The Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1877.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4662, 26 January 1877, Page 2

The Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1877.

FRIDAY, JANUAKY 26, 1877. Perhaps there is hardly any more amusing reading to be found just now than the reports of the meetings of the various County Councils. There is something very ludicrous in the way in which the honest Englishman finds himself for once compelled to turn bush lawyer and endeavour to translate Acts and clauses concerning which he is totally inexperienced. In some cases the members have expressed thpmselves as totally unable to expound the mysteries of the three measures. In these, which are the really hopeful instances, a resolve has been come to to postpone the .question until they have got more light. In the case of Geraldine, instructed by the County paper, the members of the resolved to commit hcvri kari and die. They met and parted, having resolved not to bring the Act into force. Concerning the wisdom of this course we have nothing to say; very probably it was wise, possibly it was foolish, but at least ,» very small particle of soajmon sense ; would have taught the members that | they could not be both dead and alive.! They resolved at their first sieeting not to bring the County Act inte force, and yet they were guilty of the indescribable folly of meeting on another day, not being the thirty-first of March, to discuss things in general, and their own condition in particular. Before the " barney" was begun, the Chairman spoke a few words of sound common sense, and warned the other members that there were only certain things which the Council was entitled to discuss. His remonstrance had no 1 effegti. The members set to work to

discuss all the affairs of the County, roads, bridges, &c, especially bridges, as if they had passed no resolution declining to bring the County Act into force. This was certainly silly enough, but the result of some of the discussions was so wonderful that it puts the primary folly into the shade entirely. A MrCooPER asked the Chairman his opinion re the main bridges. "Ho had noticed a gap in the Grari Bridge, and he did not know whether it was the General Government's or the ftoad Board's business to repair it." The Chairman said, " The Geraldine Road Board, he knew, would have nothing whatever to do with the bridge, as it had not been, handed over to them. As these bridges were for the good and use of the whole of Canterbury, they ought to be maintained by the General Government." Mr Russell "considered it would ;be advisable for the Chairman to apply to tli« Colonial. Secretary for information as to the position the Council were in as regarded the bridges." Mr Acton's contribution to the discussion was a little more valuable: He remarked that " he had spoken to Mr Hall, the Government Agent, about the matter, and he had poohpoohed the idea of the'Government'repairing'the bridges." Of course, as we have said again and again, the whole question of the effects of Abclition are of a kind that will only come home to people after a little time, and we are never surprised that these are perpetually found to be more disagreeable than had been supposed. Still it does seem odd that in a district which haa steadily supported the new state of things, which has been almost unanimous, as we had supposed, in thinking that change a good one, the immediate effects were so little anticipated. We can only say that we doubt very much if there is a County Council or Road Board in,the whole length and breadth of Otago which is so entirely ignorant,', of the meaning and working of the County system. The Geraldine people seem to think that they are to have a beneficent fatherly Government still, which is to. do for them everything that seems a little hard or expensive. Benighted creatures ! they may apply to the Colo-, nial Secretary, though, by the way, we should have supposed that the Minister of Public Works would have been more to the purpose—but they will apply in vain, to get the expense of repairing the Orari bridge taken off their shoulders. Mr Russell, another member, in his bland innocence, supposed that "the Government would repair the bridges, because the Road Boards never had had anything to do with them." That is just it: the Geraldine people have not begun to recognise the change, that has come over the spirit of their dream. " What has been shall be "is their motto, and they cannot under-, stand that they will have to do things; for themselves, and at their own coat, now that they have abolished Provincialism. The melancholy knowledge will soon come home to them after they have made half a dozen applications to the Colonial Secretary in vain. When this has come to pa?s they will probably awake to the consciousness of what unutterable fools they have been, and will begin to understand that Abolition for those who had anything to lose has been anything but a paying game. Having carefully studied the annals of the Geraldine Council, we are in a position to say that local seif-govern-ment, as illustrated by them, is not likely to prove the salvation of the Colony.

It will be admitted by everyone who gives the question a moment's considera- ! tion that the work to be undertaken by the Armed Constabulary in the disaffected districts of the North Island, and the work to be done by the civil policeman down here, is so entirely.different that the two branches should be under different management, if not under different heads. Already there have been enquiries made about the bayonets and rifles of the Police Force in Dunedin, which exhibit the folly of making two totally distinct things one, by force of regulation. We have not a very high respect for the Armed Constabulary in the North. Without going so far as to say, a3 has been said, that they were enlisted from among the scum of the Colony, we still think that they are of an infinitely lower and less useful grade than the men. in •.our own Force. It is an exceedingly difficult matter to keep up the stand-1 ard of a Police Force. The qualifi.cations required are numerous, and any mistake brings in its train the most disastrous consequences. Judging by the-discontent which at present pervades the .Police of this Province, we have no hesitation in saying that unless steps are quickly taken to disabuse their niinds of the idea which has taken possession of them, viz., that they are about to be unjustly treated, we shall lose the services .of no small number of them. What is wanted is the appointment of a Commissioner for the fcoutb. Island. This need zaot cost money — not an extra penny; rank is all that is required, and an official position which might enable the southerners to check and restrain the vagaries of .the Wellington authorities.

