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HUNTER RIVER DISTRICT NEWS
[from our correspondents.]
MANNING RIVER.
The weather in this part of the country has
been extremely mild and favourable this season,
so that the wheat crop never had a more pro-
mising appearance; but unless we get a supply
of labour we fear that a great deal will be lost
for want of hands to gather it. The great in-
flux of labour to your more favoured district has
driven a few of the old hands up here, who have
been readily hired at 10s. per week, and a great
many more would be gladly taken up at the
same rate. The quantity of land under wheat
is about 360 acres, and about the same quantity
for maize, besides a good deal of other work,
and all the hands we can muster to do this,
including settlers and hired labour, do not ex-
ceed sixty; in fact the settlers are obliged to
do the most of the work themselves, rather than
put up with the insolence of a set of men, who
in the mean time have it all their own way ;
we have known 5s. a day paid to crawlers, who
if paid according to their work would hardly
earn their mess ; even now 3s. a day is asked for
driving bullocks, and it would be considered a
great insult if the bullock driver was ordered out
in the morning to look for his bullocks before
the dew is off the grass.----The blacks are again
busy among our herds ; about a dozen of the
Tarru tribe were caught the other day skinning
a beast belonging to Mr. Robert Searl ; they
were knowing enough to cut the brand out of
the hide, but it was found in a waterhole not far
from the camp. A Mr. Watson was the first
who came upon them, whom they threatened to
shoot, unless he took himself away; but Mr.
Searl and some others having come up, the
"darkies" took to their heels, but were soon
overtaken. The system of giving fire-arms to
the blacks is greatly to be deprecated ; scarcely
a black is to be met in the bush who is not pro-
vided with a musket and plenty of ammunition.
August 27,1849.
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