A DIGGER'S DIARY AT THE THAMES. No. 6.
Dxoimbki s.— During the kit few weeks great progress hM be»n made in the township j many large buildings have been erected. Ihe main street ha« (been greatlj extended, and bids fair to be a ■treet of noble proportions; the ground being perfectly level adds very considerably to its appearance. There is an important addition being made to Butt's hotel, consisting of a music hall, or theatre, Ac. The enterprising proprietor is evidently going to great expense iv the erection of this new wing to his already large establishment. The township, at present, consist? of (as far as I can asoertaio) the following places of business, Ao,: — 14 hotnis and restaurant*, 5 butchers, 4 Inkers, 2 clothiers and drapers, 23 storekeepers, 3 auctioneers, 1 cutler, 2 booksellers, 8 carters, 1 ginger-beer manufactory, 1 chemist, 1 furniture-dealer, 1 barrister, 2 solicitors, 7 bootmakers, 2 watchmakers, 2 doctors, 2 hair* dresser*, 1 photographer, 3 agents, 1 tobacconist, 2 timber merchants, and 1 post-office. 1 her* are 10 buildings in oourse of erection; 5 crushing machines are in operation outside the town, and several are being erected. Of shipping there is no lack : as many as from 15 to 20 vessels have been at anchor in the harbour several times. December 6. — Wonderful I At last we have had a fins day, and we are very thankful for it. A view of the district on a fine moonlight night, from one of the hills, is a tight not be forgotten, and well worth a little trouble to see. To the left is the Thames, stretching far away to the south; immediately before and below us, are the waters of the Hauraki district, looking like a vast sheet of silver ; around us, and at our feet, is the flat on which the diggers' camp is pitched ; in the left corner of it may be easily discerned the township, the roofs of the houses glistening in the clear light of the moon; while all around us and on the side of every hill even, to the highest summit of the loftiest mountain, we observe hundreds of little white conical objects, — the«e are the tents of the diggers. Interspersed among these lilliputian tents are bri ht lights flickering and flashing hither and tbither like so many stars ; these are the fires at which many of the diggers are cooking their meals for the coming day* If we look, attentively at those closer to us we can see groups of men standing or sitting around some of these fires ; here many a yarn is spun, many a joke is cracked, and many a pun is coined to the evident amusement and satisfaction, if not to the edification, of the parties concerned. Shouts of laughter may be heard in variouajdirections, indicating that, if all hare not got gold, they have nut yet quite lost newt. As we stand admiring the scene, we hear various sounds in the distance, among which we are not a little pleased and delighted to hear the inspiring notes of the bagpipes; and without for one moment meaning to disparage this truly national instrument of our Scotch friends, I can say sincerely that distance adds very considerably to iti charms when played well. Then the notes of the violin may be distinctly heard. There are many in the camp who play this instrument very creditably. We can also without difficulty catch the sounds of the cornopean, played by some genius of one tune, as he is everlastingly playing — "I wish I was with Nancy." Amid all these sound* and evidences of life may be heard in various direction*, faintly, in the distance, and near at band, the measured sound of the blacksmith's hammer on the anvil, mixed up with a singular tinkling which keeps on continuously. This proceeds from the various diggers pounding their quartz with heavy pestles in massive iron mortar*. December 7.— A great gathering of diggers took place this afternoon, having been convened in consequence of the circulation of a fly-sheet of the Cross, which contained an aiticle condemnatory of a leader which, I understand, lately appeared in the Herald. Several diggers made speeches on the ocossion ; one man especially attracted considerable notice, who made a very inflammatory, democratic speech; he was a man possessing a wonderful gift of natural eloquence, and seemed to have the po *er of commanding and melting the attention of the majority of this class, who were delighted beyond measure at the torrent of infective and ready wit which poured from his lips. — [We have already published a report of the proceedings.— Ed. D.S.C.] December 8. — Sunday service in the morning at the Court-house ; an elderly gentleman preached in the morning to a scanty congregation. The weather being very unfavourable, it was a great pity the place was not filled, as we heard, one of the most talented and interesting discourses ever delivered in this place. The title of the subject was, as announced previously, " Profit and loss," founded on the wellknown text, "What shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" The preacher was evidently a man of very extensive reading, and gave a- number of beautiful and appropriate quotations from ancient and modern writers, including Homer, Cato, Milton, Addisou, and others. Mr. Rowe, M.P.C., preached in the evening. The plans prepared for the Catholic Chapel by Mr. Cameron have been accepted, and I understand the building will be immediately proceeded with. December 9. — I am glad to see thai steps have h&tn taken to get the streets into something like decent or oivilised order, Contrapfcs are gut for cutting gutters and drains, but nothing is said about metalling the roads. December 10. -A meeting of diggers will take place on Saturday, called by Mr. Mackay, to choose twenty-fonr delegates to confer with him on the subject of revising the rules and regulations, many of them being of a most unreasonable and arbitrary nature, and which give rise to much dissatisfaction and bad feeling. Mr. Mackay, therefore, deserves praise for taking this step in the right direction. Thkophilus Cooper.
