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Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 267, 25 May 1866, Page 2

Yesterday being the anniversaay of the Queen's Birthday, was observed as a general holiday. The Grovernment offices, the banks and all places of business were closed, and preparations had been made by many to spend the day, in a truely British style. Pic nics had been arranged, private parties had been organized, the Steveus Troupa announced a grand mid-day performance. Up to the morning ot the 2-ifch of May, everything promised to go otf as " merry as v ma.ria.ge bell." The Fate's decreed it otherwise. At sun-rise the bky looked dark and rhceatening and the day turned out to be the most boisterous of the season — rain, wind and iiail combined to crush the pleasurable anticipation which the previous fine weather had give birth to. Pic-nies there were none ; entertain nients were neglected, except by the heroic few who despite the war of the' elements resolved to* enjoy themacives j the Sleven6 had to postpone tiieir entertainment. Flags of ail kinds and description were displayed en the Government fllag-staif ; and a few were hoisted over private establishments ; the star and str,pes, were not the least conspicuous. The bitter feeling arising from the change of the seat of Grovernment from Auckland to Wellington, which a year since characterised the Auckland press is not dead. We take the following from the iVew Zealand Herald, Ist May. it says: — li Although the Wellington papers (studiously conceal tke fact, it is now, nevertheless, well known that a very severe shock of an earthquake was felt in_ Wellington on the night, of the 29th of Maxell last. Some damage has been done to several of the buildings, We trust this shock may not be the precusor to other and more severe ones, but the periodical return of the time when a severe cartiiqake may be expected from the slumbering volcanoes which underlie tha'j city aud harbor has arrived. The last earthquake which destroyed so much property, and was, in one case, fatal to human life, occurred in 1855, about eleven years after the great earthquake so graphically described in the despatches of the Lieut. -Governor of the Middle Island, the present Governor Eyre of Jamaica, when the people iv the city of Wellington took refuge on board the vessels in the harbor." lnvereargili was enlivened on Wednesday, the 23rd May, with sight of fiva teams of ten bul-, locks each, starting from town, heavily laden with quartz-ci'usl'iug machinery for the Scandanaviau Quartz Crushing Company, Lake District. Owing to the inclemency of the weather, the grand mid-day entertainment announced to take place at the Theatre Royal, yesterday, did not come off. The Stevens Troupe will appear this and to-morrow evening, when fresh novelties will be presented. The performance this evening will be under the patronage of his Honor the Superintendent and the Executive Council. We extract the following item of information as to the value of native produce, which is almost entirely neglected at the present time, from the Southern Cross 26th ult. It says : — " A gentleman who returned from the Thames district recently, informs us that in the neighborhood of Mercury Bay there are natives who individually gather as many as 3 ba^i oi gum, of 6 cwt. each weekly. This is equivalent to £1 per day. The gum is very plentiful, and of good quality, in thi district j and it may be found on Crown land in the neighborhood as readily as on native territory I There is therefore room enough for many of our , unemployed laboring population, and the certainty of making good wages, if they only turn their attention to this occupation. The Government will make no objection to any one who simply contents himself with gathering and Belling gum oif Crown land ; but trespass on native territory must not be allowed. To give Borne idea of the market value of the article in England, we quote from Morgan's British Trade Circular fo February. Under date January 11 they report — " Kauri gum : In Auction a considerable quantity ot the recent arrivals, amounting to 458 cases, 4-iS casks, 512 bags, have been brought forward j met a good demand ; fully two-thirds were taken off at very full prices. Gfood eou.nd acraped, 70s, to 71b.j dit£o, rather dark, 675, to §89,1 dark, §19, to 63a.j partly poraped, 535. to 65.?, j fair port, 455. to 46s j Terj ordinary small, §g ß| , aif*ings t J.sg, M -

