THE Otago Daily Times. DUNEDIN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 25.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2589, 25 May 1870, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. DUNEDIN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 25.

Whether the establishment of regular communication with San Francisco will prove a source of immediate advantage to New Zealand, apart from merely postal considerations, is a question undoubtedly open to discussion. The expediency of subsidising a line of mail steamers across the Pacific is doubted, on the ground that nothing can be expected from the outlay beyond the deliveiy of our mails, even if the colony were not to suffer from the competition which it will have to face. For many years past, no part of the world has presented greater attraction to the unsettled portion of the labouring classes -than California. The popular impression with respect fco it is suggestive of a poor man's Paradise. From that point of; view, its gold mines are richer, its soil more fertile, its land laws more liberal, and its people more enterprising, than in any other country under the sun. No labourer there is ever without employment, and the rate of wages is as high as the cost of living is cheap. The construction of the great railroad across the continent has lent additional interest to the progress of the Gold State, and now that it is completed San Francisco seems to possess every earthly requisite for prosperity. Such is the picture usually drawn of it by those who have not-made themselves permanent homes in these colonies. And not without reason is it argued that to place New Zealand within a few days' steam of such a competitor for population, is simply ; to offer a premium to deserters from the ranks of our working classes. The prosperity of this colony is certain, but it is not dazzling. It has difficulties to contend with which are unknown elsewhere.. The increase of its population is comparatively slow, and at the same time is liable to be checked by rumours of savage warfare. If it were certain that a profitable trade could be opened up at once with San Francisco, the risk of losing our population would be counterbalanced. But there is no certainty on that point, for the present at any rate. Under such circumstances, such a discussion is a matter of importance. As a general rule, it is safe to assume that no country can suffer from the improvement of its means of communication with other countries. Isolation does not mean progress j and progress in these days depends in a j great measure on facility of intercourse. On the other hand, population: in these colonies is migratory, and none of them can afford to lose population. We have recently seen an * exodus'of farmers from South Australia to Victoria, attracted by a new Land law:; and there is no probability that South Australia will recover what it has lost in that instance. If a similar movement should take place here, brought about by quickened intercourse with California, it; would be a disaster from which we should not easily recover. It is worth while, therefore, to enquire into facts with a view to ascertain the probabilities of such a movement. ■■"■•'■• :'' ■• ■; ■ '"> " '■ ■ ';Z ■. Facts, then, [lead us to believe that population is just as likely, to flow from San Francisco to New Zealand, as it is to flow from New Zealand to San Francisco. The depression of which so mnch complaint is made here at the present time exists with tenfold severity in that city. It is not the result of a check to commercial enterprise, arising from causes of an ordinary nature and universal, operation. • Jjlvery interest in the country shares, in the stagnation! into, which trade has fallen. The production of gold has greatly fallen off, ancl miners in considerable number have been compelled to-betake themselves to other pursuits.: i The manufacturers have been crippjed to; such an extent that many of them have been compelled to cloae their establishments, while others have had to resort to such expedients as the substitution of Chinese for: European labour. ;. .Capitalists complain of the rate ;of wages, and labourers complain of want of employment. Strikes are of frequent occurrence, and tradesunionism is rampant. The completion of the railroad to New York appears to have been one of the main agents in producing this unfortunate state of affairs. The manufacturers of that city have been enabled to-pour in -their goods upon -the markets of San Francisco, and to swamp competition by means of their cheaper capital and cheaper labour. The consequent depression of the manufacturing interest involved the working classes in distress. \As no proportionate fall in the prices of .commodities took place, the; distress has - become - - severe. Tide money.-; market has ; of.;'course been J. tight,', and.business .generally has suffered. The actual state ofr affairs maybe gathered from the following passages in a leading San Francisco journal :;— * Combined with costly capital, the high prices of fuel and raw material, the excessive rates of labour, aggravated by the annoying combinations and ruinous exactions of workmen, are now operating to the serious embarrassment and even entire- destruction of many, branches of industry in California,; and until these evils are corrected and these obstacles in some measure removed, no improvement in this direction can reasonably be looked for. Either the cost of carrying on operations must be diminished, or our factories and workshops must be closed, and most kinds of production and improvement cease. Rents and the cost of subsistence must come down

