The Southland Times. TUESDAY, JULY 5, 1864.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 15, 5 July 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, JULY 5, 1864.

Tt would be impossible to over-estimate the importance of the conflict which has just taken place between our troops and the rebel natives. Almost on the very spot where, a month or two previously, their hopes had been buoyed up to a pitch they had never reached .since the commencement of the war — in the disastrous encounter at the (rate Pa — were their cherished dreams of victory over the pakehas deemed to bo thoroughly and effectually annihilated. In our Saturday's issue, we published the letter sent by the rebel chief, Bawiri, to Colonel Grekr, warning him of their intended attack upon his troops ; and now we have to record the total defeat of the rebels, and the death of the chief himself. The blow ,-will be a severe one to the native cause in the Taurangi distriet^&nd .coming, .close on the, hack of the . Wanganui engagement, .we hope to hear that the effect on the minds of the Maoris may be a salutary one. It appears that the engagement of the 21st took place about four miles beyond the Grate Pa, whore a new Pa was in course of formation. Colonel Gtreer, with the view of dislodging them, sent out a , force of 400 infantry, together with cavalry and a six-pounder igun. A skirmishing fire was at once opened by the natives. The gallant Colonel, however, did not mean to satisfy himself with merely looking at the Maori -fortress, and accordingly ordered the bugles to sound, for .the. advance. This order was obeyed ■: with tremendous cheering-, rand between the taking of the stronghold and ; the issuing of the summons to attack; .the time could O7ily be reckoned by seeonc's. It was altogether a most, brilliant achievement, and no doubt, when the war is over and peace is once more restored, it %ill be looked back upon as one' of the most glorious actions in which our troops have yet been engaged in New Zealand. "We regret to read, -'of a threatened renewal of hostilities in the Wanganui District. It was generally cohsMere'd that' the spark of rebellion "'had'' been eifectually/'quelled inUthait quarter; but such would not appear to ba the . true state of ' matters. • -'• However; ! ridthiug decisive -on--.: this point, can reach us until the nexi mail from ,ih"e, North,

Ho^jnprtifying it must^.e to all ; those. ; wh.q really have-, the "best .interests r of the Province at heart, and Avho have not been instrumental in T consummating the yery unsatisfactory' 'position l! in\ \vHi6h i 'our aifairs are noW'ibvuid,-to read, in every

- jofl^cbmTn^iari^jbh J|p|^^pl|^^ W]ncjiijtb.e 'hap:s|wolv|§J||ts^Cj|f | T^i^|s-^be^s^i;e'''iri c^Sce'rhi? ; ari3.Cwe' do % not say : i;taat4V-Ha^ not' a perfect right to do so ; trat %^]xs well-wishers of the Province feel annoy--ance v oir : this- -point; -vrhat"*iim^t""thos'e ttiot"-.-feel-Ayh-Qr have had a hand;. ia.th,Q ! - pie ; Oui* fepaee^in. our present*-mimfcfer^cljbes- , .noLvpeiuiiit^us^.pxiblisking,,. th.c,.. t ar.ticle.,in v question; biit'/ourr^eacleir^iwill have an opportunity of ..perusing it ia...our...next issue. We do not, .at, present mean to dwell on tlife subject^ having' already fully and freely ' descanted' on the : nn'aiicia^ position of; the Province; but' the foregoing remarks appear to be very natural on reviewing all the circumstances. We have' 'f Lilly shown why; otir Grovernment' has reason to cry peccavimus ; but no sooner have we said so", than Otago,.who. finds herself riding-, in the^coach. with, us, attempts tp, condole t wii)i -and .criticise our bad management. ' . Then comes Canterbury, who' ;jputs i /her foot on the necks of both Provinces ; and lastly; Auckland confesses' that the mismanagement of the .South -is degrading to the. character of IlH'ew-.Zenland generally. , . We would rather now direct the atten % lion of. our readers: to a brief prospective view of our affairs. It cannot be believed fur a single instant that tlie "little Province " is for ever to lead its present "hang-: dog.'l life. alongside .its neighbors, or that_ she will never be able to unloose the millstone which has been so thoroughly warped, round, mid which, now hangs so' heavily, on her neck. It will not obtain a moment's credence, that because' a series of blunders and a long cptTxse~of~miMrfa~ nagoment have led to the present severe crisis in her onward career,. that the sun' 'of prosperity will refuse ever again to dawn upon her. Such a hypothesis, to all who know anything of ,'th.c, vast re-^ souive^ of the Provinces, or. of its great? ;u haulages as regards position