THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 29, 18 December 1861, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times.

" Inveniam viam aut faciam."

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1861.

Another mail has arrived from the North without the commissions of appointment to the Magistracy, of the gold-fields' Wardens. It really appears as if the General Government requires to see some selfish end to be obtained before it will consent to attend to the slightest wants of the Province. When an application was sent in for a company of troops, a ready acquicesence was given, inasmuch as £ their presence could be dispensed with at Auckland and the attempt might be successful to force on the Otago Government the cost of their extra colonial maintenance. But now that a mere scratch of the pen is required to sign tbe commissions of the officers duly appointed to the Gold Fields, tbe duty is most unaccountably neglected, apparently because no ulterior General Government purpose will be gained by it. It is painful to have to attribute motives, but when a flagrant, unjustifiable breach of duty is committed, it is only natural to suppose it arises from some cause. In fact, one has only the alternative of attributing it to incompetency or design.

It is scarcely possible to conceive anything more injurious to tbe public service than conduct of this kind. The inducements to accept Government employment are already few enough. The salaries, as a rule, are less proportionately' tban tbose paid by private employers, and the duties are onerous and of a responsible character. As a consequence, it bas been found very difficult to fill up several posts in the public service ; indeed, we believe there are vacancies that cannot be supplied. Nothing is more likely to increase the difficulty than to place public officers in false positions, in which they are mocked with tbe pretence of authority tbey bave not tbe power to exgrcise. Major Croker, at Tuapeka, is on the Commission of the Peace, and therefore can act as an ordinary but not as a Resident Magistrate. We believe he has

found it necessary on several occasions to exceed his functions by acting as a Resident Magistrate, and probably he has laid himself open to heavy penalties. Captain Baldwin, of Waitahuna, i"s not even a Justice of the Peace, so that he is unable to sit on the Bench. His position has been most disagreeable and painful and we believe that nothing but a desire not to inconvenience the public service has prevented him from throwing it up. Nothing is more abhorrent to the feelings of a gentleman than to be placed in a false position, to feel that involuntarily he has to seem what he is not. Magisterial duties devolve on a gold fields' warden ex-officio, and daily, almost hourly, Captain Baldwin must have felt the annoyance of being unable to perform duties that naturally pertained to his office. It is a monstrous thing that a population of 6000 or 8000 persons should be left for months without the protection of a Magistrate.^ We do not hesitate to say that such a thing is unknown elsewhere in the British Dominions. It is impossible to conjecture what difficulties, and individual cases of hardship and injustice have been occasioned in consequence. That these have not taken a serious shape, have not, in fact, produced a public outbreak, is alike creditable to the orderly tendencies of the residents on the gold field, and to the moderation of the official who had to exercise authority on sufferance, instead of by right. It would be very unsafe to calculate on a continuation of this state of affairs; a gold-field population is very excitable, and in the absence of properly constituted authority, very little would lead to a popular disturbance. On Saturday last, at Waitahuna, something of the kind occurred, and though we have reason to believe that its importance has been exaggerated, it is impossible to be blind to the fact that it might easily have attained a character requiring the active and energetic interposition of a Magistrate. In the former part of these remarks we incidentally referred to the promptitude with which the troops had been sent down. It would almost appear as if the General Government were desirous of finding them employment. Certainly no course is more calculated to effect that object' than by weakening the power of the civil authority. If Sir George Grey desires to have his prophecy of thirteen years back fulfilled, that " owing to the distance from the Seat of Government, difficulties, perhaps disasters, might arise," he is going the right way to work to bring it about. Otago is made to feel very severely the bondage of the double Government; it finds the gold with which to gild and rivet its own chains.

Aii amusing instance of what a man has to suffer in Otago occurred at the Police Court yesterday. A storekeeper, in Dunedin was summoned by one of his employe's for wages, and in the course of examination it transpired, that complainant left his situation because he had to submit to the infliction of sweetening his tea and coffee with brown sugar. The Magistrate was evidently of opinion that if the complainant did not like brown sugar he might lump it, and dismissed the case. It is to be hoped that the unfortunate and persecuted individual in question may never in the course of his chequered existence have to submit again to the indignity of brown sugaring his tea.

