THE Cromwell Argus WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1870.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 32, 22 June 1870, Page 4

THE Cromwell Argus WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1870.

The Provincial Council did a good deal of work during their recent sitting. The report laid before the Speaker shews that want of industry could not be charged against them.. P»eing the last probable sitting of the present elected body, they seemed determined to leave a clean awept house to their successors. They took up and dealt with every conceivable subject, let us enumerate a few of them. Immigration—for which a considerable sum, in all say '.£15,000, has been voted, despite the remonstrances of that class who style themselves (whether justly or not wo do not stop to consider) j the employed. They had several good party fighte, and one of them was on the appointment of an immigration agent. Education and its endowment, and other, appointments, besides grants to Athenaeums, occupied serious discussion, and so alarmed the Superintendent that he sent down a second message about the appointment of an Inspector. However, the Council acted liberally in tho lend, and His Honor had his alarms

quieted. The land question left matters I in a bettor position than ever for the squatI tor, after a series of debates upon the Hundreds Acta and the sale of Boyes Brothers' run. The Muncipalities and tho Hospitals got their subsidies voted, and Dunedin was again fortunate. The annexation question was discussed in no niggardly spirit, for overtures are to be made to Canterbury to ally itself with Otago. Then tho Railways occupied much attention: that to Port Chalmers, as well as tho proposed new one to tho Clutha. A. now policy to obtain a loan of half a million or so, and the division of the province into electoral districts, were certainly pieces de resistance, as was also the postal seivice question. We cannot stop to enumerate many other measures or resolutions and reports of committees that came before the Council, and were boldly tackled. Tt has been frequently charged against the Council that it was guilty of procrastination, and of postponing unpleasant or debateable subjects to another session. In the one just closed, postponement beyond a day or two was almost an unknown suggestion. We have written enough to justify our opening sentences, and we must add also that the work was well and completely done. So well and so fully that his Honor got alarmed. The Council practically ignored the Superintendent, and Mr Macandrew does not like to be ignored. His closing speech is a. protest against the Council taking all the power into its hand. They do not seem to have paid deference enough to his Honor's messages or views. They sailed on their " own hook," and paid little heed to the Commodore's expressions. No wonder that Mr Macandrew could not help feeling " riled." The blot of the session hi* Honor points out when he refers to the votes placed on the Supplementary Estimates:—"With respect to many of the sums, which, at your request, have been placed on the Supplementary Estimate a. it will of course be obvious that, unless the receipts for the year turn out to be in excess of the estimated revenue, sucli sums can only be expended to the extent to which the expenditure, under the main estimates, is likely to fall short of the amount voted." As far as our own district is concerned, we have fared as well as **e could expect, in the absence of any public organisation to press matters upon the attention of the Council. It closes its existence jn a better spu-it than it displayed at its opening period. It has shown lately a greater deeire to understand, and legislate for, up-country requirements. The election of local men, or men locally connected with districts, whenever vacancies occurred, has been powerful for good to the remote distriots. While justice, and a little more, has 'been dealt out to Dunedin, that city has not been able, as heretofore, to rule the roost. Altogether we think the last session of the Council one that tho people of Otago may feel credit in. One thing it will certainly tend to do, and that is, elevate the provincial system, and justify the supporters of that system in reiterating that it has a large sphere of usefulness. The English mail via San Francisco is announced to leave Dunedin on tho 4th July. It wi l ! therefore close hare at three o'clock on Tuesday nezfc, 28th June. We have been requested to draw the attention of miners and 0-L.ers to the sale of mining propsrty, by Mr W. J. Barry, at the Cromwell Auction Mart. The projarfcy comprises the well-known sluicing-claim, dam., and tail-race belonging to Messrs Cameron and party, Gentle Annie- Creek, and the auctioneer announces that the whole will bo sold without reserve. Mr John Reekie, who has long and creditably fulfilled the duties of Postmaster and Telegraphist here, recently resigned his appointment. He wa3 afterwards offered a situation in the Duned'a Telegraph office, but he declined to accept it; and is bow, we understand, engaged in quartz-reefing at Eendigo. We are on'y expressing the feeling of every member of the community when we say that during the time Mr Reekie has been resident here, he has always been distinguished for his courteous and obliging demeanour ; and, in retiring from the public service, he carries with him the best wishes of the people of Cromwell. Prominent amongst the new buildings erected in Cromwell is the large and handsome grocery and provision store belonging to Messrs D. A. Jolly and Co. Tho shop was opened for the first time on Saturday, and is certainly an ornament to the town. The tasteful arrangement of the goods in the windows, and the brilliant appearance of the shop as seen from the street after dark, wr.j the themo of general admiration. Mr Jelly is an old resident in this district, having been engaged in mining pursuits at Quartz Reef Point for several years. Wo wish him every success in his new sphere. We see by the Gazette that letters of naturalisation have been granted to Mr Ludovig Hotop, clerk, Queenstown. The mining intelligence from the Lake district is very limited, work being next door to entirely stopped by tb' rains. This will seriously affect the next escort from that pkwe. A roadman named M'llroy met with his death at Stoney Creek, Shotover, one day Inst week, by falling over a cliff. It is supposed he was in a state of intoxication at tho time. An inquest wji3 to be held yesterday.

