The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 33, 6 October 1864, Page 2

The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER G, 1861.

It has been our duty to reiterate and enforce the claims of this district on the Provincial Government, and we have done so with the strongest conviction of the justice of the cause in which we were engaged. The returns of land sales published in the Government Gazette of 28th September materially strengthen our hands while we farther pursue this subject, which it is the more incumbent on us again to revert to, because of the meeting of the Provincial Council on the 11th inst, but which we hope the proceedings of the Council may save us the necessity of dwelling upon so persistently in future as it has hitherto been our lot to do. Before adverting to the latest sales of land we will glance at the contents of the Report of the select committee on the memorials presented to the Council at the commencement of last session. This committee commence by stating that they are of opinion that "the town and district of Oamaru have strong " claims on the Provincial revenue on account " of the large sums which have been received " from the lands within the town of Oamaru l ' and the adjacent country, and also on ac-*

" count of the valuable lands still remaining " for sale, and from which a large profit will " accrue to the State. The survey district of " Papakaio within the Oamaru hundred, con- " tains about 40,000 acres, of which 25,391 " acres have been surveyed. The first sale " of these lands will commence in a few days. " The gross sum from rural and town lands " which has been received up to the present " date, amounts to £73,213." Now turn we to the returns above mentioned just published, being the return of sales of town and rural lands in the Province of Otago from February to August last, and wo shall find such figures as the following. We shall quote only from May, presuming that the previous months are included in the amount above given : — Rural Lands: May— Oamaru, £6325; Otepopo, £1070. June— Oamaru, £2711; Otepopo, £2933. July— Oamaru, £19082 ; Otepopo, £7665. August — Oamaru, £2668 ; Otepopo, £1164. This will give a sufficient idea of the quantity of land being sold monthly in the district. The amount derived from the sale of s town and country lands for these months only, in the Oamaru and Otepopo districts, is no less than £44,120! or three-fifths the whole revenue derived during that period from the sale of lands (both town and rural) within the Province. Such facts as these ought surely to appeal to the Government and Council in favor of the claims which are now being urged upon them by the inhabitants of this district for! such common necessaries as shipping accommodation and town and road impiovements, which are so liberally bestowed on other portions of the Province. The fact is, however, that this subject, if not attended to now, will force itself on the attention of the Government. When the price of the waste lands ia received into the exchequer, and when a number of new settlers are thus introduced into a district, the Executive enter into at least a moral obligation, if not a legal and equitable engagement, to provide the district with such public works, out of its own revenue, as are necessary for the advancement of the town and district. Let it be kept in view that the Select Committee's report already alluded to, recognised the following claims as pressing for eaily attention : — That " the settlers in the Oamaru " and Papakaio districts enthely depend on " the Oamaru port for the shipping of pro- " duce and the importation of goods. Inde- " pendently of this thcic is a very large tract " of country, including the whole of the "northern part of the Pnmncc, and that "part of Canterbury 1/ing adjacent to the "River Waitaki, wlvch also depends upon " the Port of Oamaru for the export of wool, "now amounting to 5000 bales, and the im- " port of goods." So much for the necessity of shipping and landing facilities. " The " Committee are of opinion that the erection "of a biidge across the Whare Kuri, on the " northern interior line, is a very necessary " undertaking. With regard to the comple- " tion of the road between Otepopo and " Oamaru, a favorable recommendation has | " been made by the Chief Engineer of Roads, " with due regard to the claims of the Pro- " vince generally. The formation of Severn- " street, through the town of Oamaru, is an " essential part of the 1 " main northern road, " and the Committee are of opinion, with the " officer above referred to, that it should be " proceeded with as early as possible." So much for the necessity of making and maintaining the main northern road. As to the town itself, the Committee " regard the pro- " posed improvement of Arun-street as " properly coming under the authority of the " Town Board. With refeience to sewerage, " the Committee are of opinion that such "works should be undertaken on a general " principle applicable to all localities ; the " same should apply to cemeteries." Very diplomatic and enigmatical this, but where are the funds to come from ? The Government absorbs the revenue of town and country alike; and the Town Board, although qiiite willing to be guided by the " general principle," and to proceed with improvements accordingly, is unable, because its exchequer is empty, drained by the Provincial exchequer. " The Committee think that grants for the Mu- " nicipal reserves should be obtained as early ''as possible, and the Municipality established." In concluding the report, the Committee decline consideration of the improvement of the port until a survey shall have been held, " which they consider a '•most necessary work." This survey, we are glad to say, has been held. Ou these several points, then, the report of the Select Committee of Council appears so far conclusive, and they have conceded a good deal, if their recommendations are well followed up. We should have the main road and Severnstreet completed by the Government, and also the requisite improvements to the port ; and if our Town Board are to proceed on a proper " general principle," or rather proceed at all— for it comes to that— they must possess the .means of expenditure. The great importance of port improvements having been acknowledged, they will of course be executed, and with as little delay as possible. These subjects have this Aveek been taken up by a public meeting, reported in another column, whose proceedings will speak for themselves.