"with the salaries of the overseer and the wages of the workmen, to the end that the latter may still be able to procure the necessaries/, of life with their earnings.' And again, after alluding' to the various causes from which the manufacturing1 interest. in particular has suffered, the same journal states; —-s Owing to these causes, coupled with a diminished activity in mining, building, and many other leading dries, machine shops, carriage factories, and similar establishments, has been greatly curtailed, some of them having been compelled to suspend operations altogether, while others have only been able to avoid this by having recourse to Chinese labour. Our boot and sh^e makers, hatters, clothiers, furniture and musical instrument makers, sash and door, wire rope and cordage manufactories, and many other crafts, have all been forced to contract operations, being unable to compete with the manufacturers in countries where the elements of production are so much cheaper than with us/ In such a condition of the labour market, it is clear that those who are dissatisfied with their position here have little prospect of bettering themselves by emigrating to San Francisco. There is no reason to suppose that the demand for labour will speedily revive ; the pi'obabilitj is that wages will fall, unless the rate should be kept up by emigration from the State. The causes which have led to the prevalent depression are lasting," so far at least as the manufacturing interest is concerned. The manufacturers of San Francisco cannot hope to compete with those of the Eastern States for years to come; and in the meanwhile, the hands hitherto employed in their establish-; ments must seek fresh fields either in America or out of it. Of the miners, again, many will be compelled either to take their enterprise to other goldfields or to engage in handicraft pursuits. We may- reasonably hope that the development of the New Zealand mines may be ultimately assisted by their energy and skill.

Four yachts belonging to the Otago Yacht Club paid Port Chalmers a visit yesterday ; they were the Spray, Anonyma, Gipsy, and Dauntless. Ihe wind, during the first part of the day, was anything but favourable for yacht sailing, there being a strong TST.W. wind, which at all times is very puffy and variable. On arrival at the Port the yachts anchored. In the afternoon the Spray made an attempt to put back to Dunedin against a stiffener from S.W., which had taken the place of the norwester, T>ut unfortunately lost her jibboom, and put back to the Port. The majority of the yachts, owing to the weather and ebb tide, remained at the Port for the night.

The Watermen's Regatta came off yesterday afternoon, the starting place being the new jetty, where a considerable crowd co. lected. The first event was a pair-oared jace for L 5, the course being twice round the red beacon, near the end of the trai. ing wali, and a buoy—distance, about three and a-half miles. Three boats started—the Secret, pulled by John Ward and James M'Kinlay ; the Shamrock, by Jacob Turnbull and T. Nicholas ; and the Heather Belle, by Benj. Davis'and Fred, Paterson, The race between the Secret and the Belle was really a good one, the former leading most of the way round, and coming in winner by a considerable distance, the Shamrock being a long way behind. The second race was for scullers. There were two entries, th c Secret, pulled, by Ward, and the Shamrock, by Turnbull ; course, from the end of the new jetty round the red beacon, and back. Running down, the Shamrock had the lead, but in rounding the beacon, the Secret being a smaller boat and easily managed, had the advantage, and notwithstanding the splendid pulling of Turnbull, came in, after an exciting race, about three lengths ahead. A duck hunt concluded the afternoon's amusement.

On MoniJay, a gang of prisoners in charge of Sergeant Duncan and Warder Statham, was employed in repairing the Waikari schoolhouse. The prisoners took their breakfast previous to leaving the gaol, and cooked their dinner at the scene of their work. We understand that this is the first occasion on which the prisoners have been sent any distance out of tewa to work.

The annual Soiree of the First Church of Otago Young Men's , Christian Association was held yesterday evening, in. the h ill under the church. The hall was tastefully decorated with flags, and the tables were well furnished. After tea hid been partaken of, and the Hundredth Psalm sung, the Rev. Mr Sutherland, who presided, gave an address, in which he pointed out the advantages to be gained by joining such societies. The Secretary read his report, in which it was stated that the Society at present consisted of about thirty members. They hal held fortnightly meetings, at which essays were read and subjects debated. They had also had a lecture, and four of their meetings were occupied in devotional exercises. The essays were upon various subjects, comprising biography, history, science, and art. The discussions have been very { successful. The greatest number of speakers on an essay on any evening was eleven, the lowest number five, and the average, seyen, being a great, improvement on the first year, when hardly any members could be got, to speak. The Society have during the year obtained the use of the -Church library, containing nearly 1500 volumes, which7privilege had been kindly granted them by tha Deacons' CourtThey had also commenced to obtain magazines for the use of the members. Financially, the Society was in a flourishing condition, a considerable sum of money being in the hands of the Treasurer. The dele gates present-^ who were Messrs. Barlow and Stewart, from the Knox Church Society . Mr Campbell, from the Tokomairiro Society; Mr Macandrew, from the West Taierj Society ; and Messrs Blair and Martin, from Green Island, then addressed the meeting, detailing the progress whichhad been made by their respective societies. The Rev. Mr Thomson, of the North Bast Valley, said he thought the "number of members was very small when compared with the large congregation of the First Church. He would further wish to impress upon the members and those delegates present the desirability of waiting without delay upon young men as they arrived from the home countries, and getting them to join their societies. The young men thus find friends, and would better avoid drinking and other evil habits, which ha knew had often

been the ruin of many so circumstanced. Mr Lawson gave an address on "The hindrances to knowledge." A recitation by Mr . John Gillies was loudly applauded. Mr . Russell addressed the meeting on the discovery of printing, and its influence on the Reformation. Mr Reid, the Vice-President, also delivered an excellent address, -which was frequently and loudly applauded. Several songs were given by the choir at intervals during the evening. Votes -of^tlwjil^wficeLjyi&n^iaaa^aJihg Chairman, the Choir, [and the six aelegates7~aTKr-caT*-ried by acclamation. The National Anthem and the last vtrse of the Doxology were then sung, after which the meeting was closed with the benediction, pronounced by the Rev. Mr Sutherland.

