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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2721, 6 November 1871, Page 2

New Industry.—A public meeting is to beheld ab Milton, on Thursday evening, to consider the question of establishing a cheese factory in the district. Legal.—We understand that in accordance with the arrangement com « to by the Judges as to the alteration of the Civil and Criminal Sessions, the next session of the Supreme Count wid be in January, and not in December, as formerly. Criminal.— A man named William Augustus Md eod, late schoolmaster of the Shag Valley side school, Palmerston, was received into the gaol on Saturday evening, committee 1 for trial at the ensuing criminal sessions of the Supreme Court; charged with having on the 27th ultimo, in said schoolhouse, indecently assaulted, with intent, one of the scholars named Mary Ann Guffie.

Timaru Harbor Works. —The Colonial Engineer-in-Chief has reported upon the proposed Timaru harbor works. He rejects the idea of constructing a permanent breakwater. which would cost from LBO,OOO to LIOO,OOO, as when completed its value would not be great, as but a small part of the roadstead would be sheltered, and then only indifferently. He also disapproves of the proposal to have a long jetty, with a short breakwater detached from the shore, as being less advantageous than the first project ; and recommends the construction of an iron jetty, extending into sixteen feet of water, to be supplied with two steam cranes, the landing service to he improved by the employment of two steam launches. The Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works have adopted Mr Carrnthers’s suggestion, which involves an expenditure of L 15,000. and have telegraphed to the district members of the Assembly to apply for a grant of L4OOO, the funds in the hands of the Board being only L6OOO.

Bank Returns.—The Gazette of the 12th nit. contains a quarterly statement of the liabilities and assets of the various banks, having establishments in this Colony, for the quarter ending the 30th of June last. With a paid up capital of L 4.28.000, their united advances amount to the seemingly enormous amount of L 3,823,000, which with an amount of L156,61i6, invested in landed proper!}’, shows that shareholders’ capital is invested to it fullest extent, and that no funds lie idle in the coffers of any of our banking institutions. A sum of L 204.865, held by the Bank of New Zealand in Government securities, swells their balances to nearly the full amount of the original capital. The notes in circulation throughout the colony is stated to be L 570,000, against which over a million of bullion is held by the various banks. Excluding an amount of L 323.000, Government deposits, there was lying to the credit of depositors no less a sum than L 2,955,514, which, with an amount of L 313,000, that was laying in the Savings Bank on the same date, gives a gross aggregate of the capital of the colonists of New Zealand of over three millions of money. Such a sum lying in the banks indicates an amount of sterling wealth of w'hich we may well be proud. Chinese Immigration.—The Committee appointed to enquire into the results to be anticipated from Chinese immigration, presented an interim report last month, which merely comprised the evidence taken up to that time. That evidence w r as in many respects contradictory, especially as to the effect of introducing the Chinese element into our European population. Circulars had been forwarded to the neighboring Colonies of Victoria and New South Wales, requesting details of their experience in the matter, but replies had not been received. Mr J, T. Thomson, C E., Commissioner of Crown Lands in this Province ; Ah Tong, of Wellington; Capt. Bishop, of the Halcione, now leading at Wellington ; Mr Maitland ; Messrs G. M. Webster, M.H.R.; G. P. Parker, M,H.R.; and C. E. Haughton, M. H.R., were examined, and circulars were sent to the Goldfie ds Wardens. The evidence merely went to show that the class of immigrants were generally respectable laborers, and not the lowest class of the i opnlation; that the prejudices against them, although not without foundation, w r ere chiefly derived from observation of them at Singapore and other shipping ports; but that, as a rule, there was not so much glaring immorality amongst them as existed amongst persons of similar rank at Home or in the Colonies. The general testimony was that they are industrious, frugal, and well-behaved ; that they are brought by contract, and if, after fulfilling the terms of their engagement, they can contrive to save LSO or LlO9 each, they consider themselves somewhat independent. The relative value of labor in China to that in Otago may be estimated from the fact ihat a Ciiinese resident in Wellington stated that unskilled lalorers earned from 8d to 9J a day, and 2s 2d for mechanics. Small as these wages arc, they arc high compared with the cost of living, which averages from one half-penny to sixpence a day. “ To single men, laborers, the cost is about 3s fid a week.” There is no prohibitory law against w men leaving China. Some thousands emigrated to California, but the “ head men,” the contractors, objected to it and put a stop to it, because it prevented single men returning to China. “ The head men would not allow any more women to land.” If a Chinaman were to send for a woman intending to marry her on arrival, she would be allowed to come ; and a married man may send for his wife, and she would be allowed to come and bring two or three single women with her as servants. With regard fb marriages between Chinamen and European women, they seem rather dangerous affairs fof the latter ; for their laws do not limit the number of wives. One witness said he had known Mongolians have seven wives in different countries. That is in China and elsewhere. There is no law against this, although several Chinese, who embraced Christianity are said to have made good husbands. As a rule, when a European woman mairies a Chinaman, she is of such reputation that none of her own race would take her to wife. The total number of Chinese in Otago on the 15lh September, was 3715 of these, 4 were employed as carpenters, 3551 miners, 1 hotelkeeper, 27 gardunsrs, 3 agents, 1 cook, 10 laborers, and 12 hawkers.

The committals for offences during twelvemonths, were—for manslaughter, 1; larceny, 12; assaults, 6; vagrancy, 2; disorderly conduct, 1 ; attempting suicide, 1 ; indecent exposure, 1 ; furious riding, 1 ; disobeying summonses, 4. Compared with an equal number of a nit European-*, the absence of crime is remarkable. Since publishing this evidence, the committee have reported, recommending no action be taken in Chinese immigration.

The members of the Knox Church Young Men’s Society are requested by advertisement to send in the subjects of their papers to the Secretary as soon as possible. We have to acknowledge the receipt of “ a lecture” delivered at the ball of the Congregational Church, Moray place, in connexion with the Dunedin Abstainers’ Union, on the 18th nit., by the Key. T. Koscby, M.A., L.L.B. The printer is Mr G. Watson, Maclaggan street. We are requested to call attention to the programme of Volunteer sports to be held on the Prince of Wales’ birthday on the North Dunedin Recreation Ground, which appears in our advertising columns. It will be seen that the booths will be sold to-mor-row. The proceeds of the meeting will be devoted to building the Volunteer headquarters’ drill shsd.