and prospcvts generally, will appear nothing less than absurd. , « We would only refer, in a general, way] to a few of the grounds on which the people of .Southland may legitimately build their hopes of its future prosperity. The first unquestionably is the ' vavfc extent of available country, suited in every possible manner for the settlement and support of a large agricultural population. Up- to the present time our extensive plains have been really rendered of small account, and their occupation by thriving fanning communities can scarcely be said to have been begun. A squatting station here and there is all we can boast of, $hile to the real bone and sinew of a Province like our own, i.e. small settlers, the lands are as yet in a great measure a frrra lacor/nita. To alter this state of matters no doubt the means of inland communication must be made more feasible ; but this will only be accomplished by degrees. The sales of Crown lands must be pushed forward most sedulously, and the Government, by so doing, will , not only be replenishing empty coifers, but will, at some time, be introducing what we have already termed the bono and sinew of its future prosperity. A very large extent of land has thus to be disposed of, and we would urgently advocate immediate attention to this matter. ' ■ As beariug directly on the opening up of our inland resources, the completion of the line of railway to the northward must, and, webelievc does, com mend itself toevery one as the first stop towards their development. Too much importance can scarcely be placed on the resumption of these railway works (wehope nothing now stands in the way), as through them not only will we have a degree of life imparted to business — to which it has so long been a stranger — consequent on the increased amount of money in circulation, but Avhen in active operation, we may reasonably calculate upon a traffic which will tjll most beneficially on the Province, ■ and which, as matters now rest, is but comparatively insignificant. Casting a glance, however, a little beyond our own i provincial limits, it cannot be doubted : that the Northern Railway will prove of immense advantage to Southland in its trade ;with the important and prosperous goldproducing country at the Lakes. Without any railway, the position of Invercargill has .rendered it the chief emporium, of the . ■ Lake traffic ; and the japid strides dife" ; . .has made during -the past twelve months may be very fairly said to be owing to : this circumstance. This natural bond of union between Invercargill and the Lakes (strong and well knit as it is now) , : it will be at once apparent to all, will be still 'more closely united by the pushing of our railway line so far inland that a perfect .monopoly' of that trade may . be ! legitiimately counted on. It will be found im- ■ practicable for Dunedin merchants to . compete with those of Invercargill ; the state of the roads, and distance to be traversed .presenting quite an insuperable ibarrier, and it may safely be said that the 'spring ■ trade will be as brisk as' heretofore. |Evei;y thing points; tp this, and the fact . of \ [additional gold country being in all-pro-'s Ibability then opened up .beyond the -Lakes? jis of itself calculated to establish faith an the stability v and cerfenrfy ; of "an 1 extensive inland trade. ■ ' •-■<■■ : }'t.l : —We haje merely run. over a few of i;he ipoints which have casually "occurred 'to us on^vHeh:.?th f ei , strongest-' fail^' :inay be placed on the.future prosperity of Southland. Hopes, otter -than those ofthe brightest, cannot be. entertained.

■ Our issue of this morning is .prihted x for the j - fi?3t time, by machinery; :' The machine is one of j Myers-' Patent, and .;isf /Capable of : thronring' o'fftat; Ithe -rale ">6f. fifteen hundred! shefcWper Hbrn'T- 5 * < : In consequence of^hejdeathVdir Captain Haxnili tqn.pf_H.M,g._Esk,.^ of H.M.S. Harrier, vrho A was killed in action, the following promotions '/liavo^'-.'-Ve^n made :—Commander Philemore,"H.Msr''!piirii'9oa, to be captain i ofH.M^.Esk^Xi^t!^f^H?M i S^3ia^Tier fr to be commandfei > *H";^.S:;j^mCT"''lJieutenan6Pun ? , late of 3psk, to.be commandeij^of H.-]^S. ? Gurocoa ;, Sftß-liieutdnantTarker; late'pf H.M.S.' 3?alcori r to| .- be^ifeuUman^iM^/Es^^Su^^ten^t^S^rv H.M.S. Curagoa, ,.to, .befiiejitenont H.M.S.. Mi* randu. '•»•>.••■ ■ ■.■■jico;A.£.:.c ! J J j.i,..>i.J.u~L-fJ

