THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2091, 17 October 1868, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times.

DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, OCT. .17

The indignation wo arc apt to feol whenever wo find ourselves misrepresented or misunderstood in the mother country is natural enough. The discovery that we are not so, well known and not so highly esteemed aa wo thought we were, is extremely mortifying ; but at tlio same time it acts as a decided check to our conceit. It takes somo time to convince even_the most enlightoned men in the colonies that neither the Government nor. tha people of Great Britain know anything about us. A colonist who visits London is bothsilrprised and pained to find that everything appertaining" to Australia and New Zealand is matter of very little momorit in any class of English society. .Ho finds no interest taken in this part of the Empire Conrersation rarely if ever turns upon it, unless occasioned by. the presence of an Australian or a New Zealander. The very deserts of Africa, with thoir gorilla* and lions, are more familiar to the-English mind thari'tha most popular cities in the Southern scaa.^ The mass of colonists, who d.O hot visit London and have consequently no trfeans of ascertaining the Tone o£ English opinion, believe, in the simplicity of iheir hearts, that English statesmen, English journalists, and Englishmen in general, fcul a lively interest in__our—progress— have all oar statistics at their fingers' ends —and regularly read the./ summaries' of thfr colonial papers. It is a sorrowful sort oF amusement to note the Various little instances of this self-delusion which make their appnaiance from time to time. It possesses the mind of the public wilhagrasp

which no rude encounter with facts can shake off. Nothing will convince them thai they are really unknown and .uncared for by their fellow-countrymen on the other side of the globeThey grumble at no injury that may"be done—they kick at no insult that may be offered. They submit with exeroplaiy patience to all the arbitrary caprices of tho Colonial Otfice, and they rejoice witli frantic exultation over any little evidence of Royal regard. Tears of neglect and injury are wiped out from the memory in a moment, by the distribution of a few tenth-rato honours among tho leading colonists, or tho passing visit of a Prince.

The discovery, brought to light in tho Houaa of Representatives by Mx Potts, that the imports from New Zealand into tho United Kingdom for tho firat quarter of 1807 are estimated by tho Board of Trade returns at L2O, is an appropriate illustration of the attention paid to this colony by tho Imperial Government. A paragraph in tha Homo News, expressing surprise at these figures, contains tho following : —' No doubt an explanation can be given that may be satisfactory; but as none can be obtained hero that is satisfactory, inquiry should be made in New Zealand itself. 1 This is even worse than tho Board of Trade. No matter what absurd mis-statements may be put in circulation respecting New Zealand, it appears that an explanation cannot possibly bo obtained in England. Tho writer in the Homo News, to whom wo suppose the usual sourcesof statisticalinformation were open, had no doubt consulted them in order to verify these extraordinary figures. But ho could get no explanation, and accordingly .suggested that ' inquiry should be made in New Zealand.' From Mr Stafkohm'h statement, wo learn that tho Government of this colony had previously called the attention of the Imperial Government ' to the very great injustice done to Now Zealand by the Board of Trade returns.' Tho answer was, that the Board of Trade couldn't help it. Official returns are forwarded quarterly from this colony to the Board of Trade, so that, as Mr Stafford says, they havo authentic information if they only chooso to make use of it. They do not chooso to do so. The result of this system therefore is, that whenever the Board of Trade returns are laid before tho British public, the export trade of New Zealand is estimated at about ,220 per quarter. These returns are accepted throughout the United .Kingdom as unimpeachable authorities, and the people generally havo no idea that, as regards New Zealand, the returns are wortlUess. In what sort of estimation can the colony Btand in the eyes of British merchants and capitalists, when information of this kind is officially circulated ? Mr Porrs prefaced bis complaint by pointing out that, in many statistical authorities, New Zealand is ' hidden under the name of Australia.' So little in known about this colony in Great Britain that it is generally regarded as in some way a part of. Australia. It has no distinctive position in the Imperial world; it is ono of the ' Australian' colonies, and its imports and exports, with every other fact respecting it, are jumbled up under the head of Australia. We can have no reason for surprise if tho progress of emigration ia slow, when our unfortunate country is enveloped in. so much fog as this.

