THE Otago Daily Times. WEDNESDAY, FEB, 1, 1871.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2804, 1 February 1871, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. WEDNESDAY, FEB, 1, 1871.

The reception given, to Mr Reip at Invercargill confirms all we said some little time ago as to the nature of the agitation there about what is called the ' Boundary Question.' Evidently there are not many persons there who look upon Mr Reid as a traitor, because he did not see the propriety of extending the jurisdiction of the Southland Waste Land Board. From all that has occurred, and all that has been.said about thissubject since the Council: separated^ we are disposed to conclude that it has been more a matter of temper with tlte: leaders of such littie hubbub as hai been made about it than anything* else. After the elections are over, and, the ' Boundary Question' has ceased to. be 'of any use as a party cry, we shall probably hear no more about it. r -The people who are really moat interested in the matter are. the.;! residents in that belt of country outside the old boundary of Southland, who are for the future to transact ■. their; land business at the Invercargill 0f13.ce., If they saw anything to be gained by making the Waste-Land Board sitting at Inver4 cargill their Court of Appeal, instead of "leaving matters as they stand, we should have! been pretty sure to have heard, about it. - Not long ago .there .■was a political meeting in the eastern portion of this belt of territory,, at which a former Superintendent of Southland took a promment part/ At this meeting the great 'Boundary Question' appears to have been entirely ignored—-no one gave it : a: thought. Moreoverj, during the course of the proceedings a vote of confidence in Mr Reid was unanimously passed! If the peppJe of Invercargill are as anxious as they have been; Stated to be about this transfer of power to their local Waste Land Board, and .the ; people whose interests are really involved have no wish for. thai; transfer/ the natural conclusion to arrive at is that Invercargill desires some aggrandisement at the expense of the settlers in the extended boundary. We are not, however, prepared to make any such accusation against {the. people of the quiet little capital of the South, and prefer to; fall back upon the; suggestion already made cthat the whole; dispute has been, a matter of teaiper with those who raised it. It was nodoubt very unsatisfactory to Mr Calder to find that those whom he perhaps looked upon as the more insignificant of the little flock he undertook toi lead, were disposed to think for themselves, and to show that they had wills of their own. Hence all this declamation ~ hence the ■ indignation which found vent in that climax of patriotic rhetoric™ treachery too disgusting to relate!' . We.only revert to this subject because, as it appears to us, matters '■. of really practical importance are being lost sight of in the cloud of dust raised by this party combat between the gentlemen who lately represented Southland in the united Council. We have looked in vain through the reported speeches of who denounced the Provincial Government for its conduct in this matter of the boundaries, and upbraid *keir_late colleagues for supporting it, for any explanation of the loss which Invercargill or the district, or any particular class of persons, may sustain through the refusal to extend the jurisdiction of the Southland Waste Land Board. . All that Mr Calder found to say bri this subject when he was before the electors of Invercargill as a candidate for the honour of representing them in the Assembly, is reported as follows:—« This provision of the Union Act was no light matter. After relief from the pressure of debt was considered, it was the very germ and essence of the Re-union movement, which was that Invercargill might be constituted the legal centre of perhaps the finest agricultural and pastoral district of New Zealand; that it might be made the place where all business relating to the settlement and disposal of the land should be transacted; and farther, to secure the recognition of that principle in the event of any future assimilation of the land laws? As we pointed out in a former article, the arrangements which have been consented to effectually constitute Invercargill the 'legal centre' of a district far wider in its dimensions than appears to have been contemplated when the Re-union was being negotiated. Because the decision of certain matters in which questions of public policy are involved—or supposed to be involved is retained in the hands of the Execu-

tive Government of the province, instead of being remitted to half-a-dozen Invercargill gentlemen, Mr Calder yWxmld have us believe that what formed the (very germ and essence' of the Re-union movement has been.;wholly ignored. Thestatement is utterly absurd,. If any one wishes to "know the" difference between what is asked ;IoV and what has . been granted, we advise him to turn over the pages of the business-book of the Otago Waste Land Board for the last twelve months, and see for himself what business it has had to deal with in connect tion with the territory which has now d land office at Invercargill. He will find some joints decided by the Board, which, as we remarked in a former article, might have been very suitably left to the decision of any intelligent individual holding the office of Comr missioned of Crown Lands. One or two he may find which" involved questions of real importance, in regard to which no government should remit its authority to any of its officials.