News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 1098, 14 December 1872, Page 15

News of the Week.

tt is rumoured that a fresh case of scarlatina has broken out in the large quarantine island.

Three hundred miners are reported to be at work at the Serpentine diggings, the proportion of Chinese to Europeans being as one to five.

His Honour the Superintendent has appointed Messrs Hugh M'Dermid, Thomos Tayler, and» William Thomson, Port Chalmers, Trustees of the Municipal Sinking Fund.

In a lecture delivered by him in Melbourne on the 22nd ult., Mr J. M. Peebles announced that in about ten days he would proceed to New Zealand, and thence to China, Egypt, and Palestine, on his way back to America, giving lectures on the route.

The tender of Messrs Mills, G .ithrie, and (tresswell, for the conveyance of material for the Waitaki Bridge, from the ships Bulwark and Palmerston at Port Chalmers to the site of the bridge, for the sum of £2250, has been accepted by the Minister for Public Works.

The rite of confirmation was administered on Sunday afternoon, at St. Paul's Church, by the Right Reverend the Bishop of Dunedin, to about forty candidates. The Rev. E. G. Edwards assisted, and an impressive sermon, suitable to the occasion, was preached by the Bishop.

The members of the Provincial Brass Band met on Thursday week, at their practising room, in the Masonic Hall, for the purpose of presenting their Secretary, Mr James Cahill, with one of Mr John Hislop's best silver hunting watches, in acknowledgment of Mr Cahill's past services as Secretary of the Band.

A correspondent of the Times remarks that with the acceptance of the Seals by Sir Roundell Palmer there will be eight Oxford first classmen in the present Cabinet — Mr Gladstone, Mr Lowe, Mr Cardwell, the Earl; of ICimberley, Viscount Halifax, Mr Chichester Forbescue, Mr Goschen, and Sir Roundell Palmer.

Bishop Nevill presided over his first Synod on Wednesday. We understand that, by the Statute, an annual Synod must be held ; but so short a time having elapsed since the arrival of the Bishop, he has been unable as yet to visit the outlying districts. It is probable that the Synod of 1873 will be held early in the year, by which time the Bishop will have ascertained the wants and requirements of the Diocese.

A deputation from the Brighton district waited upon His Honour the Superintendent on Wednesday, and requested that a piece of land near the coast and adjoining the Brighton township should be set aside for commonage purposes. His Honour expressed his concurrence with the request made, and also his intention of taking steps to get a piece of land reserved. Mr Allan, AI.P.C, introduced the deputation. We learn that all the newly-discovered auriferous ground -at the Hock aud Pillar, about three miles from Hyde, has been, taken up. o«*r informant, a gentleman who was at JjCyde ltßt week., teUs us that he heayd

there that all the ground had been pegged off by the Hydfe miners ; and he adds that on his way to Dunedin he met miners from Macraes Plat, who had been to the rush, turning back disappointed.

We are informed by Messrs Driver, Stewart, and Co., agents for the California, New Zealand, and Australia Mail Steamship Company, that they have received a telegram from Mr Webb that the Dakota would not leave San Francisco until 4th December inst., consequently she will not be due at Auckland until 28th or 29th inst. It is supposed that the Nevada will return- with this month's mail, and may be hourly expected at Auckland.

] t will be seen by a late cable telegram to Melbourne from London, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Mr P. Dillon Bell, has been knighted. The honour, though conferred upon Mr Bell as the holder of that office, would,, when his past valuable services to the Colony, his status, and his high character, are taken into consideration, have been a graceful and suitable compliment to Mr Bell under any circumstances.

A gang of twelve prisoners commenced operations on Saturday morning in the formation of High street, from opposite Messrs Gray and Drummond's timber-yard to the Court House. This road will allow of direct communication for drays with the Railway station and Stuart street jetty. A footpath is to be formed on the side next to Bell Hill, which will be a great convenience to pedestrians generally, and especially to those attending the Supreme Court. Mr Knight, a member of the Provincial Council of Canterbury, in moving a resolution for placing £20,"000 at the disposal of Her Majesty's Emigration Commissioners in London for the despatch to the Province of families and single women, said : — " It was no uncommon thing to hear of servants leaving their places because they wished to take lessons on the piano, and servants were frequently known to give notice to leave their situations on the approach of the Christines holidays."

