The Press. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1867.

Press, Volume XII, Issue 1544, 18 October 1867, Page 2

The Press. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1867.

In discussing the question of the maintenance or abolition of provincial institutions, the first thing to be settled is, what we mean by the phrase. Without accurate definition of terms argument is worse than useless. Men may go on arguing for ever, perhaps agreeing on the main point all the while, if they begin by attaching a different meaning to the same words. What we mean then by provincial institutions is the system established by the Constitution Act, and gradually developed in practice into the form in which it has for some time existed—a system under wliicn the public affairs of each, province are managed by a Superintendent, an elected Provincial Council, and a Provincial Executive serving as a medium between the two, and responsible to the Council for • their actions. There are other institutions which in one sense may be styled provincial, inasmuch as they are concerned in the local affairs of the province, such as Municipalities, Road Boards, &c.; but they form no part of the distinctively provincial system. They exist also in the colonies where there are no provinces and no Provincial Governments.. When we speak of " provincial institutherefore, we mean the system of. government established in New Zealand alone of all the British colonies, namely, the Superintendents arid Provincial Councils and Governments, to whose charge is committed the entire direction of the affairs of their respective provinces.

It has been said by some that the functions of the Provincial Governments were meant to extend only to what can properly he termed colonization, that is, immigration and public works. That, however, is a very imperfect view of the case. Whatever may have been the intentions of the framers of the Constitution Act, practically the Provincial Governments have long ago drawn into their hands the entire control of provincial affairs —subject, of course, to the restrictions on their legislative power imposed by the Constitution. In the earlier days of the colony no doubt such power of independent action by the provinces was absolutely necessary. As showing in what spirit and with what views provincial institutions were accepted by the people ofCanterbury, we quote the following extracts from a speech delivered by Mr. Godley at a public meeting held to consider a letter from the Governor enquiring whether the settlers of Canterbury wished to have the settlement formed into aj separate province :— The circumstances of our position are exactly those which require the greatest amount of present active government. It is the greatest mistake to say, as I have heard it said, that a new country does not want govern I - ment. The exact converse is the truth, j # # * * Where a new society, like this, is formed under conditions in many respects unprecedented, an urgent want is felt for an ever-present, ever-living fountain of authority and law; new institutions must* he framed to meet, new eulergencies, and men must be taught and made to duties to which they have never been accustomed. Etery step in the formation of a new community needs the

sanction and regulation of a new law ; and requires, moreover, in the lawgiver an intimate local and personal acquaintance with the details to be provided for. We want a law for the administration of our pasturage, a law for the making and repairing of our roads, laws for the regulation of our hospitals, and schools, and cemeteries, for facilitating common drainage, for establishing ferries. But I will not weary you with a catalogue which might be prolonged indefinitely, of subjects for local ~ legislation. It is sufficient to draw your attention to the fact that the crude and imperfect state of our social relations makes a present active Government peculiarly necessary to us. And this is exactly what we cannot have without a restricted and local jurisdiction. Look at the matter practically, for this is a question which requires to be looked upon from the point of view of common daily experience. For all practical purposes we might almost as well be governed from England as from Wellington. Our interests and requirements, however important to ourselves, are not so to our governors, and we cannot get them attended to. Our letters are hardly ever answered under two or three months, and many of _ them are never answered at all. * * * *

But this is not all; our position among the settlements is altogether exceptional and peculiar, and requires exceptional and peculiar handling. The pastoral nature of our country, the absence of Natives, the existence of aland fund, the extensive immigration from England which is going on, and above all, the presence and the influence of the Canterbury Association, all these things distinguish us so broadly from Wellington, Nelson, and Otago, that I feel convinced that for the present we had better pursue separate paths. The laws which suit us don't suit them, and vice versa. Again, it is a natural and laudable instinct among colonizers to desire the freest possible scope for giving effect to their peculiar tendencies : religious, political, and social. They like to try their own experiment —in other words, to create something. And so it is with us. The people who have come out here have their own notions, no doubt, of the kind of laws and institutions that are best for them ; and one reason with them for coming out here was that they might be able to realize those notions. 'They only ask for liberty to try their hands.

