MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 43, 15 December 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA.

PROVINCIAL.

The commercial condition of the Province is improving, as it always does at this time of the year ; and accounts at present, in regard to the prospects of business, are favorable. Much activity prevails in commencing the wool season ; several large firms have arranged to bold auctions of the produce, the shipping of which to Europe has already begun. The weather having been uniformly propitious, crops throughout the Province are luxuriant, and an excellent harvest may be looked forward to. The population is again increasing, and gold mining is in a flourishing condition. A very spirited agitation sprung up in Dunedin in regard to the high price of meat. Public meetings were held, and deputations waited on the Superintendent, who first tried the modified measure of opening up the supply from the neighboring Province of Southland, and was so confident in the efficacy of it that he somewhat rashly declared, that if that did not lower the prices he would open the ports in three weeks thereafter. The consequence was that the advocates for opening the ports had a complete triumph, as no change was produced, and they consequently claimed at his Honor's hnnds the fulfilment of his promise. Accordingly, by a proclamation issued by him on Ist inst., the whole of the Australian ports were again formally opened. Considering that when the ports wore open, the destructive disease of pleuro-pneumonia was brought into this Pro\ince, and that of late, through the use of efficient measures, it has been graduallydying out, the reopening of these ports is a very hazardous measure, and even doubtful as regards any permanent decrease in the prices of meat. The Executive are probably di iven to this, but it is a grievous hardship on those who have been at great pains and expense to keep their districts free from infection, and have been successful in doing so. The only way in which the risk can now be modified is by the Government introducing such stringent measures in regard to the inspection of the imported cattle as to guard as far as possible against more disease being brought in, and this is a precaution necessary for the public health, as well as to guard the interests of stockholders.

The proceedings of the last Provincial Council were not very important. Towards the close of the session the Superintendent laid before the Council some important suggestions in regard to the disposal of the pastoial lands of the Province, proposing to set aside three millions of acres as a reserved Piovincial estate, to be leaded out on certain conditions, and to authorise the sale of other portions. The Provincial Council, before it rose, adopted certain resolutions in regard to relations with the Northern Provinces, pointing to separation. We quote the concluding portion ; — *

That after sixteen months' warfare, a deplorable loss of life, and the expenditure of a vast sum of money, wheieof no authon&ed account or estimate has tranepiieri, do appieciable results have been attained, while the good name of the colony has been perilled, and its Ted it shaken in Great Biitam, where alto the opinion has been ci eated that the war is carried on at the cost of the mother country, for the purpose of transferring the native lands to the colonists, who are content to be thus enriched without personal or pecuniary risk to themselves -an opinion which reflects with peculiar injustice upon the colonists of the Middle Island, who have cheerfully boine the principal portion of the colomal cost of a war with which they have in reality no moie diiect interest than any other Province in the Biitish Empire That it appears to this Council that the objects propose 1 to be secured at the last session of the_ General Assembly, have not been gained, and the sacrifices the people of this Province were called upon to make, have wen lutheito made in yam.

That in view of the immediate meeting of the Assembly, the Council declaies its conviction that the Province is unable to endure a burden imposed for unittainable ends : and that, unless some measiires can be taken which shall lead to the early termination of the war on terms consistent with the honor of the colony md the safety of the Northern settlements, this Prormee will endeavor to obtain the concurrence of the other Provinces of the Middle Island in a financial and [fllitical separation of the two principal islands of New Zealand.