Tho suggestion made by Mr Potts, that regular returns of the trade and commerce of New Zealand should be sent a» advertisements to the leading newspapers in Europe and America, is not'a very pleasant one. It would involve a heavy bill for advertising, and it would cortainly provoke sarcasm. But what is i/O be dono in tho present position of affairs ? We have Mr Staffohd's assurance that there is no use in appealing to the Imperial authorities. The exchango of Gazettes and other statistical publications with foreign consuls and consular agents in New Zealand has been going on for eomo time pant ; but no practical results of any value can bo obtained by this means. Mr Rolleston's idea of a special compilation under tho authority of tho Government is decidedly a good one. Such a compilation might take the form of tho well-known Annual Register, containing not statistical information only, but political, social, and scientific information also. A well-executed work of that kind, published once a year, would be as useful in New Zealand as attrpad ; and as it would probably pass into general circulation, it might command a Bale more than sufficient to pay its expenses. Distributed by tho Government among ■■ tho libraries and other public institutions of Europe and America, it would servo to dissipate the clouds of ignorance that hang over us. In this matter, however, the recently formed Colonial Society will .bo able to render us material assistance. Its most important function will consist in contributing to tho spread of accurate information with regard to the colonies. Owing to the gale that prevailed yesterday morning, telegraphic communication has been iuterrupted with all stations north of Oamaru and south of Tokommriro. The Battalion Band will muster in front ot tho Custom lloueo this afternoon at halfpast four, wbenoo they will march to the South Recreation Ground, and not to the Botanical Gardens as previously intended. There was a fair attendance at the Princess Theatre last night.; The farce ot "A. ■Regular Fix," and the drama of " Janet Pride" were successfully produced. By desire tho ■same pieces will, for the last time, to produced this evening. IMr William Kennedy, of Jetty street, » passenger by.the steamship Taranaki when she was, lost ia Tory Channel, has shown us" a. handsome lea sad coffee service, purchased in Duncdin for presentation, by » few of the passengers —including tho Bishop of New Zealand and Lichfield, and JLotd Burghley— to the wives of two settlers waned Bowden,in Bowdea Bay, in recognition of their hospitality at a very critical time. : At the Resident Magistrate's .Court yesterday, before A. ChethMn-Sttfode, Esq., H.H. John Nicol, for drunken and disorderly conduct, -was lined 10s ; and SoihisrAu*tin.aJiai Euphemi* Coyle, for » similar offence, was

fined 30s, with the alternative of four days' imprisonment. Tho civil, cases were of an unimportant nature. J. (Beany v,G. Orbell was a claim for LS, amount of an TO IT. Judgment by default Vas given. for the amount claimed, together with coats. H. Cohen v. Roberta was a claim of I>2sa, value of seats lent and not retained. The defendant objected to the plaint, c ntending that th« plaintiff being a bankrupt could not sue in his own name. The Magistrate held tho objection to be a good one,'and nonsuited the plaintiff. The case of Meider v. Mlv aught was dismissed for non appearance.

During the month of September, 51G money orders were issued, representing L 2331 19a 10d, and 292 were paid, amounting toLI2SG 19s sd. Since the commencement of tba syßtem, on tho Ist September, 18C2, 35,050 orders have been issued, amounting to L1H3.314 3s 2d ; and 16,432, representing L 78,8"5 18s 5d have been paid. In the Pout Uffico Savings Bank Department, tho number of new accounts during September was 77, and there were 284 additions mace to existing account*. Tne deposits on new accounts amounted to L 2575 6s 4d, and tho additions to L 2873 Ba. Tho total num bcr of deposits was 3GI (amounting to L 5449 4s 4d), making 4908 from tho beginning of the system, amounting to LCI.CCS lls Cd. There were 15u withdrawals, al»o, during September, including 14 closed accounts. The atuount withdrawn was L 2575 lls lid. Since tho commencement of tho system there have been 1734 withdrawals, toeether making L 27.478 9s 3d.

