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Wellington Independent, Volume XXIX, Issue 4093, 2 May 1874, Page 2

It is much to be regretted that the mail from San Francisco has still to be reported among the tilings expected. The detention of the Mikado for two days at least at San Francisco, by reason of the slow passage of the mails across the Atlantic, and the possibility of further delay at Kandavau by coaling the Mikado from the Sydney steamer for the return trip to San Francisco, may account for three or four days of the delay that has occurred, but there are still two or three days more which must have been lost either in consequence of snow-flakes on the trans-continental railway or _in the Pacilic. Even if she arrives within the next few hours, the Cyphreneß could not proceed further south than Wellington. Unless the Phoebe is detained at Port Chalmers to bring on the mail, there will be nothing for it but to telegraph to Captain Fairchild to employ the cvei'-handj'- Luna, which is now at Timaru, to go South and bring up the mail, to be transhipped at Wellington or sent on to Auckland, as the case may be. It will be . gratifying when the line gets fairly and f ully into working order.

The correspondence between the General and Provincial Governments relating to the setting apart of land for immigrants, and which is contained in one of the appendices to the Superintendent's speech, is of a very important nature, not so much because of the negociations for obtaining an advance of moneys on blocks of land which it is proposed to set aside, but because of the new mode of sale which it proposes. It will be seen that the correspondence is between the Minister for Immigration and the Superintendent, and is the result of interviews between these gentlemen. These interviews, it appears, were expressly with the object of settling terms on which land might be put apart for settlement. The correspondence which appears in the appendix to his Honor's address, seems to cover only a part of the proceedings, but it is sufficiently clear to indicate the proposed arrangements— that two persons , appointed by the Minister for Immigra- ! tion and the Superintendent are jointly to select four blocks of the best land in the Province, that this land is to be divided into sections of from 50 to 500 acres, and that alternate sections be open to free selection at an upset price, to be determined between the two Governments, the money to be paid by a first instalment of 20 per cent, subsequent instalments to be spread 'over five years. Aa the Minister for Immigration points out, any man can thus walk into the Land Office and come out a landowner. It will enable persons accumulating small savings to invest their money in land, and on terms enabling them to extend their payments over five years. The adoption of ■

the alternate sections scheme will effectually prevent what happens in Ofcago when nevr Hundreds are opened- the monopoly of the whole block. The alternate sections, it is to be presumed, will be submitted at some future sale. The lands will then be open to purchase by those who have already taken advantage of the first sale, •• but it is to be presumed that the price obtained will be commensurate with the increased value of the land consequent on the settlement which will have been progressing. It ia quite true that the first selection may be made by those who do not contemplate the immediate use of the land, but, as the Minister for Immigration expressed it, ' ' even so the purchaser is attached to the Colony, and looks forward to using his land, and the more he pays for it, the more anxious he is likely to be to turn it to good account." The writer added the following significant statement : — "lf an immigrant applied to me to know where, without competition, he could select and secure two or three hundred acres of land in the Colony, I should find it difficult to tell him he could exercise any large_ range of selection, except in the Province of Canterbury."

Economy is a most commendable thing, but it may be carried to an objectionable excess. A little more light at the Post Office, for instance, would be a desirable thing. The days are shortening, and it not unfrequently happens that persons, Strangers particularly, desire to post letters or papers after the sun haslet, but unless by the help of a friendly match, which the wind is just as likely to blow out as not, it is impossible to distinguish the proper slit into which to place letter or paper. So with the lobby in which the private boxes are situated. After six o'clock it is now impossible, even with the small help of the lamp on the opposite side of the street, to read the numbers on the doors. Surely a lamp outside, and a light in the passage, would not be set clown by the most rigid economist as extravagance. There is a lamp in the passage referred to, and last night it was lighted for a short time. It should, however, be kept alight as long as the door is open, and the door should certainly not be closed as early as it is at present.

