THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 31, 20 December 1861, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times.

" Inveniam viam aut faciam."

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1861.

Whatever may be the case a few weeks hence, after the formidable rush with which the place is menaced according to lastest accounts from Victoria, it is certain that Otago is now considerably under populated. Possibly before this meets the eyes of our Victorian neighbours, the exodus from their shores may have been so great as to more than satisfy the demand for population; it will be for them to take this into consideration, to examine the number of departures between the time at which we write, and the time at which they read. Meanwhile, we have only to deal with facts. Contractors ask an exorbitant price

for their contracts, and even then they are not able to carry them out. Only this week a contractor has thrown up four contracts for road making, on the plea of scarcity of labour. For another contract (the removing of the bar of the Waihola Lake) not a tender has been received.

Two or three columns of this journal are occupied with advertisements, calling for tenders, and it is much to be feared, that unless some energetic contractors, used to carrying out public works, visit the place, and a further supply of labour be available, that it will be difficult to get the required works carried out at anything like a fair price. Tenders are now called on very favourable terms for the construction of a line of Electric Telegraph. The concessions to the contractors are in the highest degree favourable, and there can be no question that the undertaking may be carried out with great profit. The land is to be granted them for the line, as also for stations. They are to have an exclusive privilege for a term of years, and Government as well as private messages are to be paid for on a most remunerative scale. Tenderers are to state whether they will give, or whether they require a bonus, or whether they would prefer a minimum guarantee of profit. Another tender for an extensive work is for a Wire Bridge over the Waipori Biver. This also would be a favourable opportunity for foreign enterprise. For other works required we have only to direct reference to our advertising columns. We by no means desire to see the labour market glutted ; we have no wish that men should work for the bare means of subsistence. Still public works must be carried on ; the entire community suffers from the want of them, and we do not doubt that for a long while to come there will be employment for a large number of good steady mechanics and labourers.

The retribution which generally waits on arrogance, presumption, and avaiice, has seldom been more pointedly instanced than in the case of the people of Southland, through their organ the Southern News, and the Oscar. Only last Saturday the News, in an exulting article, referred to the visit of the Oscar, the safety of the New Hirer Passage, and the predilection for Southland that it alleged Captain Stuart displayed. Scarce was the sheet printed, and the ink dry, before these boastings were scattered to the winds. The Oscar was clashed to a helpless wreck on the notoriously (to every other place than Invercargill) dangerous passage of the JSTew River. The disaster is one of so serious a character, and those who are to blame are such heavy losers that the penalty they suffer is more than sufficient. But public policy makes it necessary that certain particulars should be elucidated. The owners of the Oscar, after doing and still continuing to do a splendid trade with Dunedin direct, were attracted by the paltry inducement of a few pounds a voyage subsidy, to call into a port notoriously dangerous. Forgetting what they owed to the place from which they received such generous support, they jeopardised ship, passengers, gold, and mails. The people of Southland, who attempted to force a trade, are punished in having the dangerous character of their port confirmed.

Captain Steuart's conduct too requires some explanation. No one who knows him but must feel for the misfortune he has suffered, and we would not refer to him, but for his own sake, to allow him the opportunity of explaining away what we believe to be a false charge made against him. The" Southern News" asserts that Captain Steuart endeavoured to persuade his passengers to land at Invercargill, informing them that the best route to the Otago Diggings was through that place, instead of through Dunedin. We do not for a moment believe that Captain Steuart has been so forgetful of what he owes both to himself, and to the place where he has always received every consideration, as to attempt to unduly deprive it of its trade. lie could not have stated such preposterous nonsense as that the best route to the diggings lay through Southland. Our contemporary must have been misinformed; but Capt. Steuart ov> res it to himself to make an unqualified denial.

