SYDNEY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 691, 22 June 1859, Page 4

SYDNEY.

- By the^heetah, the '.Independent!■acknowledges files of Sydney papers up to the 20th ultimo, frpm appear.- The' Herald'of the 16th has the following :—" The,4>lant, copyright, book debts, &c,, of the late Empire newspaper, have been privately disposed' of by Messrs. W. Dean & Go., to Messrs. W. Hanson and S.;Bennet, for £6,000."' In the same paper appear advertisements from Messrs. Hanson and Bennett, announcing that the 'Empire' will be published by them on and. from ; Monday next, the 23rd May, The offices are iff Lower Pitt -street. It is reported in Mainland that the paper will be on a doubl& sheet t ff o .days in the week, and on a single «heet four.days. .. The Alpaca FtocK.r-The 'Herald' of the 13th, in its summary for England, describes the introduction of the Alpaca;fldclc by Mf. Ledger, the attempts made in various ways :,to sell them, and the final purchases of the flock-hy. the Government rather than the animals should be lost to the colony. And it adds the following information. "About a fortr riightago the animals were handed over by Mr. Ledger.to the Government, and they are now, therefore] the property of; the country. The government ,- have wisely ,retained-Mr. Ledger's servivies to take charge of the -flock,.: now., numbering about three hundred, for -the purpose of choosing the locality best suited to-the habits of the a'nima.l, a,ndmost analogous to'the place from which they came. In_the . meantime '-the same are .depasturing at ■Cpllingwood,'about tw,enty -miles from Syidneyj and-have, ■ since their arrival, much improved in condition; as well as increased in number. ; Experience hitherto • has proved the climate and the pasturage-well adapted for their growth arid: propagation.: -It ; was • expected that-Mr-Ledger would have ; started eai'lier, ■ so as toiiavethe alpacas removed' before .the winter set in,- which '.is an unsuitable, season for driving -stoek;.-but, although.he will start!inlhetcourse r pf a few' days, the flock must now remain a.t 'Collingwo-dd -■during, the winter. * * * , .Thesum'd'f':£ 15,00 d ■ voted for the purchase of the alpacas has; during the ; past week, been handed over'to a gentleman' representing the House"j to Mr. ; Ledger was indebted to that amount, so. that Mr.-Ledger .finds' himself, after iseven years of severe labour,; and the outlay 0f£7000,-utterly .unrewarded except-by<the moderate salary attaching to the office of Superin- ■ tendent of Alpacas. Although few people, are prepared to doubt the importance of-this addition -to • our resources, .there,is a natural tendency amongst ■ the Commercial classes- to depreciate the value' of -new enterprises until the tangible-results: are before them. However, there can be no doubt that when alpaca wool begins toafrive in the Sydney produce - sales,and to make a respectful figure in our exports, : Mr. Ledgers-intrepid service, as well as the direct pecuniary losses^will be properly and substantially 'recompensed." . ;•' . - . •. ■■ -