THE Otago Daily Times. DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, SEPT. 4.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2054, 4 September 1868, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, SEPT. 4.

In recent intelligence from Australia, we learned that a Government prosecution '■ had been instituted against a newspaper called Tlie Freeman's Journal, published in Sydney.- But the prosecution is not, | as one would suppose, directed at the publication of seditious libels in a Fenian organ ; it is simply a prosecution for the recovery of penalties amounting to £2000 for the non-registration of the proprietors. The Government, it appears, thought fit to avail themselves of an oversight on the part of the publishers, instead of prosecuting them for their seditious publications. The journal in question has been notorious for many years past as an organ of the most ultra Irish patriotism, and has published from time to time articles of a flagrantly seditious character. Attention was called to the fact, for the first time, during the ferment excited by the attempted assassination of the Prince ; and a clause was inserted in the now celebrated Treason Felony Act of New South Wales for the special benefit of the journal in question. A prosecution for seditious libel was

generally expected ; and if it had been instituted, conviction must have ensued, and the proceedings would have met with public approbation. But the Attorney General has gone to work in a different way. There is an old Act on the Statute Book of the colony— a transcript of a still older Imperial Act — inflicting heavy penalties on any printer or proprietor of a, newspaper who shall fail to register his name and place of abode in the Supreme Court. At the time the present proprietors of The Freeman's Journal took possession of the paper, they duly notified the fact from week to week in several successive issues, and they also entered into the necessary recognisances. But they omitted one thing—and that was the registration of their names and places of abode. For this omission, they are now called upon to pay £2000 to Her Majesty.

This little anecdote will commend itself to the attention of newspaper proprietors and printers generally in New Zealand. No such law as that we have referred to has yet been passed in this colony, but a Bill to the same effect has been introduced into the House of Representatives by Mr Richmond. The short title of the Act is * The Printers and Newspapers Registration Act 1868/ and it is divided into three parts : the first relates to the Registration of Printing Presses, the second to the Registration of Newspapers, and the third is occupied with the penalties. The effect of the first part of the Act is as "follows : (1) Every person who has any printing press or types for printing must give notice of the fact in writing signed by himself and attested by a witness, to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, who shall thereupon present the printer with a certificate. Neglect to give this notice involves a penalty of not less than L 5 nor more than L2O ; and a similar rate of penalty is fixed for the use of the press and types in any other place than that specified in the notice and certificate. (2) Every person who prints any paper or book, whether for sale or for gratuitous distribution, must print his" name and usual place of abode on the first and last leaves of the publication. Neglect to do so involves a penalty of not less than L 5 nor more than L2O for every copy, up to twenty-five; and the same penalty is incurred by any person who publishes or assists in publishing such copies. (3) Every person who prints for hire or profit must keep a copy of every paper printed by him, and write or print thereon the name and place of abode of his employer. Neglect to do so, or to keep the copy for six months after publication, or to show it on demand to any Justice, involves the same penalties as before. (4) Any person who sells or delivers gratuitously or exposes in a public place any printed paper not authenticated by the name and abode of the printer, may befseized and carried before a Justice or delivered over to a constable, by any witness of the fact. (5) Search warrants may be granted, upon information, for the discovery of unregistered printing presses, and any such presses may be seized. (6) Exemptions are declared in favor of impressions from engravings, printing of business cards, of papers for the sale of estates or goods by auction, of any Bank note, bill of exchange, and other documents of the kind.

The second Part of the Bill relates directly to newspapers. It begins by defining what a newspaper is, which it does in these terms : " the word f newspaper' shall include every paper or pamphlet containing any public news, intelligence, or occurrence, or any, remarks or observations thereon, or upon any political matter, and published for sale periodically, or in parts or numbers at intervals not exceeding 26 days, at a price of sixpence or any less amount." The publications issued by Government printers are not to be considered ' newspapers' within the meaning of the Act, nor documents of a commercial nature. Now we come to the restrictions on the publication of newspapers. Any one who starts a newspaper must furnish the Registrar ofthe Supreme Court with an affidavit, signed by the proprietor, printer, and publisher. An affidavit must also be filed when any change takes place in the proprietary, or in the printing and publishing department. It will be held conclusive eyidence as to its contents in all Courts of Law. Any printer, publisher, or proprietor, who retires from a newspaper business, should file an affidavit disclaiming any .further connection with it. The affidavits must be registered in the Supreme Court, and the register must be open to the public. Every newspaper, and every supplement of a newspaper, must contain at the end the full Dame and address of the printer and publisher —the place where the paper is printed— and the day of the week, month, and year on which it is published. In civil or criminal proceedings against newspaper proprietors, it will not be necessary to furnish proof tliat a copy of the newspaper in question was purchased at the defendant's office, when the affidavit required by the Act has been filed by him. And lastly, any person connected with the proprietary of a newspaper may le compelled to disclose the fact of his connection, when proceedings for that purpose have been instituted. A penalty of £20 will be incurred by any person who shall sell or deliver or print or publish any newspaper respecting which the required affidavit hss not been registered, and also by any person who shall sell or publish a newspaper containing a description of the publishing office different from that given in the affidavit.

