AUCKLAND.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 78, 4 August 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

AUCKLAND.

MILITARY AFFAIRS INTHE REBELLIOUS DISTRICTS. (From the Southern Cross, llth July.) We have « btained further and more precise informa tion of the movements of the troops during the last two or three days. We announced the departure of the 65th on Thursday last. Shortly after tbey passed Otahuhu they received orders to return there, which we understand was in consequence of there being an insufficient supply of provisions at Drury. They returned to Otahuhu, remained there for the night, set out again yesterday morning, and arrived at Drury about noon. The Head Quarters and about 500 men of the 18th regiment (Royal Irish), and the Head Quarters and detachments of the Hth, and detachments of the 12th and 70th regiments, in all about 1,200 men, had arrived at Drury previously ; and they started from there at eight o'clock yesterday morning for Pokeno, about 170 of the men of the Royal Irish having been left behind. The 65th were expected to leave Drury this morning, and General Cameron and staff, who were etay'ng at the Royal Hotel, woald proceed with them. The | Royal Artillery who left the Albert I Barracks yesterday morning expected to reach Drury lasfc evening, where they were to remain for the night, and they were to leave for Pokeno thi3 morning. The boats which we mentioned as being on tiieir way, arrived at Drury all safe, together with another which had arrived with thirty men from H.M.S. Harrier, more being about to follow. We understand that last night there would bo about 1200 troops at Drury ; that 200 of these (probably the Royal Irish) would be left there, ahd that the others would proceed to Pekeno, making the whole available force there, at the present time, upwards of 2000. Yesterday morning an escort oi twenty-five volunteers started from Albert Barracks, about noon, taking with them nine waggons of ammunition stores, and they arrived at Otahuhu about three o'clock. The volunteers returned iv the evening, and the waggons were to be takeu on this morning by the ! militia or an escort of the 1 8th, of whom a few were expected from town. ' Tlie number of volunteer militiamen at Otahuhu has been increased to 280. They receive four hours' drill each day, and are making good pi*ogress. There are no troops at Otahuhu now but the militia and a few sick soldiers, ancl the mi-itia were to mount guard there last night for the first time. Their uniform is a pair Qf black trousers with a red stripe, and a blue jumper and cap, and they are described as being altogether a smart lot of men, and as having profited already by their short experience of military drill. Two or three days ago the telegraph wire between Otahuhu and Drury was found to have been cut in two, but it was not known by whom. The circumstance is, however, at the present juncture very suspicious. We have not been informed of any outbreak amongst the natives as yet. A proclamation has been issued by the Governor, calling upon the natives of Mangere and tho adjoining districts to give up their arms and take the oath of allegiance. Very few have responded — at Mangere only six had done so. We understand that the natives there as a body have declined to give up their arms, although they are willing to take any oaths, and say they do not see why they should not have a king as well as that we should have a Queen. As it respects the Auckland natives, the proclamation which was posted about the town yesterday, ordering them to keep within their houses from daybreak to dusk, appears to have caused quite a commotion amongst them, for groups of them might be seen about the streets yesterday, talking with so much energy, that one might suppose they were discussing not only the " native difficulty,'*' but even the fate of nations. There was a special general parade of the volunteers yesterday morning, at which very few were absent. When they had formed in line, Major Campbell requested such as did not volunteer for active service to stand out, a call which was ouly responded to by a very few ; so that we may say they almost unanimously volunteered for active service. They were dismissed about nine o'clock; and on re-assembltng again, they were told off for their respective duties during the day and night.

A man named Kelly, who is in custody in Dublin, has been t'onnd guilty by a coroner's jury of the wilful murder of Michael Fitzhenry, master of a national school near New Koss, in the County of Wexford. The inquest lasted three days. From the evidence it appeared that Kelly's farm had been sold to Fitzhenry, and it was arranged, as part of the bargain, that the latter should support the father of the former, who was going with the rest of the family to America ; but he afterwards changed his mind, and wished the teacher to give him money to take the old man with him to America. This was refused, and bad feeling was the consequence. It was proved thafc the deceased and the prisoner left Ross together on the night of the murder, that the watch of the. deceased had been found in a garden attached to" the prisoner's house, and that a bar of iron, stained with blood, and identified as having belonged to the prisoner, was found nenr the scene of the murder.

The celebrated Massimo d'Azeglio, uncle of the Marquis d'Azeglio, who is the representative in London of the Italian Kingdom, is ahout to publish his memoirs, and very interesting they will be, we may be sure. The first volume is to appear in the course of the present year. The Birmingham Town Council has, after a long and warm debate, voted a sum of LBOO for building a Roman Catholic chapel in the Borough Cemetery by a majority of twentyfour against twenty-one. It is said thafc cases of lunacy are becoming alarmingly frequent in France. It appears from official documents that the number of lunatics in Trance, Avhich a few years since was 12,000, has afc present increased to c>o,ooo.

