THE Otago Daily times "Inveniam viam aut faciam,"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 212, 13 August 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily times "Inveniam viam aut faciam,"

DUNEDIN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1862.

WirATJsvjjn difference of opinion there may exist amongst the public men of New Zenb.nd, on political or other subjects, it is pretty generally conceded that the present Customs Tariff of the Colony needs revision. Its complicated character and incongruity have roused J the remonstrances of the mercantile community, who find it not only an inconvenience, but a positive check upon the commercial interests of the Colony; but those remonstrances, backed as they have been by the deliberate opinions of commercial associations, and also accompanied by valuable suggestions for an equitable revision, have as yet met with no response from the Government. While the' time and attention of the'Lcgislnture have been taken up in the discussion of Native affairs, the question of reconstructing the Tariff on something like an intelligible and equitable basis, seems to be quite overlooked. If the question of Revenue is a vital one to any State or Cokmy, it is no less important that its impartial adjustment should engage the careful attention of the governing power. It is a necessary condition of good government, that a country should possess an ample revenue. "The revenue of a State is. the State;" and it is equally necessary that,from whatever source that icvenue be derived, it should be based upon the strictest principles of justice, and with due regard to the requirements and conveniences of the people. In all new communities—particularly in Colonies where the resources of the country have not as yet. been fully developed; and where the commercial and industrial interests have not attained the con.H>!idation of those in the parent country, the revenue must essentially be derived in the first instance from fiscal duties, and in proportion as those duties are based upon a system, crude, harsh or unequal, will the commercial interests and prosperity of the country be injured. Jt h all very well to say, that the inhabitants must cat, drink, and be clothed, and that so long as the articles of consumption have to be imported into the country, a just or unjust taxation on those articles cannot affect their consumption, but that is an opinion the fallaciousness of which has been exposed over and over again. AH who have paid any attention to commercial pursuits, will be aware how much a very slight and hardly appreciable restriction or burden, will affect the consumption of articles even of the most necessary use. It may be argued that the unequal and arbitrary regulations of the present New Zealand Tariff, affect the cost of particular articles in but a slight and scarcely appreciable manner, and that it would be foolish to sacrifice any portion of the revenue for the mere sake of uniformity, but any person conversant with the history of commerce will be able to assert that all unequal impositions of fiscal burdens, however trivial they may appear, have a great restrictive effect upon, and repress the energies of commerce. A greit deal has been said and written upon the New Zealand Tariff. It has been called oppressive, tyrannical, unjust, and ridiculous, and characterised by a general inadaptation to th M requirements of the colony. It possesses all these attributes in a greater or less degree. It la unjust and oppressive inasmuch as the greater portion of the burdens of taxation are imposed indirectly upon the middle and working classes. The coarse habiliments of the nrtizau and the cheap cotton dresses of his wife aad children pay more duty to the Government than the costly clothing of his rich neighbor; his articles of necessity are more heavily taxed than the luxuries of the other. It is ridiculous from its absurd incongruity of arrangement, and the arbitrary manner in which, under the head of measurement goods, articles are considered to be dutiable or uot as the Government for the time being may decide. Merchants have no little difficulty in ascertaining what goods may, or may not, be called upon to pay duty, articles of the same character intrinsically being variously designated by the customs authorities. But it is in its utter want of adaptation to the requirements and commercial necessities of the colony that the present New Zealand Tariff requires a sweeping alteration. In the first place the taxation is imposed in a very imperfectly defined manner upon an infinite variety of articles, occasioning a vast amount of inconvenience and vexation. The duties press very unequally and harshly upon articles of small value; the duty in many cases amounting to more than the original cost of the goods. For instance, all manufactures of silk, cotton, linen, and woollen, and all articles manufactured therefrom ; drapery, haberdashery, hosiery, millinery, furs, hats, boots and shoes, confectionery, bottled fruits, dried fruits, and oilmen's stores of all kinds, are classed together, as paying a duty of four shillings per cubic foot. Thus, a case worth probably from £800 to £1000, would pay only the same duty as a bale of the same size of cotton or linen goods I worth only a tenth part of the sum. Again, a bale or package of unmanufactured fabric pays the same duty as one of manufactured goods, in which the labor and design have quadrupled the value.