There appears again to be a hope that the New Zealand war is about to terminate, and there is no subject more important, for is it not the struggle with the natives which has brought about all the difficulties under which the colony is at present laboring ? The financial crisis has mainly been produced by this cause ; the differences between the Governor and his Ministry have the same origin ; the necessity for asking a large loan from the home country and an Imperial guarantee aie from the same source. This also has brought about the difficult relations in which the colony stands at present with the home Government. Every portion of the body politic suffers when one member suffers, and consequently all the provinces are deeply involved in the issue of the struggle with the Maoris, and in the question whether it is now to be peace. We wish that it could be fully credited that our relations with the natives are as eminently satisfactory as the late accounts from Auckland would lead us to believe. These are of a very flattering kind indeed, describing the submission of several of the tribes, the altered tone of one of the most influential of the rebel leaders — W. Thompson — and the comparative quietude of even the vexed district of Taranaki. Taranaki, indeed, appears to be the only district where any hostility still impends, and the General appears to hesitate to send troops there, lest he might stir up renewed warfare, which might otherwise be avoided. The following extiacts contain important news: they are from the " Southern Cross," and its correspondents' letters. After announcing the surrender of several parties of rebel natives, it is stated : — .- In another letter I informed you that Mr Gage's letter to the Ngatimatakoii and Ngatimaniapoto had been received, and that the natives, to the number of 150, and consisting of men, women, and childien, had held a tangi, and had expressed their intention to sui rendei. The Pi incess Sophia is among this paity, and has just recoveied fiom a seveie illness ; but whether she intends coming in with the others there i^> no evidence to show, but piobably she will do so. These natives will assemble at Tuakau, and come from that place to Kopua in a few days hence, when Mr Gage will go up and biing them into his camp. I am confidently assured that they now soo the eiror of their ways, and aie detei mined to sm render aa boon as the necessaiy piepaiations have been nude. Ah I informed you in a previous communication, the llev "William Barton (Wiremu Baiatone) and Samuel (Hamueia), native clergvmen, went out to Hangatiki last week, being met at Kopua by a number of tho Ngatimaniapotos and others who had come down to conduct them to Hangatiki. About fifteen icbel natives Kimeudeiedat Maketu the othei day, and took the oath of allegiance. OLheis are expected shoi tly to come in and do likewise. Everything promises peace on all Mttes. There are unmistakable signs that the natives aie beginning to see the futility of fiuthei lesistnnoe ; and in piopoition to then decieasing confidence in the success ot the scheme of a distinct and sepaiate nationality, there is an increase in their appreciation of the blessings of peace, and the benefits of law and older. Even William Thompson, the head and fiont of the rebellion ; the finn, unyielding, obstinate champion of Maon rights and mteiests ; the King makei ; the gieat subtle hope and stay of the lebels, begins to see that the game is lost, and can now actually condescend to convpise with a pakeha — a delegate fiom the Native Office. A few days ago Mr Mackay had an inteiview with Thompson and a considoiable number of his followeis at Matinata, at which this arch-rebel depiocated the continuance of hostilities, and expiessed his dfbiie foi peace. Mr Mackay then indicated tho means bj' which this deMiable end could be seemed, namely, by sui lender and compliance with the conditions set foith by the Goveinoi ; and earnestly advised Thompson to uso his authonty and influence in bunging the natives to submission. Thompson returned an answer to the following effect :- He (Thompson) had long been anadvocate for submission and had endeavoied to induce his followeis to sui lender, hut they lofused, and would not listen to his voice. Thompson is said to liavo conducted himself veiy humbly during the interview, and to have left with the pionnso of coiiMdeiing tho advice he had received. The following paragraph gives further rumors, apparently authenticated, extending even to the Taianaki natives : — The " New Zealand Herald " states on good authority that the rebel chief W Thompson has written to the Goveinoi expiessing his wish to come to teims of peace — stating that vutu.illy the war is now over, and that W. King, of Wailara, is also willing to aiiango matters. The same, &ays the " Herald," is said of the Taianaki iebels; but howmatteis could be ananged with murdeious savagps such as the Taianakis aud Ngatu uanuis, we cannot exactly undei stand. The escape of the 200 Maori prisoners, which has no doubt been permitted by the Government to occur, in order to save the heavy expense of maintaining them, as well as because there were great difficulties in the way of their ultimate disposal, also to our thinking indicates the probability of a conviction on the part of the authorities that a general peace is likely to be arranged. Had Avar operations been going on, or in expectation, the large number of prisoners would not have been left to the guardianship of two or three men ; anil having been so it shows nothing else but a desire that they should escape. If at length peace is about to be accorded to the colony, it is not too soon ; for, now that the Imperial Government are showing a disposition to withdraw the militaiy, or at least to accord New Zealand only a very small measure of assistance, it would be quite impossible for the colony to struggle under the expenditure of a million o year for military purposes. In fact, the colony is at