Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), Wednesday 14 September 1831, page 2


HOBART TOWN.

SEPTEMBER 14, 1831.

Let it be impressed, upon your minds, let it be in-

stilled into your children, that the Liberty of the Press is the Palladium of all your Civil, Political,

and Religious Rights. JUNIUS.

The last Courier ¡s the organ of no less than 49 queries, or enquiries, on the part of what was generally considered the defunct Pauper Committee, but which it appears, still exists under a new title, that of the Immigration Com-mittee ; all these queries bear towards

acquiring information upon several points, supposed by the querists to be inti-mately connected with the agricultural condition of the Colony. We copy them although we very much doubt, whether in the first place, they will be the means of eliciting any facts upon which assump- tions that are to be depended upon, may

be grounded ; and secondly, whether even if it were otherwise, these assumptions would in the slightest degree, tend to solve the simple problem with respect to pauper emigration, which it was the leading ob- ject of the Committee to investigate.

Our reasons for this opinion are several,

in the first place, we consider that the circumstances of the Colony, are such as to render any average calculations, nothing but delusion ; in fact, absolutely impos- sible. We will take the first question, "What is the average expense, in your district, of clearing and fencing a paddock of 40 acres ?" Now it must at once occur to any one who has the slightest know-

ledge of the subject, that this must so en-

tirely depend upon a variety of circum-stances, that we will venture to say, if it

were submittedto a hundred different land

occupiers, in any one district, no two an-

swers would be the same ; one man may make his calculations upon one sort of

soil situation, or fencing ; another upon

another. This man's land may be heavily timbered - that's, may scarcely have a tree upon the whole forty acres ; again,

one settler may form his estimates upon

free labour, while his neighbour being one of the select, to whom the blessings of the

loan gang are perfectly familiar, just in

the proportion, too, that he is utterly ig-

norant what free labour means, may have grounded his theory wholly upon the prin-

ciples with which he is best acquainted. We consider it, therefore, quite impos-sible that any good can result from en-

quiries, the latitude in replying to which,

is so very open. There is, besides another impediment in the way of ac-quiring the information sought, arising

from the abundance of all measurement in xxxxxx throughout the Colony ; and still

xxxx, in the total neglect with respect to

expenses and returns, which is common

in nearly all our agriculturists. If, therefore, answer .............. 49 questions

should ever be given at all, (and which we doubt,) they will be so entirely imaginary in all essentials, as to be unworthy of at-tention ; still more so, of being adopted as, or foundation for, replying to the im-portant question that was before the Com-mittee. The same objection, and indeed the same causes, and many others might be raised against all the other questions. Not one of them can be answered in a manner that will do the least good.

We may here remark, that we consider the putting forth these questions, as a con-firmation of what had previously reached us, with respect to the Committee, viz., that they were thoroughly incompetent to the task assigned them, and that, with one or two exceptions, they had far better have been attending to their regular busi-ness. A taste for mystification, under the shape of political economy, seems to have succeeded in so enveloping in intricacy, a plain and simple question, as to have left it nothing of its former self. The broad ground to have been taken was, whether the prices at which labour is always in demand here, afford a fair criterion for the assumption that the redundancy of this article, with which the Mother Country is burthened, might be profitably transplanted hither. It should be England's business to send it here, our's, to employ it when arrived, and we submit, therefore, that a better data for the English Government to have proceeded upon, would have been afforded by sending it an authentic return of the prices paid throughout the Colony for labour ; specifying its sort or nature, and which might have been more easily fur-nished, than by perplexing the Colonists with a variety of enquiries, such as the following, to which we have added a copy of a letter, including the answers of a highly respectable Settler living on the other side of the Island, which has by mere chance passed through our hands : -

To the Editor of the Colonial Times.

