THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 232, 17 September 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times.

"Inceniam vtatn aid faciam."

DUNKDLV. WKDNEaDAY, SEPTEMBER 17.

Tub very little sensation that the discovery of the rich gold fields of Otago produced in England has been a matter of astonishment to the people of this Province, When they see the fuss that from time to time bai been made over discoveries in Victoria, Nova Se^tia, and British Columbia, it was a little surprising that the fields, tne first produce of which was ojrtainly as brilliant as anything the best gold countries could show, should have passed entirely unnoticed. Otago suffers from literally a plethora of gold fields; it can almost now show a field for every thousand miner*. There are Tuapeka, Waipori, Waitahuna, the Woolshed, Ilighlay, Dunstan, and the Nokomai, ©Kb a field in itself capable of supporting a liirge population. In another column we have detailed the particulars of the discovery of the two latt fields, but apari from these, the results from the older diggings show cow atl tractive s country Otago i» to the gold miner.

Since August twelve months, gold to the Talue of at least two millions has been raised in Ot&go, and by quite an inconsiderable number of miners. A competent authority we hare consulted eets that number down as an average of 9000, but which we think is in exciess of the amount. The first two months the number of miners was small, and throughout the winter^ there have not been more than from 6 to 7000 miners employed. Accepting, however, the average of 9000, we find (hat during the thirteen months the miners have averaged a weekly return of L 4 per man, or something between three and four times the average earnings of Victorian miners during the same time. The difficulties incidental to a new country have also to be taken into account. Xext winter it may be safely said the miners will be better prepared for work than they were during the season just passed. Again, there h reason to believe that the winter so much abused will after all be the best time of the year. The discoveries of Hartley and Kcilly point to inexhaustible deposits when the rivers are low, before the melting of the mow. The climate on the Dunstan and Upper Molyneux is mild til the year round, and in fine, Otago possesses in the variety of its gold fields and their richness, attractions to the miner greater than any other gold country can offer. Whence comes it then, in return to our first query, that the Otago fields have produced no sensation, not even been noticed in England, whilst people have^been raving about British Columbia ? The solution is not difficult, the neglect is another favor the people of Otago owe to the General Government of the colony. Sir George Grey's despatches, numbered consecutively, since his arrival in the colony, have lately been published, but not a word do they contain about the Otago fields. When the gold fields of New South Wales and Victoria broke out, Sir Charles Fitzroy and Mr, LaTrobe sent home voluminous reports on them, which .were immediately made public. From time to time the same lias been done with Sir Henry Barkly'a comments on the gold fields of Victoria, and still later, great sensasation has been caused by the publication of Governor Douglas's deapatchfa: concerning the •British Columbian fields. Otago has never enjoyed this official distinction, and.the home press and the home people are sceptical about the vaguereportsofits golden wealth that reach [their ears. AH we can do is to assure them that the gold fields of Otago have approved themselves both rich and lasting, and th&ttherj&KK vince offers as fair-for^ fairer—inducements to; the emigrant as British' Columbia, or any other gold producing country. In the meanwhileit is to be lioped Sir George Grey wilTawuke\ to the consciousness that he has something else besides Native matters to consider, and that nVbyres it as a duty to the home .Govern*, ment to report on the gold fields which in pnq ysar have trebled Jhe expert?" ot Z#r huid, and made the i^allTrovihce of Otagq the enyy .of,alL,thCvAuftralian colonief. ; ; vV>

;. ■ .. ■,'4.i !U ..i .iw;f:.---;. ■- - -.: ■ M j.:--W----•The Parliamentary intelligence from Wellington ia rather important, but we ure compelled to frora'this issued pjyt coimpond^nt's lot-' ter. A split has cceuared in the 'Ministry, Mr. Seweirind Mr.'KnsseU ift^ing'- resigned] the. lat> -Wf»mfwb«^djSi_.^jam<>re "propre, Tcans^ ;l>y Mr. Mr, SewellV baring been offered !~ a seat in the jCabiriet^ Mr Sewell ;liiiDself has resigned owing to Mr. Domet^, having backed out of bfr'&fer in respect'to the seat in the Cabinet.'

