The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, JUNE 10, I868.

Dunstan Times, Issue 321, 19 June 1868, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1868.

Beneath the Euleof .MenrsTiKru just the pex is mightier than the sword.

The session of the Provincial Council has at last been brought to a close, and honorable members will therefore have the opportunity of meeting their constituents ; it is to lie hoped that tin* time honored custom will not be

departed from, especially by country members, who, consideiing that they do not sacrifice all for their country's good, thanks to the "honorarium" they might at least favor us with some account of their doings in .the Provincial Palaver House. Of the members representing Goldfields interests, we have generally to be satisfied ; Messrs Shepherd, Mouat and Brown, Goldfields' members proper have introduced some really usetul measures; they have also exerted themselves to procure the settlement of the people upon the lauds, without which, we never can possess a jjopula tion, or accumulate capital in the country districts, let alone the incentive there will be tor people to be. come frugal and saving in their habits. Mr. Brown's motion (unfortunately negatived) to place a sum upon the estimates, to assist miners in the making of surveys for bringing in "races" from long distances and over difficult country, as well as rendering them scientific aid in the construction of reservoirs, was a most useful and highly practical measure, and although the Provincial Secretary promises that the regular staff of engineers shall, when required render assistance in these matters, the rejection of the motion is nevertheless to be deplored. A gentleman of high attainments and experience selected especially fur this duty would have given the greatest amount of satisfaction, not that there is any want of confidence in the Survey staff, but that the extra work to be imposed, would so seriously interfere witli existing arrangements, that neither would be sufficiently well performed. Mr. Haughton notwithstanding his strong opposition to the Vogol minis try, has been unremitting in his attentions to the interests of his Dis. trict; his successful opposition to the sale of the Wakatip Runs, and procuring a grant of money for the building ol the Shotover Bridge, is deserving of every praise, not only by the residents at the Lukes, but the Dun stun also, the interests of the two dis tricts being identical. Mr. Eraser so far as strictly local matters are concerned, has been very ntte. five, ho certainlydid notdisplay a great amount of zea l in respect to Mr. Badger's petition for clamming up the wafers of Lakes Wanaka and Wakatip, but doubtless he, like every other usually sane person concluded this darling and well nursed scheme to be a sort of hallucination of mind on the part of the projector. The preponderance of members representing Tuapeka has, ns usual given that District a large share of the public expenditure amounting to a superfluity, while for the northern Districts, every item, however insignificant has required to be well fought over, this difficulty will however be removed in time, each District returning its individual member or members will give a more equitable division of the representation. With the various items voted, we must therefore be content, at the same time using sufficient watchfulness that they be expended.

On account of the non-arrival of tbe Dunedin coach on Saturday night lust the usual fortnightly escort did not leave on Monday. Our advertising columns notify that reward of .£■") will be given for such information as shall lead to the conviction of the person or persons who have stolen portions of the Gra d Stand from the Race-course "We sincerely hope that the reward offered ma have the effect of bringing to justice the paltry miscreants. Robberies have been very frequent of late, ranging from housebreaking to " snow dropping" (stealingclotb.es from clothes' lines), and we cannot but think that, if clue \igilance is exercised the thief or thieves can be culled ont of the small population we have in the district. We are requested to draw attention to the advertisement which appears in our columns convening a public meeting en Monday evening next, at the Council Chambers. As the subject to be considered affects the interests of one and all, we hope to see a gfed attendance,

