THE REIGN OF TERROR.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1955, 22 October 1863, Page 5

THE REIGN OF TERROR.

(mOM TIIK "BATHORbT TISIKS," SEPTEMBER 80.) There can bo no ignoring the fact that we Are now living under a reign of terror inch as never before prevailed in these districts since they were first inhabited by the white man. Half-a-dozen heartless, reckless, bloodthirsty scouiuhels are muster* of this western tuiritory, and hold at their good will and pleasure the lives and propeitics.of all our citizens who reside beyond the boundaries of a populous township. Mere boys though they be, they are, beyond all question, masters of the situation, and the fact is a deep disgrace to our civilisation. Just at the timo that our most intelligent and ie»pect*blu citizens assemble together in & monitor mass to discuss tho conditions of our future progress, and contend for the prize of a grand trunk lino of 1 ail way, which, if decided in onr favour, is to give us the leadciship amongst the great disstricts of the colony, a few striplings, armed to the teeth, and surrounded with chnaux de finite of caibines and revolvers, sweep the country to our very doors, and carry on a wholesale system of plunder altogether unaparnlleled in tho history of New South Wales. One unfortunate storekeeper, Mr. Hosie, of Ciloola Cieek, has thus been deprived of money and property, wo undeistaud, at the rate of £700, at two different peiiods, and is brought to the vorge of ruin ; and notwithstanding that the district is almost swarming \\ ith police, their career tippoaid to be one undistuibed seiies of successes. So far indeed from the police keeping them in check, they have commenced apprehending the polico, nnd habitually hold them in tho most thorough contempt. In our last issue our Rockley correspondent gave a characteristic sketch of a week's bushraugiug adventures of tho western banditti, and the sort of services rendered by the police. We appear to be reduced to thatnonnal condition of society in which a man is doomed to protect himself by his own strong arm or his trusty sv\ord. Law and authority are fast becoming powerless ; and no man knows, who carries ou business outside a township, how soon he may be stripped of his worldly possessions and ruined. There can be no concealing the fact that the evil is deep seated, ami has taken, or is now taking, firm root in the soil. The cla«i to which Gilbert and 0' Meally belong number amongst its lising youth many budding bushi angers, who will assuredly be encouraged to take tho road by the impunity which has marked the career of their piedecessors. •^fhere is a large population bied and reared in the holes and cot nuts of our district, who know little of honest labour, and care less for its moderate l awards. To moral restraints they are utterly insensible, and aie dead to any salutary influences but those of fear. The law they regard as a tyranny, and its administrators as tyrants, and are prepared, at any fitting or convenient time, to commence a cat Get of violence aud crime. And what, pray.it to prevent them ? We hear frequently of huMnangcrs camping within a few hours' rido of Batlmrst, and doing tho coolest possible things. They evidently feel their security from harm, aud care no more for the police than if they were so many gadflies. It is time something were done ; and if the Government cannot piotect life and property, that the peoplejdo it themselves. With as full a legard for fie la\y as any oitizen in these districts, and as unflinching a determination to adheie to it, we ate reluctantly drivctv, to the conclubiou that it is in this community at least poweiless for protection. Surely there aie pluck and manhood sufficient in tho young men of tho West to defend their heiutlis and homes, ami to induce such a gathering as would hunt the miscreants down, and bring those to justice who are filling the countiy with terror and alarm. Without some auxiliary to our present police force, we have certainly little hope of a restoration of peace and security. Since the foregoing, which was penned for Saturday's issue, wab committed to type, futther intelligence has come to hand in reference to the doings of the bushrauging fii in. The jolly cut-throats who now direct the destinies of these regions have flown off at a tangent, and given their attention to higher game than they have hitbei to pursued. They now aspire to magisterial society — have supper with Mr. Loudon, J.P., and after subjecting him to the ignominy of handcuffs, held a thieves' jubilee in his presence. Having played out their game at Grubbeubong, and done a geneious thing in not stripping his house of all its valuables, they start for Mr. Montague Rothery's establishment at Limestone Crc-ek, appropriate his champagne, quaff his brandy, and select from his saddle-horses and saddlery just what suits them, jocosely remarking, we understand, to the proprietor, whilst all this business is being transacted, that if he will send for the Carcoar polico, they will put them in handcuff* and take them into town ! After remaining there several houis and completing their marauding entei prise, they start for Caiiowindra, have a night's carouse at a public inn, rob a store, and pursue their way with a deliberateness which in their estimation argues a sense of perfect security and a qomplete freedom from intetfeience. And such is the game these ruffians have been playing during the last fortnight — camping, on one occasion, two nights in the same locality, and appiopriating a settler's hay for the feed of their horses. In brief, we may state that during the time specified, this band of freebooteis have, in the most public and delibeiate manner, been preying upon the inhabitants of this distrtct—despoiling them of their property, laughing tho authorities to scorn, and in every practicable and possible way insulting the sacred form' of justice ! Weie the thing not gravely serious it would be absolutely ludicrous. If our social life and commercial security were not involved, the whole thing wquld. be a huge joke. And where, pray, whjlst all this melanohuly farce has been, enacting, were our police detachments— superintendents and inspectors to boot? Whilst these reprobates wore leisurely pursuing their iiifamous traffic tluough the country, with their ten or dozen horses, which, owing to the softness of the weather, could be easily tracked, where were the men who are paid to protect our propei ty ? Echo answers n here ' — and the one universal impression is that they were looking for the bushrangers and praying that they wight n.o.t find them I We have n.p desire to deal unjustly by the police, but the whole business is now appioximating to a orisis whioh can neither be iguoied by the Government nor the country.

