BUSHRANGING IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 108, 30 October 1863, Page 7

BUSHRANGING IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

THE HEIGN OF TERROR. ' " (From tlie Balhurst Times .September 30th.) There can be no ignoring the fact that we are now living under a reign^of terror such" as never before prevailed in ".these districts, since- they were first inhabited »by the white man. Half-a--dozen heartless, 1 reckless, blood-thirsty scoundrels are masters of this western ..territory, and hold, at their good will and pleasure, thejives and properties of ail our citizens who reside beyond the boundaries of a populous township. Mere; bbya i though they be, v they are, -"" beyond jail of Vthej situation^ and the fact is a^deep disgrace to pur;, ciyilizatipn. Just at the "time that oiir most intelligent and respectable citizens assemble together in a monster. , mass to ; .discuss -the i conditions of our future progress, and - contend for the : prize of a grand trunk line of Taiiway, which if decided in. -pur favor, is to give us the leadership amongst the greatest < " districts of the colony, a few striplings ] armed to the teeth, " and surrounded ] with 'chevawK de Jrise of carbines and revolvers, sweep the country to our very doors and carry on a wholesale - system of plundering altogether unparalled, in the history of New South "Wales. One unfortunate storekeeper, . Mr 'Hosie, of Cafioola Creek, . has thus been deprived of money and property, we understand, at the rate of £70Q, at two different periods, and is brought to the verge of ruin ; and, notwithstanding, that the district is almost swarming with police, their career appears to be' . one undisturbed series of successes. ■■ So far, indeed, from the police keeping! them, in check, they have commenced Apprehending the police, and habitually hold them, in the most thorough contempt. In 'our last issue our Rockley correspondent gave a characteristic sketch of * week's bushranging adven ■ tures of the Western banditti, and the sort of services Tendered by the police. We appear to be reduced to that nor- 1 inal condition of society in which a man is doomed to protect himself by his: own strong arm or his trusty Law and authority -are fast becoming : and no man knows, who on business outside a township,' how soon he may be stripped of his worlflly possessions and -ruined. There, can be no concealing ihe fact that the evil is deep seated, and has taken or is now taking, firm root in the soil. The •class to which Gilbert and ©'Meally. ibelong number amongst its rising youth many budding bushrangers, who will -assuredly be encouraged to take the road by the impunity which has marked the careerof their predecessors. There is a large population, bred and' reared in the holes and corners of our district, who know little of honest labor, and care less for its rewards. To moral restaints'ihey are utterly insensible, and are dead to any salutary i influences but those of fear. The law they regard as a tyranny, and its ad- , ministrators as tyrants, and are prepared, at any fitting or convenient time, . to commeji.ee a career of violence and crime! And what pray, is to prevent them? We hear frequently of bushrangers camping within a few hours', ride of Bathurst, and doing the coolest; possible things. They evidently feel their security from harm, and care no more for the police than if -they were so many gadflies. Itis time-something were done ; and if the Government cannot protect life and property, that the people do it themselves. With as full a regard for the law as any citizen , in these districts, and as unflinching a determination to. adhere to it, we 'are reluctantly driven to the conclusion that it 'is, in this community at least, powerless for protection. Surely there, are pluck and manhood sufficient in the young men of the West to defend their hearths and homes and to induce such a gathering as would hunt the mis- . creants down, and bring those to jus-, tice Who are filling the country districts with terror, and alarm. Without some auxiliary 'to our .present .police force, we have certainly little'hope of a restoration o*f peace ah 4 security. Since the foregoing, which was penned for Saturday's issue, was committed j to type, further intelligence * has come ! to hand in reference to the doing 3of •the bushranging firm. The jolly cutthroats Who now direct the . destinies of these. regions have flown off at a tan-, gent, and given their attention to higher' game than they have hitherto pursued. They now aspire to magisterial society, — jiave supper with, Mr London, J.P., i and after subjecting, -him to the igno- I miny of handcuffs, held a thieves' jubi-. . lee in his presence. Having played out their game at Grubbenbong, and done a generous thing in not stripping his house of: all its valuables, they start for Mr Montague Rothery's establish- ' ment at Limestone Jpreeic, appropriate his champagne, quaff bis brandy, and . select from his. saddle horses and r jsaddlery just .what suits them, jocosely remarking, we understand, to the proprietor, whilst all this business is being transacted, that if he will send for the Carcoar police, they will put them in handcuffs and take*thenf to town ! After' remaining there several hours and. completing their marauding enterprise, they start for Canowindra, have a night's carouse at"a public inn, rob a store, and pursue their way with a deliberateness which,' in their estimation, argues a sense of perfect security, and a complete freedom from- interference. And such is the game these ruffians have been playing during the last fortnight —camping, onone occasion,' twd nights in the same locality, and appropriating a settler's.^ hay > ;fbr » the ,feed v of ; their horses. In brief, we. may estate that during the time 'specified, this band of freebooters have, in the" most public and deliberate mariner, been preying upon the inhabitants of this district— despoil-

ing them of their property, laughing the authorities to scorn, and in* every practicable and possible way, insulting the sacred form of justice ! Were the thing not gravely serious, it would be abs&lutely ludicrous.' If our social life and commercial security were not involved, the whole thing would be a huge joke. And where, pray, whilst aU.this-melancholy farce has-been enacting, were our police detachments — superintendents" and inspectors to boot? Whilst these reprobates were leisurely pursuing their infamous traffic through the country, with their ten. or dozen horses, which, owing to 'the softness of the weather, could be easily tracked, where were the men. who are paid to protect our property? Echo answers where? — and the impression is, , that, they Were looking for the bushrangers and praying that they might not find, them 1 We have no desire to deal unjustly by the police, but 1 the j -whole business is now approximating to j a crisis which can neither be ignored by the Government nor the country.