The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1864.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 27, 25 August 1864, Page 2

The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1864.

Two items of recent news are so important, that they cannot fail to recall the attention of all who read them to the fact that we are not Otagans merely, but colonists of New Zealand. A few months ago the arrival of a steamer from the North was anxiously looked for, and the news it brought was always exciting. The war in the Waikato country was then beginning to assume proportions which led us constantly to expect great results from the operations of our troops. At the same time, in the General Assembly then in session, a strife was going on almost as important to the interests of the colony as that which was waged with the Maori. Amongst other things, that old and very sore question, the position of the political capital of these islands, was once more brought on the carpet. Times were changed since any serious discussion of this subject had last been indulged in; and when it was suddenly brought forward again, the turn which affairs took in the Assembly in reference to it was as unexpected to the country as the decision itself. Northern mails are now more frequent than they were, and we do not await them with much anxiety. We have learnt by repeated disappointments that, in a war with the Maori, vast preparations do not, and probably never will, lead to anything like commensurate results. The Assembly is long since out of session, and since its members were scattered to their homes political news has been rather scanty. But however slow in coming, important news has at length reached us of the result of all

our expensive war-preparations. Peace proposals have been made by men of influence on the side of the Maoris—proposals of such a character as to lead his Excellency and the two most prominent members of his Cabinet to accompany General Cameron to Tauranga, where an interview with Wi Thomson and other chiefs has taken place ; and by the same mail we learn that the Commission appointed by the Australian Governors to whom the Assembly appealed, and who are to decide upon our future capital, have entered upon their labors, having arrived at Wellington on the Bth of the current mouth.

The subjects to which we have alluded may seem to have very little to do with one another, and the mauner in which we have coupled them is perhaps rather fanciful than logical. Unfortunately, however, there is a connection between them, neither fanciful in its character nor light in its consequences. It is impossible not to see that the position of the capital has had a world to do with the

Waikato war. A stranger to the circum- j stances of the last year, would no doubt be greatly astonished that Governor Grey and his advisers had gone to Tauranga with the hope of settling a war which was virtually commenced on the Waitara, and the flames of which were re-kindled at Tatarairaaka. A glance at the relative position of these places on the map of New Zealand, will perhaps surprise many who, though they have read the accounts of the war as they have come to us from month to month, but have not taken the trouble to acquaint themselves particularly with the geography of the region in which it has been waged. Thinking of the beginning of the now probable end of this costly strife, it is impossible to avoid the exclamation—" For what have we been fight- " ing!" Only one answer comes readily to our lips—it may not be the right one, but it certainly is an obvious one. Looking at the method of the war, the means employed, in it, and the results obtained from it, what can we have been fighting for but a frontier for the Province of Auckland ? If Peace is at length come to crown war with its best victory, or whenever it may come, whatever else we may gain by the Maori War of 1863-4 will appear to be collateral to this probable object. If we obtain the most abject submission of every tribe that we have been hunting from fastness to fastness during the last twelve months, this will be a side-result of our attaining what has apparently been our main object. And even if this submission is brought about, and if we bring ourselves to believe that it was really this that we were aiming at all the while—what has it all got to do with the circumstances which ostensibly caused the war ? And will the submission at Tauranga enable the unfortunate colonists of New Plymouth to drive the ploughshare in peace through Tataraimaka ? and how are those savages, the Taranakis and the Ngataruinuis, punished by

