The Southland Times. THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1864.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 22, 21 July 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1864.

"The evening of last Tuesday was the first ''field day" of the seventh session of the Provincial Council, for at its opening little was done of any moment. Beyond a few notices of motion, and]?a species of Ministerial statement. made by the Provincial Treasurer, which was productive of little else than a scene of recrimination, followed by a few deprecatory remark's, nothing was done. Por Tuesday evening was reserved the opportunity of displaying the calibre of wliich the Council was composed, and we are bound to say the display was not of a veiy satisfactory nature. Already the Councilhasshownevidenceofneglectuigits duties, and forgetting tlie -grave nature of them in the indulgence of personalities, which, while they occupy time aud attention, serve no purpose further thanto fritter away moments of value and importance ,to the interests of the Province, and tend to lower the Council in the estimation of the public. The, great anxiety of each member appears to be "to shift all blame, for ■ anything which • ma| have proved to be wrong,- on; the shoulders of some one else., and take credit for anything which may have proved beneficial. Should a prognostication, hazarded in times past, turn; out to- have been justified by circumstances which have since transpired, much -is -made "of it, and thus a -Council which ' ought "to be desirous. of impressing .on tlie pubhc its determination to entertain the present financial- position of the ' Province in a calm and temperate manner — one likely to lead to some practical means of ' 'extrieation-R-is turned '-into a battle-field of recrimination. , It appears, also,' as Vf each ■member considered it Iris ppecial duty to exhibit his eloquence and what little wit mother nature had -given - -him, - in the belief . that the audience appreciated them. If such .be. the impression on the minds of honorable members, the sooner they disabuse themselves of it the better. If at any time <- a smart repartee occasions a laugh, it is sure -to be followed by a feeling of regret that an occasion of such weighty moment to the interests of the Provmce should appear of such, little interest to the individual representing in its councils a section of -the community, as to induce him to waste time in stale jokes. At the opening of the Council Mr. Peabson gave utterance to the hope .-"that its proceedingsY Ywould be conducted in -a more staid and businesslike manner than Yhad characterised the conduct of affairs during the time when he .had previously held a seat— a hope which' we feel assured was sympathised with hy all who heard him ; and yet, on the succeeding evening, we find his conduct; at variance with the hope he had previously expressed. The charges and counter- charges exchanged .by Messrs. Tasltos- and CiLLLMEBS are anything but , edifying -or „-seemly*. ■ Why each gentleman should not openly andj boldly ' acknowledge the share of "^ blame; attributable to-them .. in past transactions is a iriysteryy seeing that any rebuttal or explanation they may make is receiyed with questionable ' credence "■"b y the . public. - Blame is, attachable, to- all concerned regarding the past ; why, then, • should .any .attempt' 'be made to shirk it? Let : each take up his own burden,' and, haying frankly confessed he is wrong, the House, may; "lei Ythe'dead past bury' - -its-dead~*n<L-after settling-the gljost of p*sst errors,^ turn .to the future; with ;m,: earnest resolve to prevent their recurrence.; - Such is the only way in vphieh; the delibe-' ' tions of the Council are likely to benefit; the community ; such the only coupe by , .which it can restore and ensuxe^the public Confidence. ; If the pr___nt~ Myolous manner- of .conduc^i^ -business f i^ continned, all hope is of • an'; -;. extrication •*' from* tmr difficulties may he abandoned at , -once.;;and t^. ron\ju^ion^^^ ' -SSAJfiSAfc -jy^ Council ; 'i_ J _iot; coni- • stlie ipnalic'to. lookjbo M-fem with any cpypiMmceiiGt t_4 'alleviation of .Qur.-preslnt ■j :&&h&&ms&^ therCojindf, at^lritf Session; caii: d°y is fe establish a ■i -jEJcamctian: th^itlTJ^C with <K__avbr the past system of expending the public

f anticipation; ;^tlia|-it is deter* •mined fS^the^iufcure |tb [cuitfai^ its ei** : ■ within [tholnjntts o^^]incc)mJ&j ; I it CQpi- ' ' tenancethe pernicious principle hitherto adopted of spending money first, and ap- - >plying«to^ -the , . relief-afterwardsi; -.■*-. iBhoulcl ; .snch a^qqurse ; ' lbe^a_apf^ibyHlie^^ Hous*e>i4^ilLlnti„ l eit-^ ' „ ;jelf yfcq. the. gratitu.de.,ol;allvhaving t atihear,t s the true ..interests of the community ; > : should _it not,' "..the. sooner.,, its. political- . death takes place the better. I ■H'> ! 4iy;V/^L_^- v^^ ■ ,„ i ' J Tho. , usual' 'meeting 'efytlie^Town Board last's . i mg_t.laps ( ed7tm*o'igli a quorum not being; present ' " '.: ■'"' ' "'"' _ > r>j fii.'-js ■ ' Wo are iiTpb^ pe^ the' Aire'dale ; f also Dunedin files to the ; l9th; ■' i'nß&rii;, ■ biit they cphiairi 'little ihrelligeitctj of __.y--importance."