THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam vain aut faciam."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 277, 8 November 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam vain aut faciam."

DUI-EDIN, SATLi-rf.r-- V Y, NOVEMBER 8.

Thf. condition of M«->ri' affairs month by moml becomes more insatisfactory. People begin ask themselves what is the meaning of ttoi-.,ying what' evidently sooner or later mu^f rake place--the bringing within legitimate coiim-t the disaffected natives, who now laugn at law and order. The " sorting" process has "been curried on quite sufficiently long to prove j that ihe longer it continues, the larger the i number of Natives that will have to be placed on the opposition side of liie account. The Maories most disposed to be friendly are beginning to think tbat they cannot afford to beso; in tact they see the Europeans rest patient under ".' outrages, that even they would not submit to from their dusky brethren, aud they \ ask what chance have they of protection from allies who seem unable to protect themselves. There is no special pleading in this aspectof the case, i!; is a plain mutter oi fact statement, and at 'the cost of a considerable amount of dignity, Sir George Grey elicited it Irons. Wi Tako. To secure this man Sir George Grey resorted to alternate threats and entreaties. lie reminded him oi the friendship of bygone days, and nought to conju c up in his f vor the magic of old associations. .Finding this course useless he tried what threa.: sou d do. lie vaguely intimated that h< . aid send soldiers to occupy the Wiakane, as- 1 that he would confiscate Wi Tako'sprivni; property. What must the old m n have thought of the power of the once transcendant race, when its leader could have recourse to inducements of this kind to bind in unwilling friendship au avowed adversary. His thou hts may be easily guessed, but be shaped tuem into words with a rar.e delicacy. Instead of returning threats to threats, he merely said Sir George must do what he thought it right to do. He should retain his love for Sir George^ but his people could'no longer act in concert with the pakeha, and against their own race. v The '"■ people of this island joined the Government " when you were in England; your work* was " left to the English and Native Lands Pur- " chase Commissioners. ; llawiri Waiaua. was "then killed, as the result of a land pu\ chase. "It was requested that the Europeans should «'join the .Natives in that quarrel, but they did, i' not consent. After this there was thequar"rel of Ngatikahungunui Hapuku against ',' Mbanui, also the result of purchase of land." What did this mean but that the Europeans deserted the friendly natives who espoused their cause, and that the disaffected Maories were allowed to come off best ?< "I see you are a foolish people,", said Sir George. "Yes," replied Wi.Tako, with a profound depth of meaning in his,simple - ords, "you, know we " are fools—you are iv &nowmg"raceY'but

"why do you not show your wisdom r" Comment is useless,—Why, the old man meant, did the Europeans only distinguish between friends and foes to concede to the latter what to the former was denied? Were Wi Tako arid his people, who were inclined to aid Sir George, as well off as'the miscreants who had plundered and murdered.the helpless Tard'iaki settlers, and left that fair Province a desolate wilderness ?—would they be better off than the ' Natives who still continued to plunder the Europeans, to bar their passage through their own lands, to impound their cattle, and commit felonious offences and laugh at pursuit? For the barren honorof a powerless friendship with the Europeans was Wi Tako to place his ! people under the ban of the cold distrust, if not avowed hostility, of their co-brethren? The line of argument is a painful one—the deduction still more painful. Sir George has been grasping at shadows whilst the substance was escaping him His conciliating efforts have not only been vainly expended on those against whom they were aimed, but others who wanted, them not- were induced to ask why should they give unasked and unrewarded an adherence which the Pakeha seemed disposed to go any length to secure.„ The policy pursued would have been a mistake with a civilized race, but it was much more so with a barbaric one. Power is what the savage of every order and grade worships above all other things, and power with him means not only the will to do, but the actual doing. No rights do they regard so sacred as those of conquest and possession. Mr. Fitzgerald only too justly typified the Maori race when he introduced in eloquent terms in his speech the episode of the mound " wherein lie buried the last remnant of a tribe that had fallen—men, women, and children—beneath the tomahawks of their ancient foes." The absolute resolution of contending powers is to them an instinct. They cannot bs ruled by those whose power they do not respect as superior to their own.

