The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1864.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 35, 20 October 1864, Page 2

The Oamaru Times, AND WAITAKI REPORTER. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1864.

His Honor the Superintendent, in various speeches which he has made of late, particularly in opening the Provincial Council and at the social board of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association, has dwelt strongly on subjects agricultural and pastoral, giving them that prominence to which they are entitled. One great fact which he enunciated on the latter occasion is of the greatest importance —the necessity of this country raising its own supplies, and not trusting to foreign markets. " To be thoroughly prosperous Aye " must produce all the grain and stock we " require." On these words yve could easily enlarge for a column or tyvo. They are very significant when it is considered hoyv high the prices of bread and meat are in this colony, and when we knoyv that to Victoria yve are indebted for that scourge, pleuropneumonia, while in some quarters there is at this hour agitation for the purpose of again opening the ports with the vieyv of reducing the price of meat. But he goes farther, aud sa y S —" We must cease to be importers of " these things, and must become large ex- " porters of them, even with a large popula- " tion within our boundaries." It is the large population yvhich is required to bring about this state of affairs. As soon as that shall exist, so surely will the resources of the country be developed, and we shall raise not only enough for ourselves, but a surplus. It would have been satisfactory if the Superintendent, while discussing these important topics, had hinted at the mode in which the population is to be made a large one, for that is one of the present difficulties of Otago, seeing that the number of emigrants from it has for some time fully equalled the immigration. But we turn to the speeches themselves. On opening the Council his Honor said— I would remind you that the time is fast approaching when you will be called upon to decide in what manner the pastoral lands of tho Province shall bo administered. It has long been apparent that the conditions under which these lands are occupied are unsatisfactory to all parties concerned. The lands of the class referred to form a Provincial estate of immense extent, and of grcri value, but practically unproductive as a source of revenue. I have also much pleasure in referring to the progress of agriculture, and to the rapid and extensive inroads which it is making upon the waste lands of the province. During the present season many thousands of acres, which until now have been comparatively useless, will be brought into a state of profitable v cultivation; while drainage, and other operations preparatory to cultivation, are being carried on in the country on an extensive scale. At the dinner on Friday last, his Honor enlarged on the subject, and enunciated some striking facts which we proceed to quote.

After noticing the Tokomairiro and Northern associations, he said— I am glad to find that thepromotorsof the Association under whose auspices we have met to-day have so far verified my prediction. The objects of tiie Otago Association, if I rightly understand them, are to encourage by all proper means an improved cultivation of the lands of tho Province, by the introduction of drainage and more systematic and scientific farming generally— the introduction of the best kind of implements, the choicest kinds of seeds, and most appropriate manures ; and also to promote that yvhich can never properly be separated from good agriculture, the breeding, rearing, and fattening of stock upon agricultural lands. Everyone who has been long here, knows that the Province possesses a very considerable area of very fine agricultural land, upon which any cereals or grasses may be grown ; and also a very much larger area of second and third-rate land, yvhich although not so well adapted for agriculture, must gradually be fallen back upon for agricultural purposes. I have no doubt that before many years have passed, we shall find many thousand acres which are now considered not adapted for agricultural purposes, will be yvaving with crops of corn. If this Province is ever to contain a largo agiicultural, commercial, manufacturing, and gold-digging population —as I believe it will do—it can only be thoroughly prosperous by making the best use of all i} ie agricultural land. I believe it yvas at first «uggested the title of the body under yvhose auspices we arc met, should simply be the Otago Agricultural Association; but I think the name of Agricultural and Pastoral Association yvas yvisely preferred, seeing hoyv intimately the tyvo are connected, Properly vieyved they are " one and indivisible." These remarks are pregnant with meaning, and they are irrefragable. What can be clearer than that the true riches of the country lie in its fields, in its agricultural products and live stock; and what can be wiser than to seek to foster, develope, and increase them. The goldfields are in a prosperous state, trade and commerce appear again to be reviving, and the revenue for the past half year shows a decided increase, while the expenditure has been diminished. But it is not the least hopeful sign of the times that the Government are turning their attention to the development of the resources of the land. Gold-finding has given the Province a decided impetus towards prosperity, but a fitful one. By turning attention more to agriculture and pasturage, the permanent settlement of the Province will be advanced, and its lasting prosperity ensured. The next agricultural meeting at which the Superintendent presides will most probably be on the occasion of the Northern Society's show here on the 10th of November. We think it quite possible that when Sir George Grey visits the Province early next year, he may pay a visit to this district. The Superintendent, in proposing the Governor's health, said :—" Only two months " ago his Excellency made to him (the Super- " intendent) a promise that he yvould visit " Dunedin early in January to open the Exhi- " bition, and that he would if possible remain " for a month, so as to make a tour of the " goldfields, and the agricultural and pastoral •' districts. It was to be hoped that his " Excellency might be able to carry out this " intention, and thus become acquainted with " the vast progress which the Province had " made."