present laboring under serious difficulties which are accumulating from all sides, and it is not to be wondered at that many enquiries are made, and from all parts of the colony, why the Assembly is not convened. Rumors are rife that serious differences exist between the. Governor and the Ministry, but this only strengthens the call for a meeting of the Legislature. The " Lyttelton Times " strongly urges the necessity of this step. It bays : — " If, dm ing the next month, no news ai rives from Auckland that the Geneial Assembly is to be summoned, it will be high time for the southern colonists to petition the Govemoi to summon the repiesentatives of the people. Tho Geneial A&s&inbly will liavo before it a veiy lesponsible duty. But we cannot think there is much room foi hesitation as to the first step that must be tiken. All expenditure, apait fioin that absolutely necessitated by pievious enga^inc'iils, must bo stopped at once. Central Government Emigration Agent-, in Great Biitain must be re-called, or instiucted to stop all opeiations ; aud detailed accounts must be demanded at once. The Government has fan warning to get these accounts leady, the Assembly will find it good economy to spend any amount that may be uecessaiy to get them into shape without delay. As to the guaiantee offeied on certain conditions by the ImpeiialLegislatuio.it is needless to say that it must bo rejected, as one of tho?e conditions involves repudiation. It is absolutely stipulated that the guaranteed loan is to take precedenco of all other loans already laised by tho colony, with the oxception of that of 1856. The Assembly must reject the guaiantee, and consider the proposed agreement for future military service in the colony. The whole question of the relations between the Governor and his lesponsible ministers is re-opened, and must be settled. There appears, indeed, to be a crisis approaching in the monetary affairs of the colony, and that is a subject which requires to be taken up and put on a sure basis. At paesent the general administration and the affairs of the general provinces are alike suffering from the insecurity at pieseut existing. The Canterbury " Press " says — It is impossible but that; a meeting of the Assembly

must soon take place, and what may be the policy then resolved on it is impossible to say j but to believe that the present state of things will continue requires very strong faith. It is impossible to believe that the Middle Island will longer be content to be plundered in order simply to aggrandise the Province which is temporarily the Metropolitan Province of the Colony. It is of no use saying the war must still be prosecuted. The sword drops of itself from the hands of bankrupt States. Can we afford to keep 5000 colonial troops at the rate of £100 a man in the field — to pay for the occasional services of 5000 militia besides — and to maintain 10,000 British troops at the rate of £50 a man ? How long [is the Colony to continue spending a million a year, as Mr Reader Wood Bays it is now doing? Is there to be any definite peace on definite terms, or are we to wait until a sufficient number of small parties have come in in dribblets, to entitle us to think we may limit the forces employed ? Does any one see any definite end to the present state of things ? All these are questions which are awaiting solution in next session. The causes which are most likely to delay a meeting of the Assembly, are — the desire to wait the issue of the peace negotiations ; the expected report of the Seat of Government Commissioners; the coming census ; and it may be a wish to ascertain the decisions of Otago and Canterbury on the subject of finance. Since writing the above, rumors have come from the North that Ministers have tendered their resignations to Sir George Grey, in consequence of his having expressed a deter- i mination to offer terms of peace to the natives;' It may be, therefore, that peace is near at hand, and we only trust that it may be such an one as will last, and give satisfaction to the country. The escaped Maoris have been found, and are ready to return to confinement.

& At length the inhabitants of this town appear to be inclined to bestir themselves id reference to the important subject of instituting a Building Society, in regard to which they have hitherto been particularly backward. Oamaru is peculiarly suited for the success of such an association, considering that it is a town in a state of natural inci ease, and its increased rapid progress is certain, and considering also that almost every re&ident is ambitious enough to occupy his own freehold tenement ; but more particularly because of the unlimited supply | of excellent stone, and the facility with which houses can be erected. A requisition, subscribed by 66 persons, has been addressed to James Hassell, Esq., requesting him to call a public meeting on the subject, and his advertisement appeals in our present sheet, convening the meeting foi Tuesday next, the 11th inst, in the large room of the Northern Hotel, at 7 o'clock, on which occasion we fully expect to see a large and enthusiastic meeting, meaning business and nothing else. It may not be amiss to hint that more punctuality in attending at the hours named for public meetings is much required

