OTAGO.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1345, 28 February 1867, Page 3

OTAGO.

MOVEMENTS OF IKS EXCELLENCY THE GOTERXOB. We extract from the "Otago Witness" the following detailed information with respect to his Excellency's movements. On Friday morning, the 15th of February, his Excellency, conducted by William Mason, Esq., the Mayor of Dunedin, visited the new Post-office which is now in course of erection, and expressed high satisfaction with the design of the building, and admiration of the material, Oamaru stone: — During the afternoon his Excellency reviewed the Otago Volunteers upon the new drill-ground, on the reclaimed land at the south of the city. His Excellency, who was in tho uniform of a general, rode from his residence to -the ground, which he reached soon after three o'clock, being accompanied byT.THck, Esq., Superintendent, the Hon. Major Eichardson, Major Grey, and Captain Hope, who were also mounted. The Rev. Mr Thatcher was oniEe ground; and so -were Messrs F.D.Bell, W. H. Reynolds, and R. Campbell.

A general muster of the companies had been made at half-past one o'clock, at the usual place of meeting, in front of the Custom-house. The muster included the Port Chalmers Naval Brigade, the members of which had arrived by steamer during the forenoon; and the Bruce and Taieri Rifles, some of whom had made a start from their homes at sunrise, coming to town by special conveyance, provided by the Provincial Government. Having been put in marching order, the whole farce proceeded to the Review ground, headed by theband,and accompanied by aconsiderable nucleus to thelargecrowd which subsequently assembled to witness the review. On their arrival there the whole force was put into line, and, for the purpose of review, the infantry were divided into six companies, taking position to the left of the artillery, twhose two Armstrong guns were stationed at the northern end of the review ground. Preliminary to the arrival of his Excellency, and of the manoeuvres reserved for tlie review proper, the different companies were put through a variety of exercises, either by Captain and Adjutant Atkinson, or by the officers of each company. During this interval, spectators continued to assemble from all directions, and by the hour of the Governor's arrival—three o'clock—the outer margin of the ground was closely crowded, ladies seeming almost to predominate; and at the windows of the neighboring houses, or in situations still more elevated, numbers took their places to witness the proceedings. The crowd M; that time would probably number from 2500 to 3000, and they were pretty closely kept together by the comparatively small space at their disposal, and the absence of any natural elevation in the neighborhood from which a bird's-eye view of the scene might be obtained. As the hne was drawn up, the rear was towards the bay, and the position close to the breast-work of the reclaimed ground upon which the review took place. Steps had been taken to ameliorate to some extent the rough walking which marching over this ground in its original state would have involved, and there was a considerable space of smooth ground available, but there was still a wide difference between its condition and that of the drill-shed floor; and it was *U the more to the credit of the \ olunteers that, on comparative! y inumerent ground, they marched with so much precision of step and accuracy ot movement.

Toe following were the numbers of the force on the field, and the different companies represented. Some com-panies-the Naval Brigade, at least80 str gl as on the «ay ot the Governor's arrival, when eiGn company was well represented in of hono^° fhiß Excel Ws guard

Itf? -T , Lieu tenant-Colonel Cargill, Captain and Adjutant Hlel nß °\ Staff - Sur ß eons Hulme and ttockcu, three staff-sergeants.

... Battalion Band—Pour teen members ; Mr Lamb, conductor. Artillery — Captain M'Farland, Lieutenant Hannah, two sergeants, three corporals, and forty volunteers. No. 1 Company — Captain Moss, Lieutenant Davie3, three sergeants, one corporal, and twenty-nine volunteers. No. 2 Company — Captain Tolmie, Lieutenant Kirkcaldy, Ensigu Jamieson, five sergeants, four corporals, thirty-eight volunteers. Bruce Rifles—Captain Jones, Lieutenant Pettit, Ensign Dewe, two sergeants, two corporals, twenty-two volunteers. North Dunedin—Captain Burns, Ensign M'Kellar, three sergeants, one corporal, eighteen volunteers. Waikari Rangers—Captain Borton, — sergeants, nineteen volunteers.

South District —Captain Cantrell, Lieutenant W. Shand, two sergeants, one corporal, twenty-five volunteers. Taieri Rifles — Captain Fulton, Lieutenant T. Siiond, Lieutenant Murray, one sergeant, one corporal, sixteen volunteers.

Naval Brigade —Captain Thomson, Captain Stavely, Lieutenant Robertson, Lieutenant Goldie, Midshipman Dickenson, four sergeants, thirty-six volunteers.

