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Southland Times, Issue 1105, 10 February 1869, Page 2

A sale of waste lands to the extent of 1600 acres was made at the sitting of the Board yesterday, 9th inst. The now famous " Conspiracy Case " promises to occupy public attention for some considerable time longer. Immediately on the dismissal of the prisoners from the bar of the Court on Monday, steps were taken by the Crown Prosecutor for their arrest, as will be seen by correspondence between Mr Macdonald and the Superintendent, published in oar other columns. Aylmer and Sayers were got at once, taken before the Magistrate, and liberated on bail as formerly, but M'Kenzie had left town with his legal adviser on their way home t') Dunedin. Constable Connor was accordingly sent after him and brought him back to town yesterday (Tuesday) evening. There seem 1* a probability of a good quartz reef being struck in the Longwood Ranges before long. We learn that two prospectors named Rachael and Armstrong having recently come across several strong indications. On a recent visit to Riverton they brought down with them such specimens as excited the utmost interest. The men have not themselves the means of prosecuting a prolonged and systematic search, but with such good prospects there can be no doubt that the necessary funds for preliminary outlay will soon be forthcoming. As an earnest of the effort likely to be made to open the hidden mine of wealth, we are informed that a strong party was to start from Riverton for the scene of the find yesterday morning (Tuesday, 9th), amongst whom were Messrs. Instone, Surman, Lyon, and other merchants of Riverton. It is to be hoped they may meet with at least such success as will lead to the formation of a strong company for the thorough prospecting of the locality. An extraordinary general meeting of the Invercargill Volunteer Fire Brigade took place in the Court House on Monday evening. Twentyeight members of this corps were present, the Chief Engineer, Mr John Kingsland, supported by Lieut. Hall and Foreman Graham, presiding. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed (as also the correspondence), the Secretary brought up the report of the Sub-Com-mittee embodying a code of rules for the regulation of the Brigade. These being for the most part identical with those of similar institutions, were put and passed seriatim without discussion, with the exception of rule 8, which the Chair, man pointed out as an experiment on which the success of the enterprise very much depended. Arguments pro and con having been successively heard, an unanimous vote was passed, framing this rule to read as follows : —Every member on the roll is expected to attend each practice meeting, for which he is entitled to the honorarium of 2s 6d ; in the evont of his absence, and his not providing a substitute, the officers may employ (if necessary) a man to whom the said sum will be paid from the Brigade funds." It may be added that it is optional with members either to receive this sum, or allow it to go to a fund for especial Brigade purposes. On the motion of Mr Jabez Hay, seconded by Foreman Graham, Mr W. Lewis having been unanimously elected Treasurer, the meeting determined on proceeding to the election of an Engine-keeper, previous to discussing whether that person would be required also to fulfil the duties of Secretary, it having been moved [and confirmed that the salary should be fixed at £26 per annum. Applications wore read from E. T. Kemp, W. Woolford, W. Hazlemore, A. M'Culloch, W. Stead, D. Ross, J. Walker, and J. Haigh. A. ballot was demanded, resulting in the election, by a large majority, of Mr D. Ross, who, on being called into the room, acquiesced in the arrangement. The rule prescribing the duties of Secretary having been pointed out as involving the collection of money and keeping of accounts, besides the attendance at all the meetings of the Brigade, a stated sum of £15 per annum was voted in lieu of commission, and Mr Macrorie unanimously chosen to fill the office. The (Secretary was then instructed to supply with Subscription Liats the following gentlemen chosen by the meet-

