OUR LETTER HOME.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LX, Issue 7050, 3 October 1883, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR LETTER HOME.

rouiU'AiOn the dor the last mail left here for Wei- , route for Ban Francisco, Parhabr* t l *s! r™ r °s u<Mi - Th * t P roro ß fcUon to an end a session in no way reukab’e* 0f ,he Sl AcU pßS * ed ,mftUcr than usual by the way) 51 were , t , rfr a! measures, 27 local, and 3 private. C t*o last-named classes require no comand the first requires but little. The <■; of them are a few consolidation statutes, the Prisons' Act (the only thing new P which is the defined status given to the j rf p f: tor), sod six others. Of these six, the one which the outside , r ;d will wonder at most is an Act for conf«f"crating with or annexing any Pacific Vino the “ Government or constituted ••■•horities” of which may wish for either p-cffs with regard to New Zealand. The -r fis opsrsndi is for New Zealand to re•••r; the request from the Government or

«v*:ituted authorities aforesaid, to send C. .•tr.ifsic'acrs to arrange the terms, and to -’-lain permission from the Home Governr{C» (s.y statute of Imperial Parliament or c;■ frwise) to have the arrangement carried r .-, if it chooses. The Act was the offspring of Sir George Grey, manipulated by a Committee of the House of Representative*. 3;. (jjorge always has had dreams of Empire for Few Zealand in the South Seas, and the E.n?e for once allowed itself to share them, r;-. New Hebrides were the islands in his zxi, and they, it will be remembered by a few people, ware actually included in the bruedaries of this Colony in the Proclamation of IS4O.

Already an attempt is being made in mother quarter (Samoa) to take advantage of tie Act. Mr London, who represents an Auckland Company doing business there, is getting a Samoan petition signed for annexation to Few Zealand. But as neither Mr London cor any of the petitioners are likely to be “ the Government or constituted authorities ” the petition is not likely to come to anything. There are a number of Europeans ic Samoa who claim about half the land of the Natives. They would, probably, like to sec annexation to a Colony very far off, and not likely to take much interest in the doings of Samoan traders, who would be likely, in consequence, to reign supremo. A resolution of the House of Representatives was also passed daring the session i£rmmg it to be the duty of the Imperial •jcrerament to annex all Pacific islands whose sccaoation by a Foreign Power is likely to be dmzsrons to Australasian interests, andpledg-

a far as a resolution of one Chamber of ti Legislature can pledge any body) the C:L:-ro contribute to the cost in proportion

*uo nutation. In connection with this

inject it may be here mentioned that at the conference to be beld shortly in Melbourne, me representatives from New Zealand will be tb? Premier (Major Atkinson) and Mr VThitaker, cow no longer in office. The remarkable memorandum addressed by the Asents-General to Lord Darby has arrived just in time to give the Conference a good ■wholesome, and fairly complete view of the whole subject. But for that very able document, mutch admired in this Colony, the discussions of the Conference would in all profcibility have been hazy, its conclusions untrustworthy, and its influence of little weight.

In all the*e Colonies public opinion is strongly opposed to the threatened flooding cf tbs Pacific with French convicts and dangerous classes. The recidivitiet Bill lately parsed by the French Chamber of Deputies before the prorogation of the French Parliasent has created a political opinion throughout all Australasia, strong enough to be a factor in annexation policies. Ihe five remaining general Acts of importance are the Bankruptcy Act, which restores to n» the officii! assignee system; the Chattels Securities Act, which will probably (by confining the security under bills of sale to the actual goods mentioned) prevent tracers from being accommodated for trade purposes by bill* of sale; the Land Boards Enquiry Act, which i# expected, and with reason, to mike dummyism under the deferred psyment system of land sales quite nnpoi-ibio ; the Native Lands Act, which mikes it unlawful to traffic in Native lands before the titles have been ascertained in the Lund Court, from which it banishes lawyers ; and the Act which gives the West Coast Peace Preservation Act another year of life. A seventh measure of considerable importance is the Native Committees Act, which gives the Natives, in proclaimed Native districts, a measure of local Government. The residents are to elect Committee* of twelve *-io are to sit as a Court of Arbitration to bear and determine all disputes concerning matters not exceeding £2O in value. " There ate two provisions (that the litigants must agree to abide by the Committee’s decision, aid that the Committee’s decision is final snd irrevocable), and a long list of rules of procedure. The Committees are also charged *!th the duty o! investigating questions resUtig to titles to land, and reporting thereUyon to l ' r ‘ o Native Lands Court. On Native f'" erf , ie Colony is, it will be seen, coming lave sensible views.

- o itically the great event since the proroel l *h ,ttP^ k*® been the retirement j. 1 ° Pr ® nr - ifi r, on account of hie private j on }y consented, at tho time Sir ,1. Ir,T '* e( * to ]'°>n hi* Government, to 6t tlie head of affairs, and Wn ' U ‘ d two ' Ma i or Atkinson has nr, rlf J- Pri T 8r ’ Ur has added the a£“ >.»i t. at oi Sicrel * I 1 Mr Biek “ ,tiu Ooloni.l tg M- n aTld ha * leffc Poßt * ttDd Telegraphs Bouton Wh ° hM CeßMd t 0 be the TJ Pce . K d without portfolio in the Putting ° u,e “ Government are contemplating fcerial l!°T . A ° okUnd man ‘“to the MinisOliver. ” l “ nad P°«ti<»n vacated by Mr pro P‘ tiato Auckland, and right to th a ? d MinUter wiU fl»t * T °id tho A r * b Vacant portfolio, they will °/ diß »PPointingaho.t of ase of Ministerial changes. Fahobfidb 0 !* id K d ° WD by «ot down hv „ wh " harbour were order, “ ,aid fc 7 some o' fi. Government have PK which Ar B 2 d^ oM,, ? nl " ;fto

tunifcy of establishing an armed post In the King country was too good to be missed. The Ngatimoniapoto are said to approve. The account is semi official, however, and therefore not too trustworthy. Things semiofficial are only semi-trustworthy. In this respect they have the advantage of things fully official which are not trustworthy at all.

