The Evening Star THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2141, 17 March 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1870.

Eighteen mouths ago the General Government passed a resolution inviting essays on the means of securing the permanent settlement of the mining population of New Zealand, and for fixing within the Colony the capital “ which is being constantly diained “ away from the goldfields, as shewn “ in the great excess of exports over “ imports at the ports of the excln- “ sively gold mining districts.” Numerous essays were written, three wore published, and one received a prize of £IOO. They were then bound up in the Journals of the House of Representatives, and there they may be read by anyone who thinks it wortn the trouble. Each of those thought worthy of publication has its merits, but each assumes that the Legislature has more power over social arrangements than experience shews to be true. The resolution as a whole is manifestly beyond legislative arrangements. It by no means follows that because the produce of goldfields’ labor is not invested in ox’ near' the spot where it was gathered that it leaves the Colony. Yet such would be the fair inference from the terras of the motion. Besides, the resolution takes too circumscribed a view. It speaks of the imports and exports at the ports of the exclusively gold mining districts, and points to settlement there, although a purely mining district is not necessai'ily a desirable residence. The excess of exports, moreover, only points out that those engaged in mining live much within their incomes, and are desirous of placing their treasure in a place of safety. It is therefore no test by which to rightly appreciate the extent to which settlement goes on. Neither would the retention of gold be the slightest indication of settlement any where in the Colony. The whole assumption is a fallacy, and may fairly be neglected as a matter of no practical importance. Neither judging by the results, do we find that any of the recommendations put forward by the essayists have borne fruit. This may be accounted for partly that the suggestions are general rather than local, and partly because we as a people, are very apt to treat theoretical opinions as things to be read, talked about for a short time and. dismissed. But just now it seems advisable that the theme should be revived. Our drooping goldmining interest is looking up, and the requirements for its successful prosecution are what we have to consider. The prize essayist accepts as a fact which lias since been demonstratively and practically proved, that Otago contains a well defined and connected system of quartz reefs. This was proved as early as 1867, and it is remarkable for what a length of time they have been permitted to He partially examined and scarcely worked. Their value seems hardly to have been suspected, for no- , where was it imagined that such enormous yields of gold in proportion to the quartz would have been realised. The author of the prize essay formed a very modest estimate of their value. He quotes the opinion of Mr Fyke, who estimated the quantity of gold at from fifteen grains to two ounces to the ton of quartz. This was at that time esteemed a large yield compared with many reefs in Victoria that have proved profitable investments, although producing considerably less than the lowest of the amounts stated. So satisfied would miners in V ictoria be with a constant yield of two ounces to the ton that it would be thought a most valuable reef that continued to give it. When, therefore, the Auckland gold discoveries, giving twenty and thirty ounces to the ton, were announced, it was generally considered a gross exaggeration, and experienced miners wex-o hard of belief. Although even at the Thames such large yields arc exceptional, and the more moderate estimate of two or three ounces is more common, we have been brought at last to believe in the fact that sxxch large yields do occur, and are therefore the better prepared to accept the accounts that come from Cromwell of the extraordinary finds there. Strange that these matters scarcely move us. The apathy with which quartz-mining is regarded in the Province is well illustrated by the essayist when he nlentions that in July, 1808, a gentleman informed him that he could purchase a quartz-crushing machine which had been erected for a mine in the Province, and could transfer it with greater advantage to the Thames goldfield than he could re-erect or dispose of it in Otago. Apathy is difficult to shake off, but were the rich yields of Cromwell widely known in Victoria, a very short time would suffice to bring enterprising men, anxious to open up such mines of golden wealth.

Cricket.—A match will take place on Saturday at 2 p.m. on the North Dunedin Recreation Ground, between eleven married and eleven single of the North Dunedin C.C. The following arc the names of the players—Married: Brown, Bain, W. S. Dougins, Eraser, Garn, Lees, Mayd, Muir, Morton, Nightingale, Percival, and Cherry, twelfth man. Single : Brewer, Brown, J. Douglas, Duncan, Foote, Finmoro, Gibson, Gillies, Kernahan, A. Simpson, Statham, and Black twelfth man.

