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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 443, 3 January 1867, Page 3

Fatal Accident.—Death of tee Hon. the ColonialTbeascbeeofQtjeenslani). —lt is our melancholy duty to report tins accidental dosth of M> ,T, D. M'Lc-an, Hs leit Sydney in the City of Brisbane, on the 4th instant, for Queensland. It appears ■hat hr, wits thrown from his horse and the injury he sustained was so great that he died shortly afterwards. Although the deceased gentleman resided near this city, hia large properties, chiefly in stock and stations were in Queensland. Mr M‘Lean was a Scotchman, and arrived in this colony about twenty-five years ago. He was a man of quiet and unobtrusive habits, — of strict integrity and truthfulness. His loss to the Government of which he was a distinguished member is great; but to his bereaved widow and large family it is much greater. The full particulars of this unfortunate calamity have not reached us.Sydney Morning Herald, 18th December.

Peoposed Eecipeocitp Teeatp be* TWi- N South Austiuiia. and Vxcxoeia. —Saturday’s Age remarks that the South Australian Government has opened a communication with the Victorian, with a view of establishing free intercourse amongst the colonies on the mainland—that is, that the products of each shall be received into the ports of the others without payment of duty. At the first glance, the proposal seems fair enough, although it is not clear why the reciprocity should be confined to colonies on the mainland. Why should not Tasmania and New Zealand share? Seeing that the trade between Victoria and South Australia is conducted by sea, the fact of there being overland communication does not affect the question. If port charges be abandoned, it would certainly be a gross act of injustice to exclude Tasmania and New Zealand. Put the South Australian Government is bent on serving its own interests ; and therefore, whilst as regards the trade between Melbourne and Adelaide, the two colonies are insular, there is nevertheless an inland communication by which South Australia profits largely, and might protit still more, but unfortunately there is no reciprocity. We are aware that large quantities of goods go up the Murray to supply Victorian and itfretme eonsum , '-rs, but we know of nothing that geos down the Murray. Vast quantities of goods dutiable and otherwise, are received at Melbourne by seaboard from Adelaide, but a large proportion is paid for in cash. Neither the products nor the imports of Victoria are taken but hard bullion, which is exchanged in foreign markets for manufactures. Such being the fact, we do not see why South Australia should derive advantages which are not extended to the colonies to which Victoria is under greater obligations. The South Australians have a keen eye to their own interests, and they are anxious to make the most of that back-stairs passage which admits them into the heart of New South Wales and Victoria. The removal by South Australia of Customs duties altogether would not benefit Victoria a fraction. But an agreement to receive South Australian products duty free would injure our manufactures and our revenue. Take wine, for example. If the duty were removed as regards South Australia, it would be almost impossible to collect it all. Under the guise of colonial wine, every description

would be impOiicQ, uu? iuerciiuiits ■.■. ould order their European consignments to Adelaide instead of Melbourne, and, either by the back-door of the Murray or the front door of the Heads, they would hud their way here as “colonial productions.” We shonld presently hear of brewing in South Australia on a large scale, and under cover of f he reciprocity treaty English ales would find their way into Victoria without contribting a shilling to the revenue. Having secured access to our ports, we presume South Australia would at once carry into effect her pet project of becoming a free port. A New Zealand Medal.— The Army and Havy Gazette says;—“The hiew Zealand war is now, we presume at an end, at least as far as regular troops and H M.’s ships are concerned; and as we look through the lists of promotions, brevets,

and C.B.’s besur.vcd—and in most cases very justly bestowed—on the officers who were engaged there, the question arises, were the officers only engaged? and if not, what have the men, the bluejaeket and the private soldier, got to show for all the hard fighting, hard work, and exposure to which tboy were subjected iu New Zealand? For China, for Burmah, for the Cape and Kaffir wars, the G overnment granted a medal; why not for New Zealand ; The number of actions, and the lists of killed and wounded in this latter war, will bear comparison with the others mentioned. Its success may, indeed, be disputed; but even so, if is not surely the fault of the men that it did act succeed more thoroughly, but of those officers who have already received the rewsrd: In China, in

addition to the medal, a considerable quantity ot prize money was distributed : in New Zealand there was none; and if any of the authorities would take tho trouble tO walk through the barracks of those regiments already returned from that colony, they would hear many a growl that no medal, nor even thanks, have been given to the men for their hard fyrriee.”

Hayjjlo'jm. School.-— The above school will be re-opened on Monday, 7th January. Mr y.. .eisseh.. lats oi Haricn College, Taemania, will bo the teacher. Peeyalance of Bysenteet. —We are sorry to learn that this fatal complaint has of iate become very prevaiani,—no less than three infant children, those reaneo* « ! ’v»dy of Mr W. \V. Y ats-a, Mr F. SuttOi-, and Mr G. E. Lee, —having been carried ojT by it within the past few days. Parents will be wise to watcii for the first indication* of its attack on their little ones, so as to be able to adopt remedial measures in time to arrest its progress and save their lives. The Oeeat Shi? Sage feom China to London. —The Glasgow Herald of the 29th September states that Mr Rogers, of that city, the owner of the ship Taeping, which won the race, presented Capt. MTCinnoa with the very handsome bum of £SOO ia acknowledgement of the ability and seamanship he displayed throughout the contest.