The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1865.

North Otago Times, Volume IV, Issue 63, 4 May 1865, Page 2

The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1865.

A correspondence lately took place between the Hon. Mr Weld and the Superintendent of Auckland, respecting the immigrants who have lately arrived in that Province, pursuant to the arrangements which had previously been made. The promises made by the late Government were : — That they would find the immigrants in employment for six months ; and should there be no employment for an immigrant in the vicinity of his own land, he would be permitted to reside elsewhere in the Province within which his land was situated — these being part of the actual published conditions of immigration. Upon the strength of these promises, a number of immigrants have arrived in the Province of Auckland, and now it is announced in the correspondence referred to, that the Provincial Government of Auckland having undertaken the agency of settling the people as they arrive, Mr Weld now intimates that, after the expiration of the month of April, it will not be possible for him to find them employment; and he proposes to remedy the hardship they will suffer by issuing Crown Grants at once. To this the Superintendent objects that it would be throwing up the whole advantages to be hoped for from the scheme — that the settlers would sell out and leave one by one, and the confiscated districts would remain unoccupied as before. He concludes by resigning the agency, and requesting the Government to take immediate measures for carrying on the business. The subject is a very important one, involving not only the question of introducing settlers into the Auckland Province, but that of the future peaceful or warlike state of the Waikato country. The " Nelson Examiner" says that the previous

Government absolutely pledged itself to the course pursued : — " In the instructions by " Mr Whitakee to Mr Wood on his de- " parture for England, there is this unhappy " statement — ' There will be no lack of em- " ployment, as public works on a considerable " scale will be undertaken in the districts in " which settlers ai'e located ; and until work " is available in the ordinary course of " country industrial occupations, the surplus " labor of the districts will be employed on " such works.' And this sweeping promise " or prophecy is repeated ipsissimis verbis by " Mr Wood. To this Mr Weld's only an- " swer can be, * We have not the means ;' " for only absolute inability would induce " him to fall back from, and nothing whatever " would make him repudiate, responsibility " for an authoritative statement like this, " however loose, and however ill-provided for " by his predecessors who made it." There, then, is a dead lock in the splendid immigration scheme which was so much relied on, and which in its theoretical form has actually succeeded in drawing a number of men to the shores of Auckland. This difficulty is doubly to be deplored, because, when the news is carried to the home country, it discourages immigration generally. As for the argument urged, that the consequence of giving Crown Grants at once to the immigrants would be, that they would sell their land and " dribble away," leaving the country unsettled as before, it does not strike us as a valid one. It would be made a condition of the grant that the grantee should occupy and cultivate the land, and failing his doing so he would forfeit his right ; on no other condition would any Government give land away. It is maintained by not a few that the only way in which New Zealand will be peopled and settled will be by following some such course. While Provincial Governments pursue the course of selling all the land at so much per acre, the land will continue to go for the most part into the hands of capitalists, comparatively few in number, and thus the country will remain thinly populated. If this Colony is to be looked upon as the " poor man's country," which it has been called, it will only be by setting apart moderate sections of rural land, to be granted to men of the class of agricultural laborers, or the small farmers of the old country, without payment of any price, on conditions to occupy and cultivate, and without power to sell until after the lapse of a considerable period. It will never do for our Provincial Government to take their chance of the immigrants whom they invite and encourage to come to the shores of Otago taking to any employment that may turn up on their arrival. Coming to a gold country, the majority will rush to the gold-fields here or elsewhere ; and even those who turn to agricultural pursuits, after casting about for some time and finding work, may ultimately choose rather to settle in any neighboring Province than iu this one. The Province is in a very unsatisfactory condition, principally through the want of some well-devised plan of settling immigrants in it. For this purpose, it must afford encouragement to the class indicated by giving away a portion of the land to selected parties. The importance of a numerous population to a new Colony, is an axiom; and the evils arising from the departure of a considerable number on any sudden impulse, such as the rush to the West Coast, prove their value. It is much to be regretted, therefore, that the scheme which was so much approved of, for settling the confiscated lands in the Auckland Province, should show signs of failure ; and it is equally to be regretted that no likely scheme can be devised for attracting immigrants in large numbers to this and the other Provinces.

