The Southland Times. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1866.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 221, 26 February 1866, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1866.

Owing to the extent of the Original Correspondence, and in order to give the greatest facility to public opinion, we are compelled to omit our usual leading article. We are glad to perceive that His Honor the Superintendent is recovering slowly, but surely. His Honor, although not wholly convalescent, has been closely attending to his official duties during the past week, and we believe that the effect of his presence will be perceptibly felt by the introduction of several importaut measures of public utility. The election of a member of the Provincial Council for the district of Oreti in place of Mr. M'Kellar took place at the Police Station, Lowther, last Tuesday : only a tew electors were present. The returning officer ((J. R. Marten, , Esq.) having opened the proceedings, Mr. Cuthbert Cowan was proposed by Mr. M'JSeil, and seconded by Mr. D. M'JKlellar. There being no other candidate, the returning officer declared Mr. Cowan duly elected. Mr. Cowan briefly returned thanks, remarking that his return gave him great pleasure, as being wholly unsolicited on his part ; he accepted it as a prooi that his constituents were satisfied with his conduct when formerlp their member. The proceedings closed with the usual vote of thanks to he returning officer. An accident, which might have proved of a serious character, occurred on the Oreti line of railway on Saturday morning. The train was on its way to Invercargili, going at the rate of nine miles, and no suspicion or danger, when suddenly one of the " guide " wheels snapped, the foremost truck got partially olf the line; but although traffic was stopped for a few hours, the mishap was of a most trivial character Tha train was running as usual in a few hours. At Wellington, on Wednesday, the 15th, an address, feigned by 450 persons, was presented to Major- General Chute by Mr. W. S. Taylor and Doctor ifeatherstcn, at the Club House, on' the beach. General Chute expressed his thanks, and intimated that the success of his operations had been much forward by the assistance received from the colonial forces and native allies. "We have been favored," says the Sydney Morning Herald, " with a sample of the colonial kerosene maim laetured at the Pioneer Works, near Wollougong. Having given it a fair trial m household use for several successive nights, we are happy to report that it needs no apology whatever on the ground of its bang a colonial article. It will stand the test of comparison. Its illuminating power is quite equal to that of the imported oil j it does not smoke, nor is it chargeable with emitting any offensive odour. It seems in every respect a good marketable article ; and the proprietor of the works is to be congratulated on having been the first to bring Australian kerosene into use, though not backed up by great resources, and though not possessed of the most valuable description of shale." The Wellngton Independent of the 15th reports the destruction by fire of the G-olden Fleece Hotel, Pakuratahi. The house belonging to Mr. Walter Hoider, and was insured for £4JO. The furniture and stock belonged to Mr. Corcoran, and were insured for£*6<Jo. Mr.- Hodder considers that he will lose about £200 by theifirj. With reference t j Mf. Gordon, the legislator of Jamaica, who was hung under " Martial Law," the Telegraph 2och Djcembar, has the following : " The directors of the Star Insurance Company, with whom the life of Mr. G-ordon, wno has been hanged in Jamaica, was insured for £2500, have unanimously resolved to pay over the amount at once to his widow. The policy would naturally become void in the case of a man executed as a felon; but the directors of the Star Company apparently have come to the conclusion that Mr. Gordon's case is that of a man unlawfully s.ain." The change in the proprietry of the Daily Times has evoked an expression of warm feeling of friendship between the employees and the late conductors of that journal. A few days since the employees entertained Mr. Farjeonat a complimentary dinner, and presented him with a valuable testimonial, as a mirk of their high esteem for him as a gentleman, and an employer. We perceive from the Times of the 22nd inst. that a similar compliment has been paid to Mr. D Campbell. It says : — " On Tuesday afternoon, a large and handsome 2 L-days time-piece was presented to Mr. Daniel Campbell, an inscriptionplate bearing the following, being affixed to the stand: — "Presented to Daniel Campbell, Esq. by the employees of the various departments of the Daily Times and Witness printing establishment, as a te3timonal of the esteem in which he has been held for many years." There was also presented to Mr. Campbell an address in which t a expressed the highest appreciation of the manoer.. in which Mr. Campbell ha« conducted the printing department of the establishment. The timepiece is set in an elaborately decorated and gilded vase, upon which is seated a conventionally-treated figure playing on the Scotch pipes. Fenianism has reached New Zealand, and no doubt the clever tricksters, self-elected agents of the " Irish Republic," will find many dupes to practise upon. We dare say large contributions will be collected, but we think very little of the money will over reach the " Head Centre," The i Daily Times says ;-»"<& correspondent sends ut,

