THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1864.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22743, 2 December 1935, Page 15

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1864.

SEVENTY-ONE YEARS AGO.

If the proximity of the convict settlement of Western Australia be found to be detrimental to the interests of the Southern Colonies, it appears likely that a more dangerous evil is growing up in our neighborhood almost without our notice. Some few degrees to the north of New Zealand is the Island of New Caledonia, discovered by Captain Cook in 1774. It is the largest of a' small group of islands; the native population is said to number about 50,000. . . . A new experiment is to be tried theresuggested, it is understood, at least in part, by the French Emperor himself. . . . The Emperor has adopted the theory that expatriation, in itself, is a grievous punishment, and therefore has determined that on landing in New Caledonia the convicts shall be free. Whether they are free to leave the island at will or whether to that extent their liberty is circumscribed does not exactly appear, but it is understood that they are put under joint military and priestly authority, and promises are held out to them that if they work well and play the part of striving and industrious citizens there would be food, shelter, and clothing for them, and the further inducement is even held out of union with soine pretty orphan from Paris at some future day. The only penalty for idleness is that they will be neglected—left to starve or herd with the natives —to retrograde into barbarism. There is but one difference made between the free and the convic* settlers — the free on arrival receive gites of land, while the transported convict can only become a landowner through industry and thrift. . . .

A special Provincial Gazette was published yesterday, containing a Proclamation by his Honor the Superintendent, rescinding the proclamations by which the Australian ports and Tasmania were declared infected districts within the meaning of the “ Diseased Cattle Act, 1861.” There can be no doubt but this announcement will be received with rejoicing by a large portion of the population of the Province. . . . While the Government have thus consulted the welfare of tlje consumers, it is on the other hand their duty to adopt such stringent measures of inspection as will prevent, as far as possible, the introduction of infected cattle, and thus reduce to a minimum the risk which will to a certain extent attend the free importation of stock. We heard last night that the minors on the recently discovered diggings near the Silverstream ave doing tolerably well, and that gold has been found in some of the adjoining gullies. It has lony been known that the sand on the beach at Moeraki is auriferous, but the extreme fineness and lightness ot the gold and the quantity of iron sand with which it is intermixed has rendered the work of extracting the precious metal difficult and too costly to pay. It appears, however, that an attempt is being made to work the auriferous sand by eome new process. . . . A meeting was held on Saturday, the 26th ult., at the Court House, West Taieri, for the purpose of organising a company of Volunteer Rifles. Mr Fulton took the chair, and several resolutions were passed. The first was, “That as sixty names had been procured, an offer of the services of the company should be made to Major Cargill for transmission to the Governor. Secondly—That the company should be called the West Taieri Company of Volunteer Rifles.” . . . Yesterday morning a boat left Port Chalmers with several fishermen for the purpose of searching for the bodies of the four unfortunate fellows who were drowned a few days ago in Wycliffe Bay. . . .