Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 30/11/1872
JERILDERIE
November.21 '
The weather here has been very warm for the last few days, with the grasshoppers just putting in an appearance in large swarms. Yesterday evening it commenced to rain, and has continued to do so steadily up to to-night. It will do a deal of harm, as nearly all the hay in this district has been cut, and not yet got in; on the other hand, it will do good, as it will destroy thousands of our friends, the grasshoppers, before they have time to get themselves properly established here. I cannot understand how this large, and wealthy district is neglected in the way at is by the Sydney Government.
Here we are in a rising town the centre of one of the richest and largest pastoral districts in the colony, with fine main roads passing through the town, a court and clerk of petty sessions, or at least a place where the court was formerly held. The clerk of petty sessions issues summonses, but the cases never come off, for this reason, we have no JP to form a bench. There is one JP, a squatter, residing fifteen miles from here, and the next nearest is something like forty miles from here. Some few weeks ago a man was arrested here in the evening for abusing one of the police, next morning the policeman and prisoner started for the residence of the J.P. On arriving there, they found he was away looking after his flocks and herds. After a hunt of some miles the JP was found, the case gone into on the spot, the prisoner fined 10s, and then allowed to ride twenty miles back to his family in peace. I wonder how long this state of things will last? I suppose till we either have separation or annexation to Victoria. When too late the Government will see the error they have made in neglecting the great salt bush plains. There are several men in the town and a dozen or so in the district, who are capable of discharging the duties of the bench.
There will be a large quantity of land taken up by free selectors within this district next month. Two of our towns men have purchased sheep, and others are about doing so, with the intention of taking up land about here. Sheep-farming and cultivation combined, will pay well in this district.
A meeting was held last week, at Mr Hanlon's, Court-house Hotel, for the purpose of getting up races, to come off on Boxing-day. All our business people came out well with subscriptions, with one exception, who, although a publican and a racing man in a small way, declined to give anything towards the meeting. The old class of hosts are fast disappearing, and a now and inferior lot filling their places. Now that the ice has been broken, I will frequently let you know how we are getting on in this part of the world.
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