THE Otago Daily Times. THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1874.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3861, 2 July 1874, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1874.

Only those who^ are thoroughly acquainted with Maoridom can have an accurate idea of the change that is inbensibly stealing over our aborigiral people. There is scarcely, it may be affirmed with safety, in the whole of the Northern Island, a Native, however remote from contact with Europeans may be his abode, or the length of time he has voluntarily isolated himfrom having any connection with the dominant race, that either thinks, feels, or would act at the present period as he would have done at the outbreak of the Waitara war. He appears almost a man of another generation. He has learned many lessons since; and, wise man as he is, has commenced putting them into practise. Of course the process of elimination is going on, and the weak succumb to the vices of European introduction; but in almost every town and village in the North will be found Natives living among their white fellow subjects, who are enabled to hold their own in the contest for life—often in commercial undertakings—and can judge of the events of the present, and how they will affect their future interests, with considerable shrewdness. Their children speak the English language well, through the Press they become versed "in the history of our doings in many parts of our Empire, and the knowledge the children thus acquire is filtrated, perhaps without design, into the minds of their parents. Their views expand with their years, they neglect no opportunity of acquiring information, and have the benefit. of ; some of the best heads the North Island possesses to give them counsel, on which, as a rule, they rely. The Southern Cross some twelve months ago had an article on this subject, headed " Shirts and Civilisation," the gist of which was that clothing and its accessories would assimilate the Maori to our babi\s of thought and conduct; but war and confiscation have done more to wean him from his past barbarism than all the teaching of Mis&ionai'ies, or the possession of all that lie has acquired from his intercourse with Europeans. That his Christianity was only a veneer the last war told us ; but the necessity he feels of assimilating himself to our habits arises from the conviction that such a course of conduct is necessary, not only to retain his influence, but his actual existence. He smiles with wonder -and derision at the folly, as he terms it, of his fathers in bartering their.privileges for a mess of pottage, laughs at those who at intervals follow their example, and determines that, if poor himself, his children shall be affluent. There is a vain dream entertained by many that the present century will see the last of Maoridom —that its members are fast passing away—that.Native lands can, and will, he bought for hatchets and muskets— and that the men we now have to deal with are the same credulous, uncultivated savages with whom Wakepielb negotiated, or over whom Te Rauparaha held domination. The heads of the tribes, in many instauces, instead of begging for tobacco and blankets, have . a balance at their bankers; wear well-made garments instead of rude flax mats • build themselves houses after European fashion instead of dwelling in whares of t-ii toi ■; indulge in good living instead of subsisting on fern root, fish, and such other compstibles : look with contempt on poor whites ; and are determined to educate their children to fill the position in society to which they will have a right, they consider, in virtue of their possessions^ to aspire. The meetings that have been held this winter, and are still taking place, show this phase of transition very clearly. To the bulk of Europeans these runangas would appear to be only pretexts for feasting and idle talk ; bufc others know that they have a wider and deeper significance. The outside :talk is for the whites and the people generally. The inner midnight caucus, where the few only of rank and wisdom are present, is where the business for which the meeting is called is transacted, and the policy of the future determined on. When the meeting is over, and the people return to their homes, they become inoculated with the new line of policy marked out, and a new phase of feeling and conduct becomes manifest without any apparent adequate cause.

season are of Colonial importance. The conclusions arrived at have been, to sell no more large blocks of land, and obtain increased representation in Parlia--merit. It is better, it has been maintained, to lease land to Europeans than to sell the freehold to the Government for a nominal sum. JVo one can doubt for a moment the prudence on their part in coming to such a conclusion, however seriously it m>y affect the; North. A large portion of the. Natives, by this means, will" be enabled to live in comfort, and many in affluence. Large blocks of land belonging to the neutrals, and probably the King party, will speedily be thrown open for European occupation. The Maori, debarred by the Native Lands Act, 1873, from going into the open market with his estate, thus checkmates the Native policy. The Friendly Natives, those who have hitherto lived on Government subsidy, have given their, adhesion to this movement. By this mode they can obtain a greater amount of money, they assert, than that doled out to them by the Government to retain their allegiance and hold their independence. The consequences of such a policy are apparent.