The utter failure of the Conference to nlake any impression on the will of the stubborn Turk is a very remarkable fact. That without .a single ally Turkey should defy Russia, Austria, Servia, and her Christian subjects, "Come one, come all," is certainly a surprising spectacle It is difficult to withhold some amount of respect from a power that, notwithstanding its weakness, shows so much courage. The language of the populace of Constantinople, " Death rather than dishonour," has a ring of true metal about it that one does not often hear in these effete and degenerate days. The Turk at least believes in something, and is prepared to stake his all ou his belief. Hia language ia— Blow wind, come wrack. At least we'll die with harness on our back. Of course it is utterly hopeless that, weighted aa she is with the enormous disadvantages of internal * discord and finatvaiaf bankruptcy, Turkey could long resist successfully so powerful a foe as Buseia, if even Russia alone were her opponeß&. But with several of the semiChristian Provinces in a state .of open or suppressed .revolt, with Austria jeady to cross the frontiers whenever the sympathies of her /Slavic subjects are too much excited for farther restraint, whai ,can be expected of aHI the forces that Turkey can bring into $ie field 1 Even supposing it to be true rf&at England will ocewjoy i&e lines around (Constantinople with & for.cc sufficient io prevent the 'capital being assailed, howling could the Turkish i Array hold its owia hi the field beyond ' the Balkans 1 The only element of hope that war may yet be av.e-jtfed seems to lie in the facfc that it has not jrefc broken out. If at the last moment Turkey could and would give of her own accord substantial proof of tho sincerity of her professions as regards her Christian subjects, she _ might yet secure a few years more of life. Russia may well hesitate to incur the responsibility of rousing Moslem fanaticism, to the uttermost pitch, while so many millions of Christians are liable to

be exposed to its fury, in the event of there being a Christian rising to support a Russian advance on the Turkish Provinces. Turkey may not be able to withstand Russia long in the field, but, if pressed to the death, she may repeat pn an enormous scale the fanatical atrocities which have lately horrified and disgusted the civilised world. And just as Napoleon found but the smoking ruins of Moscow where a great city had been, so the Russian army may find themselves advancing in a country desolated arid depopulated by an enemy that could not only dare but die, comforting themselves the while with the thought that in their death they brought ruin on their enemies. It is this phase of Mahometan fanaticism that we dread, and it is face to face with this that Russia is even now pausing. How far Christian fanaticism; on the one side will. .be ranged against: Moslem fanaticism on the other, remains yet to be seen. " Holy Russia" has proved herself capable of atrocities scarcely second to those of the Bashi-Bazouks in Bulgaria. It has been well said that a civil war is the most uncivil of-all wars, and it is equally true that of all wars a "holy war is the unholiest."