On Monday night, 2Cth September, Sergeant Bullen having received inf 01 mation at Oamaru that a horse had been stolen from a man named Cornish at Palmerston and was supposed to have been taken north, after making inquiries proceeded in pursuit early on Tuesday. The same afternoon he came up with a man whom he identified by papers in his possession as James Duke, who was pieviously under suspicion of cattle stealing, and who had evaded pursuit for a month. Duke was disguised, having shaved off his whiskers, dyed his hair, &c. He was arrested between Makiki and Tiinaru with the stolen horse in his possession, handcuffed, and taken back to Jones's Hotel at the former place, where after secui ing the windows, the Sergeant ordered supper and finding that the prisoner could eat with difficulty iioned as he was, the Sergeant removed the handcuff fiom the left wrist : but while the Sergeant was speaking to the landloid at the door of the room requesting a chair, the prisoner stepped to the open door of a small bedroom, opening off the room, containing two iron bedsteads, and having a small window about 'dh by 2 feet, with a dressing table in front. The window opened outwaids in two parts, having a brass catch fastening it, and one of the halves being securely nailed. Suddenly the piisoner took a step into the bedroom, jumped on the tiblo, struck the window with Ilia shoulder, breaking the catch and the sash, and tlirew himself out, pursued closely by the Sergeant, who just caught him by the coat a.s he went out, but spiained one of his fingers in his attempt to hold him. He instantly followed, but the night was so dark that no trace of him could be found. The escape was sudden and totally unexpected. Sergeant Bullen, who had used much activity in the pursuit and arrest — hiring horses and riding express — made every seaich in the vicinity after the escape, wrote a description of the man for circulation at the stations, and sent information to the police at Timaru. He then started and made inquiries southwards as far as Waitaki, then returned and got into Timaru the same night. It was ascei tained that Duke had slept at a shepherd's house on the Otio the night after his escape. Sergeant James and two men of the Timaru police gave every assistance, and, as well as a force of the Otago police, are actively engaged in the pursuit. There can be no doubt 'that Sergeant Bxillen showed great activity in this affair, having ridden constantly from Tuesday morning till Saturday night, hiring horses where necessary. The escape, from the small size of the window, and the w hole circumstances, is almost unprecedented. It is to be hoped the offender may soon be in custody. Mr Frederick Walker of Green Island, ( late of Bullock and Walker), was returned as M.P.C for the Lmdis district on the 1st inst. Mr Walker was proposed by Mr E. A. Julius, seconded by Mr A. Campbell, and duly elected. Owing to an accident on the road, Mr Maddock's proposer and seconder were prevented from attending. Mr Walker formerly sat as M.P.C. for Dunedm. A vote of thanks to Mr Buchanan the returning officer, was. pioposed by Mr John Maclean, seconded by Mr Julius, and canied unanimously. ' A public meeting was held on Tuesday eveniag last, in the Oouit House, in terms of advertisement to memoralise the Provincial Council in regard to the requirements of the town and district. — Filleul, Esq., was called to the chair. It was agreed to appoint a committee to draw up an address to the Council respectfully requesting them to appropriate the necessary suras for town impiovements, seweiage, main lines of road, etc., and especially for harbor accommodation. A committee vas appointed to draw up the memorial, procuio signatuies and foiward it to some member for picsentalion, and a collection of nearly £7 was made in the loom to defiay the expense of procuring signatures. With reference to the subject of sewerage touched on at the meeting, we wish to reiterate our opinion that, the creek at its termination IS ITSELF AN OPEtt SEWER and a veiy large one, always containing a quantity of putrid animalcuke, besides seaweed, &c. Nothing is so offensive as stagnant water ; nothing more prejudicial to health, and there will he no effectual sewerage or drainago until a passage is opened by means of a stone or other tunnel for the drainage of the creek ; when that is done the means of drainage are secured and a great nuisance got rid of, which is sooner or later to produce disease. By an advertisement in our present issue our readers will learn with pleasure that a popular lecture on " The Eai th's Crust," to is be delivered by the Rev Charles Connor in the District Scboolhouse, on the 20th instant at 7 p.m., the prices of admission to be devoted to assist the building fund of the new Presbyterian Church. The example thus shown by Mr Connor is an excellent one, such means of intellectual recreation being rare in this district, and we have no doubt but that hia efforta will be appreciated by the public.

From last Gazette we learn that the following are th« L*nd [Sales in the Province from February to August last :— Town lands, March, L932 ; April, L55 ; May, L374; June, L317; July, L3412; August, L1093. Total, L6383. The sales of rural land are :— February, L686; March, 146,346; April, L10,733; May,Lll,233; June, L1L.812; July, L34.203 ; August, L12,333. Total, L127,344. The total for both town and rural lands was L133,527. We extract the following items : — In March, town lands — Oamaru, L694 ; Hampden, L43 ; Palmerston, L12. April — Oamant, L50. June — Oamaru, L65; Hampden, L5O. July — Oamaru, L437. Hamp« den, L226 ; Moeraki, L190. August— Moeraki, L10P3. Rural Lands — In February— Otepopo, L50. March — Oamaru, L7199 ; Otepopo, L4672 ; Moeraki, E15,0€>7. April— Oamaru, L78 ; Otepopo, L1831 ; Moeraki, L3136. May— Oamaru, L6325; Otepopo, L1070; Moeraki, L31. June— Oamaru, L2711 ; Otepopo, L2933; Moeraki, L486. July-Oamaru, L19.0S2; Otepopo, L7665; Moeraki, L5584. August — Oamaru, L2668 ; Otepopo, L1164 ; Moeraki, L307— (leaTing cut the odd shillings and pence). It thus appears that to the total amount received for town lands for these months, this district has contributed L3323 out of L6183 ; and for rural lands, L82.059 out of L127,344, being considerably more than one-half of the amount derived from town lands, and nearly two-thirds of the whole amount for rural lands contributed by the whole j# the Province combined. W ' Numerous complaints ©f late have been made by persons in town, of the destruction of their fowls by j poison. There was even some suspicion in one instance j that a child had by some means swallowed a portion of j poison so laid for