It would appear that some action is about to be taken, through British capitalists, for the execution of the proposed railway between Port Chalmers and Dunedin, a measure iieyjnd doubt, of much importance. Electric Telegraph lines are being rapidly formed throughout the Province. The Dunedin IVater Works Company's bill passed through ihe Council; this is another measure fraught Mth the best consequences to the place. The Exhibition Building is now completed md receiving goods. It is proposed to adhere o the original day proposed for opening it, Ird January next, and the public are look-

ng forward to that event with considerable Merest. The preparations, however, have lot been without their drawbacks, but it is xpected that it will be a success. The inhabitants of Dunedinhas'e of late been

tending as much to electioneei ingas business, iere having been spirited contests in filling p vacancies, both in the Provincial Council id Town Board. The Criminal Sessions at Dunedin, just included, have been fully as heavy as usual. he quantity of business which comes before ie Courts there throughout the year is very reat. Measures are in progress <o have more f this business transacted in the districts, nd thus save much expense to the revenue nd the time and money of jurymen and itnesses. The Dunedin Town Board elections have isulted in the re-election of all the old lembers— Messrs Grey, Howard, Turner and uiffin. INTER-PROVINCIAL. The principal news from the Northern rovinces relates to the meeting of the eneral Assembly, and the formation of a w Ministry. It had been known previous i the assembling of the House of lleprentatives, that the Ministry had resigned consequence of the amnesty to the natives, oclaimed by Sir George Grey, and doubtless any other points of difference not disclosed, d'that, the Governor being without a inistry would form one out of the Reprentatives when they arrived; accordingly, uch interest was felt in regard to this iportant step. Various gentlemen likely take the lead were spoken of; Dr.

Featherstone, Superintendent of Wellington, and F. A. Weld Esq., of Canterbury, being the chief. The latter, however, put himself prominently forward, and delivered an address to the Canterbury representatives which attracted much attention ; accordingly, the news that he had formed a Ministry was not received with much surprise. The following is the list of the Ministry: — Colonial Secretary and Premier, Mr. Weld; Treasurer, Mr. Fitzherbert; Defence Minister, Mr Atkinson; Attorney General, Mr Sewell; Postmaster General, Major Richardson. Mr Weld required from Sir George Grey an explicit avowal of his policy and intentions in writing, which His Excellency complied with. The account of the opening of the General Assembly, on 24th November, by the Governor in person is given in another part of our paper.

" It is painful," says the "Ne\y Zealancler," " that Auckland is unrepresented in the

Ministry; . . . but Auckland has been too much identified for a time in men's minds with a section of statesmen from whom Auckland derives no renown, and Aucklanders must for a time suffer the penalty. . . It is stated to be determined on that the Seat of Government shall be removed as speedily as possible to Wellington. We may also suppose that the new cabinet will adopt the Panama contract." The " Southern Cross " remarks —" We have little to say against any member except Mr Sewell, who is, to say the least, the last man we should have supposed likely to range himself by the side of Mr Weld. ... In the personal character of

Mr Weld and Major Richardson, we have a gtiai antee that they will not consent to any compromise with the Governor which would place the Colony in a false position, or reflect unjustly on the character of their predecessors. Indeed, so far as we know Messrs Fitzherbort and Atkinson, we may also say tho sauif of them."