For many years we have been impressing on the Maori mmd that Maoiis are British subjects. They have, it appears, come to the conclusion to accept the dictum, and we haye now to accept the consequences. If such be the east*, they maintain they have a right to equal representation, according to their numbers, with Europeans. The fiat has gone forth, ''Register, register your votes ?if we eau%ot get more Maoris in the House, .we will get a Pakeha-Maori or two more." There is little that can be said on the subject if they stand on their legal rights. What steps they propose taking to further this object have not yeb transpired, but that it will meet the ap proval of the Native Minister,is proba ble from his promising Taiaroa last session, to call a Maori from the Middle Island to the Upper House. As a step towards this object, Henake Matua is stumping Maori land to start arMaori and English newspaper to represent their interests and educate their people in opposition, to the wretched " Waka Maori" that now circulates among them. When Mr Sheehan told the House last stssion that the Maori language and the Maori people would endure for more than one generation, many of his hearers smiled contemptuously j«but this political activity, manit't sting so much sagacity and such a rapid state of transition, renders certain the assertion, and induces us to exclaim:—What manner of men can these Maori politicians be, and what will be the ultimate of their race ? The Education Board is about to do what it should have done long since, viz., appoint some one to look after that muchneglected public orphan, the High School. Whexi the best friends of a, dying patient entreat the family physician to call in some other medical man in consultation, it is generally considered a very bad sign of the condition of the sufferer. We are much afraid that the united wisdom of the seven wisest men in Otago will not succeed in arresting the progress of decay which has long since set in. Had the Education Board taken the matter up last year, when the very excellent report of the High School Commission was sent in, there would have been a possibility of effecting such a radical reform as would have contented the public. We much fear, however, that all the Superintendent's; horses and all Otago's men will not put poor Humpty Dumpty on his legs again. We can but try, however, as the too zealous Frenchman said in the huntirg-field when asked if he thought he, could catch the fox. We at any rate have the satisfaction of knowing that nothing can possibly make things worse than they are at present; and we may aa well have the consolation of knowing that every device has been tried, even though all fail. We are pleased to be entirely in accord with Mr Hawthorne upon one point at least—viz., that the matter has not been satisfactorily dealt; with by the Provincial Council. We had a right to expect that a matter of such vital importance should net have been allowed to drift over the session; into the recess. A whole valuable year has elapsed, since the Commission recommended theestablishment of a Board of Advice, and! the recommendation was not given effect to until Tuesday. We trust that theßoard will: not be iv too great a hurry to make alterations in the curriculum of study. The quarrel which the public has with the : High School is not; that classic/ or science have an undue predominance, but that there is a want of persistence in teaching anything at all except mathematics. For ourselves, we are stoongly of opinion that for nine-tenths of the boys attending the High School, a very little Latin and ho Greek would, prove the best diet. But then we should like ; to see modern science taught thoroughly ; and we object to the pupils being taught too great a variety of subjects at unfrequent intervals—intervals not regulated; by any ascertainable rule moreover. If the same thorough-going regularity of instruction could be introduced into the other departments of the school which has made the mathematical teaching so excellent, the Board of Advice will not exist for nothing. We confess that we have very little expectation of anything like successful reform, since the most perfect, scheme that can be devised will not work automatically. The Southern Trunk Line from Dunediu to Green Island was opened for regular passenger and other traffic yesterday, when two trains ran to and fro. Some particulars with reference to the line will be found elsewhere. His Honour the Superintendent and Mr Donald Reid, the Provincial Secretary,, left town yesterday, to turn the first sod of the Waiareka Railway. -

It is notified that the Superintendent has accepted the resignation of Mr M'Gregor as Inspector of Rolling-stock on the Port Railway. % All sporting men will remember fcn'at Mr Redwood sent his splendid horse Manuka to Melbourne about five or six years ago, having entered him for the Melbourne Cup. The horse met with an accident, and did not start, and since that time he has been at the stud in Victoria. S nee then we have heard little or nothing of his stock; but from the entries made with the Victoria Racing Club last month, there is every probability that we shall soon have plenty of opportunity of judging of Manuka's qualities as a sire. By the Australasian of the 20th of June we notice that amongst the entries for the St. Leger Stakes for three-year old colts and fillies, there is the name of Mr Hurtle Fisher's b f Troy, by Manuka, out of Fair Helen. In the Mares' Produce Stakes, to be run in October, 1877, for three-year olds, the produce of mares covered in 1873, there are no less than eighteen entries of colts and fillies who claim Ma'.nka as their sire. Foi the benefit of those who take an interest in the c matters we give their names. Mr "N". A. Wilson's F.-lle Farnie and Deception, Mr It. Roderick's Arabella, Mr T. Sawyer's Psyclie, Mr F. Plenty's Mayday and The Jewess, Mr