f on Is, and it was for some time ill irith | all the symptoms of haviDg taken something deleterious* I Although it is a great hardship on owners of gardens at \ this season to have their well-directed labor thrown ] away in consequence of fowls rooting up the newly sewn ] fl eeds, the practice of laying poison is a very dangerous I one and not justifiable. It is a practice neither safe for the person using it, nor for his neighbors, and ought to be discontinued. At the same time owners of fowls ought to shut them up at this season, and those who do not are clearly liable for the damage which they roay commit, as very few fences can be constructed which will prevent their trespassing. There is the proper remedy to adopt if damage is sustained, but the laying of poison is an extreme and illegal remedy, which might involve serious consequences. As many of our readers are no doubt interested in the Grand Champion Ploughing Match (Dunedin), and some of them will probably be engaged in it, we now publish ' the rules laid down by the General Committee for the competition : — That the appointed day be Friday, 1 4tb» October. That the quantity of land turned over be not lesa than one third, or more than one half, of an aore. That it be ploughed in two ridges, wiih two crowns and j a finish. That the depth be five inches and the breadth eight inches. That Any ploughman, whether a prize holder or no, and from any part of the world, be alkrved to compete. That the entry per plough be 103, if made before 6 p. m. on the day previous to the match ; but £1 if made on the morning of the match. That there b» five judges appointed, and from five different districts if possible. That the prizes, six in number, be not less than as follows :— 1st prize, £30 and a gold medal ; 2nd, i £25 ; 3rd, £20 ; 4th, £15 ; 5th, £10 ; 6th, £5. j We have to remind our readers of the following " Gazette " notice : - The annual public meeting of the owners and occupiers of land, and householders in th» different educational districts, for the election of district school committees for next year, will be held in the school house of each district on Monday next. 10th October, at half-past six p.m. The following notice appears in the ''Gazette :'" — The public is requested to observe the rule of the Waste Land Department, which provides that all business j must be transacted by attendance jit the office, either [ personally or by an agent. Persow forwarding docu- I ments to i he Land Office through the post, applying for Crown Grants, or requesting to hare other business transacted, will have their documents returned to taem through the post, but the Land Office will not be res^ ponsible if such documents are lost in transitu. We are requested to remind the public that the last | day for receiving entries for stock for the ensuing show ] of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Society, is this day week, the 13th inst. It is important that this should be kept in mind. By the Lady Bird, Northern files have been received to the following dates — Auckland, 23rd Sept. ; Napier, \ 26th ; Wellington, 29th, and Lyttelton and Christ- \ church to the 1st inst. The escaped Maori prisoners 5 have been found on the top of a high mountain called I Otamahua, about 18 miles from Patuone's pa, on the 5 beach, and opposite the Kawau. A long and friendly | talk ensued between Mr White and the natives in i which a great number of the rebels expressed their regret at having left their comfortable quarters at the Kawau, and stated {that they desired to return. It is reported that Sir George Grey is about to issue a peace proclamation, and that the Ministry have resigned. The Provincial Gazette of 28th September notifies the appointment of the following additional members of the Exhibition Local Committee :— Joseph Badger, miner, Dunstan ; John Barr, storekeeper, Clutha . Edmond Bowler, stockowner, Clutha ; James Brough, stockowner, Clutha ; Robert Brown, gold buyer, Dunstan ; Henry John Cope, Dunstan ; James Corse, TI.D., j Cromwell ; Richard Edwin Field, gold receiver, Tuapeka ; Alexander Grigor, teacher, Clutha ; Daniel Grovo storekeeper, Tuapeka ; James Henry Hacket, manager sluicing company, Dunstan ; Alfred Jones, Bank of New j Zealand, Tokomairiro ; John Mouat, gold miner, Tua- 1 peka ; Thomas Murray, stockowner, Woolshed ; Mac- ] leod Clement Orbell, stockholder, Waikouaiti ; Peter ] Roberts, bank agent, Dunstan ; John Shaw, stockowner, j Clutha ; Charles Trail], merchant, Oamaru. The " Daily Times " says — Last night, about eleven o'clock, flames were observed issuing from the Red Lion Brewery, Water of Leith, which at one time seemed to j threaten the destruction of the premsies ; but by the i active exertions of the neighbors, aided by a plentiful ] supply of water, the fire was speedly put out. The j damage done was trifling. I In the action of the New Zealand Banking Corpora- j tion against the proprietors of the *' Daily Times " for ] libel, which commenced on Tuesday, Mr Sewe'l and j Mr Garrick are specially retained from Canterbury to conduct the defence. The custom house returns for the quarter ending 30th j ult., are published under the head "Commercial." W« j are glad to observe that the duties collected are in j excess of those of the previous quarter by one tbir J, and that the tonnage of vessels entered inwards anl outwards is much increased. The "Leader" says— The Echuca railway has been j opened for goods traffic, when a train consisting of | forty trucks, and carrying two hundred tons of good*, ] proceeded without accident from Sandhurst to Eohuca. j Some excitement was occasioned in the streets of Mel- j bourne by the conveyance through it to the cemetery of j the immense monolith of granite, intended to be placed over the tomb of Burke and Wills. It took two days i to convey the stone from the Spencer street • tat ion to | its destination, and a team of forty horse*, together with | about two hundred men, were engaged in the work, j The police authorities have commenced with vigor again ! to enforce the provision of the Convicts Prevention Act, j aad several most undesirable colonists have, during the week, been sent back whence they came. It ha^ been resolved to hold the first great National Exhibition of stock and agricultural implements in Melbourne, in connection with the annual ihow of the Port Philip Farmers' Society, and this latter has been postponed to the 25th of October and two following dayi ,