The members of the Loyal Dunedin Lodge, M. U.1.0.0.F., celebrated their eighth anniversary gathering at the Oddfellows' Hall, George street, last evening. There were about fifty couples present. The walls were draped with flags and various emblems of Oddfellowship, conspicuous amongst which were the bannes of the Loyal Dunedin and Hand and Heart Lodges. The refreshments were supplied oonjointly by Messrs Kroon and Mueller, and dancing vas continued long after midnight.

We regret to learn that considerable damage was done on the farm of Mr G. E, Brown, Tokomairiro, during the recent floods. Mr Brown had just completed a water raco from Salmond fs Creek to a mill at his steading, which he intended to use for thrashing purposes, and also as a bonemill. The race was entirely swept away, and other damage done in connection with the works. It is to be hoped, however, that the projector will yet adhere to his original intention, as unquestionably artificial manure will shortly be required throughout the pro. vince, if the present system of cropping and impoverishing the soil is continued.

A vote of thanks has been accorded by the Institute of Civil Engineers of Great Britain, dated 26fch February last, to Mr John Millar, F.S.A., for his engineering report upon the proposed Port Chalmers and Dunedin Railway. His report, dated sth October last, was .'aid upon the table of the Provincial Council during last session by the Honourable the Secretary for Lxnd and Works, who then stated, as his opinion, "That he considered it a most able document, and that no doubt the details would be judged by more competent persons than he was." Mr Millar's report has also been critically and mo3t favourably reviewed by the railway and scientific journals c^ Europe, particularly by the English leading periodical of the profession—Engineering— published in London. In its issue of the 4th March last, that publication devoted a leader to the subject, in which it " denominates it as the best report that has ever appeared upon the subject in England from the colonies ;" proving that Mr Millar, although at the Antipodes, is thoroughly master of the subject, and evidently quite at home in all the latest and most modern axioms of " Kail* way Eagineering." Another authority says: —"How pleasant it is to find one so eminent in the profession as Mr Millar, fearlessly throwing off the trammels of the ' Old School,' and modifying his views to meet the new state of facts brought into existence by the latest introduction in railway science; aiding to increase the property and deyelope the resources of countries, and assist the great objects of civilisation by a means superior to all others : that is, the iniroduotion of a ready and easy means of inter- communication,"

William Gray, of Palmer3ton, was received into the gaol last evening, committed for trial at the ensuing sessions of the Supreme Court

He is charged with having, at Palmerston, on the 11th December last, feloniously offered, uttered, and disposedof a cheque, or order, for the payment of Ll7l ss, with intent to defraud William Robertson.

At a meeting of tho Tokomairiro Athe-

naeum Committee, held on Monday evening,

it was resolved, to call for tenders for the fittings of the rooms. It was also resolved to invite Major Richardson to preside at the opening, the date of which has not yet been tixed. ■ : , v The Bruce Rifles fired yesterday for the Ladies' Prize (a silver salvel"), but the result has not yet reached us. The Volunteer Ball in the evening was expected to be a great success. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Toko, mairiroj on Monday, before J. Dewe, Esq., R.M., and Alfred Jones, Esq., J.P., a man named Andrew O'Connor was fined L 2 10s, for assaulting and violently beating and kicking on the face and body, on Saturday evening, a fellow workman named James Kitchen. The assault,- which was unprovoked, was committed on the main road, about three miles from Milton. A week or two ago a verj valuable draught mare belonging to Mr Charles Falconer, Somh Tokomairiro, was observed to have got sightly pricked on one of the legs just above the hoof. No serious consequences were anticipated at the time, but the leg soon began to swell, and the swelling extending to the body produced death on Saturday last. It is thought that the small "wound must have been inflicted by some poisonous substance which speedily circulated through the veins, and ended in death.

There was a fine house at the Masonic

Hall last evening to witness the entertain, ment given by Dr Carr. The proceedings went off very well, and gave general satisfaction.

The Theatre was very fairly attended last night on the occasion of Miss Dolly Green giving a special performance in honour of the Queen's Birthday. The performances were varied, and elicited much applause from the audience.

The adjourned meeting of-the Lodge of Otago will be held this evening at 7.30. A general meeting of the Citizens' Cricket Club will be held at Watson's Hotel, Walker street, this evening, at 8 o'clock.