The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4180, 6 January 1871, Page 4

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUCEO, NON URO.

If I have been extinguished, yet there ri*e A thousand beacons from the spark I bore.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, tell.

We are on the eve of the General Election. Parliament has been dissolved ; the new writs have been issued, and their return haa been fixed for the 25th of TVhvuary. There has been a temporary lull in electioneering movements of late the public have had an opportunity of calmly weighing the matters about to be submitted to the arbitrament of the ballot-box, and we have confidence in believing that the time bo spent has not been lost, and that reflection will have tended to the sinking of personal and party feelings, and to considering the questions at issue on their own merits, It is one of the penalties we must bear for the possession of free responsible government that the noblest schemes must assume the character of party questions ; and,asaconsequence,itisoften difficult to eliminate from them the consideration of what effect their support or rejection will have on the political party to which we are inclined or opposed. And perhaps it would be impossible for the mind of man to conceive a proposal of any magnitude that would not in a free parliament be viewed with disfavour by those disliking the i political party of the proposer. The colonisatidu scheme accepted by the late Parliament is no exception to the rule ; although it possesses a peculiar feature in its history, in that the leader of the < >pposition, with a large-heartedness that did him honour, rose superior to party considerations, and canvassed the proposal on ifcs own intrinsic merits. The honourable spirit that characterised Mr. Stafford appeared also to animate a considerable number of those who usually think with him in politics ; while, outside the Houses of Parliament, many of those sincerely opposed to the general policy of the Ministry assented to the liberal and progressive principles of the new colonisation scheme. Still it is not in human nature to expect that party considerations and personal feelings should be wholly sunk throughout the length and breadth of the land ; or that there should not be found those of melancholy and unhopeful dispositions who shrink from anything thftt doeB not savour of despondency concerning the future of the colony. That these elements will come into play during the coming elections we cannot doubt; and it becomes those who purpose taking an intelligent part in the approaching events to calmly view the Government proposals in the light of the past and the i probable future of New Zealand. ' That the present is a turning-point in tho history of the colony few will deny. The paat has been a long nightmare of Maori troubles ;' and the colony has for the first time fairly awoke to a true sense of its duty. [Never before has the native question been reduced to so narrow limits ; for though occasional disorders will manifest themselves in our relations with the original possessors of the soil, it is wholly impossible that a regular war can ever again be organised against the pakeha. For the first time has it been possible to look with confidence to future peaceful relations with the natives, relations which will every day become more intimate and friendly in proportion as we advance in works of peaceful colonisation ; and not the least encouraging symptom is the gladness with which the natives have hailed the prospect of being employed in making roads throughout the Northern Island. We have exactly reached that point whioh. may be~ regarded as the turning point in New Zealand's history, and the man is not a friend to the colony either to the Maori or the European, whose timidity would prompt him to hesitate in cementing the union of races, and in entering on the path of progress now for the first time opened up to us, and in accepting the duties imposed on us by the manifest destiny of New Zealand. The past has been war, or the chronic fear of war. We have squandered our resources in striving to extirpate a people who, wifch the exception of one or two wandering turbulent tribes, show themselves capable of becoming peaceful fellonrcolonists.. And now, when the prospect of quiet colonisation is attainable, we j should show the same zeal for peaceful progress that we have shown in the arts of war. Nlt N It is, moreover, a happy augury of good things to come when we find a reflex of the policy accepted by the late Parliament in the progressive tendency and enterprise of the people. Never before have we heard so much, of new industries, or observed so gTC&fe a. tecdeuey io encourage ihe development of our internal resources. Our magnificent climate and fertile soil, out boundless agricultural and mineral resources, our capabilities for various manufacturing industries, have all been known before ; but it appears as if, the incubus of the native question being lifted off the public- mind, it turns to consider the wealth of undeveloped re* sources that is lying on every side, and earnestly longs to see them utilised. This it is which has given such general popularity to the proposals for colonisation ; and the opportunity now afforded by the general election for giving practical expression to this prevalent progressive reeling, and to endorse the policy adopted by the late Parliament, we are convinced will not be thrown away. It cannot be denied that all that is requisite to raise this colony fa th.6 very highest position, j both in wealth and influence, is the opening of the country, , and the actual settle* ment of an industrious population. Oar latent resources ore not inferior to those of any country in the world. Oar gold* fields oontain the rioheit reefs erer dii*