observe d showyEflags Tracing inlfront of sevpraijSn is^ our hotels aud,p^aces of-I*usjnessJ:injhonor joffflfe { M&g SSth anniversary of 'American independence. TlwJj^^^ principal plaee,'hbTrcvor,'was{fliß^Prince %£&ifaletjj&m^s Hotel, Dee-afreet. In *$Bis, hbt6l a numbtf^ffiP-''' Americans aud friends ml&frto do honor to the occasion, and every preparation was made -to render the affair a success. The large diningliall *':wa's ' decollated I with/ the /fluffs /of >&c Union and of Great Britain, bearing TOfcne-ss-"W'*tho^^ * meant to preS6niiffafe ? 6n > thV i ceieb%lsbn*of the great event. Be -ween twenty an"d'thir£y''gentleSien~' sat down: to a sumptubuß'dinnef, 'prepared; iii ifijretclass style by " mine host" of the Prince of Wales, and all enjoyed, aud did justice to, the extensive choice of the " good things " set before them. The cloth-being removed, the patriotic j toasts were given and responded to most enthusiastically. Then;:. 'followed song and recitation in quick succession till " the hours 'gan to fly on the wings of the ' wind." '- The utmost harmony prevailed throughout, and the whole affair was rendered of the pleasantest description. Nothing was wanting, and .the only regret which co-al& have animated all prc'seiit was that the "'4 tb, of July" could not happen, oftener than once, a year. ' ■"-..■■•":'u'.'--;.";';;.";v»-r'*' ;: The General ■ 'Government ., Gazette of June loth contains the following - notifications: — " Havelock. — This port has-been appointed as a Warehousing Port, for the purposes of the 'Customs Regulation Act, ; 1858 :?"*an.& : .as a port ' for the . importation of tobacco.' The beach ' from Inglis Point tb ; liawr'ehcb-street, is also appointed as a Legal Landing Place for the landing and unlading of goods.' / ~ It is also declared a ,a port, and its limits arc on the waters of Peloras iSound, inside of a straight line drawn from Whakaniawahi Point, - between Kauauroa Bay and llikuraki Sound, to Tewer'o Pointy together with the site of the town of. JEEavclock.' Collector of Customs, Havelock. — David Johnston, Esqi, has been appointed Collector of Gustoms at the port oPHaveioek."- ■;;;:■ : The business at the Resident Magistrate's, Court, yesterday, was of 'comparatively an unimportant character, and calls for no special remarks.. The Theatre Royal was well filled on Saturday night, and the' performances, \which wercr.of a. most attractive, kind, passed off most successfully. " Guy Mannering" was the opening piece. Miss i Juno played the parts" of JKeg Merrilees and Airs. M-Candlish, in which latter character she was truu. lo the life. Mr. Holloway, as Dahdie Dhimont, played very well indeed, and was "nvncli applaudccl. •' He' had a good! cdn'ception j of ike character, and his niake-up was capital. All he lac-keci was a cubit to his stature, to niaks a ; physical resemblance to the- '''buirdly chiel " he ■ personated. This, however /is beyond his power ito remedy.! Last night", The Straiigev " ■'.vas produced to a rather thin house, and went off very well. We observed an accession to th.c orchestra, in the shape: of -a vionn -player, vrho arrived in town from Dunedin by the Titsnia. This was a want much felt, especially when dance music was required. We congratulate the rte^sr management on the spirit they are. displaying to merit the support and approbation of the public, and trust they will be well rewarded. There has been another change in the nevrspapers of Duuodin. On the 30th ult. the J>aihf News ceased to exist, and on its ashes has arisen the Olago Mail, a more pretentious, journal. After indulging in the following remarks, it goear on to detail with greater minuteness its objec- g and intentions, but one or two sentences ■will suffice to reveal its ideas of its field of labor. We cordially welcome it, and wish it all success. — "In appearing for ■ the first time before our readers 9 we do not ■ that any flagrant instance oi" social or political abuso has called for Our: exists ence ; no tyrannical act of mis-government demands indignant or vehement expostulation j no unusually ghastly spectre of moral: turpitude forces upon us the duty of unflinching censorship. In the absence, of those exciting causes, •whicix generally presage the birth of a new journal, vro '""believe, however, that , a useful career is open to us. The evils and iiiconveniehce arising from tie existence of only one organ of opinion" in an important .community like this,' have been so keenly felt, and the necessity for a second joiirrial is so generally acknowledged, , that the ' production of the Otago Mail must be /simply regarded: -as tlte ; natural fiufilment of a public requirement." --■ ; On Saturday night late, i>r early on Sunday morning, the windows, of a store in Spey-street,. !no\v occupied by Mr. Russell, were cub "but- by a diamond, and a quantity of fi*6 r m the premises — bottled fruits j~ pickles, sardines, 