•' '•'--•. ■- - ''-^^y - -' | . ..,- Mr. A.W. Smithy revising officer, held ja Court - -for the revision oftthe list of- voters for the district, of Wallace, yyesterdaij) in the Southland Glub , Hotel, - Dee-street.- Very -few ■ alterations were , ; made,.and sqrae.cases were rescryed for the opinion of 'Mr.' J usticc I Chapman, 1 Who will hear them to- . day. : y ; ;y yy:yy/. -„ \-'y y;■ ''. . \ \ 'Wo observe that Dr. -Hector has Jbeon! offered,, by thb Wellington Govermhent/ the appointment of Provincial, G-eolpgist of that Province,' as soon as his engagement with that of Otago .expirea. We understand that Mr. John Murray, lately acting sub-inspector ; of the Bank of New Zealand, ' Aucklimd,- - has been appointed manager of tho Bank of Otago' s branch here. ; Mr. Dalgleish, tho present acting manager, will leave in a day or so. . Xast night a 'tea-meeting was held ih ; connection with the ' newly erected church in Lcet- street. , Tho attendance was pretty numerous, and tho various arrangements* were very good. The platform was occupied by Mr. Kingman," who presided, -nd'the Rev.'- Win. Searle, the pastor of tho congregation, the Rev. Mr.' Shaw (Wesleyan Church), the Rev. Mr. Stobo, and the Rev. Mr. Beth une, of the Presbyterian Church. After a service of tea, the chairman introduced Mt*. Searle, who addressed the audience at considerable length, during wliich he dwelt with miich pleasure upon the fellowship that prevailed amongst the various Christian denominations ' in the Colony, contrasting as it did favorably with the feeling that prevailed in tho homo country. He thanked his hearers for the flattering reception ho had met with at their hands," and expressed tho linn hopes that he entertained of tlie good that would yet result from their union. The rev. gentleman was repeatedly applauded during the delivery of Ins address, wliich was illustrated by various amusing well-told anecdotes. The Rev. Messrs. Shaw, Stobo, and Belhune followed, and throughout the evening various select pieces were well rendered by the choir. The case Mackay v. Coutts, for false imprisonment, was brought to a conclusion j-estcrday, when the jury found for the plaintiff in damages to the extent of £900. During the sittings, yesterday, Mr. Harvey gave notice, on behalf of hia client, Mi*. Coutts,'' that he would move for a new trial, on the grounds of excessive damages, and on account of the improper conduct of one of the jurymen. His Honor replied that the application for a rule nisi should bo made in open court, in Dunedin. He advised him, however, not to make the apphcation unless he could show suilicien grounds for it. He, himself, should not- feel disposed to do so ; and as to the improper conduct of the juryman referred to, the witness tamperedwith was on the opposite side. To kill "two birds, with one stone", is considered somewhat of an achievement, but unfortu- ' nately the feat, when accomplished, does not always prove so satisfactory as might be desired. An apt illustration lately occurred in the untimely endof a pet Rosella parrot, the property of one of our citizens; The bird had, after a long imprisonment, contrived to escape, and feeling lonely, had fraternized with &■ pigeon of the domestic ; variety, which shared Rosella's love of freedom. The owner, anxious to recover the pet, and secure at the same time a nucleus for a pie, carefully loaded his fowling piece, and hoping to kill the pigeon and wound the parrot — fired, as Pat would say "as aisy as possible." . The fond anticipations of the pot — shot were realized but too lolly -.. both pigeon and parrot fell, the one having n'early an ounce of lead, the other, a stray pellet through the head. rr ; The Daily Times' correspondent at. Mount Benger communicates the following to that Journal, writing under date 13th instant: — -"The day before yesterday (very late at night) intelligence reached this place of gold having been obtained from shallow ground, about nine or ten miles from this, up the river. The parties had sank one paddock on a small ilat, from which they took twenty-seven ounces of gold, and then came in to give information to the Warden, who had gone .up to the ground. It appears that there are three flats, all of which are supposed to be auriferous. Not being able to leave niyself, I have despatched a person on whom I can rely, to bring down all the information that can be obtained by a personal inspection. I sun jsorry to say that he will not be able to get bade till, too late for this mail, but I will try to get" an opportunity of sending you a letter by private hands. I do not wish "to "cause a rush, for fear things should not turn out so well as we, hope for. It may be only a patch which has been struck, so that people should not rush off till they hear further news. I may . state that the ground is well spoken of here, and a very large number have left for the ground, of which, I am ihformed, there is plenty. The river, is still declining, and large numbers are at work. ; At the" present rate}' we shall, in a few days, be able to call her, ' down ' at last:"' ' - - ; - .;[y „/. ;V':;^ y"::/ j - '" —