corered 5 our future copperfields we know "Will be of the mons extensive kind ; silver, unsought for, haa been found in quantity; the sand on our sea-shores is iron ; and beds of the richest coal -the basis of ■England's wealth and power -are found extensively scattered over the colony. iSvery element of a country's greatness is here latent, waiting only for the strong hands, and the means required for its development; and the people would be deaf to the 'calls of public duty that would decline to accept- proposals for providing those means whioh alone are necessary to ensure the rapid advance of the country. N&V6V h&S there teen a more important question, and one more decisive of the tuture of the colony, submitted to the consideration of the constituencies. Jt is satisfactory to observe the general favour with which, after some hesitation "and judicious examination of its details, the Government proposal has been received throughout the colony; and we have confidence in the belief that the return of the election writs will show by the most deoisive proof that the heart of the people is sound on the question of immigration and public works. The future of the colony will be largely influenced by the result of the approaching elections. It is true the colonising policy of the Government has been endorsed by the late Parliament, and has received legislative sanction ; but should the action of the Legislature be reversed, or should the proposal be carried out in a half-hearted manner, owing to hostility in the new Parliament, a blow will be struck at tfa© prosperity of tlie colony from -wlxlcK It ■will he long; In recovering. This 18 a question in which everyone has an individual interest, and in the solution of which every elector should take an intelligent part. And it is earnestly to be desired that neither considerations of person nor of party will, during the approaching elections, deter from the support of a bold and decisive and progressive policy, so requisite for raising New Zealand to the position which it should hold among the Australasian colonies.

Now that the very excellent piece oi penmanship executed by Mr. Wrigg has found such a worthy recipient in the person of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, it may be interesting to some of our readers to know that we have still in Auckland yet another remarkably clever production in this respect. At Mr. Harris's "Cavendish House," Short-land-atreet, thora is now on exhibition a I specimen of what we may term non-profes-s ional penmanship, executed 18 years ago by Mr. Harris, and which, though not quite equalling Mr. Wrigg'a in finish and size, exhibits in a remarkable manner what can be done with the pen and perseverance combined. There is a capital imitation of an openedjenvelope, with defaced postage stamp; copy of Mornsaey's sodawater label ; with admirable illustrations of portions of the following newspapers, amongst others : — Times, September 27, 1852 ; Weekly Dispatch, Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, Family Herald, London Journal, Popular Educator, Freeholders' Circular, &c. We have heard that his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh will leave Auckland for the Kawau on Saturday evening • on Wednesday, the Prince will pay his longexpected visit to the Thameg goldfield ; on Thursday he will assist in the concert to be giyen at the Music Hall in aid of the Orphan Home and Home for Destitute Children ; and will be present at the Choral Society's "At Home" og Friday. His Royal Highness is expected to take le ave of Auckland on Saturday, the 14th insta n t Yesterday was a great day for the children attending the St. Paul's, St. Mark's, a St. Sepulchre's Sunday-schools. Christm nd New Year time being generally looked upon as periods for amusement and recreation, the conductors of those schools resolved that the children should have a festivity of their own. In. the forenoon ihey assembled in large numbers in the school-house in Ed n Crescent, and marched to the Governme t Domain. The day waa fine and admirably adapted for picnicking excursions. In the Domain the children were provided with ample supplies of dainties, besides enjoying various amusements. Prince Alfred's elephant came on the ground in charge of the keeper, and was a source of general sittraction. After a day's enjoyment the children returned home. A man named Michael Burke waa arre3ted yesterday by Sergeant Jeffrey on a charge of having violently assaulted in Chanceiysti*eet a seaman named Richard Martin, belonging to H.M. ship 'Clio.' It is alleged that during a squabble Burke took up a bar of iron and was applying it to the shoulders of the tar. We '""are glad to 'observe that the City Board have at last moved in the matter of putting Edwavdes-street in. some kind of repair. A cutting is being made preparatory to having the levels brought up, and the street metalled. According to the established rota Messrs. James Baber and A. Beetham should be the presiding magistrates at the Police Court this morning. We understand that a requisition, asking Mr. H. H. Lusk to contest the seat for Parnell in the House of Representatives, is in course of signature. We understand that the p.s. ' Duke of Edinburgh 5 will make her laafc trip to th<2 Thames to-morrow night, for want of sufficient traffic. She will undergo alterations and repaiis at once, to fit her for the coasting trade between Auckland, Waipu, Whangarei, and Mangapai. A correspondent writes a long letter to the Cornwall Chronicle, {proposing a plan by which he engages to raise the ironclad Captain, with all her ballast, coal, and guns, together with the crew. He remarks, in reference to the fate of the latter after the vessel turned over : — " It does not follow that all her crew that went down in her are drowned, or that they are even now in the water. The probability is that many of them lived for days after the ship went down, and with their light burning, too, for in such a capacious body of air the vital principle of the atmosphere would not be consumed in a day." He ia willing, under certain conditions, tu togo home and undertake the whole task, huge as it really is ; and, if he fai)« by these means to find and raise the ship, he will submit to lose his head," He concludes his letter, which ia full of the undoubting self-confidence of an inventor, with the words — " 1 feel sure you will give publicity to the above in your nsxt summary, for the information of the British Croverraasafc, AAvsKalty, fcas frlencU oi those in the submerged ship, and those who have faith in the practicability of seeing the ill-fated ship and her unfortunate crew again brought to light." Whether he anticipates Getting up the crew alive is to the last oubtful. We hear from the Thames that at a public meeting held in the American Theatre, Shortland, themucli- vexed Block 27 question waa finally disposed of, by the residents thereon agreeing to accept the latest terras offered by Mr. Creagh, the lessor. A con- j siderable redaction in the rent rate was made

