The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3889, 8 February 1870, Page 3

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUCEO, NOtf URO. If I have been extinguished, yet there rise Athouiand beacom from the spark I bore.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARYS, 1870.

The establishment of an ocean steam postal service between New South Wales and California, with Auckland as the New Zealand port of call, does j not seem to satisfy our Wellington contemporaries. "We regret this exceedingly because we had hoped that our friends at the seat of G-overnment would have been satisfied with their political honours, without again* attempting to divert the flow of commerce from its natural channels to their own doors, by means of heavy subsidies, extracted from the other provinces. Snch, for instance, was the Panama subsidy, which, the Evening Post asserts, was specially intended to benefit the lucky residents at Port Nicholson ; such, likewise, according to the same authority, was the vote of £20,000, last session, for the Californian route. But lest our readers should imagine that we are exaggerating the argument of our "Wellington contemporary, we annex his own words. Tho Post says :—: — It has been shown again and again in the clearest manner that Wellington is the natural terminus of any line of steamers connecting New Zealand with the Pacific coast of Ameiica ; it would answer better for the distribution of passengers and mails over the colony, even if the vessels took thirty-six hours longer to arrive than any other place, and this would never have been questioned if the general good of the colony had been studied more than a particular part of it. The Assembly decided that Wellington should be the port of call for the Panama line, and when £20,000 was voted to assist in the establishment of a fresh line to supply its place, it was never contemplated that this arrangement was to be altered; and the Government have certainly taken a great deal on themselves in making such an important change without the consent of Parliament, merely for the sake of bolstering a province which has always had the lion's share of benefit at the expense of the colony. This is pretty plain speaking; but let us examine the statements above quoted, and see what amount of trnth there is in them. First, as to Wellington being " the natural terminus of any " line of steamers connecting New Zea- " laud with the Pacific Coast of " America," this point is, we think, satisfactorily settled against Wellington, and in favour of a port much farther North, by the all but unanimous testimony of nautical men. Captain Benson's evidence, ifc is pretty well known, was laughed at by all competent sailors, when he spoke in favour of Wellington as the port of call for the Panama steamers. There were reasons for his giving such evidence at that time ; but those special reasons no longer exist, and they are not in any sense replaced by those which the Evening Post now urges instead. As for Lieutenant Woods's calculations, they have reference to a service by way of Fiji, which is not contemplated; and with all respect to his undoubted talents, we very much question whether his opinion, founded on theory, should be placed in the scale against the opinion of equally-skilled navigators, who speak from a practical knowledge of the proposed mail route. With regard to the second special point urged in Wellington's favour, we have a few remarks to make. We ai'e told that it would be better to suffer a detention of thirty-six hours, by prolonging the voyage and going to Wellington, on account of its convenience for distributing the mails and passengers over the colony. In the first place, this assumes that the mail service is to be for the exclusive benefit of NewZealand ; but New South Wales, Victoria, and we expect, Queensland also, will contribute towards the expense of the main line. These colonies care nothing about our inter-provincial service, but they would strongly object to a detention of thirty-six hours of their English and -American correspondence, merely to convenience the Cook's Strait settlements of New Zealand. If the selection of Wellington, instead of Auckland, as the port of call in New Zealand, would involve a delay of thirty-six hours, as we believe it would, then there is not the least hope of Wellington being chosen. The large commercial interests of the other colonies would object to any unnecessary delay. But there is yet another reason. The steamboat owners require, in addition to the small subsidy, a large passenger traffic to make the proposed line a paying speculation y and this result can only be arrived at by shortening the sea voyage as much as possible, and touching at those commercial centres whence passengers may be expected.' This, again, would be fatal to the' pretensions of Wellington as the port of call ; and we may say, at once, that the -lesson which , the his■>t<ary of rthißr thiB ! 'PanBtma-Conipany is'calculated to'teticli^Has pot ,T^en lost Jfe». , - ; qiercft!ise Men. of Australia or i^x&eriea>