A variety of fiscal schemes, more or less, crude hare been enunciated .to replace the one in force, and there is a prevailing opinion that a tariff modelled on a similar basis to that of Victoria

wouul be the most desirable. Ths Victorian tariff is at once simple and equitable. It embraces a limited range of articles, and is principally confined to goods of general consumption and articles of luxury. It is an open question whether the New Zealand tariff should be on the same scale of duties as the Victorian, but a slight increase or otherwise on-this or that article, would not affect the i general desirability of the scheme. The Victorian tariff is as follows:— IMPORT DUTIES. . — Rate of Duty. b. d. Ale, porter, spruce, and other beer, cider and perry,'the gallon. 0 6 Malt, perbushel Q 0 Hops, per lb. ... o 2 Cigars, the lb. ~, go Ctoffea and Chicory, the lb. ... .. ~0 2 Kice, par cwt, « 2 0 Spirits, or strong waters, of any strength not exceeding the strength of proof by" Sykea' hjdrometer, and to on in proportion for any greater or less strength than the strength of proof, thj gallon 10 0 Sprits, cordials, liqueurs, or strong waters, sweetened or mixed with any article, so that the degree of strength cannot be ] ascertained by Bykes'hydrometer, the gallon .. .. 10 0 Spirits, perfumed, the gallon ...10 0 Sugar, raw and refined, and sugar candy, the owt. ... 0 0 Molasses and treacle, the cwt 3 0 Dried fruits, the cwt ]0 0 Opium, and all preparations thereof, the 1b.... 10 0 Tea, the lb 0 6 Tobacco and snuff, the lb. 2 0 Tobacco, unmanufactured, in leaf, or stein, perlb 1 4 Tol>ac:o, shef;pw.ish 4 perlb. .. ~ ... 0 3 Wine, the gaUon 3 0 We will content ourselves for the present with endeavouring to show what amount cf revenue could be raised on the Victorian scale, of course our estimates can only be considered approximately. Based on the calculations o^ previous years, the annual consumption of spirits, the principal item of revenue, may be estimated at about 2 gallons for each head of the population. Taking the population at 110,000; the duty to be derived from spirits at 10 shillings per gallon would amount to £110,000. The consumption of ale, beer, and cider may be estimated at nbout 4 gallons per head, which, at Gd. per gallon, would give £11,000. The consumption of coffee and chicory, tobacco and cigars,* may be estimated as follows:—Coflce and chicory, 4 Ib3. pe* head; tobaccos and cigars, 3 lbs. per head; yielding a revenue in tobacco, &c, at 2s. per lb., of £33,000; and in coffee, &c, at 2d. per lb., of £3700. Of tea, the consumption may be estimated at * 8 lbs.per head—the duty from this source amounting, at Gd. per lb., to £22,000. Of sugar, the consumption mr.y be calculated at 56* lbs. per head, the duty upon which, at 6-s. per cwt., would amount to £10,500. Of winu, the consumption may be estimated at $ of a gallon per bead, the duty upon which, at 3*. per gallon, would amount to £12,400. On the above-mentioned items alone the Kevcnue would amount to £20§,C00. This is in excess of the Revenue derived from Customs* duties in 18G1, which amounted to £204,050. Without advocating the adoption of the j Victorian Tariff, we have sufficiently shown that the New Zealand Tariff can be made much more simple, less'oppressive and arbitrary, and at the same time more productive than under the present system. The question j is one of the utmost importance to the wellbeing of the community, lor, as one of! England's greatest statcmen hits said:— j The prosperity and improvement of nations htm I generally increase.! with the iocrtasc of their revcnne«; and th<*y will both continue to grow and flourish, as I long &■* thy UUancti between what is left to strengthen i the efforts of individuals, and what h collected for tb? ! ommon efforts of the state, bear to each other ft due ' reciprocal proportion, find arc kept in a close coiruRpondence and communication. Ami perhaps it may ] be owing to the greatne*9 of revenues, and to the ! urgency of state ne;»?s>iUes, that old abuses in the con- ! stitution of finances Tare discovered, and their true i : natore and rational theory cornea to b<» more perfectly understood ; iuwmuch, that & smaller revenue might have been more distressing ia one period than a far greater is found to be in another; the propoidonate I wealth even remaining the same.

It has occasloally happened that we have had to complain of a dearth of subjects to write about, to occupy th« columns of the newspaper. Certainly jnst now we have rather to deplore the falling into the opposite excess. It is with a feeling of ludicrous helplessness that we look round the editorial table, and survey the muss of papers that await examination, and which require to bo dealt with. Volumes of correspondence laid before Parliament; resolutions to be proposed; new acts to be introduced; reports of select committees; aud the unpublished balance of tho do" bates and proceedings; are a few only of tho objects which claim attention. When moreover, it is considered that during the week two more northern and the English mails arc due, it will be seen that our hands are tolerably well filled both for the present and prospeetively for some time to come. This embarrass de richesses is particularly oppressive, when it becomes necessary to select the subject for editorial comment. Prevented from devoting to each its proper share of attention, it is necessary to deal with half a dozen in a rapid glancing empirical style. The native question, for instance, is one of absorbing interest just now, every detail connected with it is invested with attributes of a highly dramatic nature, but instead of being able to do them justico, we have to deal with them en masse, give lines where we would give columns—columns where we would give volumes.

