The Otagao Daily Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1877.

I The writer in Fraser, whom Mr Denniston Wood so effectually answered before the Colonial Institute the other day, makes a great deal in his argument of the contempt with which English people regard Colonists. He speaks of the views of the nation at Home with respect to ourselves as if they were in the habit of treating us with the utmost scorn, much as the people of India might be treated by a juvenile politician, or as the Old Country did undeniably treat the States of America in the ( earlier years of their existence. It may be admitted at once that, if this really became the prevailing tone of the political and social and literary world at Home, it would be more likely to cause a rupture than anything else.

Nations do still undoubtedly often quarrel for an idea. No doubt there are plenty of men at Home who hold that the Colonies are oVerrun with a generation of uncultured moneygrubbers, whose only thoughts are concerning the plethoric character of their money-bags, and the rapidity with which they can scrape together enough money to escape to England once more. The conduct of many of our runholders does at any rate give considerable justification for such a notion, and in their own persons it is true that they often present the most unaimiable side of Colonial life to those who stay at Home. We allow that the squatter who has endured his five or ten yearn' penal servitude out here, with the one idea of getting back to England, is usually of the most unlovely type it is possible to imagine. He has been a money-grubber pure and simple, and the consequences are scored deeply in his whole character. We decline to believe that public opinion at Home accepts him as the best type of the colonist. At certain London clubs he has perhaps been known, and snubbed for his impudence and assurance; but club opinion is not public opinion, and there is a wide and far healthier circle outside, who judge the Colonial proper by a very different standai'd. The writer in Fraser rather seems to assume that because AgentsGeneral are not admitted as ambassadors at Court, therefore thby are degraded in the eyes of the public, and to feel the degradation so very keenly as to lead Mr Wood to assume that the author of the paper must be an AgentGeneral. We put it to the public here whether we should be inclined to accept the Agent-General's social troubles as evidence of the general contempt of the British public for these Colonies. After all, and in the long run, we hold that public opinion at Home is usually pretty nearly right in the conclusions it forms, and we look round here to see what judgment it is right to form of the comparative merits of Home and Colonial life, feeling tolerably sure that we shall get just about our deserts in the minds of all those whose opinion it is worth while to know. As a matter of fact, the statement is by no means original. We hold that the average of intelligence here will compare to great advantage with the average of intelligence at Home; while we never reach anything like the extreme of skill in any one matter, we never reach anything approaching the point of degradation in others. This is just about true x>f all trades, professions, &c, as well as of all collections of persons. Compare the intelligence, or bearing, or conduct, of the 25,000 people of Dunedin with the inhabitants of a town of the same magnitude at Home, and the balance will be enormously on our side. Compare individuals, the best of ours in any walk in life, with the best there, and the comparison will be enormously in favour of England. Whether in the case of lawyers, mechanics, parsons, or traders, we believe that this is true. What then ? As we have said, in the long run, we take it that this will be a familiar truth at Home, as we think it is to most thinking men out here. Does contempt therefore follow as the natural consequence ? We think not. On the contrary, the wisest social reformers—the most advanced thinkers —are all becoming agreed that the average condition is of infinitely more importance to a nation than the possession of rare genius, or even the possession of the few best men in all branches. What the philosophers think now, the loungers in the Clubs and Parks will all think in a few years when they have woke up. We are not the least afraid of being despised— albeit that these Colonies are now wittily paid to be the paradise of mediocrity. We dismiss the attempt of the writer in Fraser to excite ill-feeling between the Colonies and the Mother Country with the utmost unconcern.

