SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 229, 16 March 1866, Page 1

SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

There is but little under this head to record. We have been particularly free from anything approaching the sensation ; still "we have not been devoid of entertainments of the higher order. In the early part of the month a bazaar, in aid of the fund of the Episcopal Church was held, which proved a complete success. During the time it was opened, the attendance was very large, and we understand that the receipts amounted to, or nearly -so, the sum f required to clear off the entire debt on the church, '^The Presbyterians have held their annual tea-meeting, which was well attended ; the progress of the denomination was reported to be satisfactory — that the debt which was on the church had been considerably diminished, and that by increased efforts on the part of the members the circle of its influence might be largely extended. For the last two days a Horticultural and Moricultural Exhibition has been opened which has pro red a decided success, a notice of which appears in another column. It is always a source of great satisfaction to us to notice a new local industry, however trifling it may at first sight appear. We have been shown a rope of native flax which is exceeding well adapted for the purposes intended — wool binding, clothes lines and tbc like. It is a strong and to all appearance a durable article and can be sold at less than half the price of the imported rope which has hitherto been used. Small as tins beginning may appear we should not be suprised if it eventuated in a large export business being established in the town. The manufacturer is Mr. John Scott Clyde-sect. The Poverty Eay correspondent of the Hawks' s Bay Times, writing to that journal says : — " On Thuvsday, the 18th January, a Maori was made prisoner by order of the officer commanding, and confined in the G-uard-rooni of the Wilson Redoubt. lam not very well informed as to the crime of which he is supposed to be guilty, but so far as I can understand he is suspected of having written and sent a letter to one of the Hauhaue at Wairoa, advising that they should come here and attack the forces, stating that as there are not many men, they might easLy kill the lot. He is one of those who surrendered and took the oath of allegiance at Waeranga-a-hika, and has been in receipt of Government rations since. A person cannot help indulging in conjecture as to what, supposing the charge clearly made out against him, will be deemed the proper punishment. If, ' being fattened ' is the proper punishment for an ordinary Hauhau, then it would follow that this one, having shown special zeal in the cause, ought to have extra rations allowed." The Sydney Mail thus comments on the : Victorian Parliamentary "dead lock." It says — "The decision of English opinion has been given on the crisis in Victoria. The late mail has brought out the condemnation of the conduct of the Victorian Miuistry in trying to destroy the indcpendenca of the Upper House of Parliamem, and in attempting to spend unappropriated public money. It is often difficult to get a colonial question understood in England ; but when this Victorian question was once fairly comprehended, censure was inevitable. All the Constitutional feelings that have so deep a hold on the educated classes in the mother country, and all their antirevoiutionary instincts, rise against such a stretch j qT arbitrary power. Nearly all the English j journals condemn the Ministry. The manager of the Bank is said to have been reprimanded, and the recall of the Governor has heen determined on. MeauwWe, fee Wm^ whwfc w wspoauiWe to

