The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 1875.

Dunstan Times, Issue 688, 25 June 1875, Page 2

The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 1875.

eneaUt the rule of men entirely just the pen is mightier than the sword.

The statement in the English telegraphic new a that the Yankees are about to start a paper in London to inn the Times, conveys a rather interesting announcement. Not so much because of American journalists selecting the great city as a field of enterprise, but it points to the fact, that now ways of dealing with men and matter are becoming eagerly accepted. In point of literary excellence, no Transatlantic newspaper bears any comparison to the London Times, the pages of which have been truly designated “the History of the world for one day.” Still, notwithstanding its great superiority over all other journals in point of information, the Times may be very successfully assailed by some more exciting manner of conveying it to the readers. In religious matters, the wonderful successes of Messrs Moody and Sankey, significantly show it is the latest born idea that acquires the most popularity, and the greater the novelty tiie greater is the measure of success. In point of learning and theological training, Messrs Moody and Sankey bear no comparison to our own humble English divines; yet men brought up to the Church and educated purposely for it, are punies to them in the success of their religious teachings. And what does this success consist of but the novel manner in which Messrs Moody and Sankey appeal to their hearers American newspapers convey a spice about them which makes people read, and, however we may deprecate their style, there is no gainsaying the conclusion that that they suit "the public taste, and are more largely read in proportion to ours. A. newspaper is but a commercial speculation after all, and it must bo made to pay, or its publication discontinued. To produce a newspaper merely to carry out an idea is something absurd; and, although this has been done, it has always followed as an invariable rule that the thing has soon fallen through, like as with all other matters that have been based upon a spurious support. The chief attraction of the Yankee journal will, of course, he the introduction of personals, and there is no mistake about it but that personality gives a zest to newspaper writing, almost impossible to attain by any other means. The practice may, or may not be a bad one, neveithelessit pays; and if the public taste desire it, and it can be done without being rude or offensive, there is really no reason why newspaper readers should not be supplied with what they desire. Many American newspapers pander to a depraved taste; still, this is not the case with all, and we should hope that the practice is rather the exception than the rule. The public are, nevertheless, master of the situation, and in journalism, likewise with the stage, it will suit its own pleasures ; when the popular taste is opposed to the heavy acting of Shakespearean pieces, it will not go to witness them, while it largely patronises extravagances, the opera or light drama. Our American Cousins have a way of doing things which is quite new to us, and being a practical people, it is very clear they would not do so unless they paid. Taking up an American newspaper, it may be read by the greatest stranger with a degree of pleasure not to be met with in any similar English publication, unless wo know the people and circumstances, and the attraction is nothing more than the novel way in

which tho information is conveyed. It would ho invidious to stigmatise the public of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, or San Francisco, as possessing a depraved taste morn than ourselves. In instances, the press of America is undoubtedly more licentious than the English or Colonial; but this does not refer to all, and wo must accord Cousin Jonathan the credit that ho possesses superior means of making people listen to what he says, or reading what ho writes, than we do, and however disagreeable it mav be, or opposed to our present way of thinking, it. is very evident that in both of these respects we certainly have much to learn. A newspaper conducted on the American principle can scarcely fail to succeed in London, its novelty alone will ensure success, even if a little personality is introduced, and which may he done in good taste, and possibly prove more amming than offensive. In small communities, say such as in Otago, a dry matter of fact style of composition will not take, and people at once decide that the paper contains nothing in it, or is not worth reading. Knowledge conveyed with some spice of wit or amusement is what the public appear to demand, and this is more observable, here because the population is.not sufficiently large to support any special publication other than the ordinary newspaper, and as a natural, consequence, it must therefore contain all the desired elements which in a largo t >wn might be divided. We all take our ratals better when our meats are spiced ; almost every miner nowadays seeks to give a zest to bis appetite by using Worcestershire sauce to his steak or chop ; so are wo also engaged artificially stimulating the other senses hy all manner of contrivances. It cannot scarcely be expected otherwise, but that newspaper matter must he speciallv dressed up to become enticing.; Even pills in America a;e coated with sugar, and people take them—and we will suppose are cured of their ailments—with a sense of pleasure rather than of nauseousness. There is.no more dreary reading than a Dunedin daily paper ; except a few reports of meetings or perhaps a little shipping, police or law intelligence, tho matter is as dry as a stick, and the principal portions of news are extracted from other papers, while, invariably any witty or racy paragraph is a clipping from some country journal. Our Dunedin morning contemporaries without a doubt, require Americanising, or they must gradually become unreadable and pass out of existence, from sheer dreariness and lack of merit. The success of tho Evening Star and i*s enormous circulation over that of the Times and Guardian, is some evidence that a little smart writing suits tho popular taste. In the Star there is an amusing paragraph now and again, hut in the others scarcely one is ever found. There exists very little doubt but that tho time has come when a considerable improvement in the conduct of our newspapers can he made with advan tage. A Yankee journal in London is only the beginning of the coming innovation.