Arrival of Alpacas in Melbourne. — The following is from the Melbourne Yeoman of October 3 :—: — "The 193 alpacas, the remnant of the 312 which weie put on board the 'Julia Parmer' at Torapilla, in "Bolivia, to be brought to this country, were landed in safety on Tuesday morning last. Tho animals, with a few exceptions, were at once taken to a paddock in the neighboiuhood of the city. It was originally intended by Messrs. H. Clqugh a.nd' Co., the con* signeqs, to havq th« whole flock taken to their »tore in Colliui-street, but by a mistake of tho men in charge, they were taken on to the paddock. In a few days a portion of the (lock will be brought to the above store, for the inspection of the public. We are informed that unless, as it is expected, the alpacas are disposed of in the mean time by private contract, they will be sold by public auction some time about tho holding of tee Intercolonial Show, to be held in Melbourne at the beginning of the ensuing month. Height of the Sexes.— Tho standard height of the sexes has been fixed by the Venus ana the Apollo j from whence it may be generally p.bseyve'd tbitf those who exeqed th,e height o,f'the statues, will have the e^tra le,ngtli in the logs, and those who fall pelow it will h,aVe the deficiency in tho shortness of them. Asa ridiculous instance of this, Mr. Barrymore, the tragedian, was greatly upwards of six feet highi «md his friend. My. Smith, very mnoh under five feet j when meeting at the same convivial board they [were acoustomed to sit side by side, and appeared while thus sitting like two gentlemen of equal size and consequence ; when it was necessary to rise in respect, a* in drinking the king's health, which they would both spontaneously do, little Mr. Smith, contrary to all order, would appear to keep his seat, while Barrymore would spring up like a spectre from the trapdoor of the stage j this circumstance placed tho two gentlemen in a serious predicament, as it was said of each of them that thg one ought never to get up, and the Qth.e* ought never' tft sit down !— Article on « pomj>a'ra&Yo Beauty ' in MjxtjcpL Mflgazfal- ' Lord ' Erskine once reproved a brutal follow for shamefully beating a horse.. "Why," said the fellow, "it'll my own. Mayn't I nsoitas I please?" and ai he spoko he disoharged a fresh shower on the raw back of the beast. Lord Erskine, with a stout walking-stich, basted the slionlders of the cowardly offender, who, quite cowed, asked what business he had to touch him with tho stick. " Why," replied Lord Erskine, " the Btick'smy own ; mayn't I n^o j{j a« I please.?"