The same constrained consideration, it ia evident, has affected most of the members who liavo addressed the House on the subject •( Native affairs. In one speech they have gone overground enough to furnish matter for twenty speeches. The consequences is, that in many cases their efforts wear the appearance of being superficial and difluse, instead of exhaustive and argumentative. It wants a great deal more self-control than persons commonly suppose, to confine oneself, whether in writing or speaking, to one particular branch of a subject, without roaming about through all its ramifications. Mr Fitzgerald's speech' when moving his Native resolutions, magnificent as it was as a display of oratorical power, came within the pale of the exception we havo taken. It ranged over an almost boundless field of discussion, and although tho gifted speaker is endowed with a power of language, a fluency, and an inspired earnestness that make him at times riso to the level of a Shiel or a Curran, even he could scarcely do more than glance at the large subject he had taken in hand. The peg upon which Mr. Fitzgerald hung his

• These calculations are in excess of the actual quantity consumed by the European population. The natives, who number about 60,000 in the two islands are considerable consumers of tea, sugar, and tobacco! The gross quantities are, howevor. an approximate statement ot the importation as compared with previous years.

really grand dissertation on Native affairs, was somewhat an unhappy one. There i3 but one step from the sublimS to the ridiculous; and it daring some of Mr. Fitzgerald's flowing periods, the thought had come over his hearers that he was in reality speaking to the question of the admission of the coppery semi-savages to saata in the House, the idea must have suggested itself of the Maori Chiefs, not to be outdone in fervid eloquence, dancing a war-dance on the floor of the House to the tune of Mr. Fitzgerald's impassioned oratory. We do not yet know whether the resolutious were assented to ; but it is to be hoped they were not. In the first place, the House, in assenting to them, would stultify itself after its reception of Mr. Fox's resolution for undertaking the management of Native afSiirs. Mr. Fitzgerald boldly declared himself in favor of accepting the responsibility and undertaking the management, go that, a3 far aa lie is concerned, there is no inconsistency—but with other members it is different. They expressly decline the responsibility: and how can they consistently, uninvited attempt to dictate to his Excellency a Native policy. The resolutions in question do more than this; they not only request him to " bring the policy indicated into operation with the least possible" delay," but they threaten, iu no ambigious terms, that the House will refuse to assent to any other policy. Even supposing the policy unexceptionable, his Excellency wonld have the right to object to the principle of its bdng dictated ; or, rather, he would be justified iu dee-mag it as an indication that the House was uot, in reality, dispased to relinquish the responsible control of Native affairs.

The subject is one on which the House cannot afford to be ambiguous. The day will come when every little circumstance may he brought in judgment against the colony to saddle it with responsibility fur Imperial mismanagement. And here we cannot avoid referring to the masterly manner in which Mr. Stafford, according to the report before us, seem* to have dealt with the subject. lie showed that it was impossible to divide the management of native affairs between the Colony and the Home Governmsnt. That in all dealings with the natives it was necessary to have a power on which to fall back if necessary. That power rests in the Imperial hands, and consequently the Colony would only undertake responsibility without having the power to faithfully carry it through. To ask for the power is to lay the Colony open to the bitter taunt that it desires "to fight by proxy, and pay by deputy.*' &fr. Stafford was eqmlly strong in ridiculing the theory of joint responsibility. He showei clearly enough that nil the responsibility und?rtaken by the Colony w.ts s;> much deducted from that of the Governor, and consequently from the Imperial authorities. It is simply im- j possible to divide the responsibility of governing New Zealand between the Colonial Secretary, the Governor, and the Secretary for the Colonit3. The last could always repudiate responsibility; the second would be only the go-between, *he whole responsibility would realiy rest on the Colonial Secretary. The corollary founded on these premises is neither vague nor unmeaning. Let Sir George Grey take the sole responsibility of governing the Natives, 'and in the House he will find an ally ready to help him. Before Sir George came, the House naturally itnpuseJ conditions on the expenditure of the money voted for native purposes. Whether Sir George Grey has not earned the right to sufficient conJideuce to dispense with these conditions is another question. Hut be this as it may, the House, and the representatives of the House, the Ministers shou'd lend Hl3 Excellency earnest aid in the task of difficulty, and danger, of life, and death— the existence or destruction of a race of human j being!*—wit'i'which he has to deal. Ikfo.e quitting j this part of our subject we would refer to thu i strung position which Major Richardson took on I the game ground in his excellent speech. Of this I speech we may say as of Mr. Fitzgerald's, it traversed too much ground. The Taranaki question might at least have been | dealt with sqicnttely, and the portion referring !to Colonial res'HjrjSibility might-havebeen spoken Ito Sir. Fox's resolution. The Major's arguments on the latter point werejjconelusive and capable of much further aviation. He shewed by nnaribwer. able quotations fro_ Sir George Grey's despatches, that to use his, the speaker's, own language " the' farce of a responsible ministry, accepting the abdicated power of managing Native afFairs, is no less than the cost of the origin continuance or conduct of a war."

