THE PROVINCES.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 39, 24 March 1863, Page 2

THE PROVINCES.

I WELLINGTON. j AEEIVAL OF THE GOVERNOR AT / TARANAKI. EABTKQtJAKE AT HAWKE'S BAT. (From the Daily Times correspondent.) Wellington, 12th March, 1863. After a residence of . some fifteen or sixteen months in New Zealand, Governor Grey has at last visited Taranaki. After a patient application of every thing deemed likely to abate inflammation in the system, the plague spot itself is now to be attended to. Will it be necessary to use the instruments, or will a course of emollients be all that is required ? A little more patience, and we shall see. At present we continue to resign ourselves into the hands of the physician who has so long had the case in treatment, doubtfully yet hopefully. All the newa we have is that the Governor left Auckland on the 3rd instant, with Messrs Domett and Bell, General Cameron, and one or two others. Next day the Harrier arrived off New Plymouth, and after landing His Excellency under a salute N from her guns, made her way to the quiet waters of Bluid Bay, where she will probably remain until the end of the present week, Except that it is supposed the Harrier will return to New Plymouth about the 14th, nothing further is known of the Governor's movements. How long his stay will he will, of course, depend on circumstances, but it was generally understood in Auckland that it would probably be about three weeks. How far His Excellency's health may interfere with his preconcerted plans none of us can say, but certain it is that his Excellency is very much indisposed, and would have left Auckland several days earlier had he been able — indeed, it was at one time feared that he would have to postpone the visit altogether. It would be but idle, and perhaps mischievous to give currency to reports. They are often so circumstantial that they have only to be heard to be believed, and yet have, alter all, nc foundation. I saw a letter from Wanganui the other day, in which it was stated, on the authority of a trading master whose vessel had just arrived from Taranaki, that the Governor had reached there and ordered military occupation of the Tataraimaka — it is now certain that the trading vessel must have left before the Harrier arrived, and thus gossip of what it was thought or hoped would be done became converted into historical fact. It would be mischievous to repeat many such reports which are floating j about, but nothing authentic is known here, and if I may give a shrewd guess no one knows less what His Excellency's plans are than does His Excellency himself. They will, we know positively, be directed, in the first instance, to the peaceful re-oc-cupation of the settlers on their lands, but exact way in which this is to be done will depend altogether on the circumstances of the moment. Sir George is able (no man better) to turn these to t':e best account, and we hope he may have ample opportunity for the exercise of his forte. TheNelson Examiner mentions the repurchase of the Tataraimaka, out of the " re-instatement" vote of £200,000, but as this is confessedly only drawing a bow at a venture, all of us will dismiss such an idea as utterly improbable; the more especially as Sir George's officially published conversation with Thompson at Waikato last January makes him (Sir George) say — ".Do you hearken: I shall be obstinate about Tataraimaka. After my return to Auckland I shall embark in the steamer, and proceed to that place, and there abide. Now, will Waikato go there and join them, or will Waikato go to Taranaki and assist me ? Oh, ye sons, you are in error, for I have Tataraimaka in my hands, and my hand shall be strong to hold it." The particulars of the rumored emigration from Europe to Taranaki are given fully in the Nelson Examiner. It appears that the immigrants are to be from Germany, and to obtain them Mr Feodore Kelling, of Nelson, proceeded home in the February mail. They are to comprise a total of 4.000 souls, equal to 3,000 adult.*, — say 1,000 males, 1,000 wives, and 2,000 children; are to serve in the militia for five years, and to repay their passage money — giving promissory notes before sailing. There are various details, such as a bonus of 25 acres of land, to be charged for at the rate of £2 per acre if the militia condition is not fulfilled. You will find some exceedingly disagreeable, but common sense remarks, on this scheme in the Examiner, which, as you will probably like to reprint entiie, I will not mar by recapitulating. As I look upon myself as having a sort of roving commission, I shall ask your readers to follow me aecross the country, as the crow flies, to Hawke's Bay, where the effects of an earthquake have been in some cases very unpleasant. I mentioned in my last that we had had a slight but long continued shock on the morning of the 23rd Feb. ruary. It appears to have been felt all over Canterbury, and from thence across the Straits to Taranaki and Hawke's Bay — its seat evidently being somewhere about the lluataniwha Plains, in the latter province. The accounts in the papers show that scarcely a score of chimneys are left standing in Napier and its suburbs, but letters from the interior speak of much greater effects. A gentleman from Wellington, visiting thorp, writes on the 4th March, " I have only just time to say a few words about the earthquake, which in this neighborhood (Waipukutua) I consider to have been quite as severe as the one I experienced in Wellington in 1855. We were all. of course, very much alarmed when the chimneys fell, but thanks to a merciful Providence, we have escaped without the slightest injury, and I do not hear that others have been less fortunate in that respect than those in our house were. Great loss of property has been occasioned, especially at. Te Ante, Waipawa, and Waipukurau. You will scarcely believe me when I tell you that Harding' s largo house was thrown two feet off the piles, almost every chimney in the place has been thrown down. Shocks are being felt up to the present time, but they will, I hope, continue gradually to subside." I see it mentioned in this morning's paper that several holes had beeen found, from which offensive mud was oozing. Me M'Lean has been elected Superintendent, and soon had an opportunity of using his influence with the natives. A native chief, named Paron. became drunk and disorderly in Napier-street, and on being taken by a policeman to the lock up, was on this rescued by some visitor natives; one of whom attempted to tomahawk the constable. Settlers and other police turned out, and a row seemed probable as there were forty natives, several having their tomahawks. Mr M'Lean coming up at the moment induced the settlers not to interfere further. A day or two after there was a kerero, a promise not to do so any more, and the matter ended. I see the Herald makes some remarks on the proceeding in atone which is strangely different from what it once held, but which, under the circumstances in which open hostilities would find that Province, may be deemed excusable by " the gentlemen who sit at home at ease " in the Southern Island. The following is the passage alluded to in the Hawke's Bay Herald, " When Mr M'Lean came up there wore indications of an attempt to re-cap-ture by three policemen and a few townsmen who volunteered their services. He advised them not to make the attempt — very wisely, we think ; for such an effort, while it would probably have led to bloodshed in the public streets, would, as likely, nave been ineffectual in restoring the prisoner to custody. It might have eventuated in a serious rupture between the races, for which we are wholly unprepared. The inland settlers, in the event of a collision, are not in a position to defend their property or even the lives of their families; at the slightest note of warning they would have no other resource than to crowd to town leaving to destruction the result of years of industry and of privation. God forbid that a second Taranaki should be made of this fair Province • and yet this as the consummation to which the efforts of a few (bold spirits (on paper at least) would seem to be directed. None can be more desirous than we are to see a better state of things than now exists ; but we cannot hope thnt a street conflict will be the means of effecting the necessary change." Major Whitmore is officially notified as having assumed the Civil Commissionership of the District. He is, or rather was, General Cameron's Military Secretary, and has for some time had invested a large sum in a sheep run in the district. There is some talk of the troops being reduced, and 50 of the mounted police corps to be raised for service in Hawke's Bay instead. The now-raising the whole of this force, abou l "- which so much was said during the Assembly, is not considered wise, as an active mounted force, in which the s;ttler element should be conspicuous, is generally looked upon as most valuable. Of the Wellington province there is little else for me to do than chronicle small beer. Our city election is over, having been contested by the ultra radicals putting forward Mr John M'lntosh, who before his address was out had gone down to witne33 sport more to his liking on the Dunedin racecourse. It appears he left strict injunctions that he waa not to bo put to the poll, but only as far as the nomination ; and to his annoyance yesterday, when he returned, found that his injunction had been disregarded. He polled 100 votes, and Mr Dransfiold 127; but these figures do not indicate that Mr Dransfield had any chance of beinu beaten, his friends purposely abstaining (as the day was very wetj from troubling more voters to poll than was absolutely necessary. I send you the reperfc of Mr Brough Smyth of Melbourne, on our Wellington rocks. Mr Crawford is out with a prospecting party ; but I hear of no actual results. Just now the Provincial Government are taking y©ry active steps for the recovery of the amounts 4ttp for. passage money by immigrants. Several •Cftsee were heard at the District Court on Tuesday.

