The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1863.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 77, 31 July 1863, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1863.

The opening of the tenders for the Railway Piers at the Mokomoko and ' Campbelltown on the 22nd inst.., may j*i)e looked upon as an era in the history of the Province. It was the avanl courier of our great public work, the railway, and an earnest that no time would be lost in pushing it — that, in fact, it was a reality. The works are of considerable magnitude for so young a Province, and the sum to be expended is large, consequently considerable excitement was exhibited, not only on the part of those tendering, -but also [by the public generally. The tenders ! were opeued at twelve o'clock noon, and the result, it was anticipate d, would be declared at two p.m. of the same day. The various contractors loitered about the Government buildings for hours, but the offices were closed, and lio decision seemed to have been arrived at. The next day saw the same anxious faces peering at the notice board, but their curiosity was not satisfied until late in the afternoon, when it transpired that Messrs. Mackenzie and Co. had been successful. 'there seemed to be an air of mystery pervading the transaction, and more than one disappointed candidate expressed dissatisfaction at the conduct of the Superintendent in the matter. From all that has been allowed to transpire it appears that the charge of partiality seems to have been groundless, as Messrs. Mackenzie and Co.'s tender was the lowest, with tho exception of that of Messrs. Greville and Whiting, and the latter firm would have secured the contract had any of its representatives been present. The misconception and dissatisfaction could easily j have been avoided had the course adopted in Victoria for opening tenders been pursued. Up to the present time our contracts have been for works comparatively unimportant, so that the system hitherto adopted of opening tenders without the contractors being present. has not attracted the amount of attention which it is sure to do now, when the interests at stake are of much greater magnitude. We would suggest to the Government the adoption of a somewhat similar course as the following, which is based on the Victorian system. At the hour at which tlie tenders are to be opened, let it be understood that every contractor must be present, either in person or by agent, ready to pay down his deposit, the per-centage required being previously notified, also having his securities, so that the business could be at once settled should he obtain the contract. Besides, the Superintendent and the members of the Executive, the Provincial Engineer, and the head of any department in any way connected with the subject of the contract should be present to offer any explanation which might be required. The Provincial Engineer should be prepared with a list of all the contractors who had previously tendered for any works in the Province, specifying the nature of those works, the manner of their execution, whether they had failed in completing them within the time contracted for — and if so the reason — so that if proved to have failed, through inability to carry out a contract, or carelessness as to whether they did it, might at once be passed by, though the lowest. Much valuable time has been lost by incompetent men obtaining a contract, simply because they were the lowest, so low indeed that so soon as they fouud out they would lose by it they threw it up, fresh tenders having to be called for. Everything being ready, the tenders would be opened in the presence of all those interested, and the lowest tenderer, if he had nothing against him in the carrying out of .any former contract, would be called upon at once to subscribe to the conditions of the contract, table his deposit, and bind his sureties. Should he demur, and that demur prove.unreasonable, he would be passed by and not recalled, being]considered as having forfeited his claim. Any contractor not. appearing, his tender would, o" course, be unnoticed. This system is a very simple, and at the same time an expeditious one, and much better for all parties concerned. It would do away entirely with that air of mystery and secrecy which is sure to engender suspicion and distrust — feelings which will have ahiivjurious effect in. callingfor tenders for future contracts. This system was forced upon Victoria by the jobbery and corruption which preceded its adoption. It is in force in Otago, and we trust it will at once be adopted here. However unlikely it may be that any unfairness would be practised, it is always unwise to admit the possibility of misconstruction, vhen by acting openly it can be avoided.