Dear Sir, - I suppose you know that the seven wise men have sent us 49 questions to answer, or 7 a-piece. It appears to me that these gentlemen, whoever they are, have no-thing to do but to puzzle and bewilder poor plain farmers and graziers. The moment I received the letter, I sat mc down in the old elbow chair. I read over the posers again and again. " It is not possible," said I, " this is some hoax attempted to be played upon mc", I went over the river to our wise man ; he had one of the letters too. I asked him what we should do ? " Do," he replied testily, "do you think I am mad enough to bewilder myself in ploughing time, to answer such a ' mixty-maxty, queer hodge-podge ?' I shall send mine to my nephew in town, as he has more time to put in an answer than I have. If he does not give them Rolands for their Olivers I wonder at it. If mystification is the word, it will go hard ; but he will puzzle them." Having no limb of the law to answer the interrogatories for me, I was obliged to turn to myself ; and as we are to have no more additional land given to us, I care not what the Government folks know about our improvements :-

Questions. /..........Answers

1. The average ex- ........../1. I have no pad-pense in your district...../ dock of forty acres. of clearing and fen- ......./The one I have is partly cing a paddock of forty../ brush, partly dog-leg acres.............................../being next the river, ......................................./and partly log. We

....................................../threw it up between

...................................../times, and if we had ...................................../not done that, we

..................................../should have been

.................................../snoozing or smoking

.................................../our pipes. 2. The average ex-...../ 2. My last crop off pense of ploughing.../my forty acre paddock       

harrowing, cropping../ down by the marsh, and reaping a wheat,. / was self sown, and I oat, or barley paddock,/got Government hands containing forty acres? /to reap it.

3. The average ex-....../3. I could not house pense of housing the../the crop, and stack it crop, stacking, thrash- /too, the one is an ope-ing, cleaning, and.. /ration in-doors, the

taking it to market ? /other out. The thrash- ................................../ing done by my own ................................./man, the cleaning was

................................/a hard job, as it was

................................/nearly all smut, so I ................................/had to wash it, dry it, ................................/and shake lime over it,

.............................../as to taking it to mar-

.............................../ket, I thank ye gentle-

.............................../men for that, I owe .............................../you one.

4. The average re-........./4. All Bill Field's turn per acre of wheat, /cattle were to and fro oats or barley ?............./in all our inclosed land, ...................................../as well as the old boar, ..................................../the sow and the litter,

.................................../so that we cannot ................................../speak positive as to the ................................./average crop ; but we

................................./got, smut and all,

................................/about 7 bushels the acre.

5. The lowest price.../5. So       me say one at which they may se- /thing, some say ano-verally be raised with.. / ther, but I defy the advantage to the far- /devil himself to tell. mer ?

6. Their average...../6. They allow us weight and quality ? /about 60lbs. for a ................................../bushel, and when the

................................./wheat is not smutty,

................................./and that it is a good ................................/colour, and thin skin- ................................/ned, the miller's say,

................................/it may be good, but

................................/they doubt it.

7. The average loss.../7. Sometimes it is from smut, blight, or /all smut, sometimes it other casualties ?...../is all swept away by

................................./the floods, sometimes ................................./there is no crop for ................................/want of rain, and some-

................................/times when we fancy

................................/the money will hop ................................/into our pockets, the

................................./cursed sheep and cat-

.............................../tle hop over the fences, .............................../and we hop off to gaol. 8. Whether better.../8. Will a duck swim, cultivation would in- / and a stone float ?

crease the returns ?

9. Whether more.........../ 9. Ensure me good plentiful labour would /crops and a steady much improve the con-/market, and then I will

dition of the farmer ? /answer No. 9.

10. The fitness of ......./10. The land will the land and climate../ grow thumping pra-of the district for rai-/ ties, and turnips, as sing potatoes, mangel /big, and some of them wurzel, turnips, rape, /as empty as some peohemp, flax ?................/ ple's heads that I know,

.................................../but it would not be .................................../manners to make .................................../mention. Rape is a

.................................../bad business ; flax, I ................................../have not attempted ;

................................../and for Hemp, I won't

.................................../try it, if I can help.