We extract the following from the " New Zealand Gazette Extraordinary" of the 28th ult.— His Excellency the Governor directs the publication, for general intormation, ol the following reply from His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to the numerous Addresses of Sympathy from different parts of the Colony.—Government House, Sydney, April G, 1868.—" I desire to return my warm thanks for the expression of sympathy which these addresses contain Through the merciful interposition of Providence, the injury I received was but slight, and I believe no further evil consequences are to be anticipated from the wound. It has however been considered that I shall be unequal to any great exertion for some time, and therefore decided that it would be most advisable forme to return home direct. It is a great disappointment forme not to be able to visit New Zealand, and also that it will very much disappoint the people there. The cowardly act of one individual has not in any degree, shaken my con fidence in the loyalty of the people of these Colonies towards the throne and person of Her Majesty, or in their affection for myself; and I shall gladly convey to the Queen the universal expression of horror and indignation which the atempt to assassinate me lias called f.rth from Her Majesty's faithful subjects in Australia and New Zealand " —" Alfred." The district has been visited by a heavy fall of snow. At St Bathan's and Blackstone-hill the fall lasted fully thirty hours. It commenced soon after noon on Friday, and continued till some time after dark on Saturday. At Mount Ida (Naseby). the snow was two feet deep in the main street, and work of every description was suspended. Friday's coach from Dunedin did not arrive at Clyde until eight o'clock on Wednesday, the delay of the Mails I has caused serious i convenience. By reports from persons, who have come in from Upper Manuherikia, there is every reason to believe that although the toads wore impassable for the ; coach, the Mails might have been ! brought on on horseback; when the i Mai's travelled be'tweeen Dunedin ; and Dunstan via the " Rock and Pili lar " ranges such' was the practice, ' and no delays ever on- day occurred. The Dunedin Mail, via Tuapeka ar- ! rived promptly on Wednesday even--1 ing, and we verv ranch question that ! the road across the Nobby Ranges. j was in any better condition than between Pig Root, and Kyeburn. We understand that there will be no l Mail to Dunedin till Monday. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, j Cromwell, on Thursday, the 18th inst before H, W. Robinson, Esq. R. M. the following case was disposed of:— T. Sticks v Thomas Marsh. - Claim for £. 15 for 15 days carpenter's work, at £[ per day. A -et oil'of £5 was put in. Judgment for ill2 and 2Cs. costs. In the Warden's Court, on the same day, Partri ge and Werner complain ed against Wellings and Barclay for taking up a claim previously marked out by Plaintill'r. A large amount of evidence was adduced, irom which it appeared that Plaintiffs,since marking out the claim, had been working elsewhere. Further that the ground was not pegged out. The case was dismissed, the Plaintiils to pay lis. costs and 2Gs expences. An important appeal case affecting the legal status of the Hokitika Corporation, has just bf-en decided in the Supreme Court in favor of the Corporation. The appeal was from a decision of the Resident Magistrate at Hokitika, who had granted a nonsuit in an action for the recovery of rates from Mi\ J P. Klein, on the point raised that the Mayor and Council had not been duly elected. His Honor in giving judgment said, "that it was a principle of law, that the acts of members ' de facto ' of a Council of a Corporation were held valid, notwithstanding that there had been some informality or invalidity in the election of such members, and that the appropriate proceeding for testing the election of such persons was by " quo warranto." He also said, that .he acceded to the argument of the Attorney General, that if no assessment had been made the Citizen's Hull would be properly made up from owners and occupiers of property, and that, such parsons would be qualified to vote and be elected. He gavejudg mentfor the appellants with costs." "Gr.-'y River Argus."

A meeting of the Clyde Public Library Committee was held at the Secretary's office on Wednesday evening last. Present: Messrs M'Pherson (in the chair), Hazlett, M'Co'inochie, Ziele, Fache, and Cambridge (Secretary). The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmedThe Secretary read correspondence from the various newspaper proprietors he had communicated with respecting the terms for supplying their papers to the Library ; also letters and price lists from Messrs' Gordon and Gotch, booksellers, of Melbourne. The following newspapers were selected, and the Secretary wasiustructed to remit at once the necessary amounts for subscriptions and postage, amounting in all to £l3 17s.:—"-The Australasian," "Leader," "Illustrated Australasian," "Bell's Life in Victoria," " Wellington Independent," " Grey River Argus," " Otago Daily Times," " Oamaru Times," " Timaru Herald," " Waikouaiti Herald," "Tuapeka Times," " Tuapeka Press," "Wa. katip Mail," " Family Herald," "Bow Bells," " Cassell's Magazine." and " Home News." The Chairman stated that he had received a donation of " Knight's History of England," in eight volumes, from the Rev. C. S. Ross. A sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. Ziele, Cambridge, and Fache, was appointed, to have that portion of the Town Hall granted for the use of the Library fitted up with shelves, tables, &c, and also to prepare a code of bye-laws. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting. We learn from our Cromwell correspondent that the ratepayers of that Corporation are already bestirring themselves in preparing for the election of Mayor on the 21st proximo. The present Mayor, Mr. William J. Barry, has determined not to ollVr himself for re-election this year. The friends of Councillor Whetter have resolved to present a requision to that gentleman to allow himself to be nominated. Should Mr Whetter consent, he will, no doubt, be returned by a large majority. An English paper referring to the new machine at "The Times" office, says:— ".Much anxiety, mystery, and secrecy has been manifested with regard to the performances of this new printing wonder at "The Times" office ; the strictest surveillance is exercised towards all likely to approach it; the parties working it are entire strangers to the establishment, and no communication of any sort is allowed to be held with them. After many experiments, alterations, andimprovements, it has at length been set to work, and the result has been highly satisfactory to all concerned. It throws off about 23 000 perfect copies per hour, which is 46,000 impressions from storeotvpe plates worked on turtles on the rotary principal. It makes very little waste, keeps perfect register, and altogether bids fair to prove an excellent machine." Wo copy the following from the "Australasian:"—" The Queenslanders have fairly made a beginning with their new land system, On the Ist of May, agriculture and railway reserves —i.e., hinds in and near towns, and for three miles on each side of a railway—were thrown open for selection at the highest price of 15s an acre, payable in ten years. In less than twelve months from the same date all thw runs in the settlers' districts will be resumed by the state. Half of these will be re-granted to the existing tenants for ten years at the same rent as was previously paid for the whole, and the other half will be thrown open for selection. The lands so opened are to be divided into three classes —first-class agricultural, and first and second-class pastoral—and will be offered in blocks not exceeding 610, 2G20, and 7610 acres respectively, at the prices of 15s, 10s,and 5s per acre payable in ten years. Certain conditions with regard to imp ovements, principally fencing, are imposed, but these are not of an onerous character. In addition to the free-selection clauses there is also provision in the new Act for homestead occupation, and for mining and town commons. Under the 71st and following clauses any person twenty-one years of age may obtain a freehold of eighty acres of agricultural or 160 acres of pastoral, land subject to the conditions of personal residence, a certain amount of improvement, and the payment in advance of 9d or 6d per sere for five years, according to the eh tractor of the land. It will be seen that the Queensland Act aim* at much more than has been attempted in ani

