Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 - 1861), Saturday 7 May 1853, page 3


DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

IPSWICH.

(From our Correspondent.)

The adjourned General Licensing Meeting was held on Tuesday the 2nd inst., when certificates were granted to the following parties:-Martin Byrne, Rose Inn, Gatton ; Collin Peacock, Sports man's Anns, Little Ipswich ; Alexander Whyte, North Star, Ipswich ; James Cook, Harp of Erin, ditto ; John Macdonald, Queen's Arms, ditto ; Joseph Brennan, Rainbow Inn, ditto ; Malcolm MCLean, Steam Packet Inn, ditto ; Jacob James; Crown Inn, ditto; Donald Davidson, Red Cow, ditto; Stephen Broom, Albion Tavern, ditto, John Clune, Shearers' Arms, ditto ; R. E. Dix, Bush Inn. The license of Mr. W. T. Hardgrave was refused, because of the several convictions against him in the Police Office, and the disor-derly character of the House.

Colonel Gray, our lately appointed Police Ma-gistrate, has, I regret to say, been severely in-jured, by having been thrown from a gig on Wed-nesday last. I am happy to say that he is

recovering.

Ipswich, April 28, 1853.

THE IMMIGRANTS - All the Florentia's im-migrants have been landed in Brisbane, and about ninety have already been engaged, at wages averaging £40 for married couples, £30 for single men, and £14 to £20 for single women, with rations and lodging. The local Immigra-tion Board is now engaged in the investigation of certain charges against the ship's officers, but what their nature or justice may be remains a mystery.

THE MEMBER FOR WIDE BAY, BURNETT, AND MARANOA.-- We understand that Mr. R. J.

Smith, the representative of tho above named districts, intends to proceed to Sydney by the first steamer, in order to take his seat in the Legislative Council.

THE REGATTA.-The subscription list for the proposed Regatta at Brisbane, on the Queen's

Birth Day, is being well filled ; about two-thirds of the required amount being already subscribed.

INDECENT ASSAULT.--Robert Riddle, an old sinner well known at the Police Office, was yester-day brought up on a charge of Indecently assaulting a little girl about eight years old. The hearing of the case was postponed till this day.

NEWS ROOM.—It has been suggested that, at the cost of a trifling subscription, one of the lower rooms in the old Barrack building might be used as a commercial or newsroom, and being very centrically situated, would be exceedingly conve-nient as a place of meeting to discuss the topics of the day. The embryo Exchange might be supplied with prices current and Shipping Lists, and exchange papers from the local newspaper offices. We have no doubt but that Captain Wickham would favourably entertain any appli-

cation the matter.

BURNETT DISTRICT.—We are informed by a person just arrived from Gayndah that the Native Police had captured one of the abori-ginals charged with the murder of the late Mr. Trevethan, and had lodged him in the lock-up at Gayndah, where he is awaiting the arrival of a witness who can identify him. Another of the murderer's had been shot in the attempt to take him. We are further informed of several parties having passed Gayndah on their way to the Port Curtis country. The blacks in that direc-tion were said to have already displayed symp-toms of hostility.

LABOUR.—Mr. George Watson, who it is known has had considerable experience in the labour market here, is attempting to negotiate with the employers of labour an arrangement by virtue of which he would be prepared to proceed to England, and there select and ship direct to this port the labourers required. It will also be seen, from an advertisement else-

where, that Mr. Edward Lord is about to pro-ceed to Germany on a similar mission. Certainly some efficient steps must be taken to keep up the supply of labour, as but little more need be expected from the Land fund.

STEALING ON SHIP BOARD.-On Thursday 1 8 William Henry Cox, steward of the Florentia, was charged at the Police Office, before Messrs. Dun-can and Ferriter, with having stolen a quantity of wine on board of that ship, on the 17th January last. The case was substantiated by the evidence of Frederick Pierce and Daniel Bryan, passengers by the Florentia, who had been acting as consta-bles, and who, according to their own account, were present when the steward opened a wine cask in the store, and took out four bottles, which the three of them drunk. Capt. Banks deposed that the wine was in the prisoner's charge at the time. The prisoner read a long defence, the chief point of which seemed to be that when the Floren-tia put into Hobart Town he asked the Captain if he had any charge against him, and the latter re-plied in the negative; but Capt. Banks handed to the bench a letter, in which prisoner had virtually

confessed the offence with which he was now charged. The case was dealt with under the Mercantile Marine Act, and the prisoner was sen-tenced to twelve weeks' imprisonment in Brisbane gaol. One Joseph Pinch, a supernumerary seaman, of the Florentia, was called for the defence, and proved that on the night of the 17th January the two witnesses Pierce and Bryan were quite drunk. In the course of giving this evidence, the witness Pinch gave ocular proof of another fact - namely

that he was then drunk himself.

BRISBANE HOSPITAL.-The House Surgeon's re-port for May shows the following results ; Re-mained last return, 15 ; since admitted, 12 ; dis-charged, 0; died, 4 ; remaining in hospital, 14.

THE COMET.-On Saturday night last a comet was visible in tho sky towards the eastward. It was first soon just after dark, and set about nine o'clock. On Sunday and Monday evening it re-mained longer in sight, but was evidently receding.

With an ordinary telescope the tail was very dis-tinctly visible, trending upwards towards east south east, and occupying a space of a little more than the apparent distance between the extreme stars of Orion, a little to the south-ward of which constellation it appeared. On Tuesday evening it was still observed, but more faintly, and since, owing to the nights being hazy, we have not been able to observe it.

UNCLAIMED LETTERS IN BRISBANE POST OF-FICE.-John Andrews, Anne Archer, James Braithwaite, Anne Bailey, George Buckley, Elizabeth Byrne, Mrs. Howley, Bridget Harety, Thomas England, James Fogarty, Mary Fitz-patrick, Jane Frances, James Fitzgerald, Thomas Glissan, John Harding, James Hammond, Miss W. Johnstone, Mrs. Et Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Kiley, Solomon Leeder, John R. Mason, Bridge, M'Weeney, Patrick Mahegar, Bridget M'Kurdle Stafford W. Perrott, Esq., R. Pickering, Jame' Ryan, W. Thompson Esq , Mr. J. Thompson, Margaret Freeney, James Tremble, W. Weston, George Willis.

UNCLAIMED LETTERS IN IPSWICH POST OF-FICE.-James Brockwell, W. Barns, J. W. Brown, John Chambers, John Consibee, E. Consibee (2), Archibald Cameron, John Coçoo, S Doig, Catherine Dipsey, John Francis, Bridget Kelly, Donald Kennedy, M'Culloch, Esq., John Noot, William Stevens, Mr. Stubbins, J. H. Reynold, Ann Casey, Mr. S. Taylor. James Williams.