The Southland Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 903, 21 February 1868, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1868.

The result of the Census just completed for the Province of Southland gives rise to important considerations as to the present and future. The comparatively small population (now estimated in round numbers at seven, thousand persons only) after several years of separate provincial existence, would appear to argue against the capabilities and advantages of the Province as a settlement. To argue thus will arise from imperfect knowledge of facta. During a portion of Southland's earlier days, circumstances attracted hither large numbers of people, many of whom it might have reasonably presumed would have made the Province their permanent home. From various causes this has not been the case. These are, however, utterly distinct from the question of the value or otherwise of the Province as a field fox immigration and the employment of capital. The value has been demonstrated by the practical knowledge and actual experience of men of sound judgment, and thejconclusion has been arrived at, that in no respect ia Southland behind any of the New Zaaland provinces ; nor does she possess in a less degree, than any of the colonies of Great Britain, the natural capabilities for rendering her a desirable home to industry and thrift. It must be remembered that of the crowds which a few years since were temporarily attracted here, the majority consisted of persons to whom gold fields and the employments immediately connected with them, were an all absorbing allurement. Men of this class have generally but little idea of permanent settlement. Even the steadily productive paying gold field, without the occasional attraction of heavy finds, fails to bind this class long to a particular 3pot. At the first hearing of a fortunate discovery, a rush takes place, they are off and away, and in many instances, to such an extent of desertion, as to leave behind them by no means a sufliciency of labor to work ground already proved to be profitable, and promising to yield employment for a long time tq come. Men

of this stamp are remarkably slow to discover and avail themselves of the natural advantages, however great, which any district possesses for cultivation, and profitable return for agricultural pursuits. It may be safely asserted of a large proportion of the area of the Province, as a regards its natural position, and the quality of the land, that it is in every respect suitable for cultivation and ultimate remuneration to the occupier. The success with which agricultural operations have been carried pn, not merely on small tracts of land under peculiarly favorable circumstances, but in a greater or less degree throughout every district of the province (and in some instances upon a scale of considerable magnitude) places this fact beyond gainsaying. The two evils against which Southland has had to contend, and which even now exist, are the want of roads and population. These conditions granted, rapid yet solid prosperity must necces* sarily result. Happily both these evils are in a fair way of removal, and the remedy of the first is to a great extent also the remedy for the latter. The large 3um now in course of expenditure on public works in the form of roads and bridges has already operated to advance the condition of the laboring population to a degree that is not realized in the other provinces, and is inducing an influx of labor. The coming season (by the completion of the works now in hand) will be free from the drawback of last year; the difficulty of transport being lessened the cost to the producer will be diminished, and foreign outlets hitherto closed will be opened, while the labor employed at home will induce further consumption. It cannot reasonably be denied that, in respect of natural capa- • bilities, as well as in the inference from the works in progress, and those now contemplated, that the demand for labor for a long time hence will be great. Southland offers great inducement to small capitalists accustomed to agricultural pursuits, and intending to depend on them for a livelihood, and also to those whose only capital is their labor, the rate of daily wages being now higher here than elsewhere. The general prosperity of the province is proved from the readiness with which imported stock in large numbers is quitted at rates which pay the importer. That a future of prosperity is in prospect the same fact also argues. Men whose worldly means are declining, and who therefore look at the future through a present medium, are not accustomed to make any outlay which is avoidable, or to risk present means on an uncertain retu- n. The position of Southland requires but to be fairly represented to obtain for her a fair share in the tide of emigration from the old countries. It has always seemed to us objectionable to endeavor to secure immigrants by any " bonus " system, however modified. The various schemes of this class, wherever tried, have generally proved failures. To allure