The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXI, Issue 2463, 12 June 1865, Page 4

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUOEO, NON DRO. " If I 1i»t« boon extlnguitlitd, yot thtr* rli* A thouiand bokconi from tUo ipark I boro '

MONDAY, JUNE 12.

In describing the conquest of part of Germany l)y the Roman armies, the great; annalist of the Empire has preserved in a few words the philosophy of their modo of effecting their purpose as seen from a sufferer's point of view — " Solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant I " They make a desolation, they term it a peace ! To our Christian nineteenth century notions there is something barbarous in the idea of such a anode of pacification as this described so tersely by the Eoman historian, but, before condemning it, it is but fair to examine the real bearings of the case. The Romans, bearing all the world know of advancement and civilisation, had spread over the countries bordering the Rhine, and to each country they had brought the blessings not only of arts and sciences, but of laws, order, comfort, and advancement. The people had been fused with the conquerors and made ono people, and now enjoyed peace, wealth, and prosperity under the Roman rule. But beyond the Rhine the German tribes had none of these things. They had been encroached upon by civilization, and obliged to fall back or become a part of the encroaching nation, and they had preferred falling back and maintaining their own freedom from restraint, from law, and from civilized order. But this was not all. They soon began to fear that the civilization which had occupied ono bank of the Rhine would occupy the other also. Already they found that the tribes most in contact with the civilized nation were losing their peculiar relish for the life and their exclusive fondness for the customs of their fathers ; and they proceeded in self-defence— that is, in defence of their own nationality — to attack the parts of these Roman colonies most exposed to their inroads. The Romans were hard masters in many things, but they could always be relied upon to protect their own to the last. It was not with them a question of how far they had guaranteed these colonists an exemption from attack, or how far it was convenient for them to help them. The only consideration was, that a part of her owa children had been attacked by an enemy, that the civilization which she felt it her mission to carry far and wide over the world was endangered. She was at once ready to help and to avenge ; and after repeated attempts to repress the incursions of theso barbarians, she took the last measure mentioned by the Roman historian, of absolutely expelling the remnant of them from a largo tract of country. This step was followed by placing in possession of the conquered tract of country part of the soldiers who had conquered it a3 owners of the soil, on the one condition of occupation. There can be no doubt that the people of to-day think themselves vastly wiser than their forerunners in most things, but even nineteenth century conceit will hardly venture to assume that it understands better than the Romans did how to spread its civilization over the earth. The good people of England, finding that their surplus population had a tendency to move off and to take root in distant lands, carrying England's name and civilization with them, have forthwith dubbed themselves the great colonising nation of the world, and then have felt that as a nation what they had chiefly to look out for was that the process should cost as little as possible. The truth is, that as a nation, England has been far from great in the mode of colonising. Her children have burst the nai'row bounds of her islands and spread over the world, but they have too often been at least as much hindered as helped in their development by the parent state. And here, in New Zealand, she has made her last effort, and her most peculiar one. Finding an unusual stato of things hore, she did not look back into history to see how she ought to act, but she started on a totally new, and, as i it has proved, a totally erroneous principle, which was to have the effect of making Now Zealand a model colony for all timo. Finding that her efforts, made in all good faith and with the best intentions, but with an arrogant assumption that she must know best what to do, had utterly failed, and that her model colony was indeed a model— but a failure — she has thrown up the task. She has practically left it to the colony, and it is more than questionable whether any circumstances could again arise to make her reconsider this determination. England failed in doing anything for the natives, mainly because England thought that she could colonise on a new and original plan ignoring all pa3t experiences. The colony has now to take up the task. She is so far in a better position than England was that sho has ono more experience to guide her, and that a very suggestive