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Southland Times, Issue 910, 4 March 1868, Page 2

\ : A "Provincial Government Grazette" issued yesteriay, notifies that; James Moreland M'Clu- c, Esq., has been appointed Deputy-Superintendent during his Honor's absence at Wellington.

His Honor the Superintendent rtdJfo ftlaflk^ look, Provincial Treasurer, were passengers by the ft.B. Auckland yesterday, for the north. They procepd to Wellington with the view, we understand, nf arranging financial questions now pending between the General and Provincial Governments. By the arrival of the Auckland, we are in receipt of one day's later Australian new 3. There is nothing of importance. The latest telegrams from South Australia report that business, excepting in wheat and flour, is stagnant, more so than at any previous time for many years. The'eorn market is firm at latest quotations. It is with regret that we have to record the sudden death of Mr "Robert Heir, whioh occurred on bonrdthe s.s. Auckland, during her trip from Melbourne to the Bluff. Mr Heir has for many years, in Australia, maintained the hi*h character of being an accomplished and leading dramatic I artist. On the steamer's arrival at the Bluff, his remains were brought ashore, and interred in the usual burying place there. We understand that the field survey for the Tnvereargill and Winton line of railway has been completed. The plans and specifications required previous to calling for tenders will necessarily occupy some time, but from the energy that has been already evinced, we may conclude that every effort is being made to advance the progress of this important work. The s.a. Southland arrived at tho Bluff yesterday en route to the Auckland Islands. The object of the voyage is to visit the wreck of the General Grant, and if possible, recover the gold and other valuables that are known to be in her. Mr Teer, one of the survivors, accompanied by experienced divers, is with the expedition, and there is every reason to believe that the combined efforts of Captain EitzpatricV, and Mr Teer will settle finally the character of the cave in which this fine vessel sunk, and throw important light npin many subjects connected with the wreck that as yet are unknown. Both gentlemen possess great nautical experience, and if the vessel has not gJne entirely to piecss, we doubt not the enterprising proprietors of the Southland (Spence Brothers), will reap great benefit from the speculation they have bo spiritedly entered upon. From a Sydney telegram to the " Argus," 22nd Feb., we learn that on the day previous the Duke of Edingburgh left in H.M.S. OhaEenger, for Brisbane, Queensland. It also says : — " Nearly 3,000 persons were at the Harmonic Society's concert last night, and a number were unable to gain admission. The Prince and the Governor were present. The brig Woodlark has been wrf clced near the Seal Rocks ; crew saved. The captain reports that a barque was in company with the Woodlark on Saturday, close in shore, and he fears that she has been lost. A Volunteer Fire Police has been established in Christchurch, for the following objects : — "to save life, protect property, to assist the regular police fore, and to keep space for the efficient working of the Fire Brigade." An instance of Chinpse hospitality is thus related by the "Wood's Point Times :"— •' A ball and supper were given last week at Jericto, by Ah Pack and Co.j to about sixty Europeans. Ducks, fowls, hams, jellies, tarts, custards — all the luxuries which the district could produce — were supplied in great abundance, and in a stylo not to be surpassed by any of the best hotels in the district. The Celestials did not themselves sit down to eat, but waited upon the guests with an amount of hospitality And attention not practised or understood by Europeans. After the banquet was over, the party, amongst whom there was a considerable sprinkling of the fair sex, com.nenc.xl to dance lo the inspiring music of the bagpipes. The Chinese did not dance, but seemed to enjoy themselves heartily by looking, at those who did, and the amusement was kept up till ' day-light did appear. This shows a much happier state of things than hunting Chinamen off the diggings." Lord Lyttelton, who is now on a visit of inspection to his Canterbury estate, was recently entertained at a public dinner, on which occasion he freely expressed his views upon New Zealand politics. The " Lyttelton Times " commented upon the address in a style that called forth, a letter from the Speaker, in which he says:— " The first of these points is spoken of in the earlier part of the article as the change which threatens the constitution of th^ colony; and is reverted to towards its close as the question of the unity of the colony. And it seems to be the opinion of the writer that my remarks on this point were too general to lead to any practical conclusion. My intention, however, was ro indicate a clear opinion, as fur as the principle is concerned, on what is so well known in the colony