Cadets — Lieutenant Mann, one sergeant, fourteen volunteers. As his Excellency arrived on the review-ground he was loudly cheered by the spectators, and the whole forca of volunteers presented arms, the band playing the National Anthem; line having been previously drawn up, with open ranks, and officers in front, as to receive the General. The companies then shouldered arms, and accompanied by the staff officers his Excellency passed along the whole line in front and rear, making a very minute inspection, and asking the Colonel a series of questions as to the companies, the arms, and equipments. His Excellency then returned with his suite to the position from which the movements of the troops were to be reviewed, and in the neighborhood of which some seats had been provided for spectators. The ranks then closed, broke into open column, and marched past in quick time. They marched past also in quarter-distance column, opened to wheeling distance, and deployed into line, Colonel Cargill giving the commands during all these different movements. Major Bathgate afterwards put the I companies through manual and platoon exercise; and by Captain Atkinson the whole infantry iorce were put through the bayonet exercise. To spectators this was one of the most attractive parts of the exercises ; and by his Excellency, who advanced towards the ranks, it was closely inspected. There were necessarily in the ranks a few recruits who were only indiiferently acquainted with the exercise, but they were so few as to be scarcely distinguishable among the great majority who knew the drill and went through it well, and his Excellency expressed himself highly pleased. Colonel Cargill then resumed giving the commands, and a variety of evolutions were effected. Charging, and turning to the left on the right centre company, the line advanced with the Artillery covered in the centre, and the whole line loaded. No. 1 extended, and No. 2 supported the line, which covered up No. 1 and the Artillery. The Artillery and skirmishers immediately opened fire, No. 2 relieving skirmishers retiring. At the same time the reserve was marched to the rear in close column of companies. Then a general assembly, the reserve deploying into line, and volley firing from the right of companies as soon as the front was clear, the Artillery taking up the firing as soon as they had taken position. On the alarm for Cavalry, the line broke into a column of companies, formed square on the rear company, and prepared to receive Cavalry. In square, file firing from the right of faces; standing ranks ceased firing ; the kneeling ranks firing a volley. Grounded arms, and reformed column. Opened to wheeling distance from rear. Deployed into line. Fired a volley with front rank kneeling, and prepared to charge. Charged. Halted. Formed close column on No. 3. Changed front to rear, by counter-march of sub-divisions round centre, which brought the Artillery in front. Opeued out to wheeling distance from the rear company. Wheeled into line, and advanced in slow time, with general salute, the band playing, and ranks opening. Halted, and gave general salute. Throughout all these movements, there was an observable improvement in the drill of the companies, and there was a general expression of satisfaction that all had acquitted themselves so well. "We regret that during one of the movements, when the companies were advancing in line, an accident occurred by which Captain Stavely, of the Naval Brigade, is believed to be rather severely injured. As the line advanced, the Artillery opened fire, and it happened, by the smoke obscuring the ground, and the compressed space in which the movements were made, that the left of the line was pressed out slightly, so as to extend too closely to gun No.l. As Captain Stavely was moving to his position, the gun was discharged, and he was so near, that part of the wadding was lodged in the back of his left leg, below the knee joint. He continued at the head of his company, but finding the wound bleeding much,and becoming faint, be left the ground, and at the Imperial hotel was attended to by Dr. Hocken. The wound, we believe, is a very painful one, as there was lodged deeply in the ilesh a portion of the wadding, but no serious consequences are apprehended. As soon as the wound was dressed, Captain Stavely was removed to his own residence, where, we believe, he was, as soon as j the circumstances became known, j visited by his Excellency. At the close of the review his; Excellency presented a number of prizes for proficiency in rifle shooting } and after the distribution, in a short epeech, expressed his great approval of

all the proceedings of tlie day. In the evening the Governor attended the Volunteer ball, held in the Provincial Government buildiuga. On Saturday, his Excellency, accompanied by Major Richardson and the members of his suite inspected in succession the Provincial Government bui , dings, the station of the Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Gaol, the Lunatic Asylum, the Athenaeum, and the Benevolent Institution, and in the evening was present at a ball at the Lunatic Asylum. On Monday his Excellency received a petition in favor of separation. Messrs Dick, Vogel and Reynolds, by whom the petition was presented, were accompanied by Messrs W. Hay, Ure, Sibbald, M'ludoe, and E. De Carle. Mr Dick read the petition, as follows :— To his Excellency Sir George Grey, X.C.8,, Governor of the Colony of New Zealand. The petition of the uudersigned inhabitants of Dunedin humbly sheiveth : — 1. That the North and Middle Islands of New Zealand, being separated by Cook Straits, are essentially distinct. 2 That in consequence of the large Native population on thelSorth Island, the legislation for that island requires to be of a different character from that which i 3 suitable for the Middle Island. 3 That the Lite Maori war, which was confined entirely to the North Island, lias cost die whole Colony of New Zealand a large sum of money. 4. That while willing to pay the proportion of the debt which has been incurred by the colony to carry on the warj your petitioners are of opinion that all future legislation and all further action with regard to the Native population should bo left entirely to the inhabitants of the North Island, and also that any liabilities arising from sucb action should be chargeable only against the North Island.

