THE Otago Daily Times. "Invenium viam aut faciam." DUNDIN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 233, 18 September 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. "Invenium viam aut faciam." DUNDIN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18.

Probably no charge on the Public Revenue of the Colony, will be borne with greater willingness, than the award of L 200,000 as compensation to the Taranaki settlers for their losses during the late war. The story of the sufferings of the luckless inhabitants of this once flourishing settlement, has been so oft told, that it has almost ceased to excite the interest of the listeners, but we venture to say that no one possessed of the comtnou feelings of humanity could have listened without emotioa to the recital given in the House by Captain Atkinson, of the effects produced in the settlement of New Plymouth by the late hostilities. We need not follow the speaker in his explanation of the causes which led to the war, suffice it to say, that the war was brought on by the collision-between the Governor and the Natives on the subject of a purchase of land, the title of which wa3 disputed. The settlers of Tarahaki had nothing whatever to do with the quarrel; and they were interested in it only so far as in expecting the Governor to enforce the validity of the purchase made by the Government. Then followed the proclamation of martial law in the district, and the whole male population of Taranaki was embodied in a militia, placed under the Mutiny Act and Articles of War, and handed ever to the absolute control of the Military Commander. The members of this Militia force were not employed merely in the defence of their lives and common property, but were embodied for actual service, and their property was destroyed by order of the Military Authorities to save it beforehand from falling into the hands of the enemy. The settlers, on the first outbreak of hostilities, were desirous of having a number of blockhouses established in order to protect property and keep the enemy in check; and they were quite willing and prepared to undertake their defence; but Colonel Gold would only sanction the construction of two, and those not as means of protection, but simply as posts of observation. Knowing the predatory disposition of the Natives, the settlers were desirous of removing their sheep and cattle, and ample opportunity existed at that period for exporting them to the other settlements; but the military authorities prohibited their doing so, on the grounds that the stock would be required for the supply of the troops. It was bad enough for the owners to run the risk of having their flocks and herds stolen, and they reasonably expected that at any rate the Commissariat Department would purchase them, or guarantee to do so; I but not even that was accorded. The conse- | quence was that, to use the words of Captain Atkinson," the. Maories having the free run i" of the country up to the very gates of the "to tvn, took what they pleased. * * * * *' The Maories would come to our farm 3 close "round the town, yoke up our bullocks, fill " our bafts with our own potatoes, and quietly /•drive -to where they chose to spend the " night.!' During this time the military were not permitted to interfere to;eave the property of the settlers. Flocks of sheep were driven off under the very noses of the garrison, and the militia and volunteers were not uofrequently compelled to be spectators of the plunder of their property, which, had they been allowed, they were competent to have saved.'* The local force was capable of rendering very effective service, and frequent offers were made by the members to' protect the country and form a protective cordon round the outskirts of the town, but these offers were unijformly rejected." Captain" Atkinson says, »'* I "know of my own-knowledge, that long " before any of the houses of the settlers were Col: Gold was;; asked' to allow a ''body of settlers to volunteer, and to go and .*?;iiw'in 1 the^ country, passing from house to "house, and so keeping, the country open— " ;th\s proposition: was refused—it was treated '? % Cot Goldilas ■though a ifevbr was being 4t asked.'' i the consequence? ThtS whotedistri^ a prey to the rebels^iThe^Airms of. ihe settlers were turned^aate,^ propertyWi stolen <jif; destroyed, the fruits of yeara?6f wbrk> scattered to < the winds, and iheioselyesireduced to poverty; ? -Nor wiw|&i3?ail;fc Wiiilei they freely gave their aid- '^iAmi^^f^tomon^ eneniyj the t Militia and Vblunteefai of Taranaki were ever

