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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 19, 13 January 1863, Page 2

We are very happy t/i acknowledge the receipt of the first number of the Dnnstan and Wakatip Advertiser. All honor to the men who hail the pluck to start such an undertaking. To the uninitiated it may appear nothing extraordinary; nevertheless the difficulties to be contended with are great, and the owners of the above journal deserve every encouragement. On Saturday afternoon an accident, which might have been attended with very serious consequences, took place on an allotment in Kelvin-street, opposite the office of this paper. It appears that a man, who has a large heap of miscellaneous stores on the above ground, left his tent to attend to some business. During his absence a huge fallen tree, which lias probably occupied its present recumbent position for many years, took fire. The wind was very high, and the flames at one time appeared as if nothing short of a good fire engine would extinguish them. The police, under Sergeant Chapman, were on the spot immediately, and, assisted by the employees of our office, succeeded, after more than half-an-hour's hard work, in subduing the Humes. Had the fence, which runs along '

this part of Kelvin-street, got well into a blaze (it caught once or twice) a most disastrous fire must have been the consequence. The owner, or man in charge, states that' he never lit a fire on the ground, and, if what he states is true, it is difficult to account for its origin. Since writing the above, an occurrance of a similar nature took place in Dee-street, nearly opposite the Soutland Ncios office. Through the exertions of Mr. Smallfield and a few other gentlemen, it was, however, quickly extinguished. Fiom time to time we shall issue a " bulletin" as to the state of the jetty. We are sorry on the present occasion to have to say, " No change for the better." Building— wooden building— isgoingahead very rapidly, even the Government have taken a " spurt," and are running up something. We cannot speak positively as to the appearance the latter will present when completed, but as far as we are able to judge from the skeleton, carpenter's gothic will show largely. By our advertising columns it will be seen that Messrs. Cobb & Co. , with their usual ia mount of pluck, are going in a short time to sfart coaches between Invercargill and Dunedin, and, as a contemporary would say, as a natural consequence from Dunedin to Invercargill ; on private, as well as public, grounds, we hope they will succeed. We may add that both coaches and horses are hourly expected from Australia. There are men in the open drains of this " city" constantly trying to make the stagnant water run off. At present they have not succeeded in making it run up hill. Perhaps one of the members of the Town Board would walk round and inspect the worst places. We request, for the future, that those journals who copy from our columns will acknowledge the source from which they derive their information. The most flagrant instance of plagiarism we have to notice will be found in the Daily Telegraph (a Dunedin paper) of the Gth inst. Move than one-half of its summary for Melbourne is taken word for word from our columns without arknowledjmerd . Bud Horsemanship is not the rule in the colonies. On Sunday afternoon, however, on the North ro.id, T wo saw a mounted man (lie did not long retain his scat), who combined in one person as much cruelty and bad riding as we ever witnessed. lie violently beat the animal he bestrode, until it trottted, and then not rising in unison with its motion, he performed a somersault over its head. We felt glad when the catastrophe arrived. The Sir Goorge Pollock may be shortly expected. She will bring a good many laborers artisans, and female servants. Those in want of "helps " should apply early at the immigration office. Invercargill (barring a Cricket Club) is almost destitute of amusements which task the muscles. Could not our young men get up a boating club ? Sonic of them might train for the Pilot service, which is in want of hands. Philosophy may be desplaycd even in taking a drunken man in charge. A case in point might have been seen a day or two ago in Tay-street. Sergeant Chapman wasescorting to Government quarters, a man " under the influence." The Sergeant laid no hand upon him, prefering to exercise what may properly be called a kind of magnetic influence — by beckoning. He succeeded in landing him safely in tho lock-up, although at times the patient appeared very anxious to get away. The building of thestcamcr to ply on Lake Wakatip is being rapidly proceeded with, and the boilers and remaining portion of the machinery will be forwarded in a day or two. The proprietors are not likely to long enjoy a monopoly of the steam trade of the Lake, as already a project is on foot for putting on an opposition steamer. It will be perceived from the subjoined extract from a leading article in the Daily Times, January Gth, that some of the recent arrivals in that province are of a very dangerous class, necessitating a considerable increase iof the police force. As it is most probable I Southland will receive its share of the crimi- ! nal" element," we think the governmentought to lose no time in re-organiz ing and increasing the police force :— " It is a matter of regret that the population which lias an i vert in Otago from the Australian colonies d urine: ' the more recent rushes has been of a far inferior character to that which first emigrated to the Otago goldfields. We have the testimony of the Commissioner of Police in respect to this characteristic. Mr. Branigan says : — 'In the large increase of population during the last few weeks, I regret to be compelled to state that the Province has received some of the most dangerous criminals of the Australian colonies; and that, although the generality of the late arrivals seem to belong to a steadier class of minors than those who follow rushes habitually, yet a large number emphatically belong, if not to the criminal element, at least to that from which it is recruited. It may be said of the persons composing the present rush, that they arc divided into two classes, more widely separated than in any former instance. The steadier portion, more valuable accessions — and the remainder more undesirable colonists — than have hitherto been attracted to the Province. The latter class also possessing a sprinkling of desparate criminals.' It is these considerations which have rendered it nccessaiy that the police force should be considcvably strengthened. The estimates for the police department have consequently exhibited an increase in amount, and the still further extension of the goldfields may possibly render it advisable and necessary to exceed the vote. At any rate the people of Otago will be quite willing to continue the security of life and property which they hare hitherto enjoyed, at the premium which they are called upon to pay." Inferring to tho contemplated funeral of the explorers Burke and Wills, the Argus of the 2oth Dec. says : — " A meeting of the Exploration Commitee took place j osterday. afternoon, at the Hall of the Royal Society. Present — Mr C. W. Ligar, in the Chair, Messrs. Watson, Gilbee, Dr. Eades, and Dr Macadam, M.L.A., (lion, sec.) The business had referance to the arrangements of the procession at the public funeral of the leaders of the late exploring party. In conformity with the expressed wish of the Legislative bodies, i he alteration of the day of the funeral, fixing it for the 21st of January, was confirmed; and, in consideration of the infirmities of some members of the Legislative Council, it was agreed that they should be allowed to

