The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2675, 12 February 1866, Page 4

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUCEO, NON X7KO. " If I have been extinguished, yet there rise A thousand beacons from the spirit I bore."

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12.

We are glad that the Council of the Northern Association is to meet to-day at three o'clock, to consider what action ought to be taken by the representatives of the Auckland constituencies in the next session'of the General Assembly. This meeting has been quite long enough postPoned,but we think it will have the direct effect of fixing the immediate attention of the candidates and voters on this important subject. It will be recollected that we advocated the expediency ur an biic ii/piLi>v»i<a:<i.a r»f Anekl*n<-L attending in their places last session, and of acting unitedly during its continuance. The Counci of the Northern Association took the same view, and as it proVedT~and as we then thought, wisely urged the members to go to Wellington and when there to act with one accord. The representatives, to a man, were in their places ; and voted and spoke as the province expected them to vote and speak. And the result verified anticipations. The strong and unscrupulous organization which had for its object the prostration of Auckland, and humbling of Otago, was broken up. The Government of Mr. Weld went out of office, driven from power by the consistent and unwavering opposition of the Auckland members, who gradually surrounded themselves by friends and supporters from other provinces, but chiefly from Otago. Now, although Mr. Weld was driven from power ; — although the Cook's Straits party has been broken up, and Mr. Stafford is in office, it ought not to be forgotten that the same necessity exists for Auckland being fully represented during the entire of the coming session as existed last session. There is likewise the same need for entire unanimity amongst our members. "Block voting," however distasteful it may be to some, must be resorted to in the coming session, just as it was in the last. The "Auckland phalanx" must be seen unbroken in the House of Representatives ; and we say emphatically, that any candidate who is not prepared to vote on all questions with his party, and for the purposes of his party, ought not to be returned. The circumstances of the province require this at the hands of gentlemen who would represent its interests. Therefore, every member ought to be asked to pledge himself to waive his own opinions, and vote with the majority of his colleagues, with the view of securing that which the province of Auckland by petitions, by public meetings, by legislative action, and by sustained and active agitation, has declared to be necessary to her prosperity and independence. Another pledge which ought to be exacted from every candidate is, to support Separation by every legitimate means in his power. He ought not to give a vote which, however remotely, might prejudice that great cause. There must be no compromise; for the province will not accept a compromise. Auckland is strong enough to demand justice. Auckland is resolute enough to enforce that demand. Let her representatives, therefore, next session act in the same spirit, and pursue the line of action adopted by the late members at Wellington, and no Government can long resist their efforts. Mr. Stafford is opposed to Separation ; he is not a rabid hater of Auckland, or of any other province, how ever. He is an honest, fearless politician, who will do all he reasonably can to strengthen his position and weaken the Separation party. To accomplish this end all his mind and energies will be directed ; and the safe course for our representatives to pursue is to accept whatever concessions they can get, as instalments merely, but without prejudice to Separation. They ought to strengthen their position by all possible means, but never concede a point in their demands for Separation. And this is precisely the point that must be guarded against in the coming session. Mr. Stafford is prepared to make concessions ; he is prepared to satisfy the reasonable demands of "the moderate party," and so divide the advocates of Separation, and preserve a united colony. This is the Ministerial policy whioh