- But none of these will be found to be of such a character that the people of die district must suffer, or the business of land agents or lawyers in Invercargill must be diminished by their being decided uponin Dunedin instead of at the former place. If Mr Calder and his friends will point one such case out to us,.they will have done more to prove the logical character of their opposition than all their declamation has hitherto done. Fighting for a shadow, they have as it appears to us neglected substantial things.. If they are anxious to make Invercargill •■•: the <legal centre \ of the country, which has been declared to ■belong,to- it geographically, they have useful work yet waiting to be done; A man may select land in the extended district at .the Inyereargili office; h6 may get his' "Crown grant there, and will be able presently tp register his title there. If he wish to mortgage his land, he will be able to do bis; business at the InvercargillLand Registry Office; but should he prefer to mortgage the stock running on; that land, the docujment must go to;Diuiedin to be regisjtered. The r same will be the cas6 should he wish to give a lien on the crops "which may grow on the land, or a bill of : sale / over a steam thresher which he may house on the land: When we referred to this * Boundary Question' on a former occasion, we pointed all this out: Had all the noise that has been made about the matter been the offspring of some; real anxiety to secure a tangible benefit, this part' p£.; the subject would long ] ago have received some attention. " Thefifth General Synpd of the branch of the United Church of England and Ireland in New-Zealand,'"will he7held in the City Council Chamber at 8 o'clock this evening; Morning Prayer will take place in St. Paul's Church at 11 o'clock, and Evening Prayer at 7 o'clock. ■■ Affcer the - morning service the . Communion - will; be administered, i The members of Synod 'are requested to meet at , the Parsonage, Stuart street, at half-past 10 o'clock this fofenooa. ,; ■ • ; The Supreme Court wiU not &ipinlanco this morning. J' - ' / ~> ■ y- c., ; There appears to be every likelihood of a close contest in Oamaru in the election for the Assembly, the two candidates nominated on Monday—Mr Macassey and Mr W. J. Steward —commanding about an equal measure of suppart. The latter being a a local candidate, and also in favour of moderate protection, while the former is a freetrader, , it, is not unlikely that Mr Mapassey, may again be defeated'; but every effort will be made by his supporters to secure his return.- Mr Steward >is editor and proprietor of the Oamaru Times, and commands the; Oamaru Company of Volun;teeW.:;:L'-::'"-..•..'•■•-•:•:•.■ :-; ■■':'.{ ■ ' '■• ..■ ':'.;'•'•!' ■'■'i' ' The hearing of the oharga against Mra Waterhouse was proceeded with at the Mayor's Court yesterdaytill close on seven o'clock, and was eventually adjourned till Fridays r Mr T. S. Pratt, a candidate for the Mount Ida district, addressed a large meeting of the electors of Hyde, at the Koyal Mail Hoteli on Thursday evening last, and was very well received. At the, close of his address the following reaolu'ion was carried unammously :—" That Mr Pratt iB a fit and proper person to represent this district in the House of Representatives, and the Provincial Council." The harvest haa commenced unusually early in some parts of the Oamaru, district.; One farmer in the Waiareka Valley began to reap some white Tuscan -wheat a fortnight ago,; and this week reaping will be pretty general. A large number of men-have been gathering In the town since shearing, but .ate- now beginning to disperse themselves over the diatriot, and will find plenty of employment; during the next month or two. .The Totara estate alone will, it is said, require 150 men, having a large area under crop. The wheat crop seems on the whole a fair average, except where sown very late, or where it is a second crop. To some instances, in new land, 30bushels will be got, but 25 wilibe aboutthe average. Oats have been partially affected by blight, but not so much so an was at one time feared. The prolonged dry weather is becoming quite a serious matter at Hyde, as, with theex. ceptibn of the Sowburn Race Co, there have been no mining operations for the last three or four months. One of the handsomest buildings for its ! size in New Zealand has recently been erected for the Bank of Ofcago (Limited) at Oamarn. Both the design and the execution are excellent; and admirably adapted to display the beauties of the stone for which the district is famed. The facade is designed in the Roman style of architecture —Corinthian order—the principal feature being the beautiful. portico in front, the I entablature of which is supported by | four massive fluted columns, with exquisitely carved capitals, by Godfrey. The cornice is also admirably carved. The building consists of three floors, the ground floor in front being devoted to banking hall and private office for the Manager. The back includes dining and drawing room for private residence. The upper floor consists of three bed rooms, dressing room, and bath room, the water supply for bath being contained in a cistern on the roof capable of containing nearly 3000 gallons of water. The basement consists of kitchen, with very complete appliances, pantry, wash-house, and servants' bedroom. A handsome

iron railing in stone coping is being erected along the front, with gates to correspond. The principal mantel-pieces are all carved out ofcisolid stone in excellent style, and there is a handsome carved pillar in the'private hall, alongside the staircase. All the principal parts of the masonry are Trailt with stone from the Taipo Hill quarries, Kakanui ; the other parts with, stone from Fortification and Cave Valleylquarries. Although the geneiral appearance of the building, with its large frontage, gives the idea of its being out of proportion to the business of the place, we believe its cost will not exceed L 3500. One piece of economy, however> seems rather to be regretted in such a building, viz., that the roof is of galvanized iron instead of slater The building has been erected under the supervision of Mr Forrester, from designs by Mr R. A. Lawson, of Dunedin. Mr Reid addreuaed a meeting of the electors in the Maungatua