from Lawrence, a copy af a circular which he says, i 3 being extensively circulated in the district. It is an appeal for subscriptions on behalf of the Fenians at home. Our correspondent says it is being liberally responded to, but we scarcely oredit it. Surely, apart from anything else, no one can question that the Fenian movement has been an utter failure, and that all chance of its success has passed away. It is stated that a company for the purpose of prospecting the coast between Riverton and Jacksons Bay, is likely to be got up. The information lately received would lead to. the conclusion that should the project be carried out, it would be the means of giving new life to the province. There can be but little question that the black sand on tho coast line is similar to that found on the West Coast and at Taranaki. Should the projectors of the company come out with a matured scheme, we believe it would be liberally supported. In another column will be, found an extract from an English paper, which is more satisfactory than anything yet published, as to the value of New Zealand black sand. If a company should be started, say : — 500 shares of £5 each, £L paid up for experimental operations, and no further calls made until payable ground is discovered and a lease of the same secured ; the company wisely constituted, carefully matured and registered under the " Limited Liabilities Act," there is little doubt but that the shares will be readily taken up. A Wanganui correspondent of the Wellington Independent writes : — " There seems not to be the slightest doubt but what white men were serving among the rebel Hau-haus at Opawa. When the forces were moving to the attack, and close to the palisading, a decidedly British voice sung out ' Come on, there's plenty of ro •>m for you all.' Who these worse than traitors are, it is impossible to say, though conjecture points them out as deserters from the service." - We learn, from the Canterbury Press of the 19th, that the nomination of candidates for thf representation of the Avon district in the House o Representatives, was to take place on Monday at noon, at the School-house, Papanui. . The candidates are Mr. C. W. Bishop and Mr. Crosbie Ward. Monday was also fixed for the nomination at Akaroa; the candidates to represent which are Mr. Launcelot Walker and Mr. Armstrong. The Grey Rioer Argus, of the 10th inst., says : "It is with no slight feelings of regret and disappointment that we have to record the present failure at the attempt to establish steam communication on the upper waters of the Grey. We announced in our last that the paddle-wheel river steamer Woodpecker would mt»ke her trial trip on Wednesday. The occasion was regarded with considerable interest by the public, and more especially so by the owners ; and a number of gentlemen connected with the mercantile interests of the port and in the up-iiver trade accepted the invitation of the owners to be present. The steamer started from the Greymouth side shortly before two o'clock, and steamed well up the stream until after rounding the first bend past Coal Creek, when the increased rapidity of the current had a perceptible effect on the progress of the little craft. Still, however, she breasted the stream bravely, and it was hoped she would successfully surmount the first rapid at Snag Falls. At this stage, most unfortunately, the main shaft became heated in the bearings, and it was found necessary to stop the engine, and of course the boat rapidly drifted down stream, and it was deemed inadvis" able to renew the attempt. The Daily Times of the 20fch instant thus comments upon the Bluff Telegraph office being closed when the English Mail arrived. It says : — " According to present arrangements the Electric Telegraph in New Zealand is but a costly toy. There is no reason, excepting official routine, why the public were not in possession of the English news in our yesterday's i3sue. The Otago, with the mail, was at the Bluff as 7.30 on Sunday evening, and the intelligence was not transmitted, merely because the Telegraph Office closed at six o'clock. In ordinary circumstances it might be too much to require an operator to be constantly on the spot ; but for the Telegraph to be useful, one should always be within call at the different stations on the line, and especially when the arrival mail is hourly expected. In other colonies snch is the practice ; and had such delay occurred in Adelaide or Melbourne, the Manager of the Telegraphic Department would have been called to a deservedly severe account.