There is nothing to object to in the principle of this legislation; it prevails i everywhere : but in the present day there is no such necessity for tyrannical strictness in dealing with printers and publishers, as there was seyenty or eighty years ago. The Bill before us is copied from Imperial Acts passed considerably more than half a century ago, when the authorities were besieged by venomous libellers whom they were not always able to lay hold of- It was well enough, perhaps^ in revolutionary

times, to enact that any little boy wicked enough to sell a paper he could not read should forfeit a sum 'not less than five nor more than twenty pounds, for every copy,' if it happened to have no printer's name on it. A much milder measure might have suited onr circumstances. The danger of copying literally old Imperial Acts consists in the opportunities such a custom may afford to any Government disposed to institute vindictive prosecutions. An opposition newspaper would stand a poor chance of equitable consideration in the event of its overlooking the requirements of the Registration Act. That this is no chisasera is evident from the case of The Freeman's Journal.

Yesterday morning, a man named Ken" nedy was found dead in his bed iv a small shanty off George street, Port Chalmers. The deceased had come into the Port on the previous evening, for the purpose of obtaining work at the building of the Graving Lock, and was accommodated with a night's lodging in the shanty, which, was occupied by three laborers. From information obtained, the deceased and others had stayed up to aa early hour in the morning drinking. At six o'clock one turned out and endeavored to rouse deceased, when he was found dead. The body was taken possession of by the police, and conveyed to the Morgue. There were no marks of violence on the body. A post mortem examination was to take place last evening, and an inquest will be held to-day.

We understand that a sheep-washing apparatus, designed and constructed by Mr John Alves, is to be tried at the Bone Mill, Water of Leith, to-day, between the hours of two and three o'clock in the forenoon. A number of sheep have been placed at his disposal by Mr Dale, bf the City Company, for the purpose of testing the efficiency of his invention. This will be a favorable opportunity, for gentlemen interested, of judging for themselves as to the expediency of the new process.

The West Coast Times of the 24th ult., contains the following account of a new lead that has just been struck at Kanieri Flat.— "We are glad to hear that the Great Western Company have struck a rich, shallow, aud hitherto un worked lead of gold, at the end of the cutting that crosses their claim in the direction of the terrace. The had is situated nearly under the o!d tailrace, and is contained in eighteen inches of washdirt, which prospects at the rate of from 4 dwt. to 1 dwt. to the dish, and lies at a depth of about 8 feet from the surface. Tt is truly remarkable that the lead was not struck before, that part of the flat being riddled by shafts sunk in the early days of the Kanieri rush."

Mariae disturbances were observed on the coast of Scotland three months ago. The Montrose- Standard of the 22nd May contains the following :—On Tuesday morning last, the tide at the shore receded about thirty yards on the sloping beach, and about four feet in perpendicular height in the harbor, returning in two or three minutts to its former elevation. By the sudden reflux, of the water, some of the boats moored at the pier-head were considerably damaged ; the "painters" having broken, they were dashed against one another, and one or two floated out to sea before they couid be secured. Such an occurrence has not taken place in this quarter within the memory of the "oldest inhabitant," and has caused a good deal of speculation among the fiahbag population here.

The town of Shortland, on the Thames, is suffering from all the inconveniences of a rush. As at Paris during the late Exhibition, beds are not to be got for love or money. A correspondent to one of our contemporaries says:—The great cry now is for sleeping accommodation. The steamers arrive crowded at night, and it is quite a joke to see the people racing up the streets to secure beds. There is, too, a great demand for timber, and the supply is not nearly sufficient; prices are ruling high, and any kind of building material is eagerly sought after. Last week, and during thi?, it has heen as high as Ll per 100 feet. The last quotation I heard was 18s per 100 feet, and likely to remain so.

The steamer John Perm took 164 diggers to Auckland the other day, and was followed by the Airedale with 130.