If Auckland had not been the political capital of the Colony, the affairs of this war would never have borne the unsatisfactory appearance we have been describing. We say appearance, because we hear so much about the pureness of the motives of this war and the far-sightedness and disinterested character of the councils by which it has been guided, that, notwithstanding all we can see with our eyes and hear with our ears, we shall not venture to form a judgment upon it until we can read its history in some great Blue Book published under the wing of some future House of Representatives. If the war has not been for Auckland, and Auckland alone, that city has had a marvellous effect upon its character and its whereabouts. Like a magnet near a mass of steel filings, it has made everything either point to it or from it, and grouped every circumstance into symmetrical relations with its present interest and future progress. All this may have been purely accidental. Fortune comes to us sometimes without our asking, and from sources which we could not have divined. But however this may be, the process is one which we should not like to see repeated. Auckland is doomed to lose her supremacy. The capital of New Zealand is to be " sorae- " where in Cook's Straits." Auckland has, in the meantime, made the most of her opportunities ; but as she is shortly to be shorn of some of her glories, we have, we confess, some little scruples about being too hard upon her. But if our new capital is to repeat the game which Auckland has been playing, the thing will be disastrous without the redeeming quality of novelty. We tremble, therefore, when we think that Wellington or Wanganui are just now trying on new ribbons, and cultivating their most winning airs, to captivate these Australian Commissioners. What if one of these two should ogle successfully for their graces. Should we not see some new outrage at Taranaki (and if the war is to end at Tauranga, we shall hear of such before we are a year older), awakening a war which will establish a frontier for Wellington also. Land—which, report says, surpasses even the famous valley of the Waikato—abounds between New Plymouth and Wanganui. Many believe, and we are disposed to join in their faith, that if General Cameron had forced the communication between these two places, and soundly chastised the tribes which have closed it, the war would have been far more useful, and the peace which is to close it far more sound and lasting, than anything that can result from the operations actually carried out. It is not too late for this to be done yet. It will have to be done some day, either by force of. arms or by more peaceful methods. But the idea that we may have another twelvemonths of such war-expenditure as we are now groaning under—that another war is to begin at Taranaki, wander away into the fat lands which Wellington and Wanganui covet, and be settled at Otaki, or perhaps at Ahuriri, by a peace made with men who have nothing to do with the outrage

which may have evoked it,—is too dreadful to be thought of. But will Wellington be able to ward off such a piece of good fortune from itself any more than Auckland ? If the Commissioners have any love for New Zealand, they will give her a capital that cares nothing about Maori lands or useful frontiers, and can gain nothing but taxes from a Maori war.

The public news, by the last European mail, is of an ominous nature, and it is also tantalising. Something is looming, it may be ! another great European struggle; but just as the mail left, the question of British interference between Germany and Denmark was still hanging in the balance; and although the result would be determined a few days thereafter, the newspapers which have ar- f rived only contain vaticinations, which however are most likely to be fulfilled. One thing is certain that no ordinary anxiety prevailed at home, and that it is quite possible that by this time Britain has taken part with Denmark against Germany. With regard to the Conference which had been sitting for some time in London, that has been a total failure; and six months have been thrown away in fruitbss negociations, the two belligerent powers all the time retaining their hostile attitudes towards each other, when not actually in conflict. On the 22nd June the Conference concluded its sittings. On that occasion, it is stated, the Austrian pie-"' nipotentiary opened by unconditionally rejecting arbitration, and was followed by the Prussian delegate, who was willing to refer to arbitration, reserving however full right to reject the decision of the arbitrators. The Danish representative peremptorily declined the proposal, and read an able paper, in which, among other matters, he severely criticised the conduct of England. He charged the English Government with having pursued towards Denmark, from the beginning to the end, a policy of inconsistency; and condemned, in no measured terms, the varying attitudes taken by our Cabinet. The Earl of Clarendon defended the conduct and policy of England warmly, even vehemently. A discussion on the prolongation of the armistice for six months, proposed by Prussia, then ensued; but it was positively declined by Denmark unless some basis of pease could be laid down. This declaration closed the discussion. It is further announced that the Council of Ministers met on the 24th and 25th June, and agreed upon the policy which was to have been announced to Parliament by Lords Palmer&ton and Russell on the 27th June, as that of a united Cabinet, by which they would be prepared to stand or fall. The Cabinet, it is said, has been by no means unanimous on the important subject, and the people are getting tired of the delay. The Earl of Derby emphatically exclaimed—" Much as I love peace, " I love honor more!" England is impatient of any aspersion oast upon its good faith, and such aspersions on the part of Denmark have stung the nation. The "London Observer" says:—"The a time for deliberation has been long and " patient. It may be it has been tedious. " But it is past, and the time for action has " probably arrived. We are altogether for " peace, if pence can be obtained ; but we are " altogether for war, if war be necessary for " the general good, and the national honor-" We greatly fear that war is imminent. A private correspondent of our own, in a letter dated June 25th, evidencing the prevalent belief, says :—" The Conference has broken " up without any arrangement, and war be- " tween this country and Germany seems " inevitable. I learn that a vote of censure " will be proposed against the Government, " which is likely to be carried, and the result " will be an immediate dissolution." The number of the majority against the Ministry had actually been calculated and set down at twenty. We need not say that it would entirely depend upon the policy enunciated by the Ministry whether a vote of censure would even be proposed. Lord Palmerston, in former days, when War Secretary, was never very famous for stubbornly supporting a peace policy when warlike measures were required ; nor will he be so now. The oppression threatened and already in operation against Denmark, cannot be permitted by her ally; and yet it is a serious matter for our country to go to war with Germany. Should such a war arise, it can be looked upon as little else than fratricidal, so intimate are the relations between Britain and the great German family. The usual consequences have already followed from the present uncertainty—great commotion in the country, and the depreciation of the English funds and foreign stocks, and alarm and anxiety among the numerous Germans located in Britain, and of the English located in Germany. L In America, the success of the belligerents ; are ever fluctuating. By the last news, however,

