(To the Editor of the OTAGO DAILY TIMES.)

Otago Daily Times, Issue 239, 25 September 1862, Page 5

(To the Editor of the OTAGO DAILY TIMES.)

SiR,-~Conv!nce<l that you have watchful care over the advancement, in every respect, of this, the "teoutiiern .Modern Athens," I would beg to eUI your ami tho public's attention to the fine effect of artistic forms and architectural symaiHry perched upon our liiils, or on the wide portions of our thoroughfares. My principal object just now is, to call vp-m the people of Otugo to a«!orn its capita! with a col-ssal statue of the gre it Captain Cook, wli-iwas the real discoverer of these islands. Sure lam that the men of money and gentlemen in civil power throughout the city would at once respond, by giving at least a guinea each t r such a laudable purpose, and by having coat: ibntion boxes at the Post Office, banks &c wu-ji i.ihabitant would hr.yean opportunity of planU ing aa otubh in to genius and merit. The diggers, too. to whom the wild pigs ami fowl have bceu (iodsemh -ulre,i:ly having kept thousands from starving—would, from their proverbial intelligence and generosity, drop each their small nugfet into the box, It was this extraordinary man who placed these animals on our soil, and whose description of the c colonies is as yet tbe only authentic and reliable one. While he planted the standard of O'd England, his philosophic intellect and philanthropic h^art saw and felt nt once the preat scarcity of edible animal food, the cause of whose absence, as he so justly remarks were the cannibal and flesh-eatinsr propensities of the ftbariaines. -^ Now, Mr. Editor, 1 have hinted about the name of our city, whose northern parent can proudly boast of iU Scott monument, and many other scalp-

tares of exewiHagbenafcy. Let M then take the InihoVf X **• worid al*> •<** dedre. to per. petuate public worth by graceful and permanent tributes, to encourage native art and talent, and to give \ our youth aa Incentive «to go and do likewise." Ingenious and energetic youth invariably build their characters frnai models? the Fi«t Napoleon burned with aajbiU.>n while he perused the conquests of Alexander, and the pest Garibaldi is evidently one of the George Washington. type. Monuments to great characters give everlasting lessons I would hint, Sir, too, that the design for the great navijtator ought to be circumscribed to the arti^s of our ovn Wand. Let it be a strictly national tribute I*t us »-c what colonial artists can do. Give iheni an iurentive, by being liberal in remuneration and pure m action towards the competitors. I mentioned the nffiir to oae artist here, aad lie at mice panta to enter the competitive arena. I would leave the whole in your hands, 03 you are better able, Mr. Editor, to agitate such subjects., I c!o*ti this ietter with my firm conviction that graceful monuments in art and sculpture—dedicated by communities togreat virtues -slowly, surely and unseen, but felt, purifies the moral atmosphere more effectually than all police espionage or coinpukory control Yours respectfully, B.W. S. Dunedin, 20th Sept., 182.

THE NONGOMFuitiIIST SEITLERS. {To tlus Editor oftlie Daii.* Times.) Sin; I sen from jour paper of this morning, that the first batch or Noucoaiformist settlers" have arrived at Auckland. I have no doubt ssoaie of th< [ local papers will publish a 21st of the names of the iimnigraufcj, which I h.ipe you will-look out for and repriat for general information, as I am persuaded it would be rea-J %rith inu<:h iuterot bj a large proporUoa of your readem, many of whora have left friends and ji'MjuJatauces at hjiiiE, soiaa of whom, they tank is more thai possible, may be in the "batch/ even though they have uo positive advices upoa the subject. It w.>ald be aa ad litiona! servioa if, as well as the ttnuu-s, you could give tile pbees from whence Youre, Sic, ~ ~ „ hON. CON. Dune-Jin, aept. 24.