11. The particulars...../11. I am not very of the outlay per acre./particular about such for raising each of....../matters these crops ?

12. The return per ......./12. The praties are acre?............................/capital. They feed the

..................................../family, breakfast, din-

.................................../ner, and supper, with .................................../the mutton chops, .................................../sometimes boiled, .................................../sometimes roasted,

.................................../sometimes sliced and .................................../fried, with the fat in ..................................../the pan.

13. The number of...../13. About five     horses, cattle, or sheep /horses, or eight cows, which may be depas- /or fifty sheep may be tured on 100 acres of /fed on one hundred the pasture land of ..../acres of the best of my   the districts already .../grant, one hundred located, and whether /acres of Crown land at 100 acres of the pas- /the back, would not ture land yet unlocated /feed one bandycoot. would support as many/         of each sort and if not,/ how many ?  /

14. The average........../14. The Timor po- height of the horses, /nies are from eleven to and the average weight, /twelve hands high. of the cattle and ......../Sam's get, about sixsheep ?....................... /teen; and one horse,

................................../the papers said, some ................................../time back, was sixteen

................................./feet high ; the hackney ................................./sort about fourteen,

................................./Sydney, all sizes. The ................................./old yeoman said the ................................./other day, passing by, ................................./that my old bull stag ................................./would weigh about ................................./twelve cwt., if he was ................................./turnip fed, I betted ................................./him a full pot of por- ................................/ter, he would weigh ................................/fourteen. The weight

................................/of the sheep depends

................................/on the breed, and the ................................/keep.

15. The particulars......./15. I observe the of the expense of their /horses are for ever keep ?........................../eating, except when

..................................../they are drinking ; the .................................../cows and sheep lie

................................../down sometimes ; the

................................../sheep drink water here, ................................../although they are not ................................../rotten; I do like to

................................./see them drink, it is

................................./such a cheap bellyful. 16. The particulars.../16. I had three of returns ?............../horses taken away.

................................./they never returned. - ................................./I have had cattle away ................................./which never returned, ................................./and when the sheep ................................./arc whip't off the run, ................................./they never return.

17. The casualties..../17. The farmer may and losses to which ..../want labourers on

the grazier is exposed, /many occasions - the on account of the........./ grazier never. scarcity of good la-/

bourers ?/

18. The advantages......../That remains to of raising artificial......../be ascertained. food, stall-feeding of..../

cattle, and pig feed-...../ ing ?...../

19. Whether fine............./19. No. It would be woolled sheep may ad- ./giving twenty-five shil-vantageously be fed ....../lings for a guinea. upon artificial food ?..../

20. The number and...../ 20. I keep all my extent of rented farms../land in my ovvn hands ; The average rate of ....../was I to rent it, I rent per 100 acres,......./ should have "great The productiveness of ../cry and little wool," the cultivated land of..../small farms all dirt. such farms. The num- ../The sheep question ber of sheep depas-....../already answered -tured upon 100 acres.../ artificial pasture, how of natural pasture......../ many in Van Diemen's Ditto of artificial pas-.../Land can answer the ture ? ............................/question after trial ?

21. Whether this.........../ 21. By the Powers!!! rent is given for the....../ such a question for interest of capital ex-../ seven wise men to put !! pended by the pro- .../ prietor in improve-.../

ments, or for the na-.../ tural value of the soil ?../

22. The particulars......./22. If he weeds well, of the cost of keeping.../there is no saying. an assigned servant for../ Some of the fellows a year ?........................../eat me three lbs. of ....................................../mutton a day. One ...................................../of my rascals drove

..................................../my cart, a new cart, ..................................../with six bullocks into

.................................../the river. They were

................................../all lost. He took good ................................../care to stay, himself,

................................../dry, on the bank. He ................................./returned with the tale.

................................../He went to bed. He

................................../should have a smoke

................................./of the pipe. The barn ................................./took fire. The corn

................................./was all burned. He ................................./was a dear assignment.

