SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1882, 20 October 1874, Page 3

SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS

-o — (Per Anglo-Australian Telegraph Press Agency.) oWellington, Monday, 7.30 p.m. The rules of the forthcoming prize firing for the qualification for representatives remain the same, though the minimum score is increased for Cavalry from 63 to 68; for Infantry from 80 to 83 points. The Cavalry representatives must be selected by the 12th December, the first selection of Infantry (viz., district or company representatives) by the 2lst .November; the Colonial representatives by the 19th December. The number authorised jfor the Cavalry is reduced from seven to six,' and one from the Armed Constabulary. The' number of Infantry from 43 to 36. The present champions have to qualify this year. The colonial meeting is to take place at the Thames late in January next. For the Cavalry there is to be an extra match of 10 shots at 300 yards. The 2JO yards' match is to be increased from 7to 10 shots. There are now 62 shots for the Cavalry championship instead of 49. The Infantry match for the cliampiousbip is increased from 69 to 114 shots, by the addition of a match, 10 shots at 500 yards, and one of 7 shots at five ranges between'2oo and 600 yards The " Running" and " Eapidity" matches are expunged. The "Skirmishing" is retained; only, instead of the scoring being by individuals, the qpmpetitors are to be divided into squads, and the prizes (2) will be given to the squads making the highest aggregate score. In the "All Comers" .matches the first is for the large-bore rifles only; the second is for "any weapon." " liange prizes " have been introduced.. The competitions for district prizes remain the same. The Cadet prizes are similar to last year. Prizes are offered for Artillery and Naval Volunteers, for Armed Constabulary and for Native Contingent. — The ' Strathnaver' salvage case came on before the Admiralty Court to-day. The counsel for plaintiff-refused to take evidence on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday next, as the Judge will be otherwise engaged until the sth November, and the Court of Appeal commences on the 9th, after which "the Judge proceeds to JNapier. The case is not expected to be resumed before next year. If the plaintiff fails to prove his case, £40 per day demurrage will be claimed by defendants for every day since the arrest of the ship. •

A correspondent,- writing to the Times, says: —During the last fifteen years the prosperity of New Zealand has o£ course varied, and it has gone through one period of very great depression lasting from 1867 to 1870, during which all trade and iudustry wa? in a very stagnant condition, and during part of which time I have known it comparatively difficult for working men to get continuous employment, wages for ordinary hands in the country not being more thira 15s to 20s per week, and found in board and lodging. With that exception there has been no time in my opinion during which a good labouring man, carpenter or blacksmith, could not hive been honestly recommended .to go out with a certaiuty of obtaining good wages and a fair prospect of bettering his condition. During the last three years the colony has been in a most flourishing condition, mainly owing to the high price of its principal export, wool, and no doubt also to the large Government expenditure on public works, such as railways, &c,—so that, notwithstanding the large shipments of immigrants which have arrived in the colony during the last two years labour has been exceedingly scarce aud wageß very high. During the last summer and up" to the time of my leaving in our winter, wages for ordinary hands in the country were £1 to 25a per week and found; shepherds, £52 to £70 per annum, with board and lodging; carpenters, 10s to 12s per day, finding themaslvea; aud other wages in proportion Old colonial hands, such as splitters,'sawyers, &c,, can always earn more; but I think with the above wages, which L can vouch for, any man who can work has a fair chance of makiug his way up the social ladder if he would only resist the temptation of drink, which is the bane of tlie working man in New Zealand. He must, however, bear in mind that, although he will get good wages and plenty to eat, he will have rough work and rough accommodation;, sometimes having to drink out of pannikins, and eat o'£E tin plate? instead of crockery, and to live in a roughly built slab hut. To give advice to those of a higher class as to emigration is much more dilticult; as a rule, I should strougly advise those who have formed their habits of life and have anything to lose, or have any decent prospects at horn?, to be at least most cautious in doing so. A man with small capital aud a large family, who has never been accustomed to work, and goes out to a colony thinking he is going to make a fortune farming, is usually most woefully mistaken, He is obliged to invest his money at onco, and, in doing so, he has do experience to guide him in the choice of locality, soil, and most profitable method of procedure, and h? will generally find tbat he loses instead of gains moipy. If after t.vo or three years he ha 3 lost nil his money, he will, perhaps, have gained sufficient experience to re'nake it, and then will, perhaps, do well h the end. I am sorry to eay tbat in flew Zealand I have known many who have started with gome capital lose it. On the other hand, some of our richest men are those who come out to the cilony with nothing; but, in the latter case they hive been good, steady, practical men, and awn of. that sort are sure to make their W