Among the number of societies that have sprung into existence during the last thirty years, having for their object the elevation of the working and middle classes by the principle of mutual assistance, none have been so instrumental in promoting that object, or have effected so much good as Building Societies. In the densely-populated cities of the home country, the benefits that have accrued through them are almost incalculable. It is not unfrequently the case that the third of a working man's earnings is syvallowed up in rent—and even more, if his employment be not regular and permanent, or if he wish to avoid herding in the worst " slums;" and thus, in the space of a few years he spends in providing house accommodation for his family as much as would have enabled him to be his ovra landlord, had he been in possesion of the whole sum at once. This is the aim of Building Societies, and it is owing in no small degree to the success that they have met with, and the general adoption of them by every civilised community, that the condition of the poorer classes has been so greatly ameliorated; that they have made such advances in material prosperity; and that both morally and socially they are so far elevated above the level of their progenitors. Of course, in a thinly peopled country like Otago, land and property is not nearly so valuable as in England, while wages, in proportion to the price of the necessaries of life, are considerably higher. Thus, to the prudent there is a greater chance of ultimate independence; but here again, it requires the careful economy and assiduous scraping of years to enable the working man unassisted to [stand on his own freehold, and own no landlord but himself; for while he is thus occupied in saving, he is still paying rent. In England he would be utterly at the mercy of his landlord were it not for the building societies; and though in the colonies a prudent man may attain his object without their assistance, such a course is twice as expensive, twice as lengthy, and twice as inconvenient. To borrow money privately is worse still, because of the generally high price of money in the colonies; and secondly because the majority of professional usurers are

wretches whose only object is to squeeze as much as they # can out of the unfortunate dupes who may be beguiled into their clutches —heedless of everything but the promptings of their own avarice. The principles of building societies are simple enough, though they vary in minor points of detail considerably. A number of individuals pay a small sum periodically, and the amount thus subscribed is, according to previously-made regulations, either put up for auction, for tender, or for ballot, —lent in fact, on the mortgage of the property so obtained, and repaid by small instalments. In the first two cases, the purchase-money represents the amount of interest paid for the advance. Thus, a man may pay, to the competition, perhaps £20 in £100, and this seems an immense interest; but it does not appear so much when the calculation is made that the money is borrowed for ten or twelve years. Thus tested, it is proved that if the average amount paid for say £300, is just 50 per cent, or £150, this would not amount in the time necessary for its repayment—say ten years—to more than 5 per cent; and as it will take the society at present started in Oamaru between eleven and twelve years to work out, and as the premium, or purchase-money will not on the average exceed £20 in £100, the facilities offered by these societies to borrowers must be manifest. Nor are the benefits limited solely to borrowers To investors of limited capital, it will be of great advantage, especially in a place like this, where there are no savings' banks, or other means either of placing money ayvay for safety, or for the purpose of profit The subscription proposed by the society just started only amounts to 5s per month per share, a sum surely within the compass of the humblest purse, while, those of less limited means can take a proportionate number of shares. It would take too much space to detail the exact working of every part of such an institution: suffice it to say that yve have the experience of former societies to show that the average profit to the investor is not less than 20 per cent —an interest far exceeding that usually obtainable except by a corresponding risk. Besides this there is a probability almost amounting to a certainty of an increase in the market value of the shares ; and though, as a rule, investment for the mere purpose of such speculation, is to be deprecated, yet there is no more positive harm in such a course than in the sale of any other marketable security. The popularity of the establishment of the proposed building society for the district of Oamaru, was sufficiently shown by the large attendance at the preliminary meeting held at the Northern Hotel, and reported in our last, though we must certainly say that the proceedings were desultory enough. The meeting ere long resolved itself into a series of knots —each presided over by some individual of either greater knowledge or greater power of lungs than the others—and which were revolving about in a high state of turbulent discussion on what were simply matters of detail, without paying the slightest attention to the business to which, as a merely preliminary meeting, they should have confined