must be met and moulded to our own advantage. Mr. Stafford will compromise ; Mr. MtzGerald is prepared to make a compromise. They are both avowed opponents of Separation, and any concessions they may make will be solely for the purpose of weakening the Separation party and carrying out their own views. Let this point, therefore, be duly weighed by both candidates and voters. Having exacted from the candidates pledges to support Separation and all Auckland questions, by cordial unanimity of speech and voting, another pledge ought to be exacted, namely, that every effort shall be made to remove the Panama terminus from Wellington, and cause Auckland to be selected as the port of arrival, andOtago as the port of departure, for the Panama steamers. In this movement they will be supported by the weight of Otago and Southland, and by part of Canterbury also. Besides, they will have the moral support of the Sydney and Melbourne merchants. This is a matter of vital importance to the two extremes of the colony — the great commercial centres of New Zealand, after all that has been said and written to the contrary. Wellington was not selected because it was the most desirable or accessible port, but simply and solely to carr out that centralising policy, which has already worked so much mischief in the colony. It was selected by the late Government without reference to the Assembly ;and it is only fair that those who have to pay the largest share of the subsidy, ought to have some say in the selection of the port of call. With regard to the Waste Lands Kegulations of the province, and the regulations for the sale and disposal of the Waikato and other confiscated lands, the representatives of Auckland ought to take counsel together, and go prepared to the House to support any bills that may be introduced by his Honor the Superintendent, by and with their concurrence, to facilitate the settlement and improvement of these lands. And, indeed, a very great deal of the future success of this province, and of the ultimate attainment of Separation and independent self-government for Auckland, will depend upon the form which the measures indicated will assume. We say nothing of the quarter-million loan, which appears to us not to have anything to do with the Separation movement. The colony is bound to carry out the Waikato settlement scheme as best it may, at its own cost; but if this province accepts the responsibility of settlement, and asks only for a money advance to enable it to do so effectually, which is to be repaid, with principal and interest, at a future period, it requires little argument to prove that that loan in no way arrests the agitation for Separation. Granted, that Separation is the accepted policy of the colony, there must be a settlement of the partnership account between the North and the South ; and the South would infallibly be compelled to make advances to meet the prospective and inevitable disbursements which the North will be called upon to make in consequence of the colonial policy, in the shaping of which the South has at least had a fair share. It would be well for candidates at the approaching elections to recollect these points ; and it would likewise be well if the electors would remind any aspirant for Parliamentary honours that pledges on these subjects are a necessary quaiinuaUuii An- a iiionaber of an Auckland constituency. There are other points which, will no doubt suggest themselves to both electors and candidates at this period, to which we need not particularly allude. We dare say, however, that the Council of the Northern Association will to-day draw up suggestions on the points raised, which will effect the two-fold purpose of bringing them home to the candidates, and intimating in a quiet kind of way, in reply to Mr. Stafford's speech, that the agitation for Separation in Auckland is quite as formidable as ever it was. In conclusion, we may say that we have been given to understand that Mr. A. Clark, who is to be nominated this morning for the City East, is prepared to give the necessary pledges.

We beg to remind our readers that the nomination for the City of A uckland East will take place to-day at noon, in the Mechanics' Institute. The only candidate announced is Mr. A. Clark, who, we understand, will be proposed by Mr. T. Russell. The nomination for the City West will take pace on Tuesday (tomorrow), in the Old Court-house; the candidates being, so far as we can ascertain, Messrs. John and James Williamson. By the schooner 'Coral Queen,' which arrived yesterday from Sydney, we have dates to the 20fch ultimo inclusive, being two days' later than by the mail steamer. We reprint the telegrams and commercial news. We perceive that the Wellington papers are coming round rapidly to support Mr. Stafford. The Independent and Advert'uer have swallowed their principles with their professions, and see little in Mr. Stafford's policy and speeches now that is not worthy of praise. They are wise in their generation, however. Weld ia a beaten horse : they_ have nothing to hope for from him; and there ia not another thoroughbred in the Canterbury stables, now that the favourite Ward has been withdrawn.. The public men of Wellington, therefore, look tdm Stafford to make their book. Wellington is touting as a community for the patronage of the man who was so wickedly abused in it only a few short weeks ago. Whatever may be the fate of that little community —and let it be borne in mind that we wish ifc nothing but good — one thing is certain, that its press and politicians are the most venal and unscrupulous in the colony. The council of the Northern Association will hold a meetiug to-day, at three o'clock, at the rooms, Fort-street. A full attendance is requested. The railway compensation case — Dilworth y. Auckland and Drury Railway Commissioners — which has been looked upon with considerable interest, was brought to a close on Saturday last, before T. Beckham, Esq., R.M. A lengthened address was delivered by Mr. Brookfield, on behalf of the claimant. We hold over our report of^ the evidence and addresses of counsel until the decision of the umpire shall have been given, which will not ' be for some days, owing to the mass of evidence and calculations to be considered by him. The case Will then be complete. A camp meeting in connection with the Primitive Methodist Church washeld yesterday in the Domain, at a quarter past eleven in the morning and at two in the afternoon. The religious services were conducted by the Rev. Mr. Colley and Messrs. Manners and French. At half-past six in the evening a revival meeting was held in Edwardes-street Chapel, which w*s conducted by the Rev. Mr. .Colley, Mr. Moscoe, and others. We are glad that the only "temperance" newspaper in the colony, the New Zealand Guardian^ published at Christchurch, is successful It is well conducted, and no doubt will have considerable influence for good. It ought to be supported by the Auckland Temperance League. The « Strathallan will finish her loading very shortly, and sail second wool ship this season, notwith-' standing the large quantities that have been shipped off in the steamers and sailing coasters during the time the 'Sunbeam' and the 'Strathallan have been here. The quantities of wool shipped from Napier to Wellington and Auckland is a great loss to Napier, and swells considerably the export returns of those provinces. This we hope to see remedied next season, aa it would be a great saving to the woolgrowers to ship their wool direct from Napier ; and then this province would be properly represented in the export returns of the colony.— Smoke's Bay Merald, February 3.

