THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam Vian aut facian." DUNEDIN, MONDAY, JULY 1.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1716, 1 July 1867, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam Vian aut facian." DUNEDIN, MONDAY, JULY 1.

The discussion at the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, printed in our Saturday's issue, is calculated to afford some amusement to those who are not fully aware of the intricacies of-the system of New Zealand accounts. That amongst a number of mercantile men, including several who have been, or who are, mixed up with politics, a dispute should arise upon the question of the principle upon which the accounts of the public revenue and expenditure are kept, is at the first blush very extraordinary. It is necessary to be fully alive to the difficulties of the system, to realise how natural it is that persons should fail to be well informed concerning it. It requires, in- order to the .proper comprehension of . the New Zealand account's, not only that one should have attentively studied them, but. that he should continue to be mixed up with them. As a person by some attention may master a difficult puzzle, and in a few months entirely forget it, so may anyone who has ever acquired a knowledge of the way the Colonial accounts are kept forget it, if for a while he ceases to actively keep alive his knowledge. The want of information, therefore, amongst the members of the Chamber of Commerce is not a matter at which to be surprised. Strangely, the statements which most seemed ; tocon-

flict were, notwithstanding their cohflict, mostly correct. The Messrs Cargill-were right in ,%hat they said concerning ihe principle ?r upon which the revenue is collected, .whilst Mr Reynolds ] wr.3 correct concerning the practice. It is quite trtie the three-eighths are only given upon account of what is supposed to be due to the Provinces out of surplus revenue. Originally, the three-eighths monthly payment was made because it was considered to be well within the proportion of surpliis revenue reverting to th.c Provinces. Latterly, when there has been no such siirplus, the payment has been made, and the Provinces debited with so much of it as was in excess of what the accounts showed to be due to them. In some instances, as we shall presently see, they aire found to be indebted ; for more than the whole amount. Supposing we admit those debits to be worth .anything, then Mr. John Cargill is quite correct in saying that the Stamp Duties revert to the Provinces, because they serve to keep down the debits against them. Supposing, for instance, the Stamp Duties amount to £50,000. That £50,000 brought in, ■' in aid of the revenue, serves to make £50,000 more of the Customs Revenue available to the Provinces than they would otherwise, by the accounts, be found to be entitled to. Mr. Reynolds was correct in, saying that the Colonial Treasurer promised that the Provinces should have three-eighths of the Customs Revenue; and he;evidently sets no store by the clause in the Appropriation Act, wliich converts the gift into a loan. The clause is as follows:— " During the year ending the thirtieth " day of June one thousand eight hun- ." dred and sixty-seven there shall be "issued and applied monthly out of the " ordinary revenue of the Colony to each " of the several Provinces of New Zealand "a sum equal to three-eighths of the " gross Customs Revenue collected within " such Province and the sums so paid "shall be deemed to be payments on ac- " count of the surplus ordinary revenue "payable to such Provinceunder 'The " ' Surplus Revenues Act 1858' and if the " total payments to any Province under " the authority hereby given shall exceed " the amount due to such Province for "the year ending the thirtieth day of "June one thousand eight hundred and " sixty-seven the account of such Pro- " vince .-shall in the month of July one "thousand eight hundred and sixty- " seven be debited by the Colonial Trea- " surer with such excess."