themselves. For instance, the limitation of the number of shares that could be held by any one person to five, was, we think entirely unnecessary unless it could be shown the holding of a larger number would be detrimental to the interest of the society—a preliminary not considered necessary by those present. The -whole question at issue seemed to be yyhethei the limit should be fixed at fiy r e or ten shares—a motion to the effect that the number be nnlimited not being even seconded. If it be preferable that the smaller number should be held, it would surely, by the same course of reasoning, be more conducive to the interests of the society to fix the limit at a single share. We must certainly acknowledge our inability to discern the advantages derivable from the adoption of precisely five, unless it be to secure the luck that is supposed to attend odd numbers. There is this to be considered : that, beyond the election of secretary—a functionary absolutely necessary—and a formation of a list of proposed subscribers, the business done by the meeting may be considered as nil; for the shareholders only can make rules that are to govern themselves or dispose of their subscriptions —such matters being entirely beyond the province of a public meeting. We need merely remark, in conclusion, that there seems every probability of this really laudable institution being established in Oamaru, if we may judge by the number who attended the meeting, the interest excited, and the quantity of shares that have been applied for—viz. 400. The list remains open till the Ist November, when a meeting of the shareholders will be held, to draw up rules, elect officers, and transact what other business may be necessary to place the society in a sound working condition. We therefore urge all those who have their own prosperity and welfare at heart, to lose no time in applying to Mr Sumpter to register their names as shareholders.

We are informed that James Duke, the prisoner "who made a remarkable escape by jumping through a small yvindoyv at the Makiki, was recaptured by Sergeant Hurse of the Canterbury Force, 90 miles north of Christchurch, yvhen making his yvay into the Nelson province, about a week since. / The Toyvn Board held a special meeting yesterday, to consider an application by eight holders of frontages in Tees-st. for permission to alter the level of that street at their own expense under the direction of the Board. It was resolved to give other parties who may be interested oppoitunifcyto object, as per advertisement in this issue. The full report of the meeting is necessarily held over till next week. By reference to Mr White's advertisement in this issue, our rentiers will learn that tho prices of meat have been lowered this week. yln the Provincial Council, on Tuesday last Mr E. B. ' Cargill presented a petition fiom the inhabitants of Oamaru town and disti'ict, praying for measures to be passed for the improvement of the port, and for other necessary work* in the town and di-trict.

Our Invei cargill correspondent, in reference to election matters, says—There are signs that the unaccountable apathy that has hitherto been displayed by all classes throughout the Province in connection with public affairs, is rapidly drayving to a close. We are on the eve of a general election, and it is scarcely possible to credit the excitement it occasions. The New Provinces Act vests the privilege of electing the Superinten- | dent in the hands of the Provincial Council: only the names of two gentlemen are prominently before the public as eligible for that office—viz., Dr Ifenzies, the present Superintendent, and Mr Matthew Holmes. Your leaders yvill probably remember that the Council ! was dissolved to give effect to the New Representation Ordinance, increasing the number of members from thirteen to twenty. Only eight gentlemen have issued addresses to the different constituencies, seven of whom declare in favor of Mr Holmes, and there can be very little doubt but that he yvill be elected. The elections will take place early next month. d? We have received a specimen of tobacco grown by Mr Filleul at Papakaio, and manufactured by Mr Simpson, George street, Dunedin. Although coarse, it is by no means a bad specimen, and shoyvs that this part of the countiy is quite capable of raising a strong tobacco. Wo beg to remind our readers that a popular lecture is adveitised for this evening, the 20th inst. in the district school house by the Eev. Charles Connor. Subject—" The Earth's Crust." Popular lectures are rare, and so also are Churches. The public should'hear the lecture, although this is not absolutely necessary; but they should certainly buy tickets and help the church building fund. Churches we must have, and all should assist. Dunedin has shown us a noble example in this respect. By the Lord Ashley yvhich arrived at Port Chalmers on 12th inst., intelligence from Auckland was received to the 3id. The " Southern Cross " says that the resignation of the ministry had produced much excitement in Auckland ; sympathy was expressed towards them, and reports were rife as to their successors. The same paper of 3rd says that their resignations had not been definitely accepted, &o that matters remain in statu quo. Rumors aie conflicting as to whether the Assembly is soon to meet or not The escaped Maories have built a pah and noyv refuse to surrender. It is said that