The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 974, 24 June 1868, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1868.

The question, of Railway extension may be considered as one of the most important that commands the attention of the public mind. The recent discoveries of coal, iron, and other mineral products, in various parts of the province, have added considerably to the interest of the Bubject. The prosperity of the country can only be secured by a comprehensive and complete system of internal communication. Sufficient has been learnt from past experience to lead to the conclusion that, Bailways, if fairly and economically constructed, are far cheaper and more satisfactory in the opening, up of inland country than any other mode ; but experience also proves that in new countries, while main trunk lines of Bailways, are. the most to be desired, the construction of Toads, as feeders, are of equal, if not of paramount importance. It is, therefore, obvious that the aim and object of the Government and the Council should be t6 secure the completion of the J>rpjecied_B«JwajL How is this to be accomplished without necessitating the suspension of roadmaking, and the carryout of other public works ? It is argued that it is impossible for the Provincial Government to construct Eailways and work them, add also provide from its limited revenue funds sufficient to make the side roads required by the settlers. If our resources at all approximate to the estimate formed- — if the coal and iron country discovered is of half the value it is belieyed to be, there .will be no dim 1 -; cultjt^f the extension of the v jline§ : of "BaftwtiyVvrithout in any way contracting roadmaking operations. The time appears to have come when the Railway should b& partially, taken out of the hands of the Government and placed in those of a company. The 'leasing for a term of years of the already completed Bluff Harbor and Invercargill Railway, and the Northern line to Winton, upon condition that the .company leasing it should complete the Winton line with no other aid from the Government than the rails, &c,. already ordered from home, appears to be desirable, and well adapted to the circumstances of the province. It would, of course, be necessary in carrying out this scheme that the Government should -be liberal, yet cautious ; that while affording the lessees every legitimate facility and encouragement, care should be taken to guard against the possibility of the company obtaining a monopoly of any kind. This subject has more than once been brought before the public and the Provincial Council ; but it has not yet re-ceivjßd^W«irfcentknr-it---deSßrV©s: It has been argued that if tha Government cannot make a Railway, neither could a company doso-Thisargumenthaslongsince been proved erroneous. In America the most gigantic Railway works are being carried forward ; the entire continent is being lined with a network of iron rails, mostly the result of individual enterprise. In Canada and Australia private lines are equally as well, managed, and more economically worked than those under the control of the Government ; and it is only lately, in Auckland, that the Government has been authorised to. lease the Railways in that province: Whatever may be the diversity of opinion on the abstract principle of working. Railways by private enterprise, or by the Government, the peculiar position of Southland, rendersitdesirablethatßailway operations should be prosecuted without materially infringing upon the revenue? of the province. This can only be done by the adoption of the leasing system. Had the Council favorably considered the Leasing Ordinance that was brought in by the Government three sessions ago, there is every reason to believe that the Northern Railway would have been now completed and probably other lines to the coal country projected, if not already,commenced. The Council will be soon again in session, and this question is bound to occupy considerable attention. The recent discovery of coal and other minerals in the districts adjacent to "Winton, invests the Railway question with still greater interest than before. The completion of this line will undoubtedly be of great value in opening up the country, but in order to secure its success as a financial speculation, "feeding lines" will have to be formed in every direction. Could the Government make these lines ? It couid not, without absorbing all the revenue, and contracting fresh debts, and this would be alike impolitic and distasteful to the people. By the adoption of the leasing system* a company would be called intoexistence, whose business would be to make the main line profitable by aiding in the construction of branch lines. Thus communication with the lime, coal, and iron districts would be speedily opened up, without crippling the power of the Government to make roads and execute other public works. It is to be doped that this subject will be calmly debated and wisely settled next sessioD.

