The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-25 00:00:00

HOBART TOWN PAPERS.

On the 18th of December, the ship Astrolobe, Captain
Dumant Duville, belonging to the French Government,
arrived at Hobart Town. After coming to, and making
up her sails, she fired a salute of 15 guns, which was re-
turned in style by the Mulgrave battery. The officers had
been handsomely entertained by the Governor. From
Larinceeton, we learn the natives are still troublesome, and
they had murdered an old man named Rutter, within five
miles of the town. Other persons had been chased and
speared by them near the settlement in the course of the
week. Wheat was six shillings per bushel ; Rum, retail,
per gallon; Tea, 51. per chest ' - Sugar, 301. a 401.
per ton. The market is glutted with all kind
of merchandise,- and still great importations are expected.
A Banking Company, under the style of the Directors
and Company of the' Derwent Bank, has been established
at Hobart Town, with a capital of 15,0001. in shares of
100/. each, and it is to be conducted on the most
liberal principles, and was to commence operation
on the let day of January. The following Gentlemen
were elected Directors and Office-bearers. Directors
Joseph. Hone, Esq., Chairman, William Barnes,
J. Dann, J. Kerr, J. H. Reby, P. A. Mulgrave, and
Patrick Wood, Esq., for one year only. Resident Direc-
tor and Cashier, Stephen Adey, Esq. ; Accountant Mr.
J. Leake. In addition to this establishment we are also
enabled to state a Branch will be established at Launces-
ton. Few bush rangers and robbers had been latterly taken,
but a plan of operation was going on by which the
public would be shortly relieved from this dangerous'
nuisance. Some apprehensions bad been entertained of
Van Dieman's Land being considered a penal settlement ;
but these fears had been quieted : it had the effect of doing
harm, although the idea was ridiculous enough. Some of
the Editors had the intention of putting their papers in
mourning, in consequence of the stamp dirty of 2d. each
number, which is a measure bitterly complained of, mad
a hope is expressed that the Governor will shortly be
aware of the evil effects that will result from this
=mtge. The black natives, headed by Black Tom, had
appeared in great numbers at Curryjong Springs, about
three miles and a half from Sorel! Springs, and had com-
mitted a number of outrages against the residents in that
neighbourhood. It is well observed, something ought to
be done to put a stop to these barbarities. A number of
boys had been sent to Macquarrie Harbour to learn the art
of' shipzbuilding. Letters from Launceston mention Mr.
Hone, the Attorney..-General, as unwell, which is ascribed to
excessive fatigue, arising Icon; his 4r4goas duties. The first
linnet ever brought into Van Dieman's Landarris-ed in one of
the last vessels froin England. Ten men had been tried for the
murder of a 'constable at Macquarrie settlement in the Cri-
tnitnyl Court and convicted,--the sentence had been-put in
earectioe qn nine of them. The inhabitants had held fre-
quent meetings in .different parts of the Colony to form
armed associations against the annoyances of blacks or
whites, particularly the. former, Cieneral ?sleeping of
the proprietors of the Bank of. Van Dieman's Land was
held on the 10th December, when the following gentlemen
were elected Directors—W. A. Bethune, G. F. Read,
C. Vkachlan, De. Lord, W. F. Kemp, G. Butler, and J.
Bell; G, F. Rev], Managing Director; at the same time
the officers of the present Think were npminated to similar
situations in the new establishment. 4 field police had
been established, and also a horse patrole, which'it is elated
if kept up by proper regulation, was likely to be ex-
tremely useful, and would prevent the frequent robberies of
sheep and ethee cattle, which has been not only frequent
but alarming. Saul Relr4co, of pugilistic fame, had ar-
rived, per the Layton, at Sydney.
•
An extended survey and plan of Hobart Town had
commenced, and it was intended to erect a pier or breast-
work from the Australian Store to Batting Point, to enable
chips of burthen to load and unload at all times. It was
also in eoniemplatien to build a new Custom-house, a dry
dock, together with a slip for the repair of ships, which
may draw more water than the dock would contain. The
Governor is said to have employed an engineer, for the
purpose of reporting on these matters, and it is pleasing to
hear of so many improvements in this valuable as well as
rising Colony. A Female Orphan School is established,
and a farm near _dew Nprfuly, on the River Derwent, is
pointed out as a suitable situation.