A RESIDENT SECRETARY FOR THE GOLDFIELDS.

West Coast Times, Issue 127, 13 February 1866, Page 3

A RESIDENT SECRETARY FOR THE GOLDFIELDS.

TO THE EDITOK OP THE WEST COAST TIMES.

. Sir, — The necessity of a sweeping reform in all matters relating to tho government of Westlnnd is every clay becoming more apparent, and every thoughtful man and good citizen who allows his ideas to wander outsido tho circle that bounds hi*- own particular Bphere should consider it a part of his duty to strive and devise somo plan whereby such ah unsatisfactory state of things might be nmelio- ,- • rated. It matters not what his position may bo, howovcr low in tho social scale his lot is cast, it is his duty to lift up his voico, expose abuses, and advise such remedies as may seem to him most likely to be effectual. . The grave injustice and manifold disadvantages under which Westland has bo long labored, 1 imperatively demand a strenuous effort on tho -A. part of tho3c who boldng to her community to lift her from her degraded position at tho feet of Christchurch, and raise her to an eminonco she is entitled to by her worth. I was so much impressed with your leader in yeßtorday's issue, wherein you havo most truly and ably depicted the present stato of Western Canterbury and tho moral condition of its inhabitants, tbat I could not abstain, especially as you havo invited " free and unfettered opinion,-" to givo you mino upon tho subject. The extracts you havo quoted from the Canterbury Press embody in themselves much sound sense and foreseeing policy 5 and if acted upon would, I believe, supply tho want so long experienced here, and which has been attended by evils, to remedy which all efforts have hitherto proved futile 5 and nothing would bo so likely to reconcile clashing interests, and induct a better feeling between tho two great rival sections of tho "f provinces as the appointment of a gontlemau to act as Secretary for tho Goldfields. Such an official invested with tho " full function of p j administration" would, i£ ho possessed tho qualifications necessary for such an onerous • position, prove of incalculable bonefib to tho district, as ho would — although absolutely bolonging to Westland — bo tho connecting link to bind us to Christchurch. But according to the Press ho must bo.ft member of the Provincial Council, to onablo him to take his seat in the Executive which would as the electoral law now stands, necessitate either a six months' residence in Westland as a holder, of a business license or a miner's right, or the possessing the property qualification of an Eastland voter. This in all probability, would prove an almost insurmountable obstacle to the adoption of this idea, as there is absoutely not a man at present in the province (of which we have any knowledge) fitted to be intrustel with such a responsibility, Now if this idea of tho "Press" is acted upon, it would first of all - havo to be emdodied by an . Act of tho General Assembly when tho qualification necessity to bo possessed by the Secretary of the goldfields to enable him to hold office f would be denned, and the above restrictions might to a very great extent be removed. I for one most - sincerely trust they would, as it is very evident we must look abroad foV that talent wo do not possess amongst ourselves, but which is to bo found in a neighboring province and Victoria. The man necessary for onr purpose must be one of not merely aitificial attainments and stereotyped ideas, but possessing great ' natural talent improved and . strengthened by contests for-supremacy in the political arena of other lantfspbut especially would it bo necessiry that we should thoroughly understand ai Australasian community, especially suoh a one as that of Westland. The question, however, is who to choose (in the event of such a privilege being granted us) out of tho very few submitted to.our choice, and as I dare say there are many here who have ideas of their own on the Bubject, and who could, if called upon to do so, name a party in their opinion eminently fitted to have such a trust reposed in him, it may perhaps be the means of inducing 'them to express such an opinion if I commence by declaring there is, according to my ideas, no man so well •• fitted for the post as Mr Vincent Pyko, the •present' secretary for the gold-fields of Otago. « Very many of this community are well acquainted with him, and I feel sure will readily endorse ray assertion that ho is a man of great natural talent, wonderful perseverance and energy, remarkable perspicuity in all matters relating to the management of a mining community, business attainments of a high order, nnd, above all, a thorough knowledgo of colonial lifo and)inonnora. Ho is singularly free from that rigid oxclusivejiesa too often accompanied hj'mauoaisehonte, than which nothing is bo likely to render a man unpopular, but instead is remarkable for bonhotnmie, and a genial humor that leads him to associate freely with his kind, and thus bocomo thoroughly acquainted with the characters and idiosynoracies of thoso with whom ho is brought in contact. Such qualifications are absolutely necessary in tho gentleman who is to tako the reins of government in Westland, and I thoroughly bolieve Vincent Pyko possesses them in a very high degree 5 albeit, ho has. (like better men) his little peculiarities and failings, which I for ono ' am pretty woll acquainted with. His past carcor in Otago is bo well known horo that it is quito needless on my part to commonfc iipou it; sufficient if I say ho was thoroughly appreciated by tho miners, and conducted his department with a skill that reflected tho highest credit on himself, and proved of incalculable bonofit to tho province. I could say much more on this subject, but l shall abstain, trusting theso remarks will call forth an expression of opinion from some one else, and should the idea be favorably received by the Westlaud community, it will bo very easy to decide upon the best course to bo followed, in '•' order that our wishes might be attained. In the mean time, Sir, with apologies for thus trespassing on your space, ■ • f remain, #