Here we have independent power of legislation and administration in all matters of provincial interest desired for three distinct reasons. First, on account of the need of the constant interposition of Government and of frequent legislation on the many little difficulties incident to a new settlement ; secondly, on account of the impossibility, from the want of communication with the seat of Government, of managing local matters satisfactorily under any less localised system of government ; thirdly, on account 01 ike exceptional circumstances of the province, requiring exceptional and peculiar .handling. But all these causes, the effect of which was of course felt not in Canterbury only but in all the provinces, and which combined to render provincial institutions an almost imperative necessity, have long ceased to operate. Communication with Wellington, then a matter of months, is carried on regularly at short intervals by mail steamers, or instantaneously at any moment by electric telegraph. The variety of legislation, the advantages of which are insisted on in the above extract, have under the altered circumstances of the colony become a public inconvenience, and the tendency now is to consolidate the law as much as possible and make it uniform over the whole of New Zealand. A similar change has

taken place in. the administrative requirements of the provinces. The country is approaching more to the state which Mr. Grodley describes England as having attained. What is wanted now is not, strictly speaking, government, so much as a constant attention to innumerable details all over the province, in town and country, which no single Q-overnment could give, but must be left to persons on the spot and personally interested in seeing things properly managed. In the towns the Provincial Government is set aside altogether by the municipality. Christchurch, for example, would not be a whit affected if provincial institutions were to be abolished to-morrow. They would not be miseed. Nothing would come to a stand still for want of them. The City Council would carry on the municipal business just the same as ever under the Act of the General Assembly. So too with the country districts. There the provincial system has fairly broken down. As settlement spread further and further from the chief towns the Provincial Governments proved far too strongly inclined to centralization, and as incapable of managing the local affairs of the districts as the Government at "Wellington of managing those of the provinces. Consequently local bodies. Road Boards and the like, have j been constituted to take charge of local affairs ; and an example has been set in the case of Timaru, which will no doubt be extensively followed, of j making them independent of the Pro- j vincial Government by permanently appropriating to them a fixed share of the public revenue. What then is left for the Provincial

Government and Council to do, when their legislative functions have been absorbed by the General Assembly, the administration of municipal affairs by the City Council, and of the local affairs of the country districts by the Eoad Boards and the coining Shire Councils ? Kailways, we shall be told, and other large public works, and immigration. Well, as to railways we shall perhaps have something to say about them on another occasion ; but in the meantime we would ask, is it necessary to keep up all the present machinery for such purposes ? Do we want a Superintendent; a Provincial Executive, Secretaries, Under-Secretaries, and all the other gentlemen who paßs from ten to four in the Government Buildings, and the Provincial Council with its Speaker, Chairman of Committees, Clerk, Chaplain and Messenger —all to make a railway and look after the Immigrationoffice ? one in his senses would contend for anything of the kind. Indeed some inkling of the fact has struck the advocates of provincialism themselves, for a plan has been suggested for cutting the Council down by one half aud turning it and the Government into a big Public Works Board. This is in reality to concede the point at issue. If these changes and reductions are made, and the duties of the Government and Council thus curtailed, the residue may be called provincial institutions if you will, but it is something entirely different to what has hitherto been known by that name. The name may be retained, but the substance has vanished. The Lyttelton Times may please itself with the fancy that the process it recommends will preserve provincial institutions, but it .preserves them only after St. Patrick's method, by making them commit suicide to save themselves from slaughter. High School Lectuhes. —Dr. Haast will deliver the second of his course of lectures on geology to the boys of the High school this evening, in the old Town Hall. Ohphan Asylt/m.