The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6,1867.

Southland Times, Issue 640, 6 March 1867, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1867.

Nothing certain has yet been heard of the movements of His Excellency the Governor. , There is however little doubt that he intends to visit Southland, a late telgram from Major Richardson being distinct upon the point. From the statements in up-country papers as to the townships he has agreed to visit, it appears almost certain that he will arrive here via the Bluff, and if the programmes published are at all correct his Otago work will be finished to-day, and it is possible that he will immediately proceed to the Bluff and take us by surprise. The 4 ndifference that has marked the conduct of the regulators of His Excellency's movements to the des ; re for information evinced by the people of Southland, is most reprehensible. There is no Province in New Zealand that has more unanimously agreed to give him a loyal and hearty welcome. The preparations that have been made are great, but the effect they were calculated to produce may be considerably diminished by the neglect that has been displayed in not keeping the people postedup as to the time when he might be expected. That he intends to come there can be little question. It is more than probable that the exact date of his arrival will be known to-day, and we understand that immediately upon authentic information being received, the public will be informed - At the Eesident Magistrate's Court on Monday, Mr A. M. Clark defended an action brought by a number of shearers for breech of agreement. The facts of the case as shown by evidence were to the effect that plaintiffs were verbally engaged by defendant to commence shearing at his station by a certain date. They did not some to time, and others were set to work. The plaintiffs urged that in agreeing as to the time to ;ome/ they made it " by a certain date, or after finishing at the shed they were then working at."- Evidence was taken at great length, judgment being eventually given for the defendant. Yesterday the contractor for bridging the Mataura (Mr Campbell) contested a claim for wages by two men who had been employed on the works. The dispute appeared to have arisen out of the too common practice of loose verbal agreements or "understandings." Judgment was given for plaintiffs with costs. The movement in favor of taking the management of the Hospital out of the hands of the Government is progressing. A large number of subscription lists have been issued, and subscribers' names are being rapidly obtained ; — we have seen one list that represents over £600, and others with not a much less Bum dotted down. We understand that owing to the probability of the Governor arriving about the time (Bth March) named for the next puVic meeting, that it has been deemed advisable to postpone the meeting until an early date after His Excellency has left. It is to be hoped that those who have subscription lists will take the opportunity to obtain the mites of all their country friends who may visit town on the occasion of the Governor's visit. The quarterly general meeting of the members of the Chamber of Commerce takes place this afternoon at three o'clock. The nature of the business to be brought forward demands a full attendance. The " Evening Post," speaking of the late Gaol Enquiry at Auckland, says :— " The foJ'o^ing is a portion of the evidence submitted to the Gaol Enquiry Committee at Auckland, which shows the cruelty with which prisoners have been treated in the Mount Eden Stockade. Chief Warder Young said: — There have been two prisoners gagged to my knowledge — Ist, a man named Robinson, alias Hurrucks ; 2nd, John Wright, alias Alison.' Robinson was gagged with a horsebit,, lashed at the back of his head. It was a common horse-bit. I put the bit in his mouth by Mr Tuckwell's orders. Robinson was, I think, kept in this way for five or six hours.- He was in cells all the time. He was gagged for being noisy and making use of improper language when in the dark cell. I believe that Wright, alias Alison, was gagged on the day of the rush. I hare gagged two prisoners — one with a rope, the other with a bit—by Mr Tuckwell's orders, and in his presence. The prisoner Hurrucks on examination said : — I was gagged with a horse-bit, for singing ia solitary confinement, and my arms were pinioned behind me until my elbows nearly met. This was done by Mr Young, the Chief Warder, uiada^-Qglfli^-JjQiiL^MJ^-Iliigkgell. • They then