But to return to Mr. Fitzgerald's speech, and which our limits we regret to say will not further enable u» to glance at. If the nature of the resolutions, considered in the iiirht of their general character, was a stultification of the principle of non-responsibility—their details furnished a like conclusion. The Native race, it must be remembered, is partly in a position of , armed resistance. The Maories,, eren by Sir j George Grey's admission, will not observe treaties —pledges are not regarded by tnem ; ana, moreover, he think3 their peculiar condition calls upon him to acquiesce in their retaining the plunder taken from Europeans—calls upon him to eondonu the murders they have committed—calls upon him to forget that they dispute their allegiauce to the Queen, It is very well to say that many of them have come over to Sir George Grey, but it must not be torgottcn that they may retire from him at a moment's notice. Are these the men to place upon an cqaality with the Europeans, tooflTer to them co-ordinateinstitutions? Apart from the oiFer which to the Maories wil appear one in name alone, and therefore an evidence of weaknes, it is to be borne in mind that the Maories are not in a condition to return members to the Legisiature, on an equality with European members. It must be remembered that in the House they would legislate for Europeans as well as for themselves, and as the Maories would have the right to a voice in returning the European members, the European members should have a voico in the return of Maori members. But Maori members will be selected in virtue of the chieftainship rights, they will be representatives not of constituencies but of tribes. Their tribal institutions are in fact incompatible with their positions, as ordinary citizens, and in weakening these institutions, lies the best hope of fitting them for the equality which Mr. Fitzgerald so ardently demands for them, His arguments would be strong if used against the distinctive institutions which Sir George Grey proposes to give them ; but they do not justify, as Major Jiichardson happily put it, that wo should give the " rights, without the duties" of equality. It is one thing to further widen the distinction between the races, and another to suddenly crush them down, and raise up an equality in name alone. The reference which Mr. Fitzgerald made to the individuaUsation of titles, and the introduction of machinery similar to that of the Encumbered Estates Court, perhaps exposes the ultimate remedy of all the evil. It is long since we pointed out how well such courts would work in dealing with Maori titles, ana we wish that Mr. Rtzgeraid had more amplified on the*

subject. To conclude pur very imperfect criticism, Mr. Fitzgerald's speech, though a masterly assertion of his- own peculiar views of responsibility and equality,.cannot receive the unqualified support of those who differ from those views.