................................/I wish Old Nick had ................................/had him.

23. The value of his.../23. It should be the labour for a year ?....../cost of his labour for a

..................................../year.

24. The wages of......../24. It all depends free labourers, and.../ upon what they are ; whether they are paid/ they get a trifle of in money, or by bar-.../money sometimes, ge- ter ?............................./nerally speaking, they

.................................../get mutton, flour, tea, .................................../sugar, soap, clothes, .................................../&c, upon which the .................................../moderate per centage ................................../of about 300 per cent. ................................./is charged.

25. Whether the pro-/ 25. No ; about 300 visions and clothes are/ per cent. added for bartered for labour at /keeping the account. their money-price ?.../

26. Whether the ......./26. Yes ; if they had men who receive....../ the ready money by clothes and provisions/ 300 per cent. in part payment of.../ their labour could buy.../ them cheaper at the...../

nearest store ?...../

27. The charge per......../ 27. It all depends rod for fencing ?.........../ on the kind.

28. The annual............./28. A steady jobber ! gains of a steady job-.../ What is meant by the ber?............................./question ?

29. The additional...../ 29. As I cannot get number of convicts..../ additional land, I am which could be em-.../ picking quarrels with plowed by the settler ?/ the most of my chaps

.................................../to drive them into the .................................../chain-gang,

30. The additional ..../30. I have met with number of skilful in-../ none of the kind. dustrious free labour-../ ers which could obtain../ employment ?...../

31. Whether an ac-....../ 31. Yes ; if they be cession of 2000 indus-../ industrious, and be trions labourers, ar-...../satisfied with their riving at the rate of....../"grub" without wages. 100 per month would.../ obtain employment ?..../

32. How many con-......./32. All the useless victs would in that ........./hands of every sort. case be thrown upon...../ Government for sup-..../ port ?......./

33. Whether the im-...../33. Getting rid of migration of such la-..../ them would benefit bourers as would most.../ the parishes in Eng-probably be sent by...../ land materially ; but the Parishes in England../whether lazy good for is likely to benefit the..../nothing paupers would Colony ?......................./benefit the Colony re-

...................................../quires but little sense

..................................../to determine.

34. Whether the im-..../ 34. Answered al-migration of efficient..../ ready.

free labourers would..../

be beneficial ?..../

35. To what extent?...../ 35. Do. repeated.

.36. Whether the Co-.../ 36. Undoubtedly not lony be able to pay in..../

money any portion of..../ the expense attendant..../

upon their immigra-..../ tion ?....../

37. Whether a re-...../ 37. That remains to mittance could be....../ be proved - not, how-made in any other....../ ever, in good bills. way ?....../

38. Whether it be......./ 38. Ask a Highlan- expedient for this pur-../ der for a knee-buckle. pose to impose a tax...../

upon assigned ser-....../

vants ?......./

39. Whether set-......../ 39. Will you give tiers, to raise a fund..../ £15 for that which you could be induced to...../ have already obtained redeem their quit-..... /for £5 ? rents ?

40. Whether the......../ 40. Treasury or other wages of the immi-..../bills will be easily had grants would be suffi-../ when the public works cient to enable them.../ are broken up. to reimburse the pa-...../ rishes out of their own....../

gains ?......./

41. Whether they......../ 41. They come of should be indented to..../ their own free will ; such settlers as would.../ let them cool their receive them, or be......./ heels if they like - as left free to employ......../ Macbeth said of the themselves where their.../ physic, "Throw it to labour would yield the../ the dogs, I'll none of best price, subject only.../ it."

to annual instalments...../ for the payment of....../

their passage money ?....../

42. How they would......./ 42. Not by me, I'll be fed and clothed ?......./ swear.

43. What wages............. /43. According to they would probably....../their work. receive ?....../

44. What wages.........../ 41. How would they their wives and chil-.../be employed, or who dren would probably.../ would take charge of

obtain ?......................../them ?