as the provincial question. I cannot adopt the language which implies that a greater concentration of political administration in these islands must be an evil; nor agaiu do I admit that such a change must necessarily assume that the present provincial system has broken down ; nor, lastly, can I state the question in such broad terms as these — whether the provincial powers should now bo handed ever to the General Government. I referred to the Grecian history, and quoted the weighty authority of Mr Grote in favor of the opinion, that political isolation and autonomy had been too much valued by the small communities of Greece; and carried to an excess which ultimately contributed to their ruin. And I meant to have intimated tho belief, founded on general principles of political progress rather than on particular facts, that the time was corre, not for a sudden and complete change, but for a gradual and careful advance towards a different state of tilings, in which the present Provincial Governments should more take the form of Municipal institutions. On the details of such a process, I can but repeat that I should myself decline to pronounce, but that I recommend them to the most serious attention of the best nu'iids in the colony. On the next question noticed, I must observe that I certainly was not aware that it could be correctly said that there was a dearth of employment throughout the Australasian colonies. Bur, if it be so, I do not know that under the conditions of a civilised society should surprise us very much that such dearth should sometimes exist even long before the fertile lands of the countries affected hav3 been exhausted, or occupied. But the question involves considerations of the relation of capital to labor, and others, far too complex and t*xtensire, as it seems to me to be entered upon on such an occasion. The question of the native population, and how they should be governed, is no

doubt one of immediate and praetftfil ttottWUkt There h much iv what is said in the artiole about it to which I cannot altogether uwent j but it U out of the question to go into these matters heWi Being, however, called upon for an. opinion. I will suy briefly, that I believe that the moat satis* factory arrangement would bo that the pecuniary claims and counter-claims between England and the colony — for there are both — should be wiped out instead of the attempt to compute thorn by strict rrght ; that the colony should be allowed to start clear, and that thenceforth, according to the principle invariably and powerfully maintained by Ml* Godley, it should manage its own internal defence in its own way, and at its own cost exactly like any other matter. On another point* I wish to explain that it was not simply the. principle of self-reliance which I meant to urge on members of the Church here, but this : that no Church, however established or endowed, ought to rely for its continued existence on any* - thing apart from the deliberate and active affection of the people." We take the following from the " West Coast Times," 28th Feb. :— " Tho first iession of the County Council was closed yesterday, the Hon. John Hall intimating that the Council would probably be ngaiu called together before the next session of the General Assembly was opened. Mr Hall leaves for Christchurch this morning by coarh. It is understood that Mr Bonar is to be appointed the Chairman of the County Council on the retirement of Mr Hall, and his seat as an elected member for Hokitika will in that cue become vacant." The " Press " of the 22nd Feb. has the following : — " Northern news tells us that another little affair has taken place at Opotiki. Men hare been killed, and wo fear women. A chief of the Uriweras has been wounded, if not killed ; and fears are entertained that the whole of the i Uriweras will nse to obtain utu for the lots. The i TJriweras, it may bo sail, were just on the point !of coming in and making a final peace. How i long is this running sore to go on ? What has j become of Mr Stafford's promise when he took office in 1865, that the basis of his Native policy ! was " to let the Natives alone ?" a promise first interpreted by General Chute's raid upon tke West Coast Natives, hostile and friendly alike ; ! and the sacking of one of our staunchest lriends, William King, of Sfatikatea. How long is the solemn question of peace or war to be left to a captain of a small band in an out district, beyond all control? We solemnly and emphatically warn the members for the Middle Island, that if tliis goes on much longer, there will be a new Native war ; and they know by this time what that means. Are we prepared for that ? Are we prepared to pay for it ? The question cannot be shirked ; and if we are not prepared to incur the risk of paying for a new war, these isolated bodies of men must be withdrawn from districts in which their presence is t. standing menace to the natives, and where they are doing no good whatever. It is greatly to be regretted thatitwas ever contemplated to form