Bell's Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer (NSW : 1845 - 1860), Saturday 1 December 1849, page 2


LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.— We believe that Mr. Charles Cowper, the Railway King, finding that the affairs of his new office will require his undivided attention, intends to surrender his trust as the representative of the County of Cumberland into the hands of the constituency. Mr. Cowper has been an industrious and useful member of the Council, and we can only add, that he has turned his industry and tact to good account by tackling the little £600 per annum, voted from the funds of the Railway fiats. We prophesy that the job has floored the Railway £800 for the engineer, £600 for the manager,

and a considerable sum for assistants, before the first turf has been turned towards its formation.

HORSE STOCK.— To shew the deprecia-tion in the price of this species of stock in Syd-ney, we need only remark that nine mares, three of them with foals at their fact, were sold at the market yesterday for thirty shillings a head. The same animals, a few months ago, would have brought seven or eight times the amount.

CAPTAIN TOWNS' ONLY ATTEMPT AT A JOKE.— " These under-writers want to walk

right over me : but they'll find to their cost that it will be some time before they can knock Towns down." (Shooking ! shocking ! Oh ! Captain.)

CAPTAIN TOWNS' ONLY ATTEMPT AT A

MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—At St. Mary's Cathedral, on Monday last, the 26th ult., Henry Kemble, Esq., of Self-performing Five-Act-Tragedy celebrity, late of the City Theatre, Sydney, and formerly of the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane, London, to Alice Julia, relict of the late James Lake, Esq., of Sydney. From this interesting union it is to be hoped that a line (as long as Banquo's) of illustrious heroes and heroines of the sock and buskin will spring. Dark, indeed, will be the dramatic firmament, when the last line of the Kembles shall be ex-tinct. This is not the first appearance of the great actor in the Honeymoon.

A MILITARY GEOLOGIST.—How true is tho observation of the ancient philosopher " Riches bo around you and you seo them not ; tho truo wealth of nature you pass unceasingly, and heed it not, because of your mental blind-ness.'' Many a staid oblivious old gentleman has hunted attic and collar for his missing spec-tacles, which during his search wero perched two incites above his nose, and many a wonderful gem, of which wc knew not tho value, has flashed by us like a meteor. Often as wo have attended half-yearly military inspections in the Domain, and powdered our garments with dust in peripa tcticizing in tho vicinity of the Victoria Barracks, little did wo think tho walls of that establish-ment had tho honour of containing a geological genius. It was only by accident (one of those trivial causes which tend to great results, as tho falling apple led Sir Isaac Newton to that train of thought which gained him immortality) that wc discovered it, and wo hasten to put tho pub-lic in possession of nil our knowledge upon thc point. Tho gentleman to whom wc refer has not been long in tho Colony, and is highly esteemed by his brother officers for his extensive geological acquirements ; and not a singlo stone specimen do they pic.k up in their travels, from common silcx to Bath brick, that they do not tnko his valuable opinion upon. But, however, somo of the juveniles of the gallant corps are m the habit of playing little jokes occasionally upon their erudito companion. Ono of these occurred n few days since. They found upon tho mantle shelf in ono of the rooms a specimen of tho dulcis almonda, av sweet almond, four of which are sohl for a penny nt confectioners' shops, and as this had been lying untouched for somo two months except by flics und smoke, it had resumed a dingy appearance, entirely foreign to its original milk-white purity. By Jove ! there's a curiosity," said tho finder, " we'll have tho opinion of Paddy, (for such is the geologist's sobriquet) upon this." Before thc mystic words, " Jack Robinson or Chopstickscould bo uttered, Paddy was carefully examining thc curi-osity. Ho turned it round and round, fumbled it, smelt it, did nil but taste it, and after diving into Lyell, and conning tho Herald for W. B. C's and A. A.'s contributions touching geology, confessed himself completely nt fault. It was evidently a now genus litlws ; nothing had been seen liko it sinco tho pre-Adamito formation. " l liavo it, gentlemen," said tho enthusiast as tho happy thought struck him,— "I'll mount my steed and .away to Mr. William Macleay, the most scientific spirit of thc agc." Behold Pad-dy in tho pigskin galloping Uko mad towards Elizabeth Bay. Despite tho (ierco bloodhounds which guard tho walls of Mr. Macleay's hallowed mansion, the geologist managed to reach the in-terior in safety. Scated by the scientific proprie-tor, ho nt onco stated tho main object of his visit, and triumphantly produced his wondrous specimen, from a quadruplicated envelope of tissuo paper. " My opinion is," said ho diffi-dently, " that it U of the trap formation." " You arc quito right," replied Mr. Macleay quietly, after breaking tho specimen into pieces, " it is trap, and very well laid ; you aro sold, by George ! Sir, it is neither more nor lesa than a sweet almond. Sir, behold tho kernel.'* The most stiff martinet Colonel reading him a lcc turo could not havo produced a greater start from Paddy than did this announcement. Ho rushod.from tho room, and ero ho ¡oft Elizabeth Bay vowed vengeance against tho perpetrators of tho horrible sell. On reaching tho Barracks, which was not till twonfy-tour hours afterwards, he found tho mess anxiously on the look out for tho solution of tho problem. His answer may be readily imagined ; and its placability was not materially increased as tho real owner of tho saccharino condiment shouted after his retiring form-" By Jove ! Paddy, if my little Charloy had had it in his mouth for half n minute, he would have described it to you better than all tho geologists in the habitable globe."