When Mr Henry Manders, the Member for the Lakes?, confines himself to a sphere of politics which he understands, his ideas are generally very correct, while many of his conceptions besides possessing the merit of originality are exceedingly well-timed. His proposition on the abolition of the Provinces is one of these, and nothing could have been more suitable to the occasion when that gentleman, in his place in the Provincial Council, moved, and -which motion was duly carried—“ That, in the opinion of this Council, it is undesir able that any organic change in the system of Government should be made by the General Assembly without first submitting any proposed change to the electors of the Colony at a general election of representatives. That, in the event of the foregoing resolution being carried, a copy of the same be forwarded to the lion, the Colonial Secretary.” It is, of course, most undesirable that any organic change should bo made in the system of Government by the General Assembly, without first submitting such proposal to the electors of the Colony ; and we hope that Mr Manders’ resolution will have the effect of bringing tho Assembly to a sense of knowledge that how ever they may feel disposed to deal with the Provinces in the North Island, those of the South—Otago especially—will not consent to lie shuffled out of existence without their knowledge and consent. There arc, many objections to Provincialism, and the doings of our own Council, during the last Session, has tended to prove how cumbersome and expensive is this system of Government. The whole business of the Province, had members of tho Council been business men, might have been concluded after eight or ten days’ sitting, and possibly less ; but it was protracted for nearly two months, the greater portion of that time being occupied in personal squabbles and intrigues for office. Tho whole of tho business transacted amounts to but little, and not at all commensurate with the. cost of the Ses sion. Still, this is no reason why wo should throw ourselves unreservedly into tho hands of the General Government, and accept such tender mercies as they may choose to deal out to us. We arc not quite so tired of Provincialism that, like birds in the hands of our captors, wo submit ourselves un-

reservedly to ho plucked. Wo a>o quite aware that wo shall bo caught, but, we must make some terras respecting the plucking process; and it is satisfactory to know that, through Mr Handers,although arabid abolutionist, the General Assembly will be informed that they are not to do exactly as they choose with us. Before such a sweeping change is made, as the abolition of the Provinces, it is only fair that the electors of the Colony should bo consulted, and that they should have some voice in deciding upon the terms upon which they should accept the new regime. In Otago we have a valuable land fund to deal with, and we must not part with its management without some consideration. Although wo may be dissatisfied with the present state of affairs it is only reasonable that we should understand what shall he substituted in its place. Mr Handers’ proposition, if not burked in the Assembly, should prove of considerable effect when the time comes for exchanging Provincialism for one united system of Government.