S. P. Winter's Begnine and Gadabout, Mr W. Learmonth's Dagmar, Briseis, Chatterbox, Thyra, Delight, Dewdrop, Evelyn, Chatelaine, Stanza, and Darkness. There are over two hundred nominations for the Mares' Produce Stakes. ..'■.-. To the already influential Provisional Directors of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, we observe an addition to-day of the name of Mr Joseph Clarke, son of the late Hod. <$T. J. T. Clarke, of Victoria and Moa Flat. Mr Clarke's interests iv this Province are estimated to be the most extensive of any individual holder of property and investments in the Colony, and doubtless such influence and support to the new Colonial Bank will be mo3t valuable. Mr Clarke, as well as his brother Mr W. Clarke, are the largest proprietors, and also Directors, of the Colonial Bank of Victoria.

The York Place contract which, tbroiigh an unfortunate circumstance, was delayed being proceeded with for a time, has been recommenced with renewed vigour, and vast is the change perceptible. The Bowling street cutting from Smith street is nearly completed, the present depth, which, singularly, is through nothing but clay, being 20 feet. The permanent level is to be extended about two chains farther, when the cutting is expected to reach 24 feet. Work on the Stuart street portion of the contract has been suspended until that p.\rt mentioned is com* plete.

The following are the presentations to the Museum during the month of June :—Paper pulp, from tussock grass, Mr E. M'Glashan; magnesian limestone, from Collingwood, Mr W. Elder; a king penguin, Mr Koberts ; a ferret, Mr Armstrong; a white heron, Mr T. W, Brace; a moreporkj Mr J. Brown, East Taieri; a sea snake, Mr J. Small; Sowerby's Shells (2 vols), Mr James. Wilkie; a snake and-two lizards, Mr W. Bugler; brown paper made from maize, Mr E. M'Glashan; native silver, Kawarau, Dr Alexander ; two grebes, Mr W. Hodgkins ; a mollymawk, Professor Macgregor ; a pair of shoveller ducks and two fishes, Mr Melville; a butter fish, Mr Jewett; five birds, Rev. TL. Stanley; a bittern, Mr Black ; a rail, Mr Gilbert, of Oamaru; a twopenny-piece of j George 111., Mr Campbell; shells and coral from the Mauritius, Mr G. Plough ; comb from the Navigators Islands, Dr Coughtrey; a collection of Indian plants, Mr W. Moody, of Kakanui.

A most enthusiastic meeting of the friends and supporterj. of Mr Walter as a candidate for the Mayoralty, was held at the Empire Hotel last evening. : Upwards of 60 were present. Mr William Bolfc occupied the chair. Mr Walter^ explained his views on matters affecting the ratepayers, which gave universal satisfaction. The usual vote of confidence was passed, and the gentlemen present were unanimous in the opinion that Mr Walter, from his long term of office as a Councillor, in which he had given every satisfaction, also from being two years the senior of his opponent, was the most fit and proper; of the two candidates, and formed themselves into a Central Committee to secure his return. The Chairman mentioned that future meetings of Committee would be duly advertised, and held at the office of Mr Sydney James, in Princes street.

The great popularity of Dickens's works has induced the Committee of the Dunedin Athenaeum, to procure another complete series, thes whole being similarly and elegantly bound, and comprising that author's efforts from his early reminiscences in David Copperfield to the unfinished "Edwin Drood." The old copies have been in such demand that they have become so finger-worn and dilapidated as to render them almost unreadable. "Wilson's " Border Tales," and a copy of "The Scots Worthies" in two volumes, have also recently been added to the library. '-.;_"

There was a fall in bread yesterday, but not one that housekeepers are likely to benefit by. , A baker was serving a cu&tomer from his cart yesterday afternoon, near the railway between Caversham aad Green Island. The train came by at the moment, and frightened the horse, which started off towards Dunedin at a smart gallop. The tail board of the cart was down, and as the animal galloped over the rough road, the bread fell out into the mud loaf by loaf, much to the amusement of those in the train. Having galloped for a few hundred yards, the horse, stopped without doing further mischief. •

The Green Island Meat Factory is doing a good business this season. At present there are slaughtered from sixty to seventy headof cattle and 1400 sheep per week. The Company, it is- stated, received at the rate of 6£>l per, lb ; for preserved beef and mutton in the London market, the brand of the Company being much sought after. Another industry started in connection with the establishment is smoked mutton hams, wbich are exported:in'casks preserved in tallow.