But let us see whether there would be any ultimate gain, iv time, on the distribution of the mail from Wellington, instead of from Auckland. Let it be borne in. mind that the ocean steamer would land her mails in Auckland thirty six hours earlier than she could land them at Wellington; therefore Auckland would have a start of thirty-six hours in her favour in the distribution of the mail. This would be ample time to enable a fast steamer to land the Wellington mail from Auckland at Wellington, at least sixteen hours before it could arrive i there, were Port Nicholson the port of call of the ocean steamers. The truth of this statement may be easily proven. The s.s. 'Luna/ now plying between Auckland and the Thames, can run the distance between the Manukau and Wellington direct, in any ordinary weather, in twenty hours. This would be a saving, as we have said, of sixteen hours to Wellington, on the delivery of its English mail, simplj by selecting Auckland as the port of call ; and if sixteen hours might be saved on this first stage, it would not be difficult to arrange a time- table for the other provinces, which would enable them to benefit by a similar gain of time. There is nothing improbable in this. We aay it may be demonstrated any day ; and as a means of completing the new postal service, and making it thoroughly efficient so far as New Zealand is concerned, we commend this piont to the atten- ! tion of the Government. Moreover, i besides satisfying every part of New I Zealand, the other contributing colonies would have no cause to complain. The allegation, that the Assembly voted .£20,000 last session for the San [Francisco mail route, on the tinderstanding that Wellington was to be the port of call, is simply absurd. We happen to be aware that such was not the case. The motion was made by Mr. Macandrew, after he succeeded in abolishing the inter-provincial subsidies; and the Superintendent of Otago, whatever his personal leaning may be, certainly has never shown any marked partiality for Wellington. To say that such a condition, implied or understood, formed an element in the consideration of this vote, is to say what the facts do not warrant. Why should the Assembly bolster up one port of the colony at the expense of all the rest 1 The port of call was left an open question ; and the best, and only suitable port in the colony for the service, lias been chosen. It was not so when the Panama contract was entered into. The Assembly did not select Wellington ; the Company did not select Wellington ; but Wellington was indicated to the Company as the port of call by the agent of tho Government, and higher terms were exacted in consequence. The papers prove this. The Assembly were simply called upon to ratify or repudiate the acta of the agent of the colony, and under the special circumstances of the case his acts were ratified. To that extent the Assembly were committed to make Wellington the New Zealand terminus of the Panama line, but when that Company broke down, the obligation of the colony ceased. We do not care to vindicate this province from the aspersions cast at it by the writer in the Wellington Post. ' For a refutation of his very unjust im- : putation, we refer him to the statistics of the colony, and if he goes through them honestly from the beginning, he must acknowledge that Auckland owes nothing whatever to the other provinces. The Post, however, descends to a personal attack upon the Colonial Treasurer, and imputes unworthy mo- '. tives to him iv connection with the selection of the port of call. This kind of writing may gratify a few unreasoning people in Wellington, but we are convinced it will disgust very many more than it pleases. If the test of fitness for public office is to consist in having Cook's Strait proclivities, and the test of Ministerial purity is to be the giving of material support to Wellington, as we infer from our contemporary's remarks, then we say the Legislature will have a very small number of statesmen to choose from. If this is to be the end and aim of " Responsible " G-ov eminent " in the colony, the sooner it is abolished the better it will be for all pai"ties. Our contemporary likewise attacks the Defence Minister for remaining here so long. We always imagined that bhe Minister for Defence should be where his services were in most request. This happens to be, just now, in Auckland; and consequently he is here. In conclusion, we would say to our Southern contemporaries, that they can gain nothing by vituperation, neither can their assertions, however bold, alter facts.