We do not know whether Mr P,eynolds is acquainted with this clause, or whether he refers to a promise given earlier in the session that the Provinces should have the three-eighths without qualification, or whether ho attaches no importance to the provision for repayment. As the clause stands, there is no doubt the payment is a loan, not a grant; but it may safely be said, there is no inclination on the part of the Provinces to make restitution. This brings us to the real point of difference between Mr Cargill and those who supported Mm, and Mr Reynolds and his supporters. The whole question hangs upon this, is there any real meaning to be attached-to: the claims upon the Provinces ? When the money has to be paid, the Stamp Duties, by being brought into account, will lessen by so much the debt of the Provinces. But no one supposes that there will be early repayment, and Mr Cargill fights for a theory, whilst Mr Reynolds goes in for a plain fact. A cash payment monthly of three-eighths of the Stamp Duties means something tangibly beneficial to the Provinces. The placing the Stamp Duties to the account of revenue, may, in theory, mean to increase the revenue against which the Provinces have a claim ; but, in practice, it means to give the General Government a larger command of money to spend upon purposes in which the Provinces have no interest. The difference may easily be understood by a simple proposition. If the General Government had had command of one or two hundred thousand pounds additional during the past year, there is no question it would have "been frittered away upon the Colonial Defence Force, and upon profitless enterprises against the Maoris. Mr Reynolds says, whatever money the Provinces receive monthly is safe from being wasted by the ' .General . Government. That Mr, Reynolds's resolution has a practical meaning there is a very clear proof. It was upon a precisely similar resolution that Mr Weld vacated office ; and so patent is the difference between a monthly payment to the Provinces and the mere passing an amount to their credit in the books, that no one, we believe, in the Assembly, has since attempted to take up the ground which Mr Cargill does, that the one is tantamount "to the other.

"Mathetes," whose letter we published oa Saturday, is requested to forward his address (which has been accideatally lost), or to inquire in our office for a communicatioa addressed to him.

On Thursday eveaiag, the North Duuedin Voluuteer Rifle Company met in their drill shed, to be inspected by Lieut.-Colonel Cargill. The Lieut.-Colonel was accompanied by Captain and Adjutant Atkiasoa aad Ser-geaat-Major Murdoch. After the reception, Capt, Burns formed the Company for inspectioa of arnas and accoutremeats, aad the Coloael, after a most miaute inspection, expressed himself not only satisfied, but highly gratified by the appearance of the arms. Lieuteuant Harroway, by request of the Coloael, put the Company through the mauuai, aad Easiga M'Kellar put the Com-

pany through the platoon exercise; in each case in a way highly satisfactory to the ColoaeL Captain aad Adjutant Atkiasoa thehputthe Company through^ the ordinary company drill, giving the men a most severe test of their capabilities, aad they acquittiag themselves excelleatly.: Lieut;-Colonel Cargill addressed, a few words to the officers and volunteers, saying this was the first time he had visited them,' but he felt certain, from what he had seen, that, the North Dunedin Company were second to none of the other Companies in steadiness and proficiency ia drill: He was very much gratified at the number of men on parade, which was larger than had been mustered by most Companies, he had.seea lately. Capt. Atkinsoa briefly urged the necessity-of turning out to Battalion parade. : Capt. Burns, in the name of the Company, thanked the Colonel for his attention to their Wants, and for the very complimentary speech he had made. He {Capt. Burns) hoped time would shew that what had been said would aot fall to the ground, but now that the Company had succeeded in procuring a first-rate rifle range, its iaembers would be found not only well up in drill, but good marksmen. After.three hearty cheers for the Colohel, and the same for the Adjutaat, the Colonel aad staff departed. Capt. Burns administered the oath to a number of recruits, aad appointed regular drill aights, aad officers to instruct them ia squad drill. He hoped the recruits would make good use of their time, aad that rifles would be supplied to them so soou as they were fit to haadle them.' Money to be givea for prizes at a forthcomiag match was voted; aad some other Company business was transacted.

"The following particulars," says the Southland News.oi Thursday, ' 'of aa accident of a serious and unusual kind were communicated to us yesterday by Mr Fairweather. His horses—employed duriag the day at a threshiag machine—were turned out iv the eveaing ia a paddock oa Mr Siaclair's farm at Seaward Bush. Here, some months ago, sheep-dressing with arseaic had beea carried on, the troughs used for dipping being left oh the ground. The horses found these, and, it is supposed, either'drank a small quantity of arsenic solution, or licked some of the poison in a dry state off the sides of the troughs. Be that as it may, yesterday moraiag a valuable mare was found near them lyiag dead, and her companioa in an appareatly dying state. Recourse was immediately had to such remedies as were accessible, and castor oil, milk, and eggs were at once administered with the best effect. Opium and nitrous ether were-afterwards given, and some blood drawn. The animal is likely to recover. This untoward occurrence should induce a greater degree of carefulness on tho part of those engaged in the use of poisonous dressings of all kinds. Human hfe might as easily have been lost as that of. the unfortunate quadruped."