A child, of five years of ago, died at Cobden, near Greymoutb, from eating a portion of tile inner ttalk of the tutu. Several other children ate portions of the plant at the time, but fortunately escaped. A disgraceful scene lately took place in tho Independent Methodist Church, Christchurch. The minister, who it appear* has recently becomo a Swcdenborgian, took a public opportunity of defending his change of views. The church was densely crowded, and at first tho audience were pretty orderly. At /the close of the first part of bis address, however, they began to interrupt him, and at length, according to the Press, a Large part of hia hearers got into a state of almost frantic excitement, and abused their laic pastor in no measured terms. Tho cause of _ this riotous conduct appears tp have been their dissatisfaction with his conduct in transferring the building; but whenever ho attempted to explain, they refused to listen to him, and hooted him do*n in a moat disgraceful manner. Speaking of the proposed race from the Lindis to Clydo, our mining reporter stated, in his last communication, that "tho route along which such a channel would have to traverse affords an excellent fall, estimated at 150 feet to the mile." Wo are desired by Mr Warden Pyko to state that our reporter is in error, so far as relates to the words— "to the mile." The fall is estimated at 150 feet altogether. An Athcnajum will shortly be established in Westport. A site has l'een secured, and plans for the building are in progress. Ordera for books and periodicals have been given, and tho Provincial Government has been applied to for its promised grant of LI 00 in aid of the funds. Another rush has taken place on the New River, in the Qrey district, and good prospects have Ueen obtained. Tho rush is described ac a most important one. The Wanganui Times has the following : — The Armstrong guns are of no' use, as thcro are no trained artillerymen to man them., Yon Tempaky's men, 75 of the best in the force, are disbanded; and within a week from this date there will not bo half-a-dozen experienced officers left. Officers who havo seen service will not continue to servo nnder the present Government. Colonel M'Donnell having rc»igned, it is doubtful whether he will do anything but hold on until his successor arrives.',,On Saturday last, Tito Kowaru had advanced to a strong post, about six miles up the Patca Biver, on the north bank. The Provincial Government of Taranaki has voted LSO as a bornw for the export of Towaibark, and LIOOO for the discovery of a payable gold field. Censure has been cast upon tho General Government for not having engaged the Rangatira steamer, instead of the Waipara, to convey troop* to Poverty Bay, on tho landing of the Haubaus. The Manager of the N.Z.S.N. Company has published a letter in. the Wellington Independent, contradicting the Treasurer's statement thattho Government tried to get the steamer. It is said that, had the Rangatira been eDgagcd, our forces would have reached the scene of action before tho fight with Ciptain Wcstrupp, and a victory would have been the result.

As showing that the recent fall in the price of wool was due rather to bad dressing than to wtcesßivo supply, we quote the fol-lowing-pawaie from Messrs .Southny and Son's circular, rercimi by the Suez mail:— There twaa a moderate attendance of home and foreign buyers ; a largo proportion of the catalogue ccaaistcd of ill-conditioned and otherwise detective wool, tbe prices for which can hardly ( bo quoted Jess than a penny per pound unde? the closing rates of last Hales. Better descriptions, though lower, did cot show so marked a declina. One of the miners who joined in the l»ts " duffer rush* to Mercury Bay, describes the district aa fallows :—lhe indications axe not of a likely lUtore ; the quartz is hungry and barren-looking; no gold is iound i«.;any quantity in th« local^-; and ntrcolour^rfta to be found by .any of , the party, either, "on the beach, in the creek, or on the bill, or in the neighbourhood at all ; although a considerable" amount of prospecting was done, and a good radios of ground was tried.

While agricultural labourers in Otogo are getting LCO a-year and rations, agricultural labourers % York»hi;o are actually suffering from starvation. It occasions some astonishment to ttfe reader ;of such .paragraph* '.as the following that tho Imperial Government, knowing what EnglLsh labourers enduw from want of work; take* no step* for promoting emigration to these colonies .—The aialtxm correspondent of the Manchester Examiner states that the present time is one of great trial for .toe•Jaboorers .in. the agriculturaldiviiionS;,of Yorkshire. The fine autumn enabled t the-fairness to get very .forward with work on the land, and gave them the whip hand at the "atatato hiring*," where a decided and sucoassful onalaaght was made against high wages. This same reason has caused [work; to be very scat©*/and it » pitiable to sse in every town a»d village number* *l willing workezs #*anding. about without any' hope of .employment. Eveii'tJw usual. '.'speU" of «o*A during from snow,' and.parish pay for .it, has failed this year. With no. work, coal* advanciafc *•« * !»•««»»* "* I»t»to«»