the Federals, as many times before.have suffered reverses, having been defeated at Petersborough, with the loss of 8000 men, and having lost, in round numbers, 100,000 during the struggles of a single month. In consequence of the constant slaughter, the country is getting drained of men. In consequence of so many deaths, immense numbers of women and children are left unprotected, the effect of the large leyics is that industrious employments and the cultivation of the srround can no longer be carried on ; the war prices throughout both the Northern and Southern States are almost incredible, and the privations consequently entailed are frightful in the extreme ;—added to all which, the debt incurred is fast sinking the country into irretrievable bankruptcy. Alas for America ! The destruction of the famous Al.bama by a Federal steamer of superior force, has caused no ordinary sensation. Perhaps no war vessel was ever so destructive or so dreaded as the Alabama was. The challenge is itself a remarkable feature in the contest. How can the Northern continue to consider the Southern party as rebels, when they challenge and thus encourage them to fight ?

In consequence of the press of local matter,aadve- t tisements, English news, &c., we are compelled to hold . over our Dunedin and Hawkesbury Correspondents' . letters, detail of gold fields news, and other ai tides. £ r\ dreadful accident occurred on Friday, 19th inst., 1 at " Fortification Rocks," about three and a-half miles from Oamaru, to a quarryman of the name of Wdliam _ Doak, while opening a quarry. It appears that, while _ standing on a large block of stone, he was trying to re- _ move anothei block, when the one he was standing on, j being undermined, toppled over, carrying him with it, j when, by the falling block, or by falling fourteen feet, { or both, he sustained di eadful injuries, having his thigh, two ribs, and his jawbone fractured, and his nose being j severely bruised. The police sent out medical assistance, Drs. Wait, Williams, and Myles promptly attending, and applying the proper medical and surgical remedies. Messrs Waymouth and Pinkerton, who hap- J pened to be on the spot, affoided all the attention in their power, the former having ridden into town express to summon aid. The poor man still survives, and there | are even hopes that he may recover. He is a single man, about thirty-two years of age, a native of Kilwining, Scotland, who arrived in the colony by the City of Dunedin, and has no relations here. Other papers are ! requested to copy this notice. ..''The present Post Office hours here are in an unsatis- ( r factory state. The regular mail is thrice a-week from Dunedin—on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, arriving about seven p.m. ; departing the following days at an early hour. The Post Office hours are from nine to five daily. The consequence is that no letters are delivered on the nights of arrival, and no replies can be sent for several days afterwards. The 1 emedy is an easy one. The hours could be made from ten to foui, and on mail nights, from seven to nine, by which simple arrangement parties could receive their letters and post answers the same evening. A memorial should be sent to the Postmaster-General on the bubject. '"It will be gratifying to the friends of the Piesbyterian cause in the Oamaru district to know that the plansaad specifications for the erection of a new Church have been received from Messrs Mason and Clayton, architects. Dunedin. At a meeting of committee held on Tuesday night, these plans received the sanction and cordial approval of all nresent. They believe that they have at length succeeded in procuring a design in every way suited to the circumstances and requirements of the Presbyterians in the district. The Church, when finished, will be an elegant, commodious, and comfortable edifice. The members of committee consider that it is high time that the collectors be requested to take an early opportunity of calling on subscribers for their subscriptions. We beg the attention of our subsci ibers to the fact that our six months terminated on the 18th inst. It will confer a great favor on us if they will promptly pay in their subscriptions for the current half-year ; their so doing is of importance to us, and will save us much expense and trouble. Those who have done us the favor hitherto to take more than one paper, will, we hope, continue the number, as an encouragement to us, until the paper is more fully established. We have to remind our readers that the vacancy in the Town Board is to be filled up to-day. The election takes place in the Court House, at 12 o'clock ; if a poll is demanded, it will be taken on the following day. /"The news from the goldfields generally tell of winter weather, and proclaim the difficulties experienced by the miners at this season. The Molyneux, in particular, affords fast alternations of hope and disappointment. The former news contained accounts of the damage done by the floods. This tantalising stream has ag »in fallen, and is again raising the hopes of the miners. Mr War den Hickson, writing from Manuherikia, under date 13th August, remarks :—" The weather continues fine, and the River Molyneux falling ; miners steadily working both beaches and banks ; several good patches have been struck in the latter ; Manorburn dam re-erected ; no items of any importance." There is considerable excitement in Southland with reference to a large quantity (many pounds) of gold which has foen offered for sale in Inverca gill, and supposed to be an indication of an important goldfield in the district. The matter, however, i* as yet involved in mystery. We intimated in our last that the new Post Office here was completed, and about to bo occupied ; we have now the pleasure of announcntg that this substantial and commodious building was opened on Monday last. It cannot fail to be a great accommodation to the pnblie, as well as a comfort to the offiri.ils, and will conduce to the despatch of public business. are favored with a copy of a letter, dated 22nd inst., addressed by M. S. Gleeson, Esq , as representing of -the Oamaru district, to tho Superintendent and Executive Council on tho subject of pleuropneumonia, in which he strongly protests against this district being declared an infected one before it is so, especially as so much money has been expended, and is now being spent, to keep ltfiee from infection—a course which he maintains would be unjust, oppressive, and probably ruinous. He also reminds the Superintendent of his pledge to a deputation some months since, that no district should be declared infected before it was proved that it was absolutely necessary to do so. We will publish this letter, together with the principal Inspector's report, next week. Perhaps before then, a reply to the letter may have arrived. With reference to an advertisement as to the sailing of the Geelong steamer, we may notice that the report which prevailed that she was about to be removed from this station is entirely unfounded. Her sailings, however, are confined to once a-week, on Tuesdays, which . will sufficiently meet our requirements for the present.