ono. Sho will have far less means for carrying out her ideas than England had : she must adopt a far wiser plan if she would not fail more utterly than England failed. Is the plan of Mr. Weld's memorandum such an one ? It differs from England's plan in no respect but this, that, whereas England had a great deal of strength to back a weak policy, Mr. "Weld proposes to employ a very trifling strength to support a policy which, so far as its hazy outlines can bo discerned at all, is yet weaker. It will bo well for the colony if its representatives can be made to sco this. The fine words so constantly used by Mr. Weld and his friends mean nothing, or at least nothing that can at all help the colony in its difficulty. The talk of justice to the Maori, of laws for the Maori, of hewing the willing native to his wished-for law anil ■order, are all cries of the present Government, but they are not new cries. They are the old thing hashed up again. It was always this putting the natives forward as the first thing since England began to colonise Nevr Zealand^ that was the root of the evil: With all respect for the Christian feelings and sentiment embbdied in all this, it may be said without reserve that .1 t i i i t

the old Romans know bettor than this. They extended thoir civilisation — wo havo talked about oxtending ours to tho savage race we have come in contact with. And their secret was this : They considered that tho oivilisod man was tho legitimate,/?^ objeot. For'him they provided laws, protection, advantages. They were always ready to merge savago people into this' civilised mass, and to treat them exactly as tho rest, but they would not esteem tho turbulent savago as a iirst object. If he kept quiet outside tho boundary line he was left to do as he pleased. The leaven of traders — tho only missionaries the Romans possessed — was sent freely amongst them, but no further attempts were made to meddle with their internal affairs. But if thoy would not remain quiet outside the boundary of civilization, then civilization looked first to its own safety. Tho boundary was moved on— barbarism was forcibly rolled back, or rolled over by tho advancing tide of civilization, the desolation was replanted with a civilized population, and a stern and salutary warning was road to those who chose to remain barbarians. Tho plan may have had its painful aspects — it may seem to us to bo very severe — one thing we do know, it was very successful in civilizing and eventually in Christianizing tho world. Tho same cannot be said of England's attempts in New Zealand. The natives are loss civilized and loss Christianized as a people at this moment than they were twenty years ago. The choice is now before us, and it is so probably for tho last time. England declines to conquer the country — we are not strong enough to do so. Tho Romans were strong enough but declined to do so, and yet succeeded admirably > but they did so following rigidly the rule that the good of tho civilized was to be sought first.

We understand that the reply of the Colonial Secretary to the Superintendent's last letter respecting the exception of iho proposed Government Houso in the Domain from the Public Buildings Commission is that he will lay the matter before the General Assembly when it meets. We daro say that mauy of our readers would be somewhat puzzled with an advertisement which appeared in our paper of Saturday, signed by Paul of Orakei, in which that chief warned all the surveyors from coming on his land, and stating that if they did so their chains would be taken from them. He concludes, "I always have been a friend to the pakeha, and do not see why you should trespass on our properties." It seem that a Maori called Hetaraka Takapuna claims a right to a piece of land at Orakei, at present in the possession of Paul, although he does not hold a Crown grant for it. About two years ago Hetaraka disposed or offered to dispose of his claim to a gentleman in Auckland, but the Government, fearing a disturbance, requested that nothing should be dune in the way of taking posseisiou of the laud. Hetaraka, however, seems now to have offered to sell his right to some other person, but, as a survey is necessary, Paul is determined not to allow it. Paul's threat to surveyors is mild compared to what we understand he says he will do if Hetarnka appears on the disputed section in penon ; And perhaps it would be judicious for the Native Office to try to arrange the matter. The Government; at Wellington have at length yielded to the representations of the Chambers of Commerce of Auckland and Dunedin — in which cities the hai dship was chiefly felt— and ha ye tomewhat modified the absurd interpretation of the Cm torus tariff made lately by_ Mr. Carkeek. A notice in the Gazette, which we priut in another column, intimates that the duties which have been levied upon certain articles, under the new interpretation, are to be refunded. It will be seen that the list