The letter of our Whangarei correspondent, which we published on Saturday, deserves a passing word of comment. It touches upon one or two points of special importance to the country. "We are told that the season has been very favourable for the farmers, and that, although wheat is a partial iailure in the district, potatoes and maize will be abundant. The letter then proceeds to mention some opposition to the grist mill which has been erected in the Whangarei district. Local flour-dealers, it would appear, refuse to patronise the local miller, on the ground that he is competing wibh their trade, which conduct, we agree with our correspondent in thinking, is very narrow and short-sighted. If flour can be produced at Whangarei from wheat grown in the district, it will manifestly be a great saving to the i purchasers, and benefit to the local producers. We heard a great deal, two years ago, about starting grist mills throughout the province, and the Drury district then appeared to take the lead. But we now hear or see nothing of the Drury project. Wan the mill built; was the wheat grown to keep it employed ; or do the large' body of settlers between the Tamaki and Waikato still grow grain, cart it to Auckland,' and, then buy flour, made from imported wheat, and ucaxt it. back again for domestic use? ! If flieydo %• latter, tovve they really'

taken the trouble to calculate what each 21b. loaf costs them ? And if they have not made this calculation, adding loss of time and expenses out of pocket to the price of the flour, and making the necessary deduction from the money received for their wheat, it is time they set about working out the sum. The result, we make bold to say, will astonish them, and go very far to show why it is that farming is unprofitable in this country. But perhaps the settlers in the Drury distinct, as in other districts of the province, have come to the conclusion that "it does not pay to grow wheat ;" and therefore do not make the attempt. Now, ifc may be unquestionably true, that in the district in question wheat may never become a staple produce; but we feel convinced it can be grown successfully, and moreover, that it will pay to grow it. But it will not pay to cultivate wheat in this province, at any considerable distance from the city, withoutturningitintoflour in the district in which it is produced. And for this reason, that so long as Auckland is the only market for wheat open to the farmers in this province, so long must they be at the mercy of the city millers, who likewise have the control of the import trade ; and it is only reasonable to suppose that, as business men, they will make the best terms they can for themselves. But if there were grist mills, driven by water power-, erected in convenient places throughout the province, wheatgrowers could get their produce turned into flour at a trifling cost, and thus be enabled to send the manufactured article to the city and large towns in competition with imported flour. And we are firmly convinced that they would, in the end, drive foreign breadstuffs out of the market, As it is, Canterbury and Otago will, in two or three years from this, be able to monopolise the New Zealand market, if left to themselves ; but with our advantages in the shape of water power, climate, cheap labour, and cheaper land, we certainly ought to be able to hold our own against the South in our local markets. Eeverfcing to Whaugarei, we have simply to say, that it reflecte anything bxit credit upon that settlement, which is one of the oldest and most favourably circumstanced in. the province, to be dependent on imported breadstuff's for the food of its settlers. If, after over thirty years' occupation, the fertile lands of Whaugarei do not produce food for the handful of people who live there, the fault must bo in the people and not in the land. With regard to the Drury district, we may perhaps, account for its backwardness by the interest the inhabitants take in public and social questions. Men who devote so much of their time to political and social disquisitions, can hardly be expected to have any great leisure for farming pursuits ; and as tillage farming monopolises all the time of those engaged in it, grass-growing, and a, mild attempt at dairyfarming are naturally preferred by the settlers within the Drury circle. At the same time, we would take leave to suggest that a grist mill, fully occupied, near Drury, would be in every sense a greater boon to the district than the " Permissive Bill," or the most sweeping Constitutional changes.

The account given in another column of the obstruction of a survey party at Ohineimiri indicates a very unfavourable state of things at the Upper Thames. Two old women, it appears, assume the right of absolutely forbidding the survey of land which is held under Crown grant. After several unsuccessful attempts to intimidate the surveyors, the viragos make a determined charge upon them with the object of seizing the fern hooks with which the lines are being cut, and the pakehas, thinking discretion the better part of valour, prudently retired into camp. The spectacle of several stalwart men with fern hooks, pursued bytwo or three Maori hags must have been a sight worth seeing. The most serious part of the matter is the report that Te Kooti is receiving supplies of ammunition from Shortlaud by way of Ohinemuri, Mr. E, Wood, the lessee of the land attempted to be surveyed, has come up to Auckland with Riki Paka, one of the principal landowners, and we believe they intend to wait upon the Hon. the Native and Defence Minister today. Mr. Wood has suffered much inconvenience and loss from this perverse action { of Mere Kuru, and two or three other impudent old women, who