We learn that the Hon. Colonel Haultain, Defence Minister, is now in Dunedin, and he may therefore be expeoted to visit Invercargill in the course of a few days. Great inconvenience is felt in the town from the want of a bell to be* rung at the regular hours of labor. In most towns in the various provinces, arrangements are made with the Fire Brigades for tbe use of their bell, and a reliable party engaged to strike the time, morning, noon, and evening, the cost being defrayed by the City Council or the Town Board, as "the case may be. Invercargill has neither Town Council or .Town Board ; still, some steps should be taken to secure the regular ringing out of the time by the town bell, either by the Government or by public subscription. The volunteer band paraded the main streets . for marching practice last Monday evening. A new and commodious store is in course of erection on a section, formerly known as a Maori Reserve, in Esk-street. It is intended as an auction mart for Mr Osborne. From information received we understand that the subject of the formation of Farmers Clubs is . attracting attention, and that it is probable tha* steps will be taken in more than one of the Agricultural districts to establish them previous to the next show of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. This evening an entertainment will take place at the Thearte Royal, the proceeds to be applied to the " funds of the Provincial Hospital. The programme is diversified . and inviting, and the object for which the entertainment is got up commends itself to the public. The Hospital is the first of Benevolent Institutions, and should be on this occasion liberally supported. The "New Zealand Government Gazette," 9th June, contains a proclamation convening the General Assembly for the despatch of business on Thursday, the 9th July. . Some of the northern papers censure Mr Stafford for having granted such favorable terms to His Honor the Superintendent to complete the Winton line of railway. Major Richardson has recovered his popularity in Otago.- He was enthusiastically cheered whilst addressing /a public meeting^recenily in that province. . j A deputation from the committee of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association had an interview with His Honor the Superintendent, on Tuesday the 23rd June. The deputation consisted of Messrs Cochran, Dalgleish, Russell, Smith, and Ham. Mr Dalgleish . stated the interview was to inform His Honor that a site for a permanent show yard had ; been fixed upon if it could be obtained, but as it was the intention of the Association to expenl a considerable amount on: the improvement of the ground,the committee felt desirous of. learning the longest term for which they could ojtain the site. He stated that the block selected was adjoining the Cricket Ground at the top of Spsy-street. His Honor thought that a very judic'ou's selection had been made and said that everything would be done to meet the views of the Association, but he feared that without, the sanction of the Provincial Council three* years would bathe extreme term. Mr Cochran stated that it was most deBirable that something should be decided, as conditional contracts for clearing the ground had been received. Hi 9 Honor stated tint no delay should arise, the Provincial Solicitor, (who had been sent for) explained the power of tbe Superintendent over reserves was limited, but that a Bill would be prepared for the next session of the Council which would more clearly define the leasjng«f-BUch portions of the town belt as had been appropriated, and the application could be included. After an interview lasting over an hour the deputation retired having thanked His Honor for his courtesy and attention. Some interesting information regarding the southern diggings has been received' by the " West Coast Times," from the captain of the cutter Harry Bluff:— The cutter Harry Bluff arrived in the river recently from a long crui»e to southward, where she has been absent since the 12th April, on an expedition undertaken for the purpose of supplying provisions to the many parties of miners who were then scattered up and down the coast. The venture, which was on ship's account, did not, we are sorry to say,piove a profitable one, as the great majority of the diggers down south told a lamentable tale of unsuccess, and instead ,pf being able to lay. in. fresh stores, were clamorous for a passage back to Hokitika. The Harry Bluff left here on the 12fch April, and firstly proceeded to Guard's. Bay, where she arrived on the 15th. Found about thirty diggers there, who complained of the poverty of the place, and made good their statements by expending very little money indeed upon the cutter's cargo. From Guard's she went to Jackson's Bay, which turned out a worse market, as only five men were located there. Her next place of call was Smooth-water Bay, which she stripped of its population by taking , away the only party- of diggers who were to be ( seen or heard of in this out-of-the-way locality, i Gorge River was her next port of call, and her ' arrival there being heartily welcomed by between forty and fifty others, who requested Captain Brown to wait a fortnight whilst they prospected a piece of country up the river, which they believed to contain payable gold, and in the event of its turning out a duffer, the majority promised to take passage for Hokitika in the cutter. At the end of twelve days they returned with bad accounts, and thirty-two of them left in the little vessel on Friday last. She made another call at Smooth-water Bay to land a few of the men, and then headed northwards. Put into Jackson's on Sunday, to find the steamer St. Kilda at anchor there, all well on board, and the same evening made a final start for Hokitika, off which she arrivedonTuesday evening, and was towed in by the Tarra. Twenty-nine passengers returned by her. The Harry Bluff experienced very fine weather during the trip, the only exception bemg ' a bit of a blow ' that- came on from the N.W., on the sth ult. The " Sydney Morning- H erald " informs us that the Great Western Railway, New South Wales, has been extended 15 miles westward to Mount Victoria. The opening trip was made on May Ist, and the traffic inaugurated by his Excellency the Governor, who with Messrs Parkea and Byrnes, and other gentlemen, wont up in the first train to the new halting place. The train in question left Sydney at a quarter before seven in the morning, and despite the early hour and the doleful prospect of getting no breakfast until some indefinite period in the afternoon, several ladies and gentlemen took advantage of the opportunity to visit the mountains.