under false pretences under any circumstances is wrong, and any approach to deception in a matter in which the results are permanent should be studiously avoided. The successful settler is, after all, the best (because the most practical) advertisement which a province or colony can put forth to recommend itself to public notice. The publicity, however, which can be attained by individual representation, however honest it may be, is but slow, and the proverb which says " while the grass grows the steed starves" is specially applicable. Under present circumstances, in the present state of population, it is admitted that it is idle to attempt improvements of which every one recognises the desirability or necessity, and for which the required capital is available, simply from the want of labor. Reproductive works of nearly every class may be included under this prohibition. The arrangements made, or in course of making, for the resumption of the system of assisted immigration will be useful in removing the great cause of Southland's apparently small progress. As everyone of the immigrants introduced by this system will come hither assisted by the efforts and induced by the known success of those who have preceded them, it is but reasonable to suppose they will come with favorable impressions ; — in most instances prepared to meet whatever difficulty may lie before them, so that they too may be successful. With a vaat tract of valuable land awaiting, only man's labor to make it fruitful, with a healthy and bracing climate, with liberal land laws, and with the social institutions so dearly cherished as part and parcel of the home life in vigor amongsb us, we need but an increase to our population that happiness and prosperity may in I equal ratio increase. In consequence of the alteration in the date of the departure of the mail, the Weekly Times Sf to-morrow will contain a supplementary summary for Europe, comprising all the items of local intelligence, &.c, &o. A man named Henry Smith was accidently killed on Wednesday last, whilst working in some gravel pits on the East Road. He leaves a widow aad large family utterly unprovided for. I

The following particulars of the recent extraordinary case of murder and suicide in the province of Nelson are given in the JSteowinw;— " A young man named Ivy Augarde (eldest surviving son of Mr Augarde, of the Turf Hotel), in the service of Mr T. Carter, and in charge of his cattle station on the Clarence, lately entrusted a letter, addressed to a young woman living in the Wairan Valley, to a man known as German Charley. Augarde was averse to placing the letter in Charley'B hands, and wished another man, who was travelling the same road, to undertake its delivery, but the latter excused himself, as he was not likely to pass where the young woman resided. Charley appears to have resented %he mistrust which Augarde showed towards him, and to have in revenge opened the letter, and read its contents at all the stations he passed on his way, and, when he subsequently delivered it, informed the young woman of what he had done. These circumstances having reached Augarde's ears, he vowed to avenge himself on Charley , whenever he should meet him, and this meeting took place on Wednesday last, somewhere near the junction of the Alma with the Acheron, some i distance beyond Tarndale. A fight here took place between the two men, the result of which was unfavorable to Augarde, who thereupon got j upon his horse, and rode off to the nearest station, a distance of several miles, and obtained a gun, with whioh it is supposed he shot Charley, and afterwards himself, as the bodies of both men were found on the road, the latter with his skull blown off, and the gun between his legs." At a dinner given to Lord Lyttleton and M* Selfe in Christchurch, his lordship made the following remarks on Provincialism : — " During the long voyage from Home he had occupied himself with reading Grote's History of Greece, and there he found it set forth as a most pointed truth which was worth inculcating — that the great political weakness and inferiority, the waste of strength, of the Greek nation, was caused by its comminution into numerous small isolated communities. To that cause Mt Grote attributed the decay and failure of the Greek nation. He did not mean to go beyond the broadest application of the principle, but the question of Provincialism or non-Provincialism was one of the most important that could be brought before" the' people, and he must say that he hoped the time was coming when, with the increase of wealth and the means of communication, the principle of political consolidation would be borne in mind. He believed it was needless to preach this, for he thought it was nearly a won battle, and that the principle was nearly established. But h* was anxious to urge upon those who upheld the principle, that it would require the utmost caution in the detailed steps by which it was brought to boar. He could not express an opinion on any one detail ; everything should be left to the Colony, and no obstacle