jJSTis gratifying to find that the educational funds In bis district are in a flourishing state, as appears by he report of the school committee's proceedings elsef here given. From a statement in the hands of the :ommittee, it appears that the school is well attended ; ;he avernge attendance during the post twelve months ms been 47 r), and the number at present in attendance 8 57 — boys, 1*3 ; girls, 24 ; this is a fair number considerng the population, and speaks well both for the efficiency >f the school and tho appreciation of the parents of the jenofits of education. ' Wo regret to Jearn that a very fine Spanish Merino ■am, one of the Glebe flock, -was killed by some marauding dog some nights since, causing a serious loss lo the owner, tho animal having been valued at about £100 sterling. Owners of dogs should take warning and keep them tied up at night as they are responsible for iny damage which they may do. The number of dogs here as everywhere eke in the colony is by far too large, ind were there more sheep it is to be feared that moro itich Incidents would occur. We understand that Mr J. Y. Ward has effected during the week sales of lands in the district to the extent of about 1300 acres, and also has disposed of a few horses. The Resident Magistrate's Court in Dunedin was densely crowded on Saturday during the investigation of a charge on a criminal information against Mr A, G. M'Combe for libelling tho Rev. R. G. Edwards. Mr M 'Combe appears to be " fond of pure vexation," and baa earned a full share of it by his foolish article in the '•Saturday Review." He has been horsewhipped in the street, kicked out of the opera, taken into custody at Port Chalmers, and now prosecuted for criminal libel, besides incurring general odium, The report of tho inrestigation extends to an immense length, but is not of sufficient importance to require lengthened notice here. Our Dunedin correspondent throws considerable Jjjht-fin the subject. ™A correspondent informs us that a meeting of the heads of families residing in the district of Otepopo was held on the 26th ult., for the purpose of regulating the fees in connexion with the day school, which hitheito, (ince its opening on the 7th June last, were considered burdensome. 1 1 was proposed and unanimously agreed to that henceforth, until the district be constituted an educational one, and a committee formed (which will be in January, 1865,) the fees from the 6th ultimo, for those ittending the initiatory classes will be 8s ; and those jttending the juvenile ditto, 12s per quarter. The meeting also assigned the sum of £15 per quaiter for the teacher, not necessarily to depend on what may it realised by fees. JVeare requested to state that a supply of key maps of triangulated districts and surveyed blocks and townB in the Province of Otago, on a scale of five miles to the inch, just issued, has been received, and is now on sale at Messrs. F. Pinkerton & Co.'s, Wansbeck-street. The Geelong steamer left Dunedin on Tuesday morning : was unable to land passengers or goods at WailouiiiH on account of the state of tho weather, and iirived off here early yesterday morning, but the landing of her cargo has been delayed in consequence of the high sea prevailing. During some days of the the latter p<*rt of last week (he weather was boisterous with heavy lain, which was rery seasonable ; North and North westeily gales have prevaded for some time } back ; activity prevails in prden operations. Tho Gazette contains the namps of eleven more pprHD8 applying for lelief under the Debtor and Creditors' ffhe value of seaweed as a manure has been tried in thio distiict and found well suited to the soil. A farmer trlio used a portion of it to plough down before a crop of rats, highly appteciates its effects, and says that the nop following was a remarkably fine one. Where the nil is dry the natural effect of such a manure is increased, the salt being an absorbent of moisture. It a highly recommended to spread it over l.uul newly broken up, before taking a first crop, as it will at ouce fering the land into good heart and condition. The whole expenthfcuie of the Canteibury Governa^nt voted for the ensuing financial yeiir is £524,200, nz •— Ordinal y expenditure, £102,396; Land and Works E160-781 ; Railways oncl Haiborn, £255,023. The Provincial Council of Canterbury have parsed a tote of £100, to bo distributed in prizes at the Pastoral ind Agricultural Association's Exhibition. The Province of Southland is engiossed in preparatory for tho general election of the Piovincial Council a'l the forthcoming election of Superintendent, The apcrs from that quarter are full of election paragraphs, sqmsitions to candidates, and the probable eventuations ' the coming contest. A telegram iu the Melbourne papers shows that a illision, arising out of the question of border customs, a already taken place between the officials of New ionth Wales and Victoria. A general cargo was shipped j a vessel for Swan-hill ', the Now South Wales collecsr of customs seized the e;oods and the vessel ; and that hereupon Mr Inspector Hare, of the "Victorian police, laced a constable in charge, and forcibly resisted the illector. The Government of Victoria have despatched ifcrong poise of police to the Murray to protect the ictorian traffic there from the interference of New oufch Wales. The Gazette publishes the appointment of two addi'onal sub-inspectors of sheep without salary — viz., lessrs Adolphus Oliver and Robert Campbell.

