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Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 226, 9 March 1866, Page 2

In Monday's issue we stated that the line of telegraph had been completed, and communication between the Bluff and Hokitika had taken place, but that in less than an hour it wai stopped ; being another instance of the capability of those having supreme control of the Njw Zealand Telegraph department. The Hokitika Chronicle has some pertinent remark upon the construction of the western branch of the hne. It says -. — " Anyone who has ever traversed any portion of the line along which the posts are placed for the electric telegraph, connot fail to understand why communication is so often interrupted between the different offices. The simple fact is, that the distance intervening between each post is. so great that it is impossible to strain the wires they are supposed to support so as to render them proof against the wind, and g to remain permanently fixed to the insulators. We believe we are correct in stating that there are less posts per mile used in the construction of the New Zealand telegraph in the Middle Island, than in any other country in which the electric telegraph has been established. Throughout Great Britain, Canada, and the United States, forty posts to the mile is the minimum number used ; in Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales, thirty to the mile is the usual number ; whilst in New Zealand there will be found but fifteen. Owing to the scarcity of suitable timber on many portions of the line, its economical use may perhaps be considered essential ; but any saving thus made on the first outlay of construction is more than counterbalanced by the perpetual expenses incurred in patching up the line to keep it in anything hke working order." It is rumored (says the Hokitika Chronicle) that Judge Gresson is not likely to pay us a second visit in his judicial capacity, as it is said that Wilson Gray, of Victorian and Otago celebrity, wih shortly be appointed as District Judge for this portion of the Canterbury province. The bare rumor of Judae Gresson's valuable services being probably withdrawn from the Westland community would, doubtless, give rise to much disappointment, only that the name of Wilson Gray, Esq., stands equally high in popular estimation. In order to make room for fuU reports of the Election Meeting and the nomination of candidates for the representation of Invercargill, we are com_ peUed to leave out nearly all our local paargraphs ; Several letters and other matter. We understand ■ that a number of gentlemen have determined to invite Mr. Bell to a complimentary dinner as a mark of appreciation of his past services, and esteem for him as a gentleman. The Northern Association, at Auckland, has just published " some considerations having reference to the approaching elections," as submitted by the Council, and agreed to at a general meeting. The following is the substance of the document : — " It is fitting that each representativeshould be pledged to the support of Separation. It is so for these reasons :- Because the people o_ this province have shown themselves to be unanimous in favor of Separation, and because the necessity for a combined effort still continues. A beneficial change, it is true, has been already effected. A Colonial Administration, incompetent to manage aright the affairs of the Colony, and hostile to the Province of Auckland, has been replaced by the able and impartial Government oi Mr. Stafford ; the colonial finances are consequently in process of being restored to a healthy condition ; and an important instalment of selfgovernment lias been acquired by this Province, in the present position of its provincial administration. But a much farther extension of selfgovernment is yet to be attained, while for the continuance of what we as yet possess we require guarantees. As former experience proved that we could not be well governed from Downing street, so also we have found that we cannot, in the existing condition of tbis island be rightly governed from Wellington. The a airs of the native population especially are of such a kind that they cannot with safety be administered from a distance, or controlled by the peopie of the South Island. The electors ot this province are now called upon to show, that while they are prepared to support, as far as practicable, the Government of Mr. Stafford, they are at the same time determined to prosecute their claim for complete selfgovernment. It is therefore requisite that at the forthcoming elections each representative should be definitely pledged to the support of Separation. It is at this juncture extremely desirable that each of our representatives should give the following pledge to his constituents ; — First, that he will attend throughout the session of the General Assembly, unless in the event of his absence being approved by a majority of the Auckland representatives j and secondly, that in every case of a majority of the Auckland representatives deciding that a certain courso of parliamentary action is requisite, the individual representative Will conour ia carrying out that course. The exceptional circumstances in which the Province is placed require exceptional remedies. The pledges above indicated, amount simply to a promise to Sbide faithfully by a method of procedure appro-pi-i&te to the «iai*i sad already found to ba bone* flow-."'