The fact of Mr Weld having bound the Governor in writing; to a particular line of policy, no doubt harmonising with his own views, which are now well known, is highly important, and affords some glimpse into the measuies likely to be brought forward by the present ministry. Mr Weld, in the speech alluded to, commented freely on Sir George Grey's former policy. He said—" He would tell them that from the moment Sir George Grey set his foot here, he had been entrusted with the fullest powers from the Home Government. They all knew that the colonial representatives gave him men and money, and that they had never refused him a single point he asked for in legislation. If he (Mr Weld) was uot mistaken, he certainly had never made any request of a political character. His Excellency was content to take up the acts of Mr Richmond, but to work them in a manner quite at vai iance with the intention of their framer. He had nothing refused him either from the colony or his Ministers — certainly not from the House of Representatives; and in spite of all this they were going a downward course, until they were in the position of having lost their credit at home, and being themselves involved in a mass of confusion, of which there has been no parallel in the history of this colony. Ho feared that, as Sir George Grey's peace policy had resulted in war, so his war policy would not result in a real and lasting peace, but— unless the action of the Assembly may avert them —in further troubles and a long legacy of difficulties." His own policy can be gathered from the following : —" He asked what they were going to do in the future ? He pointed out that now for the first time in the history of New Zealand they were in the position of being able to obtain entirely the government of their own affairs. He expressed his belief that if they now said to the home Government—'We will take the whole charge of our local matters upon our own shoulders; we will take the expenses upon us of the Maori question ; we will keep up our own f orces —give us complete control over them, we do not ask you for a single penny or a single soldier ' —then he believed that at the present time the home Government would be perfectly ready to close the bargain." He believed that the moment had arrived when action in that path should be initiated. He did not say that within a month or a year it could be done, but steps must be taken in the matter at the meeting of Assembly. _ As to keeping up such a large force uf soldiers, he considered that the main object of it was to give great power to a Governor over whom we had no control. He said that if they had their own force, a vory small one, but trained especially for the purpose, well paid, well armed, trained to the bush, and under officers whom they could afford to pay well, and whose conduct would be under their eyes, there could be no doubt that it would require xhe outlay of a smaller amount of money, quite sufficient to preserve order in the Northern Island, without a single penny being drawn from the home Government.

Of late, agitation having been resumed on the subject of the separation of the Middle and North Islands, as alluded to above in the resolutions of the Otago Provincial Council, endorsed by Canterbury, Mr Weld expressed the following emphatic opinion :—" lie said that at first sight separation might be very tempting, and that some money might be got by it, but this would be to think only of the present and to pay no regard to the future. But he believed that not one present would raise the cry, after having for so many years and at so much expense backed up their brethren of the North Island He was sure that no man in this Province would be so cruel as to desert their Northern brethren in their hour of tiial—men whom they had backed in the fifcht from the very commencement of this unfortunate struggle." As several other members of the present Government are also against separation, that question may be held as shelved in the meantime. The two important points which the present Assembly will have to deal with are de to double government, the native question, and the , general finances of the colony—all questions of vital importance at this moment to the colony of New Zealand.

It has been well said that the late proclamation of the Governor is a declaration of war. This is confirmed in various ways by the manner in which it has been received by both natives and and by the signi-

ficaut faot that, not only are more troops ariiving in the Colony, but the troops are again concentrated, and that General Cameron has been to Taranaki, the place where an outbreak is most probable.

As to its effect on the natives, the following is from Wanganui, (the key to the native country);—We regret to say that in this neighbourhood Sir George Grey's proclamation has already had worse results than those who most strongly objected to it could have expected. The natives look on it with the strongest suspicion, considering that it is an underhand way of getting roads through the country, on the obtaining of which they are helpless. The land proposed to be ceded at the discretion of the Governor and Gener tl Cameron they believe will be chosen in narrow lines through the disaffected districts for the purpose of making roads, and this they are in the strongest manner interested in opposing. Thus the proclamation has only made them more determinedly hostile than ever.

From Taranaki, the advices are that the Governor's proclamation has been contemptuously received. It was trampled under foot in some places, laughed at in others ; and William King of Waitara, said, " That bait contains a hook for mc ;" at the same time telling his fighting general, Hapurona, to order off the Governor's messenger, and warn him and all others never to return with a similar message.

The " Wanganui Chronicle " has the* following :—The Waikatos have come to our borders under the leadership of the notorious and ferocious Rewi, and have intimated that they will not allow the Waitotara road to be carried out to the Waitotara river, to within about (bur miles of which it is now in course of formation. Hare Tipcne, a chief in the Waitotara who was recognised by Mr M>Lean in 1858 as the head man amongst them, but who has not siuce been taken into account, probably because he was a rebel, denies that the land has been rightfully purchased without his consent, and declares that he handed it over to the King, in whom it is now vested, so that it does not beloug to the Government, although it may be remembered that the King was said to have refused to accept of the trust. Rewi, it is said, has offered him 100 Waikatos to aid in asserting his claim, but this assistance he has declined, with what motive or for what object we have not heard.