;. vWehareWitxMJriitt^aon^to^advatisemeaV in another column, relative to'a public 'meeting to bo held at the Shamrock Hotel on Saturday on the meat-question,*and the-practice of thelfire Brigade at the Commercial Hotel this evening at 7 o'clock: ' * "\ ' We aw in .receipt of private intelligence from Wellington, joy] which we hear that, although tenders are called for the service from Melbourne to Sydney via Otago, it ha* not been, finally decided oh. But on the contrary, the services suggested in our paper of the Bth iast are being favourably considered, ' , In consequence of the delay in the arrival of the City of Hobart, the banquet at which the testimonial is to be presented to Captain Darby, i ß i postponed until this evening, contingent on the \ steamer's arrival to-day, : * \ It vili bo, seen by our Port Chalmers report i that the Matilda Wattcabach, one of the sbips i bringing out the nonconformist settlers from London, was spoken by the bjb. Queen, about' fifteen miles out from Auckland. • ' ' "] We understand that the office-bearers and friends of the Presbyterian Church are invited to meet at | the Presbytery, this'evening, at six o*cloek/ia I)r. Boms' Church, to consider the advisability of iosti' I tutang a college to assist In providing an efficient j the Provinre, and the consideration of t otter matters connected with the advancement of re-, ltgion. , Should the CityofHobart not arrive in time to return to-day, wa believe the Superintended, with the advice of bin Executive, will endeavor to charter ] the Kangatira or the Queen to proceed to Melbourne. The mail is more than usually hniortaat this month, conveying home as it does the message decided upon by the Assembly to tbe Home Government, as also the final action taken by the House in regard to native affiurs. The weather is so ron^i that on no account should, the departure be put. off bejond this afternoon. Last month, by starting on the 18th in einiUar weather, the Gothenburg vas too late. We have to acknowledge the.'receipt of £1 Is. from Mr. A. Boot, on behalf of the Lancaushire relief fund, and JEMs. from Dr. Hocken Uirough Mr. Wright, for the Hughes' Fund. r We have handed to the Secretary of the Lancashire relief fund ti»e sum of jE9O 1 is. 6d., that bdng the amount collected by us for that fund. We send also direct by this mail £32 2s. to Mr. Charles Dickens, on behalf of the Hughes fund---./' ■• . ■ •.■-....■■' '-: -■-' :-:•; ■'■-'-. ,■, Prom a return, puLl&bed for general information by the assistant Treasurer ia Auckland, we lsarn tbat the total quantity of gali exported from New Zealand from Ist April, 1857, to .31st March, IS«2, was 400,581 ox., worth 14,575,513. la the quaiter ending 30th June, 1562, there was exported 82,832 oz., worth L 321,091; thai waking the total gold export of New Zealand up to 30th June, 1862, 483,446 ozs., of the value of £1,5»J,C04, of this quantity 410 901 wk., worth <E 1,703,491, vos the producse of Otago; 48,101 ozs., worth £186,741 the produce of Nelson; and 35 & ozs^'vorUi 3^1,372 was tae produce of

Auckland. A Taranaki correspondent of the Lyttelton Tints, thus writes on the present state of Native affairs:—" Few reflective men who have watched the course of events and studied the native character during the last twenty years, will dissent from the conclusion that of all the men living Bishop Selwyn lias most contributed to bring about the present crisis. Ido not bring into question lor a moment the purity of Dr.

Selwyn's motives, but still the broad fact I hare stated remains undeniable, His Influence was more particularly baneful in paralyzing the arm of the Government at the time of Colonel Browne's recall. There was a taming point (so rare to be met with in the history of a people) in M"*ori matters--* golden opportunity lost for ever. With the recollection of their Taranaki hopes fresh in their minds; an absolute faith in the Governor's honor aud dignity; and a dread that the punishment lor their misdeeds so emphaj tieally denounced would be rigorously exacted, the Waikatos were beginning to waver, (there is the bast evidence of the truth of it). Bat the news of Sir, George Grey's approach at once quench*d every symptom of better judgment. Tits wily savages saw confusion in our councils, and tutored by those whom they believed to be better informed on ail such subjects than themselves, very reasonably expected that the new Governor would be the harbinger of a complete reversal of policy. They perhaps by this time begin to understand better, but too late for any good purpose. The conviction is forced on minds hardened now, and reckless, and the Jlaories,so tax as we can judge, are ready to stake their existence in fighting for a shadow." It has generally been the custom with the Maories to claim female children, the offspring of irregular marriages between Europeans and Native women. It appears however, that they ■6X9 now enforcing tbisctutom in the case of mile children. An instance of this is related by the Waipa correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross : —" As some natives were coming oat of Auckland last spring, they met a European boy somewhere near Waikato, very much exhausted from hunger, they say. They brought him up here, and have had hun ever since. Wihona Te One, who was taken prisoner at Mahoetahi, is the man who has got him. One or both of his parents are alive, and are, I believe anxious to . recover, him. Mr Gorst has been trying to get him, but the natives positively refuse to give him up. Te Wihona said that "Mr. Reid had a half-caste I toy, and will not give him to them, consequently ' he thinks himself justified in retaining the boy he ! has got,- So iar as I know, they treat Mm very Kindly, at least according to Maori ideas. He was very dirty, and had a Maori mat on the last time *I; saw "himT I have no doubt Ke has as much putrid corn as he can eat. The Government have

allowed them to. take away half-caste girls from their le^algaaidii*n» with iuapanity,«o"jiow they proceed a step further, and refuse to give up this boy, when demanded by the Cfcramissioher. Without doubt the more tho Government bear from these, people, the more they will have to bear." ' I Mitchief seems to be-brewing-in the Lower1 Waikato, and the accounts from that district in- ' dicate anything but a satisfactory state of thiugs. ' In fact it would appear that the authorities are! 'abandoning turiher* attempts to enforce th» , authority ofthe lair-there, TUe correspondent of! the of the^Snd inst, says—" There ] is to be no farther attempt to establish law and , ordor. in this, district.. Mr Gorsi, lias declined to grant any more summonses to settlers against Maoris. No doubt tho Government see the absurdity ofthe jshing, and knovrwell the state of fvflkir* up here. What the natives must thiak ofjour government I don't know* To show you how uncertain our position is, a meeting was held 'the other day in, Lower Waikato, {This is that I qtnet settled district!) Many of the speakers got iup andaaid, * What do we make pahs for but to I fight?" alluding to our stockade at Mangatawhlri; ' let us make a rush on it.* Howevefthey wcrechecked by another saving, *We are too few ia number.' It only shows that the feeling exists in, their heart if, they could only see a chance to surprise us. I give you this as I heard it from Mr, Cowell, who had it from the datives themselves, •ad who is a.tborough Maori linguist."