The public meeting held on the 28th ult., was not only a large one but most quiet and orderly ; the people met for the transaction of important business, and they showed that they were thoroughly in earnest. The object was to appoint a deputation to proceed to Dunedin for the purpose of representing to the present Provincial Executive the interests and rights of this town and district, in reference to the erection of a Jetty. The Provincial Council, six months since, passed votes of supply fur the commencement of the Jetty, and for other necessary improvements. Shortly thereafter there was a scarcity of public money, and these works were delayed. Not very long since, however, a small deputation from the district made a proposal which obviated the difficulty, and the Executive agreed to go on with the erection of the Jetty, and were about to do so when they went out of office. Now, however, it is necessary to ascertain the views of the new Ministry in regard to this matter, and for this purpose the present deputation, at their own cost, have volunteered to make a long journey, in stormy weather, in. order to apply to the Government for a measure of justice. It is " an oft-told tale" that the district has been neglected, that it has been hardly treated, that it has been unjustly dealt with. The revenues from its land, to the amount of upwards of £120,000, have been received into the Provincial exchequer, and have gone to improve Dunedin and the interior of the Province, while, She district itself has received nothing; and the Government in this has

been blind equally to its own or the public interests as to those of the particular locality, for it is well known that, with the aid of a Jetty, the land still remaining for sale would be greatly enhanced in value. But we hold that, in common honesty and honor, the Executive is bound to proceed. The sums have been voted by the Council, and the work had been almost begun by the late Executiye. It is therefore, we consider, almost a certainty that we shall soon see the commencement of the work so long looked for. Laboring under depression of no ordinary kind, arising from whatsoever sources it may, it is but little for the people of this district to ask the Government to expend such a small sum as £7000 on the erection of a Jetty, which they feel confident would not only materially assist them, but benefit the Province generally ; and it is not creditable to the Provincial Government to continue drawing such large sums from the sale of lands in any portion of the Province, and not give to that portion what it is justly entitled to, for works essential to its prosperity and progress. We really trust, therefore, that the present disagreeable agitation will soon cease.

It is upwards of four months since the first meeting was held here for the formation of an Athensoura or Mechanics' Institute. Since then a good many meetings have taken place ; the last one was on the 25th April, and another is to be held this evening. Although the progress has been slow, great exertions have been made of late for its promotion. It is quite true that this is not a good time to raise money, but the amount required from each individual is not considerable, and much good is likely to arise. The public is quite convinced that such an Institute is required ; and although it is perfectly well known that, had the times been more favorable, the small sums requisite would have been paid down without hesitation, delay, or difficulty, and the Institute would by this time have been in working order, yet, as it is almost a necessary, and one which has been already procured by almost every other town in the Colony, many of them of smaller size than Oamaru, it is only decent and respectable, and showing that we can keep our own place, that we should not go back upon it, but carry it through. There is a great necessity for a joint-SLock association for the supply of books, newspapers, and periodicals — that being an economical method of obtaining them. Books, when owned by a number in common, and when read returned to the library, cost little. As for books of reference, they are scarcely obtainable at all by the large majority of the community, yet it is exceedingly valuable to have a library where one can go for the purpose of consulting them. It is impossible for the bulk of the public here to keep themselves alive to the current literature of the day if left to their own resources ; but when an association undertakes it, it is comparatively easy. From the proceedings of the last meeting, it will be seen that considerable progress has been made in the collection of donations as well as subscriptions, and a start has been effected which, if followed up, will probably insure a success ; one effort more and it is begun, and when begun will gradually increase, and its value will be more highly appreciated every day. One word to those who put their namas down, meaning to give and do not pay up, when it is required that their subscriptions should be made available for the purposes in view. It is only a slight disappointment when a person declines to subscribe, but a serious injury is done when a promise is made and payment is refused, for this cripples instead of promoting the object. We would eai'nestly appeal to subscribers to pay up, and to those who can contribute in the shape of donations, to do so promptly — " Bis dat, qui cito dat." The meeting to be held this eyening, at 7 p.m., in the Court-house, to consider the plans and estimates so generously given by Mr Armson, will, it is hoped, be numerously attended.