The speech of his Honor the Superintendent, when opening the session of the Provincial Council, was of sufficient importance to render it the subject of considerable comment. Mr Fitzherbert's natural modesty breaks out -when he says that at Parawanui "I addressed a large meeting of Natives, to whom I spoke in plain terms, which I am led to the belief had their effect, of the folly of taking the law into their own hands, and to the effect that submission to the law constituted the great distinction between barbarous and civilized life. The majesty of the law was ultimately vindicated, and an ugly dispute terminated." Not quite so intelligible was he when he said that "the Provincial Government had shewn, during the recess, a readiness to co-operate with the Colonial Government." The most satisfactory paragraph in the address we take to be the concluding one, in which it is stated that the Provincial Government "has come to the conclusion, after a careful reconsideration of the subject, to confine its application for* borrowing this year within the most moderate limits ; such as indeed, if acceded to, will not place the total amount of its loans beyond the point which they reached, when the Wellington Debts Act was passed." Read by the light of former events, of which the Colonial Secretary remarked hiß Honor's assurance was, to mildly characterise it, entirely disingenuous, " hope's lamp burns dim and low" respecting even this. But the piece de resistance in the address was that in which his Honor gave, in what he most felicitously described as "my view," an account of the financial imbroglio in which the affairs of the Province had been involved. That view, however, has already been dealt with. In future his Honor must learn to "in patience possess his soul," and not enter into contracts on the faith of a Bill which is in transitu being allowed. His view, reduced to plain language, was that he calculated the General Government would not see his object ; whereas the reverse occurred. He was much more accurate when imploring the Council not to " imagine that I am presenting to you a portrait of a Provincial Government in the character of martyrs who have been all along content to meekly offer the other cheek to the sniiter ; or that we acknowledged our position to be that of 'departmental officers subordinate to the General Government, and therefore liable to be lectured by it j much less that you should conclude that we were so conscious of being in the wrong that we thought ' the least said was the soonest mended.' Quite the contrary ; we felt indignant at the treatment we received." This must have been "meant facetious." No one would ever think of imagining his Honor and his Treasurer in the light of "martyrs," who are such very different individuals. We quite go with him that after reading his "view of the case the enquiry naturally suggests itself, 'How is it then, that the General Government had to interfere ; to dismiss the auditor ; to cause the suspension of Provincial payments for several weeks; to disallow an Appropriation Act ; and ' addressing letters to me containing grave reflections, which, however, it is satisfactory to be enabled now to believe, were not intended to be offensive.' " The reply is not the one given by his Honor the Superintendent, but that of his Honor Mr Justice Johnston in the Supreme Court on March 24th. It will be observed that the Superintendent has not been able to throw any new light on the case ; we forestalled him in this in the full report of the proceedings we published on March 25th. But he has been able to discharge one debt that was certainly due. He said, "I take this opportunity of tendering my thanks to the various officers of the Provincial Government throughout the Province for their zeal and attention to public business during the past year. And not only to them, but also to all those persona who had dealings with the Provincial Government are my thanks due ; for the patience with which they submitted to the inconvenience and loss inflicted on them" — not, as he said, by the General, bub by the Provincial Go-

As the Inspector's report has now been considered by the Education Board, we trust that the public will have an opportunity of becoming acquainted with it, as its publication will demonstrate to us our chief excellences and failings in the matter of scholastic instruction, and will also serve as an admirable guide to parents who wish to avail themselves of the services of the moat efficient teachers near them. We believe' that several schoolmasters have not received full salaries since the commencement of the year, the Board » having decided to pay the balance on receipt of favorable reports

from the Inspector. ] We trust, therefore,'■'.that all those teachers who have not been fully paid will receive their- arrears of. salary without delay, if their schools be well disciplined and efficiently con-, ducted. At present the incomes of schoolmasters in this Province — with very few exceptions, totally unallied to merit — are unworthy of the character of the profession.