interposed to its progress ; but every step was one that woull leave a la«ting impression, and therefore would need the most careful deliberation on the part of the politicians and statesmen of the Colony before it was carried out." The "Wairarapa Journal" says — "A slight shock of an earthquake of some duration, preceded by the longest and loudest rumble we have ever heard since the one which occurred thirteen years ago, was felt throughout the Wairarapa on Saturday morning last, about ten minutes to eight." Christcnurch papers report a fire, which has destroyed two houses in Market-square, viz., a stationer's shop, kept by Mra Pope, and a store, kept by Messrs Rankin and Swale, Mr Bankin being burned to death. Prom the " Lyttelton Times" we learn that suspicions are entertained of foul play with regard to the matter. Our contemporory says : — " It appears that a few days Rankin and Swale had agreed to dissolve partnership. On Friday night they were heard to enter the shop together, and shortly afterwards they went upstairs to bed. Soons afterwards high words took place between them, and then a shuffling sound was heard by a neighbor. All became quiet, but on the neighbor going into the back yard shortly after, smoke was observed issuing from the back premises of the house, and Swale looking on quite unconcernedly at the far end of the garden. The alarm was given, and although Swale was seen about several times, he said nothing respecting Rankin being on the premises until the flames had broken out in every part of the building. A travelling bag, containing wearing apparel and other articles, was afterwards disbSvered behind a cask near where Swale was standing." Swale has since been arrested. The "Daily Times" states that during the month of January, rain fell in Dunedin on 20 days. The total fall for the month was 8-078 in .; and the greatest fall on any one day was 1*64 Bin. on the 29th. The highest maximum temperature was 73deg on the 2nd ; and the lowest minimum was 40deg on the 21st. The greatest velocity of the wind was 430 miles during the 24 hours, on the 4th ; the mean velocity per day, for the month being 147 mile 3. Only three days out of the 31 were " calm." We gather these particulars from ;Mr Skey's meteorological observations, as published in the Provincial Government Gazette." Some short time since, the Town Board of Wellington, proposed to spend £500 in giving a welcome to Prince Alfred, but it would appear that this was not palatable to the citizens, for at a public meeting, held shortly afterwards, a vote opposed to such [expenditure was agreed to. The Independent of the 15th inst., says : — " The result of the ratepayers' meeting on Wednesday is, we think, to be much regretted— not that festivities, even when they are held in honor of a son of her Majesty, are a desirable mode of expending the rates, but because the sum voted by the Town Board would have been a very useful nucleus of a public fund to meet the necessary expenses attendant upon the visit of his Royal Highness, and it would have been raised in a way the easiest possible to the community. But, to use an old adage, it is useless crying over spilt milk ; and the point now to be considered is, what had best be done under the circumstances ? We accept it as a fact that the citizens of Wellington are desirous of giving the Prince the most handsome welcome possible ; for we utterly refuse to believe that the mass of the community I are actuated by the sentiments of two or three of the speakers on Wednesday, who argued as though, because it was out of our power to vie in splendour of hospitality with the larger Australian cities,l!,we should therefore do nothing at [all. Such a " course would certainly be very disrespectful on our part, and it would be difficult to find a precedent for it. Public hospitality to Princes arid great men is a noble and tune honored ■custom, which ha been followed in alleges and J by .all peoples j and, in.

our ca»e, it is tha mow needful that we eliould make as great a display of our loyalty m possible Bine© the Duke of Edinburgh ton been specially sent from England to tibH us ; and any want of 1 overt enthusiasm might be construed into disloyalty at home. Such a construction upon our actions might perchance excite a smile here, feeling as we do, that her Majesty has. no more loyal subjects than the colonists of Wellington ; but it is as well to c avoid all appearance of evil.' It is all very well to talk about giving the Prince a quiet reception j bnt even a quiet reception will cost some money j for we presume the advocates of " no display " are not all of the opinion of the gentleman who, at the meeting before alluded to, thought we should make a better show if we assembled in an orderly manner with our children and grand-children' than if we made a 'display of flags and fireworks.' No doubt the former exhibition would be the cheapest} but there are certain occasions when it is necessary to make sacrifices, and parsimony becomes doubly • vice, and this is certainly one of them. We cannot receive the Duke