Old colonists who know the fine history and distinguished services of Major Kemp will bo glad to learn that he and the Satire Minister have had a cordial meeting in the Wanganui country. It is suggestive that after this interview two constables have started up the Wanganui river to execute a warrant against a chief for an offence in connection with the Murimotu land dispute. The Colonial revenue is looking up. After a gloomy four months, the fifth month of the year brought the receipt! within £IO,OOO of the Estimates, and the eixth month we hoar (the figures are not yet published) bee brought the half-year’s receipts quite up to the Estimate. The second six months ere pretty sure to better this considerably. The Bailway revenue has not increased, and the railway expenses have. This is owing to concessions of tariff, and probably to extensive repairing. The figures, however, for five months point to the conclusion that on the Hurunui-Blnff seotion, costing six of the eleven millions spent on the railways, the end of the financial year will tes the interest charges all met out of the net revenue. OtTB NATURAL BE3OUECH3. No definite result has yet been arrived at with respect to diamonds, gold, or oil. The leading diamond companies have had prospectors at work on their ground at Alford Forest for several weeks, but without finding any precious stones. Larger specimens of the so-called cry stale have been unearthed, and a parcel of them has been despatched to England for testing purposes ; but wo do not anticipate any more favourable report than the one received from London a few weeks ago. Two gentlemen, said to have had considerable experience on the Cape diamond fields, have visited Alford Forest, and say that the appearance of the country and the mineral deposits are very similar to what prevail at the Kimberley diamond fields, and consider that there is a very good chance of finding diamonds here. They have suggested a mode of working with the view of thoroughly testing the ground, and havo promised to give their assistance in the undertaking. This looks like business, and there is every prospect of the companies interested raising sufficient capital to give the ground a thoroughly practical examination. We must confess we have no faith in the search proving successful. The state of affairs as affecting gold is somewhat more favourable. Good specimens of the precious metal have undoubtedly been found,-while net a few believe it is merely a question of careful prospecting in order to discover a payable field. Daring the month two companies have been floated with the object, of making a thorough search for gold in the western ranged That the public have more faith in this work than in hunting for diamonds is evidenced by the fact that the share list for the gold prospecting companies filled up very rapidly, while, on the other band, shareholders in some of the diamond companies are clamouring for such companies to bs wound np forthwith. The petroleum excitement received a severs cheek early in last (month. The Southern Cross Co.’s workmen had the misfortune to break their pipes in such a manner as to render further efforts to drive them useless, and it was found necessary to send to America for smaller pipes to put down inside the broken ones. Work has thus been at a standstill for some time on the Southern Cross ground, while the South Pacific Company have not yet succeeded in getting their new machinery into position. Both companies should, however, be at work long before the next mail leaves, and one or other may havo succeeded in solving the problem as to whether petroleum exists in payable quantities. In the meantime it is exceedingly gratifying to know that careful tests of the oil have proved it to be very much superior to the beet samples of the American product. If found in sufficient quantity it will therefore be able to command a certain market at a good figure. In another column will be found particulars of a visit to the oil fields by our special reporter. THB WEATHER AND AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS. The weather has been tolerably fine during the past month, but much colder than usual at this season of the year. Frosts hare been more numerous than desirable, but not severe enough to do any great amount of damage. Grass has made slow progress, and fruit is generally backward; but if we get seasonable weather from this out we shall hare nothing much to grumble at. Just now there is every prospect of oar wishes la this respect being gratified. Since the advent of October the weather has materially improved, brilliant sunshine daring the day ana complete freedom from frosts at night being its leading characteristics. ‘The crops, though rather backward, continue to look well, and stock reports are quite as favourable as could be expected. LAND SALES. We are usable to report any substantial increase of land sales for the past month, as very few transactions have been reported, and we question if many nnraported sales have bsen made of muon magnitude. The most notable purchase of city property was by the Australian Mutual Provident Society, of a portion of town sections 710 and 718, at the junction of Worcester street west with Cathedral square. The land has a frontage to the square of 72ft 7in and 88ft lOin to Worcester street, and has a right-of-way leading from Oxford terrace. Old Canterbury settlers will remember this as part of Dr Barker’s garden. The price paid for it was at the rate of £7BOO per quarter acre. Of country land the leading sale was of about 8600 acres of the Motonau river block, sold for £26,000. SHIPPING. The arrivals daring the month from London are Shaw, Savill and Albion Company’s, Limited. Pleiades, after a moderately good passage of 96 days from port to port; the New Zealand Shipping Company’s grand steamer Doric, from London vifi Auckland and Wellington, her passage ©copying 49 days to the former port; and the New Zealand Shipping Company’s Fenstanton,’which made a very creditable run of 51 days 28 hours to Port Chalmers. The Doric is now on the berth for London, and the Fenstanton is advertised to follow; the former sails on Oct. 5, and the latter some seven or ton days later. These two steamers and the barque Scottish Admiral (Grain Agency Company) represent the available tonnage for' London. Of the vessels duo from London the Waikato, which left that port on June 20, may be signalled at any moment; the next due is the Coromandel, which left London on July 12. Two vessels which left here this season for London are missing ; both were loaded with wheat. The first, the Loch Dee, sailed from Lyttelton on March 8. She has been posted as missing at Lloyd’s, and is given up. The second is the Loch Fyne, also wheat laden; her date of departure from, Lyttelton woe May 14, so there is still a chance that we may hear of hsr arrival off the United J Kingdom.