The Evening Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2272, 18 August 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1870.

The Provincial Government has at length roused itself to a clear and undeniable duty, and has announced that there is work to do for those willing to do it. We are not quite clear as to the beneficial character of the work '‘provided for the old colonists. They are, however, fully aware of what is to be done and how to do it, and from their colonial experience know pretty well what is necessary to their comfort in any quarters they may have to put •up with. The proposed arrangements for the newcomers are more fitted to their inexperience, and are calculated to prepare them for becoming colonists, by giving them time to look about them, without the danger of starvation stating them in, the face. And now, having secured for them prouision for their immediate and pressing wants, we have a few words to say to them as well as to all the unemployed. It has come to our knowledge that one

of the - raoatnbtoiious libellers of the Colony iri has been in comimmigrants ; and as we know nis style pretty well, we are well aware that neither Government nor people would fare well at his hands. While those who know him might listen and be none the worse for it, those who have only just arrived would be liable to receive wrong impressions from his anathemas, and in

addition to everything being strange and perplexing, may have' been led to morbid feelings of discontent. It appears that the expectation of high has induced the late arrivals to come amongst us. Unluckily, at least for the moment, they have reached Otago at a season of the year when wages are invariably the lowest. Like all who have come before them, they propose to better their condition ; and if they will have patience, their expectations will be realised. They have now time afforded to look about them, and they must wait their turn. It is just for this purpose that the Government gives them employment at wages that will not induce them to remain whenever an opportunity presents itself of bettering their circumstances. This is the only proper course. Although it is the duty of a Government to take steps to prevent the industrious sinking into indigence and pauperism, wherever such measures can be adopted, it is no part of their duty to provide work at wages that will compete with employers of labor. What is really wanted is, that when there is a temporary glut in the labor market, there may be such a rate of wages obtainable as will be sufficient to provide the necessaries of life, but that they shall not be so high as to prove an inducement to X’emain in the Government service when labor is wanted elsewhere. Now this ought to be so plain to the mind of every working man, that he ought as a duty to himself to accept at once the proffered work, although the i wages offered are much lower than the current rate elsewhere. If a Government croes beyond this, they do an

IUUMV r -» '■'J J injustice to capitalists : if they do not come up to this point, they do injustice to laborers, Wo believe that amongst those who have been loudest in theiv complaints, are some whom we may denominate professional loafers—pests to any community. Very possibly, acting on their usual plan, they will profess themselves insulted by the offer of wages so much lower than they are pleased to consider their deserts. and, it may be, some who do not give the subject consideration, may be inclined to follow their example. It very much resembles the conduct of men who will not come to warm themselves at a fire because they have not a carpet to stand upon. Our advice is : Go to the Jire and ivcirm and let them, if then will, stand hy themselves in the cold , You can leave it whenever you see a better chance, and it will not be long before one presents itself. One word to the Government. It is plain, from what has occurred, there is a want of system in our immigration arrangements that requires looking into. Were there a constant and steady influx of population the matter would right itself; but, oven then, although the tendency would be to higher wages, contingencies like the present might arise. But in th e absence of that stream, and even with it, a proper organisation would prove of infinite advantage. There is evidently no clear conception in any of our Colonies of sound principles of immigration ; and to this, if we mean it to be a means of prosperity, earnest attention must be given. Of tins hereafter.

