SYDNEY.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 18, 20 May 1867, Page 118

SYDNEY.

Our dates are to 'the 28th, .April. The * latest telegrams, &c.; will be found elsewhere. From. Mail of the 27th ultimo weflake the following: — || The inquest on the fire in Sydney reveals a curious state of things in the conduct of commercial business. The examination of the persons whose store was burnt failed to elicit the information that is usually sought; after in such cases. The witnesses could not give any positive information as to the state ,of their affairs. They could not say how much absolute cash they had when they ; began business; they could not say what was due to them; the books were burnt from being left out, although there was a safe in the office, and a lad about twelve years of age seems to have had powers of sale. Another point of great importance was elicited —namely, that there is no reason for shutting off the water from the city except to save the trouble and expense of pumping it up. Ever since the rain set in, the water has been running to waste at Botany. And yet at night time the water has not been supplied to a large part of the city. Water rates have been kept up, hut the water supply has been diminished. Two large fires have occurred in the city, and tens of thousands of pounds worth of property has been destroyed, much of which might have been saved, “if water had been obtainable as soon as the fire was discovered.

The rain, having once begun, seems unable to leave off. Pretty frequent showers, and some heavy showers, have continued to fall. • The rain is not wanted now either for agricultural or pastoral purposes; and, indeed, some of the land is too sodden for the plough. But there has been no, damage done by the additional rain, which will soak well into the ground, and feed the subterranean reservoirs from which springs and wells are supplied. But it looks as if those who had predicted a wet winter were about to prove true prophets. All those who have removable property subject to floods will do well to take all possible precautions. At the Bathurst assizes, Kelly and Foran were both found guilty of robbery with arms on the Carcoar road. There were four men concerned in the robbery, but only two were arrested. The Judge expressed his full concurrence in the verdict, and added that in order to clear themselves, they had induced three witnesses to commit perjury, unless, indeed, they were really inriocent. He. did not inflict the maximum punishment, but awarded them ten years’ hard labour. They protested their innocence, and the Judge said that if, at any time they could prove their innocence, he would recommend their immediate liberation.

John Connors was found guilty of murdering one James Taylor. It was a crime committed in drunkenness and passion. Sentence of death was passed.

William Peters was found, guilty and sentenced to death, for a brutal aud wounding, though not a fatal, assault on a little girl. The unhappy prisoner swooned during the delivery of the. sentence. If men could only be as deeply affected at the thought of sin as they are at the prqspect of punishment, how many, crimes might be prevented.

A shocking attempt at murder is recorded as having occurred at Bedfern. A young man, not long married, finding-that his wife, who was visiting at a friend’s house, would not come home when he asked her, went and fetched a pistol and fired it at her. The shot was only prevented from being mortal by the interposition of her“arm. We abstain from any minute, comment on a transaction which has yet to. undergo the ordeal of calm investigation r before the tribunal of justice,. but the account shows how ungovernable some men’s passions are, and to what crimes they may be suddenly 'hurried. The world is; |iiU of temptations, and to pass safely through the, men’s hearts need*, to. be, equally full of the power of self-restraint. .