The complications arising from -the NativeWar, promise to be of long continuance. Claims for compensation on account of damages sustained, by the settlers in the North are becomings numerous. One of the first ca^s which has been brought before the public is that of Mr. S. Clarke, a "settler in the Tauranga district, who claims compensation for loss sustained by the outbreak. The case was referred to arbitration, and the decision of the umpire has been given. The fact as detailed by the Southern Cross, are these :t-" Previous to the revolt at Tauranga, Mr.. Clarke occupied a farm of 823 acres country land, at Tauranga, under lease from the Church Missionary Society, also holding 10 acres at Ta Papa as orchard, garden, and homestead ; and a bea«h allotment opposite, the deepest water frontage at Te Papa. Upon this allotment Mr. Sellar's store had been erected. Of the 523 acres 600 had been broken up, and 400 acres out of the 600 sown with clover. Gl-ood food for cattle was to be found on the remaining 200 acres. {Mr. Clarke had spent over 5£ years' labor upon the farm, aad has expended over £6000 upon it; After the revolt of the natives, and subsequent location of the Waikato military settlers at Tauranga, it became imperative that Government should become the possessors of tke farm to per mit the formation of the military township. On Friday last the umpire awarded to Mr. Clarke £9739 as the value of tbe estate, it being understood that two-thirds of this sum would be taken in scrip for the purchase of land in the Tauranga district, and one-third in cash. Messra. Newman and Chad wick were the valuators." The Press of the 20fch ult. gives the following short account of Dr Haast's survey of the Rakaia : — " Our Provincial G-eologist returned to town last night from the head-waters of the Rakaia, after an absence of over six weeks. We understand that he has been greatly favored by fine weather, which enabled him to ascend ail the different branches of that river to their glacial sources, and to study fully the physical and geological structure of that interesting portion of this Province. Dr Haast crossed Whitcombe Pass ; which he describes as being over 4,200 feet high, and possessing a true alpine character. He also visited Browning Pass, .to continue his observations begun at the end of last October, when it was still covered deeply with snow. When camped at the head of the Avoca, the main stream of the Harper, at an altitude of about 3,500 feet, on the 7th instant, the party were overtaken by a heavy snow storm, which covered the ground in 15 hours with more than a foot of snow. It will be remembered, that on the same day we experienced very rough weather in CJiriscchurch. Having finished the surrey of the head-waters of the Rakaia, Dr Haast remained for a week examining the highly instructive lake region, of which Lake Coleridge is by far the largest ; he sounded that lake ail over, and found its greatest depth to be about 600 feet. We take the following from the Daily Times, 12th May. Id says :— " During the detention of the barque Strathspey, in which Lady Don is a passenger to Caliao, a party was made up to visit the Maori Kaik at the Heads, in which her Ladyship Jlr Wilton, and Oapt. Deane, joiued. After, rainbling about some time amongst the huts, one of the Maoris recognised Lady Don, from having seen her perform at the Princes Theatre. A report was spread through settlement, and a large concourse of Maoris, including their Princess, assembled round the party, and requested her Ladyship to act a,s in the Theatre ; -whereon Lady Don humorously sang "My Johnny was a shoe-, maker," which delighted her sable audience very much. The Princess joined in the chorus, during which the Maoris danced round to the tune. The weather was leautifuL and the party thoroughly enjoyed the trip." We clip the following from the Wellington Independent of 15tia May : — " His Excellency the Governor has set an example to the native race, which we trust for their sake tliey will follow. In the course of his recent tour through the interior ►Sir George Grey was much struck wioli the terrible ravages made by an excessive fondness for drink displayed by the noble savage. He remonstrated with, Thompson ou Liie subject, aud received a reply to the ellocc that whac was good for the Pakeiia, was equally beneiiciai to the Maori. His Excellency then said that if Thoinp • oon would take the pledge far a, twelvemonth, he would do the same as au example. The (i King maker" agreed, and ha aud Sir George Grey are consequently followers of .feather Mathewibra year. Although the Governor never paid too deep a, devotion to .Bacchus, it is a meritorious cc of self-denial lor a man of his age who has always been in the habit of" taking wine aud beer, to givo it up entirely for the sake of setting an example to an uncivilized people." This day, May 24th, being the anniversry o the Queen's Birthday, will be observed as a general holiday. Entertainments of varied character have been provided for the occasion, as will be seen in our advertising columns. A grand day performance, by the Stevens' Troupe, is announced to take place at the Theatre Royal this afternoon, half-past two o'clock, in ho-ior of the Birthday of her Majesty the Queen. This arrangement will enable families to attend without iuconvenience, and we have no doubt the audience will be large, as liberal de. ductions will be made to families and achoolsThe performance of this talented company, on Friday night, will be under the patronage of his Honor the Superintendent and the Executive Council. The Second Anniversary Ball of the Southland Quadrille Assembly will take place this evening at the stores of Messrs Henderton and Bonar We understand that great exertions^ have been made to ponder it a complete success. The River ton gold fields are beginning to tell upon the commerce of the town; the first marked instance of this is the announcement that the fine schooner Aparima has been placed on the berth as a regular trader between Invercargill and the Paihi. Messrs. Wright and M'Lellandj are the agents. The report from the diggings published in another column are such as to justify- the belief that & very considerable trade will be done between the two ports. / An New Zealand Oasette was published on Monday, in which it- was announced that the Honorable John Johnston and the Honorable ]?T&ncis Jollie had been appointed members of the Executive Council. .. It ig expected thafe Mr JoU«} wUi hol<i t&e #cc either of Tye&9ure* 9*

Commissioner" of Customs; but Mr. Johnsto ■will take no office. Mr Jollie is the representative " fie district of Gladstone, in Canterbury. It has often been a subject for wonder tha Invercargill, -which, is situated in close proximity " to the best fisheries, in New Zealand, is the worst supplied with fish of any of the Provinces. The question of establishing a Bißh Company has often been mooted, but nothing done. We understand another effort is to be made, and it is much to be desired that it should prove successful.. The fish," of the rarest description, is most abundant, and a company properly managed would be in a position to export large quantities of dried and cured fish, as well as kee^ the market well supplied with fresh. We believe the experiment on a small scale is to be made as a^begin ning, and the company extended when evidence of the profitableness of the enterprise has been, established.