THE Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5437, 18 February 1875, Page 4

THE Daily Southern Cross.

Southern LUCHO, NON URO. If I hive been extinguished, yet thcro rl«» A tkoimud Lwauoiis from the ip»rk I hoi*.

TilUHSDA Y, FEBRVARY 18, 1S75.

Before another mail leaves this place for England, we shall probably see the Upper Thames country fully opened for goldmimng purposes. The event, when it takes place, will maik an eia in the history of this island and colony. It is not meiely because we anticipate golden results to follow the prospecting of the Upper Thames country. We do, indeed, anticipate this, although the extent to which expectation may be realized, disappointed, or .surpassed, is as yet matter of the most vague speculation. But this result, impoit.uit although it may well turn out to be in the' future development of our resources, is not the mobt prominent point m connection with the e\ent of the opening of Ohinemun. We have no doubt that, whether an alhnial goldtiold is opened or not, there \\ ill be a Aaluable goldimnmg industry de\ eloped in the Vppei Thames country, and if so, the opening of the field to Euiopean enterprise, w ill possess all the significance with which we would invest it m 1 elation to the progiess of the colony. The real signihcance, however, of this event can only be estimated when looked at in connection with other events. The gap is a very wide one indeed which separates the present position of the colony in relation to native aftairs from the position which it occupied but a very few years ago. Time, and biding our time, have fought for us. Our native policy of waiting — our policy of individualising native titles to land in lieu of general and mixed tribal rights — above all, the influence of civilisation always in contact with, and m contract witli barbarism, have been doing a

gradual w oik, and tliat work may fairly bo said to have culminated in the opening of Ohinemuu to gold-mining. The event is an indication of piogiess, and it is also an instrument of further change. Let but the gold-mining population take root in the district, and it will not be long ere the natn e o\\ ners will be eager to deal with the freehold of the land, and Ohinemuri w ill become a tluiving agricultural region, as well as an impoitant gold-pioducing locality. The attitude of the native people of the Upper Thames is the attitude alv>, to a large extent, of the socalled "Kingpaity." The "King" and Ins people have possessed much of the poweis attnbuted to bogies, and they ha\edonoso because, like bogies, they could be only dimly discussed m a distant and uncertain light The moment they can be approached and handled the bogy character disappears. The u King" will be no more than a middle-aged M.ioii chief of moderate influence, and with a fuw followeis, whose power and dignity aie lather memories of the past than facts' of the present. Drawn within the influence of ci\ lhzation the wants of the King and his fi lends will soon pievail over their love of tciiitory, and, with the purchase of their lands, the last foi midablo feature of the King movement, and piactically of the Maori race, will vanish, lea\ing the woik of settling this XorthL.ni island to &peedy and natural piogiess, undisturbed by the native complications which have so long unfairly weighted u.s m the race. There is, perhaps, no more hopeful sign of progress obsemable than the readiness of so many of the natives to sell their suiplus land to the Government. It is not only that the land can now be utilised Tins, indeed, represents a vast stride m colonizing advancement, the full effect of which it will, no doubt, take years to disclose, but the beginning of which will be felt almost immediately. But the grand point lies in the fact that the bugbear of native wars and native hostility will disappear m a year or two si> thoroughly that men will wonder how these things were ever felt. Hand in hand with the progress now being made in opening up the country w ith roads — hand in hand with the pushing forward of a system of railways, such as are likely to command a reasonable amount of traffic — followed up by a continuous stream of immigration, both of labouring classes and small capitalists, it is difficult to see how a more promising futuie could be opened before the country than that on which the dawn of piomise is now giving place to the first iviys of the sunlight of civilization. There may yet be obstacles to be overcome before things go as they should do. Little difficulties, a "hitch " here and theie, may po&sibly delay for a few weeks the opening of the new field on the Upper Thames, although we believe a few days will behold its full accomplishment. The work of thoroughly opening up other parts of the so-called King country, may even now demand patience, and the policy of delay. But the back of the difficulty has been broken. The delays now to be looked for are by no means of such a kind as they have been, for they are only delays connected with merely technical arrangements, not actual rebuffs. It will be one of the collateral advantages of the policy of 1870, and it will be by far the greatest of these advantages, that this island shall be placed on something like an equal footing with the South in respect of its lands. Hitherto, our chance has been a small one indeed, when compared with that enjoyed by the bcttleis m the Southern island. Once let it be fully understood that the fear of native distuibance is banished, the country thrown open for purchase and for gold mining, and the necessary roads and means of communication provided, and this island will speedily assume her true position. What tins will lie to the settlers in the Northern Island we need not point out. We have, as a community, been waiting for tins good time, which has seemed so long in coming for many a year, and we should know how to appreciate it when it actually arrives. But the whole colony will benefit as much as the North Island will by our emancipation from the fetters that have so long loaded our enterprise, and interfered with our progress. The burdens of the people are heavy, and only the increase of our population and the development of our resources can prevent them becoming still more burdensome. Under the new circumstances, which we may fairly anticipate shall speedily develop themselves, this island should be fully able to take its share m lightening by dividing the burdons of the people. Already the mere prospect has done something for us. Tins province now takes the true place and it ib a good one, in tho work of colonial progress. Whether in our imports or our exports, the growth of Auckland has been more steady, and, on the whole, as satisfactory as that of any other province. And what has been true while we laboured under great disadvantages, will, we feel confident, prove yet more tine when oui advancement is Ies3 trammelled, and our scope and verge are wider. The opening of Ohinemuri will not, indeed, do all those good things for us, but, m its degree, it will aid in the work. And more than its aid is the indication of what has been done, and what yet w e shall be able to perform. When the Upper Thames shall leeeive the inflow of that tide of enterpiismg humanity which will know no ebb, the last bamer which was erected by the war of 1803 may f.mly be considered to be levelled for ever. And tho work of inland settlement and improvement, so seriously cheeked by th.it ill-omened struggle, may once more be eonsideied begun under circumstances of the most prosperous promise.

