CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 461, 2 January 1850, Page 2

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

The following important intelligence, on the Convict question, is contained in the papers received via Hobart Town :—: — " The long- lost convict ship Neptune arrived at Simon's Bay on the nignrof Sept. 19. The Gong gave notice of the event at 6 o'clock — the bells tolled the funeral knell — all the shops were closed and the journals went into mourning. The inhabitants, in pursuance of their determination, refused to issue food or necessaries of any description ; and those persons who were not members of the Anti-Convict Association were prohibited holding any communication with the ship, or they would be subjected to the same restrictions. Tbe^ Commodore was, however, fui'tushing them with supplies. " The Governor, Sir Harry Smith, bad given orders, as he had intimated in July to the colonists, to keep the convicts afloat in Simon's Bay until he received further instructions from Earl Grey as to tbeirfinal disposal. " Upon receipt of intelligence at C. pe Town of the arrival of the Neptune, a carriage and six, containing the members of the committee of the Association, left for Simon's Town at midnight. "Three n embeis of Council, Messrs. Ross, Harris, and Ebden, having resigned,, and another, Mr. Van der Byl, being dead, all the seats but one were filled up by the appointment of Messrs. Jacob Letterstedt,, Peter Laurence Cloete, and Abraham deSmidt. " A report having gone abroad that they bad refused to accept the seats offered to them,, in deference to the popular wish, the very large concourse of people present on the above* occasion were not a little staggertd and indignant at their appearance to take the usual oath, and assume their seats ; during the sitting they were thoroughly and continually hissed. " On the announcement of an adjournment, the audience withdrew, and gathered in the yard in front of the Council Room, where after a short while His Excellency the Governor made his appearance, leaning on the arm of his Aid-de-comp, followed by some* other gentlemen, amongst whom were ihe^newunofficial creatures. His Excellency saluted the' crowd by — " How are you all gentlemen t I am glad to see you ; my heart is with you. Depend upon it that in all my measures I aim at your welfare." This called forth an universal shout of approbation, bnt was at the same time the signal for renewed hisses, cries. and shouts, attended by a general shoving, r thumping, and kicking of the three new nnofficials. Laurence Cloete made his escape, after being rather roughly handled ahout the posteriors. Abraham de Smidt took shelter in the office of the Central Road Board, and Jacob Letterstedt in the Council Room. After the latter had remained here for a considerable time, he was attended to the streetdoor by the Attorney- General. A very large crowd followed him, and he was incessantly hissed and hooted, and thrown at with mud and other missiles. A few persons proceeded to the Heerengracht, and accidentally meeting Mr. Ebden, they immediately stopped, and three loud and long cheers at once collected a crowd of about 2000 persons. They now proceeded down the Heerengracht, an,d, when arrived at Mr. Robertsons, a chair «?as procured, upon which Mr. Ebden was put

and carried to the Commercial Hall, uherp he was placed on the table. The cheers now were most deafening, " At an early hour in the evening, a vast number ot people assembled on the Grand Parade, and publicly burnt a figure designed to represent Abraham de Smidt, amongst groans and imprecations ; they thea separated, and again assembled about 8 o'clock, when the process of burning two figures, representing Laurence Cloete and Jacob Lettrrstedt, was resumed. They then proceeded to the town residence of Abraham de Smidt, in Hottentot-square, to the stores of Jacob Letterstedt, in Zieke-street, his bouse in the Heerengracht, and bis mill near the North Jetty, the glasses and windows of every one of which were successively smashed, in fact, such was the thorough battering at the mill, that even the cast-iron frames were broken to atoms. " At Letterstedt's stores in Zieke-street, the whole of the police force interfered. The force' came down Shortmarket-strect ; and just as they reached the corner of Zieke-street, without any warning or admonition, without the Riot Act being read, the word was at once given to " charge" and the crowd assailed by a host of staves and drawn swords. The consequence was, that several inoffensive people, who either stood at a distance, or had occasion to pass that way, were shamefully cut and wounded, some even dangerously. " Sit Harry Smith had offered a reward for the apprehension of any of the offenders.