In this days issue Messrs. Hoyt and Co. have advertised a reduction of their coach fares. The journey between thi_ and Dunedin is in future to b. £210s, which must be considered uncommonly moderate. The fares for the intermediate distances are proportionately reduced. This conduct evidences spirit and enterprise and deserves encouragement. The weather here during the past week has been variable, alternately fine and shower}'. It is getting milder and is admirably adapted for agricultural operations. A considerably increased breadth of land will be put under crop this season in the district, which is so admirably adapted for raising cerials. observe that a district ploughing match is advertised to be held at Cherry Farm, Hawkesbury, on Thursday next, Ist Sebtember, open to all ploughs, entrances ten shillings each. The prizes offered are liberal. A special general meeting of the Oamaru IWe Board was held on Friday last, a 7 o'clock p.m., pursuant to advertisement. No other business was before the meeting except the consideration and passing of some accounts. We a>"e given to understand that Messrs Lowe and Bruce's tender for carrying the mails between Oamaru and the Morven Hills has been accepted. The mails will be despatched for the first time on Monday next, - // A two-storey stone hotel at Otepopo wss founded by Mr Glass, builder here, on the 19th inst. A number of English and Gorman coins were deposited within ;. * cavity in the foundation-stone. Tho house is buildin ; for Mr Christian Hille, at present licensee of th. Western Hotel at Kurrow. It will be handsome an I commodious, and a great convenience for the public. The Post-master General has issued new regulations for the postage of Australian and New Zealand letter? nearly doubling rates by overland route, and introducing an absurd mode of transit per ship of which the rates are moie moderate. This proposed mode of increasing the Post-office revenue is based on error ; it will haye the effect, instead, of diminishing tb. number of letters. We mean to comment more at length on this subject next week. The New Zealand Exhibition building is now rapidly approaching completion. The small towers at the angles are already finished and the walls being cemented. The sketch of the building exhibited here by Mr Waymouth, showed the main building, and two large annexes seemingly almost as large as the maia erection; these, however, are not to be undertaken ffc present. A great number of applications for space havo been received and some of these from the home coimtry; tho undertaking looks piomising. The "Wakatip Mail" reports:—" The heavy rains that closed last week were especially felt at the foot cf the Lake, and down the road towards Invereargil", where a furious wind accompanied them. The Matura rose rapidly, and for more than a day was quite impassable, the river having ovei flowed its banks, and covered the flat for some distance up each side. Tl c Invercargill mailman was thus prevented crossing tl o stream, and the mails did not reach Queenstown till Monday. On the lulls the snow fell heavily, and be~ tween the Nevis and Nokomai was about four feet _n depth." The " Nelson Examiner" noticing the town improvements m Picton says:—" We notice with, satisfaction that a number of laboui ci s have been set to work, __ dealing the numeious stumps in Nelson-square, which have so long been an eye-sore to the townspeople by day, and so dangerous to waj farers after dark. This portion of Picton is to form the site for a portion of the General Government buildings, should Queen Charlotte Sound be selected by the Commissioners ss that port« _» t>f Cook's Strait to « hich the seat of Government is zo be removed. The " Marlborough Press" reports the discovery of