. The Provincial Secretary announces in the Gazette that the Government, being desirous of,encouraging the establishment of pottery works in Otago, is prepared to pay a bonus of £250 on the following conditions : —On the erection of buildings and plant to the value of at least £300--£75; on the production of pottery to a value of not less than £150 —£75; on the production of a further quantity of pottery to a value of not less than £200—£100. The potteryware in each case to be suitable for household or domestic purposes, to be produced in works permanently established ixl.the Province, and to be manufactured either wholly or to a large extent from material obtained in the Province.

It appears that certain timber native to this Province is highly adapted for musical instruments. A violin constructed by the son of an old settler in the West Taieri, of birch on the back, white pine in front, and the handle of goai; and for sweetness and loudness- of tone, it is superior to anything we have heard. A professional states that he never handled a violin with more satisfaction. The following appears in the Provincial Gazette:—"A sum of £1500 having been voted by the Provincial Council to assist in providing buildings to be used as Athenaeums in localities where" no such buildings have as yet been erected. It is. hereby notified to those desirous of participating in the vote, that in order to do so it will be necessary to forward a written application, stating the amount collected, and giving a general description of the approximate cost of the buildings proposed to be erected. The sum voted wilL be distributed pro rata to the contributors of 'the district, provided that in no case shall the contribution of the Grovercment exceed the sum of £250 to any building Applications to be received on^or before the Ist day of October proximo, after which date no farther application for sub. sidy will be entertained during the current financial year."

On Saturday next a football match will be played on the Caledonian Ground between fifteen members of the Dimedin Football Club and twenty of the Union Football Club. The following are the names of the players : —D.F.G.—Brown, Dcnniston J. E., Dennis, ton G. L., Lambert, Macfarlan, M'Laren, Murray, Hose, Smith A. X., Smith F. R, Tait, Thomson G. M. (captain), Thomson J. C, and Whitcombe. Emergency men: Johnson, Fraser, Hope, and White. U.F.C. —Atkinson, Barker, Carvosso, Finch, Gibbs, Grant J., Grant P., Hunter, Inder, Johnston, Little A., Little F., Monteith, Montgomery W. (esptain), M'GJ.athan, M'Greer, M'Lean W. a Stnart W., Treseder P., and

Webster. Emergencies s Finch,, Flanagan, Richardson, and Stuart, D< The match will be played subject to the rules of the D.F.C., and should the weather prove propitious, we expect to see a close and well contested game. The ball will be kicked off at 2.30 p.m. punctually.

We learn on good authority that the farmers of Blueskin intend on Friday next to give Mr Robert Hislop—who has purchased a farm lately—a love darg, or a good day's ploughing. Mr Hislop was resident in the district for fifteen years, and shows that he has been esteemed by his neighbours. Blueskin has been always noted for good feeling one with another, and for gcogress in agricultural and other pursuits.

Bishop Nevill held a Confirmation Service at St. Barnabas Church, Blueskin, on Sunday last, the 28th inst. This, the first occasion of such a ceremony in the Church, was looked forward to with great interest^ and notwithstanding the terrible state of the country roads, there was a large attendance The Rev. T. L. Stanley presented the^candi dates, the Bishop having previously delivered a most impressive and eloquent address. Mr E. Towsey presided at the harmonium, and appropriate hymns were sung during the ser vice. The Church was tastefully decorated with flowers and ferns.-

There are many prescriptions in connection with the treating of sheep; but, undoubtedly, the- most practicable remedy, especially for killing vermin, is Mr Holmes's ointment, which is now largely and effectually used in the home country. Sheep enclosed in paddocks are very much afflicted with what Shey call caddis or ticks;iov which this remedy would prove invaluable. By applyingthis ointment, sheep which generally lose the wool would be greatly benefited. It is well known that sheep under the complaint roll on their backs and die, if they are not lifted and attended to. In this Province, sheep foot ointment is very much required, and the best remedy, one of the most practical and successful rearers of sheep in the j Province states, is Romes's sheep ointment.