The debris < admitted in all' cases' ns> a legal obli. gation'at one time, but continued, residence in thi colony is pleaded by tome as a tnoraf renton why it should be' considered as foregone; while othen plead anything and everything that will b^r hook or - by crook get them off. Bowever._,jjood in theory the repayments system may be, it is now certain that it is more unwise to make the Government a creditor, as very many men do not scruple to act in pecuniary matters toward'a' Government, in a "way" which they would scorn to do towards a pri« rate individual. '; The j Magistrate has taken time, to coasHer,' with 'the nnderstandfog that his judg ment will be appealed against. ,'_''. Nelson only received her ' English Mail -on th« 9th, it having arrived late, in Auckland -and been detained^ there. We have made up our minds to its being very late this month, as it is not due in Melbourne until the 12th, three days after the Aldinga's day of. leaving. M'Meckan and Co. will do wisely and well if they repeat last month's operations, and send it down by the Alhambra without delay. . ; No shipping or other news of any importance except that the Agents of the N.Z.I.N. Co's have up to the latest accounts, been unsuccessful in purchasing a steamer in Sydney, and had therefore proceeded to Melbourne, with the intention; of going on to Adelaide if necessary. The Queen, now completing her engagement to the Government, is likely to be kept on the East Coast if sufficient inducement offer ; she is a handy size for port to port service. The Airedale came along side the inner T of our new wharf, for the first time yesterday. The wharf is still in progress, and not likely to be completed for some months yet ; but the rails, &c. as far as the inner T, are to be laid dow directily, and thus render it serviceable for all the steamers.