Mk. Grkvillf, in his now famous "Memoirs" fiom Mhich mc luv\e made numerous quotations of a piquant nature (for all matters of personal lelations of public peisons are ah\ ays more or less so), beats a noble ami tiuthful testimony to the clui actor of the late Duke of Wellington. The diamt, speaking of the great Duke tells the great respect with which he was treated — all peibons they met m the paik taking oft' their hats as he passed "with every appearance of his mspiiiiig great leverence" Mr. (iieville then pioceeds to reeoul his opinion thus : — " I like this symptom, and it ib the more remarkable because it is not popularity, but a much higher feeling towards him. He has foitoitcd Ins populanty more than once ; he has taken a line in politics duottly counter to the popular bias ; but though in momenta of excitement he is attacked and vilhlied (and his bxoken windows, which I wish he would mend, still piebcrve a reeoul ot the violence ot the mob), when the excitement subsides theie is always a 1 etui rung sentiment of admiiation and lespect for him, kept alive by the lecolleetion of his splendid actions, such as no one else e^ er inspn ed. Much, too, at, 1 have legiettcd and censured the enormous, cnois of Ins political career (at times), I believe that this sentiment is in a great degiee produced by the justice which is done to Ins political character, sometimes mistaken, but always highminded and patriotic, and never mean, false, or selfish. It he has aimed at power, and over-rated his own capacity for wielding it, it has been with the puiest intentions and the most conscientious views I believe firmly that no man had ever at heart to a greater degree the honour and glory of his country ; and hereafter, when justice will come to his memoiy, and his character and conduct be scanned with