The case of Casper v. Hughes and others heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Port Chalmers, on Monday, has since been settled by the parties giving up possession of the disputed, property, viz.: the mill at Sawyer's Bay. One of two misprints occurred in our notice of yesterday, by which the meaning was materially altered. The sentences misprinted should hare read/ " It was also contended hy Mr. Patten, their (the defendants') agent, that Mr. Casper did not hold the property on such terras as to entitle him to sue. ' On behalf of the plaintiff, it was shown by Mr. M'Gregor that he did hold the property hy | lease/' &c. At the same Court yesterday, Wm. Carruthers, who liad lately arrived by the Black Swan, was charged with stealing a quantity of clothes from clothes lines in Port Chalmers, and was sent to prison for six weeks. A meeting was held at Port Chalmers yester'lay evening, at which resolutions were passed condemnatory of the delay aud partiality exhibited in the widening of the Dunedin and Port Chalmers road, and instructing a Committee to take such steps in the matter as were, tmder the circumstances, necessary. A m.-eting of Freemasons was held az Port Chalmers on Mon-lay evening, when it was resolved to form a lodge, to be called " The Por Chalmers Marine Lodge," and steps were taken to form the legal constitution ot' the lodge through the Otago Lodge, the Victorian Grand; Lodge> aud the Grand Lodge of England. A deputation from Wetherstone's waited upon his Honor the Deputy Superintendent oa Monday. The deputation, which consisted of Messrs. Clark and Savage, members of the Mining Board, and Messrs. Moses, Jones, and Cassius, had been appointed at a public meeting lately held at Wetherstone's. They were introduced by Mr. Vincent Pyke. The principal object of the deputation was to induce the G jvernmsnt to undertake the construction of a storm water channel* the effect of which would be to drain Wetberstonc's Flat, and to enable the miners there to work without interruption by the flooding of their cluiins. His Honor haviug heard the deputation out, stated tliat he believed the Government would be prepared to proceed with the work required, which he agreed with the deputation would be very advaatageous, but it would be essential fiat the work should be capable of completion for a moderate sum. There had been obstacles to the carrying out of the plan, but those obstacles were now removed, and he might say the Government ha! allowed uo useless delay. The newly appointed mining surveyor would, on Tuesday, start for Taapeka, and his first business would be to examine the ground at Wetherstone's, and rejK>rt upon the proposed channel. If his report was to the effect that the work could be effectually done for LI 200, (the Government would not be particular to a hundred pounds,) instructions would bo forwarded to Major Croker to call for tenders but to consult with the local committee. The work would be let in small sections so as to allow of the contracts being taken by miners who would be allowel the right of appropriating the auriferous wash dirt. The deputation then withdrew. " Servantgaiism" is even more rampant in Dunedin than in any other part of her Majesty's Australian colonies. A few days since, a young female applied for, and obtained a situation upon the strength of the following recommendation, which she produced:—" The bearer has been one week in my employment. So far as lam aware, she is sober and honest; but, for anv useful, domestic service, she is totally unfitted, being lazy, dirty, and, if she dared, insolent. She leaves ray employment at her own request, and to the great relief of her mistress." It is bardlv necessary to state that the girl was unable to read, and had not thought it necessary to submit her testimonial to anyone who could. We learn that farming operations are progressing satisfactorily. Ploughing has commenced generally throughout the districts, and the land will soon be ready to receive the seed. The early sown crops for hay are already well up and looking remarkably healthy. Farmers are complaining greatly at the high rates demanded for every description of farm labour, ploughmen, and general agricultural servants, demanding and receiving as much as seventy and eighty pounds a year, with ratioii©. On the rich nMuvial flats where itnmensjly heavy crops nrc rs.isod, and where wood is abundant, such a ?;.;- ,-.f .c C g e may be borne tor a time ; but ou the i ;.ior lands, where the cost of carting firowood to the homesteads is considerable, farmers cannot pay sucli enormous wages out of their profits. A large breadth of land has been put under cultivation this year for grain crops, and should the spring continue favorable for field operations th e markets in the summer will be, supplied with most description of vegetables, at prices within the reach of all classes of purchasers. Competition has done its work and bread hat been lowered by all the principal bakers ia town one penny per loaf. The retail price for bread is now eight pence for the four pound loaf. Several shipments of very fine turkeys have been sent from Van Diemen'a Land to this market, and have sold at prices which must have been highly remunerative to the shippers, male birds fetching as high as thirty-fire shillings, and the beas averaging over twenty. Turkeys, it is said, thrive • remarkably well in Otago, the young being reared with much less difficulty than in Victoria, where some peculiarity in climate or food or some other unknown cause carries off the larger proportion of young birds 03 soon as they are hatched. The programme at the Royal Princess' Theatre last evening, was the same as at the opening night and the performance went off with equal spirit, and satisfaction. Mr. Charles Young's rich humor and finished acting, were as highly appreciated as on the first night, although not fey quite so largo an audience. Mr. Kohler's splendid instrumental performances were also most enthusiastically applauded. J We observe tliat the Benevolent Society are anxious to purchase a site for the proposed Benevolent Asylum. They require from sto 10 acres of land and it is a sine qua non, that it be situated within a mile and a-half of the Octagon. A meeting is announced to be held on Thursday evening at the Commercial Hotel, for the purpose of taking steps for the formation of a Fire Brigade in Dunedia. This is the second or third attempt of the kiud, aad we trust that it will prove successful. The Coliesn Bawn and the Wandering Minstre were agam performed at the Royal last evening with unabated saeeess. There was not so good a house as could have been wished; but the state of the street* might well account for the smallness of the audience. To-night and tomorrow are to be the last of the Cplleea Bawn. For Friday," the bwefit of the Lancashire Relief Fund is announced. *

