THE Otago Daily Times " Inveniam viam out faciam" DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 672, 12 February 1864, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times " Inveniam viam out faciam" DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12.

Mr. Thomson's invitation to Dr. Hector, to make explanations, has produced from that gentleman, a copy of the official correspondence. It will be found in another column. It was somewhat bold of Mr. Thomson to throw down such a challenge, for certainly, Dr. Hector's explanation shows that the whole affair is even worse [ than was supposed. It now appears that i besides the unauthorised interpolations, the report was mutilated, and a part of it converted into absolute nonsense. By cutting out a paragraph in which the Awarua river wa3 spoken of, the next sentence is made to appear to apply to theKaduka, instead of the Awarua. It does not transpire to whose good office the expunction of the - passage was due, but it is significant , that a recommendation was made, in a minute of Mr Thomson's,- to suppress in Doctor Hector's map the information which the missing paragraph embodied. He advised that the latitudes and longitudes should be left out of the map,-as they would have indicated the change in the Canterbury boundary, and might have involved dispute. Doctor Hector says very tersely in reply, that he could have admitted the validity of the excuse had he not found that the alteration was immediately afterwards adopted in a map issued by Mr Thomson. One is left to admire the heroism of the latter gentleman in the delicate consideration he showed for Doctor Hector's reputation, whilst he did not hesitate to imperil his own, by assuming the paternity of the observations and risking their correctness..

Such an instance of self-sacrifice is exceedingly rare. Dr. Hector ought to be very grateful to Mr Thomson for the serious responsibility he undertook. He does not, however, seem to' appreciate it in this light. He has sufficient confidence in his own observations to be willing himself to become their sponsor. Indeed, he rather appears to dread allowing any one to revise and mutilate his. reports. He did not see that science should be subordinated to inter-provincial considerations, a*nd thought it right to send to the • Geographical Society the proper position of the Awarua river. Fortunately the conflict between science.and inter-provincial policy was of 3hort duration ; for though it operated on Mr Thomson's mind in October when publishing Dr Hector's map, science had gained the victory in January, when he published his own.

Dr Hector very truly says that .the controversy has " nothing to do with the " merits of Mr Gaples' or Mr Alabaster's explorations." In his. report Dr Hector was by no means stinting of the praise which was due to these gentlemen. It may be very convenient, but it certainly is very irrational, to play them and their ex-

plorations against Dr Hector and.his. No doubt they will, be exceedingly gratified

to find that the exigencies of the publib - service have- called them up a champion in Mr Thomson. Mr Alabaster ought to feel especially pleased— the contrast between the obscurity in which his discoveries were first allowed to remain, and the praise to which they are now deemed entitled must be quite startling to him.

It is a pity Mr Thomson's feelings stand so much in the wayot his duty, although of course he is to be commended for them. Mr Caples, standing on the top of a glacier, saw at " two miles from the Bay" a Lake which he named M'Kerrow, " about eight miles " long and one mile broad." Now Dr. Hector states the Lake to be four miles up the river from the sea, and to be one to two miles broaftf and ten to twelve miles long. Mr Thomson says Mr Caples' map is " minutely accurate." If it be so, then Dr. Hector is very inaccurate. Mr Thomson, no doubt, pins his faith to Mr Caples, but others might be inclined to think that Dr. Plector having been up and down the lake is more likely to be correct than the explorer who merely glanced at it from a distance. It is hard on the public that Mr Thomson's sense of duty should make him prefer, for his official map, the bird's eye view to the careful survey.

Mr Thomson's theory as to naming places is also one which, whatever its justice to individuals, is very harsh on the public. Shakspere's interrogation of— "What's in a name?" is answered, in modern times, by " a great deal." It is very much regretted in many of the colonies that native names have been allowed to die out, and'movements are on foot for their restoration. Mr Thomson's theory is most comprehensive in an opposite direction. He considers that anyone standing upon a mountain .should be allowed to name every prominent feature that nature discloses, beneath and around him. Indeed it is -not certain that he confines the right to man. Some of the up-country rivers have had strange names conferred upon them, the origin of which has puzzled many persons. It may now turn out that the streams euphemistically named after the " ewe," the "kye," the "mare," the "filly," the "sow," and the "pig," first met the inspired gaze of those , animals. Lucky brutes—immortality is given to them at the expense of the ears of the community.

The inquiry into the origin of the late fire was concluded yesterday. -It will be remembered that on the first day, Mr Holmes, storeman to Messrs Hart, stated that on the evening of the fire, he delivered to Mrs Bloom, in the Arcade, an invoice for Mr Hyman Hart, her husband's partner; and that she positively denied the statement. Yesterday, she was again called as. a witness. She admitted that she had before spoken erroneously, through excitement and forgetfulness; that when a neighbor, who saw the document delivered, reminded her of the fact,she remembered it; and that the document had .been found under the window, she

having thrown it there, or in that direction,

-*—<? -.--<■ • ■ — rrmr-riaaiKiij auu explanations were given respecting a charge made in the correspondence column of the "Times," against a few members of the

police force. The proceedings will be found fully reported elsewbere. The verdict of the jury declared that the fire commenced in Messrs Hart's store; that there'was no cvi dence to show how it originated; and "that no blame whatever attaches to Holmes, the storemaH."