The statement of the revenue and cxi penditure of 'the Province of Wellington, as certified by the Provincial Auditor, appears in the Provincial Gazette of Thursday last. It shows that the total receipts were in round numbers, £37,615. Pilotage and port charges at Wellington yielded £736, and at Wanganui £33. The sheep assessment amounted to £969, and toll-bars produced £1518. A refund of interest to the extent of £1829 was received from the General Government, and the balance of the capitation allowance waa £1390. The land sales amounted to £5535. The first instalment of the amount payable under the 14th clause of the .Appropriation Act of 1873, was £1614, and £6000 were withdrawn from the deposit with the Wellington Trust, ' Loan, and Investment Company. Under the Wellington Debts Act, 1871, thera was a balance in the hands of the Provin- J cial Treasurer amounting to £2136. At the same time, there, was another balance in his hands of £14,304, and in the hands of the sub-treasurer at Wanganui, £187. • Among the items of expenditure were : — Charitable institutions, £1264 ; education, £262 ; harbor and signal stations, £728 ; j sheep inspection, £359 ; Native land | purchases, £349 ; survey department, £1622 ; engineer's department, • £767 ; erection of toll-bars,, £661 ; acclimatisation society, £200; repairs' of roads, £1748 ; bridges, £2450 ; first instalment, for 1873-4, paid to road boards, £1614 ; i amount from Wellington Trust and Loan Company paid into the Provincial Account, £6000 ; advances to officers, to be accounted for, £1049 ; arrears of survey, £1279 ; balance in hand under the Wellington Debts Act, 1871, £856; balance ' in Treasurer's hands at the close of the year, £7937 ; and in those of the subtreasurer at Wanganui, £163. «

Mr Alexander McDonald, the adopted member of the Ngatiraukawata tribe, in whose interests he has for a long- ti,me I opposed the settlement and progresti of | the Manawatu district-, has at last, according to accounts received yesterday, outraged the, law in a manner which probably will involve him in some "trouble, When he was fined £10 for destroying, a trigonometrical station in the township of N Carnarvon, he received an admonition from the Bench, which it was thought would prevent his zeal again outrunning his discretion. An officer from the Native Office was dispatched to the Manawatu to inquire into Mr McDonald's grievances but it must be presumed that the result of that inquiry waa adverse to McDonald, whose irritation has culminated in what is at present described as a mo3t wanton act. Mr A. Young, the contractor for the new mail line between Manawatu andWaipukurau, started the first coach yesterday morning, and while proceeding from Bull's to Palmerston McDonald was met with at Schultze's Hotel. The telegram announcing what took place subsequently is very brief, but it seems that McDonald once more " asserted his claims" in regard to the disputed territory by shooting one of Mr Young's horses. The occurrence necessitated the return of the coach, and in the absence r of further information it must be presumed that the coaches' will cease to run until Mr McDonald and his forcible opposition have been -removed. It is now clear that prompt and effective measures must be adopted to repress further interferences of this kind. Matters have gone too far for peaceful negotiation. The settlers have for many years quietly submitted to molestation-aid an- - noyance because of that feeling of toler- •**" ance usually entertained in regard to I persons who believe themselves to have i sustained grievous wrong ; but Mr M'Donald by his act of yesterday has alienated those sympathetic feelings,. and will probably before long be brought into contact with a judicature where violent assertions of right will avail him nothing. Inspector Atoheson, who is at present in Wanganui, was communicated with yes- * terday, and will likely proceed to Schultze's Hotel to-day to make an investigation into the circumstances of the case.

The diamond fields of Africa are calculated, by a writer in the London " Times " to have yielded during the last three years precious stones of the value of £5,000,000. Tue latest news from them is that the discovery of a gold-field i 8 causing excitement. The writer alluded to says : — " Thirteen pounds and a quarter of gold were found in one hour in a single claim, the largest nugget weighing 41b. This gold was brought down to Kimberley diamond fields on Christmas Day, and has excited much admiration. I know, as facts, of the following finds :— ' In one week a party dug out 150z., next week 340z. ; another party lOOoz. in four weeks, and soon. The present number of diggers is about 500, but fully 800 are also on their way from Kimberley." v The Colesberg Kopje Diamond mine, he says, is one of the wonders of the world and contains the largest number of workers on a small space that has been seen in any modern work. " The actual present value of the mine is estimated at £1,000,000; three, months ago it was valued at £2,000,000, but claims have fallen sixty per cent. .It is proposed to spend £60,000 immediately in rendering the mine safe by removing the outside dangerous reef. Some of the claims are 130 feet deep, and the whole mine, resembling a vast basin, is being emptied by means of the wire rope tramway system which has cost an enormous sum in erecting. This can easily be imagined when it is known that every pound weight of wire, every pound weight of deal Vood and timber, has cost from 4d to 6d for transport alone. Great numbers of the original claimholders have made small fortunes. I know of at least ten among % my own personal friends who will average £8000 each, all made, it may be said, w two years, out of nothing," In the lecture recently delivered by Mr Holloway, at Dunedin, he alluded to the "'- ----great wealth in England whioh, \said he, ; if equally divided, would give £1400 to ;j each family. This may, or may not tie v true ; and whether it be or not, is of no- - -^ consequence to any living being. Itre-i '- minds us of the teachings of those politi-" cal economists, rebuked by Chariest- " Dickens, when* he defended his noifejUv^ "Hard Times," as follows :— "The booic \? £ had no design ta damage the really uiefaf; SI truths of -Political Economy, -but '.watf?^! wholly directed against those who -see;^ll figures and averages, and- notfiirig^eij^l who would take the average of coj^'/^lff the Crimea during twelve months "- : "wtii||| reason for clothing a soldier Jax n^ttk^i^l^