Another Title.— A late English telegram states that the Comptroller General, Mr J. E. FitzGerald, has had conferred on him the title of Companion of the order of St. Michael and St. George. Masonic Hall. The programme put forth this evening is not only new in every respect, but includes pieces in which Mr Heller is acknowledged to be unapproachable. The musical selections alone are worth the money, and we should strongly advise those who have not yet visited this entertainment to do so at once, as the opportunity will soon be denied to them. Provincial Revenues. From a return laid before Parliament of the receipts and expenditure of the several Provinces in the Colony for the year 18G9, wc compile the following The total receipts of all the Provinces, including the County of Westland tor 1809, amounted to L 1,413,411, and the total expenditure to very nearly the same amount. The chief sources of re venue were as follows : —Proportion of consolidated revenue, L 328,917; land revenue, 1.210,822; Goldfields’ receipts, L148.09S ; and incidental receipts, including sinking funds, realised L182.70G. While the land revenue of Nelson amounted to L 10,925, that of Westland reached LII,SG3, that of Canterbury L6G,3G2, that of Otago including Southland L 130,734. The goldfields yielded to Auckland a revenue of L 41,179; to Nelson, L 32,599; to Westland, 134,184; and to Otago, L 40,519. Shocking Accident, —A very sad and we regret to say fatal accident occurred at Otakia on Thursday last, to a child four years old, the son of Mr M‘Ewan, and which ought to act as a warning to parents generally to keep matches out of the reach of children. It appears that Mrs M'Ewan, looking out of the door of her house saw the pighouse on fire, and went at once with some 1

water to extinguish it, which she succeeded in doing after a good deal of exertion, but not before her jbusbaud arrived on the spot. . He commended pulling down some of the ruins and was horrified to find the legs of his child in the debris, the rest of the body being burnt to nearly a cinder. It is supposed that the child had taken some matches and gone into the pighousc, which was empty, and had set the place on fire, and on getting suffocated, had fallen on bis back, the position in which ho was found laying.

Sericulture.-- -The following particulars, extracted frem the report of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, respecting the capabilities of Mew Zealand for silk culture, may prove of interest; —A few specimens of the white mulberry, being all that were planted, are doing well, and the committee arc satisfied of the suitability of the climate and soil to their culture, and that sericulture may be established and carried on with great success. An agreeable and profitable employment,' "without fatigue, would be afforded to those unfit for more laborious work—the old, the infirm, and the younger children ; and might be beneficially introduced into our asylums and hospitals, and other charitable institutions. Owing to the discovery that cocoons, thoroughly dessicated, may be pressed and packed for exportation, and will yield as good silk as if reeled at once in the localities where they are produced, the p ocess appears reduced to such simplicity, that it may be carried on at the homes of the working classes concurrently with their other avocations.