We would direct attention to the letter signed " Vox Populi," which appears in another column. -It is highly necessary that, in the interest of common humanity, a search should be made for the missing steamer Comet; and we trust that immediate steps for that purpose, will be taken by the authorities. There can be no doubt that, in connection with the main object of the expedition, an exploration of the terra incognita on the west coast would be very desirable, and would probably lead to the development of an extensive auriferous country. The remarks of our correspondent, as to the apathy of the owners of the missing steamer, are premature; for it must be borne in niind that, as they live in Melbourne, they may not be aware of the steamer not having yet arrived at her intended destination. Some of our readers may" probably recollect an exquisite painting' winch was exhibited a few years back, in the Picture Gallery at Pall Mall. It was at the time tluj theme of general-admiral ion among connoisseurs, as a production of the very highest order of merit. The painting represented aiTunweaned infant that had crawled to the edge of a frightful precipice, and was ob ervediu this perilous situation by the tearful mother. She, afraid to approach her offspring, and fearing it would move forward to inevitable destruction, with maternal instinct exposes to the child the fountain of life which gave it nourishment. The painting pouvtravs the child at the moment it turns round at the gentle voice of its mother, and seeing the love-offering begins creeping towards *hei-, and thus is saved from being dashed lifeless on the rocks below. Those who have seen tliis production of the artist's genius will not easily forget the impression made upon them at the time. Just such a scene, without however, the sentiment was witnessed yesterday by several persons .at the quarry near the beach. A little girl belonging to a female, living in a small weather-board cottage. had walked within dangerous proximity of the precipice formed by the quarrying operations going on in this locality, quite unconscious of its peril. Here it was seen by the mother, who, fearing that if she went forward to snatch it from the impending danger the tfiild would be precipitated below, did whatonly a mother's instinct could teach. Hastening into he r cottage she almost in stantly appeared with a large slice of bread, heaped up with sugar, which holdia"out to view, she called upon her child by its name! Turning round, aaJ viewing the offering the little one ran to its mother, and was t!m3 rescued from certain destruction. Here however the romance ends, for no sooner had the child reached the maternal arms, tlian instead of the bread and sugar it received a summary application, hot and strong, of that description of punishment which is frequently administered to children who cause their doting parents unnecessary alarm or trouble. A ploughing match is to come off on Friday August 15, at Mr. Henry Clarke's farm, near the schoolhouse, Bast Taieri. A billiard match for one thousand pounds a-side was played yestesday afternoon between two gentlemen amateur players—Mr. Noble and Mr. Parker The game was three hundred up. At the end of the second hundred, Mr. Parker was slightly ahead. Mr. Noble then caught him, and when he was two hun" dred and fifty, was about twenty points in advance of Mr. Parker. After this, there was no material alteration to the close, Mr. Noble winning by twenty-two points. The play on either side was not very remarkable. The game occupied about two hours and threequarters.

About forty gentlemen met yesterday evening, at M'Cubbin'sOtago Hotel, for the purpose of taking steps to inaugurate a Caledonian Society in Dunedin! This was the second meeting on the subject, a preliminary nieetuisr of a private character having previeusly been held. Mr. Archibald Dick having been voted to the "hair, explained the objects of the roe-t----ing, and the hon. Secretary, pro tan., Mr. Rankin, read several communications from similar societies in Melbourne and elsewhere, relative to the rules, &c, for the management and formafioa of the proposed society. After some little discussion the following resolutions were moved and unanimously adopted. Moved by Mr. M'Lean, seconded by Mr. Lang: (i That considering the advantages which have arisen from the establishment of Caledonian Societies ia the various Australian colonies, it iadesirable that a society of a kindred nature be established in Dunedin." Moved.by Mr. M'Lean, seconded by Mr. Hepburn: " That for the purpose of carrying out the foregoing resolutions., a committee be formed, consisting of the toiJowinjr members, for the purpose of preparing a code of rules to be> submitted at a future meeting to be failed "by the Secretary pro tcm. T-be following gentlemen were elected as a Committee:— Messrs. Alex. M'Leau, Andrew M'lntosh, W. G. Lang, A. T. Campbell, Jas, Johnson, Robt. Campbell, John Price, Angus Sutherland, Alex. M'Credy, Campbell M'Leod, A. G. Allan, Colin M'Donald. James Murray, Juhn M'Cubbin, Robert M'Donald, Donald M'Ma^ter, James Kenne-iy, Dr. Hepburn, Archibald Dick, R. Rankin. J. C. Lorimer. The meeting then adjourned to Thursday evening, at Lai f-past 7.

Miss Harriet Gordon, who was such a favorite With the Dunedin publie, is making a prefessioniu. tour tlu-ough the Provinces, and her performances Lave been exceedingly popular. Miss Gordon is now in Nelson, and we see by the Nelson papers that her entertainments are attended by crowded and enthusiastic audiences.