troops are to be sent to Taranaki. The Provincial Council, Auckland, yvas to sit on the sth inst. An emeute has occurred amongst the Government ' Engineering Staff. Mr J. T. Thompson, the chief surveyor has been once moro placed at the head of the engineering and road departments. Mr Paterson of course sent in his resignation at once. Mr Swyer, however, and his subordinate officers, have taken another course, and refuse to recognise the arrangement. In fact, the Government has no power to place any other head than Mr Syvyer over the Provincial Engineer's depaitment yvhilst liis engagement lasts, and this, on the interpretation most favorable to the Government, hab still six months to run. g£ The amount of gold brought down by the Escort yvhich ai rived on Tuesday, was very cheering, being considerably over 16,000 ounces. The petition to the Piovincial Council and the Supei intendent, subscribed by 275 persons in town and counti y, yvere forwarded to then' destination in the end of last yveek, and confident hopes are entertained that they will be successful in procuring a grant of public money for public yvorks. We learn from the "Wanganui Chronicle" that the Government, although they are yvilling to agree to give the distiict separation, will not give up the valuable Waitotara block, yvhich has been advertised for sale by the Wellington Provincial authorities. This appears to give the seperation question an entirely different aspect. Perhaps after all Wanganui will return to its provincial allegiance. £ The site for the new Presbyterian Church has been selected and mai keel off under the direction of Mr Mason, aichitect. The contract with Messrs Arnott and Co., yvith yvhom Mr Glass is associated, having been subscribed ; tho time limited for the erection is thi-ee months, and yve learn that the foundation stone will be laid on 10th November. The site fixed on for the church is No. 7, Block V. on the east side of Thames-st., yvhich having been considered a more suitable situation than the former one, has been purchased for the sum of £100. In the action at the instance of the New Zealand Bank Corpoiation against the Proprietors of the "Daily Times." a new trial has been granted on the motion of the defendants. The " Timaru Herald " says :—" A meeting of the members of the Building Investment and Loan Association was held at the Mechanics' Institute on Monday evening, the 26th ult., for the purpose of choosing a secretary; yvhen Mr Mansfield was unanimously elected. A vote of thanks yvas also given to Mr Buddie for his energy in mooting the establishment of a society of this description in Timaru. On Monday evening last, the first meeting for the payment of subscription yvas held, when £218 was subscribed. This is a much larger sum than yvas calculated upon, and is a further proof of the very great success of the society." The " Daily Mail* says :- " It is currently reported thnt scab has broken out in the southern districts of Canterbury. On the station of Messrs Walker and Closstown it has been discovered. It is said, however, not to havo made much progress, and it is to be hoped, therefore, that measures yvill have been taken to prevent its further spread." /? We are informed that counterfeit sovereigns have been eh ciliated in the Waikouaiti distiict As some of the spurioyis coins may be tried on the Oamaru storekeepers it yvould be well for them to be carefid. The coins circulated £>t Waikouaiti are described as being a bad imitation of the real sovereign. Spurious crowns and half crowns are also in circulation. By the statement of Revenue and Expenditure for the half-year ending 30th ultimo, it appears that the former is mci easing and the latter decreasing. The levenue is £222,486 ; the expenditure £193,491. Early on Sunday morning last, a serious fire occurred in Dowling street, Dunedin. The principal sufferer was Mr J. Millar, P.S.A., the City Engineer, who lost his bouse and its yvhole contents, a valuable library, a collection of plans and drawings, furniture, clothes, and some testimonials, which were invaluable. The loss is estimated at £2,500, and there was no insurance. Mr M. Moss, boot and shoe dealer, also had his house burned, but saved his furniture. The origin of the fire is not accounted for. Champion Ploughing Match came off on 14th inst. at Caversham, yvhen 30 ploughs started. The fob loyving are the prizes :-— Ist Prize, £30 and gold medal—W. Paul, (David Warnock, owner, Dunedin ) 2nd Pri2e, £2")—J Patterson (C. White, North Taieri) 3rd Prize, £20— W. M'lntyre (Holmes and Campbell, Oamaru. 4th "Prize, £15— W. Grant (Blair & Bissett, East Taieri) sth Prize, £10- W. Henderson, jun. (Thos. Henderson, East Taieri. 6th Prize, £5—J. Youl (James Nevin, East Taieri) 7th Prize, Plated Bridle, presented by Mr Mitchell— P. Orr, Oamaru. Thus, out of seven prizes, two were gained by We observe one other name from Oamaru among the competitors— a well known one; but he has gained so many prizes already, that he must allow others to take a turn. We have received the copy of a Bill which is to be laid before the Council to establish three new electoral districts, and thus increase the number of members to 38, and of electoral districts to 21. The neyv electoral districts proposed are the towna of Lawrence, Clyde, ahd Queenstovra —to comprise respectively all the areas within their town boundaries, shown on the record map.