ing, to canvass the town, viz., Messrs Russell, Buchanan, Nutter, and Jabez Hay, and to collect the monies so entered on completion of those papers. The next practice having been fixed for the evening of Wednesday, the 17th instant., at 7 p.m., and a vote of thanka accorded to the Chairman, the meeting adjourned until the third Monday in July, unless an emergency intervened. The New Zealand • Herald,' January 4th, says : — " A meeting of Rarawas will, we understand, be held at Wangape early in February next. This tribe is nearly 3000 strong, and holds an important position in the North. The reason | given for this meeting is that they wish to discuss the land question, and to determine whether they shall fight along with the pakeha against the Hau-haus. It is, however, thought more likely to be the case, that as by that time their crops will have been gathered, they are going to have a skirmish with Ngapulii in reference to the late affair at Te Wake, the Rarawa, who is now in i gaol in Auckland for the murder of a Ngapuhi. 1 It will be a great pity if the Government cannot i persuade them to give up any such design, if it ' be really entertained, as it is impossible to say but that Europeans may be drawn into such a strife, and then it would be difficult to forsee the end." The 'Melbourne Leader' spates: — "As the afternoon train from Echuca, on 24th December, in proceeding from Rochester to Runnymede, was going at the time probably at the rate of thirty miles an hour, it was overtaken and passed by an enormous mass of dust which must have been whirled along at a rate exceeding forty miles an hour. When first seen approaching in a westerly direction, it looked like a dark cloud extending from the earth to the zenith. It was described by a passenger as resembling ' a black mountain of incalculable size, and apparently as solid as granite.' The train was left in such a state of darkness for fully a quarter of an hour after it had passed, that it was found impossible even to make a memorandum. At Runnymede, roofs and verandahs were stripped during the passage of the dust storm, and the windows were blown out of one shop." The Melbourne correspondent of the ' Otago Daily Times,' writing on the 16th instvnt, says : — " The great ' small-pox question' is still agitating the minds of the medical profession, and of the public generally in this city ; and I shall deem myself exceedingly fortunate if I meet with the unqualified belief of your readers when I tell them that out of a council composed of half-a---dozen of the leading men of the colony three at least of the number don't know bow to distinguish between the symptoms of the dreadful and devastating disease of small-pox, and those of the comparatively mild and harmless ailment called chicken-pox ; and yet this is simply a fact. Dr M'Crae, the chief medical officer of the Government, together with two or three of those amongst his brethren of the profession who have been consulted with reference to four or five cases in the Melbourne Hospital, have pronounced as positively that the patients are suffering from the latter complaint in an unusually virulent form, as Drs Crooke, Thomas, and others have decided that they were under the influence of the former malady. Rather an alarming illustration this of the oldsaying that doctors will differ. Fortunataly, however, whether suffering from small-pox or chicken-pox, the patients are now in a fair way of recovery, and no new cases have been reported." The ' New Zealand Suu' (Dunedin) of tho 4th inst. speaking of the Fine Arts Exhibition, says : — "On the opening day, Tuesday next, the proceedings will be commenced by singing the National Anthem. A report from the Committee, setting forth the objects, and hoped-for results, of the Exhibition, will be read, and will be presented to His Honor the Superintendent ; who will reply, and will then declare the Exhibition to be open. The Hallelujah Chorus will probably be sung. — Two kinds of season ticket will be issued — one, at LI Is, tor the admission of the purchaser and his family j and the other at 10s 6d, for the admission of the purchaser only. On the opening day, the charge for admission will be 2s 6i ; ordinarily the charge will be Is. — A good deal of progress, has been made in hanging the Oil Paintings In the Central Hall. — The Moarad Engravings and Etchings will have a room to themselves. The walls, at a convenient height, have been covered with calico, stretched on light frame ; and tapes will be attached, so as to hold the engravings and etchings, without anything perforating their margins. The selection, as made by Dr Hector, includes 200 works, and nearly all the artists who are represented in the collection as given by the Bishop, are also represented in the selection as sent to Otago. Amongst these so represented are — Jan Van Aken, Aldegrever, Altdorfer, Backhuysen, Hans Sebastian, iJehan, Berghem, Boisseau, Both, Annibal Carrache, Castiglione, Claude Lorraine, A. Van Dyck, Albert Durer, Everdingen, Gebauer, W. Hollar, Houbraken, Du Jardin, Guiseppe Longhi, Lucas Van Leyden, Mantegna, Van Meulen, Ostade, Parmegiano, Rembrandt, Ferdinand 8011, Guido Reni, Salvator