THE "OTAGO WITNESS." Saturday, May 17th, 1851.

Otago Witness, Issue 8, 17 May 1851, Page 2

THE "OTAGO WITNESS." Saturday, May 17th, 1851.

' Our readers will find in our columns of 1 this day ,under the head of ' Police Inv telligence,* a decision of the Bench by which the public have been excluded

from the Court House during the discussion of a question of great public importance — viz., the alleged misconduct of the police force. We are asked by a correspondent who signs himself * A Troublesome Fellow,' what right the Magistrates have to exclude the public, and on what occasions ? This

question we cannot answer with certainty. We have always understood that a Police Court was an open court, how far the fact of the case in question, being brought forward by one of their own body, made it a private matter, which gave the magistrates the right to close the Court, we do not express an opinion. On the prudence of- the step there can be but one opinion. The appearance of desiring to hide from the public the facts of the case, has raised a suspicion that all is not as it should be ; and if the following be true, there appears to have been great ingenuity displayed in shelving the affair. It appears that certain charges were brought before the Bench on the 10th of April, which, if proved, would reflect censure on the Sub-Inspector of Police. It was first attempted to be shewn, that neither that officer nor the constables under him were responsible to the Bench. This doctrine having been rejected, that gentleman being present in his character of Resident Magistrate, it was held to be more courteous that the matter should first be referred to him for investigation That gentleman then inquired in his capacity of Sub-Inspector of Police into the alleged misconduct of the force under his charge, and decided in his capacity of Resident Magistrate, that the charges were not proved. On the next meeting of the Bench, the Ordinance making the decision of the Resident Magistrate final was produced, the inquiry stopped, and the case shelved.

We have constantly heard complaints of the administration of the law in this settlement, and if the above statement be true, we are not at all surprised that little confidence should be felt by the public in such administrations, or that the discharge of the duties of a Justice of Peace, as they should be discharged, by a gentleman from Canterbury should be looked upon as an intrusion by a portion of the Otago Bench. The thanks of the community are due to that gentleman for his spirited conduct, the | beneficial effects of which are visible in I.thesubsequent behaviour of the police ; and we may hope that we shall never again witness the disgusting and dangerous proceeding of shooting dogs in the public streets, — even at the doors of the owners, — because they had omitted for a few days to comply with an arbitrary though perhaps necessary law (the Registration of Dogs). The necessity of keeping dogs arising, in most cases, from want of vigilance of the police force. In concluding, we have to thank that ' Troublesome Fellow/ and would recommend him to be as troublesome as possible, — not to mind being shown the door occasionally. We wish there were a few more of his class in the settlement ; such men being very j useful in a small community. We intend in future to report all cases in the Police Court ; and we will thank any gentleman who will inform us when any case of importance is to be heard.

The Congregational Meeting, called by public advertisement, and to which also the public were invited to attend, to lear read despatches from Mr. John McGlashan, the Secretary of the Association, to Captain Cargill, was the largest ever held in Dunedin, about 100 male adults of all classes being pre;ent. The resolutions were unaninously agreed to, not a voice being aised in dissent, and the remarks made iy the different speakers received with ijapturous applause. The proceedings appear at full length in our columns, Mr. John Anderson of the Forbury laving kindly taken them down in short-hand.

It could not be but a source of gratication to all to learn that stren-

jus efforts are being made by our iends at home to defend the interests our colony ; and it now rests with c settlers themselves to come forward anfully and aid these friends by every sans in their power, more especially contradict the unwarrantable stateifents that have been made by parties wain the settlement, and in the other [ttlements of New Zealand, regarding ur position, and the capabilities and ilnate of our new home.

There is not a ship that arrives by way of the other ports but we find that attempts have been made to withdraw from Otago those who had left home with the view of joining us. To say the-least of it, it shews a bad disposition ; and we trust the press in the neighbouring' settlements will only do us justice by discountenancing such proceedings. The settlers of Otago have now given their verdict against this petty intermeddling, and expressed their desire if possible to know the parties in Otago who have so written, or may yet write, in order that their statements might be openly seen and discussed by their follow-settlers, in place of stabbing them in the dark. Our readers at a distance are earnestly re* quested to attend to this as an act of simple justice.

We observe in the * New Zealander ' a highly complimentary address to Capt. Williams, signed by the passengers by the f Cresswell,' and another by the merchants of Auckland, noticing the admirable order and dispatch in delivery of the cargo. The * CresswelP has certainly made the quickest passage from the various ports in New Zealand, having arrived before the mail which she brought from England. His gratifying to find that Captain Williams of the ' Cresswell ' — the first of Messrs. Willis's ships to this port — has afforded so much satisfaction to all parties, the Association having taken up Messrs. W.s ships for the conveyance of immigrants to this settlement. Though we fear that much inconvenience may arise from the bill of lading allowing only one day for the cargo to be taken from alongside. It constantly happens that, as the mail is not delivered until late in the day after the arrival of a ship, the distance to the Port renders it impossible for merchants to value and clear their goods at the Custom House within the time appointed. We would call Messrs. Willis's attention to this fact.

We observe in our shipping intelligence that Mr. W. H. Reynolds has been appointed Lloyd's Agent at Otago. It is gratifying to perceive in this appointment an evidence of the increasing trade of our port, as well as of the important position which the settlement is likely to occupy in the estimation of the far-sighted and shrewd merchants and underwriters at home.

It is rumoured that an application has been made to his Excellency the Governor-in-Chief to appoint a Gaoler for the district of Otago, and that the appointment be given to a gentleman, with an appropriate salary. If this recommendation be attended to, ' what is to become of the surplus revenue * need no longer trouble the settlers ; and the first question of the Local Provincial Council, if we get one^ will probably be how to make up the deficiency. We see little prospect of the Port Chalmers road being accomplished, unless his Excellency recommend the unemployed Government officials to take a little useful exercise.