45. What sum they......./ 45. Nothing on be-could afford to pay on../ half of the parishes. behalf of the parishes.../ Indeed the parish annually ?...................../having got rid of

....................................../them, would be glad to

...................................../cry " quit."

46. Whether their........ /46. By the powers, condition would be....../this is a poser ! Would much improved by......./ a starved horse get in immigration ?............. /to good condition on

...................................../plenty of hay and

..................................../oats ?

47. What sum of........./ 47. A lazy man money would each in-../ would want some hun-dividual require to......../ dreds, a good worksupport him in the......../ man some shillings - Colony, until he could.../ but the average, - the derive the means of......./ Commissariat will best supporting himself......../ answer this question from his own labour ?.../ after the paupers are

......................................./here for a year.

48. Whether the.........../ 48. Yes ; if the Go-more industrious........./ vernment, in their rage might not become......../ for economy, spend small farmers, and......./ £30,000 in order to whether this would be../ save 10,000, thus giv-advantageous to the....../ ing all these small far-Colony ?............ ............/mers capital to com-

......................................./mence with, would be ....................................../very advantageous to

....................................../the Colony.

49. Whether the.........../ 49. I cannot an-district generally be...../ swer this profound favourable to the pro-.../ query until we have posed measure of im-..../ had a trial of "immi-migration ?..................../ gration."

The Legislative Council has adjourned to October, having passed the Justice Bill, and left the consideration of all the others, notices of which appeared in the Gazette, for its next sitting. We are not surprised at this course, it being, perhaps, under all circumstances, the only one that could have been taken with safety, for, as it is incumbent that all Acts of Coun-cil should be enrolled in the Supreme Court, before they become the Law of the Colony, the present state of abeyance of that tribunal, might possibly at some future day, have supplied arguments for the ingenuity of Counsel in derogation of the validity of the Acts that might have been passed, and which ought upon every occasion to be as such as possible avoided. We might go farther, perhaps, and remark that it seems strange, and incomprehensible to us, how the very Act, that has been passed - the Godfather, as it were, of all those that are to come after it, is to re-ceive that investiture of ceremony with respect to the Supreme Court, which is to give, even to itself, sufficient authority to

enforce respect from other Acts, but

doubtless, CONSTRUCTION, that levcr of infinite power, the use of which is so per-fectly understood in this Colony, will be had recourse to if necessary, and supply the place of whatever is wanting.

It is most gratifying to find, that for once, public opinion has triumphed, and Van Diemen's Land presents an example, that the "the peoples have but to will a thing, and it is done." Our Readers are already aware that by the Charter of Justice, re-cently promulgated, we were to have two Judges, instead of as heretofore only one ; they were also made acquainted with the attempt that was thought necessary to be

made by a certain high and influential party, to construct His Majesty's most gracious will and pleasure, and to substitute "for things as they ought to be, things as they were." We endeavour to shew the impolicy so far as the interests of the Colony were affected, of continuing the administration of Justice, in the hands of one individual

only, and our Contemporary, the Tasma-

nian, has also raised its voice on the same side of the question, although supporting its arguments upon wholly different grounds. With these however - or whe-ther we agree in them or not, we have nothing at present to do. It is enough for us, that impolotic and highly improper attempts, which have been made by parties who in no consideration were enabled to judge of the affair, in that dispassionate manner it well deserved, have been de-feated by the decided tone that was taken, both in and out of Council, and that we are to have a Puisne Justice in the person of Mr. Hone, in the absence of Mr. Baxter, and in other respects, too, that the terms of the Charter are to be complied with, differently to what was evidently at one time intended by some of our Local Au-

thorities.