Rosa, Reubens, Ruysdal, SwaueVeldt, Teniers, Van der Velde, and Wenix." The Argus of 26th, has the following :— " The street music of Melbourne has, for several months past, been almost entirely provided by a large number of Italian boys who suddenly invaded the city without anyone knowing how or from whence they came. As a rule, their performances are execrable, but an exception may be pointed to in a couple of rather bigger boys than the rest, who render operatic selections with violin and cello in a really superior style. A peculiar novelty has, however, been introduced within the last week or so. An elderly lady and gentleman from the fatherland have attracted little crowds in different parts of the town of an evening, by a performance with a small harmonium and a violin. The lady plays the former instrument, and sits down to her work in spectacles, while the old gentleman fiddles by her si le. Their performance is altogether very superior to the ordinary run of street music. The Hokitika ' Daily News ' says : — " A small rush has taken place across the river, on a creek leading to the Lakes, and some twenty or thirty men are at work and getting payable prospects. At the same time it is soareely probable that it is more than a patch, and it is not likely that tho rush will assume large dimensions. If the con» trary should prove to be the case, vre shall be glad to give the fact the fullest and earliest pubicity."

The ' Grey River Argus' points out that the ( steps taken by the Westland County Council, in i order to bring about a readjustment of the distri- - button of the custom revenue collected at Grey- t mouth between Nelson and Westland, are only ( half-measures, and recommends, as more likely to t remedy the injustice complained of " the exten- i sion of the boundaries of the County of Westland i as far north as Razorback, so as to include the i whole valley of the Grey River." It says, further, i " the course which events in the Nelson province 1 are now taking on the county question, clearly in- j dicate that ere long a movement for the adoption 1 of one or other of these changes must be set on < foot, and carried through with vigour. The ■ people of Westport and Charleston have for some i time past been agitating for the severance of the * Nelson South-west Goldfields from the Nelson < province, and thoir erection into a new country 1 after the example of Westland. The shape ( which the agitation will take will much depend i I upon the manner in which the wants of the Grey ; district are attended to during the present session lof the County Council. If justice is done there [ will be no desire shown for the creation of a new county between the Teremakau and Razorback, and the residents in this portion of the county will be quite prepared to agitate for the extension of the present boundary line, so as to throw into the Westland treasury chest the whole of the revenue collected here." The ' Lyttelton Times,' of the 22nd instant, observes :— " About eleven o'clock on Wednesday night this phenomenon was to be observed in the southern part of the sky, and continued with greater or less intensity up to three a.m. The phenomenon consisted of a number of vertical rays, rising about ten degrees above the horizon, and covering about the same space in breadth. The rays changed from red to a pale blue, and again to green, flashing occasionally with greater brilliancy, and then becoming paler ard almost invisible. On both sides the rays were most vivid, the eastern side being brightest. An observer compared it to a striped ribbon, of which the borders were the most distinct. At 2.30 a.m. the rays were less frequent, but a diffused pale green light could b e seen which continued until daybreak." The following is from a recent number of the 1 Grey River Argus ' : — A most foolish action was committed at Greymouth, on Sunday week, by which a man named James Small nearly loat his life. He had been drinking during the early part of the day, and as the weather was rather warm, he in the afternoon went to one of the sets of steps in the embankment, took off his clothes and jumped into the river, with the intention of swimming to the Nelson side. When about midway over he was heard to call for help, and was seen to sink. Dr Morice, with some others, ran to a boat and put off to the rescue, but the man had disappeared before they came up to him. A pole was put down into the water, got underneath the man's arms, and his body was raised to the surface, dragged into the boat, and the usual means of restoration were immediately used by Dr Morice. The man soon recovered his senses, and was conveyed to bed in rear of Kilgour's Hotel. The following is