The Dunedin Rages.— The various privileges in connection with the above, were sold by auction to-day at the Commercial gale Yards, High street. There was a pretty numerous attendance, and the biddings in 3 omo instances were spirited. The following were the prices realised Gates, LG7 IDs, Dunning ; grand stand, L 52, J, H. Jewitt; saddling paddocks, L2O ; A. Muir; stabling, Ll2, J. R. Mills ; booth, No 1, L 74, A. Muir, Old England Hotel; booth No. 2, L3O. do. ; booth No. 3, L2O, do, ; race cards, LIB 10s, J. Braithwaitc. -Total, L 294,

Barlow’s Cynodrome. —We can hardly be surprised at this entertainment drawing from night to night large audiences, as it is one of peculiar interest. Tnc marquee was crowded last evenmg by an appreciative audience. If we judge of the merits of an entertainment by the extent of laughter excited, then Barlow s dog and monkey exhibition possesses merit in a high degree. The performances of the dogs discover a great amount of training, and in the race up and down a ladder great amusement is caused by the artful tricks resorted to to win the race. The entertainment is varied by juggling on the part of Professor Taylor, who, especially in the globe trick, is very clever. This is precisely the kind of amusement to interest children, and we notice that there will lie a mid-day performance on Saturday afternoon for the accommodation of schools and families. We can most cordially recommend a visit to this amusing entertainment.

Acclimatisation Society. The weekly meeting of the Council of this Society was held in the lower room of the Athenaeum this afternoon. There were present—Messrs Murisou (in the chair), Garrick, Eccles, Fulton, Mathews, Kenyon, Thomson, and Captain Boyd. The manager reported that ho had forwarded 24 goldfinches to the Lunatic Asylum. I t was reported that during the week the following donations had been received by the Society’s collector: —Barron, Grant and Co., LI Is ; John Gillies, LI ; A. H. Jack, LI Is ; John Hislop, L2 2s ; J. L. But ter worth, Li Is; C. Nichols, LI la; Service, Gibson and Co-, LI Is ; M ‘Callum, Neill and Co., LI Is ; G. G. Bussell and Co. LI Is; G. P. Farquhar, LI ; U. Campbell, LI Is ; Kempthorne, French and Co., L2 2s ; Henderson, Law and Co., LI Is; T. K. Weldon, LI Is ; H. Wise, 10s Rd. The chairman explained that with the Government subsidy, and country subscriptions, the subscriptions for the month should be about L2OO. The bon. secretary reported the arrival at Auckland by the Annie Main of a quantity of Californian seeds, which he was willing to place at the disposal of the society at cost price, about L 24 15s. The chairman suggested that the seeds should be taken over and distributed among members of the society. In the course of a general conversation whichynsued, Mr Thomson and others suggested tliwfc a portion should "be given to practical nurserymen members of the Horticultural Socle* y ; but the majority appeared to be of opinion that they should not be given to others than members of the Acclimatisation Society, Ultimately a resolution was moved by Mr Kenyon and carried to the effect that a committee, consisting of Messrs Eccles, Garrick, and Matthews, be appointed to distribute the seeds ; that members of the society applying before the 26th instant should he entitled to receive a parcel ; and that the committee he also authorised to place a portion at the disposal of the Provincial Government. The meeting then adjourned. American Circus. Messrs Bird, Blow, and Wills’ Company gave an opening performance last evening at the Princess Theatre, The house has been considerably altered, and the stage adapted to meet the requirements of the company. A very pretty effect is imparted by the arena being backed up by the remains of the old theatrical scenic accessories. There was, as might have been expected, a very large audience, the lower portion of the, house being crowded to excess. We were glad once more to see this house lighted up by smiling faces and to hear merry laughter echoing from roof to base, 7'hp high reputation this company has gained throughout the colony for its equestrian performances was well sustained last evening. As a first performance the efforts of the company last evening must he pronounced eminently successful. It would be difficult to imagine more daring feats of horsemanship than those exhibited by the various riders, but the bold, rough, and ready performances of the “Young American” excited not only admiration but surprise. The applause he elicited was not only hearty but well deserved. But in bestowing praise upon any individual wc always incur the danger of detracting from others, of equal merit, and it would therefore be hardly fair to confine ourselves to noticing the “ Young American” when the graceful evolutions of Signor Salavario were equally applauded and successful. Nor must wc omit to mention the jtwo lady artistes, Madame Annarcau and Miss Norman, whose accomplished performances created an unmistakable furore. The equestrian exorcises are agreeably diversified by juggling and acrobatic exhibitions, of which wc cannot speak too highly. But what would an entertainment of this kind be without a clown ? and here the company may be congratulated on having secured the services of an efficient and clever man. Mr Morris Murray is described in the Company’s own handbills as the <f Prince of Clowns,” and we confess we should be disposed to allow rather than dispute this claim, He is immensely funny, and the house is from first to last convulsed with laughter. Perhaps one of the things which are apt to be lose sight of amidst so much that is diverting is the amount of training necessary to produce such great perfection in the horses, which appear to thoroughly comprehend the wishes of their masters. The whole entertainment is one which we can heartily recommend, and is deserving in every way of public encouragement.