Thomas Millai", a little boy three years old, and son of Mr John Millar, hotelkeeper, Drybread, was drowned at Drybread, on the 29th ult. The child was very much in the habit of playing about the various water races close to that township. On the day of his death he went by himself to play, and was not missed for about an hour, when he was found in a tail-race quite dead. An inquest was held on the following day, and the jury returned a verdict of "accidentally drowned."

The following books have been received by the mail for Wise's Library :—": — " Shooting the Rapids," by A. J. Shand ; " Benoni Blake," by the author of " Peasant Life in the North"; "A First Appearance," by Mrs Evans Bell ; "South Sea Bubbles," by the Earl and the Doctor ; " Cyrilla," by the Baroness Tautphoeus ; "Hours of Exercise in the Alps," by John Tyndal ; "To the Bitter End," by Miss Braddon ; "A Woman's Vengeance"; "Bide Time and Tide"; "Mary Hollis," by H. J. Schimmell.

A very successful blast, in which rockrender was the explosive agent employed, was fired at Bell Hill at noon on Saturday. lOOlbs. of rockrender were used, and it brought down as much rock as on former occasions was brought down by double the quantity of powder. The blasting operations carried on for so many years by prison labour on the hill have caused numerous fissures in the rock and clay, which prevent powder or rockrender from being as effective as if the material had not been so loosened.

The following interesting paragraph appears in the Times of the IStn September: — " The emigration fever has still firm hold of the working class population of Cornwall. In the face of a continually advancing scale of wages and abundance of work, hardly a week passes without a large exodus of the people, principally the adult male population. There was an exciting scene at the Truro railway station a day or two ago on the departure of 150 emigrants for New Zealand, chierly for employment in railway construction."

A deputation from the Town Council of West Hawksbury, consisting of the Mayor (Mr T. S. Pratt), and Messrs W. Bates, Price, and J. Smith, M.P.C., were introduced to 'the Superintendent a few days ago by the Secretary for Land and Works. The object of the deputation was merely to bring ixnder the notice of His Honour certain matters affecting the interests of the municipality ; which it was promised would be laid before the Executive, and duly considered. The deputation then thanked His Honour, and withdrew.

The installation of the R. W. Master and officers of the Otago Kilwinning Lodge, 417, S. C. , took place on Wednesday at the Masonic Hall. The several English and Scottish Lodges were represented. R.W.P.M. Gore was the installing officer, and performed his duties in his usual efficient manner. The following officers were duly installed : — J. Lanseigne, E.W.-M. ; H. M 'Donald, S.W. ; — Goodman, J.W. ; — Brown, J.D.; H. Sanders, I.G. ; A. R. Livingston, Secretary ; W S. Douglas, Treasurer ; and W. Low, Tyler.

We notice that the summer show of the Royal Horticultural Society of Otago is appointed to be held in the Headquarters Drill Shed on Monday, the 23rd inst. It will be publicly opened by His Excellency the Governor. As the day appointed is a Monday, it is particularly requested that exhibitors will send their exhibits e^ly in the day, so tjwit confusion and delay jn»y fee avoided.

With thi^ object we are requested to direct the attention of intending exhibitors to Regulations Nos. 2 and sof the Society. We hope to see a large and brilliant collection of flowers on the occasion.

We have to acknowledge receipt of the December number of the New Zealand Church News, published at Christchurch. The more noteworthy of its contents are an article en-, titled "The Designation of our Church, in New Zealand," and an interesting extract from the journal kept by the Rev. R. S. Jackson during a stay of six days at Wango, in the island of San Christoval, Melanesia. There are also a number of letters to the Editor, and a concise summary of Church news, both in New Zealand and England. In this summary we are glad to see that Otago is at length taken notice of.

