South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Saturday 10 January 1846, page 2


LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

We congratulate our friends on the advance on sheep. An old colonist assures us he cannot replace under 15s. those sheep he is supplying per contract to the Burra. Burra Mine, at 12s 6d.

The heat of last Wednesday was so great, as far to exceed anything we have had during the present season. The thermometer at the Government offices, outside the building and in a southern exposure indicated 100½° at 10 in the morning, and continued rising till about a quarter before 2 o'clock, at which time it had reached the maximum heat observed, 106½°. This was the more remarkably as there was a gentle wind at north in the morning, which kept steadily veering away to die westward, notwithstanding which die instrument still showed 103½° at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and the heat continued to be very great, during almost the whole of the night. This being the third day of clear, hot sunshine, was, as is usually the case, succeeded on Thursday by a high wind, plenty of dust, some thunder, and a little rain, which reduced the temperature so low as to make the air almost uncomfortably cold, the ther-mometer not ranging much above 80°. The refresh-ing influence of this change of temperature on vegeta-tion was strongly marked, and could scarcely escape observation.

It has frequently been asserted that the lands in this portion of the Southern Hemisphere only require "scratching" to put them in a condition to produce corn; and in many instances this is true enough; but we have special instances upon record, where the soil has yielded its increase without any kind of stirring. The first crop of self-sown wheat which came under the notice of our very credible informant, was that of Mr Ferguson, which comprised fifty acres. The land had been ploughed and sown in three following years, but the fourth and last crop of 1800 bushels was obtained without the smallest attempt at cultivation, being in every sense of the word a self-sown crop. Dr. Penfold's farm at Makgill has been the scene of the spontaneous production alluded to.

That regard for the public convenience which has ever distinguished the arrangements of the Bank of South Australia, is about to be further manifested by a new ap-proach from Hindley-street direct, and which, it is said, will be opened, as soon as the plan and design shall have been determined on.

Amongst the advantageous removals of the present stirring times, we have much pleasure in noticing that of Messrs C. & F. J. Beck, who have now taken pos-session of their recently purchased, extensive, and highly desirable premises, at the corner of Hindley and King Wiliam-streets.

The exterior portion of the new steam mill of Messrs Paxton & Co. in Grenfell-street approach completion. The chimney, which is seventy-five feet high, and re-markably handsome, was built without any external scaffolding, and is handsomely coped with freestone.

Mr Bentham Neales has, with his accustomed libera-lity, made a voluntary offer of the temporary use of his Colonnade to the growers of fruit; so that on and after Saturday next, dealers and other wholesale buyers may daily be accommodated as they are in the London mar-kets, without waiting at home for uncertain arrivals of supplies brought to their doors, under circumstances more or less disadvantageous and uncertain. But the sellers, as well as the buyers, will be greatly benefited by the proposed arrangements, and until a regular mar-ket-place, central and sufficiently capacious, be erected, we think the growers can scarcely be grateful enough to the worthy proprietor of the Colonnade for the accom-modation thus opportunely afforded.

On Thursday last his Excellency the Lieutenant-Go-vernor sailed in the Lapwing accompanied by several officials to Rivoli Bay, where it is said to be his intention to examine the country and fix upon the site of the new township, which will be laid out forthwith, and such buildings as may be requisite for Government pur-poses are to be proceeded with without delay. He also intends to make a close investigation of the line of coast to the eastward, so as to gain a more accurate knowledge of the sea-board of the province in that direction, and purposes to extend his trip to six weeks or two months. Captain Lipson commands the cutter, and we hope we shall be able to lay some interesting communications before our readers on the return of this useful and plea-sant expedition.

The Match for 50 Sov. each, between Mr Clarke's Young Jack, and Mr P. Maurice's mare The Kitten, a came off on Thursday morning, and considering the very early hour (six o'clock) there was a fair sprinkling of sporting men, including some of the "knowing ones." Mr P. Maurice's ch. m., The Kitten (Fuller) 1 1 Mr Clarke's b. g., Young Jack 2 2 In the first heat, the mare challenged the horse at the to the Flat, where the mare began to shew out, and won cleverly by four or five lengths. In the second heat the start was at "railroad pace," and so continued to the ap-proach to the hollow; here Young Jack began to fall off, and it became "Barclay & Perkins" to "Adelaide Brewery." Won easily by several lengths. Previous to the start, it was whispered that the mare was "so so" in one of her fore legs. Whether this was a ruse or not we will not venture to assert; at any rate, her party were very sweet upon her—she never ran better considering her short training to prepare her for the "business" cut out for her at the races, and the rough work she had just left behind her; her condition does great credit to her trainer, and proves that she has some "good stuff" in her.