Writing from Waikato in May, 1860, Mr. M'Lean in an elaborate report upon the condition of the Natives, sufficiently clearly expressed his opinion upon the policy of making further concessions. The King movement, he considered might have answered a desirable purpose, h-id it originally been commenced in a more friendly spirit, and been less ambitions and pretentious in form. But the time for approving and guiding it he considered had passed by, and

Any concessions made would be' construed into a recognition of their proceediiipsby the Governor, and gradually lead to a more decided assumption and dictation than would he found consistent with the true interest' of the natives them:««lves, or compatible with British rul" and supremacy.

So much for concession. In the same excellent report, Mr.M'Lean lets us into the secret of the then feelings of the Native race. He divided them into three classes, —" first, the " large majority, staunch supporters of the l- King movement ; second, moderate adhe- " rents to it while the object is the preserva- " tion ot distinct nationality, the retention of " land, the adjustment of grievances, and the "preservation of peace ; third, opponents of " the King movement from the convic'ion •'that it is not calculated to promote any "permanent good." Yet the Chief Potatau, in whose name the King movement was urged, was not unfriendly. Mr. M'Lean gives a touching account of his farewell interview with the old chief, at whose beck many thousand warriors would follow to the field

The old chief shook hands with me in the most friendly manner, holding nry hand in his for a consirable time. He used the customary Maori farewell, " Go, return to your home;" adding, *' I can assure you that I mean nothing evil, X Ritii,,"usi ig a familiar abbreviation of my nam • • " I mean nothing. It '.*' is not for me, for the black skin, to speak or dipfote uto you, to the white skin. It is for you to direct or ''teach me. Aral not a black? But a'though the '•skin is black out?i le, the insi !e, or iay he;irt, is ''white. Look at me," putting out hi* frail and siiaking- haud, as if appealiug for tommisrjration, aa>i lifi&n'mg tliat he alone was left. "Farewell! go in peace to your home, farewell!"

But times are changed since then, and much for the worse. Potatau the Second raigns in the stead of his father, and even he and. William Thompson, by whom he is guided, are not able "to stem the movement of which they are the noaiinal heads. A meeting has been held at the Waikato, to consider whether Kingism shall be maintained, and it is thought that Thompson will take the opportunity of vrithdrawingfrom the movement which he is no longer able to control. But Kingism itself flourishes; it has made its way throughout the length and breadth of the 2'Jorth Island. The Natives have learnt their power, and are little disposed to forfeit it. They do not commence hostilities, but they do nothing to prevent their resumption. Nay more, if unbounded arrogance,-—if insolent assertion,—if contempt for law" and justice, and acts of open outrage, are to be argued as a desire to sea the fair provinces- of the North desolated by the horrors of war the Maories supply that conclusion. The Thames Natives act n accrd with the Waikatos, and these, it is feared, with the Wanganui Natives, in the South, would make common cause with the Taranaki tribes if hostilities were to recommence. JSir George 'Grey's is a painful position, but delay serves no purpose but to lose him allies, whilst it secures hitii no friends in their stead. He has as many troops as England is likely to afford him, and every year that adds to the enormous expense of the armed peace, loses him so much of the means that might be placed at his disposal. He has declared his intention to reinstate the^ Taranaki settlers, and the Taranaki natives, as if to add fuel to the flame, have lately committed as gross an outrage as even they could conceive, in plundering the mail steamer, detaining the. mail/and Refusing passage through! • land the. ownership .of which the Europeans claim. A sharp seveie lesson for conduct such as this might have brought the Taranaki Natives to reason, and frightened the Waikatos. The latter know of steamers .buiiding to ascend their river and command their country, and might be reluctant to leave their Jbomes, but what are they to think of the patient endurance of insults that to their savage instincts must seem, of the most deadly nature that' could be offered.' Policy will hot explain it, the , only .solution they will admit will be fear—unmitigated fear. And" in that fear they will see the encouragement

to carry out their cherished purpose, " to fish Zeiland from the sea," to banish from it thePakeha race,and restore it to its last dusky rulers. Sir George Grey is like the homoeopathic practitioner who ordered the application of gnats when the ailopaihist ordered leeches. He is employing infinitesimal remedies to a gigantic and rapidly increasing disease People vainly ask for a solution The most probable we have heard is that he has sent home requesting to be relieved of his charge, aid meanwhile avoids taking any active measures that might embarass or^pledge his successor.