The amount of revenue collected at the Custom House, Dunedin, during the month ending 30th November, 1872, was as follows :— Spirits, £5056 Os 7d ; do, New Zealand,- £790 113 2d ; wine, £791 15s 9d ; ale and beer, £283 16s Id; tobacco, £1994 17s 3d ; cigars and snuff, i.'226 3s 9d ; opium, £240; tea, £1341 ISs 3d ; "coffee, cocoa, chicory, chocolate, £134 9s9d ; sugar. £2571 8s LOd ; goods by measurement, £4080 0s 3d; do, by weight, £904 Is lOd ; ad valorem, £128 17s 6d ; sundries, £254 13s 2d ; total, £18,5041452 d. Revenue on gold, £1221 1351 d.

We understand that by the Alhambra from Melbourne, the second minister, under the arrangement for the temporary supply of the pulpit of the Tirst Church, viz., the Rev. A. R. B. M'Cay, of Castlemaine, is expected to arrive, and to conduct divine service in the First Church in the forenoon of Sunday next. The Rev. Lindsay Mackie, who ha? completed most satisfactorily his present engagement, will preach for the last time in the evening of that day, and intends leaving for Melbourne by the Tararua on Monday next.

Our Melbourne correspondent, in a letter published in another portion of our present issue, refers to some pictures by Mr Gully, on view in the Melbourne Exhibition. . The Argus notices these paintings as follows :—: — "Mr John." Gully, of Nelson, N.Z., sends in two beautiful water colour drawings — the one a view of Cape Farewell,, & on the West Coast, and the other Roto Im after sunset. In the first he seems to have caught the spirit of Stanfield, and in the second that of Turner. The magnificent sky which Mr Gully has painted in the latter is quite a masterpiece."

The following paragraph appears in the Evening Post of the 28th ult., and its correctness is not impugned by the Independent, the official organ : — "We are informed that the Government have invited her Majesty to confer upon the Hon. Mr Vogel the distinction of knighthood in recognition of his eminent services to New Zealand, and that it is -also in contemplation that the hon. gentleman shall proceed to England to act there permanently as General and Financial Agent of the Colony, vice Dr Featherston. We cannot vouch for the truth of these statements, but late leading articles in our contemporary, the Independent, appear to give force to the latter suggestion."

Clause 134 of the Land Act, which we give elsewhere in full, furnishes another instance of the careless manner in which that important measure has been carried through the Assembly. The intention of the clause obviously is that after a run has been included within a Hundred, the lessee should have the sole right of depasturing stock upon the run, until regulations affecting the land within the Hundred shall have been made. The clause reads : — "The right of pasturage over all lands proclaimed or to be proclaimed," &c. The word " Hundred," however, does not occur in the claufee at all, and one is left to guess whether "lands proclaimed" means a Hundred, a goldfield, or a school district.

The session of the Anglican Synod of Dunedin was -continued on Thursday. The following gentlemen, who have been unable to attend the meeting of the Synod, telegraphed to say that they wished their names added to the list < t those who had united in the presentation of an address to the Right Rev. the Bishop, congratulating him on his safe return to the Colony : — The Rev. W. F. Oldham, Riverton ; the Rev. A. Gifford, Oaraatu ; the Rev. R. Coffey, Queenstown ; the Rev. J. Jones, Clyde ; and the Rev. R. L. Stanford, Tokomairiro. The Bill providing for the registration and election of lay representatives and synodsmen was considered in committee, and is to be recommitted.

With the view of obtaining a valuable opinion respecting the facilities for docking large vessels afforded by the Port" Chalmers Dock, as compared with those of other ports, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees communicated on the 6th inst. with Captain Chapman, of H.M.S. Dido. The trustees offered to place the Dock at Captain Chapman's service for the purpose of docking his vessel, free of charge, also providing all the necessary labour for docking, undocking, &c, at their own expense. In reply Captain Chapman stated that although the Dido did not require docking — having been docked in July last at Sydney — he would endeavour on his return from the Bluff and Southern Ports to comply with their wishes should the Dock be then vacant.

