THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 299, 4 December 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4.

In the Provincial; Council, yesterday,;—

Mr Walker, gave notice that he should' afc -the next sitting move that the House go into committee to consider the subject of .tbe Panama Mail' Service.

; Mr Reynolds gave notice that, he should move at the next sitting, that .-.the Superintendent be requested to communicate with the General Government on the subject-of limiting the attendance of jurors: at the Supreme. Coiirt,

• The Provincial Solicitor gave notice of motion with respect to several bills. i

On the motion of Mr.rWAi.KER the memorial from the settlers in the North-east Harbor Peninsula,.was read, complaining of the want of roads in that district. .

The standing orders "were suspended to allow Mr.* Walker to move that his Honor the Superintendent be requested by address to cause the construction of the road in question forthwith. }

Mr. Martin seconded the motion.

The Provincial Solicitor admitted the evils complained of by the memorialists, and ascribed the delay to a dispute having arisen as to the proper line • the road was, however, in the hands of the engineer^ and when he bad made bis report, the work should at once be proceeded with.

Message No. 7, from his Honor the Superintendent wa3 brought up, requesting that.l.6o might I c placed at his disposal for the payment of jurors wh., had been detained so long on the civil cases at the Supreme Court.

The House went into committee, and unanimously voted the amount.

Mr Walker asked the Government what had been.done with reference to the Panama Mail Service, and what steps the Government intended to take in the matter. The horn member then read cxtraels of certain propositions made by the Executive. He (Mr Walker) wished to be informed what had been done since. -

The Provincial Secretary said that'nothing had been done, except to communicate with some of the Australain Colonies to enquire ! what subsidy they would ba inclined to give; The whole subject would be brought before .the . Council. for decision, after the estimates had been laid on the table.

Mr Walker moved that copies of correspondence be laid on the table. This the Provincial Secre-tary-undertook to see to without delay. ■■■-'.''

Mr-Walker moved an address to the Superintendent, asking for copies of all correspondence between the Province and the Edinburgh agency, for the last five years. He did not wish to pass any censure on the agents, but the House would have to consider the expediency of appointing a London agency. The motion was agreed to. ' ;

On the motion of Mr Gillies, a select committee was appointed to enquire into the working 6f the Survey and Provincial Engineer's Department, to report on Friday week.

Mr Walker gave, notice of motion for a select committee to enquire into the working of the Home Agency., . .

Hepbusn gave notice ot a question respecting the postal communication with Australia. ;

Mr Cargill gave notice of molioa. for correspondence with the Town Hoardrespecting/the raising of funds for public improvements. " . '

Mr Hardy gave notice of a motion for the production of copies of all'correspondence respectine gold discoveries^ --/.

The Provincial Solicitor moved the third reading of the JSheep Inspection Bill. - -

Mr Gillies moved;that the bill be re-committed, which was carried by 12 to; 6. ■• ;1

In committee, Mr Gillies moved the introduction of a clause to prevent any but fat sheep, not intended to travel beyond the reserves on the Mataura and Waitaki, escaping under the provisions of the Scab I Prevention Act. Under the bill, as it stood, there 1 was nothing to prevent sheep introduced for stocking a run being sent on without being dipped. ' Mr M'Master seconded the motion. Mr Cutten opposed it, as it would make the whole bill inoperative, After some discussion, Mr Cargill moved an amendment, to enable tbe Superintendent to order any sheep not fat, or not intended for immediate slaughter, to be dipped. The Provincial Solicitor said the bill had received the most anxious consideration, and without the powers asked for, the Executive must shrink from ' the responsibility. Mr Gillies withdrew his amendment in favor of that of Mr Cargill. ' After a lengthy discussion the House divided, when there were for the amendment 9 against 10. The amendment was therefore negatived^ and the bill was read a third time and passed. The Electric Telegraph Bill was re-committed for the amendment of Clauses 6 and 13. The Provincial Solicitor expressed his willingness to strike out the 6th Clause, and to substitute one providing that before any lana was taken, the ( Superintendent should treat with the occupier or owner as to .compensation j most of the land taken would be common land. The clause was adopted. , Clause 13 was also modified, and progress having been reported, 4be-House resumed, and the third reading was fixed for the next sitting. , The Incensed I Carriage Bill* was read a second time. - In committee, some amendments were suggested," and it was agreed to report progress and a&k leave to at again after the Provincial Solicitor, should have re-consideredcerfedn details of the measurer ~ 3?h©Housewse-shortlyiSfterlo; r J*'V -'. „ • ■* *• • -- - • j , - - U- , • 1