attend in their carriages. Some other changes were made in the order of the procession — the Mayor and Corporation following immediately the Legislative bodies, and next to them, the Vice-Chancellor and members of the University are to have precedence. The procession will not be delayed at the cathedral, the dean having waived the point raised by him. It appears that some perplexity has been caused to the committee by the claims of precedence urged by some bodies not universally recognised beyond the limits of their own organization ; for example, the Odd Fellows, have been unable to agree whether the Grand Lodge of Victoria, or the Manchester Unity Lodge, should take the pas of the other. The committee decided that they could no 1 determine this point, although each of these bodies had announced that they would not attend if the other had the precedence, and one of them also stipulated for free passes for their members by the Melbourne Railway from. Prahran. The remains of Burke and Wills will arrive here on Saturday, but it is intended to receive them without any public formality, beyond the attendance of some members of the committee." We take the following from the Dunstan News and Wakatip Advertiser :— " By the courtesy of Messrs. D. Solomon and Co., we were yesterday shown a splendid sample of gold, weighing 103 ounces odd. He asked the two men who sold it to him where they got it. They said about 25 miles from the township, and that it was a' fortnight's work. Some time since a similar parcel in quantity and appeaiancewas sold to one of the banks, and again to another storekeeper at a previous period. We have therefore our suspicions that these men have been at work on " the quiet' 1 for some time past, as they always tell the same tale, except to the bank) when they made the observation that they intended taking a prospectieg claim, evidently with tho purpose of misleading several people who have been ' dodging ' them, but they always managed to steal away unobserved."