SOCIAL.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 31, 18 January 1864, Page 3

SOC IAL.

During the month wliich has " gone to swell.tbe .■past," since we despatched bur last summary, the incidents ofa social or domestic character which : have , occurred . have; - been nunriero.us iior very -startling. If our political existence is threatened with ariy 'unusual change, 5 biir ; social' state remains,: . and is likely, to remain, for some time; in statu quo. Ail classes of the ' many arrivals who' have taken, up their location here during the past half year, r have already .or are showing every indication, of each subsiding into its legitimate sphere, aud society generally is fast assimilating ,in appearance to that of any large town of a similar siza 'and, extent of population in the neighboring ■■> colonies .or in the old countr}'. Like the first rush of arrivals in Melbourne— some ten years since; — •the population of Invercargili might have been said to be at "sixes and sevens"- for-the last twelve months; but recently it ha 3 assumed a more natural state. "■ Merchants, bankers and others," to quote the earlier Victorian phrase — and -by the latter class we include store-keepers, mechanics, artisans, et hoc genus omne — are busily pursuing their several business avocations, and in almost every instance are giving unmistakeable proofs of being profitably employed. The too high expectations of many of them hane not perhaps been fully realised ; nor are fortunes to be amassed here with the rapidity they were on new gold-fields in Victoria — or in towns like Invercargill, closely connected with new yoid-fields — but the steady and persevering men of busiuess, the iud.us* trious and assiduous workmen, have no reason to complain of their investment of eapital or labour. Our streets, principal and those of lesser size, are slowly receiving additional improvements, and, had we a municipal body to conduct, such matters iv a business like manner, we would liave had to record more market! improvements in this respect thau it is in our power to do, as it must be admitted* that our Town Eoard is not composed of " the riyht men in the right place." Their petty squabbling over minor matters, and their general inaptitude to manage alfairs of any consequence, have given general dissaMsfac.ion to the large majority of the residents, while the remainder of the community are stedfastly indifferent to their actions, looking on the institution as one calculated to do neither harm nor good. Tlieir existence, however, shows results of an evil nature, which cannot be regarded as harmless. Where a body like the Town Board fails in carefully looking after the improvements of a new town like this, its very inactivity is as injurious as the most inefficient activity ; but the Town Board of Invercargill are remarkabie for tieir industry in wrong doing. Its most recent instance of this, has been in the appointment of an Engineer to succeed iir Marchant, to whose retirement we referred in our last Summary. The Board had received some score of applications for the appointment, at a salary' of £400 per annum. From amongst that number, a gentleman named Kempson, was elected, by the deliberately passed vote of a large majority of the body. At the following meeting, some of the absent members succeeded in altering the opinion of the ever wavering members who had made the fir^t appointment, and, without anything like form or legality, refused to confirm the previous minutes, and also in rescinding the first resolution, appointing Mr Kempson, reconsidered several of the applications, and made a second appointment in the person of Mr Richardson, who had been temporarily performing the duties of the engineer. Such ignorance ofthe duties ofa public body has, of course, disgusted the large majority of the townspeople, but who are, nevertheless, not able to procure any amelioration of the evil under the present system of election, and can only content themselves with grumbling at Hhe (%#n 'Biard'W ance. To turn to a subject of a. much ;more pleasant character,: jA'e. have, to chronicle the' rapid -progress, which is being made with the works in connection with the railway between-here and . Campbelltown (Bluff Harbor), and between InvercargiU and Winton Bush,. on the* Great 'Northern Railway, as it :is not incorrectly termed. Along the^ .-whole ,. ...line . between here and \ the. ; Bluff, large sections of labourers are employed^ by 7 the contractors for the wrorks. In the neighborhood of the : M6komoko — about ten miles from" hero— -is the .principal scene of opera tions, as nefe the extensive quarrying for the' stone' "to be used is being carried on, and,.also near . here . are, the •-> stone ; breaking* works of, pne of the con trae toris. A very large -and powerful; stone, break-* ;ing machine is. daily at- work, reducing, the, stone, to the proper size' for jroad^ jmetal, and ha'llast_ for the pe^majient ; ..wray.,. .At, other portions of Jhe^liUre';: men aireV busily {at work- in

