The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-20 00:00:00

BEFORE MR STITT

THE WOMAN AND THE GOAT.—A young woman, named
Mary Farrell, was charged by officer 4, who said, at a
quarter past one in the morning, he saw her in White-
chapel, with a goat in her possession, and thinking she
stole the animal, he took her up. Mr. Wybergh : Where
is the goat now ? Officer: In Vauxhall livery stable.
The prisoner said, she was out in the country working,
and on her return she met a man at St. James's Church,
who had a bit of a kid in his arms. " Will you buy
this kid ?" says he. " What's the price ?" says I, and
he replied, " three bob." I gave him 2s 6d, and bought
it in thinking I'd make a trifle of it, but instead of that
the policeman took up myself and the kid. (A laugh.)
The prisoner was discharged.
THE COTTON ROBBERY.—Thomas Jones, henry Gibb,
John Holborn and his wife Mary, and James Westhead,
were brought up on remand, charged with being con-
cerned in the robbery of five bales of cotton, the property
of Bles.ig, Braun and Co., value about £6O. Mr. Bluck
defended the prisoners, and his line of defence was, that
the cotton had been sold to Westhead, and he sold it to
the other prisoners. The details of this case were
published twice last week. Mr. Bluck made an able
speech for the prisoners, but they were sent for trial.

BEFORE MR. MANSFIELD

A COWARDLY RUFFIAN.—A fellow, who gave his name
as Thomas Barney, was charged with assaulting a
foreigner named Aaron Offenback, and breaking one of
his pictures. It appeared that about half-past two
o'clock on the previous afternoon, the prisoner, with a
number of other lads, was standing at the corner of
Springfield-street, and when the complainant eras pass-
ing, they broke his picture, and then attacked and
assaulted him. They prisoner stated that the complain.
ant attacked him first, and made his nose bleed. Mr.
Mansfield said he did not believe a word the fellow
stated—he thought he was one of those cowardly ruffians
who waylaid porr low foreigners for the purpose of
robbing them. He committed him for two months.
MISTAKEN KINDNESS.— A fellow, named Finley, was
charged with breaking his wife's arm and otherwise
assaulting her. The wife stated that at the time of the
occurrence she would admit that she had bad a sup of
drink, and that she had pawned the blankets off the bed,
and spent a portion of the money. When she went
home her husband caught hold of her to get the money,
and threw her down and broke her arm. Evidence was
given to the effect that, in the scuffle for the money, she
fell. The prisoner was dismissed.
ASSAULTING A FEMALE.—Mr. Edward Phillips, a flag
maker, of Strand-street, was charged with assaulting
Mrs. Agnes Whittle, of Strand street. The complainant
stated that on the previous evening she went to tell her
husband that tea was ready, when the defendant accosted
her, and said, " Come, Kate.?' She told him he was
mistaken in the person, and that she was not one of his
sort, when he took his stick and struck her a violent
blow on the forehead. The surgeon for the Northern
Hospital stated that the wound in itself was not danger-
ous, but as the female was in the family way he did not
know what the result might be. The case was adjourned
for a week, and the defendant was admitted out on bail.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

By the Fermosa, which reached Ceylon in time
for the Overland mail, we have received advices
from Melbourne to the 29th of July, a fortnight
later than that brought by the Champion of the
Seas.

The general and political intelligence is of little
moment. The period for holding the general
elections, under the new constitution bill, are
approaching, and most parties were engrossed
therewith.

The struggle for legislative honours has com-
menced ; but as no indication has yet been made
public, as to the time when the general election
will take place, the field is only partially occupied
with candidates.

Notwithstanding a winter of most unusual
severity, in which the lowlands have been absolutely
deluged with water, and the uplands visited with
frost, snow, and hail, the plough was steadily
advancing, and agricultural shows and societies are
supported with great spirit. The result of three
days' sale of government lands at Melbourne last
week shows a decided upward tendency in the
value of land.

The subject of steam postal communication
remains in state quo; the leading merchants and
others interested appearing to rely on the efforts
making by Mr. Wentworth and others at home, to
push forward the subject:. Indeed, letters have
reached here, stating positively that post•ofce
steam-packets were to be immediately placed on
the line for Australia.

The increase of population by arrivals from the
neighbouring colonies is still going on. The arrival,
from Europe have also been much larger than of
late.

The Melbourne Chamber of Commerce is still
occupied with the subject of promoting immigra•
tion and internal communication. They have
offered a prizezf fifty guineas for the best essay on
the latter subject, and have suggested plans for
promoting the former, one of which has been
partially adopted by the executive, and is described
below

T h e Melboure Royal Exchange is rapidly approach-
ing to completion, and although not so large as the
edifice originally proposed. will be an ornament to
the city, and a credit to the mercantile body here.

Our advices from New Zealand extend to the•
14th of July. The price of wages in New Zealand
is very high, the average being—carpenters and
artisans, from 12s. to 14s per diem ; and labourers
Bs. to 10s. per diem. Cowry gum is the chief
article of exportation, and is 121 per ton. The
prices of crops have fallen, on account of a large
supply from Melbourne, in the neighbourhood of
which the crops have been most fruitful.
The disturbance between the two native tribes
in Taranaki, New Plymouth, had subsided, and
the colonists were under no personal apprehension
but for fear that the weaker tribe might be driven
into New Plymouth and a conflict ensue there.
The Government had sent 250 men belonging to
the 58th and 65th Regiments to the district, where
permanent barracks are to be erected.
New Zealand appears to be in a flourishing con-
dition The grain crops are plentiful; flour. 181
to 251. per ton ; fresh beef, 6d per lb; salt beef.
Si, per tierce ; flax, 301. per ton, not much in the
market; gum, 121. per ton, average ; spars, average
41. lOs per load on board ; wool. 9,1 to is 2d per lb
at Canterbury; average, ls. Freight 11,1 per lb.
The great deficiency is the want of the poorer
class of labourers, to whom 8s per day is paid by
government. Ordinary wages. lOs to 12s ; carpen-
ters, 12s to 14s ; artisans generally, 12 to 14s.
Those only who can labour are required.