impartial cacs, if his capacity forgox i liinunt appears unequal to tho exigencies of tin times in -which he av.v» placed ,vt the head ot affairs, the piu ity of 1 is motnes and the noble chaiacter of his ambition an ill be amply acknoAN lodged." This was an ntten in IS33, and it is a curious testimony to the accuracy of Mr. OrcAille's judgment of public nion that twenty years after Great Biitain full} endorsed this opinion. We make the quotation now for the piupnac of diicetmg a comparison. It is a Lompauson between two persons unlike as i expects, positions and achievements because one an as known all over the world and the other who now lies m his coffin an as known only as a leading man among a small body of earnest and progressinc Butish colonists. Yet the characteristics of the former, as described by Greville, together with the fact of lost and regained populaiity ANith lotained icspect, tind a typical resemblance in the chaiacter of John Williamson, our depaited chief of the province He, too, witnessed the \iolencc of the mob when the sailors of a Biitish man-o'-war threatened to pull down his printing office. Ho suffered for his unflinching adherence to , and fearless outspokenness in f.iAourot, a peaceful policy m dealing with the natives, when othei sentiments prevailed in the public mind ; and he sulleiod in pocket and in political leputation, because, m the face of all opposition, he dung to the pi maple in an Inch he so earnestly believed. He b\ed, too, to see the triumph of the principle foi an Inch he had years befoie t Aught a losing battle, but in the justice and expediency ot which he never ceased to belicA'e. in spite of Ins occasional mistakes, and he did make mistakes, theie an as for Mr Williamson alwajsa "returning sentiment of adiunation and iespect " He Avas ahvays patnotie, ahvajs made the advancement of A'eAv Zealand and Auckland the foremost objects in his life, he was "nc\ci mean, false, or seltish," and " no one doubted the purity of his motnes 01 the unscllish natuie of his ambition as a politician and administrator."

Tirr Li/fli IU»i 7/<;hn is geneially undeistood to be a lcspectable journal published in the epistop.il tity of Chi lstclnireh, in Can tci bury, and few who kmiw it will dispute its lights to that clastic adjeetne But it must be confessed it is occasionally a little slow, somewhat turgid, and a tiifle solemn, as befits a journal published at the shune of episcopal pilgrims. Its jierccption of a jest, 01 a flight of fancy, it weie needless to say, can scutch be teimed either lapid 01 bnlliant Hlucc, piob.ibly a most enteipusing aitielu on tliL pmiLiplfb of tiirninal law, and the will-known maxim that a person accused of an oflence is in law to be held innocent until found guilty. To that w e cmdially subscribe; but, nevertheless, although m law, evidence may fail to establish guilt, it by no means follows that the actual fact i? different from that represented in the chaige Our Canterbury contempo r.iry glows more than ordinarily solemn o\ei a rein.uk which occurred in this journal with reference to a seiies of thaiges of arson made against a young girl, who seemed to have a kind of mama tor that uuhealthy amusement She was likened to a petioleuse, fiom the many attempts at arson with winch she was chaiged, and to some of which she had confessed. The jocular suggestion to the effect th.it such offenders might be chloiofoimcd out of existence is actually taken as being serious by the Lyttelton Times whose solemnity mci cases as it waxes densei in its leasomng about the duty of the Press Well, we do not pmpose taking any lessons in that regard fiom our sedate and somewhat pondei ous contemporary ; but we proffer one argument for its sober cogitation That is 1 that it is the duty of the P»essto view the geneial wclfaie of the community, and if it is nocessaiy to dis>regaid any mere technicality, when the welfai e and safety of that community is concerned, it is the duty of the Press to disiegaid it. Thcie was no moral doubt as to the connection of the accused w ith the oflence chaiged, but the |iuy was not satisfied that the evidence amounted to legal certainty. There have been many fire8 m Auckland, notoriously the woik of incendiancs, and yet it has been found hardly possibly to get a juiy to toimtt The public have suffered, and still sufler, by the high rates of insurance which prevail in consequence of these lepeated wilful!}-pio-duced fires and the losses which ha\e anstn in consequence. The idea of vmdictiveness towards a poor ignoiant gnl, with a fondness for Ing illuminations, is too contemptible to be seriously combated, or that the application of an o\ ei dose of hydrate of chloial as ft rectifying potion was e\ er deemed other than a (igure of speech. We commend to our gia\e Canttrbuiy contemporary as a theme for a solemn seimon, this Borgian-like pioposal of the Otat/o Dai/i/ Thn<> which answers its own question — What shall we do witli Sulliv.vii ? tlms . — "Not so \cij long ago it would ha\e been answeied by leaving t oison comemently in his way. Now, we all now that such a thing is simply impossible " Here is a munitions suggestion : actually to leave poison in the way of a pool p.ndoned pnsonei ' Jt ought to make the ban use even on a bald head, or sprightly fancy How fiom as bald a leading aiticle. And the writei gucAea, too, that this arsenical couisc is impossible ' Heie is a topic foi the Lytliltnii Tune*, and he may indulge in second-hand congratulations of New Zealand, that, by the law of Victoria, Sullivan cannot be expatriated from that colony, and so neithei the poison cuie nor any other will be requited to be exeiciscd in Ins \ilo eoipns m New Zealand. Senously, we had expected better things, and, at least, common sense arguments from a journal like the Li/tt<lt<jii Tuna,

