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Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 2, 10 July 1863, Page 2

A good idea of the progress and increased enterprise and population of Southland, may be gleaned from a valuable postal return to be found in another column. From it we see, that for the quarter ending 30th June last, 18,641 letters were received at Invercargill, and 24,759 newspapers ; while during the corresponding quarter of 1862, only 5,201 letters, and 7,360 newspapers came to hand, thus leaving a balance in favor of this year of 13,440 letters, and 17,399 newspapersWith regard to mails sent away during last quarter, 21,714 letters were dispatched, and 10,582 newspapers ; whilst during the corresponding quarter of 1862, only 5,549 letters, and 2,044 newspapers were despatched, leaving a balance in favor of this year c* 15,651 letters, and 8,538 newspapers. Of letters and newspapers received during the quarter ending 30th June last, there has been an increase over the quarter ending 31st March last, of 6,474 letters, and 11,467 newspapers. Of letters and papers despatched during the same periods, there Las been for the quarter ending 30th June last, an increase of 7,577 letters, and 3,271 newspapers. The pressure of other and important matter forbids the publication in exteiiso to-day of the proceedings before the llesident Magistrates Court. On Tuesday, the Court was clve'ly occupied with a case of assault with intent to stab, in which Charles Tibbits was ihe defendant, and Sarah Sallak the prosecutrix. It appeared, from the evidence of the prosecutrix that she was the wife of the landlord of tho Koynl Hotel — that defendant, late upon the previous night, had knocked ! violently at her door, and npon her coming <.ut, had made use of bad language, whilst engaged opening oysters. He had also said that if any one came near him he would stab hiii) ; but i a lady approached him, he would close the knife. The defendant was reprimanded imil dismissed. On Wednesday, a bigamy case engaged the attention of the Court. John Robertson, supposed to have been previously married in Melbourne, contracted a second marriage in Otago. He was arrested by sergeant Chapman, on the occasion of his discharge from the Invercargill gaol, where he had been confined on default of payment in the matter of an action for child maintenance. The case was remanded for eight days, for the production of additiaaal evidence. Yesterday, Regina v. Robertson was the principal case. The defendant was charged with obtaining a horse under false pretences. It was alleged that he had in the first instance sold a horse to aMr Harrison, and received payment. He had thereafter asked and received the loan of this horse to go to the Bluff. Instead of going to the Blufl, it was stated that he had put up the horse to public ciuction, when Mr Harrison stopped the sale. Case was dismissed by His Worship. The English Opera Company, including the well-known prima donna, Madame Carandini; Mr Sherwin, tenor ; Mr Small, basso ; and Mr Whyte, pianist, have arrived in Invercargill, after a very successful tour through the provinces of Otago, Canterbury, Nelson, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Taranaki, and Auckland. It is their intention to give a series of popalar concerts in Invercargill, embracing every description of vocal effort. Madame Carandini's speciality for the plaintive Scotch song and for the operatic morceau, has throughout New Zealand universally attractive, while Mr Sherwin in Sims Reeve's ballads, and Mr Small in his own fantastic comicalities, have always pleased. We understand the Company have engaged a suitable hall in Dee-street, and that their entertainment will shortly be commenced. It is so rarely in this somewhat remote town, that the opportunity is given of listening to music, at all worthy of the name? that we think the inhabitants cannot but appreciate and patronise these concerts, which must materially relieve and considerably lighten the long gUxmy evenings of the winter season. During the Criminal sittings of the Supreme I Court, which commence to day at 10 o'clock a.m., within the Mechanics' Institute, before i His Honor Mr. Justice Gresson, there will be only six cases for trial ; and these all of a trivial nature. The following are the names of the j prisoners and the description of the offences, which, by the courtesy of the Governor of the gaol, we have been enabled to copy from the oflicial'record. — " Henry Merino, stealing money accused, committed, 14th April, 1863. James Russcl, stealing cash — 15 sovereigns and some jjold in bullion — committed, 18th April, 1863. John Itourke, stealing goods to the value of L 1 — committed, Bth April, 1863 ; also, absconding from gaol, re-committed 18th April. William Jackson, stealing from the person — committed 28th April, 1863. Peter Dempsey, larceny — committed 20th May. William Iznor, embezzlement — committed, 22nd June 1863.