A meeting of citizens interested in the establishment of a Roman Catholic journal in Dunedin was held in St. Joseph's Schoolroom the other evening. Mr Scanlan presided. The object of the meeting was to announce the result so far of the exertions of those gejafle^jefc who undertook the forojatictti of

the New Zealand Tablet Company a short time ago, It was stated that about onethird ot the 1500 ,€1 shares allotted had already been disposed^ of, and it was hoped that the exertions being made in the various Provinces of the Colony would secure the speedy sale of the remainder. The 15th January proximo was fixed upon as the date for calling up the shares allotted to Dunedin and its suburbs. The iirst number of the new journal will probably mak*e its appearance in February next.

In an article commenting upon the late interview between His Honour the .Superintendent and the deputation of Provincial Councillors, with respect to calling the Council together, the Southland News criticises Mr Macandrew's conduct as follows : — " His mind was evidently made up to meet the consequences of adherence to a course so utterly at variance with constitutional usage as to justify the suspicion that he is more anxious to serve private and particular interes a than to perform his proper duty as chief magistrate. Should he persist in refusing to call the Council together, there will be assuredly a day of reckoning, unless, indeed, the people of this Province are actually tired of self-government. In the meantime the question for the constituencies to consider is simply — ' Shall Mr Macandrew govern with or without their control ?'"

Messrs Burton Brothers have on view portraits (in judicial costume) of Sir William Stawell, Chief Justice of Victoria, Sir Redmond Barry, Mr Justice Williams, and Mr Justice Molesworth, Judges of the Supreme Court of that Colony. There are also three portraits (one in judicial costume) of Sir George Arney, the Chief Justice of this Colony, one of Mr Justice Richmond, another of Mr Justice Gresson, and one of Sir William Martin, the ex- Chief Justice. The likenesses (especially that of Mr Justice Richmond) are excellent, and are well worth inspection. They have been forwarded to Mr Macassey, with a view to their being enlarged for the Supreme Court Library. The likeness of Mr Justice Johnston has not yet come to hand, but. Ib is expected shortly. Mr Justice Chapman has promised to sit for his portrait.

A meeting of the Wakari Road Board was held last Friday week, at the Schoolhouse, Wakari, for the purpose of hearing appeals against the highway rate fnr the current year. There were 17 appellants, 11 of whom sustained their cases, small reduc-. tions being made in each, lessening the amount of the rate by £6 15s. Considering the large number of ratepayers in this district (214 in ail), and the fact of so few malcontents showing up. we may augur that general satisfaction has been given by the valuations made. The rate will bring in over £4SO, and with the Government subsidy of 20s for £1 on this sum, the Board anticipate during the summer getting through, a considerable amount of very necessary work generally diffused throughout the district. Mr George Hepburn occupied the chair.

On all portions of the Timaru downs (the Herald reports) the cr<.ps are looking admirably, in fact, it would be scarcely possible for them to look better. From their present appearance, we should say that harvest would commence iv some instances very early in January, and that before the end of that month the reaping machines would be in full swing. To give some idea of the forwardness of some of the crops, we may mention that on Saturday, in an excursion in rear of the town, in the direction of Mount Horrible, we saw a crop of wheat and another of oats, which, were in full ear, and several patches approaching that stage. Should the crops e3uape tho&e scourges of the farmer, the rust, the caterpillars, or destructive winds and rains, with fair harvest weather, the yield of xhe harvest of 1873 will be an unusually good one.

The annual examination of the District School at Maungatua, West Taieri, took place on. Friday week. The various classes acquitted themselves most creditably, giving evidence of careful and thorough teaching on the part of their master. At the close of the examination, the .Rev. Mr Gillies, in name of the scholars attending the school, presented Mr Murray witb a very handsome timepiece, as a token of their esteem and regard for him, expressing at the same time their great regret at his leaving the district. Mr Murray has been teacher at Maungatua for the past six years, and the kindness of his disposition, along with, his painstaking and energetic discharge of his duties, havesecured for him the universal esteem both of parents and children. He has now received the appointment of Second Master to North Dunedin District School, and begins his duties thete after the holidays.

