Sydney Monitor and Commercial Advertiser (NSW : 1838 - 1841), Monday 4 January 1841, page 2


Port Phillip. MISDEMEANOR. - Mr. Leadbeater was charged at the Police-office on Tuesday morning, with forcibly taking the memorial of a deed from the office of Mr. T'hurlow, without his consent. The evidence was the same as that produced on a previous occasion, when Mr. Leadbeater was charged with fraudulently possessinig himself of the deed, and the court dismissed the case.-Port Phillip Herald. Dec. 18. CHARGE OF FELONY. - On Wednesday morn-ing, Messrs. Purves and Lilly entered the Police-office apparently in great haste, and made appli-cation for a warrant against a Mrs. Hordern upon a charge of feloniously taking an important document, the property of Mr. Lilly. T'he applicants stated that if the warrant was not speedily granted the woman would escape, being one of the passengers by the Clonmell for Sydney. It appeared that Mrs. Hordern purchased some ground in Collins-street, from Mr. Lilly, and a written engagement in duplicate was drawn out between the parties, which each signed, and the original copy was placed in the hands of Mr. Purves. On the morning of Wednesday, she requested to see the document, which Mr. Purves as the agent of Mr. Lilly acceded to, and allowed her to take it into her possession. She retired for the purpose, as she stated, of shewing it up. As the evidence simply proved the detention of the paper without showing a felonious intention the bench refused to grant the application. P. P. Herald. THe BLACKS. - Two native blacks were on Wednesday last brought into Melbourne by the Police, charged with having been concerned in the late murder at Mr. Mackay's station.- P. P. Herald. THE PROTECTORATE. - The oftener we con-sider this subject the more we are convinced of its utter uselessness, as at present provided by the Government; and we must confess whenever we do revert to it, it is with pain that we are com-pelled to drag before the public a body of gentle-men whose public duties (albeit none of the pleasantest) bring them frequently into unpleasant contact with the settlers. From recent intelli-gence which has arrived in Melbourne, it appears that the Aborigines are mustered in strong num-bers in the neighbourhood of the Ovens River; already has one unfortunate individual met his death at their hands, whilst a stockman has received a severe wound from a spear. It is more than likely that these outrages will be of frequent occurrence in a part of the country so densely populated by the natives, and so thinly inhabited by Europeans. In justice therefore to both parties, the Government ought to take immediate and effective measures for their mutual protection. Why does not Sir George Gipps attach a few Mounted Police to the establishment of the Protectors, who should move from place to place as the blacks themselves did; by their pre-sence the Aborigines would be kept in awe, and the Settlers would enjoy a comparative degree of security at present unknown to them. It seems to be a characteristic feature of the Sydney Government to expose its officers to every species of annoyance and degradation, and no class more so than the Protectors. With duties as arduous, (if properly performed), and equally as disagree-able as those of other Government servants; endeavoiuring to prove the efficacy of a plan as yet in its incipient state; they are divested of the means and shorn of the power of testing its merits. The very Settlers hail the approach of the Protectors with alarm, and exclaim with Macbeth, " Infected be the air whereon they ride, Ann damn'd, all those that trust them," whilst the Aborigines, who were led to believe that they would not only enjoysecurity, but food and raiment in abundance from them, are now beginning to find out that their expectations are not likely to be verified, and they consequently run riot. Such then is the predicament in which Sir. George Gipps leaves the Protectorate; and uch are the steps by which he seeks to conciliate the evil passions and jealous dispositions of the sable lords of this soil; but he may depend upon it, that if he does not cause more effective means to be taken to check the hostile incursions of these children of nature, the settlers will unite en masse, for their own defence, and the conse quences can hardly be foretold. It is ridiculous, we fear, to attempt to domesticate these unfortu-nate beings, or to bring them to sit down quietly in any establishment that may be found in the interior for that purpose; their nature is too erratic, and disposition both too indolent and wild ever to accomplish a consummation so devoutly to be wished for." This is a question which must yet form matter of grave consideration by the government. -- P. P. Patriot. THE HARVEST -- The accounts from the interior of this province are of a most cheering description. Every where the harvest is most abundant, and the grain of excellent quality. Between two and three hundred bushels of prime wheat has already been cut and stacked on the station of John Cropper, Esq., the whole of which grew nearly six feet high. The only thing wanted is labour ! labour ! ! labour ! ! ! - Ibid. CATTLE - A splendid pure bred Durham Bull exported by Mr. Marshall, has arrived in the "' Orient," in good condition after so long a voyage. Mr. Bolden has also imported by the " Dumfries," four superior bulls of equally pure breed. We think we shall soon rival, if not exceed our northern neighbours in the excellence of the breed of our cattle. - Ibid. SIR GEORGE GIPPS AND MR. GISBORNE. - In the early part of September last.,His Excellency is reported to have said in the Legislative Council, that he considered the Crown Lands Commissioner (Mr. Gisborne,) as a "negligent inefficient officer, more intent upon pleasure than business." . In the correspondence which passed between Mr. Dredge and the Colonial Government, (published in our last number's supplement,) we find the fol-lowing very remarkable contradiction to this charge :-- " The Commissioner of Crown Lands, His Excellency is happy to say, is amongst the most eflicient officers of this Government." Placing these two assertions in juxta-position, an inference is left for the public to draw, which in the ordinary walks of life would consign the per-petrator of such inconsistent conduct to a length-ened visit to Coventry. -- P. P. Herald. CASH - By the 'Orient,' and other late arrivals, we are happy to learn, that the cash market has received a temporary benefit in the deposit at the banks by immnigration of £30,000. Large, how-ever, as such an amount may appear, it is but as a drop in the ocean, in the present state of this por-tion of the Colony, where so many opportunities are offered for the advantageous investment of capital. - P. P. Herald. THE BLACKS. - We are sorry to hear that the Aborigines in the neighbourhood of the Ovens are exceedingly troublesome, having murdered some gentleman, who has not yet been identified, and speared a stockman. Two of them who have been identified and taken, are brought into town under charge of the border police. Can it be true that a settler in the above neighbourhood, has entrusted four of the natives, whom he em-ploys shepherding, with a double barrelled gun and ammunition each? If so, we beg to inform him that he is acting against the Law, and we hope will be made amenable to it. We have heard that the tribes are mustering in the above named locality, and number nearly one thousand strong. Surely the governmnent should despatch a strong body of police for the protection of the of settlers, or we can foresee the cousequences.-P. P. Patriot. FLAG STAFF. - We sometime since announced that the present flag-staff was found to be a SIGNAL failure, in consequence of its being too low, and that a new one., fifty feet high, was to be erected. Week after week, however, has passed away since we first announced the circum-stance upon good authority, and the flag-staff remains in statu quo. We trust that the delay is occasioned by a decision on the part of his Honor to remove it to the hill at the back of Dr. McCrae's. - Ibid.