In oar obituary of to-day is recorded the death of John Johndbn, one of the oldest colonists of New Zealand. Mr. Johnson, who was a shipwright by trade, came to Hokianga in 1831 as carpenter of the brig ' Sisters, ' a flax trader from Sydney, which he left and' settled on shore. Some time after he established an hotel at the Bay of Islands, called the Duke of Marlborough, from which he retired three years ago. A few days since Mr. Johnson came up to Auckland, in order to place one of his sons, who wu suffering from some ailment, under the care of a medical man in the city ; and on Thursday last, when standing in Dr. Merrett's shop, he was struck with paralysis. Fewas immediately conveyed to the house of Mr. Lundon, Kyber Pass Road, where he died yesterday Afternoon. We extract the following from the General Government QcaetU of January 31st : — "Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 29th January, 1866.— His Excellency the GoTernor has been pleased to appoint John King, of Auckland, to be an Inspector of Weights and Measures, and to be a person with whom shall be deposited certain copies or models of the standard weights and measures of the colony, vice Edward Leyland.— Janes Pjlterson (for the Colonial Secretary)." It will be seen, by the Brisbane telegrams to Sydney, that pleuro-pneumonia has broken out in Queensland, which has been hitherto free from disease. The Queensland Government has advertised for tenders for the mail service for five years by way of Torres' Straits. Lady Don was playing at Dunedin at the latest date. The General Government offer a reward of £200 for the apprehension of the persons who robbed the Colonial Museum at Wellington, reported in the Southern extracts. Mr. Beanchamp and Mr. Adams are in the field to represent Picton in the Assembly. The committee of the Toung Men's Christian Association announce that the exhibition of pictures, flowers, birds, sculpture, &0., will be continued open during each day of the present week, at a low rate of admission ; and on Tuesday a lecture upon the lands of the Nile will be given, with illustrations, by the Rev. R. Laishley, of Onehunga. The Nelson Examiner, of the 3rd instant, contains the account of a most disastrous flood in the Maitai and Brook-street valleys, by which three bridges were swept away, and a great deal of damage done to private property. We learn that it is in contemplation by the Customs authorities to direct the speedy closing of the branch establishment in Christchurch, and to confine the transaction of the business of passing entries to Lyttelton. This step is no doubt prompted by a desire to economise in the expenses of the department ; but the public can hardly have expected any such step to be taken before the opening of the railway between the two towns. — Lyttelton Times, February 1. We understand that the works at the new building in course of construction for the Bank of New Zealand have been temporarily suspended, owing to a financial embarassment on the part of the contractor. — Lyttelton Times, January 31. A telegram has been received from the Bluff, intimating the arrival of the steamer ' Keera,' in company with the ' Star of the South, 1 recently stranded at Chalky Inlet. Both vessels are now hourly expected at Port Chalmers, having left the Bluff on Thursday night. We learn from the West Coast papers that a considerable number of empty casks were sent down by Messrs. Bullen, to be used as aids in rendering the ' Star of the South ' buoyant on her passage. The vessel was to be beached, and her middle compartment filled with them. The following is the report of Captains Turnbull and Joyce, who held a snrvey on the vessel at Chalky Inlet :-- "We, the undersigned, having surveyed the steamer ' Star of the South, ' at the request of the master and purser, report her damages thus — On the starboard side, twelve frames are broken, and the plates ripped the sam^ distance along; also the keelson bent upwards four inches out of truth. On the port side, several floors are also started. In the main hold, the floors are started, and angle irons broken. The main mut is started upwards about four inches in the sparings. There was nothing at all started in the fore compartment so far as we could see." — Otago Daily limes, January 27. From the Illustrated London Newt received bj the last mail, we learn that the Rev. Messrs. D. R. Lewis and T. Abraham, both of Sfc. Augustine's College. England, have been appointed to the curacies of Richmond and Waimea, Nelson, and of Tientham, Wellington, respectively. Another flood in the Waimakariri is reporbpd by the Canterbury papers. A very heavy fresh came down the river on Saturday evening last, and it has since continued very high. The upper portion of the Kaiapoi Island is again flooded almost as bad as during the last fresh, but Sneyd's Town