upon which payments are to be made includes several articles on which taxation was most severely felt j but duty is still to bo levied upon many items which ought to be admitted free, and which were so under the old interpretation. By a. return published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 31st ultimo, \\ c pc) ceive that the total quantity of gold expoited from New Zealand to the 31st December, 1564, was one million seven hundred and forty-nine thousand iivo bundled and eleven ounces, the value of which was six million seven hundred and seventy-one thousand three hundred and eighteen pounds. The master of the schooner 'Keieti,' which arrived on Saturday from the Thames, report* the death, on Monday, sth insfc., of an influential native chief, named Mohi, at Hetukia, who was to have been inteired on Friday, in the presence of a large gatheiing of uatives from the surrounding settlements. Mohi was one of the lai-gc gum diggers of that locality. At Hekutia a meeting of the Ngatiraam and Ngatangaturoa tribes had been held, at which it was decided that the gum diggers should have permission to occupy the land in the neighbom hood as long as they thought proper. The meeting separated after a feast, to which all the natives wore invited. A man named James Newcastle was apprehended near Onehunga, on Saturday, by constable King, of Papakura, charged with shooting at a picquet party at the Queen's Kedoubt, about five months ago. The accused, who is known as the "Flying Dutchmau," kept a house near the Queen's .Redoubt, in which it was suspected the soldiers were supplied with drink, and one night two of the men of the l?th Regiment having been reported absent, Sergeant ScoLt and lomo men were sent to visit the " Flying Dutchman's " shanty. On approaching it they were told to stand off or they would be shot at, and as they still went on, a musket was discharged by Newcastle, loaded with slugs, by which two of the soldicvs weie ro severely wounded iv the legs, that they weie confined to the hospital fer some time. Newcastle iin mediately decamped, and was nut apprehended till yesterday. He will be taken to Pnp.ikura, aud brought before the Resident Magistrate theio. The hearing of the chaige against Ilori Te Taka, of beiug one of the persons concerned in the murders at the Waiioa, will be lesumed at the Polue court today. The principal witness for tho piosecntion, which will be conducted by Mr. Westou, will be Wireinu To Oka, upon whoso information Mr. Mackay made the airest. We understand that a u umber of witnesies have been summoned to give evidence us to the murdeis. In the case of tho two childien, their father, Ambrose Trust, who was wounded oil tho occasion, will be brought forward, as well as William Courteney, who was also wouuded, John Lord, who left the home when he saw the Maoris, and John Kelly nnd George Wilson, who found the bodies of the children. In the cake of Cooper, the witnesses will bo Chaileg Sutton and Geoigo Tarr ; and iv that of Hamlin, George Golding. The wit nesses for the defence who are expected to be iv attendance aro Kina, a woman who reiides at the Wairoa, aud man named Te Haputu, a uatbe of the Wairoa. The prosecution, whother the remit be the condemnation or acquittal of the accused, will be of aervice as showiug the Maoris that, however lenient may be the terms accorded to those in arms, strict justice will be meted to those concerned in mch dastardly murderi as those laid to the charge of Te Taka. The Daily Times of the 29th ultimo says :—" In reference to the meinoiial transmitted to his Excellency the Governor, on the 9th of this month, praying for the extension of the jurisdiction of the .Resident Magistrate's Court of Dunedin to cases involving amounts of one hundred pounds, tho following answer has been leceived : — ' At'omey-Goueral'n Office, Wellington, May 22, 1865.— 5ir,— 1 liavo the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the date quoted iv the margin, aud in reply am directed to inform you and the other gentlemen signing the memorial to his Excellency the Governor that effect will be givon to the wish thereiti contained. — I have, &c, — "R. J. Fountain (for the Assistant Law Officer). J. H. Barr, Esq., Dunedin." 1 A similar change would perhaps be desirable here. On Saturday afternoon a spring cart, belonging to Mr. McEwen, nuiseryman, Mechanics' Bay, was beiug driven down Viotoria-street, by Mr. McEwon's son, when the horse started at some object, and bolted at a rapid paco down the ttreet, the lad being 'quite ' unable to restrain it. J list when turning into Queou- > street, which was, as usual on Saturday afternoons, quite crowded, the vehicle capsized, the driver .being thrown out upon the road. Constables Lipsey and Jackson immediately seized tbo hoi be, which was plunging violently. Iv was found that the lad had 'had one of his legs severely bruised and out. Dr. Pearce, of Newton, happened to be on the spot, and dressed the bruisar. ■