: The Jurors in the case of Calder v. Duff ' have been discharged from attendance till i. Tuesday next,1 when the casts will be tried. ' "At the half-yearly,nieeting of tVe Colonial ' Bank, which takes place next week, two ! auditors will have to be appointed. One of ! the present auditors, Mr Edmund Smith, is, Iwe understand, a candidate for re-election, ' and, at the request of a large number of ! shareholders, Mr Keith Ramsay has con- ■ sented to become a candidate for the vacancy i caused by the retirement of Mr W. D. I Meares. "" 1 ; The case for the defence in Robertson v. ' Ross was opened up ,in the Supreme Court - yesterday, and, when the Court rose, several ( witnesses had been examined. The Foreman 3 of the Jury intimated that the Jurors thought j some special allowance should be made to £ them for expenses, considering the unusual I length of the case. His Honour said he was f afraid there was no power to grant the ref quest, but, if it could be done, he would r grant it.r . : , > Councillor Barrowman. being about to t. leave for the Wesb Coast, was entertained ) last evening by the members of the South I Dunedia Council. I ; Information having been received at the ~ Police depot yesterday morning that a body > had been seen floating iv the water near - Lawyer's Head,. Sergeant Anderson pros eeededout to the Beach to recover it. By L g°'ng into the surf over his knees aeddexr terously using a length of wire ropa with; ' which he hooked the dres3, hs was able to secure and bring the body ashore. It proved ': to be that of a woman, who must have been I -about-sffc3in high. The face,' neck, and '; hands wore wholly denuded of flesh, and > the legs from the knees partially so, so that it was utterly impossible to identify her. ' The body was dressed in a coarse brown '" wincey skirt, trimmed with two rows of * white; and a black jacket. The other ! articles, of apparel were a calico slipbody, "l flannel singlet, cotton chemise, white flannel '\ petticoat, and whito cotton stockings. The ' boots were nearly'now. The Sergeant con- ' veyed the body to. the Hospital Morgue, '■ where an inquest will be held. Inspector ' Mallard formed one of the search party. »Dr Yates is of opinion that the body has l been in the water at leas'; a month. r The safety of the Rattray street steps is a • matter which should be seriously considered Iby our civic authorities. Part of the steps ' is hanging over a steep precipice, and on i Wednesday afternoon some of the fencing gava way and fell heavily against Mr PritI chard's new building, thereby smashing a- , few window panes. About eight horses were . being shod in the forge at the time, and the ; men who were attending thsni narrowly , escaped accident, aa they were considerably startled by the noise of the falling debris. We understand that Mr Pritchard intends to take action against the City Corporation for damages sustained through the heavy fall of ■ earth some timo ago, when his wife and chil- . dren were with great difficulty extricated from the tottering building. There was no sitting of the Dunedin Resi- ' dent Magistrate's Court yesterday. The erection of the new Middle District School on the old Cemetery Reserve is progressing apace. The single women .who arrived by the Marlborough met with ready engagements at the Caversham Barracks on Wednesday, at the following rates : —2 dairymaids, £35 a year each ; 3 general servants, at £30 a year; 4 at from 10s to 12s per week ; 1 at £2 103 per month ; 1 nurse girl at 8s per week ; 1 general servant at £36 a year ; 1 housemaid at £36 per year; 3at £26, and 1 farm servant at £50 per annum. The. demand was far in excess of the supply, and a number of ladies who visited the Barracks *vere unable to obtain servants. Further engagements of the male immigrant? were effected yesterday at the current rate of wages. We have received from Messrs H. Wise and Co. a large and handsomely-mounted photograph of the wreck of the steamer Otago, at Chasland's Mistake. The scene is a very striking one, and forms a fine picture. It is photographed by Nicholas and Huff, Invercargill. The Waikouaiti County Council met on the 23rd, all the members being present. Mr, J. Smith was appointed Clerk and Treasurer, and Mr E. H. Brown, Inspector of roads and works. There we/o fourteen applicants for the former office, and twenty, one for the latter. The Inspector of Roads was instructed to furnish before next meet, ing a fall report of the amount required for the next twelve months for ths maintenance of roads. Tho Chairman's salary was fixed at £150 per annum. The Council adjourned to the Ist of March. To-morrow afternoon the return match between Eleven of the Dunedin Cricket Club and Eighteen of the Carisbrook Olub will be played. As the pavilion is to be set apart solely for the lady visitors, the scorers will be located in the pavilion of the Citizens' Club. The" Caledonian Band will probably attend. The following are the names of tho D.C.C. Eleven :—Allen, Bouch, Clark, Glen, Morrison, Macfarlan, Meares, MacDonuell, Paramor, Rhodes, and Tait; emergency, Sutcliffe. A cricket match will be played on the oval on Saturday, between the Citizens' Ciieket Club and the Brewers'. The following are the names of the Citizens' team :— O'Jlaakell, J. Leith, G. Stokes, Duekmanton, 11. GrouJen, R. Love, W. S. Angero, F. Well*, T. S. Stokes, E. Haskell, Hayes. Emergencies : Price, Marsden, and C. Wadie. The return match between the Brewers and Albions will take place on Saturday. The following are the names of the Albion : A. Shelton, Barrow, Blanshard, H. Grater, D. Watson, Miller, J. Tattersal], Gollar, W. Hutchinson, T. Hutchinson, Gowdie, Douglas, Sankey, Curainings, and H. Tatter:Sall, W. Shelton. Brewers : Church, Dick, JJuddy, Thomson, Simpson, Strachan, Anderson, Strike, Bumside, Taylor, Harrit, Pater- , son, 'i'urnbuH, Murray. Play to commence - at 2 -o'clock. ] The amount of money collected and sub- i scribed darjag Bishop Redwood's visit to ' Kutnara, towards the erection of a Catholic 1 Church, was £39<J 17s. i Shearing is said to be progressing very slowly in the Wakatipu district, oa aocount ] Of the .broken state of fcliS weather. ]