PUBLIC MEETING. In accordance with an advertisement which ap<ared in our last issue, a meeting, convened by the own Board of Oamaru, was held on Tuesday vening, at the Court-houso. There was at first but thin attendance, but a considerable increase aftorwds took place. Mr Filleul having been voted to the chair, opened ie meeting by stating that they were met to conier what meaBureB should be taken for the purpose f obtaining from the Provincial Council a sufficient am to carry out the improvements necessary to the p'lfare of the town and district. Many thousands f acres of land had been disposed of here, returning a immense amount to the Government, but hitherto \ey had received no benefit therefrom ; and all ould concur in the justice of their demand that some ortion of this revenue should be returned to them i the shape of necessary public works, lie believed at up to the present time only £2000 had been Jted for Oamaru, except some small amount toards the Boundary Creek improvements, though ?cr £100,000 worth of land had been sold — more, lie lieved, than had been contributed by any other ngle district in the Province. It was necessary that mething should be done to improve the landing eommodation, and also in respect to the drainage lestion. The drainage was at present in averyimper*fc state, and now that the town was so rapidly ineasing, its completion became a matter of great iblic importance. The question of roads was also 8 which claimed their attention. The Chairman «n read the advertisement calling the meeting, and id that as it had been called by the Town Board, ;d as they ought to know best the necessities of « town, they should give tbe meeting what inforition lay in their power. Mr Gibbs said that ft ahort time since (about five eks) he had given notice of motion for a meeting decide on what should be done to bring the claims Oamaru under the notice of the Council at its it sitting, as it was only fair that some of the renue derived from the place should be returned it. He need not tell the meeting what had been ne. The memorial presented by Mr Hassell was i lafco to bo of any avail, but a promise was given the Superintendent that it should be attended to. giving that notice of motion the chief motive that

influenced him was" the necessity fat the erection of a hospital. The necessity for ono had been ad' verted to at every inquest for years. He was at ono himself where the Coroner had been requested to have a room set apart at the camp to be used as a dead-house, in case of sudden death ; but no steps had been taken. A plan might be maturod to carry out this object successfully. Were the Board to levy a rate in tho town, voluntary subscription would be made by the runholdors and others in tho district, and then they might call upon the Council, who would vote a similar sum. It was a highly important subject, and ono which should especially be pressed upon the attention of the Government, lie was sorry the members of tho Town Board had paid so little attontion to tho affairs of the town, except when there was money to be got. (Hear, hear.) He was sorry to have to say this, but those who would not attend to tho duties they had undertaken, should resign (hear, hear). It came very heavy upon those other members who had a better appreciation of tho duties of their position ; he could say that ho himself had attended most of tho meetings, and it was rare indeed that a quorum could bo formod, and then only with the greatest difficulty. The public interest demanded the attention of every ono 5 and as a rising community it was thoir especial duty to watch theninterests, or they might be sure no one else would do so. In bringing the motion which he would now read before the Town Board, it was his intention to have got firstly their sanction to it, and then to bavo submitted it to a public meeting for their approval ; but as there was no quorum of the Board at the lastappointed day of meeting, that intention was defeated : — That it is expedient to raise funds to build an hospital, and that an assessmenfcbe made in the town thioueh the Town Boaid for this purpose ; that for this end the School Committee be lcquested to give access to their assessment roll ; that donations and subscriptions be requested fi om persons living in tho chstiict; th.it the Superintendent be requested to have a sum placed on the Estimates to assist the above object ; that tho Town Boaid have the control of the same, and that a public meeting be called to consider the above question. In considering tin's matter, he was under tho impression that five or six hundred pounds might bo raised without much difficulty, and they might Ret as much from the Government. In answer to an application made to the Government some time before to have some land reserved for that purpose, he believed some 2h acres had been allotted, somewhere at tho back of the White Hart Hotel. The next notice of motion which ho placed on the paper van — " That the attention of the Superintendent and Council be again called to the memorial from the inhabitants of Oamaru, prebented to him some mouths ago." That memorial » which had been presented by Mr nos9i.ll, had been adopted at a meeting culled some tune since, and the sum of £3000 had then been requested Other matters had, however, since then arisen which would necessitate a larger sum. Ho would now propose, without any further remark — "That the attention of the Superintendent and Council be again called to the memorial from tho inhabitants of Oamu.ru, presented to lain some mouths ago." Seconded by Mr Baker. Mr Ashcroft, before the resolution was put to the meeting, wished to say a few words He was sorry there was not a more numerous attendance, though he believed there was quite sufficient to represent the different interests of the town. A pretty comprehensive list of their requirements had been drawn up in the two memorials already presented to the Council, but ho thought it would be advisable in the present instance to separate the requirements of the harbor from that of the town. With respect to tho breakwater, that had been 6poKen of as if it w as tho simplest thing in the world to construct ; but he had Mr Balfour's authority for stating that