QUEENSLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 1191, 26 September 1874, Page 17

QUEENSLAND.

(from our own correspondent.)

Mj last letter was detained in Brisbane a whole week after it was posted, and a longer interval than usual has therefore elapsed since you had a resume of Brisbane news. As, however, our communication by sea with the Southern Colonies is in the hands of a monopoly, there is nothing for it but to bear as best we may the inconvenience of our letters and ourselves beipg carried at intervals calculated to suit the pockets of the Company rather than the requirements of business. Sundry attempts have been made at various times to start rival lines of steamers, but have all more or less ended in failure. We console ourselves in the fact that the fleet of the A.S.N. Co. consists of powerful and fast boats, well found, manned, and officered ; and it is only occasionally that we are forcibly reminded that we are at their mercy. Lord Normanby and the Premier have just started, in the Colonial Government steamer Kate, on a visit (gubernatorial) to the Northern Ports. They are accompanied only by the Marquis's son (Lord Harvey Phipps), Captain Mating, the Private Secretary, and Mr Birron, the Sub-Commissioner of Police. The trip, which is to include visits to Maryborough, Gladstone, Rockhamptou, Mackay, Bowen, Townsville, and Caldwell, will ocoupy a month, wind and weather perniitting; the Governor's engagements preventing his going on to the Endeavour to inspect that wonderful mushroom, Cooktown. Some fun is expected out of the visit to Rockhampton, from the excessive temporary unpopularity of Mr Macalister at that populous and imimportant place. This arises from the Government having allied themselves during the late session with the members for the Northern districts ; an alliance which deprived the Central districts— of which Kockhampton is the port—of anything but the crumbs of the feast, But the crowning offffiSQ mt the fitfpg by A^ ©/ Parliament, ,

as the residence of the r.ew Northern Judge, the town of Bo wen ; a selection as unfit for the effective working of the new Court as could have been made. The political exigencies of the moment, however, either did, or appeared to, require it; but it is generally expected that next session will see an amendment of the Act in this as well as other particulars.

The legal horizon has been altogether very cloudy lately, the whole profession having been as unsettled as a swarm of bees. But the crowning incident among the wigs has been the resignation of the Attorney-Gene-ral, Mr MacDevitt. The original selection of this gentleman as a member of the Ministry created some surprise ; as, although not wanting in ability, he was young both in the profession and in years, and has never made his mark as a politician. It was supposed, however, to have been intended to conciliate, at the time of the elections, the J Lorn an Catholic party — of which he was a prominent member. The causes which led to the resignation were as follow :— The elevation of Mr Edmund Sheppard to the licnch of t/ie Supreme Ccurt had created a vacancy in the Judgeship of the Metropolitan District Court. Mr MacDevitt, who was never supposed to be in accord, ov to feel at ease with, his colleague!?, considered 1 1ns the beat opportunity likely to arise of providing for himself, and claimed tie appointment. To his astonishment and chagrin, however, aa well as to those of his fiiuida, the Premier unhesitatingly refused compliance ; actuated, it is supposed, by a de3i"re to get rid of his oolJev.nie, by giving him such cause of olleuce as would render it impossible for him to remain in the Ministry. Be that as it may, the Atti rneyGeneral did resign, and now pyeaks in terms of the most bitter contempt for It's late chief. His successor is Mr V. W. Griffith, a young barrister who has listn rapidly by his talents. He is a native of the Colony, and an M.A. of the Sydney University j and although under 30 years of ago, he has been in Parliament several years, and. has proved himself an able debater and \w mean tactkiau. His ambition in taking office is to clear the moral atmosphere in relation to the Innds supposed to be held in fr.uid, or at least illegally, by dummy ism. It appears, from, certain utterances to his constituents, that he made it a condition with the Premier that he should be let loose at all the presumed dummiers and dummies, and sheet home to them whatever penalties, either in the way of loss of their holdings, or of the punishment of false declaration they may have entailed upon themselves. The Mini&ter for Lands has accordingly ma<?e a commencement — so says substantial mmouv — by addressing letters to some thirty persons, bolding selections in areas v.ujing from 1000 acres upwards, calling en them to show cause why their selections should not be forfeited for having beeu acquired by unlawful means. There are. however, to be found people who, although having no sympathy with false declaration or fraud, think that this threatened raid is Quixotic. The laxity of successive Governments hasencouraged this system ; and, while it is time firm measures should be taken to prevent it in the future, the course proposed by iha new Attorn eyGeneral, even though it won] I puni«h a few rascals who heartily deserve the full and legitimate consequences of their own acts, would inflict much substantial injustice by a rigid insistauce of conditions and too minute enquiries of each holder who is in bonafidc occupation as to how he became v> assessed. It is also quite possible that such alternations of extreme laxity and strictness in the administration of our laud law.-s majr give the Colony an unsafe character, and tend to keep out capital. A man mamed John Echwood was found a week or two ago on the left branch of the Falmer in a dying condition. He had been previously visited by a miner named Fitzgerald, who washed him and made him aa comfortable as he could, and then weat "his way. The two men who subsequently found the poor fellow waited by him until he died, doing what they could to soothe fiis la&t moments, and then decently burk-d him, leaving his little property a,t the grave. It would seem that this victim to the hardships of the Palmer was a miner from New Zealand, as lie had on his person three miners' rights issued at one of the Provinces. My informant could not tell me which, but I mention this dismal, but alas ! too common, story in the hope that it may be read by some one interested. The annual Exhibition of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland has just been held at Toowoomba, and fully sustained the character of Darling Downs for supremacy over the rest of Queensland in all matters connected with sheep, cattle, and horses. But while this is not disputed, it brings out very forcibly the fact that that the title of the Society is a misnomer. In former years there had always been a show of encouragement to the farmer by including in the schedule of prizes various agricultural products j but as the prize was a certificate only, not accompanied by money, I suppose the farmers did not care to exhibit. This year they were passed over altogether, and so little did the exhibition bear out the title of the Society that milking stock, of which every farmer must possess some head, are totally ignored. The horses shown proved that Queensland breeders are satisfied with nothing short of the best blood, and among seven throughbreel sires the judges had the greatest difficulty in awarding the prize. The ten heavy dratight stallions which competed in their class were a magnificent lot. Among the cattle, the young Queensland* bred stock came to the front this year most creditably. There were thivteen shorthorn bulls and thirty heifers, showing that tiwir owners were taking the greatest care in breeding, and holding out high promise for the future of the district. Hereforcta were also well represented. A proposition is now afoot to establish iv our metropolis a Society upon an extended snalo similar to the Agricultural Society of New South Wales. There is no reason why [ such a project should not succeed, but much depends upon the sort of men selected as the managing body. If they have breadth of view, and do not permit local prejudice or jealousies to influence their acta, the new Society ought to be ftWe to take high rank in-