THE BUSHRANGER POWER,

Dunstan Times, Issue 1205, 3 April 1885, Page 3

THE BUSHRANGER POWER,

The Melbourne correspondent of a con« temporary writes— Harry Power, the last of the old time bushrangers, has been released after fifteen’ years’ seclusion in Pentridge. He emerges into the outside world at the mature age of 65, so he is not likely to require much police surveillance, or to feel any inclination to take to the bush again. The fact is that even if he were thirty years younger, he could no longer follow his old profession of husbranging for all parts of the country have got so peopled and cleared of timber that any madcap bushranger would be run dpwn in less than 24 hours after the first attempt at*s'tieking?-ns‘ “If Power really meditated a return to criminal lawlessness, ho would doubtless select the: city rather than the country for his field of operation, in view of the frightful disorganisation in our metropolitan police force, qnd the fact th4t the superintendent, has been engaged all the week in hearing ■ charges against police. For instance, it is alleged that the whole contingent olthepolicein one suburb was found one night in a state of helpless intoxication, that other members of the force ' have combined with certain fallen women to prevent the truth being told in a particular case, and that certain other constables have varied the monotony of their heats by prolonged visits to contiguous public houses. So numerous are these charges that it has gravely been proposed to establish'd hew court, especially for hearing cases in which the supposed guardians of the public peace and nropriety are themselves defendants. Anyone with halt an eye can see that the lounging, slovenly constables that at presentdisgraceour thoroughfares are not the right sorb of men ; if good men cannot he got at the Jpw .wages now ruling, why, common sense dictates the policy of rising the salary at once. But coming back to the ex-bushranger Power, it seems that a lady whom he treated kindly when he stuck up the mail coach in which she was one of the passengers 20 years ago has now taken him’under her patronage, and settled apetision on him for life. Like most of notoriety, he is emulous of •‘ running a pub” (to borrow the colloquial phrase), but'there is a pretty general impression that his ambition in this - respect will not be gratified, as the. majority of, the licensing magistrates may not .consider him a fit and proper person to hold a lieonoe. But it Power manages to overcome the scruples of these gentlemen, his hotel is sure to be a big business success, and to become the rendezvous of the readers qf sensational fiction. who will crowd into the bar, call for drinks, and listen with abate I breath while the old desperado tells how he stuck np the present President of the Legislative Council and a host of the highest citizens in the land. " , . ,