We trust that no time will be lost in supplying the place of the " Oscar," and that the owners will not be allured from a regular trade, by the temptation of a few extra pounds or an irregular and dangerous service. TOTAL WRECK OF THE S.S. OSCAR. We regret to have to chronicle the total.wreck of the s.s. Oscar, in the New River, Invercargill. The Captain is perfectly free from blame as the vessel was in charge of the Pilot. Dr. .ITorster, one of the passengers, kindly forwarded to us the following particulars. The agents, Messrs. Dalgety, Rattray, & Co., with praiseworthy promptitude chartered the s.s. Guiding Star to call at Invercargill, and the Omeo will leave the Port this afternoon to take the passengers, mails, and gold on to Melbourne. We understand that when the messenger left there was eight feet of water in the hold. Everything was saved out of the vessel. Invercargill, 3 a.m., Wednesday, December 10, 1861. Dear Sir,—l left by the s.s. "Oscar" Port Chalmers, about 5 p.m. on Monday, and had a fine run to the entrance to the New River, where we arrived about 11 a.m. on Tuesday. ' The pilot came on board just after we had crossed the inner bar, andj took command. I heard him give orders first to

starboard and then port the helm. Before he had been in charge of her a quarter of an hour, the pilot ran her on the sandbank just opposite the pilot station ; the captain made every effort to get her off, but the tide being about the ebb, it was useless, and she remained till the following tide, in the hope it would float her; unfortunately,"on the captain examining her, it was discovered the steamer's back was broken, some of the plates opened, and many of her ribs bent 3or 4 feet. She is therefore a complete wreck. All the passengers have left, the luggage is being taken out, and the gold is also safe. It is fortunate the weather is so fine, to enable everything being saved. The Superintendent (Dr. Menzies) has most promptly and obligingly sent off a trooper with all despatch to the agents in Dunedin, to send the " Omeo/' which passed here on Sunday last, which we hope will be done immediately, as it is impossible to house the passengers and erew —200 in all. "Captain Steuart has the sympathy of every pas-j senger, not being in the slightest way implicated, the steamer at the time being in the hands of the pilot. I am sorry to have such bad news to send, but it cannot be undone, and Believe me to remain,

Dear Sir, Yours truly, John Forster, M.D. The following letters have been placed at our disposal:—• [per special messenger..] Invercargill, Dec. 18th, 1861, 1.30 a.m. Messrs. Dalgety, Rattray, &c Co., Dunedin. Gentlemen, —We regret to inform you of the total tcreck of the " Oscar," steamer, after crossing the bar at this port yesterday forenoon, while in charge of the pilot. Will you have the goodness, under the disastrous circumstances, to leave accommodation in the " Omeo " for the passengers and crew of the ill-fated " Oscar," and instruct Capt. M'Lachlan to call in here to take them to their destination. We may mention that the gold, cargo, Sec, is ail safely landed.

You will please take into consideration that the passengers can scarcely find accommodation in a place of such limited resources as this, consequently the necessity of a vessel being sent with the least possible delay. We are, dear sirs, Yours truly, (Signed) C. N. Campbell & Co. Invercargill, 2 a.m., 18th Dec, 1861. Messrs. Dalgety, Rattray & Co. Gentlemen, —It is our painful duty to Inform you that the steam-ship " Oscar" ran aground about 12 o'clock, on the 17th, opposite the Pilot Station, in the New River Harbour, while under the command of the pilot. We may here briefly state that no blame can be attached to Captain Steuart, who did all that a skilful commander could do, and we deeply deplore his unfortunate position. We may state that the undersigned have been appointed a deputation from the Captain and passengers to wait upon the Superintendent, to urge upon him the necessity of despatching a mounted trooper, to request that you will immediately cause the "Omeo" to call and remove us from our unfortunate position.

The gold, also the passengers and crew, numbering some two hundred, are safely landed; but it is utterly impossible to house them, and it therefore becomes more imperative that no time should be lost in despatching the "Omeo" to our assistance. Trusting, you will lose no time in the matter, we beg to subscribe ourselves, (Signed) Thos. S. Marks. John Forster, M.D. John Thompson.