Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter (Tas. : 1816 - 1821), Saturday 7 November 1818, page 1


We perceive by a recently received Sydney Gazette, that the Magistrates of Parramatta have, with a becoming zeal for enforcing the strict observance of the Sabbath, caused several persons to be summoned before them for driv-ing carts on the roads on that day. They in-timated to the parties so offending, that the penalties in future would be strictly enforced for such a breach of one of our most sacred

duties.

From the SYDNEY GAZETTES of the 10th and 17th ultimo, which we have received by the arrival of the Derwent, we copy the fol-lowing articles of intelligence :—

" A special Bench of Magistrates was con-vened on Thursday (October 25), to investi-

gate a complaint exhibited against Wm. Blue, for having in his possession two casks of smug-gled rum, contents of each about 120 gallons.

These were found by the seizors lashed to his boat, and two others were found within the premises of a licensed victualler in George-street. The investigation lasted several hours, but as no final decision was made upon it, we forbear entering further into the case as it at present stands. The Honourable the Judge Advocate, as President, made many remarks on the subject of endeavouring to evade the revenue, under circumstances to peculiar for

it is evident here, that every man who is inclin-ed to make purchase of spirituous liquors, may obtain his wish without the slighest op-position or difficulty. In fact, the same liber-tion in the particular before us, are now as freely enjoyed as in the West India Islands themselves. The Worshipful Bench therefore, in their review of the case, could not look upon the transacti-on before it, as any thing short of fraud upon the public in two ways ; the one the cheating of the revenue, and the other, the cheating of the public, by charging the same price for the commodity itself, as tho' the duties of ten shillings per gallon had been actually paid upon it. What can we say of a delinquency of this character? Who does he benefit but himself? The fructification of crime may give callosity to the human heart and feeling, but can never produce in the mind of a man those agreeable resources which melodize the ear and temper ; for the constant dread of detection hardens us against the most necessary duties of society, Charity to all men! In the case of this unfor-tunate man Blue, there was a strong memorial in every breast, that his abetting and giving himself up to the practices he has bveen de-setled in was more than usually criminal: he is a man of colour with a large family, who has been very much indebted to the humane feeling with which His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR has for this many years been pleased to view him and them. A house was earected for his and their accommodation with-in the Government Domain, throwing the Cove wholly open to his obvservation, and had been himfelt appointed a Constable or Bailiff, for the purpose of detecting or preventing smuggling in the cove : yet this was the man employed by .thofe who knew him bell, for tho work of deriving ten íhilhngs a gallon for what lie could (muggie by night, without any ad vantige accruing, (ave io their own particular interests. Smuggling is ihe robbery of the »avenue ; and yet there ne many perlons well off in the world who would difcoumenancr any other crime but Ibis, and why? Becsufe their property and intercourfe precludes them from the ncceflity of embarking or engaging in loy other. To render fmugglmg productive »here .mud be a proportion of capital. The »an who hu but a few pounds can venture little, and his a vift deal more of perfonal character, at flake than his trifling profits from a flight riicjue could atone for» At ih« prefent, however, a my der y feems to pervade the enquiry, and what further difcoverias may take place, mud remain for a fhort, period of time

to develope.

By His Majesty's armed brig Lady Nelson, which arrived this day from a search after the Cossar small Government vessel, which was some time since taken away by pirates. Mr. Isaac Nichols learns the fate that attended his schooner Governor Hunter, which sailed hence for Kangaroo island so long ago as three years, and was last seen and spoke by the Atlas, on

her return to this port, off Cape Hawke, with

a cargo of salt and skins, in the middle of July, 1816; at which time, the master Mr. Murrell, said he should be in in three days. The discovery of the vessel's wreck was made in a small branch leading inland out of an ex-tensive bay about 45 or 50 miles north of Port Stevens, whereat part of the crew went on shore and ascended a hill, from whence they perceived a narrow strait or branch, to which they proceeded in their boat, and found it to contain a rapid current of about six feet depth at low water, and leading into a large lagoon, at the extremity of which a river presented it-self. In the lagoon the almost buried hull of the Hunter was found, and the small figure

head is restored to her owner. Mr. Murrell and his ill fated crew there can be little doubt

were killed by the natives; the foremast has been cut away, and her sails are gone. After the Atlas spoke her it is probable that owing to baffling winds she sought shelter in the bay, and either drifted or was driven by a violent gale into the channel leading into the lagoon, from whence there was no escape. Mr. Murrell and his people are much to be la-mented, as the melancholy catastrophe which involved them was the act of Providence, and not of that species of temerity which has plunged offenders in numberless instances into the vortex of destruction which every part of this coast presents inevitably to them. That any should escape the dreary destiny of perishing by famine or the spear, would at least appear a miracle, and the greatest of absurdities for any man to expect or hope for.

On perufal of a London paper of February we perceive one of the mod extraordinary cafea of challenging to (ingle combat of any that haa ever been commuted to print-nothing fhort of the challenging of Lord Vis. SIBMOUTH by¡

a Mr. Arthur Thistlewood, on account of his

having been apprehended and confined in the Tower on a charge of high treason. The ap-peal from his Lordship was to the Court of King's Bench, and was laid before Lord ELLEN-BOROUGH on the 7th, requiring articles of the oeace against Arthur Thistlewood, for whom an attachment was in confluence immediately issued upon the motion."