(as retailed to the poor customer in small quantities) from 5s to 6s per bushel, the miserable condition of tho labourer with wife and family may be better imagined than desorited. There is a general impression that, wages, with the present price of food, are too low, but want of work is worse. Upon -tho "Wolds there is another feature which is now productive of much suffering. A custom prevails of 'inciting' the labourer in tho farmer's house, and paying him additional wages of perhaps 7s per week, upon which he has to clotho himself and family, pay house rent, and keep possibly a wife and four or five children—in many cases not more than Is por head per week. The stato of poverty and utter waut with which these poor people arc surrounded only now and again comes l>eforo tho world, when a coroner's inquest on some case of starvation affords the mntcrial.

Wo have received a Prospectus of & Monthly Magazine, to bo published at Lawrence under the title of 'The Evangelist.' the first number is to appear on the Ist of January next. It will be edited by the Rev. Janjes Copland, M.A., M.D., Ph.D., Tuapoka, and will express the viewa generally held by Presbyterians on religious questions. Special prominence will be given to tho Missionary efforts of tho Presbyterian Church on behalf of the Maoris and Chineso in Now Zealand, and the natives in tho New Hebrides. A new hospital has just been erected at Wesfport. It supplies a want severely felt, in tho district. A lad has been poisoned at Westport by enting mussels. An hour after swallowing them ho was seized with a violent fit of vomiting, and h'B face and body became covered with large red blotches. Medical assistance having been obtained and emetics administered, the danger was averted, and the patient is now said to be recovering. Tho Provincial Government of Southland has placed LIOO upon the estimates for 1809 for the A gricultural and Pastoral Association of that Province. Owing to the long continuanco of dry weather on tho West Coast, the miners near Weetport have had their operations checked for want of water. Latest accounts, however, state that rain had fallen; and it was expected that mining operations would bo vigo'oualy resumed. A correspondent of tho Nelson Colonist, alarmed at the probablo effects of recent cvent3 at tho seat of war upon emigration to the colony, writes as followb :—What will people at a distance, what will those who intend emigrating to this colony say, when they read of the inhuman butcheries perpetrated in our very midst by a horde of savages, who have been compared to a civilined race among whom cannibalism was unknown ? Will it not be years before an emigrant from tho mother country dare think of setting his foot on our barbarous shore ?

A proclamation recently issued in the Provincial Gazette, extends the area of the Otago Goldfieldß as follows :—All that area in the Province of Otago, comprising 983,000 acnes, more or less, bounded by a lino proceeding duo north from Fox Peak to tho Province of Canterbury; thence in an easterly direction along the boundary of Canterbury to a point duo north of Mount St. Bathans; thence due south to Mount St. Bathans ; and thence in a westerly direction along tho present boundary of the Otago Goldiiclda to Fox Peak, the starting point.

The Sydney correspondent of tho London Times, writing in May last on the subject of N.S.W. Government, loans, remarked:— The Government has been able to borrow hero, when the banks aro still oharging 7 per cent, for discount, at a lower rate than it has been able to borrow at with you, where the rate of discount has been for mat y months at two per cent. The whole havo been disposed of at a premium of LI Is Id, making the interest to the Government L 4 8s 10d. Thus, while the Government is unable to borrow in London at less than 5 per cent., it is able to borrow in the colony at leas than 44 per cent. The beat answer is here given to tho question whether tho Colonial Government is to bo trusted. It seems, to be best trusted where it is best known - that is to say, by colonial capitalists. It must be acknowledged that the same ioflienccs are operating here as operate with you, and that Government securit:os aro more sought for, because public confidence is shaken in private affairs, joint-stock enterprises, and the like.