Barlkv. —We have been shown a splendid sample of this season’s barley, brown on the farm of J. W. Murdoch, Esq., U.M., at Elag Swam]), which possesses a fulness of grain we did not give the district credit for being capable of producing. We have not seen an j thing superior to it in the Province, which certainly speaks well for the

character of our soil and|its growing capacity. The barley has not been threshed yet, but the breadth which Mr Murdoch had under this crop Was fifty acres, which is calculated to average upwards of forty bushels to the acre. Judging from the sample we saw, we should pronounce it to weigh well, and to bo remarkably clean and free from smut. We believe the kind of barley referred to is that known as chevalier barley. Waikoualti Herald.

Why Good Claims do not Pay.— Under the above heading the Hew Zealand Herald Ins the following It is not because there is a lack of gold stone in hundreds of claims that no dividends are paid by them. We have a noticeable instance of this in one of the best claims at the Thames, when at a late meeting the balance sheet plainly showed the why and the wherefore of there having been no dividend for shareholders. Three hundred and six tons of quartz, the produce of 20 weeks’ work, had been crushed for (iOO.I ozs. of gold, which realised L 1,400. Shareholders had naturally expected that a dividend would be forthcoming, but the per contra account explained all. Each ton of quartz cost in labor to take it from the reef L2 7s IGd ; other expenses, including carting and crushing, amount to LI 14s 2d; making a total cost per ounce of L 4 2s. A very small margin is thus left for profit. Now it is manifestly absurd that quartz which will give on the average 2 ozs. 2 dwts. per ton, should barely pay at the Thames, when, in Australia, from 3 to 5 dwts. per ton will give handsome returns. What is needed is a thorough reform in the working of claims ; strict attention by directors to the expenditure, that no needless cost, no wasteful extravagance goes on, that the work be let by contract, and that the contracts arc honn [fide in their character, and faithfully carried out by the manager. Too ranch is left to legal managers ; the auditing of accounts is made a mere matter of form. A change, too, must be effected in the crushing arrangements on the field, before shareholders can look for profit •. LI I4s 2d per ton carting and crushing charges is, of itself, enough to shut up hundreds of claims that should be payable ones. Shareholders must look to these matters if they would have a change for the better in results of the Thames goldfield. Our claims need bo all Long Drives and Golden Crowns to stand such charges ns these. Hokitika as it is.—A correspondent of the Creymouth Star speaks thus of the present state of Hokitika On my return I found Hokitika to be almost comatose. I never witnessed such a state of extreme lethargy as the people here have allowed themselves to fall into. There is suoh an utter indifference to all their surroundings, and to everything which comes to pass among them, that they remind me of a man who has been informed that his last hour is at hand, and who, having made his peace with this world, calmly awaits his coming dissolution with a profound resignation. Last evening, at about five o’clock, the fire-bell rung out an alarm. Instead of, as used to be the case of yore, the people rushing madly through the streets, exclaiming, “Where? where?” and “There it is,” and “No—it is’ntthere were only Michael Cassius and two boys. The former -who is the West Coast Rothschild, was heard to say as he passed along Hevell street — f ‘ Mine Got ! mine Got ! I shall be all ruined again—vill no vun tell me vere the fire is ?” The two boys laughed, that was all. The man who was tugging at the bell suddenly ceased ; what was he going to exert himself for, when nobody cared whether there was a fire or not. He descended the ladder. I enquired into the cause of such a most singular indifference to a threatened calamity, when I was informed that the exception of g pie-shop and the four banks, the whole of the buildings of the town were the property of Mr Cassius either by purchase, mortgage, or bill of sale. The Way Things are Managed.— A correspondent writes as follows to an Auckland paper I found myself this afternoon with a crowd of people watching the departure of the Flying Squadron. A delay of some considerable duration occurred before the flag-ship got away, I took advantage of it to inspect our defensive -works- at Fort Britomarfc, having been attracted to the spot by hearing that our volunteers were to fii'O a salute of any number of guns in honor of the Admiral going the rounds. I encountered ap intelligentlooking uon-conimissioncd officer, to whom 1 thus addressed myself “ Beautiful day, sergeant?” “Very, sir.” “Useful little fort this.” “ Particularly so, sir, for saluting.” “Fine command of the harbor.” “Just the thing to draw the whole fire of an enemy on the city, sir.” “Dear mo, I said, “you don’t say so.” Aye, sir, but I do; why, sir, this fort, as you call it, ain’t worth