The yearly congregational meeting at Knox Church was held last night. There was an excellent attendance. We noticed the following gentlemen on the platform—J. H. Harris, -Esq., Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Purdie, Messrs. Hood, Grant, Lanjjlands, J. Hepburn, sen., Smith, E. Cargill, J. Cargill, Lindsay, Street, Gilbert, Hislop, Ross, Gillies, Power, and the Rev. Mr. Stiiavt. After tea the Rev. Air. Stuart addressed a few remarks to the audience, in which he stated the object for which thev were assembled. He could not say the church was in an unsatisfactory state, neither could he speak eulogistically of it. Though much had been left undone, still it was not from lack of zeal on thoir part. Owing to the increase of population the field of their labors had been much extended. Since they last met ten members of the church, one an elder, had been removed by death, and about 50 members had removed to other districts. The Sabbath schools had been efficiently carried on during the previous twelve month*, the one immediately connected with that church by Mr. Street and a band of teachers. The .North-east District School, and two others, he could give equally good accounts of, and those c onnected with them were all entitled to the thauks of the congregation. With regard to the Bible class, he, the minister, led it, and he had-much satisfaction in expressing his conviction that the meeting together of that class was attended with the most beneficial results. He called upon the members of the congregation to lend their aid and support individually and collectively. There •were foemen in the field in the shape of wantonness, intemperance, and all ungodliness. He requested heir prayers an 1 active co-operation, and he trusted that when the Lord of the vineyard called the present elders and deacons or the church away, the,generation now springing up would be found qualified to take their place. . He called upon the treasurer, Mr. Street, to give a statement of the previous year's accounts. Mr. Street briefly gave the past year's accounts, and stated that the receipts for the year had been £1583 173. £3.; disbursements, £1214.03.'id. Th^jy were iu debt at the commencement of the preceding year no les3 a sum tliaa .£1472 10s. He was happy to state that the debt at present amounted to £1150, showing a reduction during the year of £322 10s. A number of motions were then put and carried. At intervals several anthems were very effectively rendered bj the choir. The meeting dispersed about half-past ten o'clock. Owing to a pressure of other matter we are compelled "to postpone a detailed account of the proceedings until to-morrow.

Ti^S rX about being established in Uunedin. Q Uo it3 i s an outdoor sport, growmg greatly into favor into Victoria, where there are player opeu to challenge the world. Although quoits wilL not compare in general interest with cricket, it is a game which calls into play a nice judgment, is moderately exciting, and, as a pastime, extremely healthy. There is to be a match fora silver cup immediately after the club has been duly formed and inaugurated. The mail for the North, per Wonga Wonga closes % thi3 morning at 9.30. Special mails will be made up at the same hour for Auckland, per Montezuma, and for Oamaru per Geelong. We are informed that a gang of scoundrels have lately been busily engaged in robbing passengers arriving ..in Dunedin of their luggage and effects. When a steamer or vessel brings up at Port Chalmers, as a general rule, the passengers come to Dunedin by the small traffic boats, and all luggage and goods are forwarded in a day or two after by ligliteis. These goods are landed on the wharf, and are invariably addressed to the parties to whom they belong. The depredations are effected in this way: -A quantity of luggage all with one address on it is selected. TluTname is called out«lon g the wharf, when, if no person answers to it, the goods are placed on to u dray and carried off. Should the owucr be present when his name is.read «ut, one of the scoundrels will offer to carry the luggage to his lodgings, but evades the offer of.doing so by demanding a price he knows will not, be given. Several very cruel robberies of this description have been committed within the last few weeks. Females, with their young families, have landed, to find in a day or two, that they have been robbed of trunks and boxes,containing their own and children's clothing It is to be hoped the detectives will be success^ fal in bringing the offenders to justice.

It has been a subject of general remark within the last few days among tradesmen, that the retail business of the town is materially improving Storekeepers who, until very lately .were half idle are now all more or less busily engaged in receiving and executing orders for both town and upcountry customers. The farmers are arriving down to lay in their spring supplies. Storekeepers arc making their spring purchases. Stockholders, anxious to know the feeling of the market with Vespect to beef and mutton, are in town making enquiries. Sheep farmers^ are trying to anticU pate .what wool is to fetch this next clip, and ! speculating a little thereon. In short, the town is really looking quite alive, and faint hearts that were desponding are now cheered and buoyed up with the prospect of a good spring and a still better summer trade. TOWN BOARD. The usual weekly meeting Jof the Town Board was held yesterday. Present—Messrs. Switzer Cargill, Jenkinson, Hardy, Mollison, Shand Urnham, Dr. Jlulme. Mr. Jenkinson in the Chair. Tha minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was read from the inhabitants jof High-street, Manse-street and other streets in jthe immediate neighbourhood, deploring the [ state of the roads. The following resolution was then proposed by Mr. Graham, seconded by Mr. Hardy, and carried : — " Resolved that Mr. Barnes be allowed two months from this time to complete his contract for the cutting of Highstreet, upon condition of his foifeiting L5 for each day during which the work shall be 'incompletcd ; further, that Mr. Barnes be allowed to lay dowji a tramway, for the purpose of facilitating his operations."

A letter was read fron the Secretary of the Dunedin Athenaeum, stating that in the present state of the funds of the institution, they could not at present erect the retaining wall in question. It was resolved—" That a retaining wall be built in Manse-street, along the Athcujeum ground, and that the work be proceeded with at once."

