THE NEW AUSTRALIA DISSENSIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2083, 25 January 1894, Page 3

THE NEW AUSTRALIA DISSENSIONS.

The Sydney Daily Telegraph states thab on making inquiry at the Sydney office of the New Australia movement, it was fo^nd that absolutely nothing wag Ipn^wa touching the fjfsaffepfcjbn cf the eight pioneers who are said to have letfc the settlement disgusted with the •'injustice of the administration." The two leaders of the malcontents, It was said, wero not men of influence, and it was only fair to assume that their followers were men still less conspicuous for the part they had taken in social and political questions., Qno or those leader^, j^lr Wpfltwßod, was a drnpor, and oughfe ftpfc, jl vj?as maintained, to have been accepted an a member of the community in the flrHfc instance. The other leading secessionist;, a man referred to in the cablegram as " Hope," is apparently an immigrant of the name of "Pope." It was suggested that the rule, " without prejudice to the temperance question," which lays dowu the principle that for the first three years— until the f,Qttte«i have got oyer thejr in^jal dispuUjes— -no fe/uienled liquor^ shall be allowed, within, the New Australian precincts may have had a good deal to do with the matter. In this connection an extract from a. letter written by Mr A, §nty\^

bank, descriptive of the pioneers' trip up tho Parana river, is interesting. They purchased, he says, for the children, a large barrel of molasses, "and had they alone partaken of tho condiment all would have been well. But children of larger growth also indulged in the luxury, and they quickly discovered that it was very good, even thoße who had never defiled "^heir palates with alcohol were smacking their liis in a most mysterious manner and partook l ar «ely of the golden syrup. But, as usual 1 some mar-plot upset the arrangement by declaring that it contained fully 20 per cent, of alcohol. This was too much for the executive to openly^ermit ; consequently the balance of the coveted \reacle went over the side of the vessel amidstthe lamentations of fully half of the . pioneers, some of whom were unkind enough to bi>t that many- dead men had been removed afcer nightfall on board the Royal Tar from a certain cabin which I should think ought to he above suspicion." Again, "Some had to remain at Asuncion to look after the goods. It fell to my lob to stay behind, which suiUd me just as well, being somewhat old and feeble. Moreover, tixere was information wliieh 1 concluded it would be ju<rt as well to gather. The conoluaion thtt I came to was that, in case of certain eventualities occurring, the place was good enough for me individually." Not altogether the language one expects to hear from an ardent communist almost withm view of the promised laud ; and it is net surprising to l«m that Mr Pt-terM 'Naught, one of the organisers, is inclined to think Birtlebank was one of those expelled. Messrs Head and Porretter, on being interviewed, stated they had been informed by cable that White and Westwood had been expelled for going ashore at Monte Video in distinct contravention of a resolution carried tha previous night at a meeting on the Royal Tar. Others who went with them returned slightly "elevated." Directly the pioneers reached the settlement the cased of the offenders were dealt with, and, as advised, the drink party have been expelled at a coat of £600.

T. A. Westwood was a well-known draper of Adelaide, and possessed considerable means. He left hia wife and family well provided for,, even should he stay away many months longer. He was highly respected in Adelaide. Very great efforts were put forward by M 'Naught and others to induce, him to joip the settlement, and he is not at all the sort of man to raise complaints without good cau.se. As a matter of fact, he went away enthusiastic in support of the new project. His wife has received letters in which he speaks highly of the officers of tho settlement and its prospect*. One of his letters was opened by the official through whom it was sent, it is averred, by accident, and it is nob known whether or not there was an enclosure giving a different account to that received.

Mrs Westwood in very indignant concevning statements made about her husband by M 'Naught and others. She affirms that the determination of her husband to join the expedition resulted in the loss of £1000 to the family. Westwood was educated in France, and speaks French fluently; and as he had learnt Spanish before arriving in Paraguay, he was of much assistance to the new settlers.

A Sydney girl who has gone to Paraguay with the "New Australia" emigrants, writes the following joyful letter to a friend in New South Wales ;— ° We all sleep on the floor, and have our roealß gipsy fashion, in the open air. It is great fuu. We o.afc oranges all day and sit in the shade. We get 100Q for Is, and as many as we want for nofchiug. Towards evening wo go for a awim in tho oreek. We transhipped to Monte Video to a beautiful steamer, the Rio Parana. We used to have dances every night. Spaniards would often play the guitar, and when they didn't our own fellows would play the violin or concertina. At Asuncion crowds of people came to welcome us, both Spaniards and Europeaus. We camped two days in the theatre, an enormous brick building built by King Lope?, and the Spaniards used to bring \is eggs, oranges, meat, vegetables, and water, and would not hear of payment. Some of tho Upper classes are remarkably handsome. Some of the boys used to hand us in oranges and oiga.retjtes through the gates, and the Boldiera would peel them for us with their swords. They would tell us wo wore very pretty, and made ua very polite spooches. One boy, abont 19, told me he would be oharmed to visit me in my new home, and pushed a bundle of cigars into my hand. All the women smoke, and £ suppose they thought we did,"

The residents of Danevirke have resolved to raise £200 to make a trial boro for artesian water.