knocking over.” “ Ah ! to be sure, of course not,” was my reply. I was fast gettiug flabbergasted, so wisely, as I thought, turned the conversation. “Guns look good enough, oh, sergeant?” “ Yes, sir, those 24-pounders arc good guns ; don’t think much of the old ;k2’s.” “Isuppose,” said I, “they’re all perfect ?” “Oh yes,” he replied ; “thank goodness they could not sell the quarter-sight, so we have the ranges up to COO yards. ” “ And what then,” 1 asked, “do you propose to go beyond 600 yards ; is that your extreme range?” “Oh no!” was the reply; “we can get a mile and a half out of those pieces, sir, but before they were handed over to the Colony the Imperial authorities sold the wooden tangent scales, the tube pockets, the lanyards, prickers, and everything barring the quarter-sights I told you of, and some handspikes which must have been left behind by accident. We have not even quoins enough to give the guns their proper elevation, even had we a scale between the lot of them. Meanwhile, sir,” said my friend the sergeant, “ these things that I have mentioned to you were hardly worth the buying, are probably stowed away in some old marine store, and to replace them would cost a pretty lot of money, and if ever those guns are to be used—replaced they must he.” We wished each other good day, and I silently wondered what it was all about. Surely, I thought, the authorities did not intend to coniine our artillery practice to saluting, and therefore took the wise precaution of removing everything hurtful from us ; if so, they might just as well have damped all the powder at once, and handed over a gigantic devil for our amusement. \ New Plan roil terminating tiik War.— We learn that on Wednesday last Te I’okiha (Fox), Marsh, and others of the Arawa chiefs who are at present in Auckland, wore definitely informed by the lion, the Native and Defence Minister, that henceforth the system of maintaining a Native force on pay for the pursuit of Te

Kooti will be discontinued, but that the Government will be prepared to pay a lump sum of L 5,000 for the capture of To Kooti, alive or dead, whether it be accomplished in a short or long period. To this proposal the Arawa chiefs very strongly demurred, representing that the Friendly Natives would not bo willing to continue fighting without daily pay, and that they would not consent to attempt the capture of Te Kooti on the mere prospect of receiving L 5,000, if successful. They urged the difficulties of the Uriwcra country, and the great risk attendant upon an upon an expedition after such a wily foe ns Te Kooti, and on the whole appeared decidedly disinclined to accept the proposal. At present it appears highly probable that the Arawas will decline to assist us any longer, unless kept on pay. It would no doubt be a very pleasant thing for them to be kept on pay ad infinitum, but unfortunately the resources of the Colony arc not equal to maintaining a large army of Natives in the position of pensioners, in order to preserve their neutrality. Moreover, the suspicion is rapidly gaining ground, that the system of keeping up a large standing army of Natives is a mistake, and that so long as it is continued the Natives would —all other things being equal—rather not hurt Te Kooti, who, it must be confessed, has been a great source of profit to them. We are glad to] learn that the Government have taken this bold step, for it is one which we [feel sure will have the approval of the majority of the colonists. Whilst on the subject wc may state that the report that the Government had in contemplation the entire disbandment of the European forces in the Colony is a mistake. We believe the ceasing to employ the Armed Constabulary only extends to future operations against Te Kooti in the Uriwera country, the natural difficulties of which are so great as to render pursuit by a European force a matter of extreme difficulty and hazard, independently of the heavy expense it would entail. Moreover, complaints have been made by the Arawas, that their acting in conjunction with Europeans impeded their movements against the enemy. We believe there is some probability of a larger sum being offered to the Arawas than L 5,000, should that bo shown to be inadequate. —Southern Crons.

We notice by advertisement in another column, that Mr Jacob Fogel will address the electors of Leith Ward this evening, at Krull’s Hotel, Great King street at 7, and at White’s Queen’s Hotel, Albany street, at 8 30.