Tbb Panama Service Question is To come bi I for discussion to-night, and we sincerely trust that it will be treated in a spirit of intelligent liberality,1, unalloyed by any-prejudices of a party or local nature; On the decision of the Council mainly depends whether Otago is to be chosen as the New Zealand Terminus of the Panama Service, or whether the steamers are merely to touch at one of the other ports, and proceed on to Sydney. On the advantage to the Province to secure for itself the

terminus of the service it is hardly necessary to dwell. Scarcely any cost could be named which would not be more than compensated by the commercial advantages the Province would derive. Leaving this part of the subject to speak for itself, our present purpose is more to lay before our readers a short statement by which they will be a"ble -to arrive at a conclusion of tlie results which have been attained by the negotiations that have already taken place. -

Duringthelate session ol the General Assembly an Act was passed for appropriating a sum not exceeding £30,000 per annum for five years for subsiding a line of steamers from Panama. Almost immediately afterwards an intimation was received by a gentleman in Dunedin from a firm in Lima tbat, at a cost of between £50,000 and £GO,OOO a year, a monthly service between Panama and Port Chalmers might be secured. Tlie Chamber of Commerce seized on the iutim ation with avidity, and strongly advised that a co-opera-tion should be attempted between the Provincial and general Governments for the purpose of securing the proposed service, with Port Chal " inera as the terminus. Shortly afterwards Mr. Crosbie Ward came to Dunedin, and entered into communications ';with; the GoVernment on the subject. Thesubstance of these may be - briefly told. Mr Ward professed himself willingin case the offer 1;.; should'; assume V more def lDitf s^a?e' t0^ c^ ye its negociation wth the Provincial Government, or to negotiateliimself on itsbehalf. In case no definite arrangement should come forward he assented to the proposal' to wait two months before committing himself, on an agreement with !New South Wales, so as to see what inducement the Provincial Council would offer to enable him to negociate the Panama contrafctoa beliaif?bf Kew Zealand alone without recourse to/ the. ueighboiinng colonies. The; Executive made the following proposition,—To ask the Council to vote a sum of £25,000 annually for five_ years to be added to the £30,000 of the General Government,- the; condition being to make Port Chalmers' the , terminus,' the contrib utiohs received from the neighboring colonies to be ..first, applied towards defraying the subsidy vipaid by the Province. .- It was understood that .on the strength of the Executive promising to bri^iii an Ordinance embodying, this proposition, -Mr.Ward* would abstain from, negotiate _ing with the neighboring colonies. ; . '■■'-';'

•When Mr.Ward got ta Sydney, he found tiie. Government of New South Wales just on.the point of accepting an !offer of the Peninsula and Oriental Company to ran a second steamer, a month from Suez to Sydtiey. This proposal, so fatal to the interests of the Panama scheme, Mr Ward considered it was. necessary to immediately deal with, even although lit involved a departure Irom letter of .his understanding with the Otago Government. He accordingly addressed to Captain Towns r President; of the Chamber of Commerce, a letter, ! a copy of which appears in andther column. He dealt with the subject in its general aspect, — did '. hot; enter into .. any specific pledges, — and, in short, whilst advocating the, claims of the Panama proposal, endeavored to avoid as "much as possible infringing on his understanding with the Provincial: Government of Ofca^o. The letter and the subsequent action he t<j ok were effective in preventing the acceptance pf;the Peninsular and Oriental Company's proposal • and'we have authority for laying that the, New South Wales Government professed itself willing to fall in with any plan for paying a rateable contribution towards the expense of the contract, to be based on the relative number of letters received and dispatched by the different colonies.