The Otago correspondent of the Age thus describes an amusing episode in this town for information : —My first attempts to gain information at first hand were not so successful here (Gabriel's), as at Waitahuna, as the following dialogue will suffice to show : —" Good day," said I to a decentlooking middle aged man, who was seated on the edge of his paddock, resting himself for a few minutes. " Guid day," was the courteous reply, "And how are the diggings shaping?" I inquired. "Ou just aboot the auld thing." " Some have done remarkably well, I understand." "No that bad." " I hope you have being doing well yourself?" " Folk '11 no mak onything by complinin." " I like the look of that washdirt of yours, and should suppose it to yield at least a pennyweight to the bucket ?" " That's hard to tell till it's washed." " But, judging from your former washings, couldn't you form an estimate of its probable yield !" "I dinna' fash my head aboot it." "Do you generally find the loose and easily broken up slate on the gravelly clay immediately above the slate to be the richest ?" " That's a question." " I suppose you occasionally meet with patches that's very rich, especially in the dips or falls, while the washdirt immediately adjoining may be very poor?" " Some of its poor aneuch." "If it's a fair question, what may be about the average yield of your washdirt ?" "What may be your reason, for speerin' ?" "I have come from Victoria for] the purpose of obtaining reliable information as j to the character of the Tuapeka diggings, and! am desirous of sending back a correct report." l"Ye'Jl be connekit wi' the newspapers ?" "Yes." The newspaper business maun pay geyl an' weel about Victoria when editors can afford Ito send men to New Zealand to collect the news. Catch the editors o' poor Otago papers playin' at 'sic a game as that. Ye're the second I've seen here on the same errand. But I maun awa' to my wark, as stan'in here claverin '111 no mak the pot boil."

From Tokomairiro we hear of the first successful application of steam-power in this Province, South of the Taieri River. The Steam Thrashing Machine, which was recently imported by Mr. E. Martin, of Tokomairiro, made a most successful start last week,—working in a most satisfactory manner and consuming a very small quantity of coal, which, by the bye, was the production of Tokomairiro.

From Tokomairiro we also learn that there is 1 a rumour current there to the effect that one of the representatives of that district (Mr. J. L. Gillies) is about to resign his seat in the Provincial Council. J

Later News from the North. —Through tlie courtesy of Captain Clark, of the Albatross, f.s also by the Storm Bird, we are in possession of later intelligence from the North Provinces. Bishop Selwyn has been ungraciously treated by the natives in the Taranaki district, notwithstanding his conspicuous championship of them throughout the war. He had been stopped at MutoJe, by Hori Kingi, a Taranaki Chief, his horse and pillau taken from him and imprisoned for two days in a whare, and otherwise insulted by the chief. We wonder much whether our worthy Bishop, whose physical capacity is well known, did not "show fight"' at such unclerical treatment, as we think he could have given Hori Kingi some instruction in " muscular Christianity," a creed we think that ought now to be taught to these petted and spoiled scoundrels. Among the more striking mineral treasures of New Zealand, we notice, in the Nelson Examiner, that a gentleman in Wellington has manufactured some blue '■ which for colour and brilliancy surpasses anything we have ever witnessed." It is manufactured from the chrome ore found in the Dun Mountains, and it is stated can be produced at a considerable profit. The natives in the Hawke's Bay Province are reported to be still quarrelsome and inclined to be turbulent, and scarcely a. week passes without some fracas between them and the settlers respecting cattle trespasses

We understand that Sergeant Cobden, of the Detectives, has been removed to Oamaru, and that the Detective force in Dunedin will, in future, be under the charge of Sergeant Tuckwell.

An accident which might have been attended | with serious consequences, took place on tbe Jetty, yesterday evening. One of the trucks, heavily laden with casks and cases, came into collision with another truck in passing, and was thrown off the rail. Of course the shock threw almost all the load off, and the men employed in pushing the truck had a very narrow escape. We are glad to observe that tenders are at last called for, for conveying a daily mail to and from the diggings. We cannot flatter ourselves that this is entirely owing to the article on the subject chat appeared in yesterday's " Times," but at least let .us hope that it had some share in hurrying it on. The contract is to commence from the Ist January. We believe a communication has been received from the General Government sanctioning a tri-weekly mail, and tenders are called for that as well as the daily service. Should the cost of the latter be not far in excess of the former, we believe it will have the preference.

The Loan Ordinance permitting the Provincial Government to borrow £50,000, on the security of the provincial revenue, has received the sanction of the General Government. Probably it will not be required to act on it, as the provincial finances are in a most flourishing condition. We understand that at last all over drafts are cleared off, and something between £ 10,000 and £20,000 remain on deposit to the credit of the province.