GAUGE OF RAILWAYS IN AUSTRALIA AND THE COLONIES.—It has been determined, on the recommendation of the Railway Commissioners, to adopt the national, or narrow guage, of four feet eight and a half inches, for railways in the Australian colonies. The Commissioners, in their reports to Lord Grey upon this subject, state that they believe the gauge of four feet eight and a half inches will be found sufficiently wide for all the requirements of newly-settled colonies for a long period, and that as the Australian colonies will most probably be for some time dependent on the mother-country, for the working stock of their railways, there will be an advantage in being able to order engines exactly similar to some of those in use in this country. They are of opinion, at the same time, that where it is necessary to provide for a passenger traffic, and speed exceeding forty miles an hour is to be obtained, the wider gauge, by allowing a greater evaporative power to be given to the engines, would afford an advantage. This was in reply to a proposal by Lord Grey for adopting the five feet three inches, or Irish gauge.

WHAT'S IN THE WIND NOW?-In the S. M. Herald of Tuesday appeared this startling advertisement:- "A QUARTER PAST EIGHT. 0050." In these times of uncertainty, such a notice necessarily sot speculation on foot as to its menning. " Does it portend an earthquake, or any sudden antagonism of elementary pow-ers ?" enquired somo aghast. Others olection ocr-ingly inclined, surmised that Dr. Bland, Sheriff Young (wo bog his pardon, Ex-S.) Mr. Broadhurst, and Mr. Lamb, had formed a coali-tion to ropresont tho City of Sydney botwoon them, nnd that tho allinnco was to bo comcntcd nt tho mystic time of a (¿uartor past Eight ; but to this it was roplicd, that wcro it really so, tho four would give Sydney no quarter, ergo, I7I<I< idea was a fallacy. Tho following letter, which wo roceivod Into last night, enables us to solve tho mysterious announcement : - " To the Editors of Hell's Life in Sydney, Gentlomon. -As gontlomon I nppcnl to you ; cruel parents internoso themselves between mo and my heart's delight, who is in tho milingtnry-a real duck of a man. Thrico ho scaled our fence to clasp ino in his arms, and thrico was ho disappointed ; onco by our Snap, who took tho seating out of his ducks: secondly, by our ancient night watch-man, lying fast asleep, whom ho woko by making uso of ns a post to clamber ovor tho fonco ; and lastly, by Mn., who sprung up nt midnight) with a touch of rheumatics. What could I do ; my hopos wero blighted ; my letters intercepted ; what could I do, but tell him, through tho medium of a public paper, that at n ' (¿uartor past Eight,' his Matilda would fly to moot him. lie knows 'tis Saturday I mean, and tho placo tho Lover's Walk. Bless J migo Stopbcn 1 Bless him ! Bloss him for his thoughtfulness. Don't disclose this-not for tho world ! Yours -no !-his-MATILDA."

