South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Saturday 9 May 1840, page 5


EMIGRATION DEPOT.

To the Editors of the South Australian Register. Adelaide, 2nd May, 1840.

I am, &c. A FRIEND TO IMMIGRATION.

GENTLEMEN— One of the most important weekly returns from the Emigration Department is that showing the state of the labour market. Since Mr. Smillie's resignation of the

office of Immigration Agent, no returns of the unemployed emigrants have been published. As the neglect may give rise to unfounded rumours concerning the numbers remaining at the Square, out of work, I beg to ask if you know why the publication of a document so useful here and abroad, is not continued!

[We really cannot give anything as a reason beyond our supposition, that the young gentleman who temporally fills the office, is not aware of the very great importance of the return our corres-pondent refers to, and has consequently neglec-ted to furnish it. When His Excellency returns, the omission will probably be brought under his notice.—Editors.]

GLENELG. —The other day Messrs Bentham and Nonmus disposed of several lots in Glenelg —the average price obtained for which was about £100 per acre. Superior frontages sold at from 9s. to 17s. 6d. per foot. The WEATHER.—The present promises to be more favorable to the labors of the bus-bandman than either of the last two seasons. During the past month we have had abundant rains at intervals, and the country now looks quite fresh—grass being in great abundance, and the wheat crop beginning to appear above ground in the enclosures. Yesterday morning a slight hoar frost was observed, which was followed by a heavy fall of rain last night. Joint Stock Cattle Cattle.—We refer our readers—and those persons especially who have hitherto been sceptical with regard to the superior capabilities of South Australia— to the advertisetneut of the above company, containing the statement of their affairs, which

while found in another column. There can be no mistake or misrepresentation in figures; and, in the present instance, we think it right not have been unfair to value the splendid farm of the company, of 1000 acres—one of the richest tracts probably in Australia—at some-thing above the price originally paid for it, namely, twenty shillings per acre. For in-terior stations have been sold at from £4 to £5; and the shareholders of this flourishing company are certainly richer by a few thousands than may have ventured to state. So much the better for them and the colony. After this, what further encouragement can settlers in the bush require? SOUTH AUSTRALIAN INSURANCE COMPANY. —The commencement of this important estab-lishment, we rejoice to say, is now certain [?] to the extent of 50,000l. has been [?] during the week; and on the 1st June its operations will commence. It is supported, we rejoice to hear, by the entire [?] body, and comprises among its the [?] of almost every influen-tial [?] of the community. Will our imperial friends in the other colonies, who [?] [?] over the [?] fortunes of their best customer, cite this fact as a new proof of there [?] progression of South Australia? OUR WHALE FISHERIES.—The fishery at Encounter Bay has commenced. The first whale was caught on Monday last, by Messrs. Hack and Hart's party. There is this season at the Bay, belonging to the above party, seven boats; and eight boats are lowered by the Wallaby, from Hobart Town, and another vessel whose name we have not ascertained, likewise fishing at the Bay. At Sleaford Bay Messrs Hack and Hart have four boats; and two boats, we believe, are fishing on the Port Lincoln station. SALE OF STOCK.—Mr Osborne has just sold his fine herd of 830 head of cattle at prices which he considers satisfactory and remunera-tive. Mr Howe has sold 100 head of choice bullocks, out of his large stock, at an equally fair figure; and Captain Smythe and Mr Hamilton are about to distribute their herd by the novel mode of a lottery. Mr Charles Campbell, Mr Stein, Mr Kinchela, and Cap-tain Finniss, who have just left us for Sydney in the Courier, return, as soon as possible, with fresh berds and flocks, so well satisfied are they with the prices they have realized. Here are a few more nuts for our colonial croakers! LITERATURE.—We have been favored with a sight of a new London monthly periodical, entitled the South Australian Miscellany and New Zealand Review, the first number of which was published in October last. There is nothing in the number now before us which could in any way interest our readers—it being principally a compilation from the South Aus-tralian and other papers, and from works on Australia and New Zealand, accompanied by a few common-place remarks on emigration and British colonization. THE GOVERNOR'S RETURN.—We are happy to announce the arrival overland from Point Riley of Mr John Hill, who accompanied his Excellency in his exploratory expedition north-ward from Port Lincoln. Mr Hill left the Governor and his party all well on Monday [?] night at Lagoon Harbour, on the western shores of Spencer's Gulf, on the eve of re-turning to Port Lincoln—whence he may be expected in the course of the present week. Mr Hill was landed by the cutter at Point Riley, and rode thence to Adelaide in four days. A very excellent tract of country, we hear, commences about twenty miles to the eastward of the point, and continues the whole way till it joins the known country at the head of St Vincent's Gulf.—Chronicle. CATTLE STEALING.—The week before last, we stated that two men had been apprehended on the Sunday evening previous, in the act of slaughtering stolen cattle. They were brought up before the Resident Magistrate on Tuesday week, when they were remanded and brought up again last week. From evidence then pro-duced, it appeared, that on the [?], Sergeant Halford of the police, accom-panied by Thomas Naughton, a police constable, constable out about dusk in the evening, he having a suspicion from what he had beard, that some-thing not right was going on. They went to what is called the Black Forest, to the right of the road leading to the Bay, where Halford had received information of the existence of a secret stockyard. After considerable searching, they came upon the yard, which is situated in the midst of a dense low scrub, in a situation that it is almost impossible to discover it. In the stock yard there were three men, who appeared to be busy at work round a beast which was ly-ing on its back on the ground. When the po-licemen got up to the yard, Sargeant Halford stopped off his horse on to the fence; and whilst he was doing so, the three men leaped over the fence on the opposite side and made off. Hal-ford and Naughton gave chase, and each suc-ceeded in capturing a man. The one caught by Naughton managed, however, to get away again. Naughton thinks his name is Fenton. The name of the man caught by Halford, is Jo-seph Broadrip. They returned to the stock yard, where they found a bullock dray with four bullocks in it—three cattle slaughtered—one cut in quarters, another [?] on which they were a [?] being on the ground in its skin. There were four large empty casks on the dray, and a bag of salt lying beside it. Broadrip stated, that he was employed by a person of the name of John Gofton, at whose house he lodged; that on the Sunday afternoon. Gofton and a man named Fenton, had told him to get the dray