on a night when he would be frozen to death in fur ; and Avho would comfort the laborer in travelling twelve miles a day to and froni his work, by telling him that the average distance of one inhabited place from another, on the whole area of England, is not more than four miles" The tenders for £50, 000 New Zealand Government -debentures were opened yesterday by the Colonial Treasurer. Only three were received — (1) Colonial Trust Fund, £40,000, at 10l£ ; (2) ditto, £10,000 at £102. The minimum price in sealed envelope was 10l£. The price fixed was £ per cent, lower than that obtained at the last sale of 5 per cent, debentures in London. The two first tenders were accepted. The third tender was from the Mayor of Christchurch, for £300 at par. ' It was declined. Tenders for the third section of the Masterton line were opened yesterday, and the tender of MrM'Kirdy at £19,138 accepted. The work includes about five miles of the line and the construction of two bridges across the Hutt and Silver Stream. A brisk traffic was kept up yesterday between the Pipitea railway station and the v wharf, in the carriage of railway material to complete the permanent way on the second (M'Kirdy's) section of the Hutt line. The transport waggons comprised all the expresses and draya obtainable, and altogether about twentyfive tons of bolt 3, clips, and other similar material, landed from the City of Glasgow, were deposited at Pipitea before evening, in addition to a large number of sleepers from the Manawatu. The greatest expedition is being used to complete this portion of the line, and probably some portion of the railway iron co be turned out of the City of Glasgow to-day will find its way to the same locality. The members of the Artillery Company held the adjourned meeting for the election of officers on Thursday evening. The candidates for the position of First Lieutenant were Mr M'Tavish and Mr T. Pilcher, and the result was as follows : — M'Tavish, 28; Pilcher, 7. Some little difficulty was experienced in consequence of the required number of members not being present, but after some little discussion Capt. Pearce intimated that he would forward the names of the candidates to any three members of the battery who were not present that evening, and the result is the selection of Mr McTavish as first lieutenant of the battery ; in fact, a large number of names (of those who were not present) have since been sent in approving of the selection, so that the act is complied with, and Mr McTavish duly elected by a large majority of the company. Gunner Garrardwas promoted tobe Quarter-Master Sergeant ; Band Sergeant Cemino to be Band Master ; and Bandsman Grey to ba Band Sergeant. Band Master Marshall retires from the leadership of the band in consequence of other more pressing duties preventing his devoting to the band that amount of time and attention which, during the past two years, have raised it to ( ts present standard of proficiency. The arrival yesterday of six heavily laden timber waggons from Booth's Mill in the Wairarapa signalised the actual commencement of operations upon the Thorndon . reclamation contract. The timber consisted principally of 12 x 12 piles, 13 feet long, to form the back walls, the Provincial Government having undertaken to import Jarrah piles for the main sheathing, for which timber of great strength and power of endurance is required. Taking advantage of the proposed works, many persons are endeavoring to make arrangements with the contractors to excavate the rugged ground upon their properties. The neighborhood of Hill street has been very much improved by the quantity of earth taken away to fill up the three acres already reclaimed by Mr M'Kirdy, p.nd many other localities might be improved in a similar manner during the existence of the present contract. A scratch-match will be played to-day on the Basin Reserve, between elevens to be chosen by Mr Bromley and Mr Mace. Play will commence at half-past two o'clock. Mr Mace, who is at present on a visit to Wellington from the West Coast, is a Victorian cricketer, whose abilities earned for him a considerable reputation in the olden days. In the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, JohnGresham and Robert Spence, the boatswain and Bailmakerof the Woodlark, were convicted of having wilfully broken the back door of the Bank Hotel, and were fined 103 each, in addition to the value of the door (£2). The case of the New Zealand Steam Shipping Company v. the Captain and Owners of the barque Serene, which had been adjourned for the production of the invoice, was called on, and upon the invoice being produced, it became evident that the cask which had been offered to plaintiffs and refused, was the actual package for which they were suing. Plaintiffs were nonsuited. Mr Moorhouse, for plain tifFs ; Mr Travers, for defendants. There is to be solemn mass in the Church of *St Mary of the Angels tomorrow at ten o'clock a.m. The same choir as on last Sunday, under the direction of Mr Weber, have kindly promised to attend. The following is the retwrn of patients in the Provincial Hospital during and ending the month of April. 1874 :—Admitted — Males, 9 ; females, 3. Discharged — Males, 7 ; females, 1. Died — Males, 2 ; females, 1. Left in Hospital — Males, 30 ;' females, 5. Total in Hospital, 3&. Mr Charles Bradlaugh, the well-known political agitator, does not appear to have made a favorably impression in America. This is how the "New York Herald" reports his departure from that city :— " The well-known English political agitator, Charles Bradlaugh, who came to this city from London about six months ago, yesterday returned to Europe by the Cunard steamship Java. A email party of gentlemen, with whom Mr Bradlaugh ha 3 acquired an acquaintanceship during his stay in this country, visited the Java to bid him farewell. Mr Bradlaugh is an aristocratic democrat, for during his stay in this city he has stopped at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and he took passage on flvessel where tickets in the cabin call for a very high price. Before his departure from the Fifth Avenue Hotel a handsome cane was presented to him by the mem- ' bers of the trade . societies, who were chiefly of the English nationality. Short addresses were made, and the recipient and the donors parted in a state of excellent good humor. Mr Bradlaugh is reported to have declared to some of his newly-made friends in this city that the leaders of the working-men's movement in America were very fanatical, and that ■ they were tainted withsocialistic infamies, and that they had refused to listen to him as to what should be done to further the social progress of the working-man. It is rumored that the mission of th.c