from the ( Newcastle Chronicle ' : — " Recently, a seaman deserted from the barque Homer, under the following extraordinary circumstances : — The man, who had been released from gaol the previous day, was put on board the Homer by the police early in the afternoon of the day the vessel sailed for Shanghai. As she approached Nobby's, one of the sailors noticed a man swimming in the water a short distance from the vessel, and on search being made it was found that the seaman in question was missing. A boat was immediately lowered, and two of the hands pulled- to the rescue of the man, who was making fast for the North Shore. On coming up to him he positively avowed that he would prefer suffering death to going to sea in the Homer, and dared the men in the boat to take him on board that vessel. Finding him inexorable, they landed him at the Breakwater, and the moment he set his foot on shore he took to his heels. He had two suits of clothes on, and possessed about £20 in money." The 'Nelson Examiner' of the 30th ult., B ay ß: — "Many persons will regret the disappearance ot the fine blue-gum tree which stood in what was formerly known as the Bank-garden in Hardy-street, but at present occupied by Mr T. Newton. This garden was the first piece of ground to receive a plough in this island, ■which was held by the late Mr John Kerr upwards of twenty-six years ago. The tree spoken o£ was, we believe, the first blue-gum planted in Nelson, and has been growing about twenty-four years. It was felled yesterday, and was found to measure nine feet in circumference at the butt, and to have stood eighty-four feet high. We believe a larger gum tree is growing in front of Mr Tinline's cottage, on the Beach-road, but that is not so old by several years. The Wellington • Evening Post,' of the 26th ult., states : — " A daring burglary wa§ committed last night at Colonel Reader's office. A pane of glass was removed from the window, and a cash-box, containing a number of valuable documents and about fifty pounds in money or cheques, abstracted through the aperture. The ! box, forced open, was discovered this morning in front of Dr Featheraton'a house. The thief was evidently acquainted with the premises, as the pane of glass was immediately above the place where the box was accustomed to stand. Those active officers, Sergeant Monaghan and Constable Fraser, have secured two of the supposed culprits, one having some of the stolen property on him when arrested." A late ' Lyttelton Times ' says :— " On Satur- ] day evening a young man, named Thomas Cook Martin, committed suicide, by poisoning himself, at the Devonshire Arras Hotel. He had been in the employment of Mr Hart, as barman, for a considerable time. He was noticed to be in low spirits on Saturday, and was standing in the kitchen, about six o'clock, when he fell suddenly to the ground. On enquiries being made as to what was the matter with him, he stated that he had poisoned himself, and Dr Iliffe having been sent for he administered an emetic, and ordered deceased to be conveyed to the hospital. Deceased was placed in a cab with the utmost despatch, b»t he expired on the road." We take the following extract from the first of a series of "Westland Sketches," which have appeared in the Melbourne " Argus " and " Australasian " : — " The community consists at present of a little over 14,000 persons. The centres of population are Stafford Town, Boss,

Greymouth, Okarita, and Hokitika; The two first-named are diggings townships; Stafford Town, nine miles to the north, and Host, Sixteen to the south, of Hokitika, from which place they draw their supplies. Greymouth is a port at the extreme northern boundary of the country, is very prettily situated at the foot of a hill at the mouth of the river Grey ; has hotels and shops as good as those at Hokitika, and is perhaps, the most promising settlement on the coast. In the first place it is a better port than Hokitika. Already the insurance rate for shipping is lower to it ; and, moreover, master mariners say that the port is capable of permanent improvement. Then there is some open land in the neighborhood fit for agriculture ; and, above all, the largest coal seams known in any of the Australian Colonies have been found there, and are now being worked. Consumers at Hokitika give the coal a first-rate character, and I heard the same of it at Dunedin, though complaints were made there that it had not been properly taken out, but was mixed with faulty stuff. The great difficulty to be overcome is the want of shipping facilities. Whenever this is met, a profitable coal business must soon become an established fact. The gold* fields about are also looking