Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article691919

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MAITLAND MERCURY,

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1847.

THB FAMINE IN IRELAND AND

SCOTLAND.

We venture to call the attention of our

readers in Maitland and the neighbour- hood to the meeting which is to be held this day, at twelve, at the Court-house, East Maitland, to consider the expe- diency of taking measures for raising subscriptions, in money and produce, towards the relief of our fellow subjects

in Ireland and Scotland who have suf-

fered so severely, and we fear are still suffering, from famine. Although some little delay has taken place in making this movement, we are confident the

people of the Maitland district will not

be less zealous than the residents of other localities in their benevolent en- deavours to assist those at home who

stand so urgently in need of help.

The Central Committee in Sydney have, we are glad to see, announced their intention to apply the subscriptions raised, either for the relief of the Irish and Scotch at home, or to bring them out, as the donors may wish. The fol- lowing resolution on the subject, adopted by the committee, on Thursday, the 22nd instant, has been published in the Sydney papers:-"That, in order to meet the views of all contributors, the subscriptions be applied as the donors may direct, either for the relief of the Irish and Scotch at home, or to bring them out." This is as it ought to be ; and many persons will now be induced to give who felt unwilling to

contribute while the amount raised was

to be applied exclusively to immigration.

The contributions from the United States, in aid of the destitute Irish and Scotch, have been most liberal. At the. latest advices nearly 200,000 dollars had been raised; and two men-of-war had been authorised by an Act of Congress to convey over the provisions purchased by this fund. The British

North American colonies have also

subscribed most handsomely. The legislature of New Brunswick has voted £1250, and that of Nova Scotia £1000, towards the relief of the dis- tressed.

THE POLICE.

Some of our Maitland police are re- markable for their vigilance and in- dustry, when there is anything in the shape of fines and penalties to be shared. We have frequently to record instances of their acuteness and sharp- ness in picking up publicans who infringe the provisions of the Licensing Act. Where this vigilance is exercised within reasonable bounds, and with a view mainly to the public advantage, we are not disposed to find fault with the police, because it is part of their duty, though quite a subordinate one, to repress vio- lations of the Publicans Act; and because persons who break the conditions of a law which they have bound themselves to observe have no fair reason of com-

plaint if they have occasionally to pay the penalties to which they thus render

themselves liable.

But now and then this keenness to share in the proceeds of convictions leads our police to neglect their more impor- tant duties,to take care of number one. A case of this kind came before the bench on Tuesday last, in which constables M'Guinness and Weavers preferred a charge against Mr. Anlaby, of Mor- peth, of allowing an unlicensed person to sell liquors in his licensed house. From the evidence of the constables, it appeared that they had spent two or three nights in prowling about Mr. Anlaby's premises in order to get up a case which the bench dismissed without

calling for a defence. We wonder if

Messrs. M'Guinness and Weavers ever displayed the «ame amount of vigilance in protecting the premises of Mr. Anlaby or anybody else from robbery? Where were these lynx-eyed officers when bur- glaries were so frequent in Maitland that the government felt itself called upon to offer a reward for the appre- hension of the burglars ? It seems to us to be a misapplication of the public time for two constables to spend three nights in hunting up a fine-case. If they had no other duty than this to per- form, the public ought to be relieved from the payment of their salaries ; if they had other duties to perform, they ought to be dismissed for neglecting then to look after their own interests.

Another English Arrival.-By yester- day's mail we received a file of English papers to March 22nd, marked per " private ship." From this we presume that the Commodore, which left the Downs on that day reached Sydney on Thursday.

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