Tb« Sydney Jsmmre of the 2Jth ultimo says :— <• A. bill to amend fhe Stamp Duties Act of 1865 mi brought op by Mr. Eagar, and rea/j. * 4 rlfc time yesterday. The second reading is set down for to-morrow (Thursday). This bill contains yery stringent penal olaiues, and adds considerably to the nnmber of duties to be collected. If carried into effect, it would doubtless cause a considerable addition to th« revenue, bat at the expense of very serious burdens on trade. For signing or executing any document made liable to a stamp doty before it is stamped, a penalty of £10 it proposed ; for signing, endorsing, or negotiating a bill of exchange or promissory note without the proper stamp, the penalty is £50; for not issuing within seven days memorandum of insurance effected t}y open policy, £50 penalty j for signing an unstamped certificate of surrey, £20 ; for refusing to give a stamped receipt fqr monej, £20 ; for administering without probate or letters of 'administration, £100 ; for not "'ting forth the true consideration for a transfer of property, £500 penalty. The Treasure; is empowered to gire as much as one-third of the penalty to the informer. In addition to the duties payable under the present Act, the new bill proposes a penny duty on an agreement for letting a dwellinghouse at 10i. a week or under ; an appointment in execution of a power of land or other property, real or personal, 10s.; on awards, 2s. 6d. on £100 ; on bonds, 2«. 6d. on £100 ; on scrip certificate, Is. ; on certificate of survey, 10s.; on charter party, 55. ; on conveyances in consideration of any annual sum, £3 on every £50 of the annual sum ; on every coupon, Is.; on every debenture, £1; on declaration of trust, 10s. j on letter of attorney, 10s.; on receipt for goods shipped from the master, mate, or agent of any vessel, 6d.j on recognizance, 10s. ; on deed of settlement, 6.. for £500, and 2s. 6d. for every £100 additional.." An action was recently tried in Sydney, brought hf th« proprietor of the Carton printing office against the defendant, pne of the alleged partners m " Cooke, Zoyara, and Wilson's" cirous, to recover the sun?, of £10 is. $&,' balance of accQunt for printing playbill?, kc. The action itself was not of importance, but »t •lioited thft flowing extraordinary piece of evidence from! Me. Cookf, who s»i4 that "he was not a partner of Zoyara's. Last saw the person called Mademoiselle Zoyara in Melbourne, *rhen about leaving for India. Zoyara was a man, and married ; bnt from the time he was four years of age dressed in female apparel. His proper name is Omir Kings* ley. He invariably dressed as a lady; r ' In England and Europe b» pasted as a lady. He was introduced as Mademoiselle, or Madame Zoyara. .It was also known in Melbourne, Could not aay .whether he took np his position in tb» ladies' oabin when traveU ling or not. . Believed he did not,' He, might or> might not. Zoyara, from childhood, dressed as a female, and when he became celebrated stjll retained the dress of a lady." It appears/that a soft ypung gentleman followed the supposed lady to Sydney vith matrfmoniaj in^oatiqus, „ ■ , ' A correfpandent of the Eixw&a Bay Tim* »»y« the way to "clean wool is to drive the sheep two or three, times through a river a day or, t»o prefious to shearing— the sheep io be taken ordinary oare of meanwhile.. This is a very simple method; fMti mm no harm can result from an experiment we trnst some df bur sheep farmers will be induced to airs Tit •' trfitti •fad acauajnt til with the succesrf or of thii sfibplf modi of wasbing ihjtep.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18671214.2.29
Bibliographic details
A DIGGER'S DIARY AT THE THAMES. No. 6., Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3249, 14 December 1867
Word Count
1,665A DIGGER'S DIARY AT THE THAMES. No. 6. Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3249, 14 December 1867
Using This Item
See our copyright guide for information on how you may use this title.