Wo have to acknowledge the receipt from the General Government Printing Office, specifications of inventions, in respect of which Letters Patent have been applied for during the past year. The only vote on the supplementary Estimates affecting tho Dunstan district, is the road from Blacks to Tinkers and Prybread, LIOO. Dr Allan notifies, by advertisement, that ho will regularly visit Alexandra every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday ; and Blacks every Thursday. Mr ,T. C. Chappie desires ua to direct attention to the sales by auction on to-mor-row (Saturday), tho 2Gth inst., at Tinker. S of valuable water-rights, cattle, &c.; also,, on Wednesday next, the 30th inst., at Tinkers, of dwelling-house and garden, &c. We understand that Messrs M'Connoohie and Tohill are the successful tenderers for the approaches to the Spottis Creek Bridge, for LI2S 17,s Bd. From tho highly satisfactory and expeditions manner in which these contractors have carried out their former contracts, tho work we may expect to be well and quickly done, and the travelling public will ho able to cross this at nearly all times dangerous creek, without fear of accident. We, Southland Times, leam from a well informed and most trustworthy source that the Hon. Dr Pollen, President of the Executive Council, is almost, if not entirely, certain to he loader of the Government at approaching session of tho Colonial Parliament. In tho Provincial Council, on the motion of Mr Do Laufcour, it was resolved—“ That an address he presented to his Honor tho Superintendent, requesting that effect be given to tiio recommendation of the Goldfields Committee, in rc petition of 87 settlers in the Dunstan district, as 'contained in interim Report No 12, from the said Committee, viz.: That certain lands on Rim No. 221 he thrown open for agricultural settlement, as set out in the prayer of the said petition.” In the Provincial Council during an exciting debate prior to the second reading of the Appropriation Bill, Mr Reid said that if the only thing done during the session had been the ejection of the honorable member (Mr Fish) and his colleagues from office, the country would have had no reason to complain. At a meeting of the Wilson Gray Memorial Committee, it was decided to send subscriptions to the Mayors of municipalities, and that individual subscriptions should not exceed one guinea. A Guide to the Turf of New Zealand is shortly to he published hy Mr Percival, handicapper for the Auckland Jockey Club. Some telegraphic correspondents are blessed with strong inventive faculties. For example, the Dunedin correspondent of the New Zealand Times tells that journal that on Friday two rumors were current here that “ In the Provincial Council last night one hon. member called another a liar,” and that “ tho Superintendent is so disgusted with the way the Council business is being carried on that ho has dec’ared his intention of going over to tho Centralist party when tho Assembly meets.” Evmln ' Star. The Tnapeka Times says ; —On Fri ’ay last, tho contractor for the plaster work of the Courthouse took a tomahawk and deliberately smashed and defaced tho pillars, cornices, and ornamental work of the Courthouse colonnade, wdiioh he has been engaged beautifying for some weeks pash The contract work was all hut finished, and tho plaster work was favorably commented upon by all wbo witnessed it. Wc believe tho cause of tho contractor’s conduct was some disagreement between himself and the architect, hut no cause of disagreement could justify such a rash ami foolish act. If ever a man deserved tho Humane Society’s gold menal, Walter Irving, of Waitangi, Auckland, does. Very recently with his son’s assistance ho rescued three men who had been capsized off tho mouth of the river ; and on previous occasions was the moans of saving no loss than seventeen vc*. Evening Star. In the. Nelson Provincial Council, on debate as to whether it would be desirable to guard against expenditure under the. heading “contingencies” in giving reception to the Governor. Mr Shephard spoke plainly. Ho remarked “that a good deal had been said about tho Governor being the Queen’s representative. Ho held the Queen in the highest reverence, inasmuch as sho represented tho British people, but with regard to any honor to he paid to the Governor as her representative, why, so was a constable, and he, for one, would not how down and worship a gentleman because ho wore a blue coat and bright buttons,” Mr Shephard forgot in this instance that, if speech is silvern, silence is golden.

It has boon decided to ask. Moody and Sankey to visit New Zealand. A meeting on the subject was held in the Wesleyan Hall, Dunedin, on Tuesday night. Captain Thomson in the chair. 'Ambngst those present were the Revs. Dra Stuart and Copland, J. U. Davis, D. W. Rigg, J. N. Russell, and A. Blake; Messrs Strode, Glendining, J. Hill, D. Wright, and Dr Borrows. Mr Beattie (Knox Church) moved, and Mr Wright (Wesleyan Church) seconded, “That Messrs Moody and Sankey be cordially invited to bur land, when paying tbeir intended visit to Australia.” It was also moved by Mr Davis, and seconded by Mr Rigg, “That the invitation sent to those gentlemen ho signed by the Chairman of the meeting and the Secretary of the Ministers’ Conference.” The motions were carried unanimously.

Wo have very little difficulty in recognising the individual referred to in the fob lowing paragraph, extracted from the Evening Star, as being the “Jeremy Diddler” of whose exploits tho Tuapeka Times, Arrow Observer, and We, have commented on in previous issues. “A man named John Johnson Graham, alias Daniel Mann, was received into the gaol to-day sentenced at Waikouai ti, on the IGth instant, by MrW. Murdoch, R.M., to four months’ imprisonment with hard labour, for obtaining money under false pretenses from David Gloa , Thomas Pratt, John Tnglis, and Robert Price, residing at Waikouaili. It is of this artful dodger that the Waikouiti Herald wrote yesterday thus ‘‘ It would appear from the skilful manner in whiek this fellow went about bis business of deception, that ho was no novice in the art, and that he has been in the habit of living on the gullability of otuora. On Monday lie called upon several tradesmen, and, by false representations, succeeded in obtaining money. At one time bo represented himself to he a draper, at another a blacksmith, a saddler, and a printer, as best chimed in with the individuals he exercised his persuasive powers upon. In this manner he managed to scrape together somewhere about twenty shillings.