The Moray Place Social Improvement Society's second monthly lecture will be delivered this evening in'the hall underneath the 'Congregational Church, by the Rev. Michael Watt, of Green Island. Subject : " The Bible verified from, the monuments of Nineveh aad Babyloa."

The forty-fourth meeting of shareholders of the Secoad New Zealaad Building Society, for the payment of subscriptions, will be held at the Society's offices, Princes street, this eveaiag.

The appearance of the " Frost Fish" on our coasts was noticed a few days back. The Oamaru Times supplies the following account of it :—" During the past fortnight several frost fish have been picked up on the beach at Oamaru. This fish, which for delicacy of flavor is acknowledged by connoisseurs to be the best fouad ia New Zealand waters, is a puzzle to ichthyologists, inasmuch as it is never taken by hook or bait, but comes ashere during about three months of the year, aad that at the coldest season, from which circamstaaoe, we suppose, its aame arises. It is conjectured that the fish •retting into shoal water, are stranded by the waves, aad front their peculiar shape are unable to recover then natural elemeat; but what is the reasou of their coming inshore at this particular seasou is at present unknown. The frost-fish is a long thin fish, like a flattened-out eel, and ha 3 a scaleless bright skin, much resembling tin foil. When rolled on shore by the waves it falls upon its side and lies helpless., glitteriag oa the beach like silver, until some passer-by secures the prize. Specimens have been captured which were upwards of six: feet in length, and of from fifteen to tweaty pouads weight. Aaother siagular circumstance connected with this fish is, that when picked up, the tail is always found to have beea bittea, it is supposed by the fish itself, possibly ia its endeavors by some meaas to throw itself back iato the sea." ■

The afternoon and evening exhibitions of the Glass Blowers on Saturday last were well attended, and the eatertaiameat seems to be increasing ia popularity. It is to be coatinued duriag the week, aad it is announced that a larger number of prizes than previously given will be presented each! eveaiag.

There was a capital atteadaace at the Princess Theatre on Satnrday evening last. The performances commenced with a drama, ■" The Ransom, or a Daughter's Devotion." Of its merits it is impossible to speak, as, from the absence of Mr Steele, who was to have sustained one of the characters, its represeatation was not effective. But its defects were, goodhumouredly borne by the audieuce, as it was seen that those engaged in the piece were endeavoring to do their best, under very tryiag circumstaaces; aad the general forbearance was rewarded by the excellent performaace of the burlesque of " Dido, or the Queea of Carthage," which followed, aad which was spiritedly played throughout. The burlesque is very cleverly writtea. Tt is full of puns aad word-torturiags, saatches of soag, and daaees, aad oae of its best features is that the "points" are not confined to one or two principal characters, but are well distributed, so that even the most unimportant part eoataias something telling and effective. It had evideatly been well rehearsed, aud rarely has ; a;-first 'representation passed off so successfully. It was put on the stage, in an excellent manner, Mr

Willis's scenery being the subject of geaeral commeadatioa. The mechanical effects ajid. properties were also, very good, aad,Messrs Ward and Rose deserve praise for. their efforts. Miss Dolly Greea made' a most bewitching Anne, aad Miss Sheppard, as Juno,: played well, and looked like a genuine rival of. Venus. . Miss Jeany Nye was iEneas, and her make-up aud actiag were very effective. The soags suag by her were very pleasantly rendered, and she also danced capitally. Mt" Roberts, as larbus^ was made up. as a aigger sereaader, and he added considerably to the enjoyment of the audience by his mirth-provoking acting. * Mr Howe as the King of the Winds, was all that could be desired; as was Mr Herberte, as Salamenes. The part of the Talking Fish was entrusted to Mr Russel, who acquitted himself creditably. But the principle character in the burlesque, aud the one best sustained, was that of the Queen. Mr Wilmott's Dido was evidently an origiaal conception, and was very successful. He was so thoroughly earnest in everything that everything told, and there was aothing but. continued laughter while he was on the stage.The " Tarantella" daace, in which Miss' Jenny Nye took part, was irresistibly ludicrous. Altogether, the burlesque was. most enjoyable, aad it will, doubtless, have a run. It is to be repeated to-night, preceded hy the comedy of '-A Husband to Order." ;

