TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS,

Otago Witness, Issue 196, 28 July 1855, Page 2

TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS,

The present number of the Witness closes the tiuarier. Subscribers will be furaislwd with their copies as u.->ual, unless countermanded.

Dunedin, Saturday, July 28, 1855.

We have .to call the attention of the electors of the Town district to a notice ■issued by His Honor the Superintendent, calling upon them to assemble and elect members of the Board under the Dunedin Town Board Ordinance, which has recently passed the Provincial Council. The election is to take place on the 6th August, at 12 o'clock noon, rather short notice for the election of so important a body as the Town Board, especially as the Ordinance in question has not been before the public. The law is being printed, and we shall give it in full as soon as possible. In the meantime we state its most important provisions. The Ordinance creates a Board of nine members, and makes them a corporation. They are io be elected by the registered electors of the Town District ; one-half of the Board/ or rather four in one year,

and five in the next, are to retire, and to be eligible for re-election. The Board is empowered to borrow money for the formation of public works entrusted to them by any Ordinance of the Provincial Council. By a subsequent Ordinance, the Dunedin Roads and Streets Ordinance, t]?.e Board is entrusted with the management of the streets of the town, and empowered to levy assessments for making roads, drains, and other improvements. The Board may also compel persons to fence their land and make footpaths, and in default of their so doing the Board may erect the fence and make footpaths at the expense of the occupier of such lands.

\ The above are the most prominent points in the Ordinance referred to, and our readers will perceive that under them the inhabitants of the Town are liable to be taxed, so that it will be well for the electors to take due care in this election, and not let it pass over in the same manner as many public matters have lately been allowed to do. The passing of the above-mentioned Ordinance is by far the most important step which has yet been taken by the Council, and one by which the effect of local self-government becomes apparent. There may be some of our readers who will shrink from the idea of taxation, but we must say that we are rejoiced at the prospect, as being the surest way of making the public look after their own interest. Hitherto every useful public work has had to be done by subscription, and consequently the burden has fallen upon the most willing and generous part of the community, and many necessary works have been left undone because of the unwillingness of many to contribute their fair share of the expense. Some confusion may arise in the minds of the electors from the fact of the exibtenceof another Board, a meeting of which is to be held on the Stli of August. That Board, which was created under the Dunedin Public Lands Ordinance, has from the first been crippled and useless -from the doubts entertained of the legality of its powers, and as far as we can judge of the matter, that Board will merge into the one which is now to be elected, so soon as the -requisite powers to enable the Provincial Council to deal with the Town Reserves have been obtained. Assuming .such to be the cose, the Town Board will bea corporate body with extensive powers, and a vary considerable estate at their command. Under these circumstances, the electors have an important duty to'perform, and we trust they will not neglect it.

j By the arrival of the " Zingari" steaI mer and the " Gazelle," we have our usual colonial papers. The copious extracts which, we have given of the i principal items of intelligence leave us i but little space for remarks. The " Zingari" is to take the place of the " Nelson," but, as usual^jvith the larger I settlements, the arrangement is made !to suit their interest. Otago is still to be left out of the course of the steamer, and to be communicated with in the j same fitful manner as heretofore. The object of the " ZingariV visit was to ! take the Otogo members to the Assembly. None of them, however, have gone. A circular to the members from (he Officer administering the Government states that his Excellency contemplates only a short session, to establish Responsible Government — form a Ministry— get the Estimates passed — and then to dissolve or prorogue the Assembly. Upwards of ten of the southern mernbeis have resigned, or do not intend to go to the Assembly during the present session. Messrs. Weld of -Nelson, Gledhill and King of Taranald, Ludlam and Kelham of Wellington, Wortley of Canterbury, and Cut- ,i [ten of Otago, have resigned. Mr. Ste- * of Nelson is dead ; and Messrs. Featherston, Revans, and Rhodes will in all probability not attend. Mr. E. G. Wakefield is said to be too ill to go. What are the intentions of our members we do not know ; but" in all probability they would now be too late for the business of the Session, '^sb that