A telegram dated Napier, 12 th Juiuß published in tho Dally Times of the 13th, sayM —The Wairoa natives, undor Mr Hamlin urM Ensign Witty, succeeded in' skirting the W&H karemoana Lake, and attacked Matuaha'PaiS killing ono Haukau. The remainder of ttS enemy retreated to Tiki tiki, an old and stronß fortification oftheira. Our men found a largS potato plantation, which was very acceptable; a 9 they were short of provisions. ' ; ' F '^ On tho Bth inst., tho Provincial CounoiH passod a resolution refloating the Superintend dent to take the neecossary steps for the eatahß lishment of a Chair of Minoralogy and AgriculS tural Chemistry in tho University of Otagoß Tho proposal emanated from his Honor, whfij embodied it in a message to the Council, ifl was introduced by Mr Roid, tho Provinciaffl Socretary, and was adopted by a majority of lfl to 5. jjr,;? § The question of tho appointmeiA}'** aai Inspector of Schools unconnected wuu thei Secretaryship of tho Education Board, was dia.l oussed in the Provincial Council for the aecondl time, on the Bth inst., and it was for tho second! time decided not to make the appointment. The Superintendent stated in his messages on the rubject that there wore 135 toachers of all ranks in the Government schools of the Province. The sale of allotments in the township off Cromwell is to take l place on the 14th of July jl at Alexandra, on Tuesday, the 12th ; j.t Clyde, J on Wcdnosday, the 13th ; at Bendigo, on Frj* j day, the 15th ; at Newcastle, on Saturday, the 16th ; at Pembroke, on Monday, the 18th ; and at Gladstone, on Tuesday, the 19th. JUlot« ments in Queenstown, Kingston, Frankton, and Glenorchy are to be offered at Queenstown on. Monday, the 11th ; and the sale at Arrowtowa' is fixed for tho 13th. We observe from the Tuapiha Titinw that Frederick Lange, late rate-collf ctor to thei Corporation of Lawrence, was brought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court there on the Bth inst., on a charge of having embezzled moneys belonging to the Corporation. Evidence was given by the Town Clerk (Mr W. Hayes), and tho further hearing of the case was then adjourned till the 13fch inst. The Council' seema to have dispensed with a treasurer, and not t» have bent a strict supervis ; on over their collector, who received, acconk'ng to the Times, the very inadequate commission of four and a-half per cent. Lake Wakatip is reported to have risea considerably last week. Very little snow fell, the rains being warm, and melting the snow that had fallen. The Provincial Council of Otago was prorogued by bis« Honor the Superintendent on Monday, the 13th inst. The concluding portion of Hs Honor's speech is well worthy of extract, as it touches upon a question of grave importance, to the whole colony:—"Gentlemen, —As this is probably the last occasion on which I shall have the honor of addressing you, perhaps I may be permitted to say a few words expressive of my own individual views with regard to a ques- • tion which, sooner or later, must be grappled with. I allude to our present style or system of government. The conviction has long forced itself upon my mind that our present system of government, both colonial and provincial, is un» necessarily costly and complex. There is fftr> 'too much of state about it. The fact that amidst all its depression, Otago has actually contributed to the General Government during the past year £137,000, not a farthing of which has been expended in the province, must, 1 think, speak for itself, and show that some change is absolutely imperative in this direction. As regards the system which has grown up among ourselves, it appears to me to be, to a great extent, incompatible with a political organisation so limited in its sphere of action as a New Zealand Provincial Government must necessarily be under existing circumstances. As a general rule, I think it will be found that divided responsibility is not conducive to efficient and economical administration, 1 feel persuaded that if we could only see onr way to exercise the important functions which have been conferred upon us aa a province without tho formality of Parliamentary Government, with its ' outs and ins,' and its ministerial crises, instead of circumlocution we should have direct action, and the public service would be conducted with more vigor, and at less cost. I think that this might be effected without substantially diminishing that responsibility of the Executive to the Legislature, of which the latter is naturally and properly so tenacious."