AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1864,

North Otago Times, Volume 1, Issue 1, 25 February 1864, Page 4

AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1864,

Men, amendable to the teachings of reason, when they have reached the term of middle life, discover that they have outlived many baseless hopes and fond imaginations, which in the heyday of youth they cherished as substantial possessions. The ambitious dreams and glowing aspirations die away^as the prosaic realities of life become more importunate . The youthful visions " fade into the light of common day," and are seen by the sober .eye of experience to have been, after all, but impracticable fancies. The French writers prettily call them "lost illusions," and many a sentimental story have they founded on them. Once gone, moreover, they never return. Sometimes whole communities, equally with individuals, are subject to these romantic and visionary delusions in their hot youth. Any person who remembers the state of things in this Province four or five years ago, will readily agree with us in this assertion. There were really in those days no limits to the imaginations of the people as to the future greatness and glory which were in store for Otago. The Millenium was dawning for everybody; and within a very brief period indeed Aye were dll to be basking in its meridian splendour. 2ime has passed on, and we are still as far away from the era of universal blessedness as ever. We have outlived our youthful visions. " Whither is fled the visionary gleam ? Where are they now, the glory and the dream ?" There is no doubt that these follies were, at any rate, matured by the glitter of the golden Pactolus which was then beginning to flow in upon us in a mighty stream ; yet somehow they also connected themselves— and perhaps mure fully-— with the Crown Lands question. The opening up of the lands was to do everything for us. It was to be the reinstitution of the long-lost Paradise, and thenceforth Otago was to be chief among the happy Provinces of New Zealand. If the lands were once fully opened up for free selection, and people allowed to settle wheie they pleased, multitudes of happy settlers would at once establish themselves upon them, to live ever afterwards in a, state of perfect earthly felicity. This once accomplished, the gold would stay in the country, and everybody's fortune would be made. In a word, like the easy process of rubbing the old lamp in the Arabian, /alp., Jkt SsVi>j?t£. act of opening up the tun ds, m this way was to be the sure a.ftjLjCeWam me&.i\s 05 \ creating illimitable/W £ a ill*, for tU vWi 0i c. community. The c^cte of

ever, has run its full course, and is fading away. Wise men, having outlived the age of youthful romance, gather practical lessons from the disenchanting process through which they have passed. And so may communities also, if they chose to do so. This Province has outlived its illusions on the land question, and is now in a state of mind to listen to the teachings of soher reason. The fallacious ideas which gathered round the question in days gone by, have exploded. Two new " Waste Lands Acts" were passed through the Assembly recently, upon which, together with other existing Ordinances, a thoroughly sound and workable system may be framed. Of course, everything depends upon the honesty and uprightness of those in power for the time being. We want a land system based upon simple but impregnable principles, that will afford protection to all vested interests, and justice to the entire community. The pastoral tenant must be guaranteed a reasonably secure possession of his domain on equitable terms from the Government, until it is required for bona fide settlement. There must be no arbitrary dispossession, no extravagant and oppressive assessment, no hunting out the settler, merely to satisfy the irrational and despotic demands of the Demos. Fair play for vested rights, and full provision for the ! growth of the agricultural interests, are the only two essential principles of a sound and workable land scheme. It was simply by not recognising and carrying into practice these principles, that so much irreparable mischief has been done in the Province. When the lands were first " locked," a series of miserable and humiliating failures, and the sacrifice of much of the wealth of the Province, by not allowing capitalists to invest in land, was the result. We ought then to ha-\e learned the wisdom of reti acing our steps. By no device, however artful or ingenious, can the elementary principles of natural justice be set aside By no legislative jugglery can the fundamental principles of equity be overthrown. Nothing remains., we repeat, but the strict observance of the primary truths and facts of the question. The # purity of the auction system ; the continuance of a reasonable and equitable tenure to the settlers ; and the simple plan of keeping the survey of the agricultural lands so far in advance of the demand that the supply tan never fail. What more is lequisite? And all this maybe afforded by the existing Land Acts. Had this Province kept steadily to these principles from the first, its advancement in every way would have been, if somewhat slower, at all events steadier and surer ; and it would not now have been left, after years of abortive and costly experiment, to seek for a fresh means to settle the question.