A deputation then waited upon the Town Board, consisting of Messrs. Hat tray, Tickle, Lazarus, Clove, Reynolds and a number of other gentlemen, headed by Mr. Cooke. The memorial, signed by nearly all the residents in WJkcrstreet JStaflord-street, and Hooc-3treet, was handed in and read by the Clerk to the Board.

_ Mr. Jenkinson, in answer to the various questions in the memorial, stated that every progress was being made with the streets in qucstion°consistent with the state of the weather, and that Mr Keid, the clerk, would he most happy to give the gentlemen present all necessary information. Mr. Henry Cooke : The questions are embodied in the memorial. Mr. Switzer thought that Mr. Jenkinson had bettor deal with the questions seriatim. Mr. Henry Cooke : The first question vis as to what the nature nnd terms of the contract was. The Clerk then read the following parieuiars: —According to contract, Walker street was to have been completed 31st ult. ; Stafford street was to be completed August 16th. No penalty was attached, but the contractor had to make a deposit of 10 per cent, on the amount of contract which was to be forfeited in case of breach or non-fulfilment. The contract for the three streets amounted to L660. Dr. Hulme : What would the deputation reI commend ? Mr. Henry Cooke : They were of opinion that the work should not be allowed to stand over till the fine weather set in. They would recommend pitching the streets in question, when the work would at once he proceeded with. Mr. Switzer : The three streets in question were newly made streets, and for the moat part not cut out, and having a firm foundation ; but a large quantity of stuff had been laid on, aad required at least one winter to get properly settled.

Mr. Cooke : Since the contractor had failed to fulfil his engagement, did the Board mean to call for a new contract ?

Dr. Hulme : They could not ask the contractor to put metal oa such a street in its present state. Tiny had no control over the elements. Mr. Cooke: Walker-stieet was' totally impassable ; was ifc to remain so for an indefinite period? In a very short time the traffic would be greatly increased, and the difficulty would then | become much more serious. Mr. Jenkinson: If Mr. Cooke were the sole proprietor would he at once proceed with the work, or would he wait till the weather made the thing practicable? Mr. Cooke: He would think it his duty to satisfy the wants of the general public. He might add that the contractor had stated that if the system of pitching the streets were adopted, the work could be proceeded^.with without difficulty, even in the present weather. Mr. Jenkinson : What would the residents contribute towards the extra expense, which the proposed system involved ? Mr. Cooke : He had no doubt that the residents would contribute a reasonable sum, but he would remind the Board that the extra expense in. the first instance would eventually prove a considerable gain. •' Mr. Cargill: The attention of the Board had been directed to this new method, and a committee of the Board was then considering the question, and he believed the result was, that Manse-street would be immediately experimented upon. The Board had been most anxious to get the work completed before the bad weather set it, but since they had waited so long, he thought it would be injudicious to push matters on Jm the present state of the weather.

Mr. Cooko -. One gentleman had already left Walker-street, and others would follow; It really was a most serious thing for the owners of property and persons who had large sums of money invested in that part of the town; above all when this state of affairs might continue to an indefinite period. Two months hence the price of labor would be very much advanced, and he questioned if the difference would not make up the extra expense of proceeding forthwith with the streets in question. ;

„Sw ,: Jt was Vxite cleap that thepractr cabihty was the question ; if it was practicable they mu-hfc be satisfied that the work would be proceeded with. _; Mr Cooke : With regard to the blocking up of the streets, it is usual in Melbonrne and elsewhere to do one side of the street at once, which would meet that difficulty. ■ " Mr. Hardy : Mention was made in the memorial with regard to the very inferior quality of the metal laid on the street 3 in question ; at the last meeting of the Board-the inspector was particularly enjoined not to piVss metal, either of an i inferior quahty, or what had been badly broken. _ Mr. Coo«,e—As Mr. M'Kenzie has failed in the ne ™one C" Ct> WoUl<i he be entrustcd with the , Mr. Cargill : He believed the real question at issue was to ascertain whether the work would be immediately proceeded with. With every desire to push the tvork on, he was decidedly of opimon that such was impracticable in the present state of the wenther. He would ask Mr. Reynolds, who he saw formed one of the deputation, whether tlie Orovernment were pushing their work on ? Mr HeynoMs: He would give the Board the oeneht of Ins private opimon, which was that the streets ought to have been metalled long ago, and the woric could easily have bsen done.' Mr. Jenkinsou : The Board has not come to any determination; it will now proceed to discuss the m ™"' aml an ails^vcr shall be given to-day. Mr. Cook thanked the Board on behalf of the ceu-ed th° Colllteous attention they hadreThe Board then proceeded to discuss tho matter privately.