Thursday 4th.June 1835.
Robert Scott, Esq., J.P, called in and examined:
	The district of Patricks Plains extends from Jerry's
Plains to the west, to Black Creek on the east, and from the Wollombi
on the south, to Captain Black's station on the north - and contains
abouut four hundred square miles at the least, and the population
amounts to about two thousand individuals and is increasing rapidly,
besides being a great thoroughfare to the upper districts.
	The police of the district at present, consists of one lock-
up keeper, who is a trustworthy man, and acts a chief constable also,
six ordinary constables, and one scourger.There are no mounted police
in the district. There is one lock-up house, whic has been erected at
the expense of the Government, in the township of Darlington, 
containingthree rooms, and is surrounded by a high paling, against 
which the keeper has placed a 'lean-to' for his own residence.
	It is, in my opinion, very insecure, though a good building
of its kind, but wholly insufficient for the purposes of the district;
there are not any cells, and when the women are detained, we are 
obliged to put them into the room which is used as a store-room.
	Besides this lock-up house, there are two private ones, 
built by private individuals, and sanctioned by the Governor - one
at Glendon,and the other at Dulwhich, to each of which a constables
is attached, who has a room appropriated for his own use in the
same building.Mr Blaxland has now nearly completed another lock-up 
house under the same circumstances, but a constable has not yet
been appointed to it.
	The weekly average of cases at the Patricks Plains Bench
is about eighteen, of these nine tenths are convict cases.
	I am of the opinion that two more lock-up houses are
absolutely necessary, one at Black Creek, where the road crosses,
and which I understand His Excellency has in contemplation to 
erect immediately, and the other at the mouth of the Wollombi,
in which neighbourhood there is a great number of small settlers.
These would be of great benefit to escort parties, as affording
places of security for their prisoners at convenient stages, and
also ofor many other purposes.
	The expense of building a proper lock-up house, with three
rooms,one for a constable,one with a brick or stone chimney in the
centre sixteen feet by sixteen, and two strong rooms each eight
feet by ten, with fastenings,would amount to about £50.
	If the two lock-up houses, which I consider so necessary,
should be erected, two constables attached to them would be required,
and in addition to these, two more constables,one of whom to be 
chief constable, would be amply sufficient for the district provided
a party of military,consisting of a corporal and three or four men,
were stationed in the district to perform the escort duties.
	Suitors,at the Patricks Plains Bench, have to travel a 
distance of eighteen to twenty miles, and it may be even sixty,
if crime be committed on the old Mountain road at Windsor.
	There are four unpaid magistrates in the district, three
of whom attend court regularly in turn, the fourth,not aceding to
this arrangement, attends only when he pleases.The Court of Petty
Sessions is held twice a week, and oftener when extra business
demands it. We have frequently sat in Court from ten o'clock to 
sunset.
	The Court it held in a public house, in consquence of which,
scenes of drunkeness and disorder often occur, and particularly
during the musters of ticket-of-leave holders. Witnesses frequently
come before the court in a state of intoxication. There is no place
of accomodation either for the witnesses or prisoners near the 
court-house, the Government lockup house being about a mile and a
quarter distant, and away from the inhabitants, on the opposite
side of the river Hunter, which cuts of all communication with it
in times of flood. The other lock-up houses are from seven to ten
miles off, in different directions and Mr Blaxland's will be 
eighteen or twenty.
	The house in which the Court is held at present is eligible
both as regards situation and accomodation, and may, with seventy
acres of land, be purchased now at a cheap rate.
	The clerk at the Bench at Patricks Plains has a salary of
£90 a-year, he is also the district post-master, from which source
he derives about £20 a-year.
	The constables are frequently employed in serving summonses
and warrants from the Supreme Court, Court of Quarter sessions and
Court of Requests. We have hiterto found no difficulty in procuring
as many fit men for constables as required for the district; the 
men whom I decidely prefer for this office are ticket-of-leave
holders.
	The present police magistrate, who is a captain in the army
on full pay, receives a salary of £200 a-year, he had no other
allowances that I know of.
	The greatest inconvenience and evil we have to complain of,
is the necessity of sending under escort of constable, all prisoners
who are sentenced to received more than fifty lashes to Maitland,
(twenty seven miles), and on their way to Newcastle (forty five miles)
to be punished; and also all persons sentenced to confinement.
These evils would of couurse be obviated by the erection of cells
in the district and the appointments of a medical officer.	

note from J.Fawcett: These are newspaper articles,and should only be used as a general reference. Original sources should always be accessed for family history purposes and information authenticated. copyright,2002 J.Fawcett-Genseek .SH 072535