other colony. It proposes to reconcile the interests of the capitalist on one side, and the two classes of farmers on the other. To the first it offers security of tenure, and to the second the opportunity of trying the chances of moberate grazing and crop-growing freehold!--. It a!s > provides homes for the numerous class that does not earn its living entirely by the cultivation of the soil. The experiment will be watched with anxiety. in the other colonies, and to ourselves in particular it may afford a useful lesson. It is the result of the deliberation of a Legislature in which the pastoral interest predominates, and we may theregore suppose, that whilst treating the rightful claims of other classes with liberality, it has not neglected to do justice to the tenants of the Crown. Much will depend upon the good faith with which it is worked, and to secure this, as far as is possible by legislation, penal clauses of considerable severity have been wisely introduced to counteract the tendency to fraudulent dealing. We wish our neighbours success in their attempt to legislate for the common good, and we shall not at all object to be indebted to a suckling sister for the wisdom that puts an end to strife. "Dicker's Mining Record" says:— Mr. Hargreaves, the first practical discoverer of gold in Australia, is now in Melbourne for the tenth time to prosecute before Paliament his claim for the balance of £IO,OOO promi ed by this colony, (Victoria.) It is a debt of honor, and it is a standing disgrace to Victoria that it should have been kept so long unliquidated. All the other claimants, who at the same time had to content themselves with moieties, have received the balance of the sums voted years ago. The same Journal says:— The "Evening Star," a Melbourne paper, of 4th May, was printed ci paper and with ink both of which were manufactured in the colony. The paper was made at Mr. Ramsden's Mill, and the Ink was manufactured at Wimble's Violet Ink Mills. As the first newspaper ever printed in Victoria with materials entirely of colonial manufacture, this copy of the " Star'' is undoubtedly a curiosity. The paper, however, was of the description chiefly use,l'for wrapping, the manufacture of printing paper not being begun until some days afterwards It also says:—" The establishment ofapiarl fishery on the north-west Australian coast is a novel industry deserving of mention. The following is from a report by the Government Resident at Nicol Bay, printed in the "Perth Gazette" of April 3:—'The pearl shell fishery is most prosperous; and if we are to believe report, notwithstanding the number of boats now engaged in it, the returns average a ton of she 1 per twenty-seven days for every white man employed; but it must be observed that much of this beach-combining work'—for it is but little more—is done by natives; but even then the gain must be enormous considering that a ton of shells will readily sell in the colony for .£IOO, giving £25 a week for each white man engaged in the adventure; something 1 ke the palmy days of Victoi ian goldfields, when surface digging gave such splendid returns. Like the goldfield however, such harvests cannot last long and the simple means and the small boats now so successful in the shallow waters along the coast will soon find they have gathered in all the harvest within their reach, and the field of deeper waters will require larger craft, fitted with proper diving apparatus the employment of which will in all probability produce equal if not better results." The "Argus" says, in connexion with this, a little expedition has already sailed from our own port for the pearl fishery, with the very appliances that the Government Resident indicates as necessary to the successful prosecution of the fishery in deep water. Some time ago a Western Australian colonist visited Melbourne, and proposed 'o a few friends to join him in a pearl-fishing adventure, which they agreed to do, and a suitable vessel was purceased, fitted up, and despatched to the scene of operations with businesslike promptitude. The "Panama Star and Herald" says:—All doubts of the safety of Dr. Livingston, the African explorer are now dispelled. S r Roderick Murchison has received a letter from the d stinguished traveller, by way of Zanzihra. Dr Livingstone writes that he is in good health, that his journey of exploration has been s c essful, and that he will soon return \v England.

A requisition to the Mayor and Council has been handed through the Town during the last few days for signature to form the road in Coquet street, thus rendering the journey to the Post Office after dark a safer one than at present. We hope the demand, which is a most reasonable one wi 1 be complied with The floods in the Tuapeka district and from thence in the direction of Tokomairiro, have been of extreme violence during the past week, caused we believe by the quantity of snow that fell, and which was quickly succeeded by warm rains. In the Town of Lawrence, the lower part of Ross Place was inundated, the torrent in its career doing a great amount of dam- 4 age, demolishing buildings, fences and everything that was in its course. The Beaumont Road in many places was rendered almost impassable:. .We are requested eo intimate that the drawing for the Church Harmonium will take place on Saturday next at Hawthorne's Clyde Hotel, at 8 p m.