by Mr. Creagh. This month's Christian Times was published oa Wednesday, and contains a variety of instructive and edifying articles, beside? numerous interesting" extracts, which are too numerous to particularise. Without machines there is most profitfin small farms, but -with all the improved taoahineg large farms will pay best to the acre. "With steam to replace horses, farms of 500 acres Trill be the most profitable. lowa plants every three years a forest of 5,000, 000 trees, fnd within considerably less than half-avdozen 76*^25, 000, OOOforest trees have betn planted.

la the Supreme Court yesterday, the case of Moki Mangakahia v. Craig occupied the Whole Of the day, and will be resumed ttes morning. Messrs. Home and Wynyard were the presiding magistrates at the Police Court. The other crimes with which Dunne was charged were inquired into, and resulted into a committal for trial on each. This now makes seven charges against him for the next sitting of the Supreme Court. The case preferred against Captain Nolan by B. Dellapiano gave infinite amusement to the spectators, the result of which was that each party had to pay his own costs, the case being dismissed. The annual meeting for the purpose of electing a Committee of Management for the THiaU rubliC Hail WiH b© keld on. Mouday evening. The Native Lands Court will begin its sittings this forenoon, when the important case of Te Aroha will be heard. If the natives could agree among themselves to allow their title to the land in the province to be individualised, a great good would be accomplished. It is to be hoped that no hitch will occur to mar the proceedings of the Court. A gentleman in Indiana saya in a note accompanying a letter for publication in the Louisville Courier Journal: — "I sumtimes misspell a word, and its possible I have spelt sicafaut rung." "Are these pure canaries?" asked a young gentleman who was negotiating for a gift for his fair. "Yes, sir," said the dealer, confidentially; "I raised them ere birds from canary seed." " Well, so you've sold my picture ? What did it go for?" Picture Dealer— «• Thirty shillings." Artist — "Thirty shillings ! Why, the framo cost me more than that," Picture Pealer— " All} that; waa before the picture was in it." The Territorial Enterprise, of September 14 says :—": — " A petition from Marie Susie, a French lady, wa> read at the meeting of the Board of Aldermen last evening, in which the fair petitioner prays to be allowed to wear male attire. She states that she has worn masculine habiliments for 20 years, and wishes to continue to do so. Being about to open an establishment in this city for the sale of California wines, she wishes to be protected against arrest for dressing in male attire, against which there is a city ordinance. With her pc ition she sent a document bearing the signature of the Clerk of the District Court of Amador County, California, which was given her to serve as a protection against arrest, and which speaks of her as an industrious and virtuous woman, and one possessed of considerable real estate in that | county. With this document, which is certified to and countersigned by the French Consul, at San Francisco, it appears that she made a trip to France and other countries in Europe. The document states that she first adopted male attire in 1850, upon her arrival in California; that, not finding anything to do in San Francisco, and not wishing to lead a life of prostitution, she dressed in men's clothes and went to work in the mines, where she made enough money to start in business. "- The Can-Can at the Mabille had begun, and we adjourned to the temple. Within it was a drinking satoon; and all around it was a broad circular platform for the dancers. I backed up against the wall of the temple, and waited. Twenty sets formed, the music struck up— and then I placed my hands before my face for very shame. But I looked through my fingers. They were dancing the renowned " Can-can." A handsome girl in the set before me tripped forward lightly to meet the opposite gentleman, tripped back again, grasped her dresses vigorously on both sides with her hands, raised them pretty high, danced an extraordinary jig that had more activity and exposure about it than any jig I ever saw before, and then, drawing her clothes still higher, she advanced gaily to the centre and launched a vicious kick full at her vis-a-vis that must infallibly have removed his nose if he had been seven feet high. It was a mercy he was only six. This was the can-can. The idea of it is to dance as wildly, as noisily, as furiously as you can; expose yourself as much as possible if you arc a woman ; and kick as high as you can, no matter which sex you belong to. There is no word of exaggeration in this. Any of the staid, respectable, aged people who were there that night can testify to the truth of that statement. There were a good many such people present. I suppose French morality is not of that straight-laced description which is shocked at trifles. I moved aside and took a general view of the can-can. Shouts, laughter, furious music, a bewildering chaos of darting and intermingling forms, stormy jerking and snatching of gay dresses, bobbing heads, flying arms, lightning fla&hes of white stockinged calves and dainty slippers in. the air, and then a grand final rush, riot, a terrific hubbub, and a wild stampede ! Heavens ! Nothing like it has been seen on earth since tiembiing Tarn O'Shanter saw the devil and the witches at their orgies that stormy night in "Allo way's auld haunted kirk."