famous agitator to this country has been a total failure, and that the proceeds of the sales of tickets for his lectures have been exceedingly small." The ' ' Gardener's Chronicle" (London) of the 17th of January last contains a view, from a photograph, of the Rosery in the Botanical Gardens, Adelaide, S.A., with an account of the gardens. An exhibition of appliances for the economic consumption of coal, we observe, has been opened in Manchester. The number of exhibits would exceed four hundred, including patent fuels and highpressure boilers. " Mrs Colls," says the "New Zealand Herald," " keeps a select registry office, and resides in Wakefield street. On Saturday afternoon a man and woman, smartly dressed, made their appearance at the door of Mrs Colls' residence, and when asked their business, the man slily replied that ' they wanted to get married.' With the best countenance the lady could command, the couple were informed that it was the ' Registrar's' and not a ' Registry Office' they required. With a sheepish look the two departed, the man muttering, 'It is hard a man doesn't know where to get married these days.'" The " Western Star" says :— " The spirit of enterprise is not dead in New Zealand yet. We understand that the spirited owner of a well known whaling craft intends next summer to proceed to Kerguelen's Land, an island situated half-way between Africa and Australia, in latitude 50 deg. The island is described as abounding with seals, and capable of grazing 100,000 sheep. The gentleman who is undertaking this speculation is a whaler of the 'good old times.' He laments greatly the degeneracy of the young men of the present day, and intimates his intention of manning his vessel with men of his own generation, those of the old stamp who colonised and cruised around Now Zealand, before the British flag fluttered in the breezes of Tavai Poen Amoo."