THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES

New Zealander, Volume 13, Issue 1133, 25 February 1857, Page 3

THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES

WELLINGTON. A recent number of the Spectator lias the following gratifying paragraph in reference to Sir George Grey : the following paragraph from the Grahom's Town Journal will no douht be read with peculiar interest by the inhabitants of this Province. Jlis Kxcellency Sir George (irev.it will be seen, is the guide and parent of (he Kalir as he was :but of the aboriginal native oi New Zealand; chungp of position and circumstances aliei.-no; his feelings towards his fellow-men, savage or eJAilized. lit Fitzgerald is still the same kind and attentive physician; bo is one of those rare individuals eminently fitted as a medical man to enter into the sympathies of a native race emerging from barbarism, and thereby to gain their confidence and esteem as be he had done for so many years while practising among the nb >ri«ines of these islands :

Kino Wii.iiam's Town.— Preparations are being made m King Williams's Town lor the erection ol an extensive Hospital fur the use Oi th-natives—-who have new ureal confidence in Dr. Fizgerald, the medical gentleman stjtioned thereby Sir George (irey. But hi- uniform kindness ami attention to them he Ins gained their confidence am! esteem. He is the'right man in the right place.' Up to the end ol last month he had some eleven hundred patients —many of them requiring severe treatimtr. One old Kafir who bad been blind eleven years, hail his sight restored, and was so delighted that bee died upon the Governor when there to thank bun for sen the Doctor to administer to them. Ills Excellency informed the man that lie must thank the Queen, who bid done all this for !,ii i. The Kalir hi~ accordingly written a letter to lier Majesty in his own stvL and language. Ii is thought that the success attending the efforts ol Dr Fitzgerald v. oil do much towards removing the abominable practice ol witchcraft. Graham's Town Journal, July ii.

l'Y.Ai iikkmo.v TowNsmr. —The sale of tin's Township w,,s very poorly attended, us the bulk of those presew were evidently drawn mere by curiosity than from motives of speculation. Only two lots, both m the town, were taken at the auction but alter its close town and suburban sections were tahen at upset prices in the amount of £b'M, of which £1 >7 was paid in cash ; £Boli was remission claimed by an ex-military ftfficer, £l5O was covered by the credit allowed to 'dr. Hurling by agreement with the Government in satisfaction of llis homestead claims—and £'t7 in scrip, being 20 per cent, under the Restriction Act on some of the purchases. The limited character of the Sale mav he attributed [tartly to there being little demand fin- land at present, and partly to ike upset pi ice at which the township was put up. We have little doubt, however, that as the qualities of the land offered and the advantages of the ideality become better known, much if not all of it will be taken at tne upset price.— Independent. Tiik li.Yrn Rm;imi vr—On Monday I st, the annual general inspection uf the o*.">th liegt. took place on IV Aro Flat, before Colonel Wynyard, C. 8., the officer commanding the Forces in New Zealand. The gallant Colonel, who arrived from the north in the Zinguri, was received by a general salu'C, and tested the efficiency of the troops in a variety of evolutions. The soldier like appearance of the men, and the celerity and precision with which they performed their niilitary evolutions, reflected credit alike on officers and privates, and seemed 10 afford especial pleasure to the Commander of the Forres. After the inspection of the troops had taken place, Colonel Wvnyard visited the Barracks, Ordnance Stores, Ac, which were also found to he in a thoroughly efficient condition. The day was extremely fine, and the whole affair was rendered the more pleasant to he spectators (among whom were ~my la.lies) by the performance of the band, which* always good, was more than usual'y so on this ocoa* sion. Colonel Wynyard was attended by the staff o 1 the Southern Division, consisting of Col. McCleverty (commanding the Southern Divison) Brigade Major Coot.', Staff Sing, oil Prendergast, Capt. Chesney, 11. E , 1). A. 0. G. Adams, and 1). 0. S. Hamley. We regret to learn that Col. Wynyard'H stay will be limited to a few days, his intention being to return by the steamer on her next trip.— lndependent, January '.'■>. N E L SON. The Provincial Council mm on the l°<J(h January. The superintendent's speech alludes to the little ne-res-uty which exi-is lor further legislation —laments the heavy price they hav- to pay for the transfer of tinwaste lands interest, cost of surveys* 6cc. amounting to £6OOO per Minium ; promisee, to unite with the Council in obtaining a more equitable proporion of the fmr-dr-n imposed iiv In* company's debt, if that settled in the General Assembly should lie considered unjust,— Recalls the English Immigration Agent on the shortest legal notice, and proposes for the present, to aid only the immigration of the friends of colonists —urge the hu: vey of some reserves lell uncomplete by Mr McLcan ns likely, il longer iiegleoed, to lead to disagreements wit'it lie natives; in lor ms them that Ills Excellency has been solicited to take immediate steps lor the administration O 'justice in eonsequsnee of the ill health of I be Judge i, I the Supreme Court, drawn further auen'ion to the Klucaiiaii Act with a view to it» revision, ill).I also to the [loads Ai t, the pieseni one being lound inadequate to ilie produ Ho ol the necessary itiu.ls ; desires to iiltit tliH wast 1 lands regulations " so as to ifford faciliti'-s t,. tho.-e who may not find profitable employment l.\ working lor hire, or who mav be desirous of attaching themselves permanently lothe mterersts of the province, to acquire small allotments of land, and permitting payment :o I e made by instalment ß ,ivr a series of years," and also to reconsider the deM'alnlit} of disallowing grants i" military and naval officers; suggegts a compensation Commission for en- ■ I ii ring into injuries sustai I In early Settlers through nnii fulfilment of the New Zeal mil Company's engagemeals ; and proposes 'o introduce Certain reductions in the Estimate*. The leply was agreed to without a division. () T AGO. The anival of the " Mariner" has put our mer chants and storekeepers in possession of goods which have lor >o.e time past been in demand The method of laying on shipping for New Zealand has hern » constant cause of complaint, and it is singular that a house with the experience which Messrs. Willis have had should not see the necessity of accommodating their business to the necessities of the community, and avoid the practice of shipping small quantities of merchandize for almost eery part of

