SYDNEY.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 6, 16 November 1844, Page 3

SYDNEY.

We have been favoured with Sydney papers to the 21st of October. . Sydney was visited on the 16th and 17th of October with the heaviest gale of wind and rain experienced since August, 1834. Most of the vessels in the stream drifted. The steamer James Watt was nearly ashore ; and the steamers which ply between the Hunter and Sydney were unable to start. Considerable damage has been done to property, as will be seen by the annexed extracts :—: — " The heavy storm of wind and rain which has continued for the last two days, has tested thoroughly the water-proof qualities and strength of the Sydney houses ; and, flora the complaints upon the subject which we hear on all sides, there appears to be but few of them that have fairly withstood the trial in the first pariicular. * * * * We regret to learn that a considerable quantity of property was destroyed at the Glenniore Distillery on Tuesday afternoon by the heavy fall of rain. The priicipal embankment of the upper dam, which is on an elevation above the distillery and the adjoining building, gave way with a tremendous crash, burying and carrying away the buidings and stores that interupted it. Fortunately, the workmen were in another part of the building at the time, and no loss of life ensued, although one man was carried away by the torrent, and was with difficulty rescued. Mr. Fisher's loss, we hear, will be upwards of £1,500.— Sydney Herald, Oct. 17.

The Weather. — The ten pestuousweaiher which prevailed in the city and its neighbourhood throughout the whole of Tuesday and part of yesterday — during which the rain that fell in torrents, accompanied by a strong southerly gale, was incessant — must have occasioned considerable damage, independent- | ly.of the inconvenience felt by many parties inhabiting cottages and other tenements in localities not properly drained. — Australian, October 17. Considerable interest appears to be excited in Sydney on the subject of education. A select committee of the Legislative Council appointed to hear evidence on the stat» of education in the colony, have recommended in their report the adoption of Lord Stanley's national system of education. This system resembles that which has been for some years adopted by the British and Foreign School Society, and precludes sectarian instruction. Many of the clergy, including both the Protestant and Catholic bishops, oppose this general plan, pf. education, and are in favour of what they term a " denominational system." The select committee, after recommending the adoption of the general system and the formation of an education board to carry if into effect, go on to say: — ' " The leadiftg principle by which the Board j of Education shall be guided, is to afford the same'iacilities for education to all classes of professing Christians, without any attempt to interfere with the peculiar religious opinions of any, or to countenance proselytism." Two members of the Legislative Council, Government nominees, |have resigned their seats ; and it is hinted that their reasons for so doing have been the difficulty to please the powers that be and their own consciences. The names, of thoie gentlemen are Mr. Lowe and Mr. Blaxland. We are glad to perceive that in addition to the staple exports' of the colony, pur Australian bretfiren are directing their efforts" to/the production of a variety r of articles'wbich., cannot fail lo find ready markets; . Wine, spirits, mead, rosewater, oils, gelatine, " preserved fruits, pickles, silk, toba'ceo,' soap, spermaceti, honey, extract of memosa, qasfor-oil, and glue, are now manufactured In New Sauth Wales. v " ,' ~. ," V

Norfolk Island has ceased to be "a dependency of New South Wales, and is transferred to Van Dieraen's Land, the latter beiug nov. the only colony to which convicts are sent. The Sydney Legislative Council'^ have appointed the Hon. Francis Scott, M.P. for Roxburghshire, to represent the interests of the colony in Parliament, with a salary of £500 a year.A correspondent of the Sydney Herald has shown very satisfactorily that cotton can be grown in New South Wales equal to any in world.