Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal (WA : 1833 - 1847), Saturday 18 August 1838, page 130


THE

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN

JOURNAL.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1838.

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" Neither conscience nor taste will suffer me to

fight one class or interest against another, for separate benefit, or to take the narrow ground of undeviating panegyric."

THE benefits which result from a free

and easy communication between the different parts of the country are so universally admitted, that we hail with satisfaction the commencement of a sys-tem in this colony which, if actively fol-lowed up, is calculated to produce great improvements in our internal communica-tions. The Directors for the Manage-ment of Roads, &c, met at Perth on Wednesday last, when the country was divided into the following districts :—

1. The right and left bank of the Swan River to terminate at the Half-way-house, on the York road, and on the Toodyay road at the junction of the road between Toodyay and Northam.

2. The Canning, Murray, and Leschenault.

3. York ; bounded on the north by Messrs. Agett and Pace's grants ; on the south by the located lands on the Avon ; on the west by the Half-way-house.

4. Toodyay ; bounded by Agett and Pace's grants to the southward, and by the junction of the Northam and Toodyay roads to the westward.

It was resolved that the ferry at Fre-

mantle should be attached to the Fre-mantle town trust. The Directors of

the town of Fremantle will consequently have the entire management of this ferry, which has been a heavy burthen upon the public, and by their own immediate superintendence will, we hope, place it on a better footing than it has been of late. By a reference to the act of Coun-cil, the Directors will find they have the power, subject to the concurrence of the Governor in Council, to make any ar-rangements they may think advisable for the public convenience. The Govern-ment Resident of Fremantle, R. M. B Brown, Esq., expressed his dissent from this resolution, but it was carried by a large majority.

The Directors have returned to their several districts, with the determination of preparing estimates of what is required to improve the lines of communication.

These estimates will be forwarded to the

Chairman, who will wait upon His Ex-cellency the Governor to sanction the apportionment of the sum appropriated by the local legislature from the colonial funds for roads, bridges, &c, and the works will be immediately commenced,

with such assistance as the inhabitants of

each district may be disposed to contri-bute to extend their usefulness. It being admitted that almost any place may be rendered doubly valuable if access to it is made easy and practicable, it is to be hoped that the Colonists will unite in giving assistance to en-sure the successful working of this system, for they may depend upon it, so soon as it is brought into operation, the landholders will derive incalcu-lable advantages, and it is no trifling consideration that the management and construction of all lines of communication will be vested in the hands of those who may be supposed to be best acquainted with the wants of each district, namely, the country gentlemen resident within the limits of each district,

as above defined.

The funds set apart by the Local Legislature for road purposes will be equitably apportioned, the due fulfilment of this duty being insured by a balance

of power in each district, subject to a controlling

power on the part of the Government. This latter influence has been objected to, but it requires little penetration to observe that it is desirable some check should be imposed upon the Directors for the security of the public.

WHEAT TENDERS—Tenders for 1,500 bushels of wheat, the produce of the next harvest, werevto have been received on Wednesday last at the Commissariat Office, but, as we anticipated,' not a single tender was made. ' The cauöe'is obvious,_ the tenders were issued too late in the season, and there is a prevailing opinion that only a limited price will be given. The farmer has found it within his power to obtain 10 or 12s. per bushel from the miller ; he iherefore disregards a Government con-tract, which he has every reason to believe will not be taken higher than 8s. It will be seen by a notice in this day's Gazette, that tenders will now

be received for flour.

THE Committee appointed at the last Agricul. tural meeting to give a full account of the present position of the Colony, and to pro-pose such measures as they considered would be conducive to its future advancement, held a meeting at Perth on Tuesday last, Major irwin m the chair. It was resolved, that the Hon. G. F. Moore, Esq., should be the standing Chairman of the Committee, and should compile all the infomration, collected from various Bources, upon such subjects as it appeal sdesirable to convey intelligence to our friends in England, and to insure our tuture advancement. This Gentleman obligingly accept-ed the office, and will himself draw*up a statement regarding the want of labour, and the necessity of its introduction, whether convict or free, with other valuable information relative to the land regula-tions. The several heads upon which communica-tions were sought from the Committee, were divided appropriately, and with a consideration to the experience of each Gentleman. The whole, when collected, will, we have no doubt, furnish a useful and interesting document, as a record of our present position and our future prospects.

WHALING.—The union of the whalers lately ar-rived in the Shepherd with those of the Fremantle Company, which we were in hopes would have been effected during the week, it appears could now be arranged, owing to the men belonging to the Fremantle Company being averse to the introduc-tion of any more hands. The proprietors of the Company were desirous of encouraging the union, but the influence of the men has overruled their employers' wishes. This is a colonial position of affairs unwholesome and unnatural. The new hands have been dispatched by Messrs. Samson, who have the management of this adventure, to theNorthward in the Lady Stirling ; they have start-ed in high spirits, and with encouraging expecta-tions, from what they have seen off Fremantle. We hope they will shortly return with success.

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