Swindlers are actively at work in connection with the Auckland gold fields. One of them recently hired -several men in Canterbury to proceed to the mines, L 3 a week and passage paid. Some of them went to Lyttelton, and were surprised to find that their passages had not been secured. Their employer was suddenly called away to Wellington,, and was last seen on board the Rakaia, bound for Panama.

Forty-three volunteers landed the other day at Patea from New Plymouth in the ps. Sturt. They have all smelt powderare enrolled for three months—and each is provided with a suit of clothes, a rifle, and sixty rounds of ammunition. They return to their homes at the end of the specified time. .

The progress of manufactures has reached Wellington in its course. The development they have taken in that city is peculiar. •' Traps,' it appears from the papers, are becoming quite an institution in the town, and it is said that the greater number of those which have made their appearance in the streets are of local manufacture.

A Mining Association has been proposed in Westland. A. pubhc meeting was held on the subject on the 17th ult., at which a resolution was passed to the effect that such an Association should be formed, 'having for its object the development and advancement of the mining and other resources of Westland.'

Mr Taylor's entertainment is really well worth witnessing. No one could help laughing last evening at his description of the first lessons in skating, and the graceful and difficult evolutions in the first part of his performance were much admired. The drama of the " Child Stealer," and the farce of " .Aunt Charlotte's Maid," were the pieces played at the theatre last night; and this evening the farce will be repeated. It will be preceded by Dion Boucicault's comedy, " Old Heads and Young Hearts," which will be produced for the first time in New Zealand.

The friendly natives in Wanganui have shown encouraging symptoms. The Times states that, having published an account of the capture of Te Ngutu o ta Manu, in English and Maori, the kupapas for the Front were then receiving their arms and ammunition at the Militia Office, and did not seem to relish the idea of their services nob being required, However, they declared

that they would pursue and bring in dead or alive the notorious cannibal Titokowaru. For this purpose, osteusibly, they embarked on board the p.s. Sturt, on Saturday night, were driven back by adverse winds, disembarked, and proceeded overland yesterday. From early morn till late in the afternoon, they went straggling along, some on horseback, but the greater part on foot. What they intend to do at Patea we know not) but it is pretty clear to us that their going at all was a mistake.

Another wreck is supposed to have taken place on the coast near the town of Wellington. The Independent states that some station men found on the beach near Cape Terawiti, about 15 miles from Wellington, two cases of kerosene, a chest of tea, and a quantity of ship's fittings.- Tnis was on the morning of the 28th of last month.

The motion for the reduction of the Gold Duty was negatived ia the House of Representatives.

From recent returns we learn that the value of imports to the whole of New Zealand for the quarter ended SOth June, 1868, is L 917,204 against LJ,225,727 for the corresponding quarter of 1867, showing a falling off of £308,523.

The art of printing is taught at the Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum, Christchurch, and the officer in charge says thafc three cures have already been worked by it. This is encouraging to members of the profession.

The poll-tax in Auckland, it appears, is not to be levied till July _lst next. The Soutliern Cross remarks that if the sick and destitute, for,whose benefit it is to be raised, can do without it for eleven months, they can do without it altogether. This is father a conventional than a conclusive argument.

A meeting of the Education Board will be held in the Government Offices, on Monday next, at two o'clock.

The Mayor of Port Chalmers, Thomas Tayler, Esq., has been appointed a Justice of the Peace for the colony.

The Nelson Museum contains several specimens of sulphur from the volcanic island off the East Cape, called White Island.

The Friendly Natives have been distinguishing themselves in Auckland. A select party had come to enjoy themselves, and ?n the evening some of them were found drunk and disorderly in the street. The police seized one offender and handcuffed him, but they had no sooner attempted to drag him along than 40 or 50 of his comrades set to work to rescue him. They carried sticks, spears, and tomahawks. A fight in the style of Donnybrook Fair soon followed, the police were injured, and their prisoner escaped. One of the Maoris who attempted the rescue was captured and lodged in the lock-up.

We were yesterday shown a sample of four bales of cotton recently imported from the Fiji Islands, by the Banshee. The cotton is of two kinds, mixed and sea-island. It is of a fine, silky texture, and, considering the imperfect appliances for preparing it at present in operation in the Fijis, it may be considered free from impurities. The importers are Messrs Calvert and Campbell of this city, and we understand that should their venture meet with sufficient encouragement, there is every prospect of its being repeated.