The honourable rivalry that exists between the various ports in New Zealand is well known to all mercantile men. The Wellington folk, as was shown by our extract from Mr Thompson's speech there, quoted in our yesterday's issue, are in high hopes of what the future may bring them, and expect ultimately to be the distributing port for the Colony. In another column we published the trade returns for last year from the New Zealand Gazette, which will give our readers some little notion how far behind ourselves are the merchants of this ambitious little city. The imports into Dunedin during the year under review amount to a little over two millions : the imports into Wellington, to a little over one million. It will be allowed that these figures show that the Northern seat of Empire has a stern chase before it; and as we all know, a stern chase is a long chase. At the same time, it is worthy of remark that while Dunedin has fallen back more than half a million during the year 1876, Wellington has gone back little more than £50,000 in her imports. On the other hand, the exports of Dunedin have decreased during the past year as compared with 1875, by the amount of some £200,000 ; while the exports of Wellington have increased by some £20,000. These figures are well worth consideration. We are not prepared to offer any explanation of them, but they are by no means consoling. We have great confidence in the harbour improvements, and the consequent facilities offered te trade as the cure for this retrogression. As we have said, Wellington is a long, a very long, way behind us.

Amongst the duties which the County Councils are required to perform is the preparation of drainage maps. The 143 rd clause of the Public Works Act declares that "Every County Council shall, as soon as conveniently may be after the passing of this Act, cause to be prepared a drainage map of the County, on which shall be shown all the public drains within the County, vrith the levels and gradients thereof referred to a datum plane thirty feet below the average level of the sea." The datum plane will be fixed by the Engineer-in-Chief. The map when completed is to be open for public inspection, and copies may be taken both by ftoad Boards and by private individuals ; although in the latter case the privilege depends upon the permission of the Minister for Public Works. The term "public drain," as used in the Act, is defined to mean any natural watercourse, stream, and nonnavigable river, together with all drains properly so called, made by the Government or any public Board or Commissioners before the passing of the Act; drains made or declared to be public ' drains under the Statute, or made upon, above, or under any road or other land vested in the Crown. - Public drains of every description are placed under the control and management of the County Council, whose business it is to attend to the drainage of the County. For the purpose of performing its functions the Council is clothed will full powers of making surreys, taking lands, collecting

water, cutting drains, and generally of doing all that is necessary. It is also authorised to inspect any private dams, weirs, and mill races, and to open or close sluices or flood-gates for the purposes of such inspection. It can, however, shift some of its responsibilities upon the shoulders of the Road Board if it pleases, since it may from time to time, by an order publicly notified,; place any public drains specified in the order under the control of the Road District in which they are, whereupon all the powers and liabilities of the Council in respect of these drains will devolve upon the Board. The1 -order may afterwards be revoked, but in neither case does the Road Board appear,to possess: a voice in the matter, nor'do we notice any liability on the part of the Council to provide the Board with funds for defraying the expenses of maintaining these drains. In the event of a Road Board wishing to drain the lands within its district, it must first submit plans of the undertaking to the County Council for its appioval, and a drain thus made will be deemed to be under the control of the Board, in the same manner as if it had been so placed by the County Council as just described. Of course, in large drainage operations the works "will often'extend over a greater area than is embraced by the County, and in order to prevent the execution of such a work being stopped by the obstructiveness of one of the County Councils, the Act provides that either Council may submit plans of the proposed scheme to the Minister for Public Works, who, after hearing the pros and cons of the matter, can, if he thinks fit, order the .works to be constructed, and fix the share of the cost which is to be borne by each Council, as well as apportion the expenses of maintenance. While the County Councils are essentially the parties re*. sponsible for the drainage of the County, the Government has retained to itself a general right of making drains anywhere in the Colony, and of removing any drain from the control of a County Council, by declaring it to be a Government drain.

The Honourable, the Commissioner of Customs, Mr George M'Lean, who arrived by the Ringarooma on Sunday, occupied his old quarters in the Custom House yesterday. We understand that his visit to Dunedin will not be prolonged over next weak, when he will again return to Wellington, probably taking his family with him. It is Mr M'Lean's intention in the course of the present week to apportion the different apartments comprised in the Provincial Government Buildings. Some of them will be assigned to the Waste Laads department, and others will, if suitable, be used as a Supreme Court. Had it not been for the absence of His Honour Mr Justice Williams from Dunedid, it was the intention of Mr M'Lean to have conferred with him in reference to the: Supreme Court question. It

may, however, be added that there is

no. : truth in the statement that the Provincial Government Buildings have

been disapproved of by His Honour.