—A meeting of the managing committee of the Orphan Asylum will be held this afternoon at the building, at four p.m. West Coast Road Tbafpic.—The following is a return of the number of sheep and cattle driven past the Rangiriri police camp on their way to Hokitika during the week October 9 inst.:—Sheep, 1409 ; cattle, 275. Domestic Sebvants. —We have been requested to state that several good general servants, housemaids, cooks, and housekeepers are now staying at the Female Home in Peterborough street, and are anxious to obtain situations. Sunday School Union.—Wβ would remind those of our readers who are interested in Sunday schools that the conference in connection with the Canterbury Sunday-School Union will be held this evening in the Wesley an Chapel school-room, at half-past seven Tea at six. IiXJSXTS WATUma. A. -very extraordinary n-eak ot nature was yesterday flxlltuliea at Messrs Gould's chemist shop in the form of a bird hatched from what is generally called a double egg. The bird has two heads and four wings and legs, and presents a most -curious appearance. It can be seen at Mr Gould's, Colombo street. Bahtway Bowing Clttb. —The members of this club seem to be determined that the prizes to be given this year at the Heatheote Regatta shall not pass without a struggle into the hands of the Lyttelton Club, as has been the case for the last two years. Two crews have been in training for some days past, and a meeting is to be held at Coker's this evening to tell off the crew for the match, who will at once commence training. All members are expected to attend. Sudden Death.—A fisherman of the name of Michael Stephans died very suddenly in Lyttelton yesterday. It appears that deceased went off to his boat, which was moored a short distance from the Government wharf, and that after seating himself he was observed by several of the bystanders to fall forwards or rather sideways. A boat immediately put off, but on arriving it was found that deceased was insensible, and that a great quantity of blood had flowed from hie mouth. He wae brought on shore and conveyed to the Canterbury hotel. Dr. Donald was in immediate attendance, but life was found to be extinct. It is euppoaeel that disease of the heart was the cause of death. An inquest will be held this morning at ten o'clock. Engineer Company.—Eleven members of this company went down. to. Hillsborough yesterday afternoon to compete for three prizes given by the company. A strong south-west wind was blowing across the range, so much so that good shooting was out of the question. Only average scores were made. The distances were 200, 400, and 500 yards, five shots at each, hythe position. Lieutenant Pavitt, first prize, £3 ; Corporal Foley, second, £2 ; Sapper Beatty, third, £1. We understand that the anniversary dinner of this company will take place on Friday evening, November 1. The Engineer Company intend commencing at once to fence in the section given them by the Government in rear of the drill-shed, for the safe storage of the picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, and other necessary implements required for the proper carrying out of their branch of the service. Ceiokbt. —The U.C.C.C. have determined to adopt a novel method of encouraging this game amongst the players in this province. It has been decided that in all matches arranged by the club a bat shall be presented to any oue who shall make a score of fifty runs or upwards, and that any bowler taking seven wickets in an innings, or twelve in a match, shall be entitled to receive a now ball in recognition of his skill. These prizes are not to be confined to the members of the club, but will be given to any player who shall bo fortunate enough to make the required number of runs or take the number of wickets mentioned. This will probably have the effect of bringing out conspicuously the good points of several of our cricketers, and perhaps make many of them more anxious than ever to play in clubmatches in the hope of winning this distinction.