the Auckland members will have it all their own way. There is something absurdly monstrous in summonsing — as in our case —three gentlemen to attend an Assembly, at nearly 1000 miles distance, for a session of probably ten days : and it is to be hoped that the Home Government will interfere to prevent a Governor .from disfranchising one-half the community by summonsing the Assembly at the most remote corner of the island. Our Port has been enlivened by the arrival during the past week of the steamer " Zingari" on a useless errand, the " Camilla" with a cargo of sheep and cattle, and the " Gazelle" in search of cargo. By the latter vessel we have received a small addition to our number of some 25 passengers, who left Great Britain in the " New Era," and were transferred to the " Gazelle" at Wellington. Our new arrivals are mostly friends of old colonists, and have been induced by their friends here to join us. The " Camilla" and " Gazelle" are both loading with produce, which, together with the news of the state of the Sydney and Melbourne markets, lias caused an advance in prices. Tlie markets will be found in another part of our present number. DISCOVERY OF COAL IN THE TOKOMAIRIRO DISTRICT. The following letter, addressed to His Honor the Superintendent, from Mr. i John Cargill, on the subject of the late discovery of coal in the Tokomairiro, will be read with interest. Since the date of " the letter we understand that the settlers have been working the coal with success, and several tons have been raised during the week. It is scarcely possible to over-rale the advantages arising to the Tokomairiro district from this discovery. There are already a considerable body of settlers there, who have turned their attention to agricultural pursuits, and we have no doubt that from the nature of the country, which is admirably adapted for farming, the Tokomairiro will be one of the most flourishing of our agricultural cti itricts. Meadow Bank, Tokomairiro, 16th July, 18<>5. To His Honor the Superintendent. Sir, — 1 have the honor to forward to you per bearer a specimen of coal that has lately been discovered in this district. Competent judges declare the coal to be of good quality. Indeed, as far as I can judge, it is the best yet found in New Zealand. Your Honor will no doubt have observed that the scarcity of fuel was the only drawback to this fine district, that obstacle is now entirely removed, the place from which the coal was obtained being easily accessible by a level road, along which Mr. Smith brought 18 cwt. to his house last week. The coal was found cropping out oh the left bank of the river, about a mile and a half below Mr. Poppelwell's sections, and on clearing out a small creek to make it passable for the dray, coal was again found in its bed. Mr. Thomas Reid, who has been used to mining at home, and to whom we are indebted for having brought the coal practically into use, informs me that the seam is 3 feet thick, bedded above and below in an inferior coal, or rather anthracite, and that very superior fire clay exists in abundance. I would only further add, that as the tide flows to where the coal is, it could be got to the mouth of the river in flat-bot-tomed boats, but I am not sufficiently acquainted with the mouth to say whether it is practicable to ship it from thence. I need not point out to your Honor the advisability of having the land in question reserved from sale, and for the use of the inhabitants of the district and public generally. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, J. Cargill. P.S. — The specimen I send is rather friable, owing to its having come from the first working, and having been kept for some time in a warm dry place. The coal was hewn out in large blocks, one weighing above 3 cwt. RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, Dunedin, 23rd July, 1855. John Healey, storekeeper, Dunedin, was charged by Andrew .Bittern, a native'

. of New South Wales, with unlawfully retailing one pint of brandy -without being . duly licensed. ) Mr. Harris appeared for the defendant. The case rested entirely on the evidence . of the complainant, and the Resident Ma- . gistrate, in giving judgment, said that he did not consider the evidence sufficient for him to find the case proved) but he cautioned the defendant, and strongly censured him for supplying spirits to such a person as the complainant. In the course of the hearing, Mr. G. 1 Smith stated that it was a constant practice with storekeepers to sell spirits by the : glass. The statement was confirmed by : Mr. Shepherd, the Chief Constable, who further stated that he had been endeavouring to obtain sufficient evidence to enable him to lay an information, but the public could not be induced to come forward and , give evidence. James Watson, an old whaler settled at Omaru, was brought up in custody, charged with an assault, with intent to commit a rape upon a child of six years of age. The prisoner was remanded for further evidence.