THE ALLEGED MURDER IN INVERCARGILL.— ACQUITTAL OF THE ACCUSED. The trial of M'Connell, the late Registrar of the Supreme Court at Invcrcargill, indicted for the murder of Mrs Farrar in that town, took place on the 23rd lilt., and resulted in the acquittal of the prisoner. The following condensed report is from the " Southland News " :— 1 SUPREME COURT. Tuesday, January 23, 18G6. (Before His Honor Mr Justice Richmond.) RbOINA V. M'CONKELI, Prisoner was indicted for the wilful murder of Mrs Farrar in Spey-str&t, Inv%vcargill, in November last. The circumstances of this case are familiar to our readers, and a publication of tlio evidence in extenso is almost unnecessary, being in its material features a repetition of that taken before the Coroner and Resident Magistrate. Mr T M. Macdonald conducted the case for the Crown. Mr Harvey, with whom was Mr Macassey, of Dunedin, were retained for the defence. The Crown Prosecutor opened (he case with 'a lucid explanation of its apparent circumstances. . The first witnesses examined were simply questioned regarding matters of detail. A model (constructed by Mr Smith) of the whare in which the murder was committed, was submitted to the inspection of the jury, and which showed the position m which the body was found and the different articles of furniture in their places, and materially assisted in the elucidation of the points brought forward in evidence. Dora W.alker and Mrs Buckley, who wore the first persons present at the discovery of the body of deceased, gave evidence respecting the position of the corpse, and the state of the room. In their opinion, the appearances presented were not such as to induce the belief of violence having been perpetrated. They agreed in their evidence as to the. main points, allowing for such variation as would be likely to occur in the testimony of two persons noticing the same circumstances under the peculiar excitement which such an event would naturalby cause. Neither was able to state definitely the position of the stick which was found under the body, the one witness (Mrs Buckley) stating that she only saw the point projecting a 'few inches on one side of it. The evidence of the police as to the appearances presented by the body was also inconclusive. In fact, it did not appear that at first any suspicion was entertained of foul play, the impression being that deceased had died of apoplexy; and it was only after the discovery of tho stick by Mr Middleton that it was considered uc3essary to call upon the authorities. The result of their investigation did not at first bear out tho impression of violence, inasmuch as Detective Thomson and Sergeant O'Keefe, when questioning M'Connell, did not think it requisite to give him the usual caution, believing that the case was one of sudden death only, in which his evidence might bo required. < The discovery of a hat which (with tho stick) was known to belong to M'Connell, aroused a suspicion, and a post mortem examination by Dr Monckton, in the presence of Dr Deck, the coroner, pointed to tho conclusion that death had , resulted from violence. At the coroner's (nquest held on the following day, the evidence adduced, in the opinion of the coroner and jury, justified them in returning a verdict of " wilful murder" against M'Connell, and the matter was consequently referred' to the Resident Magistrate, and by him to the Supremo Court. At the examination just concluded, the evidence of tho witnesses did not in the slightest degree connect M'Connell with tho crime beyond the finding of the hat and stick at deceased's residence. His own statements to different townsmen were singularly contradictory, but as his Honor remarked in summing up, they were not to bo regarded as evidence of us perpetration of the crime, but ratheras indicative of a- desire to screen l.imsolf from the imputation of having been in deceased's house for an improper purpose. The evidence of the medical witnesses was conclusive as to tho cause of death, not differing materially in any particular. The counsel for the accused was apparently successful in an attempt to establish that death had resulted from apoplexy, either serous or common, and evidenced, in the ingenuity with which the cross-examination of the medical men was conducted, a careful research in the accumulation of facts, and inferences favorable to the theory set up. . Mr Harvey, in his address to the jury, was most iaipressive, and placed the facts adduced in evidenco in the most favorable light for the defence, at the same time pointing out tho discrepancies in the testimony of the witnesses called to .prove the statements made by the accused. Ho commented forcibly on the conduct of the police, characterising it as an attempt to entrap an innocent man into statements which should afterwards be used against him. No rebutting evidence was brought forward by the counsel for the accused. His Honor deprecated the imputation on the police, and characterised tho evidence on the part of the Crown as fair, and evincing great moderation. No attempt, 'he considered, had been made to entrap the accused, nor had the police exceeded their duty. In his summing up, which occupied an hour and three-quarters, his Honor gave a most elaborate resume of the v evidence. Thp WC<s piftfa <tf $W> ca.se oft tlip part

of the Crown were most impartially commented on, the inferences favorable to tho accused being with equal prominence stated. The jury retired at about fivo o clock, and after remaining in deliberation until half-past nine, returned a verdict f " Not guilty." The case has been tho subject of intense interest, having occupied the Court during two whole days, the sitting on Tuesday being protracted till twelve o'clock p.m.

The following appears in the same paper with refer,ente to tho accused and discharged man, M'Connell : —

The inhabitants of Deo street were alarmed late on Thursday evening by tho outcries occasioned by a scone of violence enacted at the house of Mr Murphy, tentmaker. The cause of the disturbance was an attack made by D. B. M'Connoll on one of tho female inmates of tho house, and subsequently on Mr Murphy. It appears that since his discharge by the Supreme Court, M'Connell has been drinking to excess, and a degree of madness has resulted, rendering him uncontrollable. We have heard that" a warrant has been issued for his apprehension.