Rakgioea.—The fourth entertainment of the present, season in connection with Mr Merton's ndw highly popular singing class took place on Wednesday evening last at the Drain road kchool-room. The entertainment consisted of a lecture on the Maoris, by the Rev. J. W. Stack. The lecture was delivered in two parts, the first treating of the manners aad customs of the Maori. This was followed by an interval, during which the band played some selections. The second part consisted of Maori legends and poetry, as well as love songs. Several Maoris were present in their native garb, and one of them gave a uolo. Mr Stack's lecture was well received, hie acquaintance with the subject enabling him to do it ample justice. At the close of the lecture a unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Stack, and the large audience then dispersed ; higWy pleased with whet they had seen and heard, and no doubt considerably interested in the Maori race. '

Rangiora Mechanics' Institute. —The provisional committee will, we are informed, meet this evening and bring up their report, which is to be hoped may prove satisfactory. Thb Tunnel. —The workmen have now completed the bottoming of the tunnel, and about thirty tons of the. debris remains to be cleared away. On Wednesday, ebout two p.m., the water which has proved such an obstacle to the Heatheote workmen commenced running into Lyttelton. There however is still much to be done, as a groat portion of the sides has to be widened, which, with the laying down of the rails, will take about sir weeks to finish, so that we may really expect that the railway will be rtfady for traffic in the first week in December. Workmen have been busily employed in laving down rails and turn-tables on the reclaimed ground in Lyttelton, but there are no ei<ms of goods-shed or station buildings. The former has been badly wanted for many months; g° ode have been landed on the wharves, opened and examined, and have suffered considerably from exposure. It u< to be hoped that a proper warehouse will be erected, where all goods can be examined without danger of being spoilt from exposure to the weather. Magisterial.—At the Besident Magistrate's Court, at Christchurcb, yesterday, before C. 0. Bowen, Esq., 8.M., William Maroroft was charged with having a dog in .his possession unregistered for the current year. The charge was admitted, and a fine of 10s whs was inflicted.—Jonathan Sondeen, George Rogers, John Larny and Richard Wright were charged with riding without reins, and were severally fined 5s each.— Aaron Ayers was charged with having allowed two cows, his property, to wander at large. Fined ss.—Thomas Panuett was charged with riding a horse on the footpath at Riccarton, to the danger of foot passengers. His Worship remarked that numerous complaints had been lodged about persons riding on the footpath, and more especially in that district, and hoped that a final "stop would be put to sucli practices. Defendant was fined 5s. —The following persone were summoned for allowing their cattle to stray away, contrary to the Ordinance, and were fined respectively: — Richard Merriek, ss; James Todd, IOs; Henry Sharpies, 5s ; Thomas Grantham, 5s ; Elias Jackman, 5s ; Thomas Drury, 10s ; William Williams. 10s ; GK S. Simpson, 5s ; Frederick Dilford, 5s ; James Patten, 5s ; Daniel Bell, 5s ; Thomas Grantham, 5s ; Cornelius Dwyer, 5s \ William Pridhu, ss.—Arthus Davis was charged with a breach of the Police Ordinance, by leaving his horses, and not being sufficiently near to exercise control over them. The constable stated that the horses took fright, and ran away. A child was knocked down, but was only slightly injured. The defendant was some distance from the horses when they started. His Worship dismissed the case. — Shadrach Clements was charged with rescuing .a horse, hisproperty, when being conveyed to the pound. A fine of 5s and coats was inflicted. —At the Resident Magistrate's Court, at Lyttelton, two of the crew of the ship Lancashire Witch were charged with using abusive language towards Captain Macaulay, of the ship Red Rover. As it was not clear that the accused made use of the language, the Bench dismissed the case, but cautioned the accused as to their future conduct. —A case of McLellan i>. Preacott was dismissed.

A Living Moa.—The Dunstan district contributes the last story of the moa. A correspondent writes to the " Dunstan Times :" —" Knowing that anything new concerning this, great bird cannot fail to please a great number of your readers, I take this opportunity of detailing to you what actually came under my own observation: In the first place I must tell you that myself and three mates have been snowed in for the last six weeks, having thoughtlessly camped in some region contiguous to the North Pole, in search ofthe precious metal; and this is the first opportunity I have had of transmitting the following information :—On Saturday, July 27, about four o'clock in the afternoon, whilst enjoying a pipe by the side of a small fire in our. hut, with the door open, my attention -was suddenly directed to a large animal on the opposite range- I was not U g In doqht as to what the etritp? was. My mates cried out, * Xt's tlie moa ;' and the moa sure it was. The bird must have been more than a mile in a straight line from us ; but as the horizon was clear every movement could be detected. The bird was evidently going at a great pace, and I can only compare it to the movements- of the emu or ostrich. We had a full view of the bird for more than two minutes, when he suddenly disappeared on the other side of the range. Hβ was travelling to the west, and I should think; passed close to the Nokomai. I forward a sketch, as near as I possibly can recollect, of the form, but as to size I am not able to judge, as the distance was so great, and no other, objects near, to which I could compare. The morning after my mates and self took a walk up the range, where we first saw him, and there we discovered his tracks in the snow. Fresh snow had fallen, and we had not a chance to continue our researches. Of course I well know that many who read this will place no reliance on these statements, putting them down in the same category with stories of the sea serpent. I was myself sceptical for a long time as to the moa being extinct, but having seen so many proofs on the surface of the bird's recent sojourn amongst us, I remain no longer in doubt. It is immaterial to mc what others may think, for I am fully satisfied now tbat X based my belief on what has turned out to be true, and however this tale may go down with the public I have done my duty in making known the facts. I enclose ■my name as a guarantee of good faith, nqt for publication, knowing well if it were to appear in print I should be assailed from all quarters ; and not -wishing to carry on a paper war on the facts of a case of which I cannot have any possible doubt, I must for the present remain incognito. You are at liberty to exhibit the sketch to any parties desirous of te_'iug it. I need only add fchat if a party can be made up to go in search, I shall only be too happy to form one of its members. ,

