OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4437, 9 June 1875, Page 3

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

(PROM 0011 OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The failures I hinted at in my last as impending have in some instances occurred. Messrs. Stubbs and 00., auctioneers, went first, for some £150,000, carrying with them a large grocer, named Barlow. Messrs. Riley and Cohen, ironmongers, were ‘next gazetted; and Mr. Nossiter, a wine merchant, followed, all for respectable sums. Several smaller failures have since taken place. Instantly, vague rumors of smashes to come were in circulation, and the most substantial houses were reported as shaky. The effect of these rumors and failures has been to engender such distrust that business has been seriously injured, and a universal depression reigns. A large ship - builder, Mr. Macquarie, the owner of the patent slip and dock is now difficulties, and the Bank of New South Wales is attaching his property, though his assets will, it is said, cover the liabilities. The manager sent a clerk to attach Ids steam launch, and Macquarie, who is a harum-scarum fellow, got up full steam and set the poor bailiff adrift in the harbor. The unfortunate clerk could only steer about, and did not dare to approach the shore or touch the machinery. At last he was rescued -at night, by some men from the steamer Scotland, who took him for a madman. A criminal action is pending, as it is asserted that in another hour the boiler would have burst. The Spirtualists and Free Thinkers have agreed to keep Mr. Tyerman, the lecturer and a Church of England minister, here, to minister to their unbelief. At a public meeting it was decided to guarantee him sufficient to procure such food for the body, and raiment, &c., as the most earnest worker in the vineyard mnst be provided with, whether he preaches orthodoxy or heterodoxy. Winter has set in suddenly, and with unusual severity. Snow storms are reported in all directions, though the weather in Sydney is lovely. The Queen’s Birthday passed off with much eclat. The fine weather tempted thousands to the review and the countless sports provided by entrepreneurs. At night we had a grand torchlight procession of volunteer firemen, which wa,s imposing enough. Fortunes must have been spent in fireworks, for the air was lurid with their smoke and flame for a week. The Governor gave a levee, which was poorly attended, but no ball, whereat numbers of fond and aspiring women ; and ambitious young gentlemen were -disgusted. For other socialities, I may mention that the Cumberland disease is attacking numbers of cattle ; that a Mr. O’Mullen, a squatter in the Lower Macquarie, was fatally injured in a buggy accident at Wellington last week, aud that the great rowing champion, Rush, was beaten easily by Laycock at the Clarence on Tuesday (24th). The Torres Strait mail steamer, with the Governor of Fiji—Sir Arthur Gordon and Lady Gordon and suite—arrived yesterday too. A murder and probable execution, aud a case of infanticide complete my budget in this line. The Williamsons still continue to draw large houses at the Queen’s. On Saturday the management produced a drama called “ Little Nell, and the Marchioness,” an adaptation of Dickens’ “ Old Curiosity Shop." It is very well written, played, and mounted, and draws tremendous houses. The opera impresario has had very bad luck. This company—never a strong one—has suffered from all sorts of diseases, and all their members have been down, but the boys and Tenoni. The houses have been miserably poor, except when “Diuorah” was presented. They play a second season of twenty nights with accessions to their numbers. The Marionettes I mentioned in iny last ns coming from 1 America, still hold the School of Arts, and draw good houses. Three companies are organising here for India. Messrs. Lewie, Towers, and Lawrence, are the searchers after talent. The Williamsons go to India in August. The Stones are engaged to appear at the Queen’s in this place on July 20. Mdlle. Claus had a grand complimentary concert given her by the elite of Sydney last night. She goes to Batavia by the mail.