An unfeeling fellow named "Rogers was dealtwithat the Mayor's Court on Wednesday on charges of drunkenness and obscene language. Rogers can claim with the hog that he is the only gentleman — that is to say, he does no ■work, and he possesses the additional qualification of getting drunk whenever he can. His wife maintains him and his family by washing. He promised her on Tuesday morning when she went out to work that he would attend to the children during the day. Instead of that, he went out and got drunk, and the poor children had nothing to eat till night. Afterwards his wife, being afraid of him, had to leave the house. Finally, he found his wa3^ into the lock up. He has served many short sentences for drunkenness, hut, as might be expected, they have no further effect on him than to confirm him in his drunken habit*. There are many of Rogers's class in Dunedin, 3U<J ii a djj??t>miwi»c institution wfeye e^talr

lished here, they might be cured of their disposition to drink, and perhaps, too, of their propensity to loaf.

On the motion of the Hon. E. Richardson, the Canterbury Provincial Council has adopted the following resolution :— "That a respectful address be presented to His Honour the Superintendent, praying . that a sum not exceeding £20 0 be placed on the Estimates as a bonus to the first company or private individual who shall successfully establish in the Province of Canterbury the manufacture of wool bales, sacking, and matting from New Zealand flax ; such bonus to be paid on satisfactory proof being given to the Government of the production of "not less than 10,000 wool bales and 40,000 sacks of a similar quality to those generally in use in the Province. Provided always that should the same company or private individual receive any bonus from the General Government, the amount paid under this resolution shall only be such as will make up the total bonus of £2000." Many persons having relatives and friends on board the Christian M'Ausland, being naturally anxious to ascertain whether any of those they knew died or were seized with scarlatina, have called at the Labour-office, but could not be furnished with the information there, a list not having come to hand. From a list siuce received there, we learn that those who died were : — Mrs Sarah Jane Sings, 22 years ; Mary Barret, 18 months ; John Trebelcock, 3 months ; Thos. Herfoot, 10 months ; — Charles, 8 months ; John O'Connor, 2 years. None of the deaths were from scarlatina. The sufferers from scarlatina were : — Christina TCerr, 2 years ; Lizzie Sims, 4 years ; Amelia Crasweller, 5 years ; George Sims, 2 years ; M try Jane Trebelcook, 5 years ; William Williams, 12 years ; Bessie Trebelcock, 3 years ; M;try, Moyle. 8 years ; James Burke, 2 years ; -John Herfoot, s years ; George Hay, 3 years; John Herriot, 22 years.

At about half-past four o'clock on Saturday afternoon a horse ran off with a buggy to which it was attached, from the T'attray street jetty, and proceeded in the direction of Princes street at a furious pace. A man at the corner of Crawford street endeavoured to catch the animal, and caused it to turn and run along Crawford street; and Jetty street. It ran backwards and forwards in these streets for about a quarter of an hour, being turned back by men at each corner, until it was caught by a man named Green in Crawford street. Beyond the buggy being made a complete wreck, no injury was done. The horse is the property of Mr Hawthorne, Rector of the High School. Mr Hawthorne cold the buggy a few days ago to Mr Payman, of Oauiaru, who was present at the time of the accident. The buggy was? sent to the jetty to be shipped, and the horse bolted as it was being disconnected from the buggy, and after the bridle had been taken off.

We have received a copy of "The Australian Presbyterian Calendar and Educational Register of Victoria, for 1873," edited by the Rev. Dr Macdonald, of Melbourne. It is a neat, well got up little volume, and contains a lar^e amount of interesting information. As its title indicates, its contents are chiefly devoted to matters relating to the Presbyterian Church, and to education, but ifc also contains a quantity of information of a general character. Among its contents we may particularise an alphabetical list of the Presbyterian ministers in Australasia (New Zealand being included), with the year in which each was ordained. There is also an alphabetical list of the Common Schools in Victoria, with particulars showing how each is vested, the name of the head ; teacher, the number of children on the roll, and the revenue derived from each school. In printing and arrangement, this almanac is superior to the majority of those published in New Zealand. It is published by Mr i Robert Mackay, 15 Collins strest west, Mel- ! bourne. * A lecture was delivered on Tuesday in the North Dunedin Presbyterian Church, by Mr James Black, on "Astronomy." The Rev. Dr. Copland occupied the chair. The subject was a continuation of former lectures. The lecturer explained Bode's law of distances. He then described the planet Venus, and explained the important results that will accrue to our astronomical knowledge from the accurate observation of the next transit of that planet, which will take place on Bth Dec, 1874. The size of the Sun, and its distance from the Earth will be accurately determined. He next described the astronomical features of the Eirfch, explaining in clear and popular language the phenomena of the daily tides, spring and neap tides, aud the occasional high tides which have Bpread much alarm before they occurred. The seasons were also explained, and the mode of calculating time. The lecturer was frequently applauded during the delivery, and at the close a vote of thanks was, on the motion of Mr E. M'Glashan, heartily accorded to the lecturer.