A Sea Wall.—The "Times" gives the I following account of the great nea wall about tb be erected on the water front of San Francisco :—" A pit or : channel sixty feet wide at the bottom, at s level of twenty feet below mean low tidej will be excavated for the foundation of the wall, which will consist of a rock embankment thirteen feet wide at the top, at the level of low mean tide. When the settling of this wall is complete, a body of concrete, two feet thick and ten feet in widtji, will be laid on ; and upon this will be constructed a wall of solid masonry, seven feet three inches wide and nine feet eight inches high, vertical on the land side and sloping oh the water side, with an off-set for. the reception of timber. On the line of each street sewers will be constructed through the wall. The face of the embankment on the water side will be protected by a rip-Tap wall of stones to weigh not lees than 5001b each. All wharves, piles, add other obstructions within the limits of the work are to be removed by the contractor. Ifo earth will be used in the formation of the rock embankment, nor any stone subject to decomposition by action of air or water, the larger stones to be deposited on the sea side of the wall. Benicia or Bosendale cement is to be' used for the concrete portion, preference being given to the Benicia cement. The front of the masonry wall is to be of Folsom or State Capitol granite, blocks laid to break joints. The rip-rap wall is to be made of some kind of hard stone not subject to decomposition by the waves." Navigation op the Amazon.—The correspondent of the " Brazil and River Plate Mail" writes as follows—"From Para we have a very interesting item of news. It is nothing less than that three important tributaries of the mighty Amazon—the Ucujali, Pachitea, and Palcuza—have been successfully navigated by steamers for a distance of 1227 miles from the embouchure of the firstnamed river. This.great eervice has been rendered by a naval expedition consisting of the Peruvian tfteainers Marono, Uapo, andPutumayo. They started on their arduous undertaking on November 12, and on January 1

lasc anchored in the port of Maio, with the exception of tho Maronti, which etopped short at the island of Passos on account of a fall in the waters of tho Paleazu. Many difficulties were of course encountered during the ascension of the respective rivers, in consequence of their being unsettled and unchartered, and some cannibal Indians on tho banks had attempted to destroy tho bravo little exploring party. Their attacks were, however, vigorously repulsed, and at a place called Chontaisla the savages sustained a loss of twenty-five killed. The successful voyage of this expedition is destined to lead to gre;it commercial results, for it has demonstrated the possibility of supplying several departments of Peru, possessing a population exceeding half a million, with foreign goods by way of the Amazon, and of carrying to the ocean the valuable natural products of fhe vast and fertile regions of the interior, after a navigation from Maio, situated on the eastern slope of the Andes, of no less than 3500 milee. Such is the field soon to bo thrown open to the commerce of the world by the inauguration of the free navigation of tho Amazon."

Petbolbttm as Fuel.—The experiments that have been made with a view to discovering some suitable substitute for coal have shown conclusively that for all purposes where the bulk of the fuel used is an important consideration oil ie the material which is likely to supersede the mineral whioh hns hitherto been regarded as almost indispensable to the variety of purpose to which it is devoted. The follo«i.ig extract is from the "Scientific American," and is headed "Petroleum for Steamers." " Calculators of the relative economy of coal and oil us fuel for ocean steamers should take into account the important item of firemen and coal-passers, their wages, weight, and quarters, in addition to the difference ill weight and space of furnaces, and perhaps of boilers. In the recent experiments on the Palos, at Charlestown JN'avy Yard, it, Ims been found that with three of her four boilers, and the attendance of three men, fifty jter cent, more revolutions' of the wheels were obtained than heretofore wit7i coal under all four boilers, with the attendance of twenty men. Bui tho greatest probable difference may be realised from a more perfect utilization of the force contained in the fuel. It is well-known thut as yet but a small percentage of the theoretical power of fuel has been obtained through steam. Coal heat is mostly applied by radiation. Oil, with proper apparatus, may be brought in a state of combustion, mainly into direct contact with the boiler surface. How great a difference this may effect in practice can be determined only by proper experiment. So that the question, between coal and oil cannot be ciphered put entirely from theoretical data. In this experiment petroleum was the oil supplied from two large iron tanks placed on deck, each tank having a glass gauge at its side to indicate the height of the petroleum, and a vent pipe on the top to permit the escape of vapour. From these tanks the petroleum was conducted by half-inch pipe to the boiler furnaces, dropping into iron retorts, heated by burners placed beneath them, and being instantly vapourized. This vapour, in burning, was mixed with steam—decomposed by pass ing through pipes partially filled with iron filings, and with air' forced in by a common air pump. The heat thus generated was intense, and the combustion so perfect thai no smoke was perceptible. A diminution -of the supply of air or ateani at once created a smoke.