SYDNEY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 439, 17 January 1857, Page 7

SYDNEY.

state of the city. Good effects oe the New Paving Act.—■ The good effects of the new Paving Act are beginning to be seen throughout a great portion of Pitt and George Streets. One may walk now several hundred yards at a time in these streets. without being exposed to the risk of breaking a leg, or spraining an ancle, by inadvertently stepping into some insidious hole in the footpath, as. was commonly the case before the new act was; called into existence. Even in front of the government establishments in George-street the old flagging has been removed and new flagging substituted. Apart from sanitary considerations, or rather apart from the consideration of additional security from accidents to life and limb, the appearance of the city has been much improved by this judicious piece of legislation. To the eyes of our friends from the "' old country" it must be a most gratifying sight to observe these signs of improvement —realising as they do, in a measure, the comforts of city thoroughfares in the mother country. State of the Semi-Ciectjlar Qttat. —As usual the western side of the quay was in a most annoying state of puddle after the few hours rain which fell on Wednesday night. Every day adds to the certainty that if speedy action be'not taken in the matter, this costly work will fall into a state of ruinous disrepair. At various intervals over nearly the whole face of the western side of the quay the piles have sunk; the consequence has been that the planking has given way and formed sundry little reservoirs for a most annoying series of puddles which on account of thei/frequency render locomotion on foot exceedingly unpleasant. The retention of the water on "the surface will of course have the eifect of rotting the timbers, and the consequence will be that some serious accident will eventually awaken the government to the necessity of repairing the quay. In the vicinity of the Custom house 111 c quay "is in such a state of slough after rain as to render it necessary to make a complete circuit before being able to pass the shed in front of that building." During the early part of Thursday it was positively annoying to notice large quantities of highly destructible gootls lying on the qu&3 r exposed to rain without the slightest covering- or protection. State of Hyde Park Fence. — Nearly every portion of the old fence round the park has fallen into a state of disrepair ; it is therefore no uncommon occurrence to see cattle straying in the enclosure. The fact is that the old tworail fence is completely decayed and needs replacing by a new and substantial one. Neither having got into the park, is there sufficiently easy means of egress from it for foot passengers, more especially in the vicinity of Park-stre-jt or rather at the head of William-street. In tins

latter portion of the park the pipe-clayey nature of the soil causes the sides abutting on Willianistreefc to be constantly foiling away, thus discommoding the footpath, destroying the appearance of the line of the street, and causing other inconveniences.

The New Front to St. Mary's Cathedral. The addition to the Western front of St. Mary's Cathedral, which lias been in process of erection for some years past, is at length approaching rapidly towards completion. It is believed that the intended addition will be completed in something less than a period of IS months; it is however believed that, long before that time, it will be in so forward a state as to add greatly to the accommodation of the large congregation worshipping at the Cathedral. Judgino- from the design and plans of the sacred i'ifedince, i:'the. new front will add greatly to its and beauty. The bell-tower will excell £.tn'the height and massiveness of its proportions? any thing of the kind in the colony. ! New Portico in Front of the House of Assembly.—lt is in contemplation^ to increase the accommodation for "strangers" in the house' of Assembly, by erecting a gallery immediately under the present Strangers' Gallery. With this view the front entrance to the house will be blocked up, and a general entrance having a partition through its centre will be substituted in the shape of a large and neatly constructed brick portico, ornamented with a handsome parapet, and protected from the weather by a flat roof. As before stated, the portico will be divided into two vestibules, one of which will be fcr the use of " honorable members," the other will be for the use of " strangers." These vestibules will form, at the same time entrances to the body of the house and to the new Strangers' Gallery. The portico is approached by two flights" of stone steps which lead on to a platform without the portico. This portion of _ the lout ensemble will, when finished, give a light graceful appearance to the portico; and it is almost superfluous to say, that the addition of a portico to the principal entrance of the house of Assembly was much needed.

The Newcastle ajjd Maitland Railway. —-A large consignment of machinery for the Newcastle and Maitland Railway, has _ arrived per ships Dundonald and Dunbar, now discharging cargo at the Circular Quay. A portion of the machinery has already been discharged on the quay; it is, however, rumoured that the above named vessels will so soon as they shall have discharged their general cargo proceed^ to Newcastle, and their deliver that portion having reference to the Newcastle railway. Itis expected that commercial transactions in the Northern district will receive a powerful impetus, consequent upon the improved system of communication which is being gradually introduced on the Hunter.