and Kaiapoi have escaped. — Otago Daily Times, January 27. Tbe wreck of the * Star of the South ' realised £2,600, and was bought by Mr. F. Bullen, of the firm of Bullen *nd Co. On Monday night a very distinct shock of an earthquake was felt by many persons resident in Christchurch. It occurred about 11 o'clock, and was sufficiently strong to cause a jarring sensation. We learn, by telegraph from the Bealey, that the shock was also felt there in a much stronger degree. — Press, January 31. From a private letter received by the last mail, we learn that a strong desire has been expressed by numerous friends of Mr. Godley in England that before the noble statue, executed by Mr. Woolner, leaves the country for ever, some f uither opportunity should be afforded of its being seen by the public. The time during which it was exhibited in the South Kensington Museum was the dullest time of the year, being just at the end of the season, when Parliament bad been dissolved and most public men were leaving town, and we hear that it is contemplated to retain the statue in England for some months longer. Another remark in the same letter will be interesting to many of our readers who remember the time when Mr. Godley and his family were resident in Canterbury, and will be pleased to learn that, in the words of our correspondent, "Arthur Godley is reckoned the best horse tbe Rugby stable has had in it for some time." —Ibid. An attempt at housebreaking was made about four o'clock on Saturday afternoon at Mr. Alexander Black's house in Collingwood -street. A man who had been loitering about the place for some time, and who had apparently satisfied himself that there was 'no one in the house, entered the allotment through the fence, and, going to one of the front windows, broke a pane of glass just below the win-dow-fastener. Some boys who were playing on the opposite side of the street noticed the breaking of the pane, and called out, "Stop the thief J" on which the man ran away, without doing any more damage. The new Wesleyan Chapel in the Grafton Road was opened for divine service yesterday. In the forenoon the Rev. Mr, Cornford preached from Zechariah xiv., 20, to a crowded congregation; and in the evening service, when Mr. Buddie preached, there was also a large attendance. Mr. D. Kinloch asks us to correct an error in his letter upon cattle disease, which appeared on Saturday. r J he sentence, " I cannot learn that in human pathology any thoracic disease is transmissible," ought to have read, " beneficially transmissible." The entries and weights for the Tauranga Free Handicap will be found in our advertising columns. It will be seen that there are sixteen entries ; and from tbe well-known racing capabilities of some of the horses whose names are given, a closely-con-tested race is expected to result. A meeting of the members of the Otahuhu division of the Royal Cavalry Volunteers is announced to be held at the Criterion Hotel, at 3 o'clock to-morrow afternoon ; and persons desirous of joining the new troop are invited also to attend. There has been no general rainfall over the whole colony, but a steady rain set in on Wednesday in the south-west from Deniliquin and Wagga, and it is to be hoped that it will be found to have extended over Biverina. Previously to that date there had been scattered thnnder showers in several places. These rains, where th^r have fallen have been heavy, and have done much good, but in each case the area visited by them has been limited. Many pastures, however, have been refreshed by them, and some crops of corn have been saved. The districts still unvisited with rain are in a wofui plight. Horses and cattle have perished in large quantities, and even sheep find it difficult to live. The waterholes are shrinking fast, and many of them are corrupted by tbe bodies of dead beasts. — Sydney Mail, January 20. Messrs. Hunter and Co. will sell to-day, at the Newmarket tale yards, 80 head of fat cattle, 4c. Mr. S. Cochrane will offer for sale by auction to day lamps, bracket*, chandeliers, globes, chimneys, American toys, Ac,

Messrs. Ridings *nd Dowden have received instructions from Mr. Joseph Senior to sell by auction, to-day, his valuable property on the Onehunga Road; also, six acres of first-class land and buildings at Epsom, allotment and buildings in Edinburgh -street, Newton, and farm near Ho wick. Messrs. C. Stichbury and Son announce their intention of holding to-day a sale of city property, at the corner of Hobson and Wellesley-streets, opposite St. Matthew's Church ; also a corner allotment at Newcastle, Ngaruawahia. The terms will be fonnd in the advertisement. The firing for Captain Hobbs's prize rifle, at the new butts, Messrs. Low and Motion's mills, will take place this morning at 11 o'clock ; and for Captain Clarkes prize rifle to-morrow, at the same place.