Had Australia accepted the offer of the Peninsular and Oriental Company the injury to New. Zealand would have;been immense. The bringing down and returning the mails from and to Australia by the i monthly service will cost, by -the new contracts, something -like £40,000 a year, and it would cost an equd amount' to place*to an available use the second ;monthly service. Even then the timeVould be such that New Zealand would always be a fort- : night, or one-mail, behind -Australian conveying its intelligence to England.? On the other hand, by the Panama route it lyould be in advance, and. the expenseof concaving the mails to and frdniV Australia! would be borne °y the colonies of that continent, instead of as now felling altogether on New Zealand;' IV was, thus of the jhighe^tiniportance to st^ the acceptance of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's proposal, and we beUcye^Mr Ward succeeded in effecting this. His-further effbrts: b:aye;beendevoted to wards; sec unug: the pro-; mise of a rateable contribution towards the Panama service; according.. to the use each %>lpnyinakesof it. ; ;' ';';.*'■ ;;

".What Otago now is asked to do is to give a guarantee, by which Mr. Ward may be enabled to effect an arrangement on behalf of the Colony, with the-conditiou that Port Chalmers ,be fixed as. the terminal port. . The stipulation could also be made that Otago should first be refunded, out of the contributions 'of the other. Colonies,, any amount it was called ou to pay out of its guarantee. In fact it is asked to give its name more than its money. Mr. Ward has only £30,000 at his disposal,-and this is not enough to'satisfy the^ contract: If Otago would give him a guarantee* by'which he could conclude a contract for a larger sum, repayment would be secured to it' by a "first charge on the contributions froni the other colonies. We really canffpt:'see how - for a apy/objection can 'be raised, againsf giving*' thfe and so enabling Mr. Ward to conclude on behalfof the colony a contract which will-be immeasurably serviceable to it. Otago in return for 4ts guarantee would be made the-'first port of arrival, ,and : last of departure, and this stipulation could be made in the framing of the conditions on which the Province, made "itself liable for the amount it* guaranteed. Sincerely we bfe-> lievethai. by the th& Council is asked to adopt, the Pro viae i would; not be, pttt to °^. s¥^%y, expense, whgstjt 1 Would secure"" an immense advantaged Sydney, near to. , Otagoas^^ucldan^'coisld^^posßffily oV

ject-^to'the ~ arrangement" by^which^Port'j Chalmers was made tlie port;. whilst Victoria, I only five days off, would probably use the Panama service as much as all New Zealand and the other colonies put together.' We really-believe that not only would Otago be refunded its guaranteed Subsidy, bat that the £30,000 of the Provincial Government would be more than half repaid. Surely, for so excellent aud safe a purpose, Otago should not hesitate ty lenl its guiniut^e to' serve itself as well as the rust of the colony.

The Provinciai balance- sheet, for halfyear ending -30th September, has just been published iri the * Gazette. The liabilities of the Province are stated as? amounting to £46,024 6s. 3d., and the assets r ; £80,606 j 7s. 7d, The liabilities consist of-r-Deposits on j surveys and contracts, £441 25.; debentures! payable^ £23,000■■; and overdrawn account at i the Union Bank, £22,583 4s. 3d. The assets j consist of—lmmigration bills, £46,979 Is.; 5d.; amounts due from Dunedin Town Board, £4,500; Dunedin Cemetery, £ 100; ■! Port Chalmers Toyvn Board and Cemetery,! £800; Harbor improvements, £11,261 10j. 6d ;'aud hidue from J: G. Lewis, £250. The Bo ue 'Agents''o\ve:JElo',4B5v' 3s. 9d., and there are advanced accounts amounting'to £6;250 lis." lid. The item of immigration bills seems, a very large Bum, and it mpy be interesting to know the condition of the accounts under th*s head. It is well known that the Government have had; great difficulty in securing the payment of the immigrants' bills, greafc numbers of which have been overdue for years. We remember that some months ago the Immigration Officer published a; notice, to those who had failed to take up their bills, and.one"or twbparties were summoned before the Magistrate.,, We nnd in the report of the Immigration. Officer- that the ■ amount collected for Mhngrantj£bllls has been i' 3.983 '12s. Id. during the half'year, and £8,457 18s. sd. during the year. Mr-AUau says that "the disposition on the part of many of the defaulters owing passage money to defer the payment .of thedebt to the latest? period, and in some cases to^ jep.udiate. : the .claims -■ of the Government altogether, is" no less apparent j now than in former year 3," aud suggests that [prompt measures "should be; taken against the defaulters. Tiie ..'item due from the Home Agents, as we have before, remarked, should be more clearly explained. ; '■*, .