The following interesting communication from
an intelligent and well informed correspondent at
Adelaide, giving an interesting review of the
Colony of South Australia for the year ending
June 30,1856, will be perused with interest. Our
correspondent's letter is dated July 14. He thus
writes

The commencement of the year now closed was ushered
in by the arrival of our new Governor, who was received in
a flattering manner—whether arising from the general
thankfulness for his Excellency's safety, which, owing to his
long passage from Melbourne,had been somewhat questioned
—whether from the universal and sanguine opinion that he
would better suit the Colony than his predecessor—or
whether from the knowledge that bis arrival would lead to
fresh elections, and the framing of the new constitution, I
know not. In my humble opinion. he has proved himself
worthy of his post. One of the first steps he took had
reference to the immense immigration which had been, and
was then, taking place. He saw, and truly, that the class
selected by the commissioners were, as a rule, of a most
unsuitable character, consisting, as they did chiefly, of a
majority of Irish women, and those of a description totally
unadapted for domestic uses, and only fit for hoeing fields
or digging potatoes—an occupation most likely they had
been trained to. He consequently remonstrated, and wrote
home to put a stop to such useless expenditure of the land
fund—owing to this the late arrivals have been well selected,
and have, in most cases, found immediate employment.
Notwithstanding this great influx, amounting, in 1855, to
11,871 souls, our population lies not increased in propor-
tion, owing to the large numbers who, during the last six
months, have left this for Melbourne ; amongst these many
have been " new chums," who, I truly believe, only availed
themselves of the free passage to Adelaide for the purpose
of proceeding to the adjacent colonies—this is an evil that
ought to be guarded against. There is another reason that
may have induced some to leave, which I shall refer to
hereafter. The next event of importance - and by far the
greatest I have to note—was the general election which, as
you are aware, took place in September last, the excitement
was unusually intense, and the interest taken great, from
the fact that the successful candidate for legislative
honours would have the onus of framing the
new constitution, in some instances the contests
were very close ; in that for West Adelaide, the
most populous district, there was a good deal of ill feeling
displayed, so strong, indeed, did party feeling run, that the
mounted police were called out, both on the day of nomina-
tion and election The resnit terminated in the return of
one of the proprietors of the South Australian Register; his
opponent was subsequently chosen one of the nominees, and
was selected speaker. The New Constitntion has not given
anything like general satisfaction—a conclusion which may
be gathered from the fact, that only a small portion of the
community have registered. The next important event
was the passing of the estimates. Before this was
accomplished, a select committee was appointed to
enquire into each of the public departments. The
result of their labours his been a reduction in the staff
of most, as well as a redaction in the salaries of the officers,
clerks, &c., whose services were retained. This, it would
appear, they have carried too far, more especially in the
latter instance. The late sudden rise in the price of provi.
sions led to a gratuity of 50 per cent being added to the
salaries of all government servants—this gratuity has been
reduced to 12,1 per cent, and that reduction is quite out of
proportion when prices of food, at the time the advance was
granted, are compared with. those now ruling. Referring
again to emigration, these reductions have had more, per-
haps, than is generally believed, to do with the numerous
departures. The public, at last, aroused themselves, or were
aroused by a government memorandum, which, amongst
other things, referred to the Exodus, and proposed, as a
means of stopping it, that some public works, of a repro-
ductive nature, should be immediately commenced out of the
land fund. Meetings were held, and the proposition
supported. By the Council, however, the memorandum
was not at all relished, it was considered unconstitu-
tional, and the elected members carried a resolution almost
implying a vote of censure on the governor ; the upshot
of it all has, been that the memorandum and proposi-
tions have been acted on, and large sums have been toted
for making roads, constructing water works, and for other-
wise improving the colony, There have also been proposals
for connecting the River Murray with the Gawler Town
Railway, and many months will not elapse before those
proposals will take some tangible shape, be carried into
execution, and open up thereby the Victoria " diggings" to
the mercantile and wheat growing community of Adelaide.
Already the " Victorians" are astir, fearful that we shall,
ere long, snap from their grasp the supplying of so vast a
population. The Council, after a protracted wearisome
sitting, has been prorogued, but will meet once more for the
purpose or passing the estimates for 1857, aft ,r which there
will be fresh elections, and a new era in South Australia--
responsible government. The City and Port Railway, which
was opened on the 21st of April, so far has worked success-
fully, and, comparatively, prosperceeely. The receipts per
week have averaged £450, while the working expenses are
much greater, and the expenses smaller, as soon the rails
to connect the wharves with the main line are all laid down.
It is confidently asserted that the Gawler Town Railway
will be partially opened this year, and the whole line in
about nine months. The completion of this line will still
further increase the traffic of the city and port, as wool
and wheat will thus be ridged to the articles for conveyance.
In the absence of large arrivals during thp twelve moths,
1 have to note a moving off, at paying rates (for suitable
articles) of most of the imports, as also a clearing off, in
'and keep us well sup-
studymany if shippers will only
our wants'
instances, , of
watch old stocks;u our markets,
a