When addressing Ms constituents at Nelson the other day, Mr Curtis made the following remarks with respect to his Larceny Bill, Tn which he sought to do away with technical phra eology :-" The Bill met with 'opposition from lawyers in and out of the House, but the results confirmed him in his opinion that it was much easier to simplify the present antiquated phraseology than Borne people pretended. It was complained that his project would throw overboard the accumulated experience of centuries, and with it a mass of precedents formed by the varying Interpretation of different j ml ges; and that was the very thing he hoped to do, and have Acts constructed m language open to a simple and or4Uwry ©eawflg- UP <Ji<J venture to sug-

gest to an eminent lawyer, and he supposed he had made him an enemy for life, whether in the event of a judge not being sure of the meaning of a word, he might not refer to a dictionary. His Bill, he said, was referred to a Select Committee, before which Mr Justice Johnston and the Attorney-General gave evidence. He had been obliged to drop the Bill, but he would again bring it in next session, and probably some others of a siniiar nature."

Referring to the rush which, has set in to the Rock and Pillar diggings, a correspondent of the Mount Ida Chronicle, of last week, writes : — " Hyde is deserted, and, I believe, all are on payable gold ; but the ground is so limited, that it will, be worked out in a few weeks, unless some fresh ground is opened up. I think there is no doubt that the Ranges will be well prospected this season. — Messrs Jackson and Casper had the gully to themselves for four orfiveweeks, andalthough it was not known where they were, it was generally thought that they were many miles away. Two parties were on the look out for some days before they struck "Jackson's nest." The gold is very coarse, and I have seen some splendid specimens. As all the available ground is taken up, I should advise no strangers to come, unless they make up their minds to give the neighbouring gullies a good trial." The same journal furnishes the following additional intelligence :— " Just on going to press, we have received authentic information from the new rush at Hyde. Our informant tells us that the scene of operations is a gully ; that about nineteen parties are getting payable gold ; that on each side of the claims taken up the prospects are duffers ; but that a tine raug"e of gullies well worth prospecting is likely to be thoroughly tested.

Westland appears to be in a shaky condition financially, if the following remarks of the West Coast Times are to be credited :—: — " The County is, in fact, in a state of bankruptcy, and has as good reason to file a declaration of insolvency as any povertystricken individual in the community. Indeed, were it a personal body instead of a body corporate, we should see it figuring in the Resident Magistrate's Court daily as defendant in suits innumerable in number, and overwhelming in amount. If what we hear is true, even the salaries of County officers have not been paid for some months — since last August, we are told — and the contributions to charitable institutions are similarly in arrear. The Council not being in session, we have, of course, no reliable information on the subject, and our County Chairman is so exceedingly reticent, that we have nothing to guide us in our conclusions, beyond the complaints of those who have money to receive from the County Government of their inability to get any. But these complaints are so numerous, and come before us so frequently, that we are brought to the conolusion<that the office of the Treasurer to the County is quite a sinecure, and that he really has no ' treasure' to take charge of, and to deal out to those who have a claim upon it."