We can discover nothing either in the language or sentiments of Pi^esidents Davis and Lincoln to indicate an approaching close to the mighty conflict in America. It has now been in progress nearly three years, and the people on both bides are still far from being exhausted. There certainly is something colossal and baffling about it. It is just as easy to realise the exact progress of the Roman arms in every part of that vast empire, when in the full splendour of conquest and conflict, or to grasp the campaigns of an Alexander or a Napoleon. Of a truth, Am?ri<& , bids fair to "whip creation," cLhcl to write down-such a page of blood <ijtc£ demand horrors upon the world's a n nds 4$ "ft o other people could produce. TheTedtnit, 'army numbers on (on paper)

700,000. The debt is (under") estimated at 1.100,000,000 dollars! The Confederate armies and national debt are smaller, but still vast, and rapidly increasing. And after all the fearful outlay of treasure and waste of human blood, the position is little changed. The South is perhaps as far now from subjugation as when the "wayward sisters" tore the starspangled banner ; and the North is as determined to restore thp Union as if al their defeats and retreats had been victories and conquests. There have been in this fratricidal strife, savage atrocities and brutal revenges such as would have disgraced the war of Indian aborigines. Butler, Turchair, and M'Neil, have secured a reputation which will ptink for ever. The press, the pulpit, and the mob, both North and South, hound on the dogs of war. Industry is paralysed. Hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness, riot in the heart < f the whole population. Bloated contractors are heaping up riches by robbery and wrong. A million and a half of armed men are forgetting habits of sober industry, to lay the foundation of a fierce military despotism, which may become the curse and terror of the world. Who will say that when the South is free she will not seek again the restoration of slavery : or that the North will not seek to cool its red-hot hatred of England bv an attempt on Canada and the West Indian Islands ? While the European nations may deem it right and politic to continue their costly and difficult neutrality, every element and scene in this unnatiiral and useless war should excite the mingled pity and indignation of all right-minded men. While in some respects Englishmen are more prone to sympathy with the Federal States than with the Con%lerate States, we cannot but observe the little principle and much insolent passion displayed by the North — such a demand for English sympathy in the muM of repealed threats and bounce — that Mr John Bu 1 ! ha* certainly been noble aH dignified in that he has boi-ne so much with po good a praoe. By the last mail we find that once move we are threatened with undying hate and fell revenge. Canada is threatened, and Ireland is to be raised in rebellion. But all this is absolutely a little of Jonathan bounce. We have not space for lengthened remarks on the messages of both Presidents. We are gratified to find so little in Lincoln's message that reflects the tempestuous passions of the Federal people. There is more calmness and dignity than might have been looked for. Still there is not a sentence in it from beginning to end indicative of the end of the struggle. President Davis calls loudly on his people for means and men to carry on the struggle— a ptruggle that will only be quenched by blood. The prospect, therefore is gloomy in every point of view. Every feeling of humanity revolts against this wicked and resultless war. Many practical lesson's, however, may be learnt from it — many dut ; es may be enforced from this painful spectacle.

We beg to remind the members of the Church of Enland that the adjourned ainiuiil meeting, for the purpose of electing Church Wardens, &c , Avill be held at the Court-house, Oamaru, on Wednesday next, the 3rd March, at 6 p.m. King Cobb has at last made his way into this '' district, and established a permanent line of coaches— carrying the mail between Oamaru and Bunedin. Messrs Hoyt and Co., we believe, hare spared no expense in the erection _cf stable* appointing relays of horses, and nurturing <zUcMef arrangements necessary to insure &reguh.r<s.ncL speedy transit. ,' No cat.es of any public impq-j^ncr- were kciu-tC at the Resident Magistrate's Cct-u i Wtt* w«/t,