Had it not been for the war m the north, and its successful conduct, matters would not have remained so quiet in the Waitotara district. But now there is the opportunity as well as the pretext; and if we are to have war in our immediate borders, as at present seems to be apprehended by some, our troubles will be due to the unsatisfactory purchase of the Waitotara block, and its subsequent sale.

Judging from all these facts, the country is on the brink of a renewal of the war. The time fixed in the proclamation for the natives to declaie themselves is past, and it is known that that they are more hostile than they were before it was issued. Are we then going to have another campaign, a short stiife, and decisive one ?—it is hoped so. If the Home Government has authorised the proclamation, it is known also that they are preparing to back the colony in a further struggle now that the amnesty has failed.

The last mail brings accounts from Taranaki of by no means an assuring kind. Reinforcements had arrived there, and General Cameron had paid it a visit for the purpose apparently of directing the re-occupation of the Tataraimaka block, which has now been effected. On 21st ult. there was an attack by the natives at Mataitawa, when one of the soldiers of the ?Oth was killed, his head cut off and earned away, and another wounded. News also had arrived that a party of W. King's natives had fired on a party of Ihaia's friendly Maoris and wounded a man in the thigh. The Northern natives evidently mean mischief.

LOCAL

In previous summaries we noticed the extensive sales of surveyed land which have taken place in this district, but the Government of late, having determined to economise in all directions, have lately dismissed a number of the land surveyors. A gentleman who has been a surveyor in this quarter for a considerable period, has been removed ; and if, under the new Land Regulations, the selectors of land have to pay all survey expenses, it will be somewhat hard that the surveyor should be removed to a distance, and the expense thus greatly increased. We observe, however, that the sale of unmvw-yed lauds is about to be commenced, as appears by an advertisement in our present issue. In regard to town sectious, a groat number of these are already disposed of, and the Government are rapidly selling off the remainder. The sale of between forty and fifty of these eom.es off on the 23rd inst. It is now acknowledged that this district is yielding larger sums of revenue from land sales than any other in the Province. The grants which were lately made to it for a jetty, and other necessary works, are therefore only a measure of justice, and it is to be hoped that no undue delay will take pl.ice in carrying them out. The first instalment of these appears in an advertisement for tenders for the erection of a Inidge over the Whari Kuri creek, and for the approaches thereto. The completion of this work is important for furthering the traffic, especially in the wool season. As it does not require much time to execute, it is poissble that it may even be available for a poition of the traffic of the present season. The other improvement noticeable in the means of communication throughout the country, besides the large sums to be laid out on the district roads during the present season, is the electric telegraph. The posts had been for some time erected, the wires were then brought, and a few days ago we had the pleasure of witnessing the suspension of a double line of wire, which now passes through the town, and is being rapidly completed to the north and south. Wo hope the time is not far distant when telegraphic communication will be open.

There is every prospect that the Land and Building Investment Society, recently commenced here, will be successful. A meeting of the society was held on the 3rd inst., for the purpose of receiving monthly subscriptions. On this occasion the first month's

subscriptions were paid on 737 shares out of the whole number allotted (750).

Some time since it was announced that the District Sohool Committee had agreed to try the mode of raising money for school expenses by voluntary contribution rather than assessment. This has been tiled in other places and found to work well, and it 13 less troublesome and expensive than the other mode. The circulars addressed to a 1 on the assessment roll, and others who are liable to assessment have been issued.

In connection with the projected jetty, a meeting was held here on sth inst., for the purpose of deliberating as to the formation of a joint-stock company (limited) for the purchase of a small steamer, to be under distiict management, and to ply principally between this and Dunedin. A resolution was passed in favor of the measure, and the meeting was adjourned to the sth proximo.