A POSER.-A correspondent asks " Why don't Mr. Georgo Connor Turnor stand for tho city ? " Wo aro unablo to answer this ; but wo aro cortain that if ho do, ho will havo all tho ladles on his sido.

LIST OF LICENSED PAWNBROKERS IN STOXKT.- Mr. Jabez King Iloydon, King-streot Wost : . Mr. William Gosling Moore, Labour Bazaar, Fltt-stroet. Mri Thomas Davis Uar voy, Solomon's Buildings, Clnroncc-street. Tho following havo also applied:-Mr. Robort Gouldlng, Goorgo-stroot South, and Mr. John Grisdnlo, Sussox-strcot. Thoir applications oro at present undor consideration. . ?

GRANTING AND TRANSFER OF PUBLICAN'S LICENSES, &c.-A meeting of Magistrates will be held for this purpose at the Police-office, on Tuesday next, at 12 o'clock precisely. The fol-lowing is a list of the applications for transfers : Samuel Ayers, Elephant and Castle, Pitt-street, from Michael Healey; John Ward,Redfern Inn York and Market-street, from William Burgess . William James Slack, Sugar Loaf Inn, Canter-bury, from James Cox ; William Blore Halden Sportsman, Parramatta-street, from John Wardl' Charles Shaw, Steam Ferry Inn, Francis and Riley-street, from Robert Battley : Alexander Onan, Victoria, Parramatta-street, from Robert Beatson ; Georgo Francis Baker, Golden An-chor, Parramatta-street, from James Simpson ; Mortimer Dillon, Dog and Duck, Kiley and Wooloomooloo-street, from Bridget Fitzgibbons; John File, Canterbury Arms, Canterbury, from Henry Miles Pilley : Jane Hill, Cheshire Cheese, Parramatta-road, from Daniel Gallagher; Daniel Gallagher, Red Lion. Pitt and Goulburn street, from Joshua Hutchinson : Joshua Hutch-inson, Harp and Shamrock, York and Market-street, from Richard Lowater ; John Wilson, Mayor Inn, Pitt-street, from Joseph Smith and Thomas Bass, City Inn, Kent-street from Georgo Codlin. Tho following appli-cations for Publicans' General Licenses will also bo considered :-Henry Barnett, Royal Admiral, Macquarie-place ; Thomas Gettens

Robin Hood, O'Connell Town ; George Webster, Jerusalem Coffee-house, George-street ; and and Richard Linch, Sea-horse, Kent-street. The following persons have also applied for Confectioner's Licenses :-Robert Cook, Cla-rence and Druitt-street ; William Park, 539 George-street ; Christopher Lawler, Kent-street . John M'Carthy, Crown-street, Surry Hills -Robert Douglass, Pitt-street ; Morris Rook' George and Goulburn-strcet, and Charles Staple) George-street. We do hope that the Magis-

trates will attend and relieve the applicants from their suspense, and not, as on last Tuesday, leave Edward Denny Day, Esquire, alone in his glory to open tho Court ; sit main-chance for half-an-hour; and adjourn the meeting for a week. Attentive magistrates are a public good ; careless ones are a most intolerable nuisance.

MR. NICHOLS'S VAGRANCY ACT.- The imprisonment of a dcsolute woman, by the Goul-burn Bench, who, 0n this occasion, adjudicated for the first time under the New Vagrancy Act, has drawn from our Goulburn contemporary a long leader, whose intent is to denounce Mr. Nichols's mcasure, but whose effect is to prove it a very salutary piece of regulation. The Goul-burn Herald, in a long proem, protests against tho dangerous extension of power given to Magisterial Benches by the Vagrant Act, and predicts all mannor of ovil from its tyrannical provisions, lt then points to a Police report in its columns (Nov. Ü4.) and gives tho presiding magistrate. Mr. J. F. Macarthur, tho highett credit for the mannor in which ho initiated and conducted tho proceedings ! Surely tho expres-sion of our contemporary's fears for tho rights and liberties of tho worst class of any commu-nity, drunken, idle vagrants, might havo been reserved for an occasion when cruelty, in placo of justice tempered by humanity, was exhibited by tho Bench. But " Liberty nnd Equality " is a standard clap trap for an Editor wanting a subject. There, is one point, in our contempo-rary's stricture, to which wo must allude before wo dismiss tho subject. Ho is wildly indignant because "minimum penalties" are not pro-vided in those measures, under which Justices of tho Peace l'info jurisdiction ; and ho says, that " this lea turo cannot bo looked upon ns a chance, Imp-hazard change, but must be regarded as a premeditated one." Let us whisper to our country friend that he is quito right ; it was not a " hap-hazard change," but one effected by the untiring energies of those who were keenly alive to the manifold evils of that system which he is so desirous to have retained in our penal

