Old news from Armidale and New England

Tuesday 29 July 1862, The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser

NEW ENGLAND.

(From the Armidale Express, July 26.)

NORTHERN POLICE – We are informed that on the 8th instant Mr. Superintendent Lydiard left Armidale, in company with Senior Sergeant Keegan and Sergeant Nugent, en route for Kempsey. The latter he left at Nulla Nulla Creek, in charge of the native police of that place, and directed Sergeant Foss, till then in charge of that station, to proceed to Sydney. At Kempsey, the chief constable and two subordinates resigned, and one was removed to Port Macquarie. At the same time he invited tenders for police quarters, paddock, &c. On reaching Port Macquarie he found that Sub-Inspector Garvin and three constables had arrived.

ARREST – The following information may be of service to some parties. On Monday James Briggs, a sawyer at the Cedar Scrub, Grafton road, was given into the custody of the Armidale lockup-keeper, by Mr Embin, Sheriff’s deputy, who had arrested him at his place of residence on an order issued by Judge Francis, at the last district, court. The arrest is for debt, a Judge having power to order it in the absence of effects to satisfy an execution, when a judgment of the court has been disregarded.

SNOWY WEATHER – We have to chronicle a heavier fall of snow at Armidale, during the week, than is recollected by parties residing here for many years. After a very stormy night, with a dash of sleet at times in the more violent squalls, it commenced snowing on Thursday morning, and soon left a considerable quantity on the ground in patches. Glimpses of sunshine and falls of sleet and snow then alternated till after three o’clock, when the wind lowered, and snow fell so heavily as soon to cover the ground, and set a number of townsmen snowballing each other. After having ceased for a short time, at sunset the snowfall recommenced, and continued with little intermission through the night. Yesterday morning it was about three inches deep generally in the bush, but in hollows, and where it had drifted, it was of course much deeper. The day being fine, the greater portion of the snow had disappeared by evening.