foremost in the field.. Host of the advantages that,\yere gained, by the Europeans jwere snainlyattributable to the efficient assistance rendered by the local force. - .' T. The of hostilities left the Taranaki settlers in a worae position thaa the evils lof actual war could create. Xheir noble sacrifices and ready courage were Tewarded by their being Bet to wor j c on the rQ^g , They CollU nonreturn to their farms, for the country was a wilderness. - Their means were exhausted, their energies weakened, and their spirits all but , broken. What could they do but appeal to the Council of their countrymen". Let them speak for themselves through their mouthpiece, Capt. Atkinson :— "No money,can replace houses which we had 41 built, tre<s that we had planted, and gar- " den& that we had made with our own hands; " but above all, nothing can restore to us those <l'who have been taken during this war. The *' places filled by 'our frieads and children " must for over remain bfank. But we are '* not asking this House for compensation. *• We, paradoxical as it may appear, gave our- " selves freely, although we were under com- " pulsion, to the work the Colony set- us " to. We put' our shoulders to the wheel, " and acquitted oarselve*. A3 men. (Hear, 4* hear.) We are crippled and ruined, and we '* come to this House and say give us help ; " we are willing anl anxious to do all that we "can for ourselves; we say lend us this ■• money without interest in order to set us " upon our legs again; we are willing to be " bound in any way that you like or think "fair for the repayment of the prinsipal." Never was an appsal made in more manly language, and we venture to say, no appeal could have met with a heartier response from the colonists of New Zealand.

The Presbyter/ of Otago met yesterday forenoon in Dr. BurnsV Church, the Rev. D. 5L Stewart, moderator, presiding. A good deal of business was transarted la the evening the Presbytery met in.conference. It was then resolved to recommend the Presbytery to send fiome the Heir. W. WiU, of East Tuicri. as its s agent, to sslect young men suitable for the •Ministry here; and aha to arrange terms with a gentleman to come out and act as first professor, in connection with a proposed theological college. The Presbytery resumed and made the necessary arrangements for Mr. Will's mission, and the retniining business was jjona throa/h. Shortly after 10 o'clock the Presbytery adjourned to the third Wednesday iv December. We are obliged to postpone our full report of the proceedings until our next; issue. We have to acknowledge the receipt of L 2 2s. from Mr. George Burke, on behalf of the Inncisirire Relief Fund; also, of 303. from Mr. Thomas Stone, for the Hospital, " subscribed by a few blacksmiths." Tho latter we have handed to Mr. Day, the Provincial Sub-Treasurer. The Provincial Government endeavored to arrange with the Rangatira yesterday to go on to Melbourne: but the subsidy asked was too high, something like Llßoowe believe. It is hoped if the City of Hobart comes in to-day, that she will be in time to return with the English mail. There was a very fair turn oat of the Fire Brigade, for practico last evening. Up to the time of our going to press we had no news of the arrival of the City of Hobart. "EHcn Wareham," and "Done on Both Sides," were repeated at the Princes? Theatre last evening, to a good house. Mr. S. Fawcett i* to have a complimentary benefit this evening, when Tom Taylor's capital comedy, " Still Water* Run fDeep," will ba produced, with the farce " Out on the Sly." At the Theatre Royal last evenings" The Corsican Brothers/* and "An Alarming Sacrifice,' were repeated successfully. There is an excellent programme for Mr*. Holt's complimentary benefit to-morrow (Friday) evening. v The Merchant of Venice" is to be followed by " Faint H*art Never Won Fair Lady," and 4< The Actress of all Work." Any one visiting the Court House during the List few days will have* observed that raon are employed in erecting two chimneys, one on each side of the Bench, and'that for this purpose two of the windows have been closed up. The effect of this is to darken the Court lionse, which before was not too well lighted, and besides it will necessitate the puHing to pieces of the platform hitherto appropriated for the , seits of tho Jtnembara of the Provincial Council. la addition to this the chimneys will have a very unsightly appearance, and the job will be an expensive one. The object of the alteration is, we understand, to get rid of tho two small stoves, which have hithert* very inefficiently wanned the building. It is a pity that instead of spoiling the building by the erection of these unsightly chimneys, the plan had not been adopted of placing one large stove, with an underground flue in the centre of the Court, when the whole might have been properly warmed at small expense, and the appearance of the Court have been improved instead of the roverse. * ' The steamer Lyttletoa returned from Waikouaiti on Monday, with about fifty diggers, who had been prospecting in the neighbourhood of the Dunstan diggings. Among the number there was a party of four belonging to Port Chalmers, who give, indifferent accounts of their experiences on the Dunstan diggings, but who brought; with' them a fine specimen of gold obtained on Shag River, ; about, forty, miles beyond Waikouaiti. Thay state.that, at the Dunstan they prospected therher for some distance up and down wherever they 'found the ground unoccupied, md only obtained a fewYgrains of gold, so fine that it was with the greatest difficulty separated from the black sand with which it is intermixed.- They returned disappointed, and on their way back two of their number, overtaxed witajheir exsrtions, were unable to proceed. They therefore camped at Lowe's - station/about thirty-four miles; from Waikouaiti, and while the two remained to rest, the others proceeded to prospect the nei?hbouphoodi This they did in Shag River, in Coal Creek, and in several blind gullies in the vicinity. The blind gullies were very likely places] andthey sunk several holes, but before reaching the bottom were interrupted by maeting layers .of dead timber, which seemed to spread.over a considerable area, at the distance of a few feet below the surface. Their last prospect was obtained in the bed of Shag liiver, which they describe as consisting of a clay-sh\te,int|rnux&l with quartz! By using the pick very slightly they, broke up the slate and discovered gold, so palpable and rough in contour that they- were "able to ypick it up, without washing either with, dish or cradle. On obtaining the loan of ; cradle at Lowe's r '.;Station , they ii jnade '<• :axi • ounce and a-nalf of Tgold- in1 one and a-half days'; work. Unfortunately they had used up their provisions