of Edinburgh as though he were the Superintendent of a neighboring Province, or some equally distinguished personage ; we must receive him as the son of our Queen, and as one to whom every mark of respect shown will be paid to Her Majesty. Without, therefore, going into displays beyond our means, we ought to make such demonstrations as will Bhow that we are neithr wanting in loyalty to the Queen, nor willingness to make sacrifices when occasion demands it. As, however, the ratepayers, or at any rate the 47 who voted against the resolution passed by the Town Board, have determined that no portion of the necessary expences shall be defrayed out of the town fuuds, there is nothing left but a public subscription, which will have to be the larger by £500 than it otherwise need have been." The "Independent" adds that a subscription will be at once commenced pand urges that all classes should contribute— small sums, from working men being enough to secure to each such giver " the gratification of knowing that he has assisted to entertain the son of Her Most Gracious Majesty." The "Oamaru Times" has the following:— Our Timaru Correspondent, writing on the 7th inst., details the circumstances of the wreck of the s.s. Wm. Miskin. Most of these have already appeared in our columns, but we append the following items from our Correspondent's letter, as furnishing additional particulars :— " I visited the scene of the wreck on Tuesday morning, and was struck with the extent of the desolation. A bar of sand, one mile in length, divides the sea from a lagoon in Whale's Creek, and from one end to the other it was thickly strewn with pieces of the wreck and portions of the cargo. There were on board under bond 185 bags sugar and 25 J-chests tea. Some of the latter were washed ashore, thoroughly soaked, and, of course, useless, but none of the sugar could he seen. All that remained of the vessel standing was a part of the port bow, with the steamer's name on it, the engines and boiler, and a piece of her stern. A favorite black dog of the captain's was lying on the sand, scarcely recognizable. The Wm. Miskin was bought about three months ago by Mr R, B. Martin for £1500, and I hear she was insured for £2000. Capt. Bain estimates his loss in personal property at £40. There can be no doubt if the Bteamer had put to sea when she shifted her anchorage she would have been saved, but no signal to that effect was made by the Harbor-Master, Mr Beswieh, although the barometer stood from 23° to 29° on Monday morning. Mr Patereon, of Wright, Bobertson and Co., had purchased a buggy at Dunedin for £45, and all that remained of it on the beach was one of the shafts. Mr MTherson, a young man just arrived by the ship Bouverie from Glasgow had transhipped his baggage to the Miskin, valued at £100, and has lost all, among which was a full Highland dress, with cairngorm and silver ornaments, skene dhu, &c. The carcases of 40 or 50 sheep were lying amongst the wreck, with the Levels station brand on most of them, and I hear that Mr Bristol of Saltwater Creek, has been a loser to the extent of 1200 or 1500. The ship Timaru rode out the storm gallantly, only dragging about a quarter of a mile, but fears were entertained for her on Monday also. The country for. miles around Timuka has been under water ; the Opihi Eiver having burst its banks and flooded the town. Parr's flour mills and Williams' Brewery have been carried away, and the loss of property iB very great. Eight persons are known to .have perished in the floods, but owing to the stoppage of all communication north and south, little is really known as to the exact state of matters." A few weeks since Messrs Gi-erbes erected a windmill at their furniture factory, in Dee-street. It was the observed of all observers, and since it has been in operation visited by many of the townspeople, to see how it worked the turning machines of its enterprising owners. We visited the establishment yesterday morning. Seeing it revolving with great rapidity, and considering it a good time to make observations as to its power, we entered the workroom, at the time Mr Gerbes was engaged in turning some massive table legs. One had just been completed, and another was being fitted for drilling. Another gentleman was there on a like mission — to inspect the machinery — when the sound from above indicated that the high wind was driving the mill at electric speed. In a few seconds, slap, slap, — bang, bang, came fragmentary pieces of timben rattling on the shingles of the roof of theworkihop. The inmates fled at a rate that could scarcely fall short of the speed of the wheel, which now was flinging pieces of its fanners in all directions. The proprietor of the establishment, quickly followed by others, darted towards the back door, and fled for refuge to a small building at the back, while the writer, with kangaroo strides and a John Gilpin appearance, darted through the front door, hatless, and with coat-tailß, flying, across the street, much to the amusement of the numerous looken-on, who had been watching the struggle between jointed timber and strong wind. Al succeeded in reaching places of safety, and had the opportunity of watching the final etent. The wheel flew round with a rapidity indescribable ; the massive timbers of the tower to which it was fixed swinging and swaying to an extent which led to the expectation that it would come down with a crash. In a few seconds, however, that danger was over $ the arms of the wheel went crack, and the fragment of the fanners were hurled into the air, falling upon the roofa of neighboring houses, causing the . inmates to rush into the street with frantic haste. Fortunately, no damage was done except the destruction of the wheel of the mill. In a place like Invercargilb