A -woman belonging to Tito Kowaru's hapu recently visited the wife of a seciiier living near Wairoa. A correspondent of the Tarannki Herald supplies - that journal with the fol lowing account of the recent doings of the rebels, gathered from the native woman's communication : —The wounded who were left bch'nd in the retreat from Ruarurn were dragged into the pah, subjected to insult and torture, and eventually burnt to death, tbeir bodies afterwards cut in pieces and divided amongst the cannibals, and eagerly devoured even by the women and children—any of the men who woro not forlunato enough in obtaining a piece of human flesh were hooted by their wives and abased as cowards. A whito man who has been among the rebels since the time of General Chute's overland expedition, made his appearance at the friendly, nativel:' pah, Toihna, on Monday last. He stated that he had been astray in the bush for two days, having lust his way going to an inland station belonging to the Wairos ; he left the Taihuas on Wednesday last, September 30, to return to thoTebels. Natives .report that overland communication between P:itea and Wtnganui is stopped ; Waitotara and on to ten miles N.W. of Wanganui being occupied by the ret els Also, that the Maori low at Ruarniu was,four chiefs and a great number of others, among them them some of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe, who came to assist Tito Kowaru. The Putukai (Taranakis) are ready to join when Tito asks them.

A correspondent of the Army and Navy Gazette gives an interesting account of the invention of the Otago pack-saddle and its subsequent introduction into the. army in the Abyssinian expedition. « According to-this authority, the "history of the invention of this saddle is am follows :—A miner wanting to carry.sto»e» td^his location, 'and having no means to purchase a pack saddle, but being the happy possessor, of an English hunting saddle, converted it into a pack-saddle by at- i taohing* rings. "fore and aft" to lash- the ' load to. This simple contrivance was found.to work so much better n than,the. ordinary pack-saddle, 9 that -gradually it^was imitated and,became known.as .tbiOtago pack-saddle. Tte Director of Trancporthaving heard, of this saddle, experimented'btf'it, and found ■it very saliafactory. Sir Dmncan .Cameron, at his suggestion, introdoced them

into use, and from that time sore backs ceased to paralyse tho transport corps in New Zealand. Two of these Baddies wero sent honw af pattern!, and pat away. When tho Abyssinian war .broke oat,, saddles were wanted, aud Jtho late_ J}irectpr of Transport who had just returned from New Zealand, on asking what saddle* bad.been.npjrfied to the expedition, -was told improved general service pack Baddlea. He reminded the authorities of tho Otago saddle, and a Committee of ' Inquiry was appointed, tho result being that the intproved general service saddles were countermanded, and the Otago saddles substituted for them. The same gentleman also invented an iron cradle in which to rest tho guns of the steel mountain batteries, as well as tho carriage, capable of being, attached in a few minutes to any one of the 5000 saddles which had been shipped. Tho whole of these saddles did admirable Bervico in Abyss:nia, and tho Naval Brigade marched with the same mules and saddles from Zoulla to Magdata and tack again! without a soro back among its animals.

A correspondent of tho Hobart Town ! Evening Mail recommends, as a means of attracting popnlition to that colony, that the Government should offer a reward for the j discovery of a payable goldfield. In support J of hia views ho sajs : —Gold will, d« what fine climate, beautiful scenery, rich forest lands on liberal terms, and a prospective long life, all fail in accomplishing. Gold ia God's way of drawing people together. During the quarter ending on the 30th ■ult., tho Customs duties collected at Westport amounted to L 7153 5s 7d, in addition to L 4255 4a 3d, export duty on gold, miking a total revenue for tho quarter of LI 1,438 9s lOdl

New Zealand settlers are not singular in the matter of tho non-»ppreciation of their hams and bacjn. The colonists in Tasmania complain of tho same thing, though in their case tho fault seems to lie with tho hrwna and bacon rather than with tho public, The Launccaton Times, in an atticlo on the trade of Tasmania, makes tho following remarks :—Wo find that the total export of theso articles in 1867 was about seven tons. What can bo the reason of this ? Tho island is litt-rallyalivo with porkers, and pork cured and uncurod has lately been exceedingly low priced in our own markets. Tho stores of oar merchants are now full of bacon and hams, quotations being far below the average of former years ; and yet wo find tho groat consumption of tho Australian and New Zealand colonies supplied to a laTge extent from England. What is tho causo of this ? Simply that our pork-curera do not understand their business, and tho bacon and hauis produced by us aro for the most part unsaleable out of tho colony. This is a subject to which we intend devoting an especial article; mcanwhilo, we recommend tho attention of our farmers to it. Of butter and cheosc wo exported less in 1807 than in two preceding years. This is to ba accounted for in much tho same way as tbo failuro of our I'aeon exports. The produce is Dot carefully prepared, and hence it cannot maintain its position against superior foreign produce in tho colonial markets.