SYDNEY. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3752, 28 July 1869, Page 5

SYDNEY. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.

That precious stones were to be found in New South Wales was a fact well known as long ago as 1851, when a diamond discovered by Sir T. Mitchell was exhibited at the Museum of Geology in Jermyn street, London ; and it has come within my knowledge that a large quantity of what is thrown away by the diggers as useless has on examination been found to contain rubies and corundums, the Jattor of which, when of a blue colour, almost rivals the diamond in value as it almost does in hardness. But, with all this knowledge, we were quite surprised a short time ago at the news that real diamonds had for the last twelve months been discovered in great abundance in the Mudgeo district; and it appears that during all this time they had found their way to Molbourno before anything was known of them in Sydney. As a further novelty in the matter, some jewellers of that city have formed a DiamondMining Company, whoso prospectus, a full column of close print, has been circulating for some time in a Sydney newspaper. It promises sure fortune to anyone who will join ; as, in addition to diamonds, it holds out the prospect of abundance of precious stones of scarcely less value. Quartz reefs, said to be very rich in gold, have been discovered between Bathurst and Carcoar, at a place called Turnkey Creek. An official report speaks of the looality in highly favourable terms, and crowds of people are already congregating there ; so that, as in other places, even if it does not prove a rich field, we may have a flourishing township, and a further step in settling the country. An A crated Bread Company, which at first was thought a wild sehenie,has been established in the city, and has been so successful in ifcs operations that it cannot supply bread fast enough for customers. A very widespread complaint had for a long time been lodged against most of the bakers for the badness of of the article they supplied, and the public are only too glad that a more wholesome and. palatable bread is rapidly taking its place, Still thero is a strange prejudice against it with some classes, as thero is against most things while they are new, and the bakers are doing their best to foster it in the minds of the ignorant. The inaugural lecture at the School of Arts was delivered last woek by Mr. W. 0. Windoyer, M.L.A. It was a general survey of human knowledge, and was characterised by great learning conveyed in very dignified language, but it was thought by some to have been altogether too good, as it must have shot clean over the mass of the audience. 'What we really want is a populariser of scientific knowledge, accompanied with experiments — something in the style of the late Professor Faraday, or of Professor Huxley, who is now so successfully lecturing to the working men of Dngland. The Australian Library, that pseudoaristocratic rival of tho Schools of Arts, has for some time been defunct, and its valuable stock of books, amounting to over 15,000, is still in tho market. The present competitors are the School of Arts and the Melbourne Free Library ; and there is a struggle to get up another offer on behalf of a proposed Free Library for Sydney, a subject which has lately been much agitated. It is feared that our own niggardliness will allow Melbourne to carry off the prize, just as it has taken the lead in other things. IL works our Moruya silver mine, has leased our granite quarry there, and builds our Post-office with the stone ; it works our diamond mines, and now is likely to walk off with our library. The subject of a free library for the people will be a subject for discussion at tho next meeting of Parliament which is to take place in September. For the present, a very laudable small beginning has been made in the suburb of Newfcown, where some enterprising genilesnen havo been the means of furnishing the inhabitants with a well-selected collection of books, nnd this is the first movement of the kind in New South Wales. The sewerage question threatens to become a formidable problem for solution. The ground beneath the city is pierced by thousands of tubes, which convey sewage from every corner, and discharge it into the harbour. The majority of these converge in a main sewer, which empties itself at Fort Macquarrie. During the last hot weather, whenever the wind was N.E., noxious effluvia arose from the water, and so much incommoded the waterside residents that they had invariably to close their windows. Even at the mansions on Potts's Point the injonvenience is said to have been felt. While cold weather and southerly winds continue the subject lulls, but it is sure to force itself for discussion when the summer arrives. It is difficult at present to see what is to be done, but perhaps some wise men in Parliament will give ua light. Nothing could bo finer than the weather we have had of late. Excepting a few cold days in May, when real frost was nightly seen near Sydney, the temperature has been extremely high for the season. On some days it has been too warm, but the nights have always been cool, with heavy dews. It has, also, been very dry weather. The whole of April and the first week of May was a period of incessant rain, but since then to the present time the days have been calm and sunny. Now, however, heavy rain has set in from the south-east, and will probably continue for some days. The celebrated case of contempt of Court, which was brought on lately against Messrs. Fairfax and Dr. Steel for publishing certain matter concerning two criminals when the trial was still pending, has aroused much indignation against Judge Hargi'ave, who exhibited less law and logic than he did of ill-feeling — andjless grammar also,acoording to a Melbourne paper. The Herald apologises, but is fined £100, not as punishment, but as an example to other colonial papers. The editor may well ask what they have done that they should be made an example of ; and the country papers may ask what they nave done that they should be warned. Dr. Steel, the universally respected Presbyterian minister, sent in an affidavit pleading iguorance of facts, he being at the time absent from Sydney, and his statemont was accepted by the Court. Yet was he brought up for judgment and involved in costs. " Who made you a judge ?" said Mr. Hargrave. Said the Herald, next day, with consummate sarcasm. "Not the Cowper Ministry."