The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 28, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 645, 28 May 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 28, 1878.

Despite the puny attempts of many of those jonnial3 in opposition to tho present Ministry to ridicule the late meeting between Sir George Gkey and his dusky kingship Tawu.uo, there is no gainsaying the fact that that meeting has resulted in a manner calculated to confer a lasting benefit upon the Colony. The barrier which has hitherto formed a dividing line between civilised New Zea- - land and the King Country, has been renewed ; and those Maoris who have for years led a life of seclusion, far away front the civilising intluence of the white population, will henceforth be brought into direct intercourse with the European inhabitants. That great good will result from such an intercourse few who know aught of the natives will care to deny. The ordinary Maori is a shrewd, far-see-ing man, and he will speedily recognise the vast difference between the hard life he has lived when shut up within the honndaries of the King Country, and that which he may lead if permitted to enter into friendly intercourse with the civilised world. Once let him partake freely of the beneHts of civilisation, and

there nsed bo li'tio fear that lie "ill ever | seek to return to a life of seclusion, ; unless forced to do so through some overreaching act on the part of unscrupulous ' individuals. Who can tell the extent to which the Colony has been benefited through the annihilation of that barrier to j the progress of civilisation, the dividing line j between the Queen and King countries—a lin>. of demarcation over which no white j man has hitherto dared to tread, save at the risk of losing his life ? Sir George Grey has, within a few short months, achieved what others, including the late . .Sir Donald M'Lkan'—of whom it was , often said that he was the only man - capable of dealing with the natives—have \ for years striven for in vain. Sir Gf.orge • Grey has successfully penetrated into the J King country, and brought even Tawhaio < to a sense of the utter folly of imagining that ho can maintain his petty kingdom, • and stay the onward march of civilisation. 1 "HisMajestyhas been somewhat brought ' to his senses, and has felt compelled to 1 acknowledge that, as compared with the 1 white man's Queen, ho is a very tiny J monarch indeed. A treaty of concord lias been arrived at, by which Tawhiao and ; Rewi (one of the most powerful chiefs in the North Island, acknowledge the sway of the Crown) and the lasting benefits likely to accrue from living in peace with Europeans. Through the Premier's successful negotiations, roads and railways may be carried into the very heart of that vast and fertile country, which- has hitherto been held sacred against the encroachments of civilisation. As a natural consequence, the prosperity of the northern portion of the Colony must be increased, for agricultural and pastoral pursuits will prevail where they have not as yet been attempted, and commerce will extend to places where its existence has never before been known. Every mile of road made, every mile of railway constructed, and every mile of telegraph wires erected, in the King Country will tend to lessen the chance? of the natives ever again being able ■ enrry on an aggressive warfare with Any degree of success. Land which lia? hitherto been tabooed v."ill ere long be acquired by the Crown, and thrown open for settlement. Smiling homesteads, inhabited by industrious and, we have little doubt, thriving farmers, will spring upon land which has hitherto yielded no returns. The credit of New Zealand will be enhanced in the London market as the ! outcome of a permanent peace f.n i amicable understanding being esta- | hlished with the natives, who, if ir.it in i open rebellion, have up to uie present time set the law at defiance and treated' • with contempt the Queen's authority. | i-'resh. lioltU will be opened for the e:;ercuo "f otir commercial, agricultural, and ' pask.rul ciiivrpri.s;\ The cloud which f<>r some lime overshadowed a portion of the Colonv v.Hi In: diSTiellvi, and a gleam of sunshine admitted into places where nothing but d-n'knoss has hitherto prevailed. For securing to the Colony these great benefits. Sir Grey has been •übjectcd to the laughter, jeers, and ridicule of the representative journals of those who are jealous or his influence over the natives—envious of iiis success in achieving what they have struggled long years in vain to pern ■mi—and who are tilled with hatred towards him for having driven them from place and power and the enjoyment of Uie emoluments of oilice.

