A NEW YEAR RARITY.-On New Year's Day, Mr. Samuel Barras, of Gateshead Fell, gathered a plateful of mushrooms in his garden in the open air.

THE FOOTPATHS OF GATESHEAD.-We have been requested to state, that a memorial is now in course of signature, urging the Town Council to rescind their proclamation against the exposure of goods for sale in the open street. It was also hinted to us that we might say a "good word" for the memorialists. But they have spoken so much better for them. selves, than we could possibly speak for them, that we shall copy their own case," and leave it with the Council and the Burgesses :

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To the Town Council of the Borough of Gateshead.

We, the owners and occupiers of shops, &c., in Gateshead, feeling aggrieved at the resolution passed at the last meeting of the Council, prohibiting the exposure of goods for sale, and so on, beg of you, the Council, to rescind such resolution, or to assign some limits where we may expose our goods, for the following reasons:

1. That above the Half-Moon-lane the thorough-traffic is much less than below it, and the street considerably wider, and the footpath a great distance from the shops and houses.

2. That there are a great number of projections, in the shape of rails, steps, and quays. For instance:-Messrs. Barras's, Ellison's, Willis's, Emriss's, and Hymers's, the chapel-rails, and the quay all the way up the street on the one side, the old poor-house steps, Sill's, Kell's, Lister's, Price's, Akenbead's quay, and the pants, on the other.

3. That there is no market place in Gateshead, to exhibit goods in and therefore we are of opinion that the carrying out of the said resolu tion will tend very much to send the trade of Gateshead over to New castle; for be it remembered, the great bulk of country-people come with an intention to purchase in Newcastle; and unless we be allowed to set our "traps" so as to catch them, there they will go, and there almost must we, in order to live, and be enabled to pay rates, rents, &c.; and then will the words of a neighbouring Nobleman be verified, when he said that Gateshead was but a "long, dirty street, on the road to Newcastle," without either trade or importance.

Therefore we hope that you, the Council of this borough, will see the propriety of yielding, in some measure, to the petition of your humble suitors, upon such conditions as you may think proper.

We, at the same time, would not by any means wish to obstruct that part of the street used as footpath, (which is, as before observed, a great distance from the steps and houses,) or the carriage-way; and at the same time we would remind you, the Council, that it was once recom mended, at a former Council meeting, to erect permanent buildings upon the space which we now beg to be allowed to occupy temporarily, limited and conditionally.

This memorial has received several signatures, and, when mor numerously signed, will be submitted to the Town Council.

THE CORN LAWS.-On Monday evening, Jan. 8, the Young Men's Free Trade Association, Gateshead, met at Mr. Rickaby's; when it was resolved, that at each meeting essays be read and addresses made on the principles of Free Trade. W. Kell, Esq., was elected President, and Mr. John Robson and Mr. John Fawcett Vice-Presidents, for the ensuing year.

FIRE IN GATESHEAD.-On the night of Jan. 10, a fire broke out in the patent felt manufactory belonging to Councillor Bertram, J.P., situated near Tyne Main. The engine of Messrs. Hawks & Crawshay was speedily on the spot, and got the fire under. The Newcastle and North British engine also arrived, but was not required.

The Gateshead Bazaar for the British Schools, it will elsewhere be seen, is fixed to take place on the 27th and 28th of February. Mrs. Hugh Lee Pattinson has this week consented to preside at one of the stalls. The ladies, not only in Gateshead, but also in Newcastle and the neighbourhood, are interesting themselves in the success of the Bazaar, and the contributions are likely to be very liberal. The Duke of Cambridge, the Rev. Dr. Newton, and the Rev. James Parsons, have this week sent donations; and Mr. Hewitson, of Deanstreet, has promised to exhibit his "dissolving views" at the Bazaar.

The Annual Ball for the Benefit of the Gateshead Dispensary, took place in the Assembly Room of the Grey Horse, on Thursday, Jan. 11. The arrangements on the occasion were of the most complete, satisfactory, and liberal description, reflecting the highest credit both on the worthy Secretaries (Dr. Elliot and Mr. J. P. Depledge), and on "mine host" of the "Grey Horse." There were 220 ladies and gentlemen present. Dancing commenced about ten o'clock, the ball being led off by Mr. George Crawshay and Mrs. Oxford (one of the daughters of the Mayor). Among the company were Mr. Hutt, M.P., Capt. Layard, M.P., Lord Killeen (son of the Earl of Fingal), the Mayor of Gateshead, the Mayor of Newcastle and Miss Fife, the Sheriff and Under Sheriff of Newcastle, Capt. Dinsdale, of Newsham Park, Dr. Charlton and Mrs. Charlton, Capt. and Mrs. Weatherley, Capt. Atkinson, 37th Regiment, Mrs. and Misses Collinson, of Boldon, Mr. G. H. Ramsay, Mr. and Miss Cowen, Mr. and Mrs. Beresford, Mr. R. C. Forster, Mr. and Miss Pollock, Mr., Mrs., and Miss Walker, Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Kenmir, Mr., Mrs., and Misses Swinburne, Mr. and Misses Davis, Mr. Favell, Miss Bainbridge, Mr. George Hawks, Mr. W. Crawshay, Mr. Caley, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Brockett, Mr. William and Misses Wilson, Dr. and Mrs. Turner, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Harle, Mr. Ritzema, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Eltringham, Mr. Joseph Price, Dr. and Miss Glover, Mrs. Falla, Misses Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Potts, Mr. and Miss Robson, Messrs. and Miss Watson, Mr. Scarlett, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Lange, Mr. James Smith, Mr. Revely, Mr. Marshall, Misses Train, Mrs. and Miss Bennett, Mr. and Mrs. John Greene, Mr. Geldard, Mr. J. G. Abbott, Miss Adamson, Mr. Parkinson, Mr. Beggs, Mr. Joseph Hmyers, Mr. H. Fife, Miss Newmarch, Mr. and Mrs. Colman, Mr. Matchitt, Mrs. and Misses Fairs, &c., &c. The dancing was kept up till an early hour; and the attentions of the Stewards (the Mayor, Mr. George Crawshay, and Mr. Thomas Ramsay,) as well as the music, under the management of Mr. M. Liddell, gave every satisfaction.

THE POPULATION QUESTION.-Mr. Montgomery Martin, in the fourth part of his Ireland before and after the Union, (a work abounding in valuable information, and previously noticed in the Observer,) replies to "the allegation that by means of the Union, Ireland has been depopulated, and 'hundreds of thousands' destroyed." "An increase of popula tion," he observes, "is a convincing test of the advancing state of a nation;" and Arthur Young stated, in 1766, that "Ireland