The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3931, 29 March 1870, Page 3

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUCEO, NO*J URO. If I haro bflon extinguished, yet thero tlse A thousand beacons from tho (park I bore.

TUESDA V, MARGH 29, 1870

There is a greater similai'ity between Victoria and New Zealand than may appear to a casual observer. Their territoiial area is nearly identical, the advantage in size being, however, on the side of New Zealand . This colony likewise possesses many natural advantages over Victoria, in the extent and variety of its rivers and lakes, which must render inland communication certain, expeditious, and cheap, when settlement shall have progressed sufficiently to take advantage of these natural adjuncts ; and in general also, by the number and accessibility of its harbours, indicative of a great future of maritime enterprise. But it does not rival Victoria in the extent of land at once available for agricultural and pastoral purposes ; and although its mineral wealth may yet equal, if it does not exceed its Australian rival, it is not at present comparable to Victoria for the production of the precious metals. And it must likewise be noted that those natural features which point to the unrivalled supremacy of New Zealand in the South Pacific, as a maritime Shite, are at present rather a weakness than a source of strength. I The work of settlement does not go forward so vigorously as might be ex* pected, owing to the fact that it pi-o-ceeds from many commercial centres, and not from one centre of commerce and wealth, as in Victoria. Bub with all these drawbacks, and making allowi aucefor the retarding influence of Maori wars, native land leagues and land tenure, New Zealand will bear favourable comparison with Victoria. We shall take the years 1868 and 1869, -which show an average of the tiansactions of both countries, of late years. From what we have written on former occasions, our readers are aware that since 1868 the trade of New Zealand has been, as a whole, nearly stationary ; the same may be said of Victoria, where the effect of the protective tariff has been to restrict commercial operations. A. detailed return has just been presented to the Parliament of Victoria, respecting the imports and exports, Customs revenue, and shipping statistics for 1868. From these and other returns, and from the New Zealand statistics, we compile the following abstract : — Victoria, 1868. .New Zkaland, 18t>8. Imports, £13,320,661 ... £4,985,748 Exports, 15,593,990 ... 4,429,198 Compare 1869. Imports, £13,908,990 ... £4,976,126 Exports, 13,464,354 ... 4,223,923 - The fairness of the comparison between the two countries will be apparent, however, when we come to contrast their population. The New Zealand census for 1869 has not been published, but we are inclined to think that the population of the European race will not exceed 225,000, and that, taking aboriginal natives and Europeans together, the total inhabitants of these islands, on the 31st of December last, did not much exceed 240,000. Thus we may safely assume, for the sake of illustration, that the population of New Zealand, at the close of last year, was about one-thh'd of that of Victoria, which returns the total at 710,284. If therefore we divide the declared value of Victorian imports and exports by three, to equalise its trade, on the basis of population, with that of New Zealand, it will be seen that, putting Maoris on the same footing as Europeans, (which should not' in fairness be done,) the two conirnunities are as nearly as possible equal in their consuming and producing powers. This test would be somewhat in favour of New Zealand, taking the year 1869 as an example ; but it is still more so if a comparison be also instituted between the commercial transactions of 1868 by the two colonies. The exports of Victoria fell off, to the amount of two millions sterling, in the year 1869 ; whilst the imports were slightly increased. On the other hand, despite the native war, and the lockingup of the North Island against settlement, the exports and imports of New Zealand last year were substantially on a par with the preceding year. It is therefore evident, that having regard to our population, and to the fact that a long and harassing war has crippled our resources, and diverted many of our young men, and nearly all the natives, from industrial pursuits, New Zealand , is a more prosperous country than Victoria It is noticeable that the falling off just mentioned occur* in the two great staples of Victoria— gold and wool. The value of gold exported from Victoria wa3 :—: — 4868 ... ... £6,629,495 1869 ... ... 5,363,757 WOOL. 1868 ... ... £4,254,511 1869 ... ... 3,235,091 These statistics should be assuring to those who are inclined to despair of the future of this country. In fact there is too great a tendency in thp colonies to underrate what has been done, and a disposition to expect results, which are, in the nature of thing-*, impossible. Colonists, as a rule, are not 'content with- slow and certain progress j they are not content, even, with a 'rate of progress which, less tliaiLhalf a century, ago,/ would -lmve appeared perfectly