During the month ending 31st January, 3473 ounces of gold were exported from the Port of Invercargill. The gold being the produce of Otago, the export duty was handed over to the Provincial Government. Nearly eight hundred bales of wool were shipped at this Port during the past week. A congregational meeting of the Presbyterian Church of Oamaru, was held at the School-house on Friday last. The Key. Charles Conner, presided. The main subject of consideration before meeting, was the desirability of erecting a Church in Oamaru. After considerubla dt&eus6ion, in which some of the leading members of the Congregation took part, a resolution was p&ased to the eilect that the present accommodation is not sufficient for the congregation, and, that therefore a Church bhould be erected of Jsufiicient capacity to scat five hundred persons — the cost of erection not to exceed fifteen hundred pounds A subscription list was opened then and there, and before tho meeting clobed the sum of one hundred and sixty three pounds was subscribed by seventeen gentlemen. The site chosen for tho new Church is on the flat, and contained in sections 13 and 14 Block Y. The follow nig gentlemen were appointed as a connmttee, to carry out the objects of the meeting, namely, Messrs Henry Campbell, David Bruce, James Bruce, J. C. Gilgrist, William Falkner, Henry Allen and John Hood. We are credibly informed that through the pressure of duty on the part of some one of our ofiicials, a number oi vessels have been obliged to leave the Port without being cleared during the past month. This is certainly an irregularity that ought not to be allowed to osibt on any grounds. Settlers driving sheep across the Waitaki River into tho Province of Otago, complain of being subjected to a great deal of inconvenience and delay, through the present Inspector not being equal to the work. Scmetimes, a ilock has had to wait ten days or moi c for the arm al of M>Hassell, the Inspector. The grievance however has only to be brought before Mr. Loggie, in order to have it remedied by the appointment of an additional ofiicer. We observe that the cricketing fever has at last reached Oamaru. A number of gentlemen luno taken the matter up, and it is \ery likely that before the end of the season we shall hear of a dub being permanently established, and be cal'ed upon to witness many coutestb with the bat and ball. Yesterday Messrs Waddle, Hudson, Marks, Thomas., and Poole, as a deputation waited upon the Resident Magistrate, to request the u<-e of tho Government Resen c until such tune as a grant was made for the special use of the club. The request was granted * The Government Gazette of tho 17th instant < ontams a proclamation prohibiting the importation of cattle from Gibbs Land and Morniugton, the only places in Australia wherein stock could bebl'ipped to this Province since the prohibitory proclamation of January 18th last. All Australia is therefore included in the prohibitory proclamations now in force. Those who have not yet had their names registered on the electoralj roll, ought uot to lose an) time, since the registration season ends next month. The requisite qualifications to be possessed by those entitled to the foaucluse are, namely :— every man of the age of twenty one years and upwards, and being a natural born or naturalized subject of the Queen. Having a freehold estate in possession, situate within the district for which the -vote ib claimed, of the clear value of £50 abo\e all charges and meuinberanceb and of or to which lie hub been sued or entitled either at law or in equity for at least sin. callcudar months, before the 30th- of April, or having a leasehold estate in possesbion, situate -within such district, of the clear annual value of X'lo held upon a lease, which on the 30th of Apnf, or being a householder within Midi district, octupung a tenement and residing therein si\ d'eudar months previous to 30th April, if \wthm the hunts- of Dunedin, ol the clear annual value of £10, a »d if without the circuits of Dunedin, of the clear annual value of £5. The next Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court at Dunedin, Mill commence on Tuesday, March Ist. We are informed that a ferry boat is about to be übed on the Waitaki rner at the crothing of the new line of road from Oamaru toTimuru, and will be ready for iibe in about a week from the prebent time. Captain Godfrey has permanent h laid on the William Miskm between Oamaru and Dunedin; and has arranged that bhe shall start regularly frem this port on Monday s and Thursday. On Tuesday hibt an election of one member of the Tow n Board of Oamaru, in place of Mr Michael Grenfell, resigned, vias to have taken place, but owing to the returnmg olliccr, Thomas Wmdle Parker, Esq , It M , not having >fr?fciviBii,the^ necessary official notification he dtd.Lne.cL % Wo believe that tins is the S€Co>ic/ ttnt-t. Mj^Bfey of election of members to Sztve. in Hit TVfciyfcfJoiird of Oamaru, has been a.j?j>Dtn ttU yJitltitfiAgiafr made known officially kfM rei.ur/ii-itg offtMt^