GOLD FIELDS AND THEIR PRIVATIONS.. (Prom the Daily Times, July 27.) We are sure there are none of our readers however indirectly they may be concerned, who do not (eel the utmost concern at the losses of life and property that have occurred at the gold fields through the late violent floods. The occupation of mining, besides the discomforts and hardships which surround it, is to a ceitain extent a hazardous one. There are innumerable causes from which result more or less serious accidents, and probably but for the golden bait ever in view, the hope to find the royal road to wealth, the search for gold would have fewer ardent followers. At any rate, miners like mining so little, that they as a rule do not desire to work for wages. Whilst they are working on their own account they have the chance, however remote, to come, as Miss Braddon describes of George Talboys, any moment upon a prize that will atone to them for all past mischances, and make them independent of the future ; but when they are not working on their own account they have no gorgeous visions to buoy them up ; they know the extent of the remuneration they can hope for, and against it have to set hardships, discomforts, and dangers. But even in n ining, exceptional instances may arise ; and we sincerely trust we are entitled to place amongst these the disasters occasioned by the late floods. It is impossible to consider for a moment as mischances incidental to the miners' j calling, such tremendous catastrophes as are reported from the mountain river Gold Fields. If they be of a nature to be anticipated — if such consequences are to be looked upon as liable to frequent recurrence — in the cause of humanity it would be better that the golden treasures be suffered to remain in the stream-bed, where for ages they have accumulated. Ifc becomes then a matter of the gravest importance that a full and complete inquiry should be made into tl\p causes of the late floods, their liability to recurrence, and the means that are necessary to bo taken to prevent the fearful disasters which have arisen through them. Human life is too precious a thing to be trifled with ; all t ie property which hi s fallen a sacrifice to the swollen waters may be regained by fresh industry; but life once lost is beyond recall. It is no new thing to I learn that men in the pursuit of wealth will display a reckless hardihood that invites danger. Such rashness is a peculiar feature of the mining occupation, and in almost every country where it flourishes, it has been found necessary to enact the strictest laws to provide for the safety of the miners. No matter how the country may be benefitted by the gold procured ; how its exports may increase in value, and its credit stand high with other places ; no one will gainsay us when we maintain that the miners must absoluteiy not be permitted to rush blindly into the face of death. If this be conceded, it fol- | lows that something more is required | than mere formal coroner's inquests, to ascertain the causes to which should be referred the late unhappy loss of life. It may be that a strict investigation may prove that the floods were one of those rare and extraordinary calamities to which all countries are at times liable, and for which there is no remedy but resignation. It may be one of those catastrophes, such as devastating earthquakes or frightful storms, which give no notice of their coming, and leave wide-spread ruin behind them. On the other hand it maybe an occurrence, the periodical return of which should not be regarded with surprise but be rather anticipated, In the former case nothing would remain but unavailing regret. The casualty would be of so unusual a nature that it would not be necessary Ito provide against it. But if, as seems . probable, the latter of the two supposi- | tions is the ono entitled to belief, there is every reason why the exact nature of the floods should be ascertained, and very stringent regnlationsbe laid down to prevent miners placing themselves in jeopardy from them in future. As examples of some of the precautions thatmightbe exercised, we may instance the prohibiting the placing of habitations in spots exposed to the ordinary action of floods ; the adoptton of a system of signals and of a station of observation by which timely warning could .be given of the approach of floods. Strong recommendations also could be given in regard to the danger of crossing swollen streams, and ample topographical directions be posted to guide those whose want of knowledge of the country might lead them into danger. We know there are many who will ridicule these ideas; who will say — if people are willing to expose themselves to danger, why should they be prevented ? But if persons will be idiotic enough not to understand where danger exists, it is the duty of the state to not only tell them of it, but to prevent their incurring it. Probably many of those whose habitations have been swept away, and who liave themselves narrowly escaped a terrible death, would prefer again running similar risks to undergoing the inconvenience of fixing their habitations some distance from their work, but a safe distance from the floods. But however willing they may be to run the risk, they should be prevented from doing so. Any tents or habitations within ordinary flood marks should be authoritatively disallowed. The Government investigation we ask for is on another account desirable. The late calamities i are likely to be used for the purpose of prejudicing the Otago gold fields, and their extent and liability to recurrence be exaggerated. There are many who think it their interest to run the Otago fields down, and this will be a trump card in their hands, " Look," they

will say, *' to the dangers of gold mining in Otago ; the risks the miners run not only of losing their property, but their lives," But if there be au official investigation, there will be no room for calumniation. The actual extent of the losse3, otherwise sure to be exaggerated, may be ascertained, and the means pointed out whereby the dangers may be avoided for the future. To how great an extent the disaster was of an exceptional character may also be decided, and the chances of its recurrence in a greater or less degree examined. There is another branch of the subject which calls for no less urgent attention. It is to be feared that the misfortune which has befallen the miners will leave many of them in an utterly destitute condition, whilst others who had secured a competency, or the prospect of one, will find themselves compelled to begin life over again. Shall it be said that those who have shown so lively a sympathy for the distresses of their countrymen thousands of miles away, are insensible to the progress of woe in their midst ? We do not know if immediate monetary assistance be required, but if so we are sure the appeal will not be made in vain. In another shape aid might be afforded to those whose distress solely arose from the want of finding immediate employment. They might be put on to Government works at a fair remuneration. The practice, we admit, is not generally a solutary one, but the present is a case of emergency ; and the Government have a right to recollect that the gold diggers, who now require aid, have assisted in adding materially to the revenue of the Province, and promoting its prosperity. In relieving distress one has no right to very nicely discriminate as toon wliich side the balance of benefit rests ; but even if this were done, wt fancy the gold del vers would be found to be entitled to the utmost assistance in this their desperate need. It should be retnembored thafc the miners who arc suffering now, are amongst those who, in spile of all attempts made to disparage the climate, have stuck to the gold fields during the winter months. They are not mere birds of passage who, having procured a few ounces of gold, rush off with it to some other colony. Itis scarcely right they should be allowed to suffer for the faith they have displayed.