EIGHTEEN YEARS IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 986, 22 October 1870, Page 16

EIGHTEEN YEARS IN NEW ZEALAND.

A highly interesting leotnre was delivered on Monday at the Masonic Hall, by Major Richardson, in aid of the funds of All Saints' Churoh. There was a good attendance, and the lecture, the subject of which was "Reminiscences of, an eighteen years' experience in New Zealand," wm listened to with great attention. Major -Riohardson is an admirable lecturer, having a continual stream of ideas, a readiness to catch their aalient points, and a happy faculty of arranging and presenting them in a clear, vivid, and graphio manner. The subject was one which he was well able he is peculiarly well fitted to deal with, and he did it ample justice. Nor was the humorous element excluded from the lecture, as the occasional burs's of laughter from the listeners abundantly testified. The Rev. Mr Granger occupied the chair, and the hall was. very well filled. In opening his lecture, Major Richardson referred to the rapidity of living, both with regard to the material and immaterial parts of mankind, as compared with that of former days. As instances he alluded to the Railway across the American Continent, the Ship-canal at Suez, theprogress of the Electric Telegraph, and other works. He said that he was induced years ago to come out to New Zea'and from the glorious visions of wealth and independence stated by writers on the colonies to be attendant on the investment of a little money there. He had been captivated by those honeyed pages, and he hoped that others might be less deluded than he had been. He described his landing at Port Chalmers, and the peculiar style of the architecture of Dunedin at the time, when Mr Monson kept the gaol, and kepi; his prisoners in order by letting them oat, and threatening to lock them out if they did not come up to time. He recorded his sense of the services rendered by the pioneer Oapt. Cargill, and expressed a hope that ere long the shabby wooden paling round the monument in the Octagon would be replaced by a light iron railing, and the Octagon itself planted with low growing shrubs and flowers. He referred to the gradual diminntion in the numbers of the early settlers, and paid a graceful tribute of respect to one still alive— the venerable Dr Burns. He then went on to give a rapid but succinct sketoh of the traditions and belief of the Maoris before Marsden's noble mission. The main portion of tho lecture, however, consisted of a well-told narrative of his early journeyings in the Middle Island, and of an overland trip from Wellington to New Plymouth and baok. He speculated on the destiny of the Maori race, pointing out that it appeared as if that, like all other savage nations, mast give way and die out before civilization. He contradicted the statement that the New Zealand Government had acted unjnstly to the Maoris, and sketched out his idea of the proper way to carry on a successful and decisive war with them, namely, by means of light moveable columns and bodies of irregular troops, composed of men who understood bush fife. In conclusion, he expressed a fervent hope that New Zealand would never be unkindly severed from Great Britain. A vote of thanks to the lecturer was moved by Mr E. B. Cargill, and carried by acclamation. Major Richardson thanked the meeting, and the proceedings terminated.

John Chinaman is not an unmitigated blessing, even on the goldfields. Mr Beetham, R.M., was oooupied for an entire day lately at Arrowtown in hearing " flickering cases of mining disputes, and lost or stolen cooks and hens," w which Chinamen were poa* ce*ned,