Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4256, 10 November 1874, Page 2

We alluded, a week or two ago, to the propositions made by Messrs. Jenkyn Collier, and Co. to the Government of Queensland, for the construction of a railway to connect the settled districts with the Gulf of Carpentaria. We remarked that they embodied the American principle of railway construction, and—though the demands of the contractors were somewhat extravagant,—said they might be accepted with advantage to Queensland. The Government of that colony seems to have taken the same view of the matter. We learn, by way of Sydney, that the Government of Queensland have proposed certain reasonable modifications in the proposals submitted to them, the chief amendment in the propositions being that the deeds of grant of the land asked for shall not be issued until the works for which they are to be given shall have been executed. On that point, we presume, there will be no difference between the contractor's and the Government, and, therefore, we may regard the connection of Brisbane by rail -with the Gulf of Carpentaria within the next few years as a settled thing. This will he another Australian wonder—almost as great as the extension of the electric telegraph from Adelaide to Palmerston along Stuart’s track. The mission auxiliary screw schooner Southern Cross returned to Auckland a few days ago from her first cruise amongst the islands. The vessel is reported upon as having proved herself admirably adapted for the service, and the mission work seems to be progressing satisfactorily. The labor question, however, seems to demand more attention than ever. Although Her Majesty’s cruisers are active, the slavers are still more so. These slavers are called “ labor vessels.” The war between the lawless rovers who sail them and the natives is deadly, and it appears to be evident that the number of Her Majesty's cruisers is much too small to contend against them. Yet the traffic is not a little perilous to those engaged in it, as may be judged from the following extract from the report of the master of the Southern Cross : —“ There were three labor vessels at Ambrym —the Jason, Donald McLean, and Lady Darling. The captain of the latter vessel told Mr. Kenny of the massacre, at Tasico, of the captain, mate, and four hands of the schooner Zephyr. While at Savo Mr. Codrington was told that the mate and Government agent of the labor vessel Southern Cross were killed at Yenilcora. The snatch-snatch vessels are as numerous as ever ; counted twelve during our cruise.” It ie not often that a Governor of a British colony resigns on the ground that the people over whom he is called to rule are not fit for responsible government. This, however, appears to have happened in Natal. We have received a copy of a new African journal, the South African Mail, of the 4th September last, published at Cape Town, and in it we find the following paragraph ;—“Sir Benjamin Pine has sent in his resignation as Lieut.-Goveruor of Natal. The motives which have prompted him to resign, there can be no good in speculating upon. He now asserts that Natal is not fit for responsible government, and resigns.”