Up to the lioneoFgoin" to press, wo received no intelligence from ottr reporter at Swanston's Rusk* We prcsumo that the state of the roads has prevented the arrival of nny communication. t "" The preference which now exists in the home country for the colony of New Zealand over the colony of Victoria, may be easily 83en from the shipping list in the Home News, c Miected to the 23rd May. It appears that in London twenty-four ships are loading tor New Zealand, -whilst there are only twenty for Victoria. Of the twenty-four, seven are for Otago, seveiifor Auckland, five for Canterbury, three for "Wellington and Hawkes L Bay, and two for Nelson. During the month of April, fi'f ty-pn'e ships sailed from. Britain for the Australian colonies, of which number fourteen were for New Zealand. Mr Abram, the second master has been appointed the Principal of the Dunedin High School, in consequence of the lamented death of the Key. Mr Campbell, and pending the arrival of a Head-master from England. The Education Board, by last mail, sent home instructions for the selection of a Headmaster. Hitherto the police have had to do duty as the amateur charwomenof the HesidentMagist ate's Court House. It has now been determined to relieve the guardians of the public peace from the agreeable duty of dusting and sweeping, so soon as the It. M. can otherwise arrange. For the last three days the business before the Resident Magistrate's Court has been very light. Yesterday there were but four p >lice and no civil cases. The former Avere as follow :— James Daly, drunk and disorderly. Fined 20s, or 48 hours' imprisonment. David Graham, provoking a breach of the peace. Fined 20s, or 30 days' imprisonment. Peter Johnston, for the same oifence. Fined 403. Robert Harrison, using a mare without the consent of the owner # Fined 20s. We observe that the approaches to the Court House are no longer through worse than bog, a substantial corduroy footpath having been constructed from Taystreet. The English Opera Company gave this week two very successful concerts, in which Madame Carandini and Mr Sherwin pleased greatly in orthodox music ; and Mr Small was as usual irresistibly funny. Mr While, too, deserved a meed of praise — his execution in the pianoforte solos, and his skill as an accompanyist, merited much commendation. Last night, owing to the severe indisposition of Madame Carandini, there was no concert. It is with regret that we announce the probability of the immediate departure of the company for Riverton, and the consequent termination of the musical season in Invercargill. His Honor Judge Gresson recently decided at a Sitting of the Supreme Court in Christchurch, that solicitors in New Zealand are not entitled to wear wigs. The decision whs produced by the appearance in Court of a well known solicitor with a bran new head of horse-hair. The attention of timber merchants, contactors, &c, might be suitably directed to an extensive public sale of timber, which will take place on Monday next, the 3rd instant, under the nu-spices of Messrs. Thomson, Lascelles and 00. We observe that the New Zealand Trust and Loan Company, have sent out a representative to New Zealand, to organise the operations of the Company. The Directors have invited tenders for -loans on their debentures at five per cent, interest, secured on the first mortgages. The Committee of the Cotton Supply Association, have complied with the application for seed from the colony of Queensland. In the Provincial Council of Nelson, a motion has been negatived that the minimum upset price of land shall be increased to 10s. per acre. )'' Early rising is henceforth to be inculcated upon the inhabitants of Invercargill, through the medium of the Town Bell, which will be violently rung every morning precisely at a quarter to eight. The Ifew Zexlander thus speaks of a scene which occurred in the Barrack Square at Auck land during the rejoicings in celebration of the Royal Marriage: — "We wish for the sake of Auckland, that as journalists we could pass over one disgraceful in< ident which took place on the afternoon of yesterday in the Albert Barracks. I- was butin Wednesday's issue that we reported the particulars of a brutal outrage committed on a European woman by a native — to-day we have to record conduct towards a native on the part of a rabble which exhibited itself in an outrage of disgraceful nnd dastardly ruffianism of which till then, we had believed even the lowest of colonial rabble incapable. A Maori, it appears, was engaged in climbing the greasy pole, when some of the worst disposed of the crowd about ihe spot commenced inciting others againsthim by such cries as "what does the nigger want here?" and mm and boys in the crowd then commenced pelting him with pieces of scoria, wood, &o. At first the Maori took it good naturedly enough, but being struck rather hard mire than once, lost his temper, and sliding down the pole, and finding hin\self very roughly ha idled, struck one who was ify using him back. This was the signal for one of the most disgraceful scores which has ever taken place in Auckland. From more than a hundred voices arose shouts for the unfortunate man's blood ! " Tear him limb from limb," "out with his b — — y liver," " tear his heart out," and similar ferocious cries were echoed from one to another. Fortunately, one or two well disposed persons near the native succeeded in pushing him towards the sergeants' mess room, the window of w hich was open, and with the help of two or three gentlemen, the most conspicuous of whoni were Mr Robert Graham (the Superintendent), and Mr Bedlinton, of Wangarei, he was dragged in, the mob yelling furiously for his life. Not satisfied, they rushed to the back of the building, endeavouring to force an entrance, but a military picket having been told off, a guard was placed over the mess room, and these " vigorous" ruffians balked of their victim. We sincerely trust for the credit of the Province, for the sake of common humanity and justice, that none against whom the charge can be proved will be allowed to go unpunished, if it were only tojhold them up to public scorn and contempt." The Canterbury journals say that Mr John Hall has resigned the resident magistracy of Christchuch, and that it is currently believed that Mr Joseph Brittan is to be the future R.M. The following is the state of the Invercargill Gaol for the week ending July SO, 1863;— Sentenced to hard labor, 14 ; under remand, 1 ; debtors 6 ; lunatics, 1 ; females, (lunatic) 1. Total, 23Discharged during the week, 9 ; received during the week, £;

