The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1865.

North Otago Times, 7 September 1865, Page 2

The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1865.

Long looked for come at last ! We subjoin a notification extracted from last week's " Advertising Sheet," to the effect that Tenders are now called for the construction of our much-wanted Jetty. Thus is the Govern-, raent at length brought to regard this most important work in its proper light ; and we have now only to hope that in the same manner in which the 'initiatory steps have been taken will the works themselves be put in progress. Till then, to be sure, no practical result will have been attained ; but we imagine the whole of the Northern district of ,Otago, and the Southern portion of Canterbury, will rejoice at the prospect of this great and absolute want being speedily supplied: —

OATVIARU JETTY. Tenders will be received at the Office of the Secretary for Public Works, until noon of Monday, September 25th, for the construction of a Jetty and other works at Oamaru. Plans and specifications may be seen, and forms of tender obtained, .at the Marine Engineer's Office, Rattray-street, Dunedin. The Government does not undertake to accept the lowest or any Tender.

JFrederick J. Moss, Secretary for Public PPorks. We observe that other works of a public nature are about to be undertaken, such as the completion of the road between Queenstown and the Dunstan, &c This renewed vitality may of course be mainly ascribed to the recent sale of the Provincial Debentures; and it is gratifying to find that the Government now displays a greater desire than heretofore to benefit the country by a judicious and equitable expenditure of the public funds. It cannot but be within the memory of many of our readers that over and over again sums of money have been voted for public works in this district, and as frequently permitted to 'lapse. Any cessation of this pernicious and unfair system will bo hailed as a general boon, and a great point gained in the better management of our Provincial affairs. It is also understood that His Honor the Superintendent purposes making a tour of the Province, that he might be personally and better acquainted with the wants and requirements of the various districts. This is as it should be. His Honor, by so doing, will not only popularize himself, but, what is better and more to the point, he will be in a position to mete out even-handed justice to every district seeking Government aid, and form a personal and intimate knowledge of their every want. It is too well known to every one here that in the past the outlying districts might as well have returned the " man in the moon" as the Superintendent of the Province as a man ignorant of their various necessities. These have been shamefully ignored and neglected ; but a ray of hope is now afforded of a new and better state of things. Should the new Supeiintendent carry out the programme he has sketched out for himself, we have little doubt of the cordial support of the people in his favor when the time arrives that a new Election takes place.

Affecting as it does the entire Colony, we think a bvief summary of the provisions, of the New Militia Bill now before the New Zealand Pai'liament will not be without interest. This new Act, it is proposed, will come into operation on the first day of January next, and all the male inhabitants of these islands between the years of sixteen and fifty-five (who shall have been resident in the Colony for a period of three months) are liable to" be enrolled, with certain exceptions. Young men between the age of sixteen and eighteen years, although liable to be trained as militia-men, will bo exempted from actual service or training. The following persons are exempted from service : — The judges of the Supreme Court; the members of the Executive Council ; the members of the General Assembly; the superintendents of Provinces ; secretaries and under-secre-taries of the Government; the judges of the .Native Land Court or Compensation Court; civil commissioners ; resident magistrates ; justices of the peace ; the clergy and certified ministers of all relisrious denominations ; the professors in any college or university ; the speakers of provincial councils ; the members of provincial councils during session ; all sheriffs and constables ; all wardens and other officers of a proclaimed goldfield; medical practitioners ; the warden*, keepers, and guaHs of the, common gaols and lunatic asylums, and the attendants on the sick in public hospitals; postmasters, mail carriers, and ferrymen; masters of public and common schools actually engaged in teaching ; seafaring men actually engaged in their calling ; all?] volunteers enrolled under auy Volunteer Act for the time being in force within the

colony ; all persons afflicted with lunacy, deafness, blindness, or any other disease or infirmity that may render them unfit for service, such disease or infirmity being duly cei%tified by a medical practitioner appointed by the Governor. The aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand, and all persons holding licenses to mine, or carry on business in any proclaimed goldfield, shall also be exempt from training and service in the New Zealand Militia, called upon within any district by the Government, by special proclamation in the New Zealand " Gazette." The term of actual service is to be one year ; exemptions may be purchased for one year for £20, and substitutes are allowed. The force will be divided into into 3 classes, as follows : — 1st. Unmarried men, and widowers without children, between 1 6 and 40 years of age ; 2nd.- Widowers with children and married men between 16 and 40 years of age; and {Jfd. Men between -40 -uiul 00 yvaio of a°"e. The Commander-in-Chief shall cause the whole of the first-class to be trained as a military force, but no militia-man is to be in' actual training for more than 168 hours, or on more than twenty-four days in any one year. The training of the other too classes will be optional with the Governor, who may call out the whole or any part of the force in any district for actual service, and release them when he thinks fit. A first-class militiaman is to be liable to march fifty miles on service, and a second-class man five miles from the head quarters of the regiment. The Act also enters into detail as to the enrolment of the militia, courts martial, appointment of officers and staff, places of rendezvous, reports on efficiency, &c. The above outline, however, will perhaps be sufficient for the present. We have often wondered why Oamaru has been such a laggard in reference to the Volunteer movement, but it is to be hoped her citizens will evince a preference to it still, rather th'in embrace the new plan to make soldiers of us all. - The Volunteer system is really becoming one of our institutions, and it is by no means flattering to the Northern district of Otago to find the patriotic spark not even smouldering — but absolutely dead. Some time ago an effort was made to cast off this stigma, but the life in the movement flickered for a moment only and fled. Will any one make another attempt ?

We make the following extroct from the columns of a Dunedin contemporary, respecting the proposal to establish steam communication between the various ports of the Province. We cannot vouch for the authenticity of the statements contained in it, but, as the subject is one of interest and importance, we give it as it appears : — " We are glad to notice that an attempt is being made to establish by private enterprise a chain of steam communication between Dunedin and various pi*ovincial ports. It is proposed to establish a Company, under the title of the Dunedin, Oamaru, and Moiyneux Steam Shipping Company, with a capital of £l 6,000, in shares of £100 each. It is intended to purchase two coastal steamers (of which the Geelong will probably bo one), and to replace the Tuapeka on the Molyneux. The coastal steamers would each make a weekly voyage between Molynenx and Oamaru, calling at Waikouaiti, and thus afford the advantages of a regular and reliable service. It is presumed that the Government will consent to renew the subsidy to the Tuapeka, and also extend the subsidy at pi*esent paid for coastal steam communication. This undertaking is exactly one of those enterprises which can be with confidence recommended to the support of the public • its objects are sound and practicable, and will tend materially to benefit the interests of the Province. As a great proportion of the capital is already subscribed, the success of the scheme under proper management is .certain, and it is to be hoped the requisite number of shares "will be soon subscribed for."