a rich bed of coal in a creek running into the Wakamarina. It says :—" Our informant states that he arrived in Picton two days since, and that he formed one of a party of five who were prospecting for gold in a four miles this side of the Forks, when then' attention was drawn to a seam of coal cropping out from between some huge stone boulders They procured a smril quantity, and on trying it found the coal to burn well, giving out a clear fl.ime but leaving a considers! le quantity of ash. It is the intention of the party to get a few more hands to join them. They then propose removing the boulders which obstruct the way, they will make a drive into the bank for the purpose of ascertaining the dip of the seam and obtaining a quantity, that it may be brought in either to Picton or Havelock and its quality tested by persons capable of pronouncing judgment " $ The " Otago Miil " reports :—" A pleasing spectacle was witnessed by the inhabitants of North Taieri on the 17th inst. The farmers of the district welcomed the ai rival amongst them of Mr Gallin, by turning out in full force and giving him a day's ploughing. Then s\r settler must have been agreeably surprised at the f-.p----pearanco of 27 teams which set to work in right good earnest to turn up his 50 acre paddock. It was a delightful day, and the sunshine was favorable to the exhibition of good feeling which the neighbors vied with one another in evincing on the auspicious occasion. The men turned out in their best biband tucker, and the horses were gady decorated with ribbons as if for a festive scene." The "Nelson Examiner" roports :—" We have her rd that it is the intention of h_» Honour tho Superintendent to furnish, and place at the disposal of the Commissioners appointed to determine the Seat of Government "or the colony, during their sojourn in Nelson, a suite of rooms in the eastern wing of the Government Buildings." It is announced on reliable authority that the General Assembly will meet at the end of Febiuary, and will sit at Christchui eh, unless the Commissioners shall have previously fixed on the permanent Seat of Government. It is stated that one of the reasons for deferring _ie sitting* until February, is a desire to have the returns completed which will be effected before tliafc time. The General Government undertakes to propose a "nil to the General \ssembly at its next meeting, enabl.ng the General Government to guarantee, on the part of the colony, all the loans which Provincial Governments have heretofoi c been empowered to raise under Act* or Ordinances to which the Governor has given his 'assent, and restricting the Provincial Council from raising r-ny further sums by loan, except by Act of the General Assembly. Thn is highly important for Otago as v ell as the other Provinces, and will probably float tho debentures without further difficulty. The Superintendents visit to Auckland has obtained for the Province a loan of £30,000 should it be required, which probably it will not. The Theatre in Dunedin is closed, and tho Oper* troupe has arrived. Tho Theatre is to be leased by Mr Wolfe for a year as soon as the short Opera season i_ concluded Mr and Mrs Holt have gone to Europe. In consequenca of the meeting of the working mer at the Octagon and the deputation from their meeting which waited on the Superintendent, the government has offered employment to 180 men. [Advertisfmfnt.J — Attention is attracted <hi_ week, in passing the shop of Messrs Landon and Co., saddlers, Wansbeek-street, near the Northern Hotel, to the very fine stock of Provincial-made saddlery, principally of Landon and Co.'s own manufacture. They deserve every success for their perseverance in obtairing such a class of saddlery so much required in this district.