during their stay at the Duustan 'diggings, and jcould get nothing to purchase at the accommo-" datfon-hduseTaf Lowe's Station. * Thongh~ provided "with, meals, if they chose to visit the house at'diet'boars, nonfood was,'otherwise'purchas?able onthe, premises, \n& though inclined to remain oa the ground, they were compelled- to leave or stkrve.T The ground prospected is* from- six to seven miles from Station in the b;d of Shag river, and only a few hundred yards "from the road from Waikouaiti to the Dunstan Dig-, gings. , On leaving, the party advised others of the result of their work, an 3, as they were better provided, they intended to remain and to turn the river. 'In the banks of'the stream, several paddocks were sunk, but after four- feet there was no appearance of gold* < Crime seems to be Teaching such, a pitch of audacity and frequency in the Australian Colonies, as to create universal alarm. In looking over our last file of Australian papers, we find .accounts of some desperate attack or robbery in almost every paper. The country appears to be overrun by bushrangcra-and criminals of every class. Speaking on this subject the Melbourne Age says :— "The whole country, from Melbourne to the Murrambidgee, is infested with freebooters, burglars, petty plunderers, and pickpockets, and the police seem powerless" to extirpate them. Gardiner has'grown into .a horo of^ihe type of Claude Duval, His exploits'have fired the ambition of Australian1 youth, and his successes tempted " the old hands " from pursuits less profitable and, possibly, more hazardous. The higher branches of the profession have become more lucrative as well m honorable, and the chances of detection arc vastly diminished to those who aim at loftier game. Since the robbery of the I/iehlan escort there have been within the, territory of New South Wales at least a dozen such outrages, and in nearly every instance the delinquents have escaped. Emboldened by the success of Gardiner and his; .companions, numerous bands ol:: desperadoes 7have ; taken to the road, and ply their calling with profit and security. The 7 baffled policemen turn the heads of their jaded horses in every direction, aud with; a uniform result. They ore completely at fault, and their failure incites others to the same rollicking independent line of life. We do not know whether there lias been a fresh Vandemonian invasion of Victoria, or' an extensive immigration of Cockatoo colonists, but it is certain that robberies and outrages have become sensibly more rife within the last three months. Possibly the secret is, that tlie police have grown less vigilant, and the plundererd more bold in consequence. ■ We are not desirous of creating unnecessary alarm, but we must express an opinion that the frequent presence of dead bodies in the Yarra is'anytinng but satisfactorily accounted for. We allude more particularly to the finding of the remains of Mr. James HensphiiL lie may have committed suicide ;or Mian .into the stream accidentally, bat there was at the inquest a remarkable absence of anything like satisfactory evidence as to where he had been, and where last noticed. There is oae way of accounting for 1 this unsatisfactory state of things, although it does not excuse.the inefficiency of the police. A large number of the desperadoes who in the early days of the gold fields, were punished with long sentences, are again let loose on society. The mischievous ticket-of-leave system also augmented the evil. On one occasion Sir Redmond -Barry expressed his belief in long sentence?,, as the best means/: of eradicating

crime, and of reforming criminals.; We strongly concur in his opinion., If, insteadof sending the street vagabonds to gaol for a few hours, the ma gistrates inflicted long periods of imprisonment, - society would at least be saved from incorrigible pests during their incarceration. The bulk of our criminals are hardened'oiarenders. No sooner are they out of gaol than they' commit a crime, and are sent back to their former quarters. A sterner sentence simply saves trouble and protects life ami propei ty.;r