The Provincial Secretary of Canterbury ha male a most lucid .statement of the financial policy of his Government. The estimated expenditure for the current nine months amounts to ■ £854,65 4- 7s 31, and the revenue to £233,000, leaving a deficiency of £121,654 7s 3d. This, if required, is to be b^rne out of a loan which it is propose! to raise for general purposes, including the construction of the railway, the spicial Loan Ordinance for Avhich it is propose Ito repeal. The new loan is to be for £500,000, to bear a rate of interest not exceeding five per cent, and to extend over fifty years. The repayment is to be provided for by a sinking fund of one per cent, per annum, which it is calculated at five per cent, compound interest, will pay off the loan a dozen years sooner than the time stipulated. The arrangement for the use of the money is most ingenious if it can only be managed. The Government propose to borrow the whole £500,000 at once, but as they would have no immediate use for all or part of it, they propose to arrange with the local banks to take the money at the same rate of interest, and pay it over in sums as required (a few months notice being given) for the purposes of the Government. Thus, the Province will be at no expen?e of interest for the money it • does not absolutely employ. The one per cent, sinking fund, the Provincial Secretary considers can be relied on out of the Customs revenue, so that the land revenue would be still free for the construction of public works, which is, of course, its proper purpose. The loan would, in fact, supply a substitute, if through any unforseen circumstances the land revenue fell off. Such was the casi owing to a temporary depression in ISSB, and then no other course was open but to stop the public works at a time when the exigencies of the laboring classes were most severely felt.

We hope to sac the Secretary for this Province elaborate, an equally intelligible financial policy. Southland on the one side, and Canterbury on the other, are pushing their public works ahead with astonishing vigor. During the present session the Council of our youn^ southern sister are voting money for a railway to the Bluff, for telegraphic communication with Otago, and f>r tramways or roads into the interior. The Provincial Secretary of Canterbury, amongst other items of expenditure, sets down £60,000 for railway purposes, £10.000 for a telegraph line, £ 13.000 for large-bridges, nearly £12,003 for police purposes, £2,500 for harbor purposes, £2,200 for charitable purposes, £30,000 for im nigratioa, £36,000 for public buildings — but only £20,000 of which will be required for the present year—£s,ooo for mail subsidies, and for roads the estimated expenditure seems to be about 30,000, although, owing to the confusion of bridges and roads, we are not well able from the Secretary's speech to draw a .distinction between the two. At least £30,000 is, however, specially mentioned. Othsr public works, such as a deep sea jetty, a house for the Superintendent, and an extension of the railway are to be suggested. Be it remembered we are not expressing an opinion as to how these expenses miy suit the neighboring Province. We observe that the Ly'tielton Tim*.* give 3 the plan its entire adhesion, whilst the' Press questions whether it is not too much in advance of the condition of the Province. But be that as it may, Otago must not rest idle whilst it's neighbours are, by useful public works, establishing the permanent stability of their respective Provinces. Otago has resources which they cannot boast of. Its gold fields yield large revenues; it can secure population without paying ten pounds a head for it; and the market is open for the saks of town and agricultural lands to suit the wants of the increasing number of inhabitants. What might be extravagance' in Canterbury, would be only a wise economy in Ot:tgo. In respect to borrowing powers, capitalists would be at the least as willing to lend to the latter as to the lormer. Every shilling expended on public works will leive an immediate profit, and we are convinced that the Council will be' exercising a wise discretion in m iking liberal appropriations, during the coming session,

Miss Harriet Gordon appeared in three pieces at the Theatre Royal last evening. "The Hose of Castille " was repeated, and the three beautiful songs were loudly applauded. " The Green--finches," a sketch in wnieh Miss Gordon, as a jealous wife, assumes the disguise of a Freoch Countess and that of a fast youth, Charley Bates, was very amusingly played ; the patter of broken English being especially naive and telling. The last piece svas the good old musical farce, " 'Twas I." This evening, •♦ Macbeth'?- is to be played with all. Locke's 'music, and Miss Gordon as Hecate. • .