trenching/ draining, -or excavating. . WorkaKpf-; a: similar description- are also being earned ori-at different points of the line between this -pace and .Winton Bush. Some' considerable progress h^s also been ..made*. with the? construction of live telegraph between here and Campbelltown ; although, in consequence Oi official delay by brie ofthe ,h p w -not- to-do-i t dep.ar tme u ts of; the Government, or some other obstruction which 3 * only* "red- tape .-' could effect, the works are not in .such a forward, state as tne public would wish". thep^institutiQnap)that;;;have lately ar'sen here, and which may very fairly be accepted as evidences of our progress, weniay mention the establishment of a Volunteer Fire Brigade. Although_at first ; its y projectors had marjy and serious difficulties to contend with/not -'drily as regarded tlie ? eriroU ment of ,„ members . pi/the community who were willing to perform duties? — frequently of a- 3 da.ngerous 'character, and ahvays requiring the devotion of a " pbrtion Of their time— bul alko in the matter of collection of the necessary funds from thi public— -the institution of .. the - Inyercargiil y Volunteer Fire Brigade is un fait accorrinli, and promises to ; become a f very efficient body — an efneieney/ however, which we hope may sieidom or never be called into requisition... Tbat we may depend on its aid in time of need must be a very comfortable reflection to the owners of ■ premises here; • The want of aßuilding Act has permitted the' erection o. houses in dangerous proximity to premises cf highly inflammable materials ; — indeed, as every house, store, or shop is comprised of wood; the breaking out .6t a fire without such help as we may expect from a fire brigade must eventually result in disastrous consequences. The half-yearly 'visit of His Honor ''Mr" Justice Gresson, for the purpose of disposing of the calendar of offences for that period, has shown that amongst our other '' progressions, .the progress or extent of, crime in this province has been so small that it formed, a subject of congratulation. There were but four cases on the list, and neiti er of them of any great m3guitude. We cannot do better than quote the following extracts from the charge which His Honor delivered to the Grand Jury al the commencement of the j Sessions, not ouly in reference to the ! lightness of the calendar, but also because they r ofer to other matters of congratulation in reference to the state' of the province. His Honor said — I am happy to be able to congratulate you on the lightness of tha calendar, whicli contains but four charges — two of forgery and uttering, one of obtaining gojds under false pretences/and one of larceny. *** . * I have noticed with pleasure the great progress which this Province has made since my lust visit. Tlie extent and variety of your public works, and the energy and rapidity with which they are pushed forward in so young a settlement, cannot fail to excite both surprise and admiration. I have visited the gaol, and perceive that it is clean and well ordered, and that the prisoners appear to have no cause of complaint. lam not surprised to find, however, that it forms n > exception to the other gaols of New Zealand, being, as they are, wholly without provision ior the classification or industrial training of the prisoners. It may perhaps be doubted whether any provinc- of New Zealand, however promising may he iv prospects, could afford the coat of erecting and maintaining a complete model prison, but I suppose that uo thinking person can doubt that the time has long since arrived for the coaimencemcut of sucn a work at the cust of the colony. « * * * I congratulate you on the vote that has been passed during the last session of the General Assembly for tne appointment of an additional judge of the Supreme Court. I don't know whether it is intended that he should