We extract the foUowing from Melbourne Punch : — " Lately there died in Dunedin a Crimean soldier who was a Knight of the Legion of Honor, who wore the Crimean medal, with a ladder of clasps, and who possessed the medal and cross of the "Order of the Medidje.". He had done wonderful deeds in the Russian war, and was altogether "a hero of the first water. His rank was that of a fuU private in the British army, and a sergeant of police in the New Zealand service. You see, therefore, how deUcately b oth the home and Colonial authorities preserved the lustre of his reputation. In France he would have been made a captain, a colonel, a general — perhaps a marshal ; and thus his indidual renown would have been lost in the false glitter of artificial distinction. But we manage these things better in England. We do not complicate a man's greatness by adventitious circumstance. A private, though a hero, remains a private ; and thus the simple greatness attaching to his name suffers no impairment. And yet you find people abusing the system which does not embarass heroes by artificial distinctions that are to be had without any heroism at aIL If James .Grennan had bnen transformed into Captain Grennan, he would have been confounded with a crowd of captains who never kitted an enemy in their hves, and who devoutly hope never to be o bliged to kill one. The hero would have been lost in the title, and his death might have been un chronicled. Let us be glad, therefore, that we have so much better a system that the French, and that our heroes go down to their graves '- unhonored " with honors that are of no real value. In reference to the coming election, the Oamaru Times says : — " Judging from the present aspect of things, however, appearances are decidedly against us. No one has as yet come forward as a candidate ; those who have been asked to stand have declined ; and, indeed and in short, matters are in anything but a satisfactory state. We imagine the electors are . beginning to feel chagrined — we were on the eve of saying disgusted — at the non-success of their efforts to secure a " fit and proper person " to represent them. Perhaps j they have reason to be so ; but in whatever hght j we regard the whole case, we believe there nev er was before such an example of a constituency ' going a-begging as Oamaru at the present moment presents. We would at the same time j desire to exculpate in some measure the electors from such a stigma as lack of interest in the subject, for reaUy, although they have accomplished little or nothing, we know that not a few of their number have been " working." We are much more disposed to lay the onus on the shoulders of those gentlemen who, from their position, influence, and other requisites, may b e considered fit men to be elected. If not to want of interest on their part, we can ascribe their inaction and taciturnity to nothing but a disposition to conquet with the constituency. This is neither wise nor desirable, and we hope wttl no longer be persevered in. There is time yet for any candidates to come forward and make known their views on the important question of the day, and it is to be sincerely hoped that they wttl announce their intentions and policy as soon as possible before the day of nomination arrives. We would put one simple question to the electors on this subject : — In the event of a " walk over " by a candidate holding views at variance with, or not altogether consonant to, those entertained by themselves, how wttl they be able to reconcile their practice with their professions ?" We take the following from the Canterbury Standard 23rd ult.— " Electoral.— The result of the election at Akaroa for a member to represent that district in the General Assembly is that Mr. Q-. Armstrong has been returned by a majority of 4 over Mr. L. Walker. We think most people will agree with us in thinking there are many reasons why this result should be deeply regretted. But Akaroa lias, before this, been eccentric in its choice of representatives both for the Provincial Council and General Assembly. We notice that Mr. R. H. Rhodes has consented to be put in nomination for the representation of The Bays •district in the Provincial Council. Mr. E. R. Simmons oifers himself to the electors of the Set'ton district. Sir David Monro, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has been returned without opposition for the Cheviot district in the General Assembly ; and we may assume, although we have no positive information to that effect chat Mr. Moorehouse has been returned" without opposition for the distiict of Mount Herbert, late EUesmere. The nomination was yesterday, and the polling was to take place to-day if necessary. We understand that Mr. Prosser is likely to be chosen of Westland for the General Assembly. A requisition to Mr. SeweU to stand for Lyttelton in the General Assembly is in course of signature.