The Southland Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1867.

Southland Times, Issue 629, 8 February 1867, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1867.

A number of gentlemen met at the Southland Club on Wednesday, 6th inst., for the purpose of considering the most advisable course to be taken to ensure a popular demonstration upon the arrival of His Excellency the Governor. There were present Messrs F. H. Moore (in the chair), J. Blacklock, T. K. Weldon, W. Wood, M.H.R., J. Mitchell, R. Buchanan, W. H. Oalder, D. M<Donald, C. H. Keynolds, J. F. Jones, W. H. Aylmer, J. Kingsland, E. D. Butts, and others. It was after mature deliberation resolved, that in order to make the vice-regal reception a thoroughly popular movement, a provisional committee be appointed to make preparations for a public meeting, to be held in the Council Hall on Saturday next the 9th inst., when a permanent committee will be elected. The provisional committee appointed was Messrs F. H. Moore, J. Blacklock, E. D. Butts, R. Buchanan, J. Kingsland and J. J Ham. An earnest desire to give His Excellency a fitting reception was universally expressed, and a determination to make the event as popular as possible by enlisting the co-opera-tion of every class of the community, manifested. The Banks and Government offices will be closed to-day. A banquet will be held at the Southland Club Hotel, on Monday evening next, to celebrate the opening of the Bluff Railway. We understand that the tickets are going off freely. We trust that the public will take more interest in the proper observance of the opening than the Government did by attending the banquet. We will give a full report of the proceedings. In accordance with our usual custom to give impartial prominence to the proceedings of the various religions denominations, we purpose publishing a condensed report of the meeting of the Preftbytery of Otago, lately held in Dunedin. By many of our readers it will be read with interest. It will appear in our next issue. The performance at the Theatre Royal last evening was a great snccess. The house was well filled, especially the upper portion. The curtain rose to Dance's commedietta of "The Morning Call." Mr R. Roberts, as Sir Edward Ardent, and Miss Juno, a 8 Mrs Chillington, had elicited continued applause, both for the style and grace with which their respective partß were sustained. Selections from " Leah the Forsaken " followed, in which Miss Juno's acting was especially noticeable, both for force of declamation and appreciation of the author's best traits. Mr Roberts sustained the character of Rudolph. This may be ; said to have been the attraction of the evening. | The entertainment concluded with a song by Mr I G. Searle, and the humorous Hibernian drama of " Barney the Baron." We would advise thoße who have not yet paid a visit to do so before the company disperses. We observe that the gratings in some .instances are becoming quite useless, owing to the general inattention of the Government in not keeping them in repair. A few pounds devoted to this purpose at the present time wruld be the means of saving a large outlay in future years. Unless something is speedily done, they will become impassable during the winter months. The. following remarks upon the movements of His Excellency the Governor we clip from the "Evening Star," sth Feb. It says :— " We have been favored by the Government with the following definite information regarding the visit of His Excellency to Dunedin. Yesterday, His Honor the Superintendent communicated by telegraph with the hon. Major Richardson, to know whether it would be convenient that his reception in Dunedin should be fixed for two o'clock p.m. on Thursday, the 14th inst. : the review of Volunteers to take place on Friday, the day following, at 8 p.m. ; and the Volunteer ball the same eveniag. His Excellency was also requested to say whether he would favor the Friendly Societies with his presence at a banquet at Vauxhall Gardens on Monday, the 18th inst., at one or two o'clock. The reply received by His Honor, the