A meeting of the Otago General Road Board will be held at the Government Offices, Dunedin, on Thursday,. the 18th of this month, at noon, for general business.

Between the 29th of December, 1863, ani

the 30th January, 1864, both inclusive, one hundred and fourteen applications have been received at the Land Office for rural land, in quantities varying from 10 to 300 acres. The greatest number of applications are for 10 acre blocks, of which there are fifty-eight; between 10 acres and 50 there are not more

than half a dozen. The next in number are applicants for areas of 80 to 100 acres. There are three for from 100 to 150, and one for 300 acres. The applications will be decided at

the land office on Monday next, the 15th ins

Meetings of ratepayers in Bell Ward were called last evening at, the Royal George and Waverly Hotels, but the latter was adjourned and a meeting at the former only was held. The business before the meeting was to consider the eligibility of various candidates for

the representation of Bell Ward in the Town Board. Dr Hardy was voted to the chair. The following gentlemen were proposed as fitting persons to represent the ward :—Dr Wilson, Messrs Bayliss, Howard, Birch, D. Millar, junr; Towers, Ham, Hood, and Smith,

'of Park House), A show of hands was ;aken, when there were for Smith, 22 ; Hood,

17 ; Miller, 15 ; Ham, 6 ; Howard, 4 ; Bayliss, 3. After a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting separated.

The "Somnambulist" was repeated last night at the Princess Theatre, followed by the amusing farce of " The loan of a Lover." The wet weather interfered with the attendance, but the whole performance went off with spirit and success. This evening, under the patronage of the Caledonian Society, for Lhe benefit of the Benevolent and Belief Fund of the Society, " A Bird in Hand is worth two in the Bush ;" (or, " A wee Bush is better than nae Beild," the third act of "Bob Boy," and "The Bonnie Fish Wife" will be performed, and the prize dancers at the late Caledonian Gathering are announced to appear. We hope the object of the benefit, in addi-

ion to the attractions of the bill of fare, will

secure a bumper house.

We have been requested to state, by the gentlemen who got up the testimonial to MiMills, that, in doing so, they had no intention or desire to draw invidious distinctions between him and the Eire Brigade, as has been suggested in some quarters. It was designed simply as a mark of esteem for Mr Mills by those who had known -him a long while, and who, on several occasions, had anticipated his exertions in cases to which the testimonial especially referred. So far from any desire to slight the eminent services of the Eire Brigade, we are authorised to say that the same gentlemen, who initiated the testimonial to Mr Mills, are anxious to share in any recognition of the Brigade that may be deemed suitable and gratifying to that body.

, A draynan was arrested at Hamilton's on Saturday night last, for disposing of a quantity of spirits by auction, in the public streets,he having no licence. The unsold spirits were forfeited, andj in addition, he was fined by the Magistrate ten pounds for the offence. The Acts of the General Assembly for 1863, may be purchased on application at the office of the Sub-Treasurer.

la the Magistrates' Court yesterday a well known offender, Archibald Cameron, was sentenced to six months imprisonment for having a skeleton key in his possession, and for having no lawful visible means of support. The landlord of the Australasian Hotel Was fined for keeping his house open on Sunday night. The police also summoned several persons in the Arcade who kept open after 12 o'clock on Saturday night, but Mr Strode dismissed the cases, remarking that he believed the spirit of the Sabbath observance Act to be repugnant to British law, and declaring in cases like those before him he would never strain the act in order to inflict penalties. Another case where a man named Roberts was charged with exposing his goods for sale on Sunday afternoon, broke down. The poundkeeper of Dunedin got into trouble through charging excessive damages-. A carrier's horses got into a garden and the outside the law allowed as damages was under L 3. The poundkeeper demanded no less than Ll2 damages, and L 2 fees, which plaintiff refused to pay, but at the same time tendered L 4 in satisfaction. Defendant would not take the smaller sum and would not give up the horses so the present summons was issued. The poundkeeper was fined L 3 and costs. ¥m. Tunbridge, late clerk to Mr A/Pyle, Custom House agent, was brought up on remand charged with embezzling monies the property of his employer. After a considerable amount of evidence had been gone into, the prisoner was again remanded and will be brought up again next Thursday. At Hamilton's, a public meeting was held for the purpose of forming a Belief and Destitute Miners Fund. Mr Warden Charles Broad was in the chair; and resolutions were passed, and a committee appointed to carry out the object. Twenty-four pounds ten shillings were collected at the meeting. The painters and paper hangers will meet at the Victoria Hotel, in the Octagon, on Saturday (to-morrow) evening at half-past seven I o'clock, to consider the propriety of the trade's joining the procession at the laying the foundation stone on Wednesday next. Mr James McKenzie having commenced his contract for Great King street North, his men are engaged in cutting away one of the principal rises in the line of road in the neighborhood of Albany street, This has exposed a face of earth nearly six feet in height, and consequently the road is temporarily blocked, so that all the traffic has to pass through George street. It is exceedingly necessary that every precaution should be taken to avoid accident by placing a light at • the cutting, as well as a fence of some description, so that those unaware of the alterations going on may not be exposed to danger at night, We are requested to correct a typographical error which occurred in an obituary notice in our yesterday's paper. The advertisement appears in the usual place again to-day, with the error as to the day of funeral corrected.

