OTAGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 330, 2 December 1864, Page 6

OTAGO.

[FROM OUR OWN CQRRESPOITDENT.] Dunedin, November 19TirE Provincial Council was prorogued on Saturday Inst, until the sth of April, 18fi5. The public out of "loora have burst into a perfect chorus of condemnation on the labours (?) of the session. It ended, like the last chapter in Rasselas, " A conclusion in which nothing is concluded." After all the great cry about retrenchment, the wool collected lias only amounted to so very little. So much in tho way of reform had been promised, but there is so little prospect of its being paid The Ministry who were to do every thine in the way of tho reduction of departmental expenditure have done 110 more in that direction than their predecessors in office. Tho Council lias eat for between four and livo weeks, almost without hatching one useful measure. The whole pension has been muddled in fact, and the Paterson Ministry are now admitted on all sides to have undertaken very difficult and onerous responsibilities, which neither their mental calibre nor their previous experience fitted them to sustain satisfactorily. One hasty lino more, to inform you of a resolution 011 the Reparation question, moved by Mr. J. Cargill, a member of the Government. It was put and carried. with tho addenda (hat a copy of it be forwurded bv the Speaker to his Excellency the Governor of New Zealand, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Speakers of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives, and the Superintendents of the Provinces of New Zealand. The following are the terms of the resolution :— " That in the opinion of this Council, (lie time has arrived when it. is the duty of this province to declare its views wilh respect to the state of affairs in the North Island. "That this Council, while constantly refraining from tho expression of any opinions that might embarrass the General Government of the colony in the measures deemed necessary for the suppression of the native rebellion, has nevertheless seen not without great, anxiety, that the adoption of those measures involved sacrifices which have seriously crippled the resources of this province. " That the people of this province were willing to make those snerHices, so long as they could reasonably hope that decisive and united action would have contributed to a lasting and honorable peace. "That after sixteen months' warfare, a deplorable loss of life, find the expenditure of a vast sum of money, whereof no authorised account or estimate has transpired, no appreciable results have been attained, while the good name of the colony has been perilled and its credit shaken in Great Pritain, where also the opinion has been created that the war is carried 011 at the cost of the mother country for the purpose of transferring the native lands to the colonists, who are content to bo thus enriched without personal or pecuniary risk to themselves, nn opinion which reflects with pecular injustice upon tho colonists of the Middle Tsland who have cheerfully borne the principal portion of the colonial cost of a war with which thev have in reality no more direct interest than any other province of the British Empire. " That it appears to this Council that the objects proposed to be secured at tho last session of the General Assembly have not been gained, and the sacrifices the people of this province were called upon to make, have been hitherto made in vain. " That in view of the immediate meeting of the Assembly the Council declares its eonviction that the province is unable to endure a burden imposed for unattainable ends: and that unless some measures can be taken which shall lend to the early termination of the war 011 terms consistent with the honor of the colony and the safety of the Northern settlements, this province wi'l enndeavour to oblain the concurrence of the other provinces of tho Middle Tsland in a financial and political separation of the two principal islands of New Zealand." We have now it would seem, heard the last of (he Timc.v libel case. In the first place a verdict was returned for the plaintiffs with £500 damages. Against this the defendants," on various grounds, appealed to tlie New Zealand Court of Appeal for a new trial, but this was refused. Notice of application was then given to take the case before tho Privy Council. The Judges Tfiehmond and Chapman heard the case on "Wednesday, in banco, but declined to interfere or stay proceedings whilst the appeal was bring prosecuted. Should further artion, therefore, betaken, the damages and costs must be first paid. The escort arrived in town on Tuesday last with \l.3tvt ozs. 7 dwts. of gold. News of great importance and undoubted authcncity came down from the West Coast gold fields yesterday bv the ' Bimgntira.' A party of diggers had arrived in town bringing with them from Ijyell's Creek, a tributary of the Puller, a splendid lot of nuggets and other eold, altrgcther2l2ozs., which tlieyi-old to the" Union Bank of Australia. As mining matters are in anything but in a nourishing state in Otapo, the local papers notwithstanding, which uniformity represent everything as coii/rnr ife rove, we sire likely to linve a rush away and lose tho major part, of our unsettled population.