a military settlement at Opotiki. The Original object of that expedition was to arrest and punish the murderers of Mr Vblkner and Pulloon. The murderers were tales, and some of them were hung. The law had been viniicated, and the troops might well have been withdrawn with. honor, the objects of the expedition having been aceompH«hod. But in an unwary moment the old confiscation system was put in force, in a country where there is so little land worth settling that, if it can only be maintained, as appears evident, by the Bword, the cost of the land must manyfold exceed its value. There was not even the excuse which there wai in the Waikato, that its occupation was necessary as an outpost to defend the settled country south of Auckland, The military settlements in the Bay of Plenty are completely isolated. There is no communication with them except by sea ; and they have no value except for what they are worth themselves. Instead of assisting they positively shut up the land from occupation by other settlers. Again we say, that if our representatives will not imperatively demand the recall of the troops from Opotiki and the cessation of these little onslaughts, they must look for another war, and they will have no excuse whatever for not being able to pay for it. Any remnant of land fund which Canterbury and Otago may enjoy mnst go down in this new struggle." The Victorian "Police Gazette" 23rd Feb., mentions that " a warrant has been issued for the apprehension of Joseph Ostler, charged with embezzliPg £423 lls sd, the property of the Moorabbin Road District Board. He is described as English, aged forty-flvo or fifty, fresh complexion, brown sandy whiskers and moustache, shaven chin, five feet six or seven inches high, smart gentlemanly appearance, sharp piercing blue eyes, bushy eyebrows, erect gait, good teeth, and usually dresses well. Ho was formerly well known as an auctioneer in Melbourne. He has friends in Dunediu and Hokitika." We are in recoipt of our Tasmanian files to the 20th ult. Besides the report of the races, they contain little intelligence of any general interest. The Launoeston Champion Race was won by Mr Tail's Fireworks, with Sydney Tim second, and Strop third. Daniel Connors had been sentenced to death for the murder of Ellen Griffiths at Longford, and Ephrahn Booth, for a criminal assault committed on a child named Ellen Shee, at Torquay. The " Rockhampton Bulletin " says :— " We have been put in possession q£-some facts from a reliable quarter which throw some light on Griffin's career in Victoria. These facts have been communicated by the Victorian Government to tho police authorities here, and are doubtless authentic. Griffin, it appears, some time after his anival iv Melbourne, took the fancy of a widow lady named Crosby, and after a short wooing was married to her. There was a son by the first marriage not much younger than his newly-acquired father-in-law. After a short time separation took place, Griffin making tracks for the newly-discovered El Dorado — Queensland — in quest of fortune and another widow. The kind soul, before his departure, shared with him £700 or £800, her whole portion of earthly goods, and gave him half, liko a silly woman that she was. About three years ago Griffin got leave of absence, and went to Melbourne, where, we believe, under legal pressure, he agreed to paj £100 a year to his wife as maintenance. This was paid regularly until about six months ago. Mrs Griffin nut finding her usual remittances coming, was about to consult her solicitor again, when she heard of the arrest of her husband on suspicion of baring murdered the Clermont escort at the Mackenzie Eirer."

'^ho rapid increase of stock in the Hawke s Bay Province, and the difficulty in Sliding a market for the aurplua, h« led to the formation ot a boiling-clown company. The " Hawko'a Bay Herald," referring to tho subject, says :— " Several lots of sheep are known to be ready for the ' pot,' bo that, in a short time, tallow may bo expected to be added to our local exports. Should the yieid b* small for the first lots operated upon, the extraordinary dry season will sufficiently aocount for the fact. The rosull s will be anxiously looked for by sheep-breeders generally. The shareholders, we understand, contemplate, as soon as possible, adding a meat preserving branch to their works. The two outlet 3 fov the superfluous stock of the district will, no doubt, work well together. Wa only hope the problem of how best to preserve meat for export will speedily be solved." We have been requested to call attention to a very extensive sale of railway plant, to be held by Messrs S. H. Cohen aad Co., afc Sandridge, on the Rth of next month. The material to be sold formed part of the lading of the ship Netherby, which wa3 wrecked some time since while on her voyage from England to Queensland with a cargo of railway plant for the Government of that colony. The sale is particularly worthy the attention of contractors and others engaged in extensive road or railway works.