claim the right to obstruct the opening of Ohinemuri. We understand that Mr. D. Tole has resigned the office of Commissioner of Crown Lands, andthatMr. J. Wiliamson,M.G.A.,has been appointed to that office, under the Act of the Assembly passed last session. Mr. Tole retains the office of Provincial Surveyor, and, we believe, willalso act as Deputy Crown Lands Commis3ioner. We have been informed on reliable authority that a party landed from one of the ships of war in the harbour on Saturday last at Orakei, and shot twelve pheasants. The I chief -Paul succeeded in taking seven from j them, but the party got off with the remainder. We regret that such an occurrence should have taken place, because the New Zealand law, preserving game in the close season, makes provision for relieving officers of her Majesty's ships, when on duty, from payment of license. To destroy birds at this season is not sport at all. and such conduct must be condemned by every true sportsman. Two addresses were presented yesterday to the Venerable Archdeacon Lloyd, one from the clergy of the Archdeaconry, and the other from the parishioners of St. Paul's, the latter beiag accompanied by a weighty purse of sovereigns. The meeting at St. Paul's Church, for the presentation of the addresses, took place at 10 o'clock; and at 11 o'clock the reverend gentleman left Auckland, in the steamer ' City of Melbourne, ' on his way to England. There were many affectionate leave-takings between the Archdeacon and the clergymen, and numerous other friends who accompanied Mm to tlie steamer, or who went on board for the purpose. A thanksgiving service, for the safe arrival of the Right Rev. Dr. Cowie. Bishop of Auckland, is to be held in St. Paul's Church this evening, commencing at 7 o'clock. The subscription ball to Rear-Admiral Hornby and the officers of the Flying Squadron takes place at the Music Hall, this evening. There was a typographical error in the summary of Customs revenue which we published yesterday. " Hokianga shows the largest decrease," should have been, " Hokitika shows," &c. ,We .understand thatT. Beokham, Esq., has been appointed Judge of the District Court, at Snortjand, -the sittings of which, will bis held monthly. ' ' > 1' ,The settling for the Aiinual Races will ..take place this evening, a$ the City Qhxb. *

_ "We cannot find space, except as an advertisement, for every trifling complaint that may be made about the management of the steam ferry boats. "Paterfamilias," we ha ye no doubt, suffered "great inconvenience and annoyance " from the circumstances related by him, but a newspaper is hardly the place to cany a private grievance of this kind. The Provincial Council is in session, however, and as it is likely to continue in session for an indefinite period, the members would doubtless be grateful for any new grievance on which they could found a decent pretext for talking. "Paterfamilias" would do well, therefore, to try tho Council. To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross. — Sir, would you be so kind as to inform me of the tonnage of H.M.s. 'Galatea,' and oblige yours to command, J. A. Lyons. —[The 'Galatea' is 3,227 tons burden, and carries 26 guns ; her length, over all is 317 ft.; breadth, 50ft.; horse-power, 800. — Ed.] The Central Board of Education met yesterday afternoon at the Provincial Government Buildings. A good deal of business was transacted, occupying the members of the Board two hours and a half ; principally dealing with applications from outdistricts. It was determined to meet on the second Monday in each month. A barefaced robbery occurred on Sunday night at Sceats's Saracen's Head Hotel, Shortland. It appears that a gentleman named Dr. Roberts retired to bed last night at the above hotel, when he placed his boots outside the door, and put his watch and chain on the dressing-table, and on waking up in the morning discovered that his door was wide open, and both boots and watch and chain were missing. The man Kenna, who was shot at by Sheridan at Ohinemuri some time ago, is now able to get about again, and has been discharged from the hospital. A call of ss. per share has been made in the Wild Missouri Goldmining Company. The annual meeting of the Auckland Institute will be held on the 21st instant. It is announced that Mr. H. P. Hayward, upholsterer, of Auckland, has filed a decla ration of inability to meet engagements with his creditors. A meeting of creditors in the estate of S. Lipstine is convened to be held at the office of Mr. S. E. Hughes, solicitor, Shortland-street, at 4 o'clock to-day. It is announced that the preliminary competitive firing of the Auckland Troop, R.C.V., for the colonial prizes will take place at the range, Point Chevalier, on FriI day next, commencing at 9 a.m. | The monthly inspection of the Thames Volunteers was held, on Saturday, at the Volunteer Hall. After inapection of arms, 10 rounds of ammunition per man were served out, and the battalion marched up the Hape Creek to the old pa near the cemetery, where a sham fight ensued. No. 3 Company, under Captain Newby, took possession of the pa, which the rest' of the troop, under Major Cooper, attempted to storm. Several attempts were made, without success, and Major Cooper improved the occasion by teaching the officers and men to keep well under cover ; but they covered themselves so effectually that they never noticed that Captain Newby had withdrawn his men, and was making his escape, Te Kooti fashion, through the grass. Ensign Hagin attempted a stolen march very succesfully. He was not observed by the enemy, because no enemy was there. He and the company under his command did not find this out until after stealing up, with much caution, they made the