There was- a crowded house at the Princess' Theatre, last evening, for the benefit of Mr Tom Fawcett, the lessee and manager. The two-act drama," The Chimney Sweep," was produced for the first time in-Dunedin. It depends for success upon smoothness and fiiiisW of acting ; and it was acted so as to be qti ite successful. Mr Tom Fawcett was very good as Young Joe, a working sweep, with a big heart.a goodhead, and a strong, disinterested love for his pretty cousin Marion, who was charmingly played by MissE. Wiseman. Old Joe; Dobbs, and Grubber, a trio of blunt old cronies, found capital representatives in Mr J. Dunri,Mr Small, and Mr Dunn,jun.; aud Miss F. Wiseman was quite at home as the country lass, Molly. Brown. In the interval, Mr Sttfii sang a comic song, and was encored ; Madame Carandinigave 'i Softly Sighs," very effectively —the accompaniment,, it should be remarked, Vas charmingly rendered by'tlie baud—and being encoied, she substituted" The Qaeen's Latter ;" -and'SUss.JF. :Wiseman appeared in a Scotch .diin<^e.'.Tlie burlesque of the tragedy ot " Medea," another novelty here, was the afterpiece^ la ttU

tragedy, Madame Kistori, by the sublimity of her acting, made ah impression which can never, w« should think, De effaced from the memory of any one* who hud the good fortune to see her ; and in the burlesque, j^ubson, with his peculiar power oi combining the ti ul/ tragic with therichly grotesque, crtated a genuine satisfaction. Mr Geo. Ifaweeti has assumed the character of the spoustdeserted torceress ; and without implying that he at all imitates liobson, which he does not, it is simply a truth that' ht showed himself a worthy follower in the arduous undertaking. In all good burlesque acting, then, must needu be a vein of serious earnestness, bui Mr George Fawcelt is capable of more. We arc cunvLiCSil tl.at his Medea will be the better appreciated, the more frequently one has a chance oi seeing and studying it; and that is the best test whether a piece of acting post eses more than ordinary merit. Mjß9 Emma ]Sevi;le as Jason, and Miss E. Wisemen a3 Orpheus, looked charmingly, and acted and. sang well; and barring an occasional want of acquaintance with the dialogue, the burKsque throughout went swimmingly. An Oddfellows meeting is announced to be held at the Queen's Arms Hotel, on Tuesday evening. A giand ball is, we understand, to be held at the Oddfellow's Hall, George-street, on Monday evening, in honour of the birthday of the Prince of Wales. Gieat preparations have, we believe, been made for the occasion, and we are sure we may safely say that no exertions will be wanting on the part of the gentlemen stewards to make ; the ball a success. |

Among other festivities for the celebration of th" majority of the Prince of Wales, we observe the announcement of a pleasure trip, on board the steamer Ruby, to the Heads. This trip is to be under the auspices of Messrs Riordan Brothers, of the Cafe de Paris.

" New Industries'' may .flourish, without a Gavan Dutfy. There was last evening, a good instance in the Provincial Sale Yard, near th<; entrance to the Princess' Theatre. A notional individual had utilised the frame of a dog-cart into a stand for a small electrical ; and greatly to his own profit, he was husily engaged in administering mild doses of lightning to the eager abettors of his shocking enterprise.