fabulous. Could anyone have believed, when New Zealand was founded, that within thirty years it would become a rich and powerful State, managing its own affairs, conducting a costly and tedious internecine war, contracting a public debt to the extent of seven millions, and private obligations of at least double that amount, whilst its credit stands as high as the oldest and most powerful nations of Euiope, and its annual foreign trade is to be reckoned at ten millions sterling 1 We conceive the idea of such a result could not have entered into the brain of any man ; much less could he have supposed that it would have been accomplished by something under two hundred thousand men and women of the British i v ace. But the naked fact that these results have been accomplished, is more than an indication that much greater things may be done in the futui'e. Whilst we rejoice at the prosperity of the sister colonies on the Australian mainland, therefore, let us not despair of ~New Zealand because of a temporary depression, but strive in evexy way to develop its natural resources.

We publish in another column later American news, received yesterday per brig 'Galilee,' as well as some additional Euro- i pean telegrams per Atlantic cable. The Provincial Secretary, Dr. Nicholson, will leave for the North to-day, to inspect j the roads in the district, settle Highway | I Board disputes, amend boundaries, and : decide on proposed new roads. We publish iv another column a letter from a correspondent at Wairoa, giving a short account of the visit of his Honor the Superintendent and the Provincial Secretary to Wairoa. Mr. Gillies and Dr. Nicholson returned to town on Saturday evening, after having ridden ninety mile*. It will be remembered that a memorial was drawn up, and numerously signed at the Thames, praying his Honor the Superintendent to adopt measures for an extension of the tramway along the Karaka from the junction of the Karaka and Lucky Hit creeks, where the present line terminates, to the claims beyond. We understand that the petition has been forwarded to his Honor the Superintendent. The Chief Justice sat in Banco yesterday. Mr. W. W.Wilaon obtained a summons calling upon John Grey to attend and be examined, and to show cause why a declaration of the complete execution of a deed of arrangement should not be set aside, Mr. Eees made three or four motions in Oadell v. O'Keeffe, the learned gentleman being on hiß legs for five hours uninterruptedly. The Chief Justice refused a rule nisi for entering the verdict for the defendant, upon certain of the findings of the jury ; aud a rule nisi for a new trial, upon the ground of the verdict being against the weight of evidence. His Honor also refused a rule for a nonsuit, on the ground that the findings were so defective that judgment could not be entered upon them ; but he granted a rule nisi to enter a nonsuit upon the point raised at the trial under the 112 th section of the Goldfields Act, namely, that aa the submission to arbitration involved interests on a goldfield, the plaintiff, to succeed, should have shown that he was, at the time those interests commenced, the holder of a miner's right. Th« state of the poll on the election of members of the Mining Board was not declared after the closing yesterday, as the two electors required by the Superintendent's proclamation were not forthcoming at the time, and Mr. O'Meara, the Returning Officer, failed to procure them even on sending and going to seek them. The box with the few votes recorded has been taken, sealed up, to the Principal Returning Officer, Warden Davy, and will be inspected by him. We have received the first number of the Mail, a new evening paper, published at Grahamstown, by Messrs. Corlett and Wilkinson, to replace the Grahamstown Evening Star, which died a few days ago. The Mail is a well got-up and neatly printed little paper of demy size, and is published at one penny. We wish our young contemporary every success. The members of Nos. 5 and 6 Companies with a few visitors from other rifle corps, paraded in Albert Barracks yesterday morning, at six o'clock, under command of their respective captains. The evolutions were of a simple kind, and wore tolerably performed. As the annual inspection parade is to take place on Monday, the 11th April, the Volunteers vrill have to put in a much stronger appearance if they hope to revive their former reputation. We learn that a parade will be held to-morrow (Wednesday) at the same place and time as yesterday ; and that there is some talk of another meeting on Saturday afternoon. We are glad to notice such signs of returning activity in the corua The Distriot Court sat yesterday. The list was a long one. Several casea were adjourned, some for a fortnight, others until this morning. Brunkard v. Lupton, a jury case for damages, had been arranged ; jurors summoned for the case were dismissed, and, though each of them had lost much valuable time, the Court had not the power to award compensation. The only case of importance heard was Foley v. Mair, being an action against the Resident Magistrate atTauranga, for wrongful conversion of a horse bought by plaintiff's son from one James Campbell. The Court will resume sitting to-day, a good deal of business remaining on the list. A foot race for £50, between P. Twohill and A. Lewin, was arranged to come off on Saturday last, at Tararu, but did not take place in consequence of the short notice given in the acceptance of the challenge. Arthur Lewin challenges anyone to run up to a distance of a quarter of a mile for £50 a-side, at one month's notice. A man named Charles Adams, a native of the North of Ireland, and formerly a member of the 3rd Waikato Militia, died at the Thames Hospital on Saturday, from heart disease. We understand that deoeased was a married man, *nd that his wife is now in Auckland. Mr. James Lavery gave information te the police, at Shortland, on Sunday, that he had lost his little daughter. The child went to school at 2.30 p.m., and had not since been heard of. A good deal of business was disposed of at thB Police Court yesterday, a report of which is given in another column. When it became known to the miners of the Shotoyer No. 1 Company that Mr. W. J. Greenville was about to be discharged by their directors, they took steps towards presenting a testimonial to that gentleman as a token of the esteem in which he was held by those over whom he had so long been placed as mine manager. Mr. Greenville was accordingly invited to meet the miners of the Shotover on Saturday night last at the Shotover Hotel, where all hands, except those on shift, were present. Messrs. GroVe, Henderson, and Jewett were present as visitors. When the presentation took place there were about 30 present, and after 10 o'clock the whole mine force was assembled. Mr. Peck opened the proceedings in an appropriate speech, after which an- address was presented, together with an elegant gold watch and chain, with a suitable inscription. Mr. Greenville thanked hia friends, and a very pleasant evening was afterwards spent. G. B. Holland v and Walter Dudley, «f Auckland, have filed declarations in bankruptcy. Meetings of creditors in the following estates will be held to-day: — T. j.*Luir, G. Y. Burke, John Breen, George Johnson, Barn>tt' a.nd Coulljnp, anct Jfc SfcjGee,

We are informed by Walter Buller, Esq., the Resident Magistrate of Whanganui, who is now on a visit here, that all disputes connected with the purchase of the Manawatu Block, in the Wellington province, have been settled, and that the opposition of the malcontent natives is at an end. This is a most gratifying circumstance, not only to Wellington, but to many intending landbuyers in other parts of the colony, who have long desh-ed to acquire land in the rich and fertile Manawatu district. The Manawatu Block, for which a sum of £25,000 was paid by the Superintendent of Wellington some years ago, haa ever since been a bone of contention OAong to the opposition of certain natives to the sale. Fortunately, this will no longer be the case, and there is a prospect that in a few months the survey will be complete, and the land thrown open for sale. The occupation of the Manawatu Block by thriving and industrious settlers would save the Wellington Provincial Government from that bankruptcy which has long been impending over it. It deserves to be noted that the settlement of the great difficulty of the Wellington province has been in a large measure due to the exertions of Mr. Buller. A. special meeting of shareholders in the United Service Goldniining Company is convened for April 12th *t Grahamstown. Shareholders in the Teutonic are invited to attend an extraordinary meeting at their office at 4 o'clock thia afternoon. An extraordinary meeting of shareholders in the English Mail Goldmining Company is convened for the 14th. April, at Grahamstown. It is notified that the Sailor Prince Goldmining Company has been removed from Pollen-street, Shortland, to Mr, Gwynneth's office, Owen-stTeet, Grahamstown. We observe that Messrs. Thomas Johnson and J. S. Donnison, of Matakana^ offer a reward of £20 for such evidence as will lead to the conviction of persons stealing cattle from their run. We may remind the congregation of the Primitive Methodist