reside here or at Dunedin, but the judges are unanimously of opinion that much greater good would result to the colony from their sitting together jn banco;, and changing their circuit respectively from time to time, than from being localised so much as they are at present. To those congratulatory remarks of the Judge tlie Grand Jury replied in the following terms : — It is with much satisfaction the Grand Jury beg to welcome your Honor upon the occasion of your second visit to the Province of Southland. It is a source of satisfaction to the Grand Jury, as it is to your Honor, that both in point of number and in the nature of the bills brou ht under their notice, the calendar is of so light a character. ; The Grand Jury, and, they have no doubt, the people at large of Southland, duly appreciate the interest taken by your Honur in the progress of the Province. Sensible as the Grand Jury are of the advantages * the Province :of Southland has already derived from the visits of your Honor it will be always, a .saisfactlou to them to welcome your Honor on the occasion of your future; visits, which by an arrangeru'enfc in the apportionment of the jurisdiction of the nature referred to .by your Honor — they trust it may be frequently their good fortune to off er. a . y .-. A The following .are the convictions in the Kesident Magistrate's Court during the month :-t— Drunkenness, 31 ; obscene language, 4 ; larceny, 3 ; breach of Licensing Ordinance, 2; assault, 2 ; furious riding- arid driviug, C ; catt|e trespassing, 5 ; ; lunacy, 1'; breach of -the- peace, 8/ permitting nuisance bn premises,- 3^ Total 65". The state of the gaol' for the , r .month ending 15th January,. 18(34, was as fol?. lovys.:— Under v sen ten,ce,.,to hard labor , 7 ; under remand, 1 ; debtors, 5 ; lunatics, 3.— '■ Total; 16. /", Received , during the month", .-.-.19,".; .discharged during the month, 14. Ofthe hineteeu received during the month, two were" for larceny, one for assault, five for debt, five for drunkenness/ one "for" vagrancy, .four remands, .and one for lunacy. ■On the 7th' instant, the /census of the population of ■th'e;-Erpyiri'ce/was 1 taken, the^ result of which, we/ are not iu:a , position to give as yet; ' During the /mon thy' \ve; have hadlijttle/ reason / iq coinpiain ,of -the lack of* amusements. •* ?; The ! 'pleasures of and- ;: the succeeding .days were f"Uy participated in. Excursions,, pleasure parties, and

picnics,^ were formed, and in most \ instances carried out ' 7 wi^K :: *;satisfactio'ri ? i to the participators J* The sewsou /of the New Year was the principal period; "i for out-dooK'amu^ethents. The Caie- < donian Gathering/ which took pUce On .-•■ New Yecr;s •'Day* Jon a*snace 6f ground t near the toWn, under/ the.. auspices of I the Southjaud, Caledonian Society, was i in every way a success, riot alone ber".*' ;i cause it formed- an agreeable reunion of \< our Scottish friends, r but, as the sports; 1 were of that kind that ail-— vvhether : ->_ Scotch/ English, or Trish-^cduld derive pl.easure-.and .amusement: frpm.;: .Roughly estimated, there might-have been about, J 4000 persons on -the^ground.: The next; •) item of importance- iiv -the-- way of * public amusement, was furnished by 1 the, opening of the new Theatre Uoyal ■' , in Conon Street/ which took place on ' xwe 'may: estimate. the : degree : of patron agei -which it- will in future receive .by the way in which , it was crowded at the opening, there , will be no lack of suppoit. . Shortly ( after the "'hour anhouncecPfor the doors i being opened, /the r . r house^ was filled, j "Although the irite'rioi' of'the house; is? : ] still in,an.unfinishedp,stat.e, .itr was suf/;, / ficentiyeyident that when the decora?; -i tions ;are completed' it will be a very ;' pretty little, place of amusement... .The', '. portion devoted to the accommodation,-: of the audience is divided into two*;" '; the upper/ c; mprisihg 'eifcle'a.nd slips, being capable of seating/nearly tvvo hundred ; aud the pit, what with stand-; irig and sitting room, of/holding over double that number. Thestage, rather small as regards width; is of considerable depth ; and when the ?; proscenium and stage-boxes ha v.c recei ved/the result: , of the decorator's art, will lpok very , well. The Theatre was -opened by Thatcher, of colonial poetic celebrity, who with Madame VitelhV Mr ; * Small, the comic vocalist, Mr Leerriari, &c, have afforded considerable amusement to the people here since the opening pight."' In amusements of ah out-door character? we may refer to that of cricket, which ?