The progress of the Press in Now Zealand may be conceived from the following extract .from the Witness of the 2'ltli instant ,-s-" On Saturday last' the Daily Timeg-reachcd a higher circulation than not only it,' but we believe, any other paper in the colony ever attained. The circulation was consi** derably over 5,500, and at least 1500 more, at n moderate computation, could have been disposed of. The samo morning, the edition of the Witness issuod from the samo office, wait over 3000. We 'have not hitherto mentioned that some time back, to meet the growing demands on the printing department, a powerful steam engine whs added to the office. By its aid two single cylinder machines arc driven, each of which is capable of striking off from 900 to 1000 sheets per hour. ■ It has appeared ib the Provincial Government 1 and prpbably with reason, that the" fascines laid: down in Dee-street 'make that thoroughfare tem--porarily adapted for traffic; but it apparently has not appeared to the Goveriinierit/ they evidently being at present under the influence of cold in the_ head — thai; the said fascinos exhale in their rdttennosi an odor sufficient to cause the insxantaneoug death of the whole oits-rnot to mention- the more rational animals — of the neighborhood.' In truth;' if some other device in street ijgakinjj, be hot hitupon, the inhabitants will be able to obtain from any jury, however unenlightened, a true bill against . the Government for unjustifiable homicide. The up-country roads,' continue in a most impassable condition. Tlio Orcti stream has so flooded that the country for three miles round is one large, lake. Tho overdue mail from the Lake has, of course, not reached town, and is supposed to be detained at the Oreti. At Winton Bush the only means of travelling is by riding up the 'drains at each side of tho road — tho centre being a mats of pathless mud. It is reported that the Moa has been seen by a party prospecting toward the West Coast. The Maories with whom this party came in contact indicated that the Moa was quite common in the neighborhood. We observe that the Wardenship of the Arrow has been conferred upon Mr Edward Ilardcastlo, who has for a considerable time held some position in the Police Department of Otago Mr Hector M'Neill Campbell has been ap pointed a Sub-fnspcctor of sheep for the Province of Otago. It is stated that the Canterbury Government are about to institute a line of telegraph to the West Coast. It appears that tho Dunstan coach was snowed up tho other day. Tho Daily Times of tho 23rd " says, — "On Monday evening tho hoavy tall of snow up-country completely obliterated all traces of the coach track, and the Dunstan conveyance was. literally snowed up. The driver, reins in hand, sat on the box the whole of the night, and the passengers within the coach had to make themselves as comfortable as best they could." A Volunteer Artillery Corps is about to been rolled in Dunedin. Messrs. C. G. Ross, F. Pantlin Stevenson, C. "Webb, Stodilart, H. Carrick, and J. S. Webb, have been nominated a working committee. Dunedin ha 6 already an effective rifle corps, consisting of an ordinary company and a Highland <-ompany. s Iv relation to tho projected Railway, it will be seen by reference to our shipping columns, that two steam engines and a considerable amount of plant have just coino to hand by the Agues Holt fr /in Me bourne. Tho Spy, just arrived from Melbourno, is rumoured to have made through stress of weather and , contrary winds, an unusually long passage — it is said, forty day«. It is questionable whether tho usual escort to the Lake, leaving town on, tho Ist of each month, will this fcimo bo despatched. It has not yet, however boen decidod pro or con. A Wellington journal says that a nat ive schooner on recently leaving tho wharf at Auckland, hoiste.l the King flag and beat about the harbor in front ot Government House for a considerable time, the rebel colors flying in tho breeze. The > easel afterwards came quietly to an anchor. The Army and Navy Gazette, of tho 9th May, (writing, we presumo, before the Secretary at War's decision was known) says: — "Wo understand that Major- General William Ridley, late (/ the Scots Fusilier Guards, is iikely to be appointed to the command of the troops in New Zealand. Wo know the difficulty experienced by the authorities in finding a competent officer to succeed General Cameron in this command. But critical contingencies are not unlikely to arise in New Zealand, and the public and the army should be satisfied that some one was selected whose experience in responsible command in the field was likoly to inspire confidence. The Now Zealand command is not an easy-going colonial military superintendence of the ordinary kiud. A man is required who possosses especially good qualifications, of which it is no disparagement to General Ridloy to say he has not yet given cvi" denco."