Church, Edwardesstreet, that the' anniversary service takes place this evening. Tea - will be placed on the table at half -past six o'bldck, and a public meeting Will afterwards be 7 -held, at which addresses will be delivered' by the Rev. Messrs. J. Buller, J. Berry, '-J. Law, R. F. Macnicoll, P. H. Cornford, J\ T. W. Davies, A. Macdonald, Rev. Dr. Wallis, and others. "The Great American Champion Gymnastic andJAcrobatic Troupe," from Southern provinces, made their first appearance last night at the Parnell Hall, to a moderatelygood audience. It is announced that the half-yearly meeting of shareholders of the Bank of New Zealank will be held on Wednesday, the 27th April, at noon, when the report of the directors will be submitted, and other business will be transacted. Extraordinary meetings of shareholders in goldmining companies are convened as follow : — United Stars, Grahamstown, April 16th j and Murphy's Hill, Grahamstown, 13th April. ; The sale of township allotments in Carlyle, Patea district, and also of suburban allotments on the west bank of the Patea, is to be held at Carlyle, on May 2. A child about ten months old fell into a water-hole seven feet deep, near the Scandinavian shaft, and was promptly rescued by a man named James Porter, who jumped into the hole after it. We gave in our issue of Tuesday last a paragraph from the Canterbury Press, describing a new wind-pump, invented by a Mr. Buchanan. Wo find also that a model of a pump, designed by Mr. Thornton, En- i gineer to the Canterbury Government, and Mr. Martindale, Clerk of Works, Lyttelton, is among the objects exhibited at the Canterbury Art Exhibition. The Press describes it as follows :—* "The pump is worked by wind, and by a simple and. ingenious contrivance the pressure of the wind is regulated by a spring attached to the back of the sails which yield to it, and when exerted beyond a given force allows the wind to pass over the sails. It regulates itself to any change of the wind. As the pump-barrel revolves it will be apparent that the discharge of the water cannot be conducted where required without a special contrivance. Here another novel expedient is provided, which consists of a circular trough into which the water is discharged, and from which a spout conducts jit into pipes. As the pump revolves with the |rame T to steady it whilst working a circular frame is constructed on which the whole revolves on wheels on a metal plate. The bottom of the pump barrel is a solid point working on a gun-metal bearing, fixed in 'the well. Aa a lift and force pump can bb adapted to this design, it can raise water from deep wells, so that for irrigation purposes, and supplying tanks or houses for baths, or for suppressing fires, it cannot be too highly prized. To farmers resident on the plains it would be invaluable, as from its inexpensive character it is within the reach of all." A weapon which is exciting attention at home is the Martini-Henry rifle. Each regiment at Aldershott is armed with this rifle in succession, and used it during a month's practice. The Times describes a practice by five men of the 2nd Battalion 7th Royal Fusileers, at which an average of 48 points was secured out of 25 rounds, at distances varying from 150-- to 600 yards, though the weather was unfavourable. One man scored 63 points. This result is said to be impossible under similar circumstances with the Snider rifle. The soldiers are delighted wibh the new weapon, which is a little heavier than the Snider. It is sighted for 1,300 yards, and the men say it will carry a bullet that distance with effect. It is a safe weapon to catry on the march or through jungle, as by * contrivance under the trigger tho latter can be made fast, preventing the possibility of the piece being accidentally discharged. It has no cock, and therefore ! the infantry motion known as the " support" will henceforth be dispensed with. It will be carried on sentry as the riflemen carry their arms on that duty. In. the heel-plate is a, cavity jjfor holding oil, sponge, rags, worm screw, and other necessaries to clean the rifle and extract the bullet. A swordbayonet can also be usqd as knife or saw. The men are confident that with this weapon a single soldier will prove al,a 1 , match for two cavalrymen in the open field, A horrible mystery is reported in the New York Times. The ne\y* tenants, of * house in East Twenty-eighth-strest, of a peculiarly offensive odou'rV^C chimney, which had been some time disuaed^iras found to be fouled in the " choke, \\ or' sheet-iron covering of the throat of tb»>cnjniney. A tinsmith, who was called in^ on removing the flue or cover to the range! exposed the baked and calcined remains df.thr^ infants, probably not more than two months old. Suspicion rested upon a woman who had occupied the basement and first floor .ostensibly as a nursery.