Mr Batbgate, R.M., has also applied for additional accommodation, so no doubt the requirements of his Court, and the

necessity for providing increased facilities

for conducting the business in connection with it, will not be overlooked in the assignment which is about to take place. A number of gentlemen met yesterday afternoon at Murray's to consider the desirability of taking steps to organize a movement throughout the Province with a view to present Mr Macandrew with a substantial testimonial for his long public services to the Province—the testimonial to be t not a party one, but such as can be sub-

scribed to by men of all shades of political

opinion, A meeting of those favourable to the movement will be held on Wednesday

evening in the Athenseum Lower Hall at half-past 7 o'clock.

Our Riverton correspondent, telegraphing to us last evening, says :—" The new Catholic Church of St. ColumbkiJle, South River-

ton, was opened with great success yesterday. The consecration ceremony was performed by Bishop Moran, assisted by Father Kelly, and three other clergymen. The dedication sermon, which was a moat eloquent discourse, was delivered by Father Kelly. The musical portion of the ceremony was performed by the choir of St. Mary's, Invercargill. The building was crowded to overflowing,- and the collection amounted to nearly £100."

I We are glad to hear that the reefs at Macetown are promising to yield splendidly. Our correspondent, telegraphing to us, says that the- Homeward Bouad Company completed a crushing of eight tons on Saturday, the result being 101 ounces. This Company has resolved to erect extensive machinery. The various reefs are looking exceeding well, and a rich lode has been struck in the main reef of a Company whose name we cannot make out in the telegram. A sample of arrowroot, brought from Fiji by Dr. Chalmers, has been submitted to Dr. Black for analysis, with, to quote Dr Black's words, the following result:—" I have examined the sample of arrowroot, and have found it to be of good quality, fine, and free from every trace of acid or alkali. I can

strongly recommend it."

At the request of more than 300 citizens, a memorial from whom, together with the reply to which, appears elsewhere, His Worship the Mayor, Mr C. S. Reeves, has proclaimed Friday next a public holiday, for the purpose of holding the regatta. A special time table for the railway (in connection with the regatta) has been fixed for that day, and will be found in another column.

An accident happened at Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen's yesterday. The unfortunate sufferer was an elderly man named Archibald Nichol, who had been employed in the warehouse. He accidentally fell from hydraulic lift, a distance of about 40ft. Though he was much bruised, no bones were broken, and he is likely to soon recover.

The following are the names of the 21 out of wham the Eighteen who are to play against the English team will be picked :— Morrison, Sutcliff, Muir, Cargill, Nicholls, Fulton, Everest, Allan, M'Donnell, Robinson, Downes, Millington, Rhodes, Rose, Collinson, Lathbury, Paramor, Spring, Austin, Dixon, and Clarke. The Committee has decided to play eighteen. The team will meet on the Oval at 5.30 this afternoon

to select a practice captain, and will practise oa Friday at 10 a.m. The Committee reserve the right of altering the team.

The South Dunedin Council held a long meeting last night. The Conference has passed a resolution in favour of amalgamating South Dunedin, St. Kilda, and Caversham, under one municipality, and it appears that the matter will soon be submitted tor the decision of the ratepayers generally. The Special Committee appointed to consider the practicability of constructing a canal to carry off the storm water from the hills, and to pass along the north-east side of Cargill road, will commence their labours this evening. The nomination of candidates for the office of Councillor for South Dunedin, vice Mr Barrowman, resigned, will take place at noon to-day.

John Georgison, whose left arm was broken through his horse bolting with a baker's car!; at Caversham, was received into the Hospital last evening.

The net proceeds of the recent concert in aid of the St. Paul's School Building Fund, amounted to £14 14s. This amount was handed to the Vestry last evening, and they passed a cordial vote of thanks to the Con* cert Committee.