;. The total Revenue forthe 'half yearis put down as having been £176,431 2s; 7d., of which £58,078 was the balance at March 31. The revenue, has been derived from the following sourqes :r-Crown lands, £53,777 165.; customs duties, (three-eighths cf gross receipts),; ;£27,317 10s.; gold' export duty, £20,371 Ife 5(1.; harbour dues, £2,480 135; jetty dues, £1,237 18s. 5d.; sheep assessments and fines, £1,105 15s. 5d.; ferry .dues, £435 9*. 4d; and dog tax, £92 js. Under the head of immigration, the receipts have amounted to £5,179 2s. 5d., of which £3,983 12s. was repaid advances by immigrants. Licenses have brought in a sum ci'f £4,505 ; ground. rents have realised £419 5s ; and hospital, donations aud repayments, £386 4s. Id. The sale of police horses amounted to £183 . 18s«i and incidental receipts to £65 16s. In the department of education the receipts were £159 Is. lid., of which £140 Us. 7d. consisted of fees. The interest account. amounted to £772 4s Bd., of which £416 18s- 7d. was received-from the Town Board-of Dunedin, the balance being from the Banks. ,'7""'.""■,

The total Expenditure'for the half year is stated as having amounted to £160,214 6s. Bd, of which the following are the principal items:"—•Superintendent's department, £1,169 13s. 3d.; Provincial Council,^department^ £736 155., of which £326 consisted of salaries, • £344' 16s the expenses of country member?, and-£65 143 the printing of the proceedings; : 'The gxeemtive department absorbed £402:195. 9d.; the Audit department, £161 7s. lid.; and the Treasurer's department, £320 16s, Jd. The expenses of the Crown lands department amounted to £1,886 9si 4d., and the Survey departmentto £6,728 Bs. 6d. The-Engineer and Architect's department c05t,£3,710 159. sd; the; Police department, £15,138 13s. 3d; the Harbor department, £4,455 19s Bd.; and the Sheep Inspector's department, £1,029 19s 4d. The Gold Fields department absorbed £2,557 13s. 3d. ; the Gaol department, £3,244 2s. 4d.•, and.the Hospital department, £3,955 4s. 4d. The Immigration department cost £203 is. 3d.; and the Education department, £1,460 2s 3d. ; " *

. The expenditure on the roads is put down at the large sum; of £66,033 18s. Id., of which the chief items are; as follows :—D un:edih|to T^eri Ferry,:£lß,46s Is. Id.; Dunedin to Waikouati, £10,052 9s. Bd.; Taieri Eerry to Clutlia Ferry. £6;120 Is. lid., and Saddle Hill to- West Taieri, £6,459 12s. 7d Siore than three; thousand pounds has been spent on bridges, five of which have cost £3;447i 2?.; lid. ; Three ; tfetties-Waihola, Dunedin, and Port Chalmers, have required ;an expenditure of £1,658 2s. The telegraph expenditure is ; put down at £275 12s. Bd.. and th it on the ferries and punts at Clajtha andtJpper Taieri, £1,032; 43. §d/

Under the head of Public Buildings the expenditure is stated as having amounted to i £20,373- &*. 7d.,-the most important item* of I which appear a3 follows .-—Schools, £3,973; hospitals, £3,632; gaol and hulk, £1,853; police stations and buildings,' £3,990;. gold, fields buildings, £1,196; military barracks £1,233;-' additions to Provincial buildings, £1,177, and portable building?, £1,391, The expenditure on immigration is pu£ &Jdowii at. £1,93 l;lls^4d., and steam servlce."'£%JlQo^ The- interest on debentures to £1,162 lis. 2d., and a sum of £1f,033 12s. Bd.„ is put 'down-under the head of "Miscellaneous,'* "comprising, among' otKer items,'£3,#OO.f6r purchase of runs,, J^jjfe "14s. Bd, for-extra pay to military,' £1,-430 »Wprinting, and £1,459 'lQs. 'sd. for the' Geological departments - v "**"*" "' 1 •The unauthorised expenditure for the half year amounted to £19,602 12s. 3d., the. principal item of wliich was expended on roads!* viz., £7,397. The Survey* department had; called-for ,£1,168 ,10s. lid.;' Steam Service £2,100;, Bridges, £1,020 16s.,|#L-;" andPub^ ließuildings,,£2,*422 7atf&X'£ji4fe^'~expenditure on Steam* Service was guaranteed by, W^l^® of the_Trbwcwil;Coq£bM, dated stfcMay,lß6% >,--> .^ t . w . • . _ - ..„,.