the cheapest structure of the kind would not cost less than £200,000; while, to form ono that would make a harbor of refuge of tho port, probably a million would be required The most advisable course was to take advantage of the natural features of the port, and urn out ftj p tty near tho reef, within which there wai m ordinary weather comparatively smooth water Tim jetty would bo at first say about 150 foot ui length, and would have a T head, alongside which vessels could come ; and in order to prevent injury, moorings would be laid down, to ouable ves&els to haul oil', if necessary Mr Balfour was of opinion that a jetty could be made cheaper at the reef than at the landingplace, and Captain Sewell was of opinion that that would be the best place for it j but the chief item of expense would be m tho construction of a road to it. (The speaker then adverted at some length to the comparative facilities o flerm g for tho construction of Biich a road, or the employment of hydraulic lifts to raise goods to the top of the cliff.) Tho member for the district, -who was now a member of the Government, would no doubt assist them to the utmost of his power, and he had reason to believe that if a sum not exceeding £6000 were applied for, the Government was prepared to place such a sum on the estimates. In respect to the necessity for a Hospital, ho fully concurred in the remarks that ha'd fallen from MrGibbs. There were a great many quarries in the district, at which it was only to be expected that accidents would occur, and it was a great hardship no less for the unfortunate sufferers than for the medical gentlemen of tho district, whose skill and time were given without any chance of remuneration ; but he did not think anything like the sum named by tho previous speaker would be required. The formation of Severn-street was also a matter requiring consideration. This street was on the line of the mam north road. The Town Board had, ho believed, nothing to do with tins question : it belonged to the Road Department, and no doubt would be attended to when the finances of the country were m a rather better condition. The matter mostly concerning the Town J3oard was the sewer. It led from nowhere to nowhere ; and ho fully concurred in the remarks that had appeared in the "' Oamaru Tunes" respecting the idea of draining the town into the creek. Such a course would produce a stench that ■would drive back to the steamer any one who misrht visit Oamaru, to say nothing of the greater evils it was calculated to produce. Some plan must be adopted for flusliing the drainage into tho eea It was the intention of tho Government to leave all these things in the hands of the Town Board ; and ho could only account for the apathy hitherto displayed by the members thereof by their impecunious condition, and their consequent inability to accomplish any good for the town. The Government should bo asked for a errant to carry out some of these improvements. They had a good right to do so. He was perfectly astounded to learn that since tho report of tho Select Committee in February, which Btated that L7 5,000 had been derived from the sale of land in tho Oamaru district — no less than L44.000 more had been added, making a total of about LI 19.000, which this district had sent to Dunedin to be scattered ( ver the Province, for tho benefit of everyone but ourselves In the face of such startling facts, the Council dare not refuse them then* roqucst. He should recommend that the memorial be sent to some member of C'ouncd other than the member for Oamaru, as such a course might give rise to invidious remarks, he being a member of the Government. Mr J. Cargill would no doubt accede to their request. The Government, he believed, were favorable, and the only member from who he expected any opposition was lie who opposed a small grant last session, because he could get nothing for Waikouaiti. (Laughter.) He should advocate the drawing up of a memorial, and tho raising of a subscription at once to defray the expenses of a man to canvass the whole district for names thereto. He would moye tho following resolution :— That this meeting having regard to the pressing claims of the town and district to the attention of the Government and Council, nnd especially in respect to the improvement of th© harbor, it is resolved that a committee be appointed to draw up and forward to some hon. member for presentation, a petition to the Council, letting forth these claims and that the following gentlemen foim the committee : — Mr Hassell, Mi Gibbs, Mr Ingram, Capt. Sewell, and the mover to be convener. Mr Gibbs having withdrawn his motion in favor of that of Mr Ashcroft, it was seconded by Mr Sumpter. Tho Rev A. Gilford in a few words supported the opinions of Mr Ashcroft, and cited the conduct of the Government of Canterbury in reference to Tixnaru. Mr Ward defended the Town Board from the reflections that had been cast on them by the previous •peakers. The sewerage question could not be helped

by the Board. The money had been granted for that specific purpose, and they were obliged to stop short when that money failed. The same might bo said of the money for fenoing-iu the Esplanade. The ground for a Hospital was at the back of Miller and Lees' property, a little beyond the White Hart, and within the town. Mr ABhcroffc said it was not his intention to cast any reflection on the Town Board, though it was a strango error of judgment to sanction the sewerage scheme, when, according to Mr Ward, they were convinced of its inutihty. After recapitulating what ho had before said, ho again proposed the resolution. Mr Gibbs made a few remarks, defending the Town Board, but concurring in the necessity for completing the sower. Tho motion was then put and carried unanimously. Mr Ashcroffc — " England expects that every man will do his duty ;" and (among others is the duty of putting your hand in your pocket. It is very desirable that the petition be taken round the country to obtain a proper number of signatures j and for that object money is needed. A list was then handed round, wiien tho sum of LG 13s. 6d. was immediately subscribed j after which a vole of thanks was passed to tho chairman, and the meeting separated.