So far, well, we have repeatedly urged the necessity of an even and vigorous ad-ministration of justice. We were well pleased to observe that the stops and halts it was everlastingly making in its course, were adopted as the occasion of the spirited remarks, that fell from one of the speakers on the 23rd May. We were then told, however, by way of apology or extenuation, that the fault lay entirely in the Chief Justice being a Member of the Executive Council, but no sooner, how-ever, does the only remedy that could be applied to the evil, so generally com-plained of, make its appearance in the shape of the appointment of a Puisne Judge, than the inconvenience of Council sittings, and indeed, of every thing else are forgotten, and the dislike to a divided throne, overcomes all public considera- tions whatever. But the people, pliant and easily led as they sometimes are, will not put up with any thing, beyond a cer-tain point, and the manifest manœuvre for

continuing to vest the power and autho-rity of the bench, in the hands of one in- dividual only, were so plain and palpable, that they defeated themselves, and con- viction being once wrought in the mind of him, whom to convince, is to convince many, in an instant accomplished a change, for which the Colonists cannot be sufficiently thankful. '

As strangers are not yet admitted to the Council, we have report only for our au-thority in alluding to its proceedings ; but this report is so honorable to certain of its members, that we cannot forbear making it public. Of the fifteen that composed its number, we could enumerate, and so could any one who has the slightest pre-tension to judge of character, at least half a dozen who are as much out of their ele-ment in framing laws, as a man would be

in navigating a vessel who has never seen the ocean. There may perhaps be amongst this half dozen, men qualified to acquire honor each in his several calling, but "Ne-sutor ultra crepidam, is always our motto, and we think it quite absurd and inconsis-tent, to expect that because a man is an extensive landed proprietor, or has other possessions, he is a fit party for a seat in Council. No ! We want something very different - we require men who are at least able to form and to give an opinion,

without a wink or a nod from others. Men who consider their rank as Legislative Councillors, less as a means or stepping stone for obtaining favor, and Court sun-shine for themselves, than as the opportu-nity of fearlessly discharging their duties towards those whom they are supposed to represent. We are most happy in ac-quainting our Readers therefore, that so far as information has reached us, Mr. Burnett, Mr. Archer, Mr. Cox, and Mr. Kerr, have acquitted themselves well in behalf of the public, when certain discus-sions have taken place within the Council walls, which have had the effect of trans-planting there, a peculiar style of oratory that is sometimes witnessed elsewhere, little to the honor or advantage of the par-ty. It is currently said, that when the Council remeet in October, strangers will be regularly admitted, but we very much question, whether so severe and unerring a touchstone of the real merits of the Le-gislative Council will ever be permitted by the members.

We have elsewhere said, that Mr. Hone is to be elevated to the Bench as a

locum tenens, in the absence, of Mr. Bax-ter, and we may farther, mention, that

there are other embryo appointments con- nected with the Supreme Court, which under all circumstances, are perhaps just what may have been expected. Upon many accounts we are extremely glad to

see this high, and honorable distinction conferred upon Mr. Hone, and willingly bear our public testimony to his merits, as au indefatigable and zealous public officer. We feel convinced that we express the

unanimous opinion of the Colony, that as a Commissioner of the Court of Requests, he cannot be excelled, and he has indeed placed his successor, whoever he may be, in a no very enviable situation, by the comparisons that must of necessity be con-stantly arising hereafter. Legal skill and ingenuity are not so much required in a Commissioner of the Court of Requests, as tact in unravelling cases, and the art of distinguishing between the different cha-racters who appear in that Court in pro-priœ personœ - in the capacity of either plaintiff or defendant ; and it has been in the display of these properties of the mind that Mr. Hone has always so eminently shone. We hope he will succeed in making them thrive and flourish in the Court over which he is now to preside ; and as he has given us abundant op-portunity of witnessing by his mode of conducting the business of the Quarter Sessions, that in point of legal skill and ingenuity, as well as in elucidating and summing up evidence, he is certainly no wise inferior, to say the least, to any thing this Colony is at present able to produce, let us hope, as indeed we confidently do, that the appointment of Mr. Hone as Puisne Judge, will be eminently advan-tageous, to the Colony.

We have latterly noticed with much sa- tisfaction, that the hints we felt ourselves compelled to give, with respect to severity of punishment, have not been without their effect, and which we regard as a proof of good sense that besides argues well.