The programme" of was a«airi mformed at the; t\m;-,' Theatre last night" There was a moderate attendance, and the pi ece s Passed off equally well as on the previous evening To-night Mr Walter Sherwin takes a benefit and a great bill of fai'e is aauouncs! ,Tii3 opera ot the "Bjhemian Girl,"and tlie buries^ of "Tn Miller and his Mm," will sur 3 ly attract a lap™ audience, to say nothing of th 3 great merits oi Mr Sherwin himself.

It is absolutely necessary that something should be done to render the e;nbanknjnt povlon of Stuart-street safe. Scarcely a day passss'but some accident occurs, and unless the dan^roua part of the road referred to is fenced off, or other means adopted to prevent the recurrence of accident, we may have to chronicle the loss of lif e in. addition to the da.n.ige of property. From about a hundred yards bayoad the Hos pital up to a point about .the same dis~ tance up the hill, the raid is barely wide enough for two drays to pass in safety, and it so happens that tliis is the very spot where there is the greatest "puli" on the horso*, an I where if anywhere, they will jib or halt. Yesterday another loaded dray went over the incline, but fortunately the driver and horse escaped uui n jured. If only the kerb of the footpath was constructed, ib would prevent many, if not all, acci denfe of the kind; and, foiling .this,.a f e^ puj driven in the bank with strong cross rails, would answer the purpose.

According to,the report of the Immigration : officer, some of the im grants have resorted to a ••dodge" for getjing cheap passages. Mr Allan says:—"Whatever irregularity may have taken place, has occurred without the knowledge of the agents. In my report on the arrival of the Jura I felt it my duty to state that four females by that ship came out as unmarried amono- t| Ja single females, while the husbands of three of them were in the same ship, among the single men, and,the husband of the fourth preceded her per llobert Henderson; this device bi;ing resorted .to in order to evade the full payment of the passage, money, Tiie Government instructed me to demand the immediate payment of the sum advanced by the agents for these parties, and if not 'complied with, to prosecute them for'obtaiuin" money on false pretences." This- paragraph may be'of use iv deterring others from attempting a similar fraudulent course, ,

According to a report published in the Government Gazette, the expenditure on the puhlic roads and bridges from the financial years ISSI-5 to 1881--2 has amounted1 to L 140,771, of which Ls,o94;was for bridges. In 1854-5 the total expenditure on loads was only LSI; in 1855-6 it was L433jin 1853-7,L1,415; in 1857-8, L 5,053; in 1858-9, L 5,013; iv 1859-30, 1,17,369; in 1850-1, L20,354,and in 18G1-2, the expenditure amountsd o L 59,051. -

One of the .solicitors attending upon the case . at the Supreme Court yesterday, had a rather • curious recontre. Returning to Court after snatching a- hasty lunch, he desired ,to . pass a band of convict employees, who were engaged in levelling the road at the Gaol, when liU progress was suddenly arrested by "the niuzzle of a carbine being brought unpleasantly close to his face: Meditations on the interests of a client, were at once set aside to enquire the reason of a 'proceeding so hostile. The Warder made reply: " You must go round by tbe pathway, or I will give you in charge." This given in a loud tone and overbearing manner, excited the learned Council's bump of combativeness, and he would go which way he chose. He proceeded to argue the point and "lay down the law" on the subject, but with what effect none can tell, as the difficulty was settled by tho constable ia waiting at the Court coming to the rescue. Escorted by 'him/the legal gentleman safely took the road ho liked, which was through the band of laborers with the branded clothes.

While a witness was being examined in the Supreme Court yesterday, he had occasion to hand a document to one of the officers in attendance at the bar. That functionary did not at once tako the proffered article, and on close examination he was found to be sound asleep. Sundry nudges, with the laughter indulge! iv by all present, speedily woke him up, and he took the paper with a very sheepish air, while his Honor remarked, "It is good proof of the great interest taken in the case."

The Supreme Court was occupied the whole day yesterday with the case Smith «. Cleve and Others. At half-p.ist 5 the defendants had not concluded .their evidence, sa the court adjourned till to-day at ten o'clock.