The Arrow United Gold Mining Company started their now turbine wheel on Monday last. It is one of Leffel’s ten inch twelve jot wheels, and it works splendidly. With a perpindicular pressure of 57 feet of water, it makes 1040 revolutionsperminute, and is equal to 27 horse-power, driving two lifts of pumps, each having a twelve inch working barrel, and a stroke of four and a half feet. Leffel’s turbine wheeels are the most perfect mechanical contrivances for utilising the power of water yet invented. The wheel rims perfectly smooth, is evenly balanced, and there is no lifting against the journals whatever. This, with tho one at the Canada Bush Reef arc the 1 only two at present working in Otago. The wheel was fitted by Sparrow and Co,, Dunedin, Writing on the subject the Arrow Observer says The Arrow United Gold Mining Company’s prospects look brighter than ever. The water is going down at a quick rate, and the manager, Mr J. Elliott, cx- ■ pects to bottom in about four days, and to resume work in the drive in a fortnight. This speaks well for the Leffel turbine wheel, and wo should advise those who may, in future, invest in water wheels to buy none else but these, as they are warranted to do more work with less water than any other wheel. According to the census returns, of the 300.000 persons who reside in the Colony, 200.000 are single, 90,000 married, and 7,000 widowed. Of the entire population 30 per cent, are married, and 70 per cent, single. The number of unmarried males over 20 years of age is 44,000; and of unmarried females over 15 years, 18,000. In the Colony there are 4,000 widows and 3000 widowers. There are 40S members of Ut iversities in New Zealand, and they are engaged in GO different occupations, from the laborer to the clergyman. Tho details of the occupations of the people of this Colony »s given in the census returns published furnished some amusing items. Thus we learn that there is one medical woman in New Zealand, and that she resides in Auckland ; there is also one female “ irregular medical practitioner,” and she also lives in Auckland ; and there is one female chemist in the Colony, and Canterbury has tho honor of possessing her. Only ore woman has had the courage to describe herself as “literary,” and Otago owns her. Twenty-six women out of the 128,533 in the Colony have returned themselves as “ capitalists,” sixteen of them hailing from Canterbury; two are down as commercial clerks, one as a wool stapler, four as meat saleswomen, one as a sawyer, two as kauri gum diggers, and three as goldminers. —Evening star. The following minutes wo extract from tho published proceeding of the Waste Lands Board, Dunedin, at its last sitting.— The District Land Officer, Clyde, solicited tho opinion of the Board as to whether a licensee on deferred payments might assign his certificate to another, or whether his rights to occupy might he disposed of by Court warrant. It appeared that the occupant of a deferred payment section had had his property sold by tho Bailiff, and among other things, his deferred payment right, which was purchased by one MTntosh. Members expressed tho opinion that an assignment could not bo made, tho regulations prevented it ; hut it was resolved—- “ Under tho circumstances, MTntosh to bo allowed to apply for the section in his own name, fees paid to bo accredited to him.”— The Applicatians of Mr Jam s Millward to purchase sections 29 and 30, block 11., Blackstonc Hill, was approved.—Applications from the following residents in the Teviot district to purchase lauds held by them under agricultural lease, were approved, in accordance with conditions stated' in Mr Warden Simpson’s letter, dated June 5, 1875:—Messrs Murdoch, M‘Donald, 1 John Dimlay, David Anderson, John M‘Kay, Albert Bireb, Richard Bonnet, John Moodio, Homy Toms, J. P. Mitchell, and William Snell,

The Tuapeka Times says :—A serious accident happened yesterday morning to Jeremiah O’Leary, a Blue Spur minor, who has worked at the Spur since the early days. -For some time past he has been employed in Morrison’s claim, and yesterday bo was engaged drilling a hole in a largo block of cement embedded in loose stuff, for tho purpose of having it removed, as it was considered dangerous to tho workings below. Whilst thus engaged tho block split in two, and O’Leary fell down at the back, and, by some means oi other not clearly explained, one of bis logs got crushed into a pulp. Tho injury has been described to us, by one who witnessed it, ns one of tho worst of the kind that has happened at the Spur. It was considered by the manager and tho men working in the claim that the position was not a dangerous one, and it was carefully examined bjforo work was commenced. Medical assistance was at once sent for, and the unfortunate man was brought to the Hospital on a stretcher. O’Leary is a married man, and has a wife and a large family. He had the injured leg amputated at 7 o’clock last evening, and we regret to state that ho died about an hour afterwards.