SOUTHLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1369, 7 March 1865, Page 6

SOUTHLAND.

By the Wellington we have received the Southland Times of the Ist inst. We take the following extracts therefrom:—

The mishaps which continually wait on the conduct of public affairs in this province form a telling commentary on the defects of New Zealand legislation. The Act providing for so important a matter as the election of Superintendents should have been couched in the plainest language, and the mode of procedure should have been accurately defined. The reality is very different. A short time has only elapsed since the judges of the Supreme Court of the colony were called on to decide as to the validity of Mr. Heale's election, and when that question has been definitely set at rest, and the Council have fixed their choice elsewhere, and the business of the country is in a fair way of being carried on in a more creditable manner than lias been the case for some time past, a letter from the General Government threatens us once more with a period of uncertainty and confusion. Mr. Weld has written to the Speaker of the Provincial Council, informing him that, in the opinion of the AttorneyGeneral, Mr. Taylor's election is invalid, because it did not take place within one month after the meeting of the Council. It rests, therefore, with his Excellency whether he will cancel the election or not. It seems probable that lie will in this matter follow the advice of his responsible advisers, and what that advice will be may be judged by the communication to the speaker. Mr. Taylor's election being cancelled, the whole of the legislation of last session falls to the ground, and the province has to commence r/e novo. It is not our purpose to question the correctness of the opinion advanced by the AttorneyGeneral, but we would draw attention to the fact that it is altogether at variance with certain portions of the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court, when Mr. Heale's election was under discussion. But whether the Attorney-General or the judges are right, the province has very great cause for complaint that much unnecessary delay has been allowed in bringing this objection. Why, we ask, were the Council allowed to proceed with the election, and if that could not have been prevented, why have two months been permitted to elapse before any notice was taken of the matter ? Since Southland got into difficulties the General Government have shown what we must consider the utmost indifference to our distress. Help to a certain extent has been doled out, but sparingly, and with evident disinclination, and what little has been done, was withheld until it became palpable that unless assistance were rendered, the credit of the colony at large would inevitably suffer. The present cause of complaint is, however, altogether different. Here nothing was asked ; the province, acting on the express wish of the General Government, proceeded to the election of a new Provincial Council, though many were of opinion that it would be far better to refuse to act.

The Council after some unavoidable delay, and d d an -n aPP iti th a sTeSenS 'Z, ceeded m electing a 1 . . nn ß«iPws the if not all that can be desired, certainly possesses tne to Place things on a better footing and relieve the nrovince from its difficulties. Time passes on, members return to their homes thinking, doubtless, that their work is for the present, accomplished, and waiting for the assent of his Excellency to the measures they passed. Insteadof that assent, their Soe'iker receives un intimation that the election of the Superintendent, which took place two months airo is invalid! There must be something lamentabl'v wrong in the present system of Government, or Ministers must be more than ordinarily stupid or careless, when so long atime is allowed to pass before an error of such importance is pointed out to those whose interests it so vitally concerns. Mr. Sewell has made enemies not by his le<ral acumen in detecting a flaw in Mr. Taylor's election to the Snperintendency, but by his remissness in not making his opinion sooner known. If there has been no remissness, if our distance from the seat of government and the -exigencies of the Maori war are the only reasons which can be assigned for the delay, it is time we had a change in that respect. The interests of eight or nine thousand people are not thus to be made light of. With a Middle Island Government the thing would have been impossible. Taking it for granted that the letter to the Speaker has a meaning—that Mr. Taylor is not the legal Superintendent of the province, it is absolutely necessary that action should at once be taken either to establish his position, or seek for another occupant for the office. And here again there has been most unwarrantable trifling. Why has not the Council been dissolved, so that the election might be proceeded with without a moment's loss of time, and a Superintendent legally j installed ? It has been suggested by the friends of Dr. Menzies that now is a fitting time for him to renew the contest in which he was recently def ated. Let him be invited, they say, to at once resume the reins which should never have been allowed to leave his grasp. We do not know whether Dr. Menzies would be prepared to act in hi« former capacity, but we should most emphatically object to his assumption of office until a new Council had elected him. However Mr. Taylor's election stands, the late Superintendent can have not the slightest claim to the Superintendency. His former tenure most unquestionably came to an end when he gave up possession of the Government offices, and ceased to exercise his functions, either in person or by deputy. Nor do we believe that a general election will alter the chances in favour of his being returned in the ordinary way. Those of his adherents who