The usual weekly meeting of the* City Board wilt nob take place, today,' owitigito. the expiration of the uiembeiebip of the three representatives of the. west ward, Messrs. Wobster, George, and Darby, and tbe lesignation of the member for the eaifc ward, Mr. John Finlay, who ii now on a visit to England. A. public meeting of the ward* named will be held at the City Board, office on Wednesday next, at noon, to fill their vacancies. I ' •f > A good deal of inconvenience has been occasionally felt of late, owing to the non-attendance of Justice* of the Peaoe at the 1 Police- court.' Mr. Beokham having been engaged in the Compensation Court; it is necessary that the police' business— of tent, of 'an important character — should be discharged by ,the Justices of the Peace, who have been summoned in rotation for that purpose, but with few exception* they have not attended. The duties have been discharged almost constantly by Dr. Home and Mr. James O'Neill, to whom the community— or, at least, the defaulting justices— are much indebted for the time and labour they have devoted to the work. Some days ago, when Mr. O'Neill was engaged on the grand jury, a policeman was kept running about to find a justice, but they were all too busy in lome way or other to attend, so that Mr. Naughton had to ascend the Bench, which that gentleman caunob" always do, as he has frequently to conduct the case*. ' ' The Wellington Independent, in a leading article on Thompson's submission, says, "7 he event is important on its own aooouufc, and it is even of greater importance as a practical refutation of tbe argument that the removal of the «oat of Government to Wellington would impede the settlement of the native question. This was the one string upon which Auckland played a very long and dismal tune. People listened, but the rest ol the colony refuseJ to follow the doleful music. Now that string has snapped. Auckland will not be silent, but no one will listen to mere howling lamentations over departed Mollypops.' It will be some time before Auckland understands that she is better without them, but in the meantime she may rest assured that they are gone for ever." Mestrs. J. and A. Wiseman, saddler*, who were so summarily ejected from their premises in Queen»treet by the fall of Mr. Sibbin'a new building on. Saturday week, have re-opened their business in Mr. Soraerville's shop, next to Cobb and Co.'s coach office. They will carry on business there for a few weeks, until some arrangement is come to, when they will either rebuild or repair the damage done to their former place of business. Fortunately, out of the large itock of goods they had in their establishment when the oatastropho occurred, but atrifliug portion of it was damaged. The front of the shop was smashed in, but the rear of the building was uninjured. Tbe escane of the ocoupants was miraculous. Two of the woilcmen had juit stepped over the threshold when the roof of the shop fell in with a tremendous crash. An adjourned meeting of the Committee for the erection of a public- maiket at Drury will be held at Raven's Great South Eoad HoteJ, on Wednesday next, the 14th instant. The Commissioner of Crown Lands notifies that Crown, grants in favour of persons, whoie names are given, are now lying at the office of the Registrar of Deeds, at the risk of the granteos, and will be issued on the payment of tbe customary fees. The following, from the Olago Daily Timet of the 30th ultimo, should be a warning to those engaged in taw-mills : — "A fatal accident occurred yesterday at the Planet Saw Mills, Cumberland-street, by which a man, named Frederick Augustus Allen, lost his life. It appears that the men in the mills were at their work as usual, about half-past one o'clock, and the deceased was employed outting lathi by a circular saw. A boy was stationed at the opposite side of the platform, and it was his duty, as the deceased directed the laths against the saw, to seize the ends of the piece of wood being cut, and draw them towards him. A large quantity of laths had been sawn in this manner, and one of the pieces was within three inches of being cut through, when ib is supposed that the deceased, instead of keeping his haud on the side of it, until entirely divided, trusted to the boy pulliug it onward, and stooped to pick up another piece of wood. From some cause the boy was unable to hold the wood to the saw, and in a moment it was lifted on to tbe upper edge of ib and dashed in the face of the deceased, who was in the'act of raising himself with a fresh piece of wood in his hand. He was seen to fall, and several of the workmen ran to his assistance, but were horrified to find that he had been struck on the left temple, the skull smashed, and the brains protruding. He was carefully raised, and medical assistance rent for, but the uufoitunate man died in five minutes after he had received the blow. Dr. Ciawford arrived a few moments after the accident, but his efforts were