ever since, with pains in my chest. I was kept gagged and pinioned in this way for six hours. I am nineteen years old. On reading the above extracts from the evidence given by a gaoler and a prisoner the most charitably disposed aad impartial reader must acknowledge that a great abuse in gaol discipline, has existed in Auckland, and that in recommending the dismissal of Mr Tuckwell the Auckland Provincial Council have shown a determination to put down a course of tyranny discreditable to the usages and feelings of a Christian community." A letter received from the G-ulf of Carpentaria gives a very discouraging account of affairs at Burketown. Sickness, in the shape of malignant fever, was very prevalent.- The majority of the inhabitants were stricken down, and several deaths had occuned. Mr Landsborough was unwell, and his wife dangerously so ; death had bereft them of their children. Mr J. P. Sharkey was also seriously ill and unable to write j the letter contained a message for Mrs Sharkey, directing her not to proceed to the place ; the lady, however, started by the Hero. It is rumored that the Government are not yet resolved whether the settlement will be abandoned or not. There appears to be some negligence on the part of the authorities in not offering inducement to a medical man to settle in the place. The escaped and re-captured prisoner Bloomfield is said, by the "New Zealand Herald," to be the son of Rush, . the notorious murderer of Mr Jardine and his family, at Stanford Hall, Norfolk. He was recognised by a gentleman visiting the Mount Eden Stockade, who had been connected with the Stafford Gl-aol in England. A youth named Cockroft, employed in the office of the " News," was, on Monday, attacked and severely bitten by a dog usually kept chained up at the Custom House. The brute had by some means got loose, and appeared playful rather than savage, until after the lad Cockroft, who was passing, had called to it and patted it. Without a moment's warning the dog — a large black one — then sprang ferociously at the boy's throat, but missing its aim seized him by the face, one of its fangs penetrating quite through his lower lip, and lacerating his nose. Fortunately assistance was at hand, and the half rabid animal was with some difficulty beaten off, but not before inflicting other injuries on the boy's face. We have been informed that the dog has on previous occasions shown the same savage disposition. If so, the sooner it is killed out of the way the better. It can hardly be supposed that the owner will like to incur the responsibility of keeping a dangerously vicious beast which- I—even1 — even when on the chain — might take the life of a child coming within its reach. Operations have been commenced by the contractors for bridging the Mataura at Tuturau (about 33 miles from this town). Workmen are engaged near the spot in quarrying the stone to be used in the construction of the supports of the wires for the suspension of the roadway. At the place selected the river is 120 feet wide and of great depth, running with an almost imperceptible current between perpendicular walls of rock. The highest known flood would not have jeopardised such a structure as the one about to be built. A simple contrivance now used by the workmen at the Mataura Bridge, would if availed of on New Zealand rivers during past years have saved many lives. Suspended from a wire rope stretched across the river is a kind of basket. The person desiring to go over has only to get into this aerial machine, a7id by a series of good strong pulls accomplish the traverse in perfect safety. In his letter to the "West Coast Times," the Haast River correspondent of that journal says : — " I recognised in Duffy and Warren acquaintances of other days, and, as they have been working between Bruce and Jackson's Bays during the past twelvemonths, I obtained valuable information from them concerning that comparatively unknown section of the West Coast. Attracted southwards by the Okarita rush, they afterwards pushed on to Brace Bay, eventually taking ship for Jackson's Bay, where they prospected the country north and south, but found nothing payable, although their researches extended to Big Bay, forty miles further south. According to their account there are no beaches south of Jackson's Bay, the coast being bordered by high ranges and many bluffs. A little gold was obtained in that direction, but no ground discovered that would pay movo than £2 per man weekly. Duffy and his mate " then made for the Haast River, where they at last succaeded in striking gold on a low terrace, about two miles north of the entrance. This was worked for some time, but becoming dissatisfied with the returns the two "nomads" started on a prospecting expedition, and commenced with a strip of country between the Haast and Okari Rivera, where they discovered gold, and thus indirectly caused the late rush." From the same source we extract the following conclusive opinion as to the rush, which it now appears has been a most uncalled-for one : — " It, however, cannot be denied that the place is fearfully overrushed, as the ground in band will not employ a greater number than 150 men." From the " Sydney Morning Herald" of a late date, we extract the following particulars of the capture of the colonial schooner, Mary Ira, and murder of htr crew : — " Captain Frazer, of the Day Spring, which arrived on the 29th ult. from the South Sea Islands, has furnished us with the fo^owing particulars : — ' A small schooner from Sidney on a trading voyage among the islands, was at the Island Sandwich, or Fete (New Hebrides), the natives of which place concocted an atrociouß scheme for the seizure of the vessel. The owner was anxious to get the assistance of seme of the natives to work the schooner, and ten were engaged, who went on board, and she then proceeded to sea. The chief, howeverj had matured his plans, and on the fourth day out, they rose on the original crew, supposed to cousist of four white men, whom they murdered, and then brought the schooner back again to Fete. Here she was completely stripped, and the property duly apportioned. Shortly after the schooner Sea Witch came in, and, with the assistance of some natives from a neighboring island, recaptured the vessel. There can be no doubt but that the unfortunate craft was the Mary Ira, Captain Clnthank, of sixteen tons, Which left Sydney on the 17th September, 1866, on a trading voyage among the South Sea Islands.' " A Maori vocabulary, by H. Day Kempt, Esq., entituled " First step in Maori Conversation," has been published in Auckland by Mr Gr. T. Chapman. It contains, besides, a useful early primer for beginners in the Maori language, and some interesting romances of Maori life. We clip the following from " Notes of tho Sea," which appealed in -the Melbourne Argus of the 25th ult :— " A bottle containing a piece of paper, on which was written ' Ship Lord Haglau on fire, 13th March, 1862, Lit. 36 degs. E., long. 23 de^s. — all lost,' was picked up at Queenscliff on Thursday, the 14th iast. The Lord Raglan, it will bo remembered, left Liverpool on the 24th Feb., 1863, for this colony, under the command of Captain Curran, with a large number of emigrants on board. She was spoken near the line, and lettei-3 which were scut lioiue from passengers by the vessel which reported the Lord liaglan expressed seriou3 fears for tko safety of the ship, through fire, many of the passengers baiog tur-

; ported the loss of the ship by fire close off the Gape of G-ood Hope. The bottle had contained ' porter, with which the paper was stained. It 1 was floating near the beach, between Queenscliff . jetty and Swan Island, and was picked up at seven o'clock in the morning by a boy, who, be- , cause he could not get the cork out, broke the bottle. The paper, a mere scrap, was similar to that used in wrapping pickle bottles. The writing w,as good, 1 but there was no signature. It is impossible to suppose that the paper is anything else than a . stupid hoax. The Lord Raglan, as we have stated, sailed from Liverpool on the 24th of February, 1863, and on the 13th of March could not have been off the Cape of Gtood Hope; in factj.it was very late in March when she was spoken near the Equator. If she had been burned in 36 deg. lat., and 28 deg. E. lon., boats from her would in all ; probability have reached Algoa Bay.