Shvmk must have no blush, and justice but little meaning to the collective ejes and minds of the membeis of the fMucatum Board of the province of Wellington, othtiwise we should Ijeheve it impossible that they could have passed such a lesolution .is they adopted with regaid to the lemunciation of teacheis tor tiaining and instiucting pupil teachers. Tlie nibti notion, it api>ears, has to be given, as, of eouise, it neccssanly must, after the ordinary work of the school is over. Yet the Board decided that mastei -> of schools should receive the munificent allowance of £8 per annum for the first two pupil teachers who successfully passed the standard specified by the Inspector, and £',\ eael 1 foreveiy additional pupil, and it is added that " masters would be expected to gne pupil teachers one hour's instiuction c.ioli day, or five hours per week." This is over-time payment with a vengeance. £8 a year is just Xi a week, or less than 5|d. anhoui foi training youths to teach the ehildien of the colony The youngest boy in the piintmgoffice of this journal, whose duty it is to fold papers and run < rrands, gets 4d. an horn for ovei time, or four-fifths of the pay gi\ en by the Wellington Hoard of Education to educated men, who peiform the wink ot training the tcachtis of the futuie ' Few masters w ill h.u e more than three pupils of this kind, and the most will have only two. At the best, therefore, with three pupils to train, the master would have £11 a-year for the work, or just lOd. an hour— a sum at which a pick -and shovel man for steady work would sublimely turn up his nose. Oh, windy city of the South, may airs from Heaven teach youi nileis, if not generosity, at least justice !

Ik it is not pieinaturo to obtmdu upon the freshness of a ncwioirow with niatteis of business, we would icral to the minds of those who heard 01 it ad the pioposal, with respect to the Xupeimtendcnt ot Auckland, made by Mr. Vo#< 1 in the Assembly last session, m his speech on the abolition of the North Island provinces. The Piemiei then stated that it was the intention of the Government to bring foiwaid <i mca-ane foi ■ecuring a substantial life-pio\ lsion Un Mi Williamson, "as a recognition of a lifelong devotion to the service of the colony, ' for a man who "had devoted the energy of a lifetime to the service of the pioyince of Auckland." That man has died with harness on

hi-ki(k !li-,\\i|.- .ui.l d.ui^htu lcni.vin 111 — liU-luiiy «.u\ia-, < tin l>< l.ioglint.l tlll.lll^ll tllLUl.