unavailing." The anniversary services in connection with the High-street Congregatioual Sabbeth-school were held in the Congregational Chapel, High-street, yesterday. The Rev. J. Hill conducted public worship at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, aud preached an appropriate sermon from the words contained in Psalm xlix,, 8. At half-past two o'clock an address was delivered to the children attending the school, and their pareuts, on their relative duties, by the Rev. A. McDonald. The Rev. P. H. Cornford officiated at half-past six o'clock in the evening, and delivered an eloquent discourse, selecting as his text Dmiel xii., 13. At the close of the three services, which wei» well attended, collections \reie taken up at the door, amounting to £16 14s. 9J, which sum will no doubt be supplemented by those whom the inclemency of the weather prevented from attending. On Tuesday evening the anniversaiy soiree aud a publio meetiug will be held in the Albert-stieet Chapel, at half-past six o'clock. The pioceedings promise to be of an interesting character. The letter of " Nemo," with an article on the samo, will appear to moi row. Wei egret that ib has not appealed before, but pi assure upon our space by local and other news is our excuse. The New Zealand Spectator of the 31st ultimo says :—" The Hon. F. Weld invited a largo party on Monday to meet Major Yon Tempsky to dinner at Osgood's Hotel, in compliment to that officer for his gallant conduct in the late skirmish at Kakaramea." It will be seen that Messrs. Wood and B.vber invite tenders to be sent in to Ihein, until 4 o'clock to-morrow, for taking off the rt-of and talcing down a portion of the walls of Mr. Sibbin's building in Qucen-stiect. The Canterbuty Press of the 27th nlfc. siy-i :— '' Letters have been received from Mr. Selfe, stating that tho balance of the £50,000 worth of debentures for last year, of which about £36,000 still remained unsold at tho depaiture of the last mail, has been disposed of at an average rate of a littlo, under 90 per cent-., and that he had had an offer for the whole of the £50,000 for this year at 00. If this is accepted, it will pay off the whole advance of the JJuion Bulk and leave a ciodit to the province of about £70,000. Our readers aie aware that ouly £50,000 of tho ,Lyttelbon aiidChiistchuroh railway loan can be placed on the market each year. Butas the nextimtalmeut miy ,be disposed of in Loudou in January next, any fear of 'financial disaster, owiug to the fiesh engagements contracted by the province, is entirely dissipated. TLo sale of these debentures at a rate 15 per cent, higher than the price at which the secmitios of neighbouring pioviuces have been recently disposed ,of, aud in the face of a cull for £400,000 on General Government debentures bearing 8 per ceut. iuterost — whilst ours heir only 6 per cent. —is a most encouraging evidence of the improving state of the money market, and of the stability of the credit of Canterbury." , ' " The first dividend of £1 per shart to the shareholders of tho Kapanga Gold Mining Company will be payable to tho treasurer at tho company's office, Qucen-stieetj on aud after this day. Satuiday was a day that was distinguished by a perfect blank in the police calendar— not o. single prisouer having been placed at the bar. The only cases •on the calendar sheet were two_ men for drunkenness, who had both obtained bail, and did not appear. Mr. Commissioner Nanghton occupied the bench. ■. - A man uamed James McAllister was apprehended on Saturday night, by constable Foister, for stealing from the shop of Messrs. Foley and Johnson, Queenstreet. The constable, suspecting the man, had been watching his movements for some time. The sentence of four years' ponal servitude, pronounced on Elizabeth Richardson, on Wednesday last, for the robbery at Mr. Beck's, is the Jirst sontence of that kind passe-l on a woman in this province.: As all prisoners undergoing penal servitude (as distinguished from imprisonment only) must be confined in the Stockade, s>ome special arrangements will have to be made for this case. A man named J.imei JJeaton was found lying on the street, on Saturday, in a fit, and on being taken charge, of by the police, was found to be in Mich a stats of feebleness as to necessitate his' being taken to the hospital. . r > <» »