district on Monday evening hi the Scfcioolhouse there. Mr James Sim occupied the chair, and there were about 50 electors present. Mr Reid ,was listened to with attention, and a motion that he ia a fit and proper person to be Superintendent of Otago was moved by Mr John Ninamo, seconded by Mr James Reid^ and carried unanimously. Later in the evening, Mr Reid addressed a large. assemblage. of electors in the Drill Shed, Outran*. Mr James Allan was in the chair. Mr Reid spoke for about tw<? hours, after which he answered a number of questions to the satisfaction of moat of the electors present. Mr Alexander Chisholm then proposed, and Mr Richard Kempshell seconded, a motion to the effect that Mr Reid ia a fit and proper person to be Superintendent of the province of Otago. Mr D; Smyth moved, and Mr James Cuthbertson seconded, an amendment, that Mr James Macandrew ia the' most fit and proper person to fill the office of Superintendent. ~ On the amendment and motion being put to the meeting, only 5 hands were held up for the former, while upwards of, 100 were held up for the latter wMch was accordingly declared carried. Mr James Sim .then proposed, and Mr George Thompson seconded, a motion that Mr Reid is ihe mosfc fit and, proper person to represent the Taieri in the General Assembly. The motion was carried unanimously. The proceedings were: terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman. The threa half-caste youths who Wire lately remanded to Invercaargill from the In dustrial School, Dunedin, on a charge of rape, were brought up before the Resident Magistrate' at Invercargill on Friday last, and were committed.for trial at the next Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court. The oat crops in the Wairepa district have suffered a good, deal, from blight this season, but are nevertheless looking well. The honour of representing the Dunstan district in the Provincial Council seems, says the local journal, to be more coveted than' that of a seat in the^General Assembly. In addition to the candidates previously named ' Mr Wallace, a gentleman comparatively unknown to the electors, has signified his intention of becoming a candidate. There are now. in the field Messrs Worth, Niven, and Wallace 5 and in all probability Mr Hughes and Mr Mervyn may also come forward. The same journal has the following :— We understand that h a requisition, largely and influentially signed, will be presented to Mr ChariealCblclougn, in the course of the week, requesting him to become a candidate for the.representation of the Qromwell dis», trust in the Provincial Council. Mr Cololoughhas a large interest-in the district, an* possessing, as h& does, an intimate knowledge of its requirements, wilL if re-; famed, make a good representative. ; The Wellington Advertiser of the 27th ult., haa'fche following lucid paragraph :— •'We 'perceive, by the Gazette published yesterday evening that money order offices Have been established at Cabe River and Brealeigh, in the county of Queensland. otago; 1 ■>■~,■■•,'' ,■ ■■'■ .■ - A paper oh a method of detecting heating in wool, flax, &c, on board ship, was read by Dr Irvkwy at a recent meeting of the; Nelson Scientific Association. The Colonist gives the following Abstract of Ithe paper :— Dr Irvine obserred that the desideratum in this respect waa Borne contrivance which should indicate a dangerous rise of temperature before any portion of the cargo had become so hot as to undergo charring; for that when tins latter stage had arrived it was not sate to get flax out of the hold, the contact of the air causing it to burst; into aflame, lie proposes to effect this object by carrying a 'copper- wire through the baleH, and connecting the ends with a small galvanic battery, which will thus keep a current of electricity in perpetual circulation so long [as the connection remains perfect in every part. The wire. ia to be severed in a tube (which was exhibited) paced in each bale, but the electric connection is still main" tamed by a small quantity of quicksilver between the cut ends; should, however, the temperature rise to 160degs. Fahr., the melting of two plugs of beeswax which keep the quicksilver in its place, causes the latter to run out, and I;he electric circuit is broken. This occurrence may be signalled by variou s kinds of tell-tata apparatus which Dr Irvine enumerated, bub the kind he prefers is a j horse.shoe electro-magnet, forming part of the circuit, and placed on deck or in the cabin. The moment the circuit is broken, the armature of the electro-magnet instantly falls, and may be made to start an alarum, attracting attention to the fact of a dangerous degree of heat existing in the hold. Dr Irvine, assisted by Mr Tatton* illustrated the simplicity and practicability of the invention by some interesting experiments. He explained that the temperature at which the danger-signal is to be given need not be 160dega. (the melting point of wax, but any other below 400deg. (at which charring takes place) that may be selected, the plugs being made of a suitable material accordingly. Sir David Monro suggested the employment of fusible metals for this purpose. The drama of " The Lone Chateau " was repeated at the Princess Theatre last evening, and the acting was an improvement upon the first representation. Tonight the drama of "Frou Frou" will be produced. A meeting of the Standard Property Investment Society will be held this evening, from 6 to 8 o'clock. No. 1 Company, City Guards, will muster in the Octagon this evening at 6 o'clock, for inspection by Colonel Harington. The Battery of the D. V. Artillery Regiment will muster at the Gun Shed at the same hour for a similar purpose. Mr Tolmie will address the electors of the Taieri district at the Schoolhouse, Ofcakia, this evening at 7 o'clock. The Court Enterprise, A.0.F., will celebrate their seventh anniversary by a supper« to take place at the Royal George Hotel afe 8 o'clock this evening.