OTAGO.

West Coast Times, Issue 338, 23 October 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

OTAGO.

The Return or the Members.

The"" Daily Times" of the 12th inst. contains a very long account of the reception of the representatives of Otago on their arrival from Wellington, from which we take the following extracts : — A coach had been provided to convey Messrs Macandrew, Yogel, and Burns to Dunedin ; and arrangements had been made for adding horses at the Water of Leith toll-bar, and so making a sort of triumphal entry into the city. But this was declined. Mr Mticandrew, we believe, desired to reach his home, on the Peninsula, as soon as possible ; and Mr Yogel preferring to come up by steamer, he and Mr Burns took a boat to catch the Golden Age on her way back from the Otago. The Golden Age went alongside the Queen, and took from her Mr Paterson and other passengers, and she then ran on to Dunedin.

On nearing the jetty, no doubt could be felt that there was to be a very marked public demonstration of some kind. A telegram had been sent from the port, stating that the Golden Age was on her Avay up with all the members. Somebody had been waiting for that information in order to get together the members of a not very able or musical band ; and soon after they began playing people flocked down to the old jetty until it was packed. On the new jetty there was a large number of persons, and Jetty street and part of Princes street Avere thickly dotted over. After some remarks on the character and disposition of* the crowd, and the bearing of the obnoxious members, the account proceeds : — The Hon. Major Richardson was the first of the members to step on to the jetty ; and he Avas followed by Mr John Cargill. Their reception was not a pleasant one. It was forgotten that Major Richardson has now a seat in the Assembly as one oi the representatives of Taranaki ; or it was remembered that he is Speaker of the ProAincial Council of Otago ; or it was considered that his acts as a member of the General Government called foi reprobation. Certain it is that there was a terrible din of groaning and hissing ; that the band before mentioned struck up most dissonantly an air which has no pleasant associations, although it is called a " march," and is occasionally played by military bands ; and that two or three of the stoutest and tallest of Otago's martial constabulary took up protecting positions ' relatively to the honorable members. So heralded and flanked, they moved, not easily, up the jetty. The " most sweet voices" of a large

number of followers almost drowned the tones of the band ; and so Major Richardson and Mr Cargill were escorted up to Princes street. There, for j some reason, halt and a turn towards the jetty was again made ; but cries directing attention to other members were raised, and there was a consequent rush to the jetty. Mr Pater.son Avas met. He was escorting a lady, and he Avas accompanied by a friend with whom there was also a lady. A section of the crowd turned aside to hoot the late Postmaster-General, who looked as if he was thinking of the- very different sounds he heard when his triumphant return a,t the head of the poll, as a member for Dunedin, Avas announced from the hustings in Stuart street, not many months ago. If he was so thinking, which did he consider to haA*e proved fickle — himself or the electors ? It is pleasant to be able to add that neither of the ladies seemed to be alarmed — there was no real cause — and that one of them looked as if she rather enjoyed the scene. Mr Paterson, thanks to those in his company, escaped

lightly.

Mr Yogel next attracted attention. Near him was Mr Reynolds, who had gone down to greet his friends ; and a call of " Three cheers for Yogel " having heen raised, there were hearty cheers, which were continued whilst the group moved up Jetty street.. In v Princes street the followers and the cheers increased ; and Mr Yogel having got to the " Times " office, he was compelled to appear at one of the windows, aud to speak. He acknowledged the heartiness of the reception given to him and to others : and he said that he hoped, on an early opportunity, to discuss publicly the events of the session. More cheering, and some groaning in front of an adjoining warehouse, closed this part of the demonstration, save that Mr A. J. Burns, who seemed unpopular with a few persons, was caught sight of as he turned from Jetty street into Princes street, and he was mildly assailed with hootings and some uncomplimentary remarks. There was now a cry that Mr J. B. Bradshaw had made a flank movement from the jetty, and was escaping. So there was a great scamper along Princes street ; and at or near Rattray street, Mr Bradshaw was surrounded, and was followed to the Shamrock Hotel by 200 or 300 persons. Plenty of vigorous groaning was relieved by cries for Mr Bradshaw to come out, or to be turned out, on the balcony, that the folks might " have a look at him ;" but he did not appear, and the crowd soon dispersed. Meanwhile, Mr C. E. Haughton, who was about the last of the members to come from the steamer, had been met at the end of the jetty, walking under the protection of a wellknown resident. That did not prevent very loud groaning as the honorable member advanced ; and some one having suggested that there should be a " close up," a line was formed across the end of the jetty, so that Mr Haughton and his friend could not advance. Nor were they suffered to do so, until there

had been poured out a string of questions, not intended to be complimentary, as to Mr Haughton' s political views, as to his object in seeking to become a representative, and as to whether he had been successful in what it was assumed he had proposed' to himself to achieve. Then, up Jetty street and into Princes street, Mr Haughtou and his friend were followed ; and the groanings did not cease until the object of them had found shelter. How Mr C. O'Neill fared, we . could not learn with anything like certainty ; but we know that his name was frequently mentioned by persons in the crowd, and that his conduct in the Assembly was not praised. In the evening there was a renewal of the excitement, for it was said that effigies were to be burned in the Octagon~. Five effigies were undoubtedly prepared, with care and skill, so that those who saw them could not be at a loss as to who was meant to be represented. Two waggons were got, and the effigies were dragged about the town. There was again the discordant band playing the unpleasantly suggestive tune which had done duty in the afternoon ; there was a large following, and there were -freely condemnatory comments? It had been proposed to burn the effigies, either in the Octagon or upon that part of Bell Hill which has been levelled by the hard labor gang, but somebody suggested that the Town and Country Police Ordinance contained a clause subjecting to fine any pc rson who made a fire in the open air, within the city, without having obtained permission from the constituted authorities. The fine might perhaps have been incurred and paid if it could have gone to the Municipal funds ; but the Hon. John Hall's action in that matter saved" the effigies of other enemies of Otago from the flames. As they could not be burned without the chance of a fine going to increase "the revenues of the General Government, it was resolved to execute upon the effigies in another way. and they were trooped down the jetty, and jeeringly tossed into the harbor. And so ended Duuedin's reception of those sent info the Assembly to represent the Province of Otago.