Few occasions connected with either

of our public departments have for some time created so intense and general a sen-sation, as the recent development of the internal economy of the Female Factory ; than which, we do not hesitate to say, a more extraordinary course of proceed-ing never took place in any country. Will it be credited elsewhere ? Can it even gain belief with those amongst ourselves who have not had the opportunities of wit-nessing the effects of the unparalleled sys-tem that has been practised, which we, as well as many others, have been wit-nesses of ? Can it, we say, be credited, that in a Colony like this, the whole fron-tispiece of whose Government displays righteousness in all its branches in charac-ters as large as life, so utterly unheard of a system as has now come to light, should have been practised ? - That such methods should have been had recourse to, by way of working reformation of morals ? - That a large number of women should have been cooped up in an infinitely worse than useless state, not only they themselves treated in this way, but some of their miserable offspring so also treated, for the sins of their parents ? Little as this might be credited, however it is not the less true. Wherever the fault may lay, some very great fault there is ; but it is not an occasional visit on the part of His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, nor is it the care and vigilance of the indefati-gable Superintendent of Convicts, nor the enquiries of the other functionaries, whose daily duty leads them to the wretched Fac-tory, that will either detect the fault, or apply the remedy. No ! these parties one and all, have adopted certain notions con-nected with prison discipline, and right or wrong, they have now become so in-grafted upon their minds, that they will be persevered in. The quarter, and the only quarter, whence a remedy may be expected, is the Public Press, and we rejoice to see that we have, au able and a powerful ally in one of our Contempora-ries in advocating such a change in the internal economy of the Factory, as shall at least make it partake of the common dictates of humanity. We only wish that when the daily pittance that is allowed the women in the Factory was agreed upon, the experiment had been made upon some of its advocates, to prove how it agreed with their own appetites and con-stitutions ; had this been done, we fancy

more than one we could name, would

soon have exchanged the sleek appear-ance by which they are distinguished, for evident signs and symptoms that "flesh and blood can't bear it." We have the

satisfaction, however, of believing, that now the discovery has been made, such measures will be originated on the part of the Government, as shall remove from the Press, the unpleasant duty of commenting farther upon the subject, in the strong terms that might else be used. It affords us pleasure likewise to make the remark, that we really believe the Lieutenant Go-vernor to be most anxious upon all occa-sions like the present, to do what is right, " when right and wrong discerning," and although as a natural consequence of his elevated situation, information that may be depended upon, with respect to pass-ing events, is certain to find much diffi-culty in making its way to him, we have every confidence that when it has once so found access to his bosom, it is the first and surest step towards remedying exist-ing evils, no matter what may lie their na-ture. In His Excellency's hands there-

fore, we think the public may safely leave

the internal economy of the Female Fac-tory, or at least, until time and opportu-nity have been allowed for a correction of the mismanagement which is now matter of public notoriety. Should these reason-

able hopes and expectations end in disap-pointment, it will be our part to address ourselves differently to our rulers, telling them for one thing among others, that they are but stewards for the public, and to whom they are amenable, equally for their acts of omission, as of commission.

We are at issue it seems with the Cou-rier as much as ever, upon the subject of the Engineer Department, in defence of which, the Editor of that Journal, seated in his little plastered garret, has become really most unusually eloquent. His self complacency upon the occasion is truly wonderful. He says, in his last number,

" It is no small satisfaction to us to find that the arguments we have so dispassion-ately and considerately offered on these measures, have been so favorably recei-ved by the public, and are by the bulk of the community looked upon as unanswer-

able." We do not understand what the little word "so" means twice used, "so dispassionately," and "so favorably," the corresponding "as" being omitted ; but we presume the Editor's meaning was so dis-passionate and considerate at our argu-ments were, for our own interest, as one of the »elect few, who can have plasterers or aught else for asking, and " so favor-ably" at they were by that portion of the public for whose benefit - i.e. the public officers, they were intended. We are not sorry however, that an opportunity has been allowed us for resuming the subject, upon fresh grounds, but as we might be led into detail, inconvenient in point of length for this number, we will merely take the present occasion for remarking that we shall add a few other positions in addition to those already before the public, which the Editor of the Courier has pre-tended to call "sorry arguments," but which nevertheless he did not dare to op-pose, well knowing, as he does, that his grounds are too weak to be maintained, and that sneering is an easy way of an-swering a troublesome article.