5. Your petitioners therefore pray that, in order to accomplish this, your Excellency will be pleased to use your endeavors to effect a reparation of the two islands as regards their Governments, just and equitable arrangements being made as to all past liabilities. And your petitioners will ever pray.

[Over 2000 signatures were appended to the petition, which was beautifully engrossed and illuminated, and was mounted and tastefully finished.] Mr Dick acted as the mouthpiece of the deputation. His Excellency promised to refer the petition to his responsible advisers, and to act according to their advice in the matter. His Excellency afterwards held a levee, and then "proceeded to the fete of the Friendly Societies at Vauxhall Gardens, and in the evening attended at the Princess Theatre. THE POLLING- FOB THE SUPERIXTENDENCY. The polling for the Superintendence of Otago took place on Wednesday, and it has resulted in the election ol' Mr James Macandrew. In Dunedin there were two booths —the Provincial Council Hall and the School-house, Great King street, There was almost incessant rain until three o'clock, and occasionally the fall was heavy. The weather no doubt caused the excitement respecting the election to be less visible than it would have been had the day been fine, but from the opening of the booth there was a considerable shifting crowd in Water street and on the terrace of the Provincial buildings. Cabs were employed on each side; we mean, of course, for Mr Dick and Mr Mac- | andrew. Mr Grant may at once be dropped, with the statement that he had one vote given for him. The Macandrew cabs Avere the more numerous, and during the day voters were brought up to the Provincial buildings in buggies and gigs, and even waggons. Each of these vehicles bore a placard, " Macaudrew, the People's Man." The enthusiasm of Mr Macandrew's supporters was evidenced otherwise than by the number of cabs employed or lent for the day ; but it was a subject of general comment that Mr Dick's party showed nothiug like enthusiasm, and but little of organised work. The crowd round the steps at the Provincial buildings was mainly composed of Macandrewites, and they cheered their friends and hooted their opponents with a will. The " state of the poll " was fictitiously and frequently announced by hand-bills and bellmen. Towards four o'clock the crowd increased, and there were pretty confident statements made that Mr Macandrew would have a majority of at least 300 in the city. There was the usual laughter, and cheering, and hooting when the cab arrived with the voters who last entered the booth, and when the luckless cabby who was the first to be too late dashed up to the steps. Mr Macandrew, who had been almost carried up the steps when he arrived shortly after four o'clock, now presented himself at a window overlooking the terrace and steps. There was cheering for a minute or two, and then Mr Macandrew said—lf ever a man had reason to be proud of his position, I have reason to be proud of miue to-day. I believe that I am now de facto, if not dejure, Superintendent of Otago. [Cheers.] You have achieved a victory this day in Dunedin which I believe is to some extent unparalleled in the history of representative institutions. You have conferred the highest honor you can confer upon man on one who has no claim to your regard—upon one who is not a wealthy man, but who has a strong arm and a stout heart, and who has a warm place in the affections of thousands of honest men in this province. [Cheers.] Consider the result of this poll —against an opposition wliich might well have caused any other man to quail but myself. The whole influence of the Executive Government has been brought to bear against me—the whole of the merchant princes, the wealth, and the socalled respectability of the place—and lastly, and perhaps most of all, the strong course the Press has adopted. I say that, considering all that has been done against mc, I believe that this election will create a great excitement throughout New Zealand ; and it will, I believe, be a landmark in the history of the colony. [Cheers.] I feel prouder far of the confidence and esteem of the masses of the community, as shown to-day, than I should have been if all your merchants, and j squatters, and money-grubbers had

been my supporters. [Cheers.] The one is a far more stable thing than the other — a far more sound foundation than the other. Gentlemen, I have proud satisfaction in thinking that, personally, I have Dot solicited a single vote on this occasion. You have shown to-day"that this country is to be governed in future by the will of the people. [Cheers.] We will have no more maudling sentimentalism. [Cheers.] I believe that to-day you have laid the axe to the root of that upas tree which has retarded the progress of the province of late years —the withering influence of which has kept everything back—that upas tree beneath whose pestiferous shade all life dies, and deatli lives. [Cheers.] You have laid the axe to the root of that tree to-day.

Mr John Barnes and Mr James M'lndoe afterwards addressed the assemblage. Mr Barnes began by complaining of " the want of brains " on the part of those who had hitherto had the management ol" public affairs ; aud we are informed that he announced himself as " tho future Secretary for Public Works." !