The cause tried in the Supreme Court yesterday, was of more general interest perhap3, than most ol those that have preceded it, seeing that it arose out of the great billiard match recently played here between Mr John Lamb, uf Melbourne and Mr "Farquhar. The plain till; Win Henry llophins, chimed Lll7 ss, from the defendant, Joseph Harding, no;v of the Union Hotel; LGoas money advanced to Lumb, before he left Melhoui ne ; LSO as commission or reward for his trouble, &c, in negotiating the match, being five per cuil, ou LI,OOO, the xaatch being for LSOO a eide, and won by Lamb, for Harding ; together with L 2 5s for cao hue, &c. The jury found hv the plaintiff, damages, L7O. Monday being set apart as a general holiday, the Court will uot sit again until Tuesday morning. The lollowing letter fom Captain Vine Hall, the manager of the Intercolonial Royal Mail Company, appeared iv the Nelson Examiner, Oct. 11 til: —" To Major Richmond, CB. —Sir, —lt has been matter of some surprise to me, as a visitor in New Zealand, that, up to the present time, there are no means, by dock or slip, yet provided in any port for (he repair of ships generally, as re-cop-pering, &0., or for the cleaning and repainting the bottoms of iron vessels. There is not the least doubt but that a good slip would very soon pay a satisluetory interest on the money therein inrested, whilst it would be difficult to over-estimate the collateral advantages to the port in which iueh slip was laid down. Irrespective of other considerations, I believe that the port first providing bucli accommodation, would create for itself a prestige and a considerable commercial preeminence at once over others. Not only steamers, which are obliged to go to Sydney for docking, &c., but merchant ships, whalers, &c, would be glad to go on a slip to repair even a sheet or two of copper, or stop a trifling leak, but which incotiYeniences they are obliged to put up with. And, seeing that whilst such repairs are going on money must be disbursed for both necessaries and luxuries, it would be the manifest interest of every merchant, tradesman, or house proprietor to take shares in such an undertaking, for it must pay if properly managed, directly and indirectly. Nelson possesses many advantages for a slip from the considerable rise and fall of tide, and the sheltered lagoon which forms the harbour. If there could also be added a depot for the West Coast coal at a moderate figure, the number of steamers at Nelson, and the moneys in consequence spent there by them, would form no small items in its statistical returns and substanstial advancement. I think the present time of commercial development and progress particularly opportune for the entering upon such enterprises.—l am, &c, John Vine Hall. -Wellington, July 20th, 1862."

We extract the following "latest particulars" ot the i.otorious Gardiner, from the Goulburn C hro icle :—" We are informed, on the most reliable authority, that the notorious Mrs Brown, near v.licse residence Sir Frederick Pottinger made the fruitless attempt to capture the renowned bushranger, and who had since quitted the place where she was theu domiciled, is now located near Wheeo, where the amorous brigand has renewed his visits,, lie himself hanging about the neighborhood in company with three of hi^ mates, severally known as Topham, Ruggy Jim, and L'ng Tom, and that he has been seen there by parties who knew him within the last

week,"

A somewhat peculiar case, and one the hearing of which occasioned some amusement, occurred in the Ifcsidcnt Magistrate's Court yesterday. A man had gone into an auction room and had purchased a parcel of hams, at the rate of 2Jd per lb. One of the hams was cut in the room and was tolerably good, hut when the buyer got his purchase home he found that the rest were not only queer, but downright bad, indeed, co bad that the li sptclov of nuisances, with his keen sense of smell, assisted, it is true, by the kind direction of a butclu-r, who vas a neighbor of the purchaser, found them out, and in the buyer's own words, " threatened to put him in prison if he offered them fur salt." Disgusted with his purchase the unfortunate buyer tried to gtt the auctioneer to let him June the ruor.ey back, but as the auctioneer it fused to lefund, he brought the action to obts.in what he believed* to be his rights. In support of his claim the offending hams were brought into" court, but it was not long before the worthy magistrate ordered their removal, and the bailhT carried them out. holding them as far awny from his nose as possible. It was shown for the defence, that the case was open, and that the people in the auction room were handling the •hams find sticking screw-drivers into them. Under these circumstances the Bench held that the buyer had net exercised proper caution, and that lie had made the purchase with all faults—in fact that tins was a case in which the rule of cavsqt 'p&fttir was specially applicable.