The JWeZson Colonist states that some very creditable specimens of the printer'sart have been produced in that city by Maoris. They consist of ferns printed in colors from the plants themselves, which are rolled with ink inthe usual way, and impressions are thus taken from the actual leaves. The frond is very beautifully transferred, the smaller leaves with their serrated edges being distinctly given j ahd as the color is toned in accordance with that of the ferns, the impressions on the paper are like tastefully fixed specimens in a collector's book of ferns.

From the Marlborough Press of the 19th August, we learn that a "large 'right whale' was captured on Wednesday last, by Mr James Keenan and party, in the Sound, near the entrance of Tory Channel. The fish is the largest taken this season ; and is expected to give about 9 tons of oil, which, with the bone, will be worth over L3OO. Another entered the Sound at the same time, but managed to effect its escape. This makes the seventh whale taken this season, and the whalers say that it has been the best season they have had for many years."

The following deta'ls regarding the Flax Works recently established at Tokomairiro are given by the Bruce Herald of yesterday's date :—" We lately had occasion to notice the progress of the Tokomairiro Flax Works, and we theu stated it was proposed to remove the engine and plant to a. more suitable site. This has been effected; and we are glad to hear that ths capabilities of the mill have been increased, so that a greater 'quantity of prepared flax can now be made at a reduced expense. The enterprising company are now engaged in making preliminary arrangements for the manufacture of rope of all kinds, and matting suitable for rooms, lobbies, &c. An experienced rope-spinner from Sydney has been engaged to conduct the former, and a loom is now being made in Milton for the manufacture of the latter, on the same principle as the cocoa-nut matting now sold in the stores. We trust that the importation and use of the foreign production will be superseded by the locally manufactured article, which the company intend selling at from 2s 6dto4s pdr yard, of various colors and patterns, whereas the cocoa-nut matting sells at 6s 6d per yard. Those who can afford to carpet their rooms with the genuine Kidderminster and Brussels, must for a time be content wi£h what is imported and sold by the upholsterers of the place, as it is perhaps premature to expect such a local manufacture at present."

The tidal waves made their appearance, as might have been expected, on the Western as well as the Eastern and Southern shores of the island. The Westport Star gives the following account of the appearance presented by them:—"At Westport, about the time of low water, several * bores' or waves of unusual size presented themselves in the river, running rapidly in from the sea, and towards high water the tide made with unusual rapidity. Usually the tide rises in the Buller without any observable inward current, but on Saturday it ran mat considerable speed; and, even at the highest wharf inthe river, there was at one time a current of at least two knots per hour up the river. The largest and heaviest 'bore' occurred between five and six o'clock in the evening. It was from four to five feet in height, and, as it presseduptheriverwithconsiderablevelocity, it led to the John Perm breaking her moorings at Stanley wharf. Similar phenomena were observed along the coast. By those who were travelling by Cobb's coach, the sea was seen to recede for a considerable distance, and unusually large waves then broke upon the ahor^ aad advanced considerable dis-

tances up the beach. This morning, accord* 7 ing to the testimony of a number of the inhabitants, a shock of earthquake was distinctly felt at Westport. Time is not very accurately kept in this town, but the shock or shaking seems to have been felt about tea or a quarter-past ten o'clock. Several persons who were at the time writing at counters, desks, or tables, state that they felt the trembling motion very distinctly, and in one instance the table was both seen and felfc to move, while there was a visible vibration of other articles of furniture in the room. At the Caledonian. Terrace similar observations weremade." The trial of Civil Causes will probably be commenced on Monday. The follow-* ing ia the list:— COMMON JURY. T^ oe „ Ay.' 11 PlfcS ' S01" Dfte- SOT* Jones v Orbell.. Macassey..Smvthies Murdoch v. AJbbott Smith ... .HoVarHi. Rendhan v. Watt..; D. Hacgitt.Ward ft3S? * °t aW*°rd Hodgkins. .Srnythies Orbell*. Jones Srnythies..Macassey SPECIALJimY. Cargill c.Bankof Otago (Limited)..Macassey. .Smith Bank of Australasia v. Reid and others .......... Smit h ... .Macassey Campbell v. Petchell Smith ... .HodgMns Bank of Otago (Limited) v. Rovse and another I....Smith ....Hagatfe Bank of Otago v. Campbell...... Hodgkins.. Barton. We understand that an application will be made in Chambers to-day, to transfer one of | the Common-Jury Causes to the Special-Jury list. .-"■■- The montHy meeting of Lodge St. Andrew, No. 432, S.C., will bs held this evening, in the Masonic Hall, at 7.30.