The steamer Omeo, arrived at Port Chalmers on Tuesday, from Melbourne, via Hokitika, Nelson, and Lyttelton, -with 225 passengeis and general cargo— but still no English Mail has arrived ; it is now expected by the Albion about this date (4th). The Gothenburg arrived the same day from Hokitika, with HO passengers, evidencing that the backward rush continues. There is little of importance to add to the nows from the West Coast received by tho previous mail. In addition to the 10,000 oz. gold shipped per Omeo, 3200 have been despatched to Nelson per Maid of the Yarra, from the Union Bank. No fuvther Escort has arrived, but the news from the Gold Fields, upon the whole, continues favorable. Sevei-al new rushes have taken placo during tho week, the principal being towards tho South, to tho river Totara and neighborhood. In the Township, matters appear to bo finding their level, and are more settled. We bog to refer our readers to an advertisement announcing the consecration and installation of officers of the "Waitaki Lodgo of Freemasons to-morrow (Friday), 5th May, at 7 p.m. sharp, it the Masonic Rooms, Thames-street. The rooms, which are commodious, are handsomely fitted up for Masonic meetings. On this occasion several gentlemen are expected from Duneclin to join in the ceremony. Tho adjourned public meeting in furtherance of tho Mechanics' Institute, is to bo held in the Court House, this evening, at 7 o'clock, when Mr Armson will present plans and specifications of a suitable building. As intimated last week, Miss Aitken'8 first performance will take place here in the Assembly Room, Baker's Hotel, on Saturday first, at 7 o'clock ; and the second on Monday first, at same hour. Programmes have been issued. We beg to call the attention of our readers to an advertisement in our present issue, urgently calling on subscribers in arrear to the Schoolfund to pay up their subscriptiona ; which they should do without delay. We are glad to observe that the slight misunderstanding which there was with Miss Hay, tho female teacher, is now at an end. The expectation that the appointment of an efficient female teacher would benefit the school and increase tho number of scholat's, has not been disappointed ; and parents would do well to send their children to school, for they may be assured that the system now established is calculated to provide an excellent education. We learn from the " Daily Times" of yesterday that the floods of Sunday last have caused serious damage in Dunedin and neighborhood aad Port Chalmers ; a number of cottages and shanties, lying low, had been abandoned. Although the streets of Dunedin have often been in a bad state after rain, it is stated that they are now covered with slush to an almost unprecedented extent. Moreover, yesterday morning the rain again began to fall.

