EXTRACTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 865, 27 June 1868, Page 14

EXTRACTS.

Th*e JSTortliem Argus, in an article on the supineness of the present Government of Queensland, draws the following uninviting picture of the present t>tate of that Colony : — "Money does not multiply and increase in our hands : we can hardly manage to keep a nest egg. Our country remains undeveloped, our merchants do nothing but draw water with sieves ; the dead horse is ever holding them back ; our tradesmen are compelled tog've long credits, and tosell without any cwtainty of payment ; our artificers are h >lf unemployed ; ?nd our laborers wander about theland seeking work, and like the lsraehtish spies return with 'an evil report.' A debt which no doubt will yet be made heavier, hangs like a millstone round the neck of the country, and ad valorem, our curse and our blight, eats into the core of our prosperity, and keeps us 'beggars all.' Our squatters are in a state of insolvency ; stock of every description commands ruinous prices only ; our railways are running ac a serious animal los«, while freightage and bad water carriage add to a catalogue which, shows, to a partial extent, the sum total of our present difficulties."

The Waihouaiti Herald thus alludes to what it affirms to be "one of the m.ist im portant public mee'inirs ever yet called within the boundaries <f the Electoral District of Waikouaiti, which is to be held in the Council Chambers on Friday evening the 26th inst. The snbj"ct which will he submitted to the mevting, at the close of Vir Mitchell's address, is O'-e of crave importance to the progress and prosperity of th^ district and should claim the attention and earnest consideration of every resident within its circumference. That it is desirable there should be perfect unanimity of feeling on th • topic under discussion, if we desire to see our efforts crowned with success, no one will deny ; b .t in regard to this there is not the shad< wof a doubt. We are w>ll awn. re that but one opinion exists throughout th s important electoral district in reference to the proposals which w 11 be submittt-d to the meeting, viz — that it is requisite for the interests of the district that the people have the management of their own affa-rs and the ex. penditure of their revenues ; and iliat the trme has now arrived when Provincial G-o-vernmt nts should be swept away, and counties or shires established throughout the Province, constituting within each county or shire a local self-governing power. We hope to see the meeting well attended, and the subject receive that attention its importance demands."

The Tuape&a Times says " the late flood' have done considerable damage to the lignite pit; at Evans's Plat, which was flooded to the top, and we fear it will be some considerable time before any'liani'te a\n be produced from tbat quarter. A similar result w uld have been the case at Mr Walker*, pit, had more +han ordinary means not be^n applied. Mr Walter and his men, with some extra hands, were at work night and day pumping rut the water and clearing away the dirt, and thus managed to a great extent to save thf pit, althou with al 1 their exertions, Mr Walker has at( stained a loss of about L2O ; still, he has been sble. with the exception of one day, to supply daily orders for cot'i, for which, in this sharp frosty weather, there is a great demand."

The Australasian says : — ''For one reason, we are heartily glad that the "Duke of Ediaburyh lias gone a.way. We shall be spar si the infliction of those incessant communications from his Highness' s equerries to bootmakers, ga«nhtcrs. greengrocers, tailors, fancy bread bakers, and other useful members of society, informing them that they have "been selected severally to supply his Royal Highness with all sorts of domestic eonvenicce ?, whenever he skill require them. And considering that bis R yal Highness will mo*t probably n-ver visi* Australia again his Royal Highuess's custom is notlikely to prove a very profitable connection. The ainushiyly absurd part of all this '* Poyai appointment" fuss is, that every one of the green-grocers, gasfttters, &c . has seemed to consider hrnself the exclusive object of the Duko of Edinburgh's favorable reg-ml. The letters of appointment have b >en published from day to day, something after the manner of those intensely iraiuter stinc snake stories which all through the summer apppar so regularly in the newspapers — everybo ly who is fortunate or unfortunate enough to see a snake, or hear of a snake or dream of a snake, conceiving himself bound to make public mention of it. It would

be well indeed if *a categorical method were 'generally' ' adopted in ' recording theso ; events, ;fit> /that one 1 could take them; all in at a gulp, say half » column at once, and get them over in a' single effort." It is no doubt' higtily 1 interesting* to persons . immediately concerned in these Royal'appointmeuts toknov? that they have the exclusive privilege of supplying « Royal Prince with boots, lamp-oil, candlesticks, fresh vegetables, blacking, and opossum skins; but as the rest of the world does not care a straw about it, hut gets rather irritated than otherwise' to' be continually told about it, the fact of the announcement having, let us hope, come to an end, is a subject for congratulation."