— From "The Innocents Abroad." The Sublime Porte is calling in its reserves, and declares to the other European Powers that it has experienced a painful surprise by the issue of the Russian circular, and hopes that they will prevent the consummation of an act tending to destroy international relations. Mrs. Cooper, housekeeper to W. Boyce, trainer, Newmarket, England, died a few days since from the result of a curious accident. She was stung on the nose by a fly that had just previously alighted on one of the papers prepared for killing flies, and died within 21 hours afterwards. — Sjwrting Life. _ j The t'lirty-five-ton gun, expected to prove the most powerful piece of ordnance in existence, is being bored in the Koyal Gun Factories. The barrel is oi steel, encased in j iron, and hag an iuternal diameter of nearly twelve inches. The gun is calculated to throw a projectile of 5501b. weight, with a charge of 1001b, of powder, and will pierce armour plates fifteen inches in thickness. The ided at present is to mount the gun on a cupola ship for the attack on iron-clads and iron- plated fortifications, There is, to all appearance, a large class of writers who are practically convinced that nothing more is necessary to writing a novel than a sufficient supply of pens, ink, and paper. It is supposed to be the easiest and simplest of all acts, instead of being one of the most difficult. The mill, it is imagined, may go on grinding out finished products for ever, though we don't take the trouble to supply it with the raw materials. It is very easy to take half a dozen fictitious characters, set the good young gentleman to love the handsome young lady, introduce the villain to make a little mischief, fill up gaps with smart conversation, and portion everybody handsomely at the end by killing some inconvenient uncle. It reqviires no conjuror to account for the failure of such productions aa are now poured out by the dozen.— " Cor nhill Magazine." Every farmer should have a can of linseed ail a,t\d a brush, on hand, and, whenever he buys a new tool, he should soak it well wifch the oil and dry it by the fire or in the aun, before using. The wood by this treatment is toughened and strengthened, and rendered impervious to water. Wet anew hay -rake and when it dries it will begin to be loose in the joints; but, if well oiled, the wet will have but slight effect. Spades and hoes are preserved from checking and cracking in the top of the handle by oiling ; the wood, becomes smooth as glass by use, and is far less liable to blister the hand when long used. Axe and hammer handles often break off where the wood enters the iron : this part particularly should be toughened with oi}, to secure durability. Oiling the wood in the eye of the axe will prevent its swelling and shrinking, and sometimes getting loose. The tools on a' large farm cost a large sum of money j they should be of the most approved kinds. Labourers should be required to return their tools to the convenient places provided for them: after using, they should be put away clean and bright. The mouldboards of ploughs are apt to get rasty from one season to another, even if sheltered ; they should be brushed over, with a few drops pi oil when pat away, and will then remain in good order till wanted.

"Hopeful" suggests that, now the tceiotallera of Auckland are exerting thefflsUlves to make every bocly solisit' by A.flfc of Parliament, ''The religious portion of the community should lose no time in getting a bill passed to compel benighted wanderers and wilful wicked sinners to attend a place of worship. Last Sunday a friend, who visited Mount Eden for the purpose of distributing tracts, was greatly shocked to find there such a great number of men, women, and children thus neglecting the religious instruction which they might have received if they constantly attended chapels. ' The charge of assanlt preferred by Mr. G. P. Smith against Mr. Robert Bowman, at Melbourne, resulted in the defendant being fined £10 and £5 ss. costs. _ In the Oamaru district considerable difficulty is experienced in acclimatising tllQ English -thrushes, owing to the destructive* ness of the shrike, or New Zealand cuckoo. Poisoning the eggs with strychnine has been uccesafully resorted to.