"übject to frequent heavy gales of winds, we MA« not but think the erection of windmills in the heart of the town should be discouraged. "W* give Messrs derbes every credit for their enter* prise in attempting to economise labor by enlisting the aid of the wind ; but it is evident that had the tower fallen, much damage, if not loss of life would hare resulted— that not only their own, but adjacent property would hare been seriously affected. After a few days of really genuine weather, in* tensely cold and boisterous weather set in again yesterday (Thursday). The morning was oppres* eively hot and close, but about ten o'clock the wind rose strong from the westward, and, as ft matter of course, very soon brought with it heavy rain, which continued, with short intermissions, throughout the day. Towards evening the sky again looked more favorable, inducing the hops that the buster would soon be over, and thai harvesting operations would not be seriously inter* fered with. ' It will be seen by advertisement elsewhere that the sailing of the Otago. with the outward English Mails, has been postponed until Sunday, the 23rd inst. We learn that Mr and Mrs Robert Heir, who have gainedfor themselves wide fame as caterers for public amusement, are to visit InvercargUl shortly^ Their performances are of that class, now so popular, known as Drawing-room Entertainments' and have been received with very great favor by the people of Victoria. The talented gouple may be expected by the next steamer from Melbourne. From our Northern files, we learn that the late storms have been seriously felt in all the provinces from which information has yet been received. In some parts of Wellington considerable damage was done ; in Marlborough the flood was accompanied by a severe shock of an earthquake, and a Nelson contempory, 4th Feb. says :— We bave hare exoerienced, during the last thirtysix hours, one of the heaviest storms we have ever witnessed in Nelson. Tbe barometer, which stood very high last week be?an to fell on Thursday but it was not until Sunday that it gave signs Of coming bad weather. The rain began to fall early on Sunday evening, but not heavily, and there was then but little wind ; but early on Monday morning it blew a perfect gale, the gusts at times being exceedingly heavy. As the day advanced, the violence of the wind rather abated, and the rain then increased. The rainfall, registered at 930 on Monday morning for the preceding twenty-four hours, l'4O inches ; while at the same hour this morning the registry gave a fall of 4*48 inches for the same period of time. This morning, at about half-past nine o'clock a large waterspout passed over the outskirts of the city and broke against the cliffs of the port, and this was preceded by the heaviest hailstorm we have ever witnessed — in fact it may more appropriately be described as a shower of fragments'of ice, many of the pieces being as large as good sized beans. The lowering of the side walk in Esk-street, between Dee-street and the Railway station, to the street level, has effected a wonderful improvement in the appearance of that locality, relieving the fine terminus to a great extent of the depressed sunken aspect it formerly had, and bringing into deserved prominence the spacious, and handsome front of the main building. This very necessary work has been executed by the united exertions of a few of the owners of contiguous property in "co-operation with the Provincial Government, and will, when finished, be not only a pleasing feature in that portion of the town, but also a great convenience to the numerous passengers to and from the train. ■ ■■■ Mons Yertelli, more popularly known as the " Australian Blondin," has been entertaining the people of InvercargUl at the Theatre Royal, with wonderful feats of agility on the flying trapeze f wheeling a barrow on a wire rope from the stage to the boxes, and performing other feats of a like character, with very great success. The house has been well attended, and the warmest applause greeted each successive movement of Mons Yertelli. Those who have not paid a visit should not lose the opportunity. It will be seen from our advertising columns* that his benefit is announced for this evening, and as an additional attraction, he will walk on a rope from the top of the Theatre across the street, previous to the regular performance. ■