I The Port Chalmers Police Court was disfigured yesterday by the appearance of men battered almost out of semblance to humanity. A " forecastle " row, instigated :by too much drink, occurred on board the ship Nelson, on Thursday night, D. j M'Millan, the boatswain of the ship, P. ■Long, a seaman, and W. Nelson, another seaman, being the principal actors. From the evidence, it appeared that the boatswain j went on board between ten and eleven o'clock in a Btate of intoxication, and going into the forecastle where the hands were asleep, challenged any one of them to fight. Long responded, and went outside, followed by others, and then a free fight ensued, and resulted in the two men being severely mauled. The boatswain then returned to the forecastle and, assaulted Nelson, who was in his bunk, striking him four times in the face, marking him frightfully. For this, Nelson preferred a charge of assault against him, but whilst giving evidence, said that he forgave the man, and waß sure he would not have done ao if he h*rd Ireen sober. The charge was fully proved, and the Bench fined the boatswain 40s, or in default, to be imprisoned for one month. The man Long also charged the boatswain with assault, but as Long went outside and fought him, the Bench dismissed it. Another of the seamen, named Daniel Lampshire, was arraigned for threatening to take the life of the third officer, Mr M.-.rtin. The,evidence against him was most conclusive, and Captain Faithful, who w«s present in Court, stated that the fellow had threatened to knock him down that morning. He was bourd over to keep the peace for one month, himself iv £10, and two sureties in £5 each. This was tantamount to a month's hard labour, pure and simple. Mr T. J. Popplewell, a Victorian trained teacher, who recently arrived in Dunedirii has been appointed master of the School at One Tree Point, Invercargill. Miss Ellison Thomas, who has been in the Normal School for the past 12 months, has been appointed mistress of the school at Waitahun?. Mr Wm. Porteous, for many years master of the Blueskin School, ami Miss Derham, a Victorian trained teacher, have, been respectively appointed master and mistress of the Palmerston School. The Acclimatisation Society of Greymouth, West Coast, hag applied to the 801 ough and County Councils for £50 each, wherewith to defray the exptnae ot trans.porting > salmon from Christchurch to the Grey River. An unusually agreeable part of the business of the Wesleyan Conference in Christchurch was the presence, at dinner, on Monday last, of various ministers of other denominations, by invitation of the Conference. Among these were the Reva. Fraaer,. Habens, Elmalie, Macfarlane, and Wosbrook, all of whom addressed the company. The Rev. A. R. Fitchett spoke in reply. At St. George's Hall last evening Mrs Hanianii gave the annual ., ball sonnected with her private classes. There was a large attendance, about 30 couples being present. The music was supplied by Mr Lack's band. A Kingston correspondent of the Cromwell Argus gives aa account of a waterspout which passed uown the west side of the Lake, clearing a track along tho ranges and bringing down trees from forty to fifty feefc long in its course. A correspondent of tho West Coaßt Times, refeniog to the assays of ore from the Rangitoto silver mine, says:—"Any one who has had any connection with reefing must be fully aware that a eery large comparative rtturn may be had from a small picked specimen, and yet the claim be worthless. But let us E'je a ton smelted, and then we can find out its worth." The Cromwell Argus has heard of a marvellous escape of a miner at Drybread named Rowland from death by lightning. Luring the thunderstorm on Thursday he and his mate were lying in their bunks, Rowland's dog being underneath his master's bed. The fluid entered the hut, killed the dog, and singed Rowland's bedclothes, the man himself having one of his legs scorched. The new saw-mill owned by Messrs Theodore Russell and Co. at Lake Wanaka was formally opened last week. j The Timaru Herald describes a moa bone ploughed up in South Canterbury, which was 2ft. 9^in. in length, lit. sin. round the head, and 9in. round the shaft; and though quite hollow, weighs over 121b3. A ccording to the ordinary proportions of the skeleton of the moa, this bone must have belonged to a bird at least 15ft. high. The Timaru Herald says that 2000 salmon obtained from the Christchurch Acclimatisation Society, have been liberated iv the Opihi river. About 5000 more have yet to be transported to the same stream. The Otago Witness is filled as usual this week with material interesting to the business man, the miuer, the squatter, the farmer, the mechanic, the sporting man, and the ladies. Dr Copland's travels are continued, the scientific column contains a looture by Professor Draper ; mining news from all parts of the world is a leading' feature, " Rody O'Lurgan " is continued, and there is a complete story, "Beautiful Jooe." This number also contains a full ' account of " Life at the Crozets," by the son of Mrs Wordsworth, from Black wood's Magazine. The Otago Licensed Victuallers' Association will meet in the fc'ire Brigade rooms, at 7.30 this evening. The Imperial Building Society's subscriptions will be received at the Secretary's offices tbi3 evening from 7 to S. The Permanent Building Society will meet this evening at the Secretary's office, High street, for tho purpose of receiving the monthly subscriptions.