- Superintendent, yesterday evening, was to the effect that His Excellency the Governor had gladly acceded to all the above arrangements. His Excellency and suite were to start overland for Timara this morning, at seven o'clock. We call attention to an advertisement in our other columns, announcing a sale of Horses, Harness, and Buggies, to take place by auction, at the sale yards of Mr Todd, auctioneer, tomorrow, at 12 o'clock. We are assured that the whole are in excellent working condition, and will most likely meet with -ready sale, being in every way suited for the wants of inland settlers/ or for the parcels and passenger traffic of the town. A meeting of the Committee of the Pastoral and Agricultural Association (says the Oamaru Times, Feb. sth), to make final arrangements for the Bam Fair, on Friday first, was held in the Northern Hotel, on Saturday, at 2 p.m. The applications for pens were submitted, when it was found that arrangements repuired to be made for the accommodation of about 3000 sheep. Most of these would be exhibited as samples, so that the number to be actually represented at the Fair will be something very considerable. It was determined to proceed at once with the erection of the pens on the Esplanade! the use of which has been kindly granted by the Town Council. It appears that another, and, as far as as distance is concerned, a better route from the Paoific to the Atlantic than that of Panama, has been set out, and that the completion of the Im-. perial Mexican Railway will render this much the best track from Sydney, China, San Francisco to New York or Europe. The comparative distances are set down by the China Mail at the following figures: — Sydney to Liverpool via Otaheite, Sihuatanejo, Mexico, Vera Cruz, Cuba, and Azores, 13,600 miles ; Sydney to Liverpool via Otaheite, Panama, and Azores, 14,000 miles ; Hong Kong to Liverpool, via Sandwich Islands, Sihuatanejo, Vera Cruz, Cuba, and Azores, 13,650 ; Hong Kong to Liverpool, Panama route, 14,300 ; San Francisco to New York, via Sihuatanejo and Vera Cruz, fifteen days, 4260 ; San Francisco to New York, via Panama, twentytwo days, 5260. It is considered probable that the railway, of which the portion between Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico is already completed, will be finished to the Pacific seaboard by 1870. The Oamaru Times has the following : — Extensive alterations and improvements are being carried on at the Oamaru Brewery, that establishment having passed into the hands of a Company entitled " The Oamaru Brewery Company (Limited)." The brewery proper is being considerably extended towards the lagoon, and widened towards the stone premises in which the malting process is carried on. New boilers, vats, and coolers are to be fitted in, and arrangements generally are being made for supplying the demand of a rapidly increasing trade. When the improvements are completed, it is calculated that there will be accommodation for about 150 additionarcasks. With more extensive appliances, the Company will be enabled to retain such a stock on hand that their brew will be'always sent out in proper condition, which has been found impossible hitherto, the demand being generally in advance of the supply.- The fame of the Oamaru beer is already wide-spread, but the export of it to other places pn the coast is likely now to be largely increased. .— The following important telegrams appears in the Daily Times of the 4th inst. : — On the 13th, one hundred and forty of the Waikato Militia Regiment, stationed at Tauranga, advanced to Te Irehanga, on the Wuiroa. On the road a few natives were seen, but no notice was taken of them. A shot was fired, striking Sergeant Major Emus in the chest and passing out at the back. The Militia retired. Ennis is since dead. On the night of the 20th, about 170 Militia and Volunteers marched to Wairoa. Early in the morning of the 23rd, they attacked Te Irehanga, where there were 25 rebels who made a short stand, killed a Militiaman and fled. The village and corps were destroyed. Two hundred and forty of the 12th Regiment had left Tauranga on the Bame morning, to co-operate with the Militia; andj at eight, coming in sight of the burning village, moved to intercept the rebels in the rear of a second village, Waihatu, towards which the Militia were seen proceeding. The 12th and the Militia then divided, to return- by different routes. Not more than 30 natives were seen at any time. None were killed ; probably some wounded. The Defence Minister accompanied the expedition. The rebels are reported to be mustering. The Sturt is underr orders to fetch 200 Arawas and other reinforcements. A large supply of guns and small arms and ammunition has been sent from Auckland. The Southern Cross says "if the Arawas unite cordially to fight against the Tauranga Hau-haus, the affair will soon be over. If they hold back, it may prove a serious business." General Chute and Staff called at Tauranga on their way hither, three days ago, and remained there. Mr Hall leaves to-morrow for the Melbourne Postal Conference, via the South, picking up Mr Ward. We learn that the lawyers of Wellington have had a meeting, at the instigation of the Banks, to prepare an appeal to the Supreme Court on the Stamp Act. The point is, whether Bills drawn out of the Colony before the first day of January, and accepted in the Colony after that date, require to be stamped. Of the 51 single females who lately arrived in Dunedin by the ship Caribou, all with the exception of four were engaged as domestic servants or otherwise on the day of their arrival. The HoMtika Evening Star of the 18th ult., says : — Sullivan might have been seen this afternoon in the purlieus of the Supreme Court, waiting to attend the Grand Jury to give evidence to them. He was dressed in plain clothes, and appeared to be in the enjoyment of excellent health. The nomination of candidates, (says the Daily Times, sth February) for the Superintendency took place at noon yesterday, at the Provincial Government Buildings. Before heavy rain com:. menced, there must have been from 800 to 1000 persons present. When the show of hands was taken, the crowd had been lessened. The Returning Officer declared the numbers to be — Thomas Dick, 71} James Macandrew, about 300; James Gordon Stuart Grant, 3. Mr Dick demanded & pollj w"hioh WBB fixed for Wednesday, the 20th inst. The official declaration will be made at noon on the 27th inst ; but the Returning Officer will allow the result of the election to be known earlier, if he has earlier received the whole of the returns.