The first session of the Anglican Synod of Dunedin, under the presidency o£ the Bishop of the Diocese, was opened on Wednesday. At eleven o'clock the Litany was read, and the Sacrament of the Holy Communion administered, by Bishop Nevill, assisted by the Rev. E. G. Edwards, at St. Paul's Church. The members of Synod afterwards assembled in the large hall of the Athenaeum, where an address, congratulating the Bishop on his safe arrival in Dunedin, was presented by the Rev. Mr Edwards, on behalf of the clerical and lay members of Synod. The Bishop afterwards delivered an address concerning his journey to England, and work done there, for which address a unanimous vote of thanks was passed. The report of the Standing Committee was read and received. A Bill in reference to the registration and election of lay representatives and synodamen was brought in by the Rev. Mr Edwards. Mr James Smith also brought in a Bill to repeal so much of Statute No. 1 as to provide that the next Synod of the Diocese of Dunedin should be elected for a period to expire upon the issue of writs for the election of lay representatives to the next General- Synod, and that after that time synodsmen be elected for a period of three years, the object being to carry out a suggestion of the Bishop that the Synod should, as soon as possible, be elected on a registration basis. Both Bilk were read a first time.

The Wellington Independent, referring to the cases of the England and Bebington, both of which vessels brought immigrants to Wellington, very properly blames Dr Featherston because a sufficient amount of care and attention had not been bestowed to secure either fit ships or even ordinary conveniences and comforts for the immigrants. " The amount of neglect," says the Independent, " exhibited in the case of both those vessels has been something astounding, and should call for the imperative interference of the Government." Who was to blame, however, because there were no buildings at the quarantine ground for the reception of the England's passengers? And whose fault is it, after the lesson taught by that case, that no arrangements were in readiness for the housing at Port Chalmers of such immigrants as might arrive by vessels flying the yellow flag ? The passengers and crews of the Christian M'Ausland and the Palmerston, numbering between five , and six hundred souls, have been placed ia quarantine, and all the preparations that awaited them consisted of shelter, not ac- , commodation. for one hundred and fifty per» gone. Neither the Provincial Government oor tye Boajrd of geajtb cw b.e fceld to hja.m.e,

Indeed, we have reason to believe that the latter body has represented, on more than one occasion, that there should be proper accommodation at the Quarantine Ground for immigrants who may arrive by infected ships. The person chiefly responsible for this act of neglect is the Minister of Immigration, Mr G. M. O'Rorke, who, instead of attending to the very onerous duties connected with his department, is at present enjoying the emoluments and honours which are attached to the Speakership of the Provincial Council of Auckland. That Council is now in session, and as soon as its sittings are over, and the Speaker has squared up his business, we may expect the Minister of Immigration to turn his attention to the work of his department — but not till then.

The application made at least six months ago by Messrs W. Gellibrand and Co., to purchase about 2000 acres of land in the Waikouaiti district, came before the Waste Lands Board, on Wednesday, and was, without discussion, declined. Messrs Smith and Anderson, as agents for Messrs Gellibrand and Co. , under date 25th November wrote to the Provincial Secretary, bringing under his notice the facts that, many months ago, their clients applied for about 2000 acres of land in the Waikouaiti Hundred, to be put up to auction at the upset price of 10s per acre ; that the then Provincial Executive agreed to comply with that request upon condition of the land being surveyed, as provided by the Waste Lands Act, 1866 ; that the land was accordingly surveyed ; but, although the survey has been completed for some months, the land has not been advertised for sale. The surveyor, in the meantime, had made several applications for payment of his survey fees, but as they did not know what the intentions of the former Executive were, they had declined to settle with him. They requested an early reply as to whether or not the Government intended to carry out the arrangement made by their predecessors, and if so, to be informed when the land would be sold. Mr Reid, it appeared from a letter of his in the correspondence, was in favour of the sale, subjest to certain reservations of auriferous land, and ground for water-races. The Private Petitions Committee of the Provincial Council reported that the land applied for was highly auriferous, and recommended that the goldfields boundary be extended so as to include the land applied for and about 10,000 acres more adjacent. The Executive resolved at a meeting on the 10th inst, to recommend the refusal of the application ; and the Waste Lands Board, at its meeting on Wednesday, did so accordingly, and resolved that the survey fees be refunded to the applicant.