May 15, 1857

n THE Herald reported: ''On Wednesday evening, a meeting of the Commissioners of Police for the burgh and suburbs of Paisley was held in the convening room. A memorial from the magistrates relative to the maintenance of order on public occasions, such as Queen's birthdays etc, was reported on by a committee, who recommended that a considerable addition should be made to the police force at such times, so as to prevent wilful and malicious destruction of property which has almost invariably followed these gatherings at the Cross for many years past.''

n THE Herald printed a letter from Otago, New Zealand, written by a Glasgow settler to a friend in the city. ''This is emphatically the country for the poor man, if he be sober and industrious. He can sell his labour to advantage for a year or two, until he begins to look about him. There are only two classes who do well here - those who can command sufficient capital to take a run and stock it with sheep, and the labouring man, whether he be a tradesman or a simple day labourer.

''Such as come here who think they can live the life of a gentleman even though they have money soon leave in disgust minus their money, and curse the day they ever saw Otago.''

n THE Herald also reported: ''The first vessel of the season - the Active - home from the Davis Straits fishing, reached Peterhead on Friday afternoon. She left the ice on 1st May, with 14,000 seals - full ship.''