The Bank of New Zealand.— Explanatory of the reasons for the Bank of New Zealand increasing its capital to half a million, the Southern Gross remarks The main rear on for tho increase is that it has been found necessary to augment the power of tho one hank in existence in New Zealand which is really under local management. The other banks doing business inthe Colony are subject to foreign control, and are, of course, not conducted entirely with a view to the interests of the Colony. Moreover, the instructions which they receive are necessarily frequently issued under a misapprehension of existing circumstances, and are quite inapplicable to the state of affairs existing at the time when those instructions are carried into effect. Another reason for the step is that in view of the ggreat hr reuse which has recsutly t.ken place in the amount of deposits, it is advisable to give the public an additional guarantee -an object which is effected by the issue of these shares. The following figures, in support of the latter reason, are taken from the chairman’s speech :—ln 1861 the "population was 102,000, it is now 250,000, In the same period the imports have risen from L 2.493,811 to L 5,102,657, while the exports are put at L 1,370,247, for 1861, and ,arc now up to L 4,657,778. In 1861 the total cash deposits in all the banks in the Colony were L 902,358, while in March of this year they wore L 3,242,484. Late Australian News.—Yia Sydney we have telegraphic news from Melbourne and Adelaide up to the 4th instant. Melbourne. —The National Insurance Company’s report shows a loss of over LJOOO on the half-year. The Governor has consented to present the gold collar to the Mayor, subscribed for by the citizens. The Collingwood Gas Company have declared a dividend of 10 percent., and Is per share bonus. Messrs Perry Brothers, nurserymen, are insolvent ; deficiency, LSOOO. M'Leod has challenged Cronk to run for the Cup. Adelaide.—Tom Thumb commences his receptions on the Bth of August, at the Town Hall. There was a sharp frost last night, with ice a quarter of an inch think. Mr Pioss, leader of the Overland Telegraph party, leaves Beltana to-day, and will be at Mount Margaret by the Gth of August. 4he Omeo steamer is advertised by Mr Darweut to sail for the Northern Territory on lath August. She will take passengers, besides tbe contractors’ party and plant: The news from the Criterion Gold Claim continues very exciting. The Port Augusta Railway Bill asks for a loan of half a million, ■which only gives L2OOO per mile for the construction of a railway three feet six inches in gauge. Heavy rains are still reported in the far North. Incendiarism. Happly (says the Times) we have seldom in Gam;u - u to chronicle this species of crime, yet an exception to the rule now occurs. On Thursday night, or rather at 0.15 am. on Friday, Mr Webb, landlord of the Star and Garter Hotel, noticed the smell of smoke, and on proceeding to the adjoining premises, found, in the diningroom of the old building, a fire burning in two places. A quantity of straw, and portions of cases, had been heaped up at each end of the room, and was blazing away rapidly. Tho floor and wainscoting had caught, and but for a plentiful supply of water, there is no doubt that the building, which is entirely of wood,'would have been destroyed; and the flames, communicating with the hotel, must have done considerable damage thereto. There was a quantity of loose straw, unignited, lying between the two lires, and it is therefore impossible to avoid the conclusion that a deliberate attempt at incendiarism has been made, inasmuch as had the fire been started in the one part of the room by the dropping of a match or something of that kind, the flame could not have cr ssed to the opposite corner without igniting the straw that lay between. The matter is in the hands of the police, but at present there is no clue to the offender.

Supper,— The passengers by the E. P. Bouveric entertained Captain Tilley at supper at Murray’s Booms last evening. The chair was occupied by Mr G. T. Bathgate. After the excellent spread provided by Mr Murray had been done ample justice to, the chairman proposed the toast of the evening Tilley.” He observed that the best thanks of the passengers were dire to Captain Tilley for his unwearied exertions in conveying them safely to Otago. This was now his fourth voyage as skipper, first of the City of Dunedin, and then of the Bouveric ; and it would he sipjerlluous on his (the chairman’s) part to express an opinion in regard to his skill. It was sufficient to say that iu the opinion of the emigrants on board the E. P. Bouveric, as well as the cabin passengers iu whose name he was requested to speak, Captain Tilley was held iu high estimation not only as a skilful navigator, hut as a true and kind friend to all entrusted to his care. His especial care of the young women was , deserving of the highest commendation. Mr Bathgate then presented the following address ;—“ To Captain John Tilley, commanding the Edward P. Bouveric, from Glasgow to Dunedin, Otago, 1870. Sir,— We, the undersigned, passengers on hoard I the Edward P. Bouveric from Glasgow, feel that we cannot part without tendering to you our thanks for your unwearied atten- I

tion during the voyage,. safely brought us to the port of Your ever watchful dire by day-aud night is deserving of our highest commendation. Trusting that you may be granted long life, health, and happiness, wo beg you to accept this expression of our most respectful regard and esteem.—We arc, sir, &c., G. T. Bathgate, C. Darner Reid, C. A. Mackenzie, C. Lament, E. P. Corrie, A. C. Macfarlane, M. C. Wilson, A. W. Robertson, C. Dickie, and, the other passengers. Captain Tilley briefly returned thanks. The remainder of the evening was spent in toast-making, the proceedings being enlivened at intervals by songs.

The Colored Opera Troupe give an entertainment on Friday week at the Lunatic A sylum in aid of the amusement fund of the establishment. We have been present at recent rehcrsals, and can state that the troupe will on this occasion be able to give an entertainment of a most superior kind. The fact that the funds are to be devoted to an object so deserving of public support should alone secure a crowded attendance.