THE Otago Daily Times. “Inveniam viam aut faciam.” [Established November 15, 1861.] DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1866.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23110, 9 February 1937, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. “ Inveniam viam aut faciam.” [Established November 15, 1861.] DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1866.

SEVENTY-ONE YEARS AGO

The latest Mail from the North brings the intelligence that Mr Sewell has followed Mr Weld’s example, and retired from public life. In itself, the defection is not of much importance beyond affording a further example of what might be termed the farce of Colonial representative governments. Mr Sewell undoubtedly will be missed for himself. Besides being one of the best, if not the best, debater in the House, his legal knowledge was in great request, and he was unremitting in his attention to his duties. Certainly his long connection with public affairs has gained him the right to retire; still, there is no disguising that, apart from this mitigating circumstance, this additional instance of retirement from the Assembly immediately after retirement from office is much to be deplored. . . . During the last few years the following holders of office have retired from the Assembly:—Mr Reader Wood, Mr Fox, Mr Whitaker, Mr Gillies, Mr Weld, Mr Domett, and Mr Sewell. . . .

Mr John Cargill has published an address to the electors of the Bruce district, stating his intention to become a candidate for the representation of the District in the General Assembly.

The “ Taranaki Herald ” of the 20th

ultimo has the following respecting the discovery of petroleum in that Province:—“A report was spread in town on Thursday that the men who are boring for petroleum at the Sugar Loaves had met with sudden success. The report was, of course, premature, but they have met with encouraging indications. They have got down twenty feet, and on Wednesday found the gas coming up in such quantities that they could not work with any comfort in the shaft until they got a windsail in operation. The water, too, which near the surface was fresh and sweet, is now so impregnated with the gas as to be quite undrinkable. It is probable that they will have to go a good deal deeper yet, but the terms offered by the Government are so liberal that they have a strong inducement to persevere, and we hope they may be successful.” The “Lyttelton Times,” referring to Browning’s Pass says;—“ We are informed that Messrs Cunningham and Mannering, who passed over Browning’s Pass with sheep some three weeks ago, had not by the last accounts succeeded in reaching Hokitika. The difficulty is stated to be beyond the pass, near the large ford. A bridle road is now being made on the south side of Lake Coleridge, in a direct line from the crossing of the river Acheron to the Goat Hill Accommodation House, where a ferry is now established for crossing sheep and passengers, and yards for holding sheep are erected on the reserve line along this route, which is without impediment of any kind.” At the Mayor’s Court, yesterday, three charges of drunkenness were heard, one of obscene language, and several of depasturing cattle in the streets. ...

In the “ Lyttelton Times ” of the 6th inst. we have the following account of the completion of the West Coast Telegraph:—“Accounts from the summit on this line inform us that the wire is now complete between Christchurch and Hokitika, and the stations in working order. An official announcement appears in our columns this morning of the opening of the line to the public to-day. The length of the wire is about 169 miles, of wine' 1 distance 104 miles lie to the eastward and 65 miles to the westward of the dividing range. . . . The whole cost may be put down at L 7500 from terminus to terminus, or less than L 45 per mile: and this includes all the offices and expenses of whatever kind. There are now six telegraph wires leaving Christchurch: two to the North as far as Picton, having a station at Kaiapoi within the Province; two to the South to the Bluff, with a station at Timaru within the Province ; one to Lyttelton, and one to the Bealey and Hokitika.”