Working Manager's Report of the Star of Fermanagh Company.— The Star of Fermanagh Company's^ ground ia still looking favourable. The, forking manager reports a quantity of good, specimens as having been got last weak, and" the leaders in the ground require only to be wrought to get into the reef to make it pay. Like many other companies it cannot be prospected or developed owing to the oalls .not being paid up by the shareholders. T The directors believe that the mine is a Mtjluable one, but it is, impossible, as the mine is at present wrought, ever to make/- i^pay dividends. The directors and working' taanager state, and they would impress this fact upon the shareholders, that a considerable outlay ia still necessary before ttfe^pfenia will be properly prospected and brought into working order. The work done has been very considerable ; upwards, of eight or nine drives from several parts of the ground have been made, and in five of them good specimens have been got i 900 feet of tunnelling have been made to test the , hill in different parts ;'the leaders vary in 'thickness from 4 inches to 2|f eet, and on the lower side next the Lucky Hit they all dip intp ths hill on the other side, on the Alabam* Creek (next $19 Golden Run), whoso leader***!} dip in ths

[ company's ground. Several good patches have been got, and two reefs from 3 to 4 feet thick crop out, and, from the way they dip into the hill, evidently join as one reef near the centre. These reefs have not yet been tested, because of the difficulty in getting the quartz to the machine. Either the quartz must be humped over the steep ridge and carried to the mill, or a tramroad will have to be made down the creek to the main tramwayjon the Karaka, but for this work the directors had no funds. They believe the reefa would pay if a machine was on the Alabama Creek, but will not to cart or sledge it to the tramway, and then by the tramway to a machine ; and merely working on the the small leaders they find that payable quartz is uncertain even with the specimens got now and again in hand. Finding this to be the case, the directors propose a main lowlevel tunnel up to the centre of the ridge of the hill, believing as they do that all these branch gold-bearing leaders lead to a rich main reef, which would amply repay the outlay ; or that a main tunnel be carried right through the hill from the Alabama Creek to the Lucky Hit side of the claim, the directors having a promise from the shareholders of the Golden Run that they will assist to make such a tunnel if we_ guarantee them the use of it for taking their quartz to the Lucky Hit machine. Such a tunnel, which would be say about GOO feet through, would thoroughly prospecb the ground, and give the company a short and easy conveyance without any expense of carting, and getting the quartz reefs crushed at the Lucky Hit. And they believe quartz could be easily got to keep the 20 head of stampers constantly going, and not till such is the case need the shareholders expect dividends. They would, however, beg to impress upon the shareholders their belief that as a mine, if the work is gone on with, and calls paid as they were required, there would not be a more valuable one on the field. Owing to the sudden and lamentable death of Mr. Masaey, late manager, an extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of the company will be called by the directors in a [few days to consider what is best to be done. — (Signed) C. F. Scott, "Working Manager. — [Advt. ]