, given with good mortgage security, is L20 per
cent; and in some instances, where a little risk is taken, L25 and L30.
Bills past due at the bank, are charged L12 per cent. A court of law (by
act of Council) allows L8 per cent on all bills sued upon, with a
discretionary power of extending the rate to L12 per cent, to cover any
damage or loss sustained. There are two Club houses, a Royal Exchange, and
some very large buildings for stores. A spacious new jail is building in a
most commodious situation, and a public court house will soon follow; the
one existing being but small and temporary. The new customhouse, which has
been completed since my arrival is a fine building, and forms one side of
the Market Square. In front of this, and about four hundred yards distant,
stands the wharf. Melbourne rejoices likewise in its theatre, or, as it is
called, "_pavilion_," which place of amusement, however, the governor does
not think proper to license. His refusal is, I believe, very properly
founded upon the questionable condition of the morals of the great body of
the population. Two hours at the police-office any morning, afford a
stranger a tolerably clear insight into this subject generally, and
acquaint him particularly with the over-night deportment of the
Melbournese. The police magistrate holds any thing but a sinecure. We have
three newspapers in Melbourne, namely, _The Patriot_, _The Herald_, and
_Gazette_, each published twice a-week; the first on Monday and Thursday,
the second on Tuesday and Friday, the third on Wednesday and Saturday; so
that we have a newspaper every day. The advertisements are numerous and
varied in matter. I have heard upon good authority that the proprietor of
any one of these journals draws at least L4000 to L5000 per annum from the
profits of them. It is not difficult to account for these enormous gains.
Every thing here is sold by auction, and the advertisements are in
consequence more numerous than they would otherwise be. An auctioneer
alone, in good business, will pay each of the papers about L1000 per annum
for printing and advertising his numerous sales. We have a supreme court
with a suitable establishment of officers. John Walpole Willis, Esq., was
resident judge. He is now amongst you, for, by the slip which carries this
letter, he starts for England, circumstances having occurred that render
it necessary for him to vindicate in person a character which requires no
vindication. The peo