The deputation appointed by the public meeting held on 28th April to proceed to Dunedin and urge the Government to action in regard to a jetty, left by Cobb's Coach on Tuesday morning. We learn that a considerable Bum has been derived from the sale of land in this district since the former deputation waited on the Government, and it is probable that considerable quantities of land have been sold which have not yet appeared in the Gazette, so that the rough calculation of L120,000 obtained from lands in this locality, indicated in our leading column, may have been greatly exceeded by this time. There can, therefore, be no delay for want of funds. Mr Boyd's lecture on Astronomy is to be delivered in the district Bchool-house this evening, at 7 o'clock. During the latter part of last week tho weather looked unusually gloomy and threatening, and on Saturday night a heavy gale set in from tho south-west ; during Sunday it was at its height, and a more severe galo has not been experienced here for some time, the wind being very high, with torrents of lain, which continued to fall incessantly for about 40 hours. On Monday it began to clear up, and on Tuesday the weather was again fine, but yesterday evening tho rain began to fall. "We havo received a copy of Messrs Harnett and Co.'s Dunedin Directory, January, 1865. In this handsome volume the publishers have added to tho usual information directories of Picton, Blenheim, and Havelock, also maps of these townships and maps of Dunedin and Invercargill; and, notwithstanding these additions, no increase lias beon made in the price. The advertisements are also well displayed. The present Executive, short as their tenure of office has beon, were very nearly turned out last week on a motion by Mr Vogol that it is not desirable that there should be more than four members (with a view to retrenchment). Tho Provincial Secretary stated that the Ministry proposed would be insufficient, and that they would either all remain in or all go out. The motion was negatived by the narrow majority of four in a house of twenty-eight, there being twelve for and sixteen against it. The Commissioners have determined to keep the Exhibition open another week, to enable the Jurors to complete their awards. In tho Provincial Council on 25th April, the following important motion was carried : — " That inasmuch as unnecessary inconvenience and delay are involved in the existing system of issuing Crown Titles to land, in consequence of tho documents requiring to bo sent out of the Province to be completed, a respectful address be tiansmitted to his Excellency the Governor, requesting that he may be pleased forthwith to extend to tho Province of Otago tho provisions of the Crown Grant Act, 1862, passed by the General Assembly of New Zealand." A motion was made on the 25th ult., by Mr Vogel, seconded by Mr John Cargill, " That it is the opinion of the Council a large reward should be offered for the conviction of the man who committed the murder at Miller's Flat." This after somo debate was carried by a majority 16 to 10. Mr Vogel in his speech suggested £2,000; after the division some conversation took place, when he named £500. After such a lapse of time it appears a farce to offer a reward, and it is beyond all precedent. "We have perused a departmental report of the Survey Department, laid, before the Provincial Council last session, being the annual .return by Mr Thomson, Chief Surveyor, of the work executed by tho staff surveyors ; by which it appears that 779 square miles of minor triangulation had been completed, at a cost of £3539 ; also, 191,981 acres of rural sections, at a cost of £9547; and 811 allotments of town sections had been surveyed and marked on tho ground at a cost of £508 ; in addition to which the geodesical survey had so far progressed, that true bearings had been carried to, and fixed over the greater part of the Northern and Southern districts. In reviewing the work of tho various officers it is stated " inter alia," in reference to this district, that Mr Thornley, by his zealous exertions, with the aid of a good band of intelligent assistants, has surveyed and marked out no Ie3sjthan 48,331 acres, at a cost of 6d. per acre, while other officers, such as Messrs Gregor, Macfarlane, Prentice and Mackenzie, with not such favourable ground|nor such large parties, havo averaged between 20,060 and 30,000 acres each. On referring to tho table of the return of the work, we find that the cost per acre of surveying rural sections varies from 2s. hi to 6d (Mr Thornley's average) which is the lowest, the next lowest being 7.jd (Messrs Prentice and Mackenzie). The " Wakatip Mail" has the following :— " One day last week, Constable Fleming, of Arthur's Point, succeeded in arresting a man named Con. Murphy, alias Conroy, alias Ginger. It is stated that this distinguished individual has been pursuing his avocations upon the ' grand tour 1 pi-inciple. He started on his trip, it is supposed, from the Dunstan district, where he succeeded in cutting into several stores. Tho place becoming too warm for him, he was next heard of at the Arrow, and then at the Twelvemile, as surmised by our Arrow correspondent in his letter of the 11th. Not being very successful there he next ' tried it on' at Frankton, and got into Mr Chapman's hotel, but only succeeded in obtaining two sixpences, one of which, found on the prisoner, can, it is said, be identified. Disgustod, probably, at finding so little cash, tho accused loaded himself with somo of the good things of this life, and started for the Shotover. On "Wedenesday morning a miner informed Constablo Fleming, in charge at Artlmr's*Point, that a stranger had broken into the Pack-horse Hotel, recently in occupation of Mr J. B. Netherwood, and now vacant. The Constable having a suspicion that this was tho very man ' wanted,' invited the miner — Henley — to go with him. Upon reaching the place the bird had flown ; but after a chase of five miles the prisoner, who was walking very fast, was overtaken and arrested, answering to the name of Murphy at first, and then denying it. Great credit is due to tho constable for cutting short the career of this notorious character. Tho conduct of Henley in assisting Constable Fleming also deserves to be noticed." The Waimate corsespondent of the " Timaru Herald" gives an account of two fires which hayo occurred in that district : — " We had a fire last week, and another this ; tho first took place at the out-station of Messrs Studholmo, on the River Hook, and resulted in tho destruction of the woolshed, and a quantity of hay — the produce of ten acres. It is thought that the fire waa caused by the carelessness of somo swagmen, who slept in the woolshed on the preceding night, as it was first seen soon after they left the place. One of them may havo dropped the lighted ashes of his pipe. The carelessness of some smokers becomes almost criminal in such cases. The other, and more disastrous one, occurred on Tuesday morning, at Proctor's Accommodation House, the Waihoa Inn. Tho whole was burnt to the ground, and tho loss is estimated at L600. The fire in this case is supposed to have arisen from mice nibbling lucifer matches." A ploughing match waa held at Half-way Bush on 28fch April, for the purpose of trying and testing some of the ploughs shown at the Exhibition. Tho "Daily Times" states that :— " Of the five ploughs tested, the Perthshire swing plough of Barrowman, appeared to present the greatest advantages, although those of Keatly of Canterbury, and of Solar and Sons of Huntly, were far superior to the ploughs in general use, both in ease of draught, and the efficientness of the work. A <second match is to be held in a few days, at which all the ploughs exhibited are to be tried." The "Daily Times" says: — Au excellent quarry of building stone, recently discovered in the Port Chalmers recreation ground, is now being regularly wrought. Some portion of the streets in the Port have been kerbed with stone obtained therefrom, and the massive blocks of which the basement of the Duncdin Post Office is being built, are taken from the same place. Another public building, the lighthouse at Dog Island, has been partially constructed of the same material.

