REVOLUTION IN OTAGO.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 171, 7 November 1876, Page 2

REVOLUTION IN OTAGO.

Under the above heading, with striking sub-headings of "The Customs Seized," ' 'Declaration of -Independence," "Macandrew President," the following cleverly--written skit appears in the Wellington Argus, purporting to be Abolition Day in Dunedin, and forwarded by "Pigeon Express :" Dunedin, Nov. 1.

The news that Parliament.;. was .'prorogued, and that Otago would on the morrow be absorbed into New Zealand, tell like a deadly blow on the hearts of the people of this city last night. AH the papars issue'd extras,- with deep mourning borders, announcing the fact that. Otago had been denied justice . at the hands of the Assembly, and that abolition of the rights, liberties, and very birthrights of the people would resulttp-day. . In deep black characters each extra _ made the significant enquiry, "Shall we submit 1" As the sound of a rushing, mighty wind, a deep emphatic "No" went up to Heaven from the very hearts of the people, and firm determination and resolve impressed itself on every countenance. The Political Association sat in'-consulta-tion in the Provincial Council Chamber, and the streets around were_thronged with, people. Not a whisper ,of .what was in--tended leaked out until the last clerk in the Telegraph Office had'departed. - Therij silently and swiftly,-two members of the Association were seen to issue forth-—Mr. T. K. Murray arid Mr. James M'lndoe. A cab was waiting, and they drove rapidly to the North Dunedin Telegraph Station, where Mr. Murray speedily made his way * in through, a : broken" window, and took possession in Ithe name of. the Sovereign State of Otago, bpening'the. door -to Mr. M'lndoe thereafter. Simultaneously,'at' the head station, Mr. John Barnes applied" his brawny shoulders to the door of Mr. Lubecki's office, and speedily was in possession. This was all done quietly, and meanwhile the enormous crowd without, swayed to and fro, momentarily growing greater, but behaving with a patience and good order which was positively.sublime,; until the clock struck midnight. • It was the knell of the Provinces. Abolition was accomplished. Macandrew was no: longer Superintendent. There was noProvincial Council. was but apart of New Zealand ; its revenues and properties had been seized bythe Colony. A deep feeling of indignation seized the surging crowd, and a great cry,; "We not submit," disturbed the and sweeping across the sinopth*wa|ers of' the bay, was echoed back" from Grfant's Braes and Black Jack's/ -Pointy - Ere the ;- echo had died away, .the members of the Political Association, headed* byMr. Maoandrew, appeared on the balcony where the result of all elections are c usually declared. At this supreme moment Mr.' Macandrew was as calm as ever, but Mr. Geo. Turnbull looked ill at ease, and Mr. Stout seemed decidedly, mischievous; The crowd scarcely breathed —not-a sound save the gentle moan of the. night wind was heard—as Mr. Macandrew, holding in his right hand a roll of something, came forward and said, "My friends, I am no longer Superintendent of Otago— Ichabod —our glory has departed. A corrupt and tyrannous majority in the village, of Wellington has declared that we shall not do what we like with our own, as well as have a share of that of others. They presume to think the Colony is superior to the Province, that New Zealaiid is greater than Otago. We have sought for justice, but it has been denied us, with taunts and revilings. Where we have, asked -for bread we have; been offered a stone. We have applied for redress to. our Mother Country, but there the counsels of the enemy have prevailed, againgt'-us. Are we to patiently submit; to .see our liberties, our rights, pur revenues swallowed up in the Maelstrom of colonial politics! Perish the thought?" We are a

great people inhabiting a country possessed of great capabilities—all that is wanted to make a country great, glorious, and free, Let us then be free. Let us proclaim our independence, and hoist the flag of free. dom." Suiting the action to the word Mr. Macandrew shook out the flag he held in his hand, and by the fitful moonlight it •was seen to be of pure white, with a Scotch thistle, a flax-bush, and a rabbit embroidered in colors, and the motto, Cuncta mea mecum. A deaf eaning cheer arose, which was heard in the suburbs from whence crowds hurried to the scene. Mr. Stout then advanced and read a declaration of independence, whish, although very long, was patiently listened to. Three more cheers were then given for the Sovereign State of Otago, and Mr. John Sibbald formally proposed Mr. James Macandrew as the President. This was carried by acclamation, a rival proposition that Mr. James Gordon Stuart Grant shoidd be elected being hooted down, although only intended as a joke. Mr. Macandrew accepted the office, and briefly counselled moderation and organisation. The rest of the night was spent in arranging matters. This morning all was apparently quiet, hut every man wore a piece of green and white ribbon in his button-hole, and it was observable that all the public offices were i served by volunteers in uniform, and armed instead of by the usual officers. There was no violence done; but at the Customs each officer as he arrived was sworn to the new Government, or given the option of going about his business. Headed by Mr. Hackworth, most of the officers accepted the new order of things. At the Telegraph Office, a strong guard has been placed over the operators, and, in order to give time for organising the necessary defensive measures, no messages are allowed to be sent without approval. In this way, and by preventing steamers leaving, it is thought a week or so may be gained before the rest of the Colony becomes aware of what has taken, place here ; but fortunately your idea of sending down carrier pigeons was not suspected, and I am thus able to send you particulars of this great, though happily, as yet, blodless revolution. Captain Wales is appointed commander-in-chief, Mr. John Barnes, second in command, and Mr. Sibbald, commissiarygeneral. Judge Williams has been removed from the Supreme Court Bench,: and the appointment given to Mr. F. D. Main. Mr. Bathgate, as Resident Magistrate and District Judg,, is to be replaced by Mr. Tliomas Birch. Mr. Grant and John M'Laren are to be tried for treason. The police have all been resworn, and every able-bodied man is being armed and. drilled'ready to fight when the time comes.' All the public-houses are open free to-day, and' the cost of thy landlords is to be a -charge on the land fund. The President is busy forming his Governmant. Sentries have been placed over all the banks, and it is intended to amalgamate them all into a new State Bank, for the managership of which there is already great competition. The new steam-dredge is being heavily armed as an ironclad. Further particulars by next pigeon.