DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 15, 29 July 1843, Page 3

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Institute. — On Thursday Ust, a lecture on Music was delivered to the .if embers and friends of this institution, by far. Outhwaite. We were much gratified m witness so numerous and so respectable a faceting of the people, and we are persuaded i'at all who attended must havo felt excdingly well pleased, and even delighted tli the evening's amusement. The lccrer went hand and heart to work ; he not ly explained the principles of Music, but s also practically, and happily illustrated cm. It would not be fair (and wo feel at we are not competent for the task) attempt to criticise a lecture of this kind, c object of which was to create among the -tncoplc a taste and a desire, for an innocent, ludI ud a refined amusement. The members f the Mechanic's Institute are under very reat obligations to Mr. Outhwaite for thesucosful effort ho has made to revive the instiution. We trust he will favour us with a 3cond lecture on the same subject on an early ccasiou. We may safely say, that we have ot for a long time passed' a more agreeable wiling. We would recommend our correspondent "Abstemious" to endeavour to unite is total abstinence friends with the Mechanics' Institute. The two together, with the |ffid of the philharmonic gentlemen, would do Jjpoi'c to promote and maintain temperance, |$J)an throe hundred mere speeches on drun||ciuiehB. Had the people the opportunity >M enjoying such innocent and rational jfianusoinont as our friend Mr. Outhwaite I H'ovided for them on Thursday last, wo arc I iei'Miaded that few would be found so besotI ; kl as not to abandon tho gin shop and enjoy Ipnself like a rational being. — Wo hope the icmbers of the Mechanics' Institute (now iat they havo procured their grant to the jud, and that the institution is likely to pcomc a favourite) will use every effort . to )llect a sufficient amount of money to erect i building of their own. The Rooms of pssrs. Brown & Campbell, tho' large and jell arranged, were still rather uncomfortably rowdod. The members of the Philharmonic pciety deserve the thanks of the Mechanics' Jjpstituto for their kind assistenco and preJ g? llco ' X weu when the lovers of science Ift 1G nc arts tllus S° liau( l m "and. p. Ashworth, Esq., will deliver a Lecture W% Grecian Architecture, on the Evening m this day 'week, at 8 o'clock. 1| Quekx Street. — We observe two or three jgaol-birds employed in scraping the dryest jancl best part of Queen-street, and throwing Mi tho earth they collect into the swamp in ie middle. We trust our friend the High Hflipriff, will mako a better road-maker than Hr. Ligar. But ho too, is beginning at the Bong end. He is destroying all that is Bod in Queen-street, without in tho least ißgree improving the bad. •It would be a |fflM thing if the Polico Magistrate with a |||zen of his" traps," would lend a hand to Wr '^ lei '^ mms new vocation, indeed, we |« nts, with their assistants and servants, lain upon tlie roacls for a time - Tho y Im llllcl then at least for once, benefit the jMoplo. Perhaps tho New Governor may »pt a scheme of this kind. . If he wishes SB b0 Popular ho will take the hint. Canal. — .Another miraculous es|mP ce — >Ye have repeatedly referred to the »ny nuisances created in this town by W fe T u . rvc Jor General and his Deputies. f e Ll ganan Ditch or Canal is the most ■ngerous. On Wednesday last one of our gends, who was neither careless nor tipsy, mr , .}°. se s 'g ut was somewhat affected by MT Manee of Mr. Sraithson's gas lamps,

tumbled head over heels into this fearful trap, and but for the kind aid of persons living in the neighbourhood* who hastened to hib assistencc with lights, lamps, and torches, ho should have been inevitably drowned. As it was ho had rather an unpleasant sousing in the muddy waters of the Lhjar. — A child was a few nights ago saved in a similar manner. — Nothing but touching the pocket will cure Mr. Ligar of his propensity of manufacturing -men traps. V> T o trust some one will raise an action against him in the Supreme Court for injuring the persons and properties of the people. A jury would, we arc certain, award good damages. Does Mr. Ligar really intend to leave an open ditch through the greatest thoroughfare in the town? The Commissioners of Land Claims. — We have often enquired of parties who have appeared before these gentlemen regarding the nature of their Court, but we have received no definite information. It is not quite the ] same as the Executive Council or "Star, Chamber" of New Zealand, in as much as its doors arc not closed ; and yet it is unlike any other Court that we have ever heard of. Some of the gentlemen composing it have spent a portion of their time in Spain and Portugal, and they havo perhaps taken the Inquisition as the model after which their Court is framed. It is the Inquisition then ; the doors arc open, but the reports of the Court arc secret, as well as the sentence and fate of the criminals or victims. We noticed some time ago the case of a poor man of the name of Graham, who purchased laud from the natives, which ho has occupied for tho last six years. His claim was disallowed by Commissioner Godfrey on the evidence of a native named "Hum "or Ruinga, the worst character on the whole river, and the party from whom the land was bought. Several Europeans of respectability were prepared to prove tho purchase, but tho Commissioner (we are surprised to hear) stated in open Court, that "no European evidence would be taken against the word of a heathen native \ " This is too, too much. Wo recommend Mr. Graham to petition the Officer administering the Government to order this Claim to be heard again, and if his Excellency refuse, let Mr. Graham procure the evidence of his European witnesses, and forward tho same with a memorial to Lord Stanley. Wo would advise him also to procure a copy of tho Commissioners' report upon his claim. This dare not by denied to him. We arc quite at a loss to discover by what principles tho Commissioners are guided in their decisions.