We have received an important commu-nication from a certain Police District, with respect to the employment of men who are presumed to be incapable of ser-vice, but who it seems are accommodated (for the sake of their health we presume) with exercise in the shape of clearing, burning, stumping, gardening, and the Lord knows what besides, for a certain party, in a manner of which the Authori-ties at Head Quarters are, we are quite sure, ignorant. We have heard many other little things too, which will not bear the light, but shall forbear to notice them

until we have obtained answers to the en- quiries we are instituting. With us, nei-ther rank nor power will ever shield a party from that publicity, which may tend to keep our body politic in a healthful

state.

We have elsewhere inserted a letter of

" No Informer ;" he is certainly a little violent, but wc can make allowances, knowing as wo do that he is one of the sufferers of the machinations of "the Crew." His letter has called our atten-tion to a communication in the last wcek's Tasmanian, which it appears is intended to vindicate the proceedings of those pests of society - common informers, the arguments of which however all tend to one point, which is this - " that a Barris-ter has no option to refuse any case whatever in which his services may be required." This is put forth, be it re-membered, " in answer to what may have been intended as a smart article in the last week's Colonial Times" It is most evi-dent that it was a smart article, but we never mentioned any thing about Barris-ter, therefore what can be meant by the sapient "one of the crew." The fact is simply this ; - some persons are ashamed of the affair, and in trying to vindicate themselves have only got deeper and deeper into the mire. However, we shall be most happy if only one of the crew can convince the Public that the measures adopted by the crew are popular, and we can assure the better part of the gang, that the sooner the dirty set are aban-doned, the better in the end will it be for the parties who can shake them off. As to the Barrister-having no option to re-fuse any case (either in a Police-office, or any where else) we have two or three words to say on that question, but shall

defer our observations till we have room for so important a subject.

We have not been enabled to learn any farther particulars of the melancholy oc-currence briefly noticed in our supplement, respecting Captain Thomas and Mr. Par-ker, who met an untimely end in fallowing up the spirit of the government notice lately issued, desiring the colonists to use every means to conciliate the aborigines. Considering that it would inspire the na-tives with a degree of confidence not otherwise to be imparted, they took but one piece with them, and but one charge of buck shot ! They gained so much of their end as to gain their confidence - but it was a confidence in their own power - the natives have long been aware that some time must elapse between the firing of a piece and its being again ready for action - they saw the weakness of the un-fortunate gentlemen, and most likely drew them on to fire when they must have been entirely at their mercy. We have been

asked how it is the authorities of Laun-

ceston have not made any stir in the bu-

siness, but we cannot answer, unless it be

that they arc destitute of instructions from head quarters as to the mods in which government intend to act towards these miserable creatures. If this be the case, we earnestly call upon the authorities to at once come to a DECISION thereupon, and relieve the magistrates and settlers from the intense anxiety which prevails upon this subject. Two correspondents this week insist upon it that nothing but a war of extermination how remains to be adopted ; but this is something stronger than we are at all prepared to recommend. That something must be done - and that IMMEDIATELY is evident to every one who takes the trouble of thinking. - Who can tell to what lengths they may run this season, beyond all pre-cedence, in taking vengeance upon the settlers for the routing they ex-perience by the "Line" business ? -It will not hear even anticipation - and, if to us, in Launceston, who are out of

danger, the subject is so painful of consi-

deration, we entreat of the Government that the feelings of the settlers may n0

longer be played with. -

-The Independent.