had the pleasure of listening to his lucid expositions during the recent session of the Council, must have had their faith in his powers considerably shaken. His opponents can have only been strengthened in their views. Fire in Dee-street.—On Monday morning, about six o'clock, the back premises of the Melbourne and Ballaarat Hotel, in Dee-street, were observed to be on fire. The alarm was at once given, and, thanks to the promptitude of the Fire Brigade, the flames were confined to the apartment in which they originated. Even here the damage was exceedingly small—only the paper and calico being burned, and the lining a little charred. A number of persons were sleeping in the hotel at the time, but all escaped without injury. We learn that

in the confusion, Mrs. Nyulasy lost a gold watch and chain, and two bracelets. She hastily picked them up on leaving her room, and was so agitated when passing the flames that she dropped the jewelry

and lost it. An inquest was held at the Southern Cross Hotel yesterday afternoon, to inquire in to the origin of the above fire. No less than nine witnesses were examined. It appeared that Serjeant Pardy, whilst going his rounds early on Monday morning, perceived a smell of fire iri the vicinity of the Melbourne and Ballaarat Hotel. He was, at the time, unable to determine the exact position of the fire, but Avith admirable prudence placed a constable on duty near the spot; so that, Avhen about an hour aftenvards the flames broke out, assistance was at once available. It is certain that had it not been for the above precaution a most disastrous fire, would have occurred, and, owing to the number sleeping on the premises, very possibly life would have been lost. The fire Avas in the back kitchen, in three separate spots, viz. : in a basket of clothes, on a stretcher, and in another lot of clothes. The building was insured for £50, and the stock for £200. After a patient and protracted investigation, the jury returned the following verdict That the Melbourne and Ballaarat Hotel was wilfully set fire to by some person or persons unknown."

Fatal Accidents.—On Saturday evening a fatal accident occurred in Tay street, whereby a respectable carter, named Archibald Nevin.residing at I-lar-risville, received such injuries as caused his death. He was taken immediately after the accident to the

hospital, where he lingered till Monday morning, when he expired. An inquest was held the same afternoon, before M. Price, Esq., and a jury. The following are the chief points of evidence. Audrew Mitchell said, that he knew the deceased for the last twelve months. He was going past Petrie's paddock on Saturday, when he saw deceased lying on the road, and his horse and dray about three yards farther on. The horse had its leg over the shaft. Witness asked deceased how it happened, and he said he was sitting on the front of the dray when he touched the

horse with the reins, and the animal kicked and struck him on the breast. Assisted by other two witnesses, had him conveyed in the dray to the hospital. Saw him at ten o'clock in the morning, when he appeared to be in his usual health. Knew

the horse had a bad temper, and that he had before kicked in the dray when touched. Dr. Monckton stated that he had made a post mortem examination, and found a rupture of the right lobe on the liver, sufficient to account for death, and likely to be the result of a kick from a horse, or a severe blow. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased

had died irom injuries received from the kick of a horse. The funeral of the unfortunate man took place yesterday.—A melancholy accident occurred on the evening of the 23rd February, at the Toi Tois, whereby three men lost their lives in attempting to cross the bar in an open boat. The boat was seen entering on the bar by the crew of the Straggler, now lying ashore there, when she was scruck by a sea on the starboard quarter, and coming broadside on to the sea, capsized bottom up. One of the men succeeded in reached the shore, but the surf washed him off again, and he was drowned. The remaining two got on the bottom of the boat, but the wind blowing fresh from the southward, and it being ebb tide, she got among the breakers, and these two men also perished. Mr. Edward M'Carthy and the Stragglers' crew hastened to render assistance, but were unfortunately too late to save life. They succeeded in getting the boat out of the snrf, and hauled her up on the beach. She is a whaleboat, about twenty-four feet long, painted green inside and outside, and appears to be quite new. Her mast was broken into three pieces, and had on it a shoulder-of-mutton sail. There were three dogs in the boat,' only one of which escaped. The boat has .no name painted on it, and there is nothing to indicate where she was from, but Mr. M-Carthy supposes, from the fishing lines and a cask found on board, that she was from Stewart's Island. In a letter detailing the above, circumstances, he adds that it would be " advisable for strangers enter ing the Toi Tois in boats, if they should find too much sea on the bur, to keep to the starboard side a