VrsTnnnw the opinion of the public was \ 01 y generally in favour of the funoi.il of the late Superintendent being postponed until Sunday. As a public funeral is a u y deservedly to be gn en to one who lias spent his strength in the cause of the pro\ nice, and who has died in her service, the time for that funeral should be so arranged as to be most suitable to the majority of the public If the present resolution to have the funei al on Saturday afternoon be carried out, v. c believe the Executive will yet regret the decision they have arrived at. Saturday is among many tradesmen the busiest night of the week. Ifc is the one night of the week when the greatest number of purchases of food and clothing are made. Foi business men. to close their places of business on such a night i<< asking them to make an unreasonable sacrifice. It is the intention of the volunteer authoi ltics to ma^s all the volunteer bands to play the "Dead March," while the remains of the deceased aie being conveyed to their last lcsting place, but if the Saturday afternoon fuueial is adhered to, from 20 to 30 munbcis of the arious bands Mill be unable to be present. Many of the volunteei swill also be necessarily absent, who would be present on Sunday afternoon. Bu t a stronger l cason should have some Aveight with the Executive. It is w ell known that the late .Superintendent and Mr. Darroch were the foundeis of Odd Fellows in Anckland, and for many yean Mi. Williamson took an active pait in the business and management of the Older. The majority of the Oeld Fellows in the Auckland distuct are wo.iking men, and wo believe it has been found that vci y few of them could attend on Saturday afternoon ; <<n few, that the ollicers of the Older would not call a goneial muster. Of all the fi iendly societies in Auckland the Odd Fellow s .u c the longest established, and we bche\ cth.it the action of the other societies w onld w holly depend upon that of the Odd Fellow s These societies on such occasions would natuially desire to muster in as large numbers as possible. On Saturday attemoon this cannot be done, for, however much the late Superintendent may have been respected, woikmg men have to live by their labour, and the\ cannot afFoid to risk losing their employment under such circumstances. Many of Mi Williamson's most intimate fiicnds aie anxious that the f uncial should be postponed until Sunday, and we do not think thenwished should be altogether disrcgaidcd. If postponement is mad* the funeial will doubtless be incompatibly the ino-»t nunicions]\ -attended of an\ th it has taken place in Auckland.