The prosperity of Otago has also materially advanced that of the other provinces. Perhaps Wellington has derived tlie most benefit from the change, chiefly because her exports are mainly stock and dairy produce, which have all along commanded a ready and profitable sale iv Otago. The New Zealand Advertiser (Wellington), says : —" The value of the cattle, butter, and timber exported from Wellington since the discovery of gold: ia Otago has not been less, at tbe lowest estimate, than LIOO.OOO. The cattle, estimated at L 5 per head, would be worth L 27,255 ; the sheep, at 20s per head, £6,819 ; the horses, at L3O per head, L 7.020 ; and 2,525, kegs butter, at LS, would be worth.L44,ooo; total, L 85,094. The quantity of saAvn timber exported since the 12th April hist amounted to 1,063,777 feet, which, at 15s per hundred.feet, would amount to L 7,972 15s ; but this estimite of the value of these exports is much below the mark. The value of the cattle may be; estimated, including their whole cost before shipment, at L 50,000, and the butter .at about the same sum, while sawn timber is noc to be purchased in the town at the price here estimated ;'consequently, when the value of the timber exported before the 12th of April last is added, if we' stated that the value of our exports was Ll 50,000, and put this sum* down as the Result of the Otago gold ; discoveries, we should not be much beyond tjie mark. This, of course does not. include, the; sum -of something liko LIOO,OOO received for British and tbreign'goods shipped from Wellington to Otago, owing to the gold discoveries having opened a better market th*r4lf^vlsem•:-*%?. could be obtained in this Province, "under the; administration of our present .rillerS.", '^ih-^.j- i^ii-AAA -:-.V:;

The sale by auction of the s.s. Victory as she lies at WicklifFa Bay,, took place yesterday, at the rooms of Messrs F. J. Moss and Co. There was a fair attendance of bidders, the sale appearing to have excited* considerable interest, but all evinced, at first, considerable timidity, and the first btdwas only £5. Soon, however, tbe bids began to improve, and the competition to increase, and the vessel, with all property on board belonging io her, was at length knocked down at £200. It is stated in the Soutldand News that the Southland Education Committee have announced their intention of opening a. school,specially devoted to female education. - yest«rday,evening,-theistench proceeding from thebeach behind the. site of the old ftshrstalls, in -Princes-street,.was most insnfibrable.", Whether ( the effluvium- proceeded from tlie,. refuse left by , the receding tide, or|rom decomposingfish left by the fish'ermcpihemßelves^ce^fem it is* that there JS'greaknecessiiy for immediate steps beSng taken > to obviate "a.nuisan^whiebrma^be sufficient ta breed a deacllf diseased '„ ' * .' > The notrination^fsa^mbcr, to, represent the Districtof mm^en in^|^^ene^^te»inbly^ U■- * Ji«i ,****, -—*-* f jsa'"^^ ~~* «■ - , ..

" Wo would direct thep.-u-Hcular nfentinn of our readers to a new notice rwpecfcmg the Church of England Bazaar, and Industrial Exhibition in connection with ifc, by which it will bo seen tbat, as mentioned in our issue of yesterday, tbe bazaar and exhibition will not be held at the Grange, as originally proposed, but at the old Club House and grounds, in Maclaggan-street, which have b'-cn kindly placed afc the dhp >sal of the Committee by Mr ' John Jones. It is further announced that the j bazaar, and exhibition will beheld on Tuesday, j the lGth instant and following days, (18th excepted). The committee also earnestly request intending exhibitors to meet them to-morrow (Friday) evening, at half-past seven, afc the offices of Mr R. B. Martin, below tlio Athenaeum, corner of Manse-street and High-streefc, for the purpose of making the final arrangements as to space, and for tho settlement of other.matters necessary to the convenience of exhibitors and the success of the exhibition.