a colonial and not to a' distant authority, has" appealed to the people, and received a triumphant condonation. The result of the elections is over- . whehningly in favor of the Ministry — so much so, that there threatens to be no, opposition at all in the Assembly. The minority everywhere is un- - represented. One would think that the whole' colony was protectionist, and the constitutions forms had scarcely a partisan in the country, but that we know how, in times of excitement, people ~ get misled. It is certain, however, that the Ministry, thus fortified by their appeal to the people, will again bring forward a protectionist • tariff. The Neio Zealand Herald makes the following statement with regard to the reduction of the . number of the troops in New Zealand, but without any authority for it : — Peremptory orders, we understand, have been received by the Commander of the Imperial forces by the mail from England, insisting on the immediate reduction of H.M. troops in New Zealand, to a strength of 3,225, officers and men. This force will consist of * three regiments of Infantry, the 12th, 14th, and 18th, one battalion of Artillery, and a company of Engineers, with the necessary Commissariat Staff Corps. The regiments first on the list for homo are the 43rd and 63th— -the 40th, 50th, and 52th are to follow immediately, as soon as ships for their conveyance can be procured. This order is said to be independent of any wish the Governor may have in the matter, and is beyond his inter- \ ference to control, let the circumstances of the colony be what they may. In Monday's issue wo 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 wad stopped; being another instance of the capability of those ha?ing supreme control of the Nzw Zealand Telegraph department. The SoJcitika Chronicle has : some pertinent remark upon the construction of the western braach of jtue line. 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 6fcrain the wires they are' supposed lo support so as to render them proof against the wind, and^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 ha 3 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, whl 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 M keep it in anything like working order." 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 the representation of the Avon district in the House of ' .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 j the candidates to represent which are ' Mr. Launcelot Walker and Mr. Armstrong. On Monday evening a question was asked in the Provincial Council by Dr. Menzies why certain documents referred to hist session had not been printed and circulated for the information o : the public. The answer given, which wiU _be found in our report of the Provincial Council, can - scarcely be deemed satisfactory. The documents mentioned — railway contracts — are of great importance, and no false economy on the part of the - Government should keep them from the public. ... There are other documents which should be published, that are withheld on the same plea. The following is the state of H. M. gaol for the ; week ending, Tuesday the 6th current s—Sentenced5 — Sentenced to penal servitude, 7 males ; sentenced to hard labor, 8 males and 3 females. Lunatics, 5 males and 1 female. Debtors, 1 male. Total, 21 males and 4 females. Keceived during the week* 1 male. Discharged during the week, 1 female. * The late Riverton election still forms a topic of . conversation. The result was so unexpected, that on the polling day a number of the Wainawa electors who were in favor of Mr. Marten, waited a long time at the polling place wondering why the returning officer had not come, and at - length supposed he must have been drowned in the Waimatuku, one of our agricultural politicians was just starting with a coach full of voters on. the same side, when the news arrived, also buggies brim full, and one gentlemen rode all the way from the Waianiwa to vote for Marten. Of course when they heard the result all said, "if I : had only known, I would • have gone myself to propose liim." Let this be a warning to all in future ; to support their man well at the husting, especially when his opponent has strong local interest ha the town where the nomination is to be held. Un ler any circumstances they ought to hear the views of both or they run great risk of returning, as in this instance, a member who has ' no formed opinions at all" — Communicated. Our representatives will require to exercise a cat-like watchfulness during the ensuing session ot the Assembly or assuredly the South will be sold — Separation .may be obtained, but it is possible " to pay too much for the whistle ;" as a atraw tioatiug on the surface of a stream indicates the direction of the current, so a paragraph in a leading journal will frequently show the cards of the party ; they represent. The Southern Cross says: — "With regard to the Waate L/anda Regulations of the province, and the ' regulations for the sale aud disposal of the Waikato and other confiscated lands, the representatives of Auckland ought to take counsel together, and go prepared to the House -to support any Bills that may be introduced by his JtLouor the Superintendent, by and with their concurrence, to facilitate the settlement and improvement of these lands. And indeed a very great deal ol the future success of this province, and of the ultimate attainment of separation and independent self-government for Auckland, will depend upon the form which the measures indicated will.assume. We say nothing of the quartermillion, wnich appears to us not to have anything to do with the separation movement. The colony is bound to carry out the Waikato settlement scheme as best it may, at its own cost ; but if this province accepts the responsibility of settlement* and asks only for a money advance to enable it t\ f < do so effectually, which is to be repaid with' principal and interest, at a future period, it requires little argument to prove that that loan in no way arrests the agitation for separation. Granted that separation is the accepted policy of the colony, there must be a settlement of the partnership account between the North and the South ; and the South would infallibly be com* pelled to make advances to meet the prospective and invetiabie disbursements which the North, will be called upon to make in consquence of the colonial policy, hi the shaping of which the South has had at least a fair share." The following is the state of H. M. gaol for the week ending Tuesday, the 13th current :—-Sentenced to penal servitude, 7 males j sentenced to hard labor, 7 males and 3 females ; lunatics, 5 niaiea and 1 female. Total, 19 males, 4 females Discharged, 3 males, Diach.a.rged. foethe VWfei W*to ..■■.■■ , , r;/ ,,. : : . ;:,;•-!