■ is being indulged in -by the numerousmembers of the Invercargill Cricket Club, who have played one or t.wo well • contested matches .during the past month. During the last few weeks, a Regatta Club has/ been organised fbr the purpose of developing the. aquatic prowess of a number of the young melt of the town. The affair ■■ is likely to be carried to a successful issue, as the New Kiver i 3 admirably adapted for a pastime of this kind, and many of the promoters of the movement are men of the right character for establishing such a club. In recording the events of the past. ; month, we are sorry to have to refer to the occurrence of several of a fatai. nature. A melancholy case of drowning took place early on the morning of the 5.h instant. About three o'clock a man went to that portion of the Puni Creek which runs below the Police Court-House, fbr the purpose of drawing some water, when he was horrified by seeing the body ofa man lying partly in the Creek and partly on the land, the body being evidently left partially dry by the receding tide. He gave information to some other persons, who discovered the body to be that of aman named John M'Kay, a blacksmith, who had been employed in that capacity in a smithy behind Carey and Gilles* sale yards in Dee-street. The deceased, who was of very intemperate habits, and had been drinking very heavily for same days. On lhe previous day he was going about from place to place drinking. In some houses he was refused drink, as he was evidently suffering slightly from delirium tremens, and it was afterwards ascertained that in that state he had thrown himself into the Creek, as from the place where he was found not being in tbe line of any road or footpath, there could belittle fear of any one having Wandered, even in an intoxicated state, to it. An inquest was held on January the 9th at Winton Bush, before Dr M'Clure, Coroner, on the body of a child named Mark Stevens, three years and a half old. Erom the evidence, it appeared that death had beencaus *d by drinking half a p nt of what was supposed to be port wine, and a verdict of *" Death from alcoholic poison " was returned. Another inqusst was held on the 4th instant at Pilling's Accommodationhouse, Wallaeetown, on t K e body of a man named James Creighton, which was found in the Oreti liiver on the previous day. Deceased was drowned while trying to swim a young horse across the river. Tin Jury returned a verdict of accidental death. A melancholy accident occurred on the morning of the 2nd inst, at Stewart's Island. The Nelly, a seven ton boat, belonging to Messrs Fordham and Co., was chartered by Mr O'Toole, the Custom House Officer there, to proceed to Port William, Stewart's Island, on special business. She was manned by one of the partners, Mr Matthew Hayman, and William Parker.: Mr Simmons, the Assistant Custom House Officer, also went in the boat. They left Half Moon Bay at 6 a.m. on the 2nd inst., with intention of * going to: Port William, had; to beat up against a S.W, wind, and about 8 a.m. arrived off Port Williarni Heads.the wind blow- ! ing fresh, and when rearing the land Hayman was in .the act of going forward to let go the jib, when a sudden squall struck her.; before the: sails could .be let go; by which, 7 the' boat was capr; sized, and immediately. ;su'rik,;thro\virig out the three persons in* her. -All three came 'to'the surface quickly/ and Mr,: Simmonds.succeeded in getting hold ;of his bedding, which consisted of a cork mattrass, blankets, &c; This ..kept him afi.Qat, lie being no, swimmer/ Hayman succeeded r in getting: hold of an oar, hut .ParkWr wjent ;doWn //again almost immediate))^^ after -corning to the (surface. -At this- time the acciden I was sqen frbm t|*e

when he im mediately got his boat, ~ ..-..ji... VSlVv^ .-.. :v' . ■-i■•■.■^i■,■t•'«^-•'-v~«■*■^^W•'■■-*•*'^^T^"*"t•■ ! ! e, *l manned eyjuh a Ituater, Jjimtfs ul*rkfr,"j ti ui«te^^u/uot*tilve;lyeirß. Of *£*, i aiid^Dnyidson"" '/aftd"; liis; wife,' ' wrio. in | eleven iti mutes after tlie accidentpicked ; up Mr Simmonds. Hayman although a good swimmer, supposed :to be dr*wu under "/by. v .;a. i .&hark. He^ shrieked frightfully.*, Poo/ Parker was only 'seen once; ? ThefoUoiyiug i* a list of /'tHfe/l btftW,;/ death^, /and marriages registered ;during .tlje/montb:— -Births, 24-; ; T; -marriages^ 12^\i "f- ':