code.

WATER POLICE-OFFICE.-Before H. H. Browne, Esq., W. P. M., and John Campbell, Esq., J.H.- Thomas Powell v. Michael Egan Mourin. Mr. Nichols appeared for tho prosecu-tion. The information charged tho defondant, a merchant of Sydney, with having committed n, breach of tho 8th section of tho Act of Council; 11th Victoria, No. 23, by receiving certain re-muneration-that is to Bay, a bank note of tho value of £&-for and on account of tho hiring of ono James Petrie ns a seaman, to form ono of

tho crew of tho brig See on a passago to Cali- ' fornin. It appeared in evidenco that tho seaman had applied to Mr. Mourin for a passage, ami eventually agreed to givo him £8, and to work

his passago. Tho witness was to sign articles, ; and to work as a seaman. Tho defendant con tended that tho man was not a seaman, and that

thoro was nothing in tho Act of Council to pro vent him from acting as ho had done. Tho Bench wcro of opinion that tho defendant had committed a breach of tho provisions of tho Act, and sentenced him to pay a fino of 40s. and ono guinea costs. Tho fino was immediately paid.

APPOINTMENTS. - His Excellency the . Governor has boen pleased to appoint Thomas Augustus Perry, Esq., of Terragong, Merriwa, to be a Commissioner of Crown Lands within tho boundaries of the colony, and to act in and for the police district of Cassilis and Merriwa;

and Messrs. Michael M'Quade, Laban White, Richard Ridge, William Murray Benson, and John Barker, Trustees of the public roads in the county of Cumberland.

POLICE-OFFICE ENQUIRY.-A board,con-sisting of tho Colonial Treasurer, tho Mayor, Alderman Allon, and Edward Denny Day, Esq , has been sitting for somo weeks nt tho Police office, to enquiro into tho best method of dis-posing of tho £ 1O0O allowed by Government for,

salarios to tho dorks of that establishment ; Tho board concluded its labours yesterday; , but, as tho clerks will bo allowed an opportunity j of being heard in appeal against tho decision ar- ; rived nt, wo forbear to givo tho full particulars \ until next weok. Suffice it to say, that at pre-

sent it is intendod to retain the whole of tho ¡ clerks in that establishment, subjecting each to a : proportionate reduction of salary. .

A CHANGE.-Mr. M'Laren, manager of ; tho Union Bank of Australia, has resigned tho

management of that establishment. Mr. M. ; will join tho firm of Flower, Salting, and Co,, merchants of this City.

SYDNEY RAILWAY COMPANY. - Since , onr issuo of last week, wo are informed, that tho .

shares in this Company havo run up so hii;h thai «j thoy havo got out of sight altogether. Perhaps , by repeated calls they will como down. Tl» paco, hitherto, has boon so sovero, that peoplo havo given up all idea of running after them a« a bad job.

CHARGE OF MISAPPROPRIATING PUBLIC

MONEYS.-Mr. Joseph Armstrong, the well-known Veterinary Surgeon, has lodged a complaint against the Commandant of the Mounted Police for diverting certain sums of money, allowed by the Government to the Veterinary Surgeon of that Force, from their propor channel. Mr. Armstrong has laid a full statement of the facts before His Excellency : but at present he has not received any intimation of His Excellency's opinion upon the point except through Major Nicholson, who states " that Sir Charles Fitz Roy has decided against entertaining the charge, or troubling himself to investlgate it." This summary way of dismissing the affair does not run exactly parallel with the very strict methods adopted in late enquiries against gentlemen holding situations under Government.