On Saturday last we published a statement that -wheat had reached the price of ss. per bushel in Chrisichurch, aud that our information was trained from a privatesource. It appears that the whole thing was a trick, aud arose through jealously between two fhippiug companies, whose ship each was anxious to clear, out of Port Lyttelton before the other, loaded with gram. One was not filled up, and the other knowing that its opponent was anxious to purchase grain, to enable it to do so, adopted the expedient of making purchases of wheat at ss. in the Christchurch market, in order to prevent its opponeutironi gaining its point. This circumstance was wired by the Press Agency, ami tiie fact was sent down here in a letter to our informant, upon whose authority we published the statement. It is perfectly true that wheat on Saturday was realising 03. per bushel f.o.b. at Port Lyttelton ; but is not true that 53. was the market price, that being 4s. Cd. Mr. A. H. Maude's sale of quiet dairy cattle, etc., has been postponed from Thursday to Saturday next, the Ist June, in consequence of the Presbyterian fast falling upon the first mentioned day. [ The usual weekly meeting of the St. | Paul's Young Men's Association was held last night. Over 40 members were present, and Mr. D. Fleming occupied the chair. After the transaction of the preliminary business, the Chau man invited Mr. li. li. M'Pherson to delivi' his lecture on :t The First Year of the American War," which was divided into three parts ; the first part dealing with the causes of the war, and taking a retrospective glance of 40 years into American history ; the second part treated on the war itselj, from the first -hot iired from Fort Moultrie against Fort Sumter, and embraced an account of the principal actions up to the end of the lirst year, interspersed with several fitting and appropriate Yankee anecdotes. The lecture was illustrated by some most brilliant and startling experiments upon shells, fuses, Are., whicli had the effect of arousing the latent patriotism of several gentlemen, who at once" announced their intention of joining the ranks of those who arc ready to defend their country. The lecture was most instructive, and engendered considerable discussion.

The School Committee have determined to build a fireplace in the Volunteer Hall. We suppose that they will either have to defray the cost themselves, or collect subscriptions for that purpqse. Of course, if the Education Board places them in this position, it will be really too bad ; but it is necessary that the comfort and health of the little ones who receive instruction in the Hail should be attended to, and the Committee has very properly determined to take prompt measures with this object in view.

The uft armed division of the Grammar School held their usual drill yesterday afternoon ; 95 members were present, and under the command of the Rector, they went through their various movements greatly to the satisfaction of Drill Instructor M'Pherson. We are glad to learn that Mr. Peattie has resolved to subject {every scholar iu his charge to a course of regular military drill. The scholars attending Mr. Anstead's school were drilled this morning for the first time this season. The sharpness of the weather accelerated their movements, and the skirmishing would have been creditable to bigger boys. The senior scholars receive instruction in sword Fridays.

The Eoyal Italian Opera troupe is appearing to poor houses in Napier. One of the three boys charged at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday with breaking one of the Corporation lamps in Tecs-street has had to pay pretty dearly for his stone-throwing. James Lamont and Thomas Hudson were brought up to-day on remand. Mr. Wansbroughwas in attendance, and spoke of the great annoyance he and others hud suffered through boys throwing stones. During the hearing of the matter, it transpired that the boy Young, who had yesterday been discharged as not having participated in the stone-throwing, had actually done so, and his YY orship took the opportunity of admonishing him. The boy Hudson, who broke the lamp, was fined 305., with the alternative of going to gaol for | seven days, and Lamont was discharged with a caution.

Ia writing upon the late coach accident we mentioned the kindness that was extended to the sufferers by the Railway Department and several gentleman in Oamaru and elsewhere. We have just been informed that Mr. CJoskery, of the Kartigi Hotel, acted the part of the Good Samaritan, and our apology for not having mentioned his name amongst the others irs that we were not informed (-1 the circumstance until today. Ev r \ tiling that it was in the power of Mr. Cookery to do was done in order to alleviate the sufferings of those that were injured. All necessary mattresses, sheets, blankets, &c\, were provided by him, and now thai a knowledge of his kindness has reached u=, it affords us much pleasure to make i: public.

The Hon. Mathcw Holmes, i>r. Webster, aud Messrs. W. Moody and • ]l er Thompson have been appointed me.. n tVic K:ik;uiui IfiU'buur 15:>ard in the "f Messrs-. J. McLennan, W. Craig, and Nugent Wade, resigned, and the late Mr James Wheatlev.

The Clutha Leader understands that surveyors are now at work laying off the New Zealand and Australian Land Company's Waitepeka Elation into suitable farms with a view to leasing the same. 'Luis will prove an important augmentation of the population surrounding Baloluiha, and no doubt will tend to elevate the spirits of storekeepers, tradesmen, and others. We hear it rumoured that other largo landowners in the neighbourhood contemplate adopting a similar course.

Some of the Taranaki people are pretty "smart " men of business, judging from the following extract from a letter received there by a brother dealer from Auckland : " The lot of fresh butter that came last was of very good quality, but the rolls were very light, ami we had to make a deduction o£ (Jib. on each package. The rolls should weigh IGoz. nett, or dealers are liable to heavy line or imprisonment." The Taranaki Herald, referring to this, says, "It is very foolish of the farmers to resort to the course of giving short weight." Foolish, indeed ! We should say it was positively dishonest. The Wcstlaud Hoard of Education, having carefully considered their financial position, have come to the conclusion that the wants of the new portion of the district must go unprovided for, unless the Government are prepared to assist the Board by guaranteeing the bank the amount they are willing to advance, in anticipation of the proposed vote of the Assembly, for new buildings, and special vote for Westland.