A meeting of the Political Association was held yesterday afternoon, at Murray's Hotel. There were about nine or ten persons present. Some accounts were passed for payment, and from the balance-sheet submitted it appeared that, after discharging all liabilities, there would be between £4 and £5 remaining to the credit of the Association. Wo are informed that yesterday may be regarded as its final meeting. The business at the City Police Court occupied but little time yesterday morning. For being drunk and disorderly at South Dunedin, Bridget Kilmartin Bellett was fined £1, or three days' imprisonment; John Beaton, ss, with the usual alternative; James Mahone, £2, or one week's imprisonment. John King, charged with having no lawful means of support, was'sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour. Messrs John Logan and John Hislop were the presiding Justices. During the last few days, several men have been busily, engaged in sloping down the bank at the rear of Mr Pritchard's shop in Rattray street.. The two cottages which stood immediately on the top of the bank hare been removed. There was only a short hitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, when the following cases were disposed of:—Albert Walker v. G. W. Cole, M.D., claim £2 18s 9d, goods supplied; D. Sampson v. Joseph Hinds, claim £6 8s 6d, goods supplied; same v. Charles Greig, claim £914s 6d, goods supplied ; John Wilson v. John Jelly, claim £2 4s 9d, goods supplied. Mr Bathgate, R.M., presided.

Messrs Matthews Bros.' tender in the sum of £420 has been accepted by the City Council for the formation of George street between Dundas and Howe streets. , Mr Macallum, at present teacher at Manuka Creek, has been appointed master of the school at Mataura Bridge.

Mr Baxter, of the Pier Hotel, has given a very handsome silver cup as a prize to be competed for at the ensuing Dunedin and Port Chalmers Annual Regatta. It is on view in the window of Messrs Kohn and Co.'s establishment in Princes street. We may also add that Messrs Kohn intend presentingaveryhandsome silver inkstand to the batsman of the Otago team who succeeds in making the highest score in the match against the All-England Eleven. At the regular meeting of the Leith Lodge, in the New Oddfellows' Hall, last evening, two candidates were duly initiated. Addresses were delivered by two members of the United States and Canada Lodges, and a vote of thanks was accorded to them for the valuable information they conveyed to the Lodge. At the Resident Magistrate's Court; Port Chalmers, yesterday (before Mr Mansfordi; R. M., and His Worship the Mayor), H. Pritchard, J. M'Millan, and Charles Silver, for being drunk and disorderly, were severally fined 10s ; or, in default, 48 hours' imprisonment. George Brown, boatswain of the ship Auckland, was charged by A. M'Connell, an able seaman belonging to the same veasel, with having assaulted him on the 15th inst. with an iron belaying pin. The assault,waa fully proved, and indeed the defendant admitted having used the belaying pin, but pleaded that he had been provoked to do so by the plaintiff, who had used offensive epithets to him. Their Worships inflicted a fine of £3, or one month's imprisonment.

The gap caused in Princes street by the recent fire which destroyed Mr Beiaael's well-known hairdresser's saloon isabou^to be filled by the erection of a new' twostoreyed building, which will considerably improve that part of the city. By clearing away a portion of the hill at the back a good site has been secured, and the new building, which is to be erected in brick and cement, will have a depth of 96ft. The front part of the ground floor will be used as a shop, behind which will be a spacious and elegant saloon. The latter is to be 36ft, long, and will occupy the full height of the building, the light being admitted from the roof. Comfortable bath-rooms, with all the latest improvements, will be erected at the back of the saloon. A contract has been already entered into for the work, which it is expected will be speedily completed.

The Tuapeka Times learns, on good authority, that the Waipori sludge channel

has been to all intents and purposes rendered

completely useless by the late floods. It is filled with debris from bank to bank, all the claims and protective works have been

washed away, and it is estimated that it

would take at least .£2OOO to repair the damage done. As there is not the least shadow of a hope that such a sum, or anything approaching it will be expended, the channel may be considered completely closed to mining. By this disaster 80 men have been thrown out of work, and an expenditure of from £60 to £70 a week in the town of Waipon has been suddenly cut off. The miners on the Flat are men in a worse position than they were before the channel was constructed, as they cannot drain their claims. This is a very pitiable termination to the Waipori sludge channel, which was to be so much for Waipori, and upon which the large sum of £11,000 of public money was expended.