From the Southland Times we learn that " A meeting styled—in the circulars of invitation distributed among those citizens holding 'correct' views—a 'preliminary.took place oa Monday eveaiag ia the building loiowa as the Mechaaics' Institute. ; The expressed object was the formatioa of ' an Association of those Electors favorable to a decided action with reference to land for the prosecution/sic^ of the Northern and Eastern Railways.' Mr Huine was called to the chair. Mr Reynolds, we believe, proposed a series of resolutions, but speakers for or against them there were none. One of the resolutions, if we were rightly informed, affirmed the desirability of forming an Association to effect the desired purpose, membership to be conditional on a paymeat of 10s. Nobody iavested. Captain Budd proposed as aa ameadmeat oa the whole propositions a resolutiou to the effect ' that no more railway swindles were wanted,' and this, although not put from the chair, was carried amid some coafusioa. The meetiag shortly afterwards broke up. It was described to us by many who atteuded as a complete 'sell' from beginniag to end. Probably the promoters expected something of the kind, for they took the silly precaution of withholding from us an invitatio i."

The Gaol returns for the week ending 28th Juae show there weie 2 men awaiting trial; 17 undergoing penal servitude ; 48 men aad 8 women, imprisonment with hard labor; 1, imprisonment ; 2, detained in default of bail; and 5 men and 1 woman, imprisoaed for debt—making a total of 75 men and 9 women. During the week, 5 men aad 2 women were received prisoners, and 6 .men and 1 woman discharged. Since the above return was made, Mary Ann Lavey was received iato Gaol, committed for trial at the aext session of the Supreme Court, for robbing John Garlaad, baker, of Macrae's Flat, of a large sum of money.

The Artillery Volunteers, under Capt. M'Farland, had shell practice on Saturday afternoon, from a point a little to the south of the Pelifjhet Bay Jetty, across the harbor, the target being fixed 12ft or 14ft above the water level, at Grant's Braes. The range was a little more than 1800 yards. The practice was, on the whole, a very satisfactory oae ; and it greatly iaterested a coasiderable aumber of spectators.

The engrossment of the. petition in favor of Separation, which was adoped by the Provincial Council, and is to be forwarded for presentatioa to the Queen, was eatrusted to Mr Weston, law-stationer, Manse street; and the work has been most satisfactorily doae by Mr Spragg and Mr Westoa. The writiag is clear and excellent ia outline; and there is eaough of illumination to afford most tasteful relief to the whole.

We learn, from an article in the Southland Times, that the Otago, with the Suez mails ou board, passed the Bluff without waiting for the mails. The Times- complains heavily of the injustice to Southlaad, aad states that a heavy mail has beea detained, besides a large number of passengers.

Mr Haughton, M.H.R., M.P.C. attended ameetiag at Buras's Victoria Hotel, Queenstown, oa Saturday aight, the 23rd June. The Mayor, Mr R. W. Robertsoa, was ia the chair. Mr Haughtoa spoke at some leagbh respecting his doiagsiathe Pxoviacial Couacil, and his opinioa oa the crisis. Although the Wakatip Mail asserts that the meeting was a very orderly oae, a paragraph attheead of the report scarcely bears out the remark; for on the movement of an amendment by Mr M'Larea, "That Mr Haughton had aot answered all the questions fairly that had been put to him," the Jf assays :—"At this stage a great uproar arose, and the last speaker's amendiaeat aot hay lag been seconded, the resolutiou wm\ put, and carried by acclamation."

