They have no way of spending their
money. One poor person told me she had nine silk dresses,
but they were of no use to her, because somebody else got them
cut from the same piece; and another told me she could not
enjoy her wealth because she had no poor persons to give it to.
I can assure you I shall spare no pains or trouble till I bring
about that happy re-union of families for which I feel the
greatest interest."

The Canterbury Association ceased its colonising
functions and its land sales in this country on the 30th
of September. The circumstances which have led to
this result are stated to be:—first, a mis-understanding
with her Majesty's government; and, secondly, with
the directors of the New Zealand Company, to whom
the association is largely indebted. The committee of
the Canterbury Association, feeling themselves placed
in a difficult position, have endeavoured to transfer
their functions to the colonial legislature. Her Majesty's
government, however, have refused to allow this, without
a settlement of the claims of the Crown and the
New Zealand Company on the funds of the association.
The demands made are considered by the Canterbury
Association to be unjust, and there appears at present
no hope of terminating the dispute, except by the most
summary proceedings on the part of her Majesty's
government, or an action at common law between the
company and the association. The correspondence
between the Canterbury Association and the Colonial
Secretary has been published, from which it appears
that the government has refused to comply with the
proposals of the committee of management, and that all
friendly negociations are at an end.