The Melbourne correspondent of the « Otago Daily Times" gives the following.— "The approaohing marriage of His Excellency the Governor's eldesst daughter with Mr C. Bright (of the -well-known mercantile and shipping firm .of Bright Brothers and Co.) is one of the chief topics of conversation and gossip among what may be called the "upper ten" of Victoria^ society- The whole ceremony and its surroundings will, I hear, outvie anything of the kind which has occurred in the colonies. The brideelect is described as a most amiable and accomplished lady, and Mr Bright is in the prime of life, wealthy, and of first-class public and private I reputation. He belongs to a Bristol family i which haa long been favorably known in commercial circles, and the Victorian firm has influential connexions in London, Liverpool, and other poits. I have heard very startling and interesting accounts of the size, cost, &c, of the wedding cake, of the bride's trousseau, of the magnificent dresses of the train of bridesmaids, and all the rest of it." A Victorian paper B&yB : — " The following conversation transpired in the hearing of a ease in which A. Hass was sued the other day in tbe Maldon Police Court for calls. The defendant having been called, Mr Merrifield applied that the Bench would look at the affidavit of service: — 'The Police Magistrate— Do you appear for Hass? Mr Merrifield— No, your worship. Mr* Hareourt — Defendant is now in Court. Mr Merrifield (as Hass, who was sitting prominently in the assessors' box, was about to rise)— Never mind ; he does not appear. (Hass Bat down.) The P.M. — Mr Merrifield, if you do not appear, we will call Hass in the usual way. Mr Merrifield — He does not appear, your worship j neither | do I for him, but I ask your worship to look at the summons. Constable — A. Hass, A. Hass, A. Hass. Defendant (promptly)— Here. Mr Merrifield, amused and disgusted— Well, you are 'A. Hass,' indeed. Now you must take the consequences ; I have done with you. The P.M. — Do you now appear for the defendant, Mr Merrifield ? Mr Merrifield— No, your worship } I only ask that you will write him down ' A Hass,' '■ " We,, learn a Victorian paper that an "almost unprecedented case occurred in the Police Court, Dalyßford, when a man named John Smith was brought up charged by Mr Thomas Oonnell, baker, Long Gully, with having embezzled 30s, the property of the complainant. When Mr Connell got into the witness-box and took the Bible in his i hand,. Mr Martley, who was engaged for the de- ! fence, asked the bench if he might -put some few questions to the prosecutor before he should be sworn. Mr M'Lachlan intimated that he might do so, and Mr Marfley inquired if he believed in the book- which he held in his hand, and which he was just about to kiss. Mr Connell said, "No, lam not a Christian." In reply to further questions put by counsel and the bench, he said, " I am a Scotchman, I hold opinions of my own. I suppose lam entitled to do so ?" Mr M'Lachlan said he supposed Mr Connell must have belonged to one of the lost tribes. He regretted that any Scotchman should admit that he was not a Christian. He then asked what was it he believed in ? "I believe," said Mr Connell, " in a Supreme Creator of the universe." When asked if he believed in a future state, he said, " I have my doubts about it." Mr M'Lachlan then declined to take his evidence, and the case was remanded. Attention was called to the fact that Mr Connell's name was on the jury list- ' The annual report of the Victorian Water Supply Commission gives a vast amount of information. 'The total amount of money at the credit of the department has -arisen from the sale of debentures, which realised £492,184 net. Of this £326,181 has been spent on the Coliban scheme, £128,352 on the Geelong supply, and £15,000 handed over to the Ballarat Water Supply. Mr Christopherson estimates that £1,600,000 more will be required to complete the entire Bcheme, of which the Colliban works will absorb L 145,000; Geelong, £40,000 ; Kyneton, £5000; Woodend, £1000; Bacchus Marsh, £50,000; and Heathcote, £60,000. The "New Zealand Advertiser " says:— "We are glad to notice that a system recently established by the Government in connection with the Telegraph Department, whereby, in effect, nearly 200 telegraph stations are added to the list of those already known as such, may be said to be a most decided success. For those of our readers who are not acquainted with this extension of tolegraphic facilities we will briefly narrate its prominent features as follows : — ln those country districts where the electric wire hafl not as yet been carried, or where it has been considered unnecessary to establish stations, the post-masters have been supplied with telegram forms, on which a person wishing to forward a telegram writes his message. He then encloses it in an envelope, and addresses it to the nearest telegraph, station. The post-master has then to sea to its transmission as a letter to that station. On, its arrival there the officer in charge of the station opens it, and transmits it by wire in the ordinary way to its address.. The number of post offices thus supplied is, we believe, about 200, distributed over the provinces of Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. It can be readily seen the great advantages to the public this system must be, bringing, as it does, thousands within reach of the telegraph, where, otherwise, they