The excavations in Princes-street, begun a short time ago by Messrs. Simpson & Henderson for the purpose of erecting a new store, are being continued in front of Messrs. Christie & Begg's ; and in a short time we anticipate that the street will be made its full width in this place, and a new range of shops built below those now so inconveniently perched on the top of the bank.

The Customs' Duties received at this port yesterday (Monday) amounted to £648 3s. lid. ;

James Collins charged with the murder of Ensign Alexander has been found guilty and sentenced to death.

An Australian paper says : —A difficulty arising in the process of separating the gummy mucilage of the New Zealand flax from the fibre, is stated to be now got over by an invention of Mr. David Wilkinson. It adds also that experiments are being made to ascertain whether it can be profitably grown with a view to export.

A committee has been got up at Auckland to promote the cultivation of articles for the Great Exhibition, to display the capabilities of New Zealand, generally, but of Auckland especially. Strangely enough cpnsidering the partial character of the committee, Sir George Grey has consented to act as Patron.

The probability of Otago becoming a gold producing country seems already to have been introduced in England. The Liverpool Albion has the following paragraph : —" One curious feature in the state of New Zealand (says a letter from Melbourne) is, that in spite of the war the colony seems to be flourishing. For some years gold in moderate quantities has been obtained in the province of Nelson, and last year it was found in the province of Otago, but it was in the high land, and the winter there is so severe, and the snow so deep, that like the Snowy River, it could not be worked during the winter months. Lately, however, gold has been found much more abundantly at a place called Takaka, on the coast of the province of Otago, and some experienced miners from Victoria had obtained a large remuneration for their labours. In spite of the war the balance of migrators is always against Victoria and in favor of New Zealand."

The Asterope, the first wool ship from WeUington for England, is fast filling up, and likely to sail the first week in January. The accounts of the clip are favourable.

According to accounts published in the Gazette, there are in the Province of Wellington about 200,000 sheep, of which there are about 50,090 suffering from disease.

The Wellington papers state that the recent shipments of cattle from that place have resulted in a loss—that ex Hermoine involving a pecuniary sacrifice of over £500. They ascribe this to the monopoly exercised over the paddocks here, necessitating ,the immediate sale of the cattle. We believe we are nearer the truth when we state that a large number of the cattle brought from Wellington were totally lunsuited in condition and quality for this market. It is to be hoped that measures will be taken to ere. ate a profitable cattle trade between the two Provinces, for we know that Wellington can send us both quantity and quality. Great alarm was occasioned one night at Auckby the report of cannonading in the immediate neighbourhood. Probably the inhabitants feared at first that it was a privateering expedition from the Southern Island. However, ifc proved to he part of the oflicers of H.M.S. Fawn, who were firing through a little pivot gun practice. From the New] Zealand Gazette we find that the General Assembly of New Zealand has been further porogued until Wednesday the sth day of February next.

The Southern Cross, Auckland, says : —lt is very probable that a number of Alpacas will arive here during the following month. Mr. Williams, late British Council in Bolivia, has received permision 'from the government of that republic to purchase and export a flock of these valuable animals—a privelege only granted as yet, we understand, in two cases to private individuals —and they may be shortly expected to arrive. We are informed that leave was granted to ship as many as fifteen hundred head, but of course the first shipment cannot comprise so large a stock." We are glad to find that there is the probability of a considerable timber trade between this Port and the Northern Provinces. We notice the arrival of considerable quantities of Kauri timber from Auckland during the last four days.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Tuesday, 17tii December. (Before J. IL Harris, Esq., R.M.)

George Dawson, M. A Lea, Young & M'Glashan, were each fined 2s 6d and costs for a nuisance. J. McNeil, of the Queen's Arms Hotel, was fined 10s and costs for allowing the lamp over his door to go out during the night. George Moody and* J. Loper were each fined 7s. 6d and costs for furious riding. A. Bradshaw for permitting horses to stray, was fined 2s 6d.

J. Hicks, J. Welsh, C. Self, and T. Earrel, were each fined 20s for drunkenness. Hicks was also fined 20s for assault.

Catherine Roberts was charged with stealing a reticule containing goods of the value of £20 from the house of Dr. Thomas, where she went to obtain medical advice. On her house being searched the goods were discovered, and the prisoner stated that she found them near the Doctor's house. The prosecutor said that she was labouring under a nervous complaint which might sometimes affect her mind, and on account of her children he hoped his worship would be as lenient possible. She was sentenced to 7 days imprisonment.