The Evening Star TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2402, 13 December 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1870.

We do not know where our contemporary the Daily Times contrives to put his reason, if such a commodity is stored in that establishment, whenever the real interests of Otago are in question. Nothing that anybody does or says is right in New Zealand, except spoken by Mr Giij.iks, and that only because he opposes Mr Yocum. The Fox Ministry .are wrong in all they do, according to our contemporary : the Keid Ministry, who oppose them, are equally in the wrong. But people are right in Victoria, or mayhap anywhere else, so long as they oppose New Zealand interests, Wc really thought we saw symptoms a day or two ago of Mr Hall being held to be in the right, now that he is no longer master of the San Francisco Mail Service. This morning, notwithstanding the Chamber of Commerce, who ought to know something about their own interests, passed a resolution virtually approving the action of the Government in the postal arrangements, wc arc favored with a commentary founded upon a few statistics furnished by Mr Francis, one of the least capable politicians in Victoria, as an excuse for that Colony not using the San Francisco mail. Nowone would naturally have thought that, in the interests of New Zealand, good reasons would have been given to shew that sooner- or later, for their own sakes, the Victorians would have become contributors to that service. Such reasons must strike every one who reflects at all on the subject. Mr Vogel considers that we can have our European mails delivered in forty-five days, and probably less. If that be the case, there can be little doubt that self-inte-rest alone will force upon Victoria the necessity of contributing a subsidy. The advantages of the Pacific route are too obvious to need jiointing out. It must, before many years, supersede every other, so far as passenger traffic is concerned ; and the commercial advantages of the rapidly-growing trade with the groups of islands in the Pacific, and the vast population of America, are too great to be overlooked by Victoria. Whether she will or not, in self-defence she must become identified with that service. Nor did it need a resolution of the Chamber of Commerce to point out to Messrs M‘Meckan, Blackwood, and Co. that they will find it their interest to work with the San Francisco contractors. It is all very well to take independent grounds when there is no opposition ; but those halcyon days of monopoly are past, and neither merchants nor Chambers of Commerce will tolerate the sacrifice of their interests by a company, whose sympathies are to be measured by the amount that can be squeezed out of a Government for carrying the mails. Our Chamber of Commerce may rest assured that such wide-awake gentlemen are sufficiently “ cute ” to see that they will gain more by working with the San Francisco Company than against them. They might successfully thwart a weak service ; but they will have to compete with one not easily foiled. Illuming in connection with it, they may secure to themselves increased advantages : working against it, they raise competition that will either drive them from the trade, or very materially reduce their profits, lleturning to the laudation of Mr Francis and his obstructiveness by our contemporary this morning, as something to be amused at, the chief point relied on as a “reason” —save the mark ! —“for de- “ dining to accept our terms,” is that important changes are being brought about in the construction of marine steam-engines, by which more than a third of the fuel now consumed will be saved, and increased speed obtained. Why, this is the very thing needed to ensure the success ot the San Francisco Service. The only fear we ever had was, that sufficient fuel could not be carried without so interfering with freight as to render the service too expensive for profit. The absurdity of the reason is, that our contemporary and Mr Francis ’can only see one side of the question. They can see the advantage of this improvement to Melbourne, but not to Dunedin. The vessels to the west of us arc all to go faster—ls knots an hour, wo believe Mr Francis said—w,e suppose those to the east are still to go Inmbering !) to 10 knots. Mr Francis and the Daily Times know little of the American, character if they believe this ; and we think they know little of the people of Dunedin by trying to cram it down their throats. If there was any doubt before, we think the explanations of the Colonial Treasurer ought to convince the most obtuse that, through his exertions, a service lias been secured that, rendering Port Chalmers the terminus, has opened up a prospect of commercial advancement scarcely previously dreamt of.