final rush to carry the pa by storm. They found it empty, without even the customary old woman and dog. Pursuit then set in, and Captain Newby made several stands, until he made his final stand and fired his remaining powder at the bridge near ths New Caledonia Hotel. The men were then dismissed. A Melbourne paper says : — "By private letter from Sydney, we learn that a very liberal offer, guaranteed by good backers, has been sent to Phelps, by Mr. William Hoskins, of the Opera House, Sydney, to play a twelve months' engagement in Australia and New Zealand. From the present state of the legitimate drama at home, it is likely to be accepted. Mr. Creswick announces, through the London theatrical journals, his intention to visit these colonies in a few months." The sugar-producing interest of Queensland seems to be largely increasing. The returns made by the Government Inspector for the first three-quarters of the last year read to the conclusion that Cl 9 tons of 1868 : will be found to have been at least trebled in 1869;. and the 35,599 gallons of ram will have increased to between fifty and sixty thousand gallons. In 1869, seventeen sugar mills and two distilleries were added to those of the previous year, and not a week elapses but others are contemplated, or in course of construotion. The colonial-boy nuisance appears to be thoroughly appreciated on Ballarat East. In one day no less than nine little boys wore brought up at the local court-house for throwing stones into tho house of a Mrs. Lowe, In an ai'ticle on immigration the Melbourne Argus saya : — "As a field for labour, Australia should be able to present hersplf to England and to Europe as a united homogeneous State. For the Briton who quits his native shore there should be but one new Britain in the Southern Ocean ; for the immigrant there should be one uniform mode of reaching these shores ; for the intending settler there should be but one land law ; for the merchant there should be but one Customs law ; for all of us there should be but one nationality. The future destiny of Australia lies in the one word — Federation." As an example of the progress of colonial industry we may mention that at Melbourne recently a deputation waited upon the Commissioner of Railways in order to protest against the importation of the small blocks of wood known as " keys" which fit between the chair and the rail on railways. The deputation represented that though the keys were imported from England a much cheaper and equally good article could be obtained in the colonies. The Government requested the deputation to send in 500 as a sample. The New York Tribune publishes the following account of the earnings of the needlewomen of that city under a system of protection : "A widow, having others besides herself to support, gets only 6s. a dozen for making first quality or No. 1 shirts, such as sell at 12s. each, which must be as beautiful and neat as can be. The bosoms come readymade, it is true, but they must be set in, and all the shirt done complete. Although she is a remarkably swift sewer, and uses a machine, she can only make two shirts a day by working from daylight to the middle of the night. Generally it is called fast work to make two shirts in three days. For slop-made shirts, which sell at Bs. each, she gets ss. a dozen, while a third quality are made for 3s. a dozen. Other kinds of work pay no better. Linen coats, with three pockets, are made for- l£d. each ; fancy flannel shirts, with turn-over collar and cuffs, 3d. ; and heavy cloth pantaloons from 9d. to Is. per pair, though, if given out to men, which, is seldom done, the price is from 3s. to 4s. Our authority adds that the names of the women to whom these prices are paid, as well as the men who pay them, are known, but are withheld for the reason that, if given, the poor half-starved women living in cellars and crowded places will be deprived of work even at these rates. As a skilful seamstress can only earn 4s. 6d. for a long and faithful week's work, it is manifest that with this insignificant sum, little more can be bought than the plainest food, leaving fuel, clothing, and rent to be provided by other means — by means that may be surmised." On a recent trip of one of the Illinois river, packets— a light-draught one, as there were only two feet of water in the channel — the, .passengers were startled by the cry of " Man ' overboard ! " The steamer was stopped, and_ 1 preparations w^ere made to ,astve Mm, when he Was heard^ exclaiming, „- '\Gtp< ab- e *4*» with ■ your darned, 914 steamboat Y 111 WHlkb> , tod you,"

r On one occasion, when John Kemble played' Hamlet, in the country, the I gentleman who acted Gruildenstern was, or imagined himself to be, a capital musician. Hamlet asks him, " Will you play upon this pipe?" "My lord, I cannot." "I do beseech you." " Well," if your lordship insists upon it I will do as well as I can ;" and to the great confusion of Hamlet, and the great amusement of the audience, he played "God save the King." It has been said of the celebrated Rothschild that, though no man was less lavish of his money, no one was more ready to detect a love of it in others. It was one day, while at a City feast, that a gentleman remarked that, for his part, he thought venison was very good, but that he liked mutton better. "Ah, ah ! I knowsh vy ! It ish becaush he doesn't like to pay the prishe — it ish becaush mutton's sheep and venshon's deer." "Polly, my dear," said a loving husband to his spouse, who was several years his junior, "what do you say to settling at the Cape 2" " Oh, I'm delighted with the idea ! You recollect when Morgan went out there he was as poor as we are, and he died in three years worth two thousand pounds."