With reference to education—in an advanced sense —efforts are being made to form an Athena)tun, or Mechanics Institute, here. It is important to have a good library and newsroom, and we hope that they may soon be established. A report of the meeting on this subject, held on 12th inst., will be found in another part of this paper.

The erection of buildings in the town of Ou.ma.ru i& proceeding with much activity, and as the Building Society's funds are disposed of, the number of private houses will probably be considerably increased. We notice, as in course of erection at present — the Presbyterian Church, fully described in last summary, the walls of which are fast rising; the Bank of New Zealand, which is to be a handsome and commodious two-story building in the Italian style ; the substantial store of wood and iion, in the same street, of Messrs Cargill and Co; and the premises, also in die same street, fitted up by Mr France. Among those completed, Mr Taylor's store in Thames street is remarkable for its architectural beauty; it is of tho Corinthian order of architecture, ornamented in a style not common in business premises, and serves well to show what can be effected with the fine stone of the distiict. Tenders are advertised for, for the erection of a portion of the Church of England.

The operation of levelling Toes street goes forward with vigor, and will greatly improve the town. This street is likely to become an important one, and when levelled and formed will probably fill up fast. We expect next to see a movement for forming Wansbeck street, which is an important roadway, giving access to the town from the south, and leading to the landing place.

The business season is now fairly commenced, and promises to be a good one. The weather is favorable for sheep shearing, which is now proceeding on many of the stations, and may almost be said to be general. Wool is coming in, in large quantities, and one of the wool ship , ;—the Star of Tasmania —has commenced to load.

Several now firms have lately joined us hoie from Dunedin —Messrs dirgill and Co , and Messrs Boyse Mudie and Co. having recently opened stores in Tyne btreet. AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL. No weather could have been more seasonable for crops of all kinds than that which has prevailed during the spring and early summer, and it is quite cheering to see fields and gardens looking so luxuriant. Great progress has been made in cultivation ; not only have additional tracts been laid down in crops of various kinds, but English grasses have been begun to be raised, and, as the season has perhaps been more than commonly favorable for them, they are very luxuriant. Much garden cultivation is to be seen in the town —vegetables are in abundance, the show of flowers in many gardens remarkably fine, and fruit will be plentiful. It is to be feared that the opening of the ports bodes no good to the pastoral interest. This district has always been remarkably free from infection, and we consider the unieserved opening up of the country to foreign cattle a serious injury, not to say injustice. THE GOLD-FLELDS. The accounts from the different gold-fields are encouraging. The employment of machinery has received a decided impulse, numerous companies have been formed and henceforward operations will proceed on a larger scale. The formation of a company is being attemted in Dunedin to test practically an invention of Mr B. Smith to do away with the expensive construction of races which has hitherto retarded operations. New gold-fields are continually springing up. The new diggings at Silver Stream, near Dunediu, appear to be yielding well. Lee, the prospector, sold a four ounce nugget lately for £15, and several other persons have done well there biuce the fh'bt find, a short time since. Messrs Clapcott and Cargill —two of the members of the Provincial executive —met the Improvement Co nmittee of Queenstown in the beginning of the piesent month, on which occasion various matters of importance were discussed. It was stated among other things that the main road was to bo made via the Kawurau and Frankton to Queenstown ; the request for a gaol and Supreme Court was reasonable, and the subject of a land office and the issue of Crown grants was a most important one. These subjects are of general interest, and we are glad to learn that a sum has been placed on the estimates for the erection and establishment of district land offices.

A new rush has taken place to M'Pherson's Flat, of which the " Dunstan Times" remarks —"The present population is about 1,000, and judging from appearances the place will for a considerable time to come afford them profitable employment. In no place have we seen the precious metal more evenly distributed than here, and were it not that water is scarce, the present population would doubtless be much increased. There does not appear to be anything in the shape of what miners term ' pile claims;' the best yield we can hear of is sixty ounces, the total result from two men's claim.