would be compelled to depend upon the not always too rapid postal carriers in the up country districts. A man now resident in Wanganui, wanting to communicate with Dunedin, can post his telegram to Wellington, from where it can be forwarded by wire to Dunedin, reaching there within a few hours of its leaving Wanganui, while without this system he would have had to depend on the post office, and to wait a fortnight. Such are the advantages of this new arrangement, and for its initiation the Government deserve great praise. A Wellington paper states that His Excellency ' Sir George Bowen has recently presented to the library of the General Asiembly a copy of his interesting book, entitled " Ithaca in 1850." The library has also been enriched lately by a gift from Jonas Woodward, Esq., of the following curious works: — "The Book of Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, selected from the Revelations of God, by Joseph Smith." "The Book of Mormon — an account written by the hand of Mormon upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi. Translated by Joseph. Smith." "Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet,.; and his Progenitors. By Lucy Smith his mother." f

We learn from the " Gray River Argus," tiiafc J. A. Bonar, Esq., County Chairman, -will shortly be called to the Upper House, an invita* tion to become a member of "which has recently been received and accepted by him. Mr Bonar will be a valuable accession to the Westland representatives in the Colonial Parliament. The Westland papers state that Mr Gilles, of the firm of Carey and Gilles, of Hokitika, who haa just returned from Queensland, in the firm's steamer, Star of the South, gives a very deplorable account of the condition of the miners there, The alluvial diggings in the Maryborough district are almost completely worked out, and thousands of men are rushing about the country from place to place wherever the rumor of gold is heard. The quartz reefs are idle, there being nd machinery for crushing, and no probability of there being any for some considerable time. At the time the Star of the South left, a rush had set in to the Cape River diggings, to the north of Cleveland Bay, and thousands of men were flocking thither. The accounts from that place were not very favorable. as regards the diggings, and the extreme unhealthiness of the climate and scarcity of water had produced a fearful amount of mortality amongst the miners, upwards of seventy out of some five or six hundred having died from fever and ague or sun-stroke.. Mr Gilles states that all the West Coast hands are anxious to get back, but they have not the means. The Star of the South could have been crammed with return passengers if she would have- taken them at the rate offered. A good many are. knocking about Sydney and other parts of New South Wales. It is rumored in political circles in Wellington that there is likely to be an addition to the Upper House of two gentlemen' resident in Southland. A Melbourne paper says :—" Captain Gardiner of St Enoch Station, between Carngham and Stockyardhill, has recently taken up a station on the Adelaide border, and (aocordingtq a correspondent of the "Ballarat Star") the kangaroos are so plentifnl thereon that the men on the station have, during the last quarter, secured 3,000 kangaroo skins. There are 100,000 sheep on the station, and it is thought that there are twice >s many kangaroos as sheep. Not only have the kangaroos so be depastured on the station, but it appears they have to be watered also, and that with water raised from wells for the purpose of watering tbe sheep, as the kangaroos frequent the watering troughs v and are killed there in great numbers. It is further Btated that last year, hefore_Captain Gardiner rented the station there was a number of men on it engaged in killing kangaroos alone, and that these persons shipped 16,000 kangaroos skins to England." A journal has been started in Wellington called the " New Zealand Advertiser," In the opening leader, the following political opinions are announced :—" We believe that the time has almost come when New Zealand should cease to consist of nine aemi-independant states, each, with its own governmental machinery and Legislative Assembly. The fact that the Colony cannot afford so much Government, that the departmental establishment is out of all proportion to the work to be done or the number of taxpayers who have to bear the burden is every day becoming more painfully, more alarmingly apparent, and it is therefore the duty of all interested in the welfare, we had almost said the existence of their adopted land to consider well the question of a remedy 1 — the form which the evidently impending change shall assume. We believe that the only satisfactory solution of the problem lies in the establishment of one Legislature, and one strong economical government f.*r the colony — in the absorption of the nine existing centres into one and the full devolopment of what is termed local self-government — more properly local self-ad-ministration. Districts are now assuming as much importance as pertained to some of the Provinces a few years ago, and where these districts are distant from the chief towns they feel dissatisfied with the centralising policy which naturally actutates Provincial Governments in which the representation of the towns and older settled districts ia usually of an overwhelming, character."