We quote the following, the concluding paragragh of - a letter addressed to the " Daily Times ", on the subject of " Convict Labor at Oamaru," subscribed " One who signed tho Memorial :" — " It ouly remains for me to dispose of the objection, that a number of criminals under sentence being brought into the district, are likely to remain there when their period of service has expired. With all due respect to ' Antidote' let me suppose for an instant that he himself haiipencd to be placed in such a position, does he think he would long remain near tho scene of his degradation and^servitude, under the surveillance of the police, to whom every feature and lino of his face would bo known ? Does ho think that ho would even go into the adjoining district ? I believe, on the contrary, that he would get as far away as ho possibly could to somo place where he, not being Icnown, would have a chance of being trusted. But even wero it not so, the same objection would have as much force with respect to every other place in the Province, and if cai*ried to its logitimato conclusion, our criminals would have either to be confined for life, liberated at once, or hustled into the sea." On Tuesday evening, tho usual monthly meeting of the Building Society took place, when tho monthly subscriptions were paid in, and five shares or portions of cash disposed of at £11 each — a very great reduction from tho previous price, and tho more to be wondered at, because the value of them is increasing monthly. It is stated that a severe gale visited Dunedin on Friday last, thus vorifying Saxby's prediction of stormy weather on that clay. Tho city was deprived of gas that night in consequence of an accident caused by the storm. It is described by Mr Hutchison, Engineer of the gas works : — "During a fearful hurricano, at half-£ast four this afternoon, the iron bolts which securo tho guides to the gasholder broke away, causing the gasholder to lurch on its side, and tearing a hole in one of the side plates of the gasholder, by which tho whole contents of gas escaped in a few minutes." The supply of gas was also wanting on 29th and 30th. Tho Provincial Council had a discussion as to ordering candles and ginger-beer bottles, a3 last season, or lamps, and decided on tho latter. Wo learn that tho same sort of weather prevailed in town on Sunday as in this locality ; and so heavy was the rain that in Rattray and Maclaggan-stroets the water flowed over the whole surface — in somo places six inches deep — and threatened serious damage by flooding. Maclaggaustreet was covered with soil several inches deep. Mr Miller, the City Engineer, set a number of men to clear the drains and channels. In tills quarter of the country, we have heard of no damage, although the fall of rain was certainly the heaviest and most continuous which has occurred for a long period. It caused somo surprise when Cobb"s coach arrived on Monday night up to timo. An advertisement appears in our paper from Mr John Hartley, offering for sale 5600 blue gum and other forest troes, which deserves notice, being, so far as we aro aware, tho first of the kind which has appeared in this district. We aro so destitute of trees in this district that one who gives his attention to raising plants for salo is deserving of commendation, and conferring a henofit on the community. Tho " Lyttolton Chroniclo " of tho 24th April itatos, that there is very good ground for bolioving that before many months have elapsod, Lyttolton will bo in possession of an adequate water supply. Also, that tenders are called for for street lamps. On tho latter subject tho same paper has the following" light literary" paragraph : — "As is well known, no portion of Lyttelton is too bril liantly illuminated at night timo, and wharves are no exception to tho general rule. On Thursday last, when the Geelong was coming to Peacock's wharf, tho night being dark, it was rather a ticklish matter to get alongside in safety by the dim twinkle of tho solitary lamp. In order to assist proceedings, several persons lit matches, which, if possible, made matters worse by just rondoring darkness visible. In this dilemma our representative, who had, as usual on the arrival of a steamer, taken down a file of papers with him, turned them to a novel but useful account by screwing up, lighting thorn, and using them as torches. By this means (by tho light of tho Chronicle, as a wag observed), Captain Turnbull was able to berth the Geelong all right, and a burning illustration of journalism was afforded." The "Southern Cross" states, that H.M. steamer Esk, with tho Governor onboard, sailed from Wellington on 8th April, and after visiting Napier, where his Excellency met the natives, reached Auckland, after a stormy passage on lGth. The " Evening Mail" has tho following as to the West Coast road : — "Mr Dobson, sen., returned to town last ovening, having loft throe large parties fully employed on the route by Arthur's Pass, which he hns succeeded in so far opening as to allow of foot passongers gotting through ; he hopes by tho end of May to have a bridlo track completed, fit for packing or escort purposes. This route, with slight modifications, will, at some future date, bo available for drays." It is stated that Dr Featherstone reports favorably of the disposition of tho Government and leading men of Sydney to support tho Pa'nama line, and that Queensland also is likely to join in tho contract. This is satisfactory, as it will lessen the cost of tho sorvico to this Colony, and at the same time probably increase its efficiency by necessitating a greater speed. The Medical Practitioners' Ordinanco Amendment Bill was passed on 25th April. A motion by Mr Brodio to re-commit it in order to move that tho registration fee be reduced from L5 to LI, was negatived.