We understand that storekeepers are being made to take out fresh business Ikanses at the Dunstan, although they hold licenses obtained at jtner diggings. We believe this is quite contrary to the intention of the Gold Fields.Act, the miner's rights and.business licenses issued under which* are clearly • meant to apply to any goid tield in the Province, no matter in what district they are issued.

There are two special jury causes remaining, one depending upon the arrival of the Aldinga, and the other upon that of the Qmeo. The former McLean v Douglas and Another, is a salvage claim as between Captain M'Lcan, for the Aldinga, and the agents or the Flying Mist, wrecked at the Bluff; and the latter is Luhning v M'Lachlan. £t is regarded as certain that the Aldinga will arrive in time for the Captain's suit to be taken at the sitting of the Court on Tuesday.

The Canterbury Government propose erecting a suitable residence for the Superintendent." in which he may properly receive visitors and officers from other places." At present they make him residential allowances equal only "to die rent of a poor house."

It appears that the Canterbury people propose to continue their subsidy to the Melbourne steamer, an amountfor the purpose is being placed on the estimates. It would be well if the Postmaster General were to insert a clause in the contracts he is making,prohibiting the mail steamers from receiving special subsidies from the Provinces. If report speaks truly, a subsidy offered by the Southland Government has- more than once interfered with the carriage of the mails, and the contract with Canterbury has been ruinous to the punctua ity of the mail service. Again and again has a delay been caused by the steamer being obliged to go on to Canterbury. The present month will probably aftord an additional instance. If the Gothenburg instead ofguin^ on to Canterbury had returned to Melbourne, she would have been ready to bring on the English mails due to-morrow at that place. As it is, there will pvobably be no steamer ready, and it is impossible to conjecture when the mails will come forward. The Omeo and the Aldinga were both advertised to leave Melbourne during.the past week, but it is possible the owners may detain one of them for the English mail.

j A few days ago we copied from the Nelson Examiner, a letter from a Mr Hough, who stated that he had been informed by the Motueka natives that a general rising of the natives in the North Island was determined on. In a later issue of the Examiner appears a letter from the Motueka Chief, named Mature Te Whiwhi, contradicting the assertion. The following is a translation of | this letter:—"Friends and Elder Brethren,—l have heard an evil report concerning the Mao'ries connected with the King movement, to the effect that they are combining in order to make an immediate and simultaneous attack upon the settlers. It is said that the authors of this statement are Te Re Nganiho, of Motueka, and Taherei Paerata, ofMotupipi, andthatthecommunication was made to Mr Hough, who immediately published it in the newspapers. Now, I wish publicly to contradict these statements, for, as I only left Otaki on the 10th October, and Wellington on the 12th, and being thoroughly acquainted with all ih<i movements of the King party throughout New Zealand, and constantly hearing all that is said on the subject, I am in a position to declare that the most that has been said by them is, • We are determined to adhere to our king.' The principal chiefs, emissaries of the Maori Icing, reside at Otaki. There are three of them ; their names are—Heremia Te Tuere, Hapi Te Whakarawe, Wi Tako Ngatata. These chiefs are the only medium of communication between theMaorikin" and the natives of these parts. All letters come through them ; no others are worthy of notice. Now, I think- Mr Hough made a serious omission—lie did not inquire who wrote the letter in question ; or, if he did so, he should have published it. That would have thrown light upon.the subject ; but, as it is, the report is groundless—it has no foundation—it is incorrect. Now, my friends and elder brethren, I t beg of yoa not to believe that report, but rather listen to what I have told you on the subject. I ask you now to dig a deep hole and bury it therein, that it may be completely lost."

The people of New South Wales have displayed an extraordinary degree of munificence with respr-ct to the Lancashire Relief Fund. In the Sydney Herald, of October 20, appears the seventeenth subscription list, which adds up to more than Ll,ooo, and there is no intimation of the lists being closed.