Crowded Out.—“Colt’s” and “J. H. A.’s” letters are unavoidably crowded out. The Elections.—We understand that a requisition is about to be presented to Mr E. M'Glashau to allow himself to bo nominated to represent the North Harbor District in the Provincial Council. Presentation. —Mr A. it. Lalonnan, who lias for many years filled the oliiee of accountant in the Telegraph denartmenb hero, and who is about to he transferred to Christchurch on account of if! Kiaith, was to-day presented with a handsome writing desk and an address, as marker. <>f the esteem in which he is held by his brother officers in the deparlmeut. The Volunteers.—The first district will lire for representatives at Colonial I’ri/.i Hiring to-morrow, the second district on Saturday, and the third district on Friday, commencing each day at on.m. The Provincial Government prizes are to bo fired for on the IDth instant. Prom the advertisement it will be seen that the distribution of the prizes is of a very liberal character. Serious Accident.— Wo learn that a serious accident happened on Monday last to Mr M‘Allen, a settler in the Moeraki district ; whilst driving a loaded waggon on the Palmerston road, it was precipitated over a culvert, falling on the unfortunate driver. We regret to hear that lie lias received serious internal injuries, and but little hope of his recovery is entertained, —Ocunaru Herald. Provincial Mismanagement. —Tho best illustration—and it is one that no doubt furnished Mr Vogel with the ground work for his just condemnation of the mangement of Auckland affairs—of the thorough incapability of the Provinces lo manage the expenditure of large loans is furnished by Mr Header Wood in a recent-election speech, lie told the electors of Auckland that when he was Colonial Treasurer the Province borrowed EoOOjOOO, and they bad got for it the Tamaki Bridge, a leaky Court House, a half finished Lunatic Asylum, a gloomy Post Oliiee, and the mins of a Bail way. Public Opinion in Auckland.—The Auckland correspondent of the I hurled k Ilruj Ifcr/dd writes :—Mr T. Gillies addressed the doctors of City West at the Mechanics’ Institute ; ho spoke for four hours to a densely packed meeting. Briefly summarised, the speech was merely a vindication of Mr Gillies’ proceedings during the late session of the Assembly, and a defence of the Busby t settlement. Several hostile allusions to Mr Vogel were received with marked disapprobation and hisses. Eventually, the speaker disclaimed being actuated by antagonism to ' the Government, and was loudly cheered. ! I was well situated for hearing and viewing the proceedings, and came to the conclusion that the audience left with a firm impression that Mr Gillies is prepared to do his best in aid of facilitating the Government programme of last session.

Melbourne University.—At the Matriculation Examination, October Term, the names of the following eleven gentlemen arc recorded as having passed with credit; —Messrs (1. Bell (son of Air George Bell, editor of this paper, Assistant (lovernment Shorthand AVritcr, Victoria), W. H. J. Byrne, J. Chalmers, H. B. Higgins, E. H. Irving, J. A. Kennison, J. AlTnorhcney, W. F. Aloore, S. G. Pirani. R. F. Russell, H, J. Wallace. Seven gentlemen have been connected with the Government Shorthand Writer's staff since the Constitution Act, 1850, came into force—four of whom have matriculated at the University. One—Air G. F. Webb, now a successful barrister—refused a law lectureship, and took the Chancellor’s prize ; two more passed with credit; and the fourth was considered a very satisfactory examination. Employment in Auckland. The Auckland correspondent of the I lambi'n Ban He.mhl says:—-When a crowd of decent-look-ing laborers are seen daily besieging the Superintendent's office, praying to be employed, it must be evident all is not as it should ho. Of late our police have been engaged in collecting materials for statistics, intended to prove that few but had characters are destitute. Every one knows how easy it is to compile statistics, whoso results are known beforehand ; but all the statistics in the woild won’t e'ear this city of the hundreds of would-be willing bread-winners, now miserably destitute. One fact will show if there are many men out of work just now : ■ —About seventy or eighty men are employed scraping Fort Britomart ; and I have been told, on what I believe to lie good authority, that every Saturday the men so employed are mostly discharged, to give others a chance of earning a pitiful week’s work. Chamber oe Commerce. —Tho lion. J. Vogel, in compliance with the wishes of the Chamber of Commerce, had an inter-* view with Hie members yesterday afternoon respecting the postal arrangements. The statements made were substantially the same as those already reported when the Treasurer met the Chamber last week, and which haw; already been published in the Ermhxj Star. On the motion of Air Bathgate, the following resolution was passed :—-“That, considering the amount of subsidy given to the San Francisco line, in the opinion of this meeting it is inexpedient to subsidise any steamer for the conveyance of the mails between Melbourne and New Zealand, beyond the usual postal .allowance; and this Chamber is also of opinion that seeing that the present line, owned by Alessrs ADAleekan, Blackwood, and Co., is largely supported by the public of New Zealand, it is their interest to secure further support by affording additional postal facilities by running this lino in direct communication with the Suez steamers. ”

Savings Bank.— It -would appear that tlio idea that has-gone abroad respecting the determination of the Government to close compulsorily the Duuediu Savings Rank, with the view of t ran.sforiiig its business to the Post Office, is entirely without foundation, as in reply to ciujuiriesmade by a deputation of the trustees, the l-loncrable Air Vogel stated distinctly that the Government had no intention or wish to interfere with the Hank, unless on a ropiest from the trustees to .that effect. We believe that this statement was nu agreeable surprise to the trustees who had bee;; led to believe that the Government were easting l v i;ging eyes upon tLo funds under their care, and that the extinction of the bank was a settled matter. We arc glad to find that the trustees intend to canyon the business of the haul; as usual, as the institution continues to he highly appreciated by a large section of the community, the deposits at the present time amounting to upwards of L.'tl,UoU. A MKKTINU of the Loyal ] limed In Lodge will bo held at the .Royal George

Hotel, to-morrow evening, at the usual hour, instead of Thursday, as previously notified.