The Daily News, in recording the death of the Eight Hon. E. Horsman, M.P., observes :—"His death removes a conspicuous, figure from English Parliamentary life. In the earlier portion of his career Mr Horsman offered the prospect of distinction. During his later years he seemed to exhibit the wreck of it. But the middle period, in which the work should have been done, and the reputation established, was missing, He passed from generally-acknowledged promise to universally-admitted failure without an interval. The change in his position, and in the attitude of the public mind to him, was instantaneous."

The Southland Times understands that Mr William Brunton, C.E., has been appointed to act with. Mr Higginson, Inspector of constructed railways, in valuing the Otago railways in order to arrive at an adjustment of accounts between the Government and the Provincial district.

The Kaitaugata Coal Co., we learn from the Tuapeka Times, are now working in a face of splendid coal, practically inexhaustible. The possible out-put at the Company's pit is now 2000 tons per month, and during the coming winter it is expected that that quantity will be disposed of. The Company now have railway trucks of their own, and therefore leas delay is likely to be experienced in getting the coal away than has hitherto bsen the case. Several small craft ply between Donedin and the wharf adjoining the pits, and the demand for the coal where cheap means of travel are provided, is steadily increasing.

A Havelock correspondent sends the Lawrence paper the following news items : A considerable amount of damage has been done to mining property here by the late floods, Meßsrs Cross and Company and Purdue and Company being perhaps the greatest sufferers Mr 0. Thompson, the contractor for sinking the shaft in the Waitahuna cement for the United Prospecting Association, unexpectedly struck the reef on Tuesday afternoon at a depth of 70ft., nothing more than the colour of gold being obtained. Another shaft will, I learn, be started at once to try and strike deeper ground. Messrs Mark and Company are still engaged at their deep shaft, the prospects obtained being considered by many persons very en-

couraging aad likely to lead the party on payable ground. Owen and party had their shaft down 60ffc. before the rain set in, but it 18 doubtful if they will got into it again, as there is about 20ft. of water in it, and the sides have given way in several places, owing to the shaft not being timbered. Mr M. W. Stack has been presented with the sum of £15 14s by the people of Awamoko, in recognition of his Berfices as Postmaster. The following is a sample of the correspondence which appears in the Wananga :— "This is another word to you. I have a female pig, which you can notice in your paper for the information of the Maori and European. This pig has had young ones, twelve in all, two of which have been eaten by another pig. I now have ten young pigs. One of these, which was born with the rest, has only three legs; the fourth leg waa not made complete by God. Hence, I think 1 ought to let this be known. The fourth leg was placed close to the tail. It was born in September last, on the 20th day, in the year 1876. I have not spoken of this before, as I wished to see if it would live. It is living at Kai-iwi now. I think this is the first of such which has ever been seen here. But here is also another thing I wish to be known. We have a dog which has two noses, but only three nostrils; and a fowl with two heads; and an egg with two yolks.! Also a caterpillar which came from.the clouds. It has two bodies, but only one head. AU these things are from this place only. But all have died, and the pig only is alive. These were sent by God. These are all the words from Tuwhawhakiaterangi, of Kaiwhaiki Whanganui." Describing the New Zealand Kapanga Gold-mining Company's works, the Auckland Herald says:—The water wheels 300ftunderground, to the great surprise of many, is now an accomplished' factj winding truck loads of mullock from a winze; now 40ft. in depth, and pumping water from the same winze through a six-inch column, at the same time working as steady and smooth as a time-piece. Many people: a,ie led to believe, from previous reports issued, that the management have had to turn water into the mine to drive this extraordinary wheel and then pump the same water to the surface again ; but it is not so, and anyone doubtful of the statement should take the first opportunity of inspecting the work, and i making themselves acquainted with the details and the manner of its accomplishment. In the first place the water utilised is the natural drainage: of the old Kapanga mine workings, falling from the different drives,. winzes, and stopea to the old shaft, and,, when the present Company opened from the new shaft, this, of course, drained the old workings and drew a constant stream of w&ter to be pumped to the surface, whether the water-wheel had ever been planned or not, so that iustead of being, as is supposed by many, an extra expense in labour and coal, Kis quite the opposite. The wheel is being driven by a motive power previously running to waste, entailing no expense beyond the first cost of erection. ; A correspondent of the Wakatip Mail makes some strong statements respecting the working of the licensing law in Queenstown. Drink, he says, is supplied to those already drunk. " You may see them sometimes with bleeding face, pitched out on the street by the hands of the publican, the police officer looking <on and then carrying them away to 'durance vile.' Yet the shrewd officer knows not where they got the drink. Sunday traffic, too, is allowed to go on to a shameful extent. Citizens who can make no pretence of being bonafide travellers, may be seen going in and out freely, while the bar inside is carrying on a brisk trade. As to keeping anything like the hours for closing, it is a sham. Worse still, children of every age are readily supplied. Has the law become a dead letter, or are the guardians gone to sleep ?" In alluding to the foreign policy of the present Government, the Spectator pays a high tribute to the British Premier, and exclaims—" No one can deny Lord Beaconsfield's heroic courage as a statesman. But if any one were prepared to deny it before the Guildhall speech, that speech would have converted him. No political proposal of our day has ever approached even remotely in sublimity and grandeur the ideal which Lord Beaconsfield makes the aim and object of his Eastern policy. He has aimed, he tells us, and aims still, at keeping intact the European treaties which affect Turkey. He has aimed, further, and evidently still aims, at securing both the integrity and the independence of the Turkish Empire.'' The article concludes, however, with a severe condemnation of the encouragement thus given to Turkey to expect aid from England which the Cabinet would, if asked, certainly refuse. The negotiations between our Government