up, so that altogether I do not think that property-holders at 'the Grey ' need tremble concerning their stake in the country. Okarita, the southernmost port, is little more than a name,- the total population not being above three hundred. As a port it is the wont of the lot. A little river runs into an extensive lagoon, into which the sea ebbs and flows with great velocity. The vessels which tnde there go at their own risk, for no insurance can be effected on them." The " Southern Cross " of the 25th ult,, says : — " AMr Palmer, who some time ago experimentalised largely on the growth of European flax in this colony, and proved beyond a doubt thefitneM of the soil and climate for the purpose, informs us that he sent to England for a large supply of seed, and for valuable machinery for preparing the flax, but that his calculation were utterly overthrown by his finding, on receipt of the machinery, that a large import duty had been imposed. In consequence of the additional expense he has been unable to carry out his designs. Had it not been for this act of the Legislature we might now have been wearing linen of New Zealand manufacture. It is certainly a great pity that any such local enterprise should be damped in this manner." The'Hawke's Bay Herald ' of the 26th nit. says : — Intelligence reached town yesterday from two different sources, confirmatory of the apprehension expressed in these columns that the relaxation of vigilance ordered by the Government is, to say the least, premature. However, let facts speak for themselves. The party under Lieutenant-Colonel Lambert, when at Paul Hape's village, four miles from the Mohaka ford received information from reliable native sources that the remnant of the Hauhaus defeated in 1865 were, under the leadership of Anaru Matete, gathering on the hills at the head of the Wairoa, with the intention of joining Te Kooti, and that an attack on Wairoa or another upon Turanga was meditated. The party alsa learned, in corroboration of this, that, on or about the 18th inst., 30 armed men crossed the Taupo plains. Simultaneously with this, letters arrived from. Wairoa, stating that on the 21st or 22nd inst. a party of eleven Hauhaus had been seen at Kairaogaranga, and that, at the same time, clouds of dust were seen in the distance, apparently indicating that a large nnmber of persons was passing. Kairangaranga is, we think, on the Waiau, probably some 15 or 16 miles from Clyde township. The ' Grey River Argus ' is responsible for the following : — " Auckland, Wellington, Marlborough, Southland, Otago, Canterbury, and Nelson are all likely to be cut up into counties, or other districts endowed with powers of local self-government. The people of Auckland are almost unanimous against the continuance of the provincial system in that province, and this teeling is strongest among the mining population. In the province of Wellington, its most important country districts petitioned last year to be separated from the parent province, and will as* suredly obtain then* wishes next session, the more probably because the Provincial Government of Wellington is nearly hopelessly bankrupt. Marlborough is even now a province only on suffer* ance, and is dependent upon the charity of the Government for the maintenance of its necessary establishments. In Southland, the Provincial Council itself has recently passed a bill abolishing the Executive Council, and making the Superintendent something more than an ornamental head. The Superintendent and a permanent Treasurer are to do all the departmental work. This is an arrangement closely approaching to that of Westland, and we should not be surprised to see the Southland Council go further in this direction and reduce the number of its members. Timaru, one of the richest districts in the province of Canterbury, is certain to separate. So strongly opposed are the inhabitants of this district to provincialism that they hare refused to elect a member for the Provincial Council." The 'Sun' of sth inst. says:— "Mr Donald M'Lean, Superintendent of Hawke's Bay, writing, on the 29th ult. to Mr J. Beid, the Hon Secretary to the Dunedin Garrick Club, says :— " I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th inst. enclosing a Bank draft for £25, as a donation to the Poverty Bay Refugee. Fund, from the Dunedin Garrick Club. May I request that you will have the goodness to return my sincere thanks, on behalf of the Poverty Bay refugees, to the members of the Dunedin Garrick Club, for the generous manner in which they have come forward to the assistance of their fellow-Coloniste. I herewith enclose a letter from the Chairman of the Poverty Bay Belief Fund on the subject."