Last night a lecture was delivered in Knox's Church to the members of the Young Men's Christian Association and their friends, by J. W. Sullivan, Esq., F.Ii.GS., who undertook the task at the request of Br Hector. The Rev Mr Stewart presided, and introduced the lecturer, who stated his subject to ba "The best ocean routes, as indicated by the physical geography of the sea." To aid him in illustrating the topic, a gigantic map was used which had traced on it the various currents that prevail on tha ocean, and a large chart -was also employed for tho same purpose. After pointing out the difference between the polar and equatorial diameters of the earth, the lecturer p.issed to the theory of winds ; and taking New Zealand for an example, explained what caused a land and what a sea-breeze. The principles and action of the trade winds were next commented upon, and the speaker then p.issed to currents, reading an able paper on the Gulf streams of America. This led him to his subject proper, and he unhesitatingly pronounced in favor of the Panama route from England as '.the best overland route to New Zealand. This course could be regulated so that both winds and currents would bo in its favor, and if steamers were employed, abundance of coal could be found in South America at the one end, and he believed that plenty of coal: would yet be found in Otago at the other. As a mail route then.Panama was preferable, but not for commercial.. purposes, or the conveyance of goods, as everything carried across . the Isthmus eosfc 10 per cent per lb. Pointing out that Great Britain was the centre of the land half of the earth, and New Zealand of the ocean half, he predicted that this alone would make it a prosparous country, and strongly urged the propriety of fostering trade with the South American States in preference to British Columbia, With a passing glance at monsoons and their causa the lecturer concluded, explaining that he bad just come off .a; long sea voyage, and that he had given the lee— ture afc the request of Dr Hector at a very short notice. He promised before long to give his audience another lecture. A hearty vote of thanks, was accorded Mr Sullivan, aud ifc having been announced that the next lcetui-e.. would be delivered by Dr Hockcn—subject, " Botany—" the proceedings closed- with the benediction. Some portions of the lecture we will publish in full in a future issue, our present space ..prevents our doing so now. A case of considerable public importance came before the Resident Magistrate on Monday last. The case was not beard in open court, but in his Worship's private room, which accounts for ifc not having been reported in our columns at the time. As ifc involves a most' important principle we make no ap3logy for now presenting a slight outline of its principal features. The case (Hooper v. Eeid) was beard before John Gillies, Esq., X.M, It was a claim by Edwin Hooper of the West Taieri Ferry,for'thc 5s dueforferryageof the defendant's dray and loading and two horses. Mr Haggitt, who appeared for the plaintiiF, said ho had no doubt bis Worship would be surprised to sco two professional men concerned iv a case where the whole amount involved was 5s ; but the truth was the case was one of great importance, not only to tho parties themselves but to the public, and there was a point of law to be decided. The facts were, that on the 18th ult. the defendant with his dray, &c, instead of cross- , ing the Taieri Ferry, forded the river about half a mile below it, and the plaintiff now sued under the Ferries' Ordinance Amendment Ordinance 1856, fer the amount; of the ferryagc. Mr Cook, for tlie defendant, admitted the crossing of the I river, but contended that no amount could be re- ! covered under tho Ordinance. He read the section applicable to the case, which was as follows : " Every person who shall cross, or who shall cause. any cattle to cross, or who shall cany or cause to be conveyed for him any cattle, cart, vehicle, or goods across any river, creek, or hike, afc, opposite to, or withiu three "miles in a straight line f.om any point or station within the Province of Otago, at which a public ferry for the convenience of crossing such river, creek, or lake is or shall be , estiblished, in pursuance of the before recited Orclinauce.witliout availing himself of the service of the ferryman, or of the use of the ferry boat or boats, shall be liable for, aud shall pay to the ferryman, the toll or rate that would have been demantlable in any or all of such cases if the ferryman hud been employed to convey such parson or such cattle, cart, vehicle, or goods across such ferry in the ferry boat or boats." He submitted that unless the person crossed alone, or caused the cattle to be crossed for hire, nothing was recoverable under the Act. Mr Haggitt replied, pointing out that the Governmeafc intention ot the Ordinance was to prevent any evasion of the toll, as was clearly ascertained by reference, to the annlysis, and also to the marginal note to the section. Conveyance for hire was'an entirely distinct b.each of the section, and could not be at all t,-.ken into consideration in the present case; the conjunction-"or" preceding it being evidently di-junctivc, and not; conjunctive, Mr Giliies said he had no doubt whatever that the Act applied b-)th lo parsons crossing and also to person's causing cattle to cross. The conveying for hire was a different matter altogether, and did not come into question here. He considered that persons acted very wrongly in avoiding payment of ferryage, as the ferries were kept up at a considerable expense for the use of the publio. He should give judgment for plaintid for 4s and costs. The amount \vas at once paid, the .defendant remarking that he only wished to settle the question of liability.