The monthly inspection of the Auckland Scottish and Kngineei Volunteer Coi ps w as held j tsterday euningi at the drill shed, 1>Y Majoi Goulon. There was a veiy good nuistei of both corapanies, especially when taking into consideration the inclement"* <>f the -vveatliei. The Scottish were undui the command of Captain Mowbiay, and the Engineers were oflicctcd l>y Captain Andcison, Lieutenant Kitchen, and Sub-Lieutenant Saundeis Tlic companies were put tlnough manual, platoon, and bayonet eveicise bj Ma] 01 Goidon The different evolutions weic peilormcd in a cmlitablc manner. At the clo^e of the paiade, it was intended to have liad a meeting of the Scottish Company, for the pm pose ot dieting .some olheeis, but the election was postponed until next monthly meeting. The concert -which the Choral Society are now prepai ing Mas not foi the benefit of Miss Christian, as we pioviously stated, but for the pin pose of 1. using money foi the celling ot the Hall. We cvpiess the uinveisal feeling of our fellow citizens when as c bay that we heartily wish success to the movement, and hope that the committee ~v\ ill not cease their efloits until they have completed the building accoiding to the plan of the architect If the public of Auckland do not lespond libel ally to this call for assistance, we can only say that they will show that they do not appreciate the efforts of a poition of their fellow citizens, who, at the expendituie ot much tune, labour, and money, luuc pla.ed Auckland in the highest position ,\s a musical community of any place in New Zealand. Miss Clnistian is to smg. the last tune bef 01 e leaving Auckland The seeietaiy has wished us to say that theiewillbe a practice on Fuday, at half-past seven o'clock. The Engineer and City Band w ill play in fiontof the Supreme Com t to-moi i ow cv ening at 7 pm. Piogramme : Mai eh : " Qun ksilver "(H. Hartner) ; overture " La Dame Iilanche ' (Auber) ; quadiille " Hossmi '^ (Godficj); selection " Foiza del Dustmo " (Veidi); -waltz "Galatea" (H.Pi.Il. the Duke of Edinburgh) ; mazurka " Evening Fames" (Talbot); galop, "Don't be in a Huuy " (Geeks) ; " God Save the Queen." The annual meeting of the Auckland Uiaieholdeis in the New Zealand Shipping Company was held yesterday afternoon, at the New Zealand Insurance Company's Building Messrs. J. L. Campbell, H. Isaacs, and J. M. Claik were elected directors for the cuuuit year. The business was conhned to the election of directors. A report appeals dsewhcie. ( )n the 22nd instant a pigeon match is to be held .it Hamilton. A few days ago 123 pigeons -\\cig taken to the Waikato, in prepai ation for the match. They have been turned loose in Mr. Claude's loft. On Sunday last four telegraph posts between Hamilton and Ngaruawalna -wcic binned down, and for seveial hours eonuuu nication between those places was stopped, in consequence of the wires being in contact with the ground. Our Waikato con tempoiary states that it has learned the Auckland ciicketeis have abandoned the idea of visiting the Waikato, to play the local team. It will be rcmeml >ci ed that a Waikato eleven visited Auckland last yeai , and were pretty well beaten by the Aucklandeis. It is a pity our men should not hav e an opportunity of fighting on then own ground, and retrieving their lost lam els On Saturday last a meeting of the Waikato Gun Club was held at the Hamilton Hotel foi the purpose of making anangements to give a dinner to the membcis ot the Hainley Club on their visit to the Waikato on the 22nd instant. A few new membeis weie admitted. Detective Jeffrey arrested yesterday, at Otahulm, a man charged with forging and utti'i ing The prisoner will be examined at the I'oheu Court this morning. Mr. H. N. Garland the secretary of the Sons of Freedom Gold Mining Company, intimates by advertisement, that the dneetois have decided to take up a poition of the unallotted shaies, issued with a liability of 25s. each, and invites tcndcis for the remaining 900 shaic% until the 1st of. March. A Napier contemporary states that on 8atuiday last several bags ot chaff in a heated state were removed from one of the stores at the Spit, and their condition was such to give use to the belief that, either in the hold of a vessel, or closely stored in a building, spontaneous combustion would shortly have ensued. '1 his is a hint for the City Council ; in many towns, neither hay nor chaff in quantity is pei nutted to be stored. The Po 'crt)/ Bay Herald states that the ( ;<n eminent appear to be showing some kind of activity regarding the survey of the East Coast dis'tiict than formerly. Mr. Baker, one of Mi. Ileale'a staff, started from Napier foi [\j\ ci ty Bay overland on Friday last, to commence the trigonometrical survey of the whole disnict, and to connect that work w ith the sm vey of the Hawkc's Bay province ( Mi. Ford alao returned in the ' liangatir.i Ife has been entrusted with the suivey of Patutahi block, and it is to be hoped will become a resident in the distuct It is very probable that Mr. Realc, the Inspector of Surveys, will pay us a visit dunng the sitting of the Native Lands Court.

The c\ti emu penalty of the law awII be earned out tu-inonow moinina; upon Ncht iii.i foi" thi' niunler of the M.vni'yiil at Oi.iku. The following tenders were nceivud by Mr. \V. V. ILunmond, for the election ot tw i villas ut Home Bay, Poii&oub % \ :— I'cuk and Hill, £579; Malcolme, JU584 ; Slanfonl, IT)1IG; Giatton, 1640; Constable, t'G-47 : JJair, £G51 ; Pooley and Kcinott, i^TlO ; Andeiion, £79o. Messrs. Peak and HillS tender was accepted. According to the Pdiis Firjaro thcic aic yet m Fiance and its colonies 25,000 men Mho have fouyht nndoi Xapolcon 1 , then ayeb being horn 80 to 90.

Messi s 11 Keals and Sun, ai ehitoct-,, invito tendeis for vanous AS'oiks. sptuhed in oui .vctvciti-jiug columns. Jleniy Thoni.u> J^cioft, clerk, Auckland, has bucii adjudged a liankiupt, and the Hist meeting of Ins ueditois has been .ippuintud to ]jj held ou the '27th mst noon. The meeting of '-haieholdei-, in the Xil De&pciandum ( roldmining Company, as Inch a\.is to h.ive bet n held yebtculay, Lipped foi A\ant of a rjuoium