ready with four casks and a bag of salt, as he was going to kill some cattle and salt them. They all went to the stock yard, where Gofton killed three bullocks—one of which they were skinning when the policemen came up, when Gofton told him to run away. Several head of cattle were found in the stock yard by the po-liceman, which were taken into town. Mr. Hamilton identified five of them as being the property of Mr. Mundy, who has gone to Swan River. The cattle had been under Mr Ham-ilton's care. Mr. J. H. Fisher identified a cow, which was found in the pen, as his property; and Mr. Letts, Adelaide, identified another cow and calf as belonging to him. On the Monday morning, the policemen went to Gofton's house and apprehended him. they were again brought up before the Resident Magistrate on Monday, and remanded for a week—chronicle. On Tuesday night, a large party of the colo-nists connected with the importation and breed-ing of stock, entertained a number of gentlemen who have arrived overland and are on the eve of departing for Sydney, at Fordham's Hotel, the Hon. Capt. Sturt in the chair; Duncan Macfar-lane and Thomas Gilbert, Esquires, croupiers. Numberous appropriate toasts were given by the [?] and by Messrs C. Campbell, Stein, Evelyn Sturt, Knott, Morphett, Stevenson, Gilbert, &c. and the evening was spent with that good feeling and harmony which we trust will always continue to characterise the inter-course between the inhabitants of this and the neighbouring colonies.—Chronicle. RUNAWAY CONVICTS. —In the Resident Magistrate's Court, last week, Patrick Dog-berry was brought up on suspicion of being a runaway convict from Port Phillip. The pri-soner admitted that he was not a free man— [?] [?] to an estate about 160 miles from Melbourne— but said that he had been forced away by Spage and Guess, two Port Phillip bushrangers who were apprehended here some weeks ago. He was ordered to be sent back to his master, accompanied by the state-ment he had made. Another person named John Smith, was brought up on a simlar charge, but was remanded.— Chronicle.