The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 770, 11 October 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1878.

Mr. Duncan Suthkhlano undoubtedly was truthful when, at the County Council yesterday, he characterised the state of affairs in the Upper Waitaki as discreditable and humiliating in the extreme. That a band of natives should in a civilised country be able to take up their abodes on the private lands of Europeans, kill and eat sheep belonging to Europeans, plough up and cultivate land not thenown, and go about armed with tomahawks and guns, bidding defiance to peaceable and law-abiding settlers, is not only disgraceful to the Government of the country and humiliating to the settlers who are forced to bear the annoyance, but a severe commentary upon die manner in winch some of our public affairs are managed. For some twelve months these Maoris nave lived upon private land, feasted upon meat and vegetables that did not b> long to them, and yet no effort has been made by the Government to dislodge them and protect the settlers from insult and injury. It cannot be said tiiat the Government has been in ignorance of the state of affairs existing in Upper Waitaki. Last session Mr. Sukimski, in his place in Parliament, brought the matter under the notice of the Ministry, and several complaints have, we are informed, been made to headquarters, but it appears that people might have saved themselves the trouble of making these complaints. So d.mbt the time of the Premier and Native Minister was largely taken up during the recess in carrying on important negotiations with natives in the North Island, and to some extent this fact may be pleaded by the Ministry in extenuation of its having so long neglected this matter. But we cannot conceive that it was utterly impossible to do anything to lessen, if not abolish, the nuisance and annoyance of which the settlers complain. Surety some means could have beeradopted to teach natives that the law and the rights of property must be respected equally by natives and Europeans. To say that these cannot be driven off Unset tiers' land for fear that a collision might occur, is to admit that after all the thrashings we have given them and all the money we have expended upon them in carrying out r,he sugar and flour policy .if the late Sir Donald M'Lean, the Maoris are still masters of the situation, and thai it is only on sull'rar.ce that white men are allowed to reside at any rate in the outlying districts of the Colony. That a handful of Maoris should be permitted without any remonstrance, save from the unfortunate settlers themselves, to sot at defiance the law of the land, ia either to acknowledge weakness or to display an amount of carelessness at once unheard of and reprehensible. Why, were such a state ff things as that described by Mr Sutherland to arise in almost any other country, the settlors would not wait lor the Government to interfere, but would at. once take the n.atter into their own hands, and speedily terminate the annoyance. We venture to assert_ that had such a thing occurred in America it would not have been permitted to continue for forty-eight hours. We may be a pure, charitably disposed people, and imbued with a greater amount of Christian forbearanse, but -.vilely we should not be jumped upon.

Once more, we hear of the Piako "Swamp." Last time it cropped up somebody was going to be ruined by it. Some people said that the country, and others said that the purchasers, would lose money over it. We were informed by a special telegram received several days ago, that Mr. Stdvmtolme, of Canterbury, had purchased from Mr. T. MointiN, of Auckland, a half of his share in this morass for the sum of £38.000. We are so glad that Mr. MoiuuN has made about £30,000 out of the transaction, and that there is a probability that he will make a similar amount, of profit, on the second half. 1> is quite true that if this land had been retained by the Colony, the Colonial Exchequer would have received this proli' instead of Mr. Mokkin : but perhaps, if the Colony bad retained all such land and realised upon it by public auction now, it. would have been less involved. Mr. Mokkin aad some of his friends have «ot possession of the land now. and we suppose that they did somethin" to merit consideration at the hands of the "Long Parliament" of this Colony, long since gone to its account, Bv the way, we wonder how Thomas Russell and Mr. Whitaker will fare. We hope that they will not loose anything by the "' swamp :" and yet wo have been often told that nobody would like to stand in their shoes. But then nobody has ever been tried who has not had to pay pretty dearly for doing so. How ] grateful the Colony should be to these men for relieving it of so much " swamp/'; and for doing their best to build up a j colonial aristocracy. Such a thing is not done without money, and the honor conferred upon the Colony should stifle all feeling of dissatisfaction.