The Province of Nelson is very rich in coal, of excellent quality, and generally situated favorably for shipment, but the easy, apathetic GoTernment of that Province seem to give themselves very little trouble to develope a source of wealth, which might be made hardly second to the production of gold. At the Grey River, aud various points of the West Coast, most abundant seams of first-rate coal are known to exist, and there are also valuable deposits of this mineral at Massacre Bay. Respecting the latter coal, obtained at a place called Pakawau, a correspondent of the Nelson Examiner furnishes the fallowing particulars, which are accompanied by a very favorable report from Dr. Macadam, of Melbourne :—" The seam from which these specimens were taken, is three feet in thickness, it crops out from the face of the hill about twenty-five feet above the level of the stream at ifcs base, and lies in a horizontal position, or thereabouts, and is distant from the small harbor of Seaford one and a quarter miles : from a place of shipment in Massacre Bay, where a jetty may easily be made to accommodate large vessels, two miles and a half ; and from Nelson fifty miles. The fact of this bay being as good a harbor as the port of Wellington, must ultimately cause all who feel interested in steam, the Panama route, &c, to turn their attention to the coal-fields of this districc. Mr H. Redwood reports that he tried one sack of the Pakawau coal furnished by me, weighing 1571b5., against the same weight of the best pateut fuel, the result being that the first worked his engine two hours, while the latter kept it going two hours twenty-three minutes, thereby proving it to be equal to some of the best steam coals in use, and superior to Sydney (Newcastle), They produce a little cliuker or slag, but this is in fragments, and does not create so much obstruction as the clinker formed by burning the patent fuel. This report was mado to me verbally by Mr Redwood, and I wrote the particulars down at the time."

A grave charge against certain authorities has been made in the New South Wales Legislature. In a leading article, the Sydney Empire says:—- ---'• The discussion in committee of the Assembly on Wednesday, on the subject of the Detective Police force, left many important points unexplained. How far that body is made use of for political purposes remains still a subject of speculation. The startling assertion that blank search-warrants had been intrusted to them, duly signed, and to be filled in and made use of by themselves as needed, has not been disproved. A member thought that the thing was impossible, i since a, distinct affidavit must precede the issue ox

a-warrant. We grant that such ought to be the case; but it is an,estabUsbed, ( Jg.ci that two magistrates in a Northern district were in the habit of

accommodating each other in a similar manner some years ago. It may be possible that the possession of such illegitimate authority to search for stolen goods may have sometimes led to the detection of crime; Lut we agree with the honorable and reverend member for West Sydney, that it would be better to run the risk of criminality occasionally escaping unpunished, than to substitute the unconstitutional action of au executive police for that rigid adherence to law which is the safeguard of society as well as the security of public liberty. We are told, again, i hat the ' published list of detective officers includes all persons so employed, and that they are all men of respectable character. We do not desire to question this, and we are aware of its truth in some instances ; but, according to Mr Driver's account, there was one name on the list which would.be far more appropriately placed on the gaol" calendar. He honored this individual with the designation of " the most notorious thief in the country"—a title which detracts somewhat from the well-earned reputatiou of Mr Gardiner, and is certainly not complimentary to the more reputable members of the police lorce, who may suffer from erroneous suspicions on the part of the public. Besides, although the list may be perfect as regards the actual officers of the force, no question was raised as to the employment of police agents, or the funds that may be appropriated, by way of secret service mo: ey, for the reward of suchobjectionalle instruments.'

A new feature in Australian productions is mentioned in the Maitland Mercury. A paragraph in chat paper states-.— "We were favored yesterday with the sight of a small sample of Angola wool, from two goats in the possession of Mr Black, of Lake Macquaric. It is of extreme fineness, being iitlle coarser than raw silk, which at the first gknee it resembles in some degree ; it is glossy and nearly white.- The animals, Mr Black informs us, are the only two of the pure breed in the colony. They were originally imported into Victoria, passed into the hands of the New South Wales Government, and thence to the care of Mr Black, who made application for them with the view of raising a flock. They are described as hardy animals, and good feeders, readily eating corn and any other food which Mr Black has placed before them. The wool, or rather hair, does not require shearing for its*rcmoval; but is eomhed out at a certain season in each year. Mr Black has our warmest wishes for the success of his speculation,"