The following mining news from the Bine Spar ia taken, froaa the Bruce Herald of Wednesday :— " The severe weather las nearly put a stop to sluicing on the Spur. The races in the ranges are snowed up, \uil ' the water is frozen into ice in the races before it reaches the Spur. Th© tail races are also frozen at the claims ; and if water

was procurable, much gold would be lost by washing away the 'cement in its present state. The Perseverance Company have completed their new dam, and got their own water" on to the claim again. They have expended a very large sum of money on the dam and race, and it is to be hoped that their indomitable pluck and perseverance will be amply rewarded. The com j -any hold over four acres of ground on lease, besi les a valuable extended claim- adjoining the claim of Keppel :md Co. The title of the company to the extended eLim was disputed some time ago by Keppel and Co., but in the litigation which ensued, the Perseverance Company were the victors. A blast o: 2Soolbs of powder was lately fired by the Perseverar cc Company, with very poor results. The strength of the powder seems to have besa spent against the back of the hill, as very little cement was brought down, whist ground 209 yards away, at the top of tho hill, is cracke I for a considerable distance along the race <-f Pousonby and Co. Powder is nuw at a very reasonable price. The Lawrence merchants sell Hall and Son's brand at S.^d per lb., in Jarge quantities. Wages b«,ve undergone no alteration, and eleven shillings a Z&r.y for eight hours work is still <the rare p-,id by all the large sluicing companies. Very little work can now be done on the Blue Spur-, until the weather breaks up and a t!»aw takes place."

The Auckland Weekly News of the 13th gives the following news from Tahiti :—: — ' ' Tta schoon-r Neva, which arrived from Tahiti on Tuea 'ay, brings some items of news which may be found of interest *o our readers. We learn that Bishop Pi >mnalier, accmpinied by his niece, le.t in the French transport Ohevert, Captain. ("'Estujnne, on the 14th of May, for Callao. The Lnperial Commissioner and the chief officers of the French (Tovernment escorted his Lordship to the vessel, followed by almost the entire population of Papeete and the surrounding district, and the military firing a salute of twenty -one guns, with the customary flourish of trumpets. The prochssion is said to have been exceedingly --grand and the v»niveraal attention and respect evincd towards his Lordship during his stay at Tahiti created in him great re'uetance in bidding good-bye to the island. Qaeen Emma, her husband (George Poiuare), j and family, after an absence of nearly two , years at Owyhee, returned *o Tailiti on th^ 6th of May. When, the vessel c-jme alone;- I side the Government pier, a aalute of 21 I guns was fired ; the military formed a line on each side of the pier, and the natives j assembled in thousands to greet their- Q ie<m, and escort her to her palace. The harbor is reported as having presented an imposing appearance, the French Protectorate fl;ii. r . those of the American, Belgian, aud f' nclish consuls and residents, and a great display of bunting, aiding -uaterially in the gnuicUar of the event. The whole scene was one of great rejoicing. About a week afterwards, a hymene was held at which the Queen attended, her subjects meeting her in batches of twelve, each twelve, according to custom dn<sstd in costumes of different colours, with wreaths of flowers on their heads, and preceded by two ' drumnieTS in scarlet and white unforrn. The Queen shook hands with alt, while trumpets' resounded, and some 2000 native girls sant' their song of welcome. The prospect of tha visit of his Royal flighcess Prince Alfred produced extraordinary excitement, (-rrpat preparations were made aU o et the island, ' nPwtive3 and Europeans united in one common ! resolve to render his reception all that their I means could afford, or their ingenuity ' invunt. The dresses of the lailies — -white, black, and half-caste — ar^ described as gorgeous, each trying to outvie the oth^ r hi graudeur. Popular English airs, am^n^ which | were ' H ome, sweet home,' * Rul'i Bntannia.' and 'God save the Queen.' were practise! by the natives incessantly, in. ord'3r that they» might join with their European brethren in their songs of hnnw.:e to the British Sovereign, and of welcome to her son — England's Sailor Prince. In the midst of all these preparations, the news arrived .>nd apread with •wonderful rapidity, that tbe life of tbe Prince had beeu attempted, aivl tint he would nofc visit the island. Joyous forebod'ogs at once gr.ve place to disiu ointment and sorrow. On every face was clearly depicted the effect of the sad n ws ; inde-jJ, the aspect of tbjngs fyr roiu". days rdescnb>ed as one of intense me'aucholy, .?s if some fearful calamity hal occurre 1. The signs of sorrow extended a* far as the adoption of mourning dresses by tiie nr.ti.ve aud half-caste girls." i