03, and eggs, being amongst the articles". The thieves \ seem . i<^ri^ye>;jb^e^j^listarbed,r of the xarticles lebding^ibund > on Sunday morning close to- ■' the premises, as if dropped hurriedly. This is ih& third time the windows of the ■ same rstore hsrre been either cut or broken, and notwithstanding the large number* of inhabitants residing in the street, "oiu: informant; states that the visits of crar poh'ce to this quarter of the town are " fevr and far-between." ■„ ;;-,.. j,,-:; , . From, our Otago files ■. we find that the last fortnightly escort' ' wliich * reached ■ Duxieain; 'l&si Tuesday, "brought down at 'total of 10,411 ozs. 17 dwts. of gold from: the \ various', goldfields. Tiis following are the quantities : — Queenstow», 2SS3 "' 'ozs. 5 dwts. ; Arrow River, 1138 ozs. ; Dxmstais, 1818 ozs.; Manuherikia, 963 ozs. 4 iij^ 3 -? Mount Ida, 283 ozs. 5 dwte. ; Mount Beager, ! 692 oz3:'10 dwts/V Hamiltons, 941 ozs;-; TW peka, 1507 ozs. 16 dwtfs*. ; Waitahiina; 199-oot.: -■■•■"' The Otago Daily Times, of the-2rid inst., report that another important and extensive^ sckiiiv of an illicit spirit 'manufaetbry. lias just been inadety the police. 'From information'vreceived the snspicion of the pol^e 'had : been attracted to tlte :vicinity of-, the. premises of . one John McDraatcL iaf the West' Taieri,' where it was beiieved thViEfHt; imanufacture of whisky'was being conducted an a ;large scale. Accordingly,. ;aj? seven o'cloet, an Wednesday mgnt, L theponc'e prbceeded'to the neigkborhood, indicated, and .there lay., in, ambush kkS ;hah^pA9t^sixmttenaifnng.,..^^^ 3 iJaylaghfe ibe offictpm; cbm^i»ed>theif^esf^iiW : tipns,: anct ultimately, finir; i: men f V^'ttotS? making" wiiiskyl They v aiso" founa\^ogk|e^^ pUkegji-and.; 2 . ; tups' 1 ; of ,malt,f,liquqr, -3, ca^ks- graaa ;malt,' 1j keg-'and 6 bottles^of.' whiskyjfa zoatmgi jtrough an,d .worm, a cpjxppr boiler, "a; qnant%^^»f J pytjjaT, : '2 jpie|talr cooler^, " b^ey^b'^gs'iEa;!^. >nd]al^ut,;2o;;bus^elß,^f;ha^ey :on,the nqOTWfa; |t% v drymg^ ; ri?He f "|)b|iqe i ; at, 6n9e! tdo£^porae33iwa' of "the" plant' and' ma^enalsVdestToymgjßolme^sEKJ. 1 .conveying the rest to the v West Taieri^StatKffl-' [Waipori to search the premises, of ;Spme/s r uspectßd indiyiduala, but after a careful examination no d»Wery of illicit .distillation was'inadel^ ai<y; "

TnHrar lait assuel 'it would! be esbseryed that the pu^Tnmdiwas warnedlo |x|^lntelligence'' of " the rtnnor^i oatbrealv ; of in Tauranga, andtlic Terpnext mail confirmsthe^^ truth, of the reports. &s vri& be seen ffrom the detailed account in another column, our forces have in -a graft measure obliterated the effects of the last, encounter, at the Gate ,Pa, the rebels having fceeinrepulsed with greit loss. The Bruce Merald mentions a rumor 'to the., effect that g6ia' L lia9 been discovered iii t\\d forest land on/fite -coast between thdjG^utha arid iSlataura Rivers. 3&"is ffiaid that some- men are working there, and Bsaking. from icii^to t^ n *7. stiiling 8 perday. •'•'"" We Tmaei4tsnd(sayß the 0%0 'Daily Times o£ 2nd inst.) the Grovernnient have sent round • cireularletters:So all the; -depaffements; 'conveying t3ie informSfioK-that "liencefd'rHi Government employes ;B.tq*vo consider themselves monthly, servants. ■ ; It'iß-iibt our purpose-nW to comment upon this step, but we doubt -Trhcther the ProTincial' Cortnc'il «ver cbntempiite'cV'that the pnblic servants siibuia be, discharged^th' less than a three months" 1 xrotico. ,-. ■ • i y-' ! '•■ As is weH. kn<rwT3, the "functions <of a bailiff are not ..always. (Oi, ihe ,pleasantest ;naturo, and an irisiance m-pro^f occuiTed in tbeilattcr cud of last -week here. 'Thiet- inidiridual" had^pent many days in fruitless attempts to put the summons into the - hands of a wily debtor, and over -and over again - ;did' he . brmg fcaerkj the important^ document las "not served." tEc could not; lea-s®, it wilh tho wife, -as a' service S3j 'in, that case, 'not considered legal in InvercargilL A^ last, however, he espied his generally -ureai^e friend, entering his domicile, and he detenaiaied to make another essay to fulfil Mb misskwa. : Siis he soon discovered -was' - mere perilous thanrjilaasant, as a groijfeng cerberus was instigated to defend .his master's besieged fortress. -It did bo in 'a. most determined 'manner, but the limb of the "law was as obstinate as, the dog* -was fierce, and he 'threw the unwelcome document at its maiste^ at the same -time informing him of its being ..-served. We should not advise this. method of tevading- ' the visits of the bailiff to be generally practised, as it may be discovered to be rather a hazardous game to ;jslay.