■•Ah /association,- partaking of the nature of a club, is about, to- be inaugurated by some of thebachelor residents in town. A suitable, room, containing a piano, newspapers, periodicals, &c, has been engaged. Arrangements have been made for the supply of creature comforts. The entrance to the companionship of the club will be strictly guarded by ballot ; and every endeavor will be made to supply the want so much felt in Invercargill of a place of pleasant resort during the long evenings of the winter season. The club will be in no way connected with j tap-rooms. ! In noticing the Musical Association in last issue, we omitted to mention that their principal working need is alto voices. It has surely only to be mentioned to induce ladies possessing the required voices to come forward. Canterbury is the province which has been j the latest to celebrate the royal marriage ; the 7th instant was the day appointed by the Government and Municipal Council. Owing to continued rains, there has been a great overflow of the Hutt river, Wellington, carrying away the guards of the bridge and flooding the valley. Amongst the little wants" in which this town abounds, there is one in particular, which makes itself felt by all. There is no question asked so often — there is none so unsatisfactorily answered as, " What a o'clock is it ?" In a place such as this, where business men, and idle men, and all sorts of men are constantly making appointments, be it for the sale of a bushal of oats, or be it for that process, some times called "moistening the clay," it stands to reason that there should be a criterion of time, whereby all might regulate their meetings. It is the more necessary, for the reason that the climate seems to have entered into an offensive alliance with the main springs of the watches of the community, with the view that no two shall agree upon any one hour. In Dunedin, the importance of an accurate knowledge of time, or rather an accurate standard, has so impressed itself upon those in authority, that a lar^e clock has been constructed so as to peep out from the higher storey of the Custom House building, and thus prominently inform all ot the progress of the old gentleman with the scythe. Were the same idea followed out here, either in regard to the Custom House, or the Post Office, or the Provincial Government offices, it -would be in its results most useful to the inhabitants, and conduce towards preventing the community in genera) from being "behind the time." There is scarcely a village, either in old countries o T in new, which has not its public clock. The salary of the Superintendent of the Province of Nelson has lately been raised by the Provincial Council from £500 to £600 a-year. The prisoners in th& Dunedin gaol upon the occasion of the celebration of the Royal Marriage had the misery of confinement alleviated by a relaxation of discipline, and an old En;. I sh dinner of roast beef and plum pudding. Mr Justice Gresson arrived in Invercargil on Wednesday afternoon, per Airedale from the north. One of the coaches of Messrs. Cobb atiu Co., was placed specially at his disposal. A trooper of the mounted police force has been detached for duty as an orderly. His Honor has taken roo:ns at the Provincial Hotel, Taystreef., where also apartments have tr-en secured for the Jury, who will be empannelled for thfr insuing Session of the Supreme Court. On Monday evening last, Mr Livesey proprietor of the Prince of Wales Hotel, invited a number of gentlemen to dinner, to celebrate , the opening of the additional wing of that Hotel. Covers were laid for 30 guests in the new dining hall, a large and spacious aprr - ment. After ample justice had been done to the good things provided, the cloth was removed, and the usual loyal toasts having been duly honored, the Chairman, in a few appro- j priate remarks, proposed the health of the "Host and Hostess." Mr Livesey, in returning thanks said, Mr Chairman and Gentlemen : It is with much, pleasure that I observe around me many old and familiar faces, with most of whom I have been acquainted during their residence in the original Bobby Burns' Hotel. I doubt not but that many pleasing reminiscenses are attached to that name, if I interpret aright the smiles of many gentlemen. It will be necessary perhaps, in order to give an idea te those gentlemevi who have J recently arrived among us, of the rapid growth of Invercargill, to mention that two years ago, Dee-street was a dense bush, with very little probability of its being otherwise for some tirre to come. Tay-street was nearly similar, and the population of the town very limited indeed ; however, the recent discovery of gold, and consequent in- ! crease of population gave astonishing impetns to the geneial prosperity of Invercargill, and I am happy to say gentlemen the result personally, from the improved state of affairs has been *he erection of the building in -which we are now assembled. I have to thajik you for the cordial manner in which you have drunk Mrs Livesey's and my own health, and I trust it will not be our last meeting together on a similar occasion (cheers). The next toast proposed and suitably responded to, was His Honor the Superintendent, after whi«h, Mr Perry, as the " oldest inhabitant,'' proposed the " Prosperity of Southland." Mr ■ Chalmers in reply, reviewed the financial history of the Province, and stated that South land would bear favorable comparison with any Province in New Zealand. A number of other toasts were then proposed and responded to after which the company sepa - i rated. ' We bepr to call attention to the sale by auction { of the Government brig Content, to be held to day at noon, by Messrs. Robertson and Co. under instructions from his honor the Superintendent. State of-H.M's. gaol. Invercargill, for the week ending 9th July, 1863 : — Waiting trial at Supreme Court, 6; under remand from magistrates,!; sentenced to hard labor, 13: lunatics' 1 ; debtors, 1 ; total of inmates, 22. Received during the week, 3; discharged during the week, 2. A cart stuck in the mire of Dee-street, nearly opposite the Prince of Wales, on Tuesday last. It was dragged from its somewhat forlorn position by the novel ex. pedient of tying a rope to the horse's foreleg, and pulling the same forcibly, thus inducing the animal to make several violent plunges, which had the effect first of a complete boulevcrsement, and then of extrication.

The existence of the Moa, -which some! time ago formed a subject of -rather angry! dispute,' and which was a source of infinite! amusement to the sceptical, has recently been! discussed in London scientific circles.' The! following letter has been addressed to the] Athenaeum by Professor Scemann : — " ra paragraph is now going round the paper! stating that, just before the-mail left, one of' the mo-t gigantic of birds/a Moa or DinornisJ and believed to be extinct, had been seej alive in New Zealand, and that an enterprisl ing colonist had offered a reward of L^Stl for its capture, dead or aKve. The publii seem to be divided respecting the amount ol credence to be attached to the story ; buttlj fact that a gentleman residing on the. spol thought it worth while to offer a handsomjl reward would seem to show that there wM in his judgment, some probability on th§| very face of it. That some of the snrollli species of Dinornis may still be .alive is all opinion which even Professor Owen, if I l£§i derstand him rightly, entertains. If extineli theMoas have become so probably in quite r||f cent times — that is to say, since the otcupj|| tion of New Zealand by the Maories. TlJ|| opinion, I think, may be supported l||| philological arguments "briefly -stated M my official Reports on the Fiji IslanS presented to Parliament, May, 186 M and also in my ' Viti.' p. 383, where S said : — " ' Toa' is theFijinn form of the wcS ' Moa,' applied throughout Polynesia to d||§ mestic fo^'ls, and by the Maories to the nidgl gigantic extinct birds (Dinornis, sp. plu|§§ disentombed in New Zealand. The Po||f nesian term for birds that fly about ireelj f|| the air is Mann or Manuraanu ; and the fS that the New Zealanders did not choose J|j of these, but the one implying domestic||| and the want of free locomotion in the a=|| would seem a proof that the New Zen a|S Moas were actually seen alive by the Maoti^ about their premises, as stated in their trasgf tions, and have only become extinct in co^t paratively recent times." f)