must be confessed, was a very natural one, ' was erroneous, and that the message was ' intended to read " The Bank of Glasgow has failed for L 1,000,000." By this time we have become pretty well versed in interpreting telegrams, and are moderately good judges of how to fill in any words that are left out of messages for economy's sake ; but wc are not possessed of clairvoyant power—or, if we are, we have not yet brought that science into play in the interpretation of telegrams, although it might often prove useful. Nor was our vivid imagination in such a condition as to enable us to see " City of Glasgow'' instead of "Scotland." The mistake'is an important one, and we appreciate the seriousness of even hinting at the instability of so large an institution ; but the fault was not ours. If wc waited until everything we publish was verified we should present a blank sheet. Much has to be accepted in faith. The following telegram has been received by Mr. Thompson, "Collector of Customs, Oamaru :—Beer Duty Bill withdrawn by Government, therefore brewers no longer required to purchase stamps. Instructions will be sent to you as to refunding amounts already collected. The*pupils of the South School met this afternoon to present their teacher. Mr. Kiee (who is about to get married), with an elegant tea and coffee service, when the following address was read :—Mr. Rice—We. the pupils of the South School, beg your acceptance of this tea and coffee service on the occasion of the auspicious event which is about to take place. We present you our hearty congratulations, and believe, dear sir, you have our sincere wishes for your welfare and happiness. May the Soutli School always be presided over by one who not only wins the confidence, but gains the affections of the pupils. The fortnightly meeting of the Harbor Board, which should have been held to-day lapsed owing to there not being sufficient members present to form a quorum. The only members who attended were Messrs. Sumpter, Meek, and Steward. The head-.piarters companies of the Oamaru Volunteers will parade this evening, at 7.4"i o'clock. We understand that the recentlyformed Volunteer Band will make its first appearance in public at the parade. A match will be played on Saturday, 12th inst., on the Cricket Ground, between the first eleven of the Excelsior C. C. and fifteen of the High School C. C. Play is to commence at 2.30 p.m. The following are the teams •--Hi<di School Fifteen -E. H'ewat (captainb \V. Todd. R. Hewat. 11. Moore. 1). Moore. !>. llowat. Calbraith. .1. Todd. Xieol. P.ee, Ross. Ham. Kite, Payne. Thompson : emergency. Hartley. Kxcesior Club—Kerens, Finch, Filleul. Fenwick (captain). Alt'. Hardy. A. Hardy, Thompson. Church. Cook. Glasson, Little : erne—.-...- . M'Leod and Robinson. Mr. ,1. T. Evans, as Chairman (■■■ ■'• Waitaki Road Board.attended at the meeting of tin. Waitaki County Council yesterday, ami asked the t ouncil to join with the Board in petitioning the Government for a. sum sufficient to refund the cost incurred, in purchasing the Papakaio Pre-emptive road. The Council acceded to the request and instructed their Solicitor to prepare the petition. A meeting of the Committee of the EarlyClosing Association was held at Mr. Gordon's rooms last night ; Mr. Roulston in the chair. The half-yearly reports of the Secretary and Treasurer were read and passed. The first half-yearly meeting of the Association will be held on the 24th inst., at which officers will be elected and other important business transacted.

The third lecture of a .series now being given under the auspices of the Mechanics' Institute was delivered by Dr. Garland last night, the subject being "The Eye." The attendance was scarcely so large as could have been desired ; but it was quite as large as could have been expected on such a night. Mr. George Sumpter, President of the Institute, was in the chair, and having introduced the lecturer. 'Dr. Garland explained by the aid of diagrams in popular language the construction of the eye. the operation of all its parts, and the science of optics. 'Che tendency of tin; lecture was to show how "fearfully'and wonderfully made" are the organs of vision, and how easily their delicate or'auisui might be deranged. It was suggested at the conclusion of the lecture bv the Chairman, when proposing a vote of t!i;n"ik> b. I)>. tiarlaud, that So valuable a lecture should l>e 1.-pealed at, some future date, iii oriler licit those uho vmjio unalde to attend in consequence of the unpleasant weather might have th- pleasure of listening to it. Dr. Garland consented to repeat it. .Might we be allowed to -ugge-t also that the seeon.! lectin"' on the subject should corn-

prise hints of how to preserve sight. Ignorance on this subject has been the means of accelerating, if not producing, nine!) premature i.liielness. We have now had scientific lectur ''Toe, !>s. He I.aatour and Garland, and v.. uid like to hear ; >r. Fleming treat on sole- -u.ecialitv that would lie eonallv useful tot! oul.lie as the subjects which have aire: ■ been delivered bv two of hi.-, oi'oi'essi, .. ! brethren. Wc were clad to hear it ;tn: ounce.! i.y ibe Chairman that Mr. Peatlie, rector of the Grammar School, will deliver the next lecture of the scries, the subject being "- Voice." ~i- whieh due notice will be "iven as to date and. other particulars.

'!'!." ;uinual general meeting of the Oamaru Cricket Club will lie held to-morrow, at S p.m.. at the Royal Hotel. It is notified in another column that the Port Moerabi branch railway line has been closed for traffic until further orders. The Rangitata Bridge has again given way to such an extent as to prevent trains from crossing. Passengers are. however, able to walk over to change trains, so that traffic is not altogether interrupted.

I We are glad to hear that a movement is on foot amongst the timber merchants, iron founders, miners and contractors to close their places of business on Saturdays at 2 ' n.m.. the new arrangement, to come into force or. rn-morrow week. In order that the einiilovers mev ii"t suffer, the men have nroposed to allow themselves onlv half-an-honr for dinner during the week, and to work until 2 n.m. on Saturd.-i vs. At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning Elizabeth Horn, charged with vagranev, was remanded till Monday next. ''"he Otngo Dailv Times says :—Mr. George M'Oavin has become the purchaser of the thoroughbred entire s 'ovcerer, from M". '"oilier, of Christchurch, thus securing for Otago one of the best bred horses in New Zealand Sorcerer is a beautiful dark brown horse, shows a neat hea'l, has immense bone and snlendid action. He is bv Traducer out of Azueena, and brother to Talisman, Tnriine, and Templeton. His stock have also sained the best prizes at different shows in New Zealand. Ho is to be seen at the Poyal George stables.