On Saturday the town of Parramatta presented a whimsical scene of bustle and rioting. Our ladies of factory had managed to defy stone walls and stout gates, and in no gentle humour to satisfy cravings of appetite with bread and beef, and whatever else "mote please a dainty palate", out of shops, and at the expense exclusively of several Parramatta householders, who could not generally avoid looking upon the scene with a degree of astonishment, strongly mixed, with the ludicrous. The women appeared as if they held together by one leading string. Some paraded the streets, clamouring and brawling, and looking as though animated with a spice of the spirit of the gentle poissards of the French Revolution - whilst others shewed little seeming disposition for deeds of strife, though "Playful as Peris let loose from their cages."
    The first sparklings of discontent appeared on Wednesday among the fair ones of No. 3, class, which mustered in number 130. Salt had been substituted for the ounce of sugar that each one had previously been served with, as a qualifier to her morning's meal of ominee - an arrangement which was no sweetener to the disposition of any of the ladies', however acceptable salt might be on the dinner platter, with occompaniment of bouille and vegetable aliment, they could not be brought to relish, or look upon it tranquilly, nor with other than eyes of loathing, when floating like ice upon their breakfast bowls of ominee ; and as the ounce of sugar had ceased, so they determined to cease working, till such time as it should be restored. The same day it was current throughout the town that the women shewed every disposition to pay the inhabitants outside a visit, and accordingly a body, composed of part of the ecclesiastical, civil, and military strength of Parramatta, proceeded to the factory, the yard of which was then in the uncontrolled possession of the women, who expressed their determination to admit none in the shape of intruders. They had already conveyed a constable out of the yard, and laid him fairly, and without hurt, by the heels, outside. Several of the more refractory spirits were, however, taken from among the gentler ones, and clapped in cooling cells under lock and key. The factory continued in a state of agitation till Saturday morning, when the storm raged fiercer than before. The ladies, by some means, got possession of tools, with which they belaboured most unmercifully the hinges and panels of one of the gates, till it left an opening, through which, in a joint and corporate body, all rushed, and dispersing through the town , proceeded to beat up the bakers' and butchers' quarters. Many of the bakers, sooner than be troubled in-doors with such customers, threw into the street whatever loaves the women required, which the latter then and there devoured with avidity. Another detachment shouting out "Starvation," proceed to dislodge from the stall of a butcher, where it was hanging ready for purchasers, a raw quarter of beef ; but while those fetes were going forward, the Police Magistrate was not idle - constables and others., his majesty's lieges, civil as well as uncivil, being called upon to assist in the work of peace making. The bugles sounded to call in the aid of the scattered soldiery, and the tocsin of the prisoner's barrack rang out a peal to the overseers of different working parties, to keep their men from mingling in the fray - such a scene of clamor, of trepidation, and uncertainty if the business boded weal or woe, does not often recur with all its tragi-comical importance. The storm rage too violently in the commencement to last long, the peaceably inclined gradually surrendered to the Magistrates, and others, who went about striving to restore order. Many of them had their aprons loaded with provisions, the spoils of vanquished bakers, and other inhabitants. Nineteen women managed to get off, and are thought to have joined the male runaways, who had made their escape from barracks - the remainder meekly surrendered to the magistrate, and were led back to the factory.
    When the "hurly burley" had somewhat subsided, the Magistrates formed a committee, which was employed investigating into the circumstances of the row, to a late hour of Saturday night.  §