New Zealand, instead of sending vessels direct to each poit, or to two ports at most. Here have been KUintnei goods lying in New Zealand for months, when, had they reached their proper destination, they might have been disposed of. We hear constant complaints of summer goods arriving in autumn, and winter goods delivered in the spring, besides the expense and inconenience to passengers in being carried from port to port. This might easily be obviated : each of the Provinces is large enough for direct shipments, and we scarcely ever hear of the trrival of a vessel from home without some one cont'd lining that a part of Ins goods have been left behind, to be sent by the next opportunity. With the competition which is taking place in the New Zealand shipping trade, it would be w 11 for .Messrs. Willis and Co, to look to their own as well as OUlinterest in the matter. — Otago Witness, Jan. 17, Melancholy Occurrence. —We have to record the melancholy death bv drowning, on the 3rd instant, of Henry Lawson, Esq. and his shepherd, Henry M'Lean The melancholy event occurred at Otakaroa, a creek running from the Waitaki river. The above gentlemen, who had only within the la>t three weeks become a resident in the locality, was engaged in sheep-washing, when the shepherd, in trying to rescue some sheep, got into a deep hole, Ah-. Lawson immediately swam to his rescue, when both sank to rise no more The bodies were recovered within three hours afterwards Although the prompt medical aid of Dr. Rayner was immediately procured, life was of course extinct. This e.ent ins east a gloom over all in the locality, and though Mr. Lawson had so lately bee -me a resident there, he was generally beloved — lbid.

How THEY START A. NEW SeTTLKR IN THE Taieri.—On Wednesday and Thursday last, the East Taieri Settlers assembled at the North side of the East Ta>eri, with ploughs and teams, to give a start to Mr. Charles Todd, who has just located himself in that part of the district. Wednesday being wet, only four ploughs came to the ground, but on I hursday there were nine ploughs at work at the same time, presenting a Very animated scene. Messrs Gibson, Culling, J. Todd, Robinson. Gow, Oughton, Stevenson, Marshall, M'Gregor, A. Todd, Aikin, and ('. Todd, each assisted in this piece of good fellowship Mr. Robinson gave two days, and Mr. Oughton had two ploughs at work for one day j and by their united efforts about ten acres of new land were tinned over. Mr. ('. Todd had long been a resident With his fathe. in the East Taieti, and deservedly enjoy* ihe esteem of his neighbours, who, we think, could not have conceived a more gracelul and appropriate method of testifying their respect tor him than by thus giving him a hand at starting. Tins is, however, not the first time th.li' the East Taieri settlers have acted i.i this way. Such occasions are produciite of social iniercouse ami hy the foundation of friendly feelings, which do much credit to the settlers in this district, and afford examples well worthy of imitation by other districts.— lbid.