The friends and admirers of Mr. Sargent, of tho • Fiery Star,* will read the following from the Wellington Independent, of the 30th ultimo, with iute.rest:—" Amongst the pavsengors iuthos.s. 'Auckland' on Saturday, was Mr. Sargent, the chief officer of the ship • Fiery Star,' to whose courage and oxertions the survivor* of that ill-fated vessel are indebted for their escape. Mr. Sargent simply passed through, en routo for Melbourne, where he was going, to repoit the dreadful calamity that had befallen his •hip. From him wo learn that our report of the disaster, copied from the Auckland journal*, was correct, and that there were no fuither particulars connected with the fire, supposed to bave occurred by ■pontaneous combustion, worthy of lecord. Mr. Sargent was suffering from a seveie burn on one of his hands, and during hi* stay called in the assistance of Dr. Wilford, who reports that, though the injury is a severo one, there is no danger of it permanently disabling the gallaut seaman, whose noble conduct was to highly spoken of by our Auckland contemporaries Yesterday two or three gentlemen Bucceeded in raising the sum of £35 in tho course of the morning for Mr. Sargent, which, together with a letter expressive of admiration at his gallant conduct in saving the lives of seventeen fellow creatures, wore presented to him in a purse oro his departure. It it to bo regretted that Mr. Sargent could not make a louger stay, when doubtless a public expres«ion of the estimation hi which he is held by all lover* of true bravery and courage would have been made. The idea of presenting him with a trifling mark of respect was entirely impromptu; it omanated from one or two gentleman on Saturday evening, and there was no time ore the depaiture of the vessel to do more thau call on a few of the leading mercantile firms in tho city." A. lecture will bo given to-morrow night at the Piinoes&treet school-room, Onehunga, at half.past seven o'clock, by the Key. E. Laishley, on tho "Pilgrim Fathers." The Canterbury Press gives the following account of an enormous pumpkin :— " There was exhibited yesterday, in the shop of Messrs. Steward and Tefcley, High-street, a pumpkin of the enormous weight of lOilbs. This monster vegetable was grown in the Windmill Road, and is nearly egg-shaped, measuring in cirenmference the long way 5 feet 9 inches, and in its smallest part 4 feet 7 inches. " A meeting it to be held at the Panmure Hotel on Wednesday next, to take iuto consideration a communication from the Superintendent, with respect to the repair of the roads in the Paumure and Mount Wellington district. The Wellington Evtninr/ Post of tho 3rd instant sayi : — "A militia district order has been issued, stating that until further orders there will bo no parade for the militi v in the Wellington and Wairoa rapa districts." "V/ c would suggest, in fairness, that a similar order should be issued here. On Friday evening a concert was given by the ringing class, Onehunga, to their instructor, Mr. Thompson. There was a large attendance. Most of the songs were executed with great taste and skill. .Among the best were " The Officer's Funeral," by Mrs. Norton, was »»mg with great pathos by Mr. Thompson himself. "Meet me then, Love," a duet, was well sung by Mr. and Mrs Edwards, who leceived an encore. Mr. Cooper was very successful with "Skying a Copper," which was encored : and Mr. Carter for his Scotch comic songs, was repeatedly called back. Among the many other pieces given we may mention "I'll Remember Thee," by Mr. Swinburn, a»d " Some One to Love Me," by Mr. Airey, which, together with mmy glees aud madrigals, executed by the whole company, were very effective. Mr«. Wild accompanied on the piano with great skill. Just before the close of the performance Dr. Purchas addressed the meeting, and stated that the preseut conceit was given out of a frieudly feeling to Mr. Thompson, and that though the class was small it was increasing gradually. He was sorry thit Mr. Thompson was going to leave them, and he thought that ha ought not to let the present moment pass without drawing public attention to such a desirable institution as a permanent singing class. He was glad to be able to state that the committee of the Institute had determined, as Mr Thompson was going away, to establish a class in connection with the Institute, and they had decided to commence enrolling membeis at once, and would meet next Friday, at 7.30 Em The terms perquarter, to defray expenses, would c ss. for gentlemen and 2s. Gd. for ladies. Mr. Moore, the Secretary, would leceive subset iptions aud take names ; and he (Dr. Purchas), with Mr. Swinburn, would undertake t» conduct the class. A piano would be wanted ; but the Institute would have to get one in any cisc, A quoit match, for a small stake, was played on Saturday, in Ilobson street, between Alexander Daly and William Eichardson, and was decided in favour of the former, who scored 21 to Riclnulson's 5. A good number of people weio present to -witness the match. The usual monthly meeting of the Onehunga Lodge of Fieemasous will take place at the Lodjjo-ioom, Royal Hotul, Onehunga, on Wednesday evening, at 7.30 p.m. piecisely. There was a ciowded hou^e at the Prince of Wales Theatre on Saturday evening, despite the unfavoui.ible native of the v\eatliei. The perfotmauce3 commeiic j d with the hiijh'y sensational dr.nna of "JheL>i>ely ALin of the Ocean, or tho Night before the Bridal." The piece is full of stai tly tableaux, nnd was \pry well leceived. Tho old standard drama, " Diolc Tin p n's ltule to "Voile," bioughb the proceedings to a el'ise.