The revival preachers, Moody andSankey, do not appear to be in great odour with the Rev. George Gilfillan, who has characterised them in a powerful letter to the Glasgow Herald as "itinerant mountebanks." Several eminent divines of the Free and Established Churches in Scotland have congratulated the author of the Bards of the Bible on what they term senseless rap3odies and stentorian vociferations instead of the pure and undented religion. A coterie of laymen and third-rate clergyman support the MoodySankey movement as being from above, and rave vehemently retorted on the opposition. Probably, however, they will have to seek pastures new. If they came to these Colonies, and converted dishonest traders to be more upright in their dealings, we would wish them God-speed.

When tbe Superintendent was at Kiverton, on the occasion of turning the first sod of the Western railways, he was presented with an address by Miss Daniel on behalf of the Good Templars :—" His Honour, in thanking Miss Daniel, said he believed he exercised true temperance in the exercise of moderation, and in the. obeying of the apostolic injunction to 'take a little wine for the stomach's sake.' He nevertheless sympathised with the object which the Templars had in view, and regarded them, as engaged in a good and great work, destined to produce very beneficial effects in the community in checking the spread of intemperance. Perhaps when he was older he might join the Order." . r -.

The New Zealand Times says:—"The sixth volume of the Transactions of the NewZealand Institute, which will be ready for publication within a month from the present date, promises to be even more interesting to scientific readers than any of its predecessors. The 550 pages of'reading matter which it contains will be embellished by thirty-two lithographic illustrations, in addition to a number of woodcuts. * Amongst the miscellaneous papers comprised in the list of contents are several'communications' upon various engineering sehemesfor utilising the natural resources of the country. The zobl-' ogical section of the volume includes an account of the great extinct eagle [Harpagor- ««), and another of the extinct goose {Onemiornk); and succeeding these are several papers relative to the eetacea, and others having special reference to reient additions to the described birds and fishes of New Zealand. Entomological science is aided by the production of elaborate lists of all.the insects found within the same limits; and the botanical chapters embrace lists, of the algse of the Chatham Islands, and of the flora of the Province of Wellington, the latter being accompanied by descriptions of several new; plants. In chemistry, thevolume.contains a valuable paper upon the petroleum oils of New Zealand, and a further rgport of the chemistry of the N phormiuui plant. Geologists may derive-some enlightenment from a paper upon the structure of the gold bearing reefs of the Thames Gbldfield, the range of research being extended by. a paper theorising on the formation of. mountains, by others referring particularly to the glacial period in New Zealand,' and by a description of the fossil reptilia. The appendix contains a second essay-by Mr Thomson, oh: the origin of the Maori race; Capt. Moresby's interesting lecture on New Guinea; and a valuable paper'on the botany of Tahiti. The proceedings of the Branch Societies, arid the opening address.of the.President, complete a volume the contents of which are, as already stated, more than usually interesting."

The Melbourne Argus; in alluding to the weights for the Melbourne Cup, remarks : "It is seldom that the declaration of the handicap for the' Melbourne Cup has been received with so much indifference as the present year. It cau hardly be said that any favourite has yet been made, though theie is an inclina!ion to select the four-year olds in the double-event betting that takes place. One bookmaker has opened a doubleevent book on the Geelong Hurdle Race and Melbourne Cup at 1000 to 5. Kory O'More, Welshman, and. Horizon are the most fancied for the Hurdle Race. For the Metropolitan 10 to 1 is offered on the field, while 100 to 513 offered against anything in the Melbourne Cup. A good deal of wagering was done yesterday on the Geelong Steeplechase: and flurdle Itace at 100 to 5 and 6. UufFer and Nonsense were the most fancied for the Steeplechase."

Dr Carr's entertainment at ths Masonic Hall was very well attended last evening, and was evidently highly appreciated by the audience. The lecture anuounced for this evening ie entitled " Heads of the J?eopl3."

There was a fair attendance at the Princess Theatre last night, when "Kathleen Mavourneen" was reproduced, with Mrs Walter Hdl as Ka hleen O'Connor, and Mr J. B. Steel as Terence O'More. The piece went very well. The farce, "Grimshaw, Bagshaw, and Bradshaw," brought the entertainment to an end.

AN EXPLANATION. TO THE EDITOR. Sir—Your reporter errs in the case Wilson v. M'Gregor, when ho states the amount sued for was for l>cer; had he listened, he would huve found it was "seed barfey." Should it be uacoutradicted, persons might suppose Mr A. M'Gregor, of the British Hotel, was defendant, whereas it \vas another person of the same name. —We are, &0., «Fas. Wilson axd Co. June 30th. ['Che acoustic properties of the R. M. Court are so bad that oiir reporter's mistake is only uaturaL -Ed. O. D. T.]