little and go into the' boat harbour. They can steer for a grave which will be observed on the hill, and can land in safety. The channel at the Toi Tois is shifted. There is a sand spit where the channel

formerly was, and vice verm, where the sand spit on the Southland side was, is now the channel." We have since heard that one of the men drowned is supposed to be Mr. Bracken, of the accommodation house, Stewart's Island. An accident also occurred at the Toi Tois 011 the 19th February. A boat, Containing four men, was capsized on the bar; two swam ashore, and two clung to the boat, which fortunately drifted to the beach, when they were rescued. The boat was from Waikawa, and the crew were bound for the diggings. The Nokomai.—Mr. Warden Wood reports from Nokomai, on the 24th February, as follows:—" The miners on the creek are at regular work again, and appear in good spirits at their prospects. Several who went to the Tois Tois have returned, giving the place the name of a ' tucker' diggings. A narrow lead of gold, running from the Nevis to the Nokomai, which was lost last year, has' been again struck. I

hope it will be traced through the saddle, as it may then be the cause of opening up the. spurs atthehead of the Nokomai. The lead now struck is about 300 yards in the Nevis Water Shed. A terrace, with from 15 to 20 feet sulking, has been opened in Paddy's Alley. The workings there hitherto have been from 6 inches to 4 and 5 feet. The agent of the Bank of New Zealand at Queenstown lias been down, and opened a branch at this place, which will be a great boon to the miners and others." And again, on the 11th i'lst.: —"Prospecting claims have been granted to James Miller and Peter White, for terrace claim on Paddy's Alley Terraces; sinking 20 feet, 4 to 5 feet of washdirt, from l dwt. to 3 dwts. per dish; half a mile from any other party. The terraces on Paddy's

Alley are attracting attention, as the prospecting claim applied for by White and Miller has caused a rush to that portion of this field. Five or six claims have obtained gold; one or two equal to the prospectors. I should say that there were 2000 acres of these terraces, which, if they prove auriferous, will give employment to a large number of men, when water is brought on, which will, I believe, soon be the case." The Mataura. —The discovery of several new gullies are reported—one on Douglas and Blythe's run, and several close to Dr. Menzies' home station, all of which are said to yield payable gold. The population has increased to between eight and nine hundred persons. Excellent order prevails. A correspondent informs us that on the 27th inst., an important meeting of storekeepers and miners was held in,the township on the diggings, in accordance with a notice published by a bellman appointed for occasion. About four hundred persons assembled, and Mr. Hatch was requested to preside. He briefly stated that the object of the meeting was to endeavour to form a prospecting association, for sinking on the terraces and spurs adjacent to the new diggings. The following resolutions were carried unanimously : —(1.) "That the storekeepers and diggers form themselves into a body, to be called the ' Mataura Prospecting Association.' " (2.) " That prospecting for payable gold in terraces be carried out in accordance with the decision of a committee to be appointed by this meeting." (3.) "That a committee of twelve be appointed, to consist of six storekeepers and six diggers, six to form a quorum." (4.) "That the following gentlemen form the same : Messrs. Burke, Wagner, Roebuck, Chennels, Mortlock, Jaggers, with Smith, O'Maley, Fisher, and three other experienced diggers." The whole of the proceedings were conducted in the most satisfactory manner, and all the above resolutions carried unanimously. The meeting was addressed by every one of the committee.