We have received the first number of the Australasian, with which are incorporated the Weekly Argus, the Yeoman, and the Examiner. The paper ia certainly the largest, and perhaps the best in the Australian colonies, being sixteen pages of the size of the Argus, and got up in the same style. yk. public meeting was held at the Star and Garter niotel on 17th inst., which was well represented by the sporting interest of this town, and the liberal subscriptions which have been made have enabled the committee to issue a programme in this week's paper, which we hope will once more establish in this district, which is so well adapted for the purpose -an annual race meeting. The " Government Gazette " of 12th inst. contains the following figures :—Revenue from Rural Crown Lands for quarter ending 30th September, £53,931; do. Town do., £4,518; do. assessment on stock, £1,835; do. timber, quarrying, and depasturing licences, Jcc., £886; do. Gold-fields, miner's lights &c, fees and fines in Warden's Courts, £4,831. Public auctions of Crown Lands will be held at the Waste Lands office as follows :—of Blocks 3, 5, and 8 Papakaio, Monday. October 24th, at noon ; Papakaio, Block 7, October 27th ; Papakaio, parts of Blocks 1 and 2, October 28th. fine business premises lately erected by Messrs "TDalgety, Rattray and Co., in Tyne-street, have beej opened for business. The store is 100 feet in length, by 50 broad, the first section, in which the counting-housa is situated, being of stone, yvhile the remainder of the walls as yvell as the roof are of galvanized iron. The interior throughout is lined yvith Baltic pine. In such a large space there is ample room for compartments for different descriptions of goods and for their thorough airangement. The ground on yvluchthe budding stands, fronts Tyne-street and also Tees-street, and it is intended to surround the whole with a substantial fence of galvanized iron 8 feet high. These premises, while I certainly the largest here, are as handsome, commodious, and business like, as any we have seen. The whole cost is about £1,500. The following names have been added to the local Committee of the Exhibition :—The Rev Frank Churchhill Simmonds, 8.A., master of Dunedin High School; Messrs. Christopher Caldwell, Bank of Australia; Charles Broad, R. _!., Hamilton's ; Alfred Keene, Surveyor, Hamilton's. The Governor has disallowed the folloyving Act» of last Provincial Council : —The Criminals Ordinance; the Licensed Hawkers Ordinance ; the Bush Fires Ordinance ; the Medical Practitioners Ordinance. John "Wallace Muuloch Esq., has been appointed Coroner for the district of Hayvkesbury in the room of Henry Williams Esq., resigned. /We learn that an Odd Felloyvs' Lodgo will be opened at Oamaiu in connection yvith the Otago distiict M.U.1.0.0.F., as soon as preliminary arrangements shall have been completed. /" Aplications for -hares in the Oamaru Land and Biulding Investment Society are pouring in daily ; the number of subscribers is now upwards of 100, and ths number of shares applied for about 400. y& public meeting was held at Hampden on the 14th inst., Mr Familton in the chair, when the following requirements of the district were discussed, and resolutions passed in favor of them. It was resolved that both branches of the Otepopo river should be bridged, to prevent accidents in future ; that a Jetty is necessary for the port of Moeraki; that the Cemetery Reserve at Hampden should be enclosed and placed under tiustees; that better regulation of contracts for Government works, and prompt payment for the workmen ar» required in the district; that the unsold portion of land unfitted for agricultural purposes, included in the Moeraki hundreds, and having for its boundary the yvatershed of the streams between the Horse Range and the Otepopo River, ought to be reserved as a commonage ; that the part of the main North Road, passing through Hampden, ought to be levelled and metalled; and that a Resident Magistrate's Court in the district of Moeraki is urgently required. These resolutions duly moved, seconded, and unanimously carried, were ordered to be forwarded to M. S. Gleeson Esq., M.P.C., to be brought under the consideration of Government.