Information was given to us last night that about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon a pedlar, who is well known in that district,, was stuckup within seven or eight miles of Oamaru, by two armed youths. ; They appeared to be 18 or 20 years of age, and, presenting their revolvers, he made no resistance. They then tied him in the bush, and after robbing him of about L2O, and taking some jewellery from .hiajßa.cb r ~thtur-A« tl"ui ■-G«~««J; r w*,....™.^ he contrived to free himself, and, proceeding to Oamaru, entered a house for refreshment, where the two youths were, who, on recognising him, contrived to escape from the back. Pursuit was immediately given, and one man on horseback is said to have overtaken them, but being intimidated by their fire»arms, he returned without capturing either. The police are on ther track, and it is to be hoped they will not be long at liberty. A social party in connection with the various lodges of.Odd Fellows, will be held at the Odd Fellows Hall, in George-streei, in honor of laying the foundation stone of the Exhibition on Wednesday, the 17th instant. Six members of the Town Board have to be elected to-day. The polling places, and number of candidates to be elected, in the three wards interested, are as follow :— High Ward, at the office of the Town Board, Princes-street, two. Bell Ward, Oddfellows' Hall, George-street,. three; Leith Ward, Messrs Watson and Kerr's store, Great King, street, one. The voting will comme nee at nine o'clock, and no new candidate can be voted for after eleven o'clock. The poll will be closed at that hour if the number of candidates voted for does not exceed the number to be elected; but if the number be greater the poll will remain open until four o'clock. The candidates are an follow .-—Messrs Horace, Bastings, John Grey, and James Johnstone; Bell Ward, Messrs George Smith, Hood, D. Millar, jun.> J. J, Ham, Howard, and H. Bayliss; Leith Ward, Messrs Graham ("red-coat") and Robert Murray. The curious in ornithology will have an opportunity of seeing, at Messrs Armstrong and Newey's, Arcade, a couple of very fine living specimens of that interesting bird, the penguin. Apart from the peculiarity in the wings, it will be seen that the situation of the legs is so posterior, that in order to maintain its balance when on shore, the bird is obliged to stand upright, and to hobble along in this singular attitude. It will be noticed that the feathers lie very compactly together, and pre sent a beautiful glossy waterproof surface

Mb Charles Mathews in Pabis.—Mr Charles Mathews took his farewell benefit on Saturday night, at the Varietes. One of the pieces was "Un Anglais Timide." At the close of the " Anglais Timide" several of the old favorites of the Parisian public made their entry on the stage, and were most cordially received. Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm at the sight of Bouffe, who appeared in the costume of one of his old parts. Bouffe himself seemed very much affected by his reception. Mr Mathews must begreatly delighted with his success before a Parisian audience, and the announcement that ha meant to return next year was received with a burst of applause. The house was crowded to the very top;, though the prices were doubled. Railway Accidnts.—There were in 1862, 65 railway accidents, classified as follows:— To Passenger To Goods Causes of Accidents. Trains. Trains. From collisions 27 7 From wrong points 5 0 From getting off rails ... - 12 5 Froim breakage of axles, wheels, &c... 7 0 From boilers bursting..... 1 1 52 13 Lord Leitkim.—ln a letter to the 'Observer' Lord Leitrim says:—" In what is called a leading paragraph in your paper, which by the merest chance was presented to me, I observe that you # reqresent me as having" sat for Leitrim in the* House of Commons as a Liberal. I never did.

It was my brother, whom I succeeded. I was too wise to allow myself to be dragged into the slough by a disreputable party with whom, in my opinion, no man with a shred of character could ever consent to act. According to their (and your) version, I am now a disgrace! and degrade! man. So far as the myrmidons of disloyal power can injure or degrade me it has been done; buf; the end is yet to come, and it will be for my mortal and causeless foe to meet me, if he dur.-t, in that noble House to which we both belong, and where right and not might must prevail, though all the blood of all tlie Howards essayed to beat it down."