PROVINCIAL.

North Otago Times, Volume IV, Issue 56, 16 March 1865, Page 1 (Supplement)

PROVINCIAL.

This Province, not unmindful of its own experience a few years back, sympathises in the great i'ush which has taken place to the new gold-fields discovered on the west coast of Canterbury. We fear that this rush will take away a number of the Otago population who can ill be spared, and will aggravate the depression under which the Province is laboring. A large number of vessels have already left with passengers from Dunedin, and mnny more are to follow. We refer more particularly to this subject in another part of the paper. One of the chief topics of discussion at the time of our last Summary, was the opening of the New Zealand Exhibition at Dunedin, regarding which only anticipations could be indulged in, the opening day having been fixed for 12th January, which was the date of our publication. The Exhibition was opened indeed, as had been announced, but without the presence of His Excellency the Governor, who was detained in the Province of Auckland. A commission, however, had been forwarded ; and the opening ceremony took place in due form, conducted by Ilis Honor the Superintendent of the Province. As full preparations had been made for Sir George Grey's reception both in Otago and Canterbury, much disappointment was naturally felt and loudly expressed too on the occasion. The Exhibition, although' certainly not a decided success at first, in consequence of a large number of exhibits not having arrived jn due time, is now filled up, and is proving popularly attractive. It will no doubt realise many of the expectations formed of it, and be the means of promoting the progress and improvement of the Colony. In connection with the Exhibition, an important show of live stock took place, which was probably as attractive for the time as the Exhibition itself. The show of sheep was pronounced by eminent judges to be most creditable for a new country ; and an idea may be formed of the superiority of some of the breeds exhibited, from the fact that, at the sale which followed, rams were sold for £400 the pen of three ; and a pen of three ewes were bought in at £100. One prevailing subject in Dunedin at present, is the frequent occurrence of extensive fires. Within the last two months, no fewer than five destructive fires have occurred there, always at night, in most cases without any clearly ascertained cause, and in every instance occasioning much destruction of property. In two instances the fires were in Princes-street ; in the latter of these cases it originated in the Octagon, and spread to Princes-street, consuming three hotels and ten d^welling-houses, offices and shops besides ; and, strange to say, it closely adjoined the site of the preceding one, which occurred about a fortnight previously. It also broke out about the same hour, 2 a.m. ; this was on the 8th proximo. The amount of losses sustained by the various Insurance Companies and by individuals through these repeated conflagrations, has been very great; and their frequency has created, most naturally, feelings of much alarm and suspicion. It is to be regretted that in one instance the loss of a life has been involved. All the towns in the colony are more or less composed of wooden houses, which undoubtedly expose them to great risks; but the recurrence of fires in Dunedin during the last twelve months — from the time of the great fire in Stafford-street down to the presentrrhas been quite unprecedented. The latest fire was on the 6th instant, and was of very limited extent compared with previous ones. The Water Supply Company, it is understood, are making preparations to carry out their undertaking ; but, while this is being done, many of the most important and valuable buildings iu the place are being burned, notwithstanding the gallant exertions of the indefatigable Fire Brigades. The Census returns of the Colony for the three years ending December last, have been taken. Although the present condition of the Province cannot be looked upon as very prosperous, a comparison of these returns with those of the three preceding years, gives proof of great material progress, and room, for hope for the future. Station properties continue to command good prices, and the wool sales, which are generally held at this season, have given satisfaction both to buyers and sellers. ' The season has been very favorable to the growth of crops of all kinds, and an excellent harvest has been reaped. In spite of domestic calamities, there is considerable political agitation. A change of the Provincial Ministry is rumored, and a Separation League has a second time been formed, to endeavor to separate the Middle -Island from the Northern—not a very hopeful project, but rather one of those remedies which may well be classed under the head desperate. .Those, however, who' advocate th? measure^ are few in number. Several demonstrations have been held in the theatre on the subject, termed Separation meetings, at which the weight of argument has always been against the measure ; and as there is no prospect of the concurrence of the other Provinces of the Middle Island being obtained, we fully expect to see the agitation expire, as a previous one did, for want of fuel. It is announced that the next meeting of the Provincial Government of Otago is to commence on Wednesday, the ,12th April, proximo. The quarterly criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, lately held in Dunedin, showed, fewer cases than usual, but crimes of greater magnitude. There were two, charges of murder, and a number of somewhat serious offences against property and persons. One of the charges of murder resulted in a verdict of manslaughter; the the other — that against A. W. Jarvey, formerly a a ship captain, for poisoning his wife— the particulars are reported in' another column. We regret to say that the Province, and especially Dunedin, is suffering under a state of commercially depression, and numerous failures have taken place of late.