and that of Sydney and the Pacific Mail

Company have been concluded on the following basis : —The company agrees to accept a total subsidy of £72,500, of which Sydney pays £40,000 (contingent on the ratification

by Parliament of the new contract) and the New Zealand Government £32,500. The steamers are to call at Auckland, and optionally with the company at Honolulu, but not at Fiji. By this route the New Zealand mails will be delivered about two days earlier than under the former contract. They are to be distributed from and taken to Auckland at the expense of our Government. The service is to commence immediately, and no more of the company's steamers will come down the coast. ,

We (Auckland Star) have received a sample of Manilla flax, grown at the Great Barrier. The plants were put in the ground in a very young state, about four years ago, and have not been subjected to any cultivation whatever. The leaves are about 3ft. 6in. to 4ft. in length, and are much thicker and solider than the New Zealand flax. When cut, they are comparatively dry, and are wholly destitute of the gummy exudaations peculiar to the phormium tenax. The fibre is also very strong, and is much more easily prepared than that of the indigenous plant. Mr Blair, upon whose land the flax has been grown, expresses his opinion that j there would be no difficulty in cultivating any quantity of it in this part of the Colony, and, moreover, that it would very much improve upon the present specimens if properly attended to. These specimens are very interesting, and in the face of the present market depreciation oi the phormium tenax may well afford a subject for profitable discussion at the next Acclimatisation Society meeting.

Mr John B. Steele, who has so ably supported Mrs Scott-Siddons during her recent engagement, will take his farewell benefit at the Princess Theatre on Friday evening. Mr Steele has been specially engaged to support Mrs Siddons inChristchurch and Wellington, and will leave here on Saturday, making his first appearance in the City of the plains, as Romeo, on Monday evening next. We hope that the play-going public of Dunedin will' show their appreciation of such a sterling actor, by giving him a bumper house on this his last appearance in Dunedin.

The Hibernica entertainment at the Temperance Hall drew a good attendance last evening. There was an entire change in the musical part of the programme, and an excellent evening's amusement was afforded. Another entertainment will be given this, evening.

I Mr Donaldson, of the Glasgow Pie-house, who has an ice-making machine on his premises, is jußt now advertising the luxury of iced drinks, for which there is no advance on the ordinary price. The attention of volunteers w directed to an alteration in the time of firing for district prizes from 6 to 5.30 each morning. The new church at the Maori Kail, is to be opened to-day, and the 8. s. Jane will convey intending passengers, starting from Port Chalmers at 11.30.