Mr John Studholme, a candidate for the representatioa of the Kaiapoi District ia the Assembly, has issued the followiag address! to the electors :—'' As ia. the comiag Sessioa many very importaat questions are expected to aiise, it is highly accessary that Canterbury should be represented by mea who feel a deep iaterest in her prosperity. Ia this address I will mainly touch upon Separatioa and Provincial institutions, as being the most importaat topics likely to come under discussion in the Assembly. With regard to Separation, I look upon it as a last resource, and rather than sever the coaaectioa between the two Islands would be prepared to make some sacrifices ; yet I am not one of those who, for the sake of aa idea, however grand, would be inclined to sacrifice our material interests. I coasider Separation as an alternative preferable only to having the revenues of this Islaad spent on Maori wars or other Northern purposes. In my opinion,- Maori disturbaaces ought to be regarded as matters of police, and the co3t of their suppression I borue by the districts ia which they occur. [ Provincial institutions in Canterbury at least

have oa ther whqle worked weU t and judgiag from past experience i am confident that had our affairs beea uader the control of' a central Government they would have been managed neither so economically or efficiently. I dou't hold that the preseat form. of responsible Governmeat in the Proviace is the best that could be devised, aud would support any well-considered plan for readeriag the Froviacial niaehiaery less cumbersome and expensive. In any change the control of our local affairs must be retained, and above all Our land fund must be" kept intact. The j greatest cautiou ought to be exercised by the Assembly before giviag their consent to Provincial loans. No loan ought to be authorised except for works of primary necessity, aad where at the same time the. ability of the Proviace to meet the interest and repayment was beyond all doubt. I shall advocate the strictest economy, and a reduction of taxation wherever practicable. On all occasions iay vote will be givea in the -way I consider best for the interests of Canterbury and the Colony at large."

The Oamaru Times of Friday gives the following description of " an accident, fortunately unattended by serious consequences, that happened to Cobb's coach on Tuesday evening. The coach from Dnnedin had reached the junctioa of Wansbeck and Severn streets, and the driver was turning off as usual from the main road to follow the latter way into town, when the leaders shied at something aad precipitated themselves into a hole just oa the upper side of the cutting in Severn street ; flouudering out, the excited animals were immediately over the baak, dragging the wheelers into the hole from which they had just extricated- themselves, and running the pole of the coach iato a dray which was staading at the head of the cutting ; had it uot been for this dray, the whole team must have fallen iato the street, dragging the coach after them, whea doubtless some serious results would have ensued. As it was, the coach was capsized, and the polebrokea ; but, with the exceptioa of some other trifling damage done to the vehicle, and a rather severe bruising sustained by the driver, there was no further injury done. There were two passengers in the coach at the time, who fortunately escaped with no worse results than the fright. The driver deserves great credit for his presence of mind, having stuck to his horses to the last, his passengers readering him every assistance in their power. One of the horses broke loose, but we understand that it has since been recovered. We think that great blame attaches to the coatractor, who is carrying out the alterations ia Severn street, for not leaving a light, at the head of the cuttiag ; surely the authorities should see to it that the lives of travellers are not jeopardised by such culpable careless-

ness."

Queen Victoria as an Author.— The fact is not generally known, writes the London correspondent of the Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican, either here or in America, that Her Majesty Queen Victoria has written a work, entitled " Leaves from a Journal in the Highlands," which consists of about forty papers, descriptive of her life at Balmoral and the neighbourhood. The work is illustrated by photographs and woodcuts from Her Majesty's sketches. It contaias, among other interesting matter, three long accounts of incognito journeys made by the. Prince Consort tnd herself to different parts of Scotland, and the adventures they met with. In one of the papers she gives an account of the preaching of Dr Norman Macleod, of Glasgow, and after stating how astonished she was that any one could preach "so eloquently and touchingly without notes," she adds, "and then he prayed so kindly for me and the Prince in the after prayer that I was deeply touched: but when he invoked God's blessing on the children, 1 felt a great lump come in my throat." She had not expected to be played for so kindly by a Presbyterian, and least of all did she expect him to remember the children. I think there is something touching in this simple note of the Queen wife and mother, wliich shows how true a woman she is. Only forty copies of the work have been printed for special friends and favourites, but sooner or later it will of course be reprinted, and will be a most interesting addition to contemporary literature. What would the world not give for such a by Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth ? The copy from which I have quoted bore on the title page the following inscription:— "To dear Jeannie G ■, in remembrance of many, many happy hours—gone never to return again. From V. R." Her Majesty has also written the preface to a life of the Prince. Consort, which General Grey is preparing for private distribution.

Indian Ethnology. —The Asiatic Society of Bengal have published a special number of their journal ion the Ethnology of India, comprising 278 pages, and with, an intimation that if they receive further communications on the same subject, the whole will be printed as a "separate and special ethnological volume of the Journal." The present part contains. an elaborate article on the Aborigines, the Modern Indians and the Borderers, with appendices of test words and phrases, and comparative tables of words, by Mr Justice CampbeE; Lieut. - Col. Dalton contributes a paper on the' Kols of Chota-Nagpore ; Mr L. Bowring a Kashmiri Vocabulary; the Rev F. Batsch a Vocabulary and Grammar of the Oran; and Lieut.-Col. Tickell a Grammar of the Ho language : in all of which there will be good exercise for students of philology as well as ethnology.

The Irish Bench. —It is a remarkable fact, unprecedented in the judicial history of the empire, that a Tory Government has constituted a legal tribunal consisting exclusively of Roman Catholics. By the elevation of Mr Morris, M.P., for- Galway, to the seat hitherto occupied by Mr Justice Christian (new Chief Justice of Appeal) in the Irish Court of Common Pleas, that bench is. occupied by four judges professing the Roman Catholic religion. This step, however, is by no means likely to give rise to any dissatisfaction. The three members of the court who sat with Mr Justice Christian, a staunch supporter of the Established Church, have shown that with tihem religion has no infiuenos on the impartial administration of justice. The legal acumen and intellectual grasp of * Chief Justice Monahan are well Kuowa }

and were evinced with special prominence in the famous Yelverton case, Mr Justice O'Hagan is as distinguished for high literary culture as for his conspicuous farehsio ability ; and Mr Justice Keogh has recently shown, while presiding at the trial of Fenian prisoners; how he could grapple with a grea* difficulty to the. satisfaction, of men of aU shades of political theory and religious belief. That Mr Morris's elevation will b,e a source of gratification to the vast majority of the people of Ireland, both Catholic.-? and Protestant, there is no doubt, for tlie learned gentleman has been always distinguished for his genial, social manners, and is connected with one of the oldest. families in the country.— Times.. '.' * American Railway Tbavellin-g. —-The laying of a third rail on tho Canada Great ■Western Railway has just completed & route of uniform gauge between Chicago^ and New York, and Boston. The inaugural train had some luxurious-novelties of travel: Among them was a hotel car with a little kitchen. At each seat, tables can at once be put up, and on the passenger touching a bell cord, a servant promptly responds with a bill of fare, from which the traveller selects such. edibles as best suit him, and is,presently enjoying all tho comforts of an admirably cooked and served meal,; while going at the rate of forty miles an hour. Two palace sleeping cars, the Mayflower a^<y3i£^i%of Detroit, also went through without change. _ Each/contains six sofas, and twelity-sik--seats. The finest of Wilton carpeting cdtors the floor; the woodwork is black walnut, carved and inlaid with gnt>_wtodow& and ceiling are ornamented in thevMoorish style; -~_- mirrors being; opposite eadh seat ,• tables^ for eating, writing and playing are readly at hand ; curtains made to order, and finported, cover the windows, and the room in the day tune resembles an elegant" parlour. But when night comes on. a few moments change the scene, and. Inxurieus beds for sixty-four people appear, with costly hair mattresses and pillows, and clean—absolutely clean— sheets and coverings. In the morningeach passenger is. handed his separate towel, hot and cold w;ater are ready in convenient washrooms at each end, and he finds himself refreshed and comfortable,, hundreds of miles from where he retired to rest in this flying hotel. An even and. gentle heat is diffused from one of Westlake's heaters beneath the floor, and pure^ ventilation is effected by openings below, through which the air is brought in pipes from the roof, and diffused through thecar, escaping at the ceiling when found fabe impure. All the metal-work inside is plated with silver, and a bright light is diffused at night from great lamps pendant from the ceiling. The cars run on two trucks of eight Wheels each, and the motionis soY smooth, that a person can easily writewhile going at full speed. Thesecars are among the wonders of this rapid. age. ; '