The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1161, 19 May 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1869.

at Mr Osborne's trade sale, at 0 store! 1 of Messrs Gophran, Granger and Blackwood, yesterday, was; Very good, and the bidding fair. The catalogue was a~very long One, s_d it was found impossible' to get through it in one day. The sale will therefore be resumed this day at 11 o'clock Bharp. _ The skeleton of wlnitlf "supposed to have been a moa, was discovered by a labouring man in the Makerewa Bush the other day. On one of the recent Wet days, when the railway works were stopped, the man alluded to, who was employed on the line, took a stroll through the busb^ and accidentally came upon a collection of bones which, from their size and shape, attracted his attention. In spite of the jeers of his mates about "carrying home the remains of an old bullock," he gathered up the fragments carefully and took them to his tent. Yesterday, Tuesday, the 18tb, he brought one of the bones into town, apparently the thigh, and showed it about. It is certainly a bone of no ordinary animal, with which we are acquainted, and is quite likely to be what the finder supposes it is. He says he has BlUfc«.atH<u* a kT_2ftr &&y a 'u?& *teose " or a '•i? mtic bird ; the bono shown us yesterday, must have 1 been over three feet in length. What seems most remarkable is the fact of the remains having been found on the surface. They must, however, have lain for a very long time, as they are, to a crtain extent, petrified. The fortunate finder proposes to place them somewhere for exhibition, and then to have them put together las well as possible, and sold. Our local Acclimatization Society should try and secure the prize as a nucleus of tlie museum which has been proposed in connection with the Society. A meeting of the Directors of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society was , held at the Prince of Wales Hotel, yesterday, 18th inst., (afternoon). The resignation of the Secretary, Mr J.. J. Ham, was tendered and accepted, Mr D. Macrorie being appointed Interim Secretary. Tbe Treasurer tabled a finamcial statement to date which was deemed satisfactory. It was remarked, however, that a number of the annual subscribers had not yet forwarded their amounts for the Current year. On last Sunday evening during church hours a fellow knocked at the door of the residence of one of our townsmen, and on it being opened by the lady of tbe house, he inquired if the master was at home, on being informed in the negative he asked for a piece of bread, which the lady, still standing at the door, sent her little boy to get ; he then wanted some tea, this was refused, and footsteps being heard on the gratings he decamped. The worst part of the affair, however, followed, for the lady who had so oourafenisly took her stand at the door, soon after went into convulsions, necessitating the services of a medical man. It is rumoured in Wellington that the Hon. John flail will resume the offices of PostmasterGeneral and Electric Telegraph Commissioner before the Assembly meets. Legs of mutton are selling in Wanganui for one shilling each. Banks in the Colony, Borne time since, from the Colonial Secretary's Office, informing them that advances of any kind in the way of overdraft or otherwise to Provincial Executives are illegal. It is understood (says the 'Nelson Examiner') . to be the intention of the leaders of the Opposition to endeavor to defeat the Government on the Address, so we may expect to see a full muster of members in Wellington at the commencement of the session. Mr Yogel, it is said, has been looking up support for his wild scheme of purchasing J exemption for the Middle Island from a future contribution to native wars by the payment of £1,000,000 to the North Island. The ' Wanganui Times ' says : — " Eemp and his party have returned, after being ten days out in the bush in pursuit of the enemy. They report having killed a number of Hau-haus, and, as trophies of victory, have brought in three heads, said to be the heads of three chiefs, namely, those of Ka Waihi, Tepene Waitangi Orupi, and Ko Tipoko. This chief, Ka Waihi is one of the cannibals who ate the white men. The Natives — Kemp's men — claimed his head, set it up, and danced round it." The returns of customs revenue collected in the Colony during the quarter, ending March 31 are published in the ' New Zealand Gazette,' of the sth inst. The total amount is £189,584 as compared with £194,273, for the corresponding quarter last year. The amounts collected at the principal ports are as follows : — Auckland, £40,978, an increase of £14,205 over the same quarter's revenue last year ; Wellington, £134,465, a decrease of £1,780 ; Napier, £6,261 an increase of £288 ; Nelson, £6,284, a decrease ef £3,206; Westport, £5,3i9, a decrease of £1,338 j Greymouth, £9,378, a decrease of £1,497; Hokitika, £16,069, a decrease of £6,332 ; Lyttelton, £20,677, a decrease of £1,292; Ocimaru, £2,119, a decrease of £126; Timaru, £2,596, a decrease of £956 ; Dunedin £51,360, a decrease of £291 ; Inrercargill, £5,021,. a decrease of £1,333. The 'Wairarapa Mercury' speaking of the boiling down establishments says : — ' Establishments of this kind will shortly become the order of the day in Wairarapa, Mr M'Masters having sent for one for his station at Tepurupuru, and Mr Waterhouse one for that at Huangaroa. We have also heard it reported that G. H. Luxford, Esq., the enterprising proprietor of the Boiling down Establishment at Burhampore, near Wellington, intends putting one up on the Taratahi, and we understand a Company will shortly be formed to establish one at Masterton. At Warehama also it is probable that one will be erected, and we anticipate that the ultimate result will be that every large sheep-owner. will have a small one of his own on his station. We hear, in one instance ,! of old ewes and ram stags that have been culled from the flocks,, being sent to the boiling-down 1 establishment,' and realising four and five shillings per head. . This is anything , but a bad price r and affords a glimpse of great prosperity to the sheep] farmer. .'*!'!' i ' . . >' J -The ; ' ; Daily Time.,' says-.— We understand that "the " subscriptions towards the Bishop* Jenner Fund have reached the sum of £200. The lists will remain open for a month.

A meting of the Committee of the Acclimatu»tioiTSociety was held at the Government P Buildings, on Monday afternoon last. There te were present—Messrs Wood, (chairman) Black- w lock, Fielder, Butts, Crouch Jand GilmOur.., .The tl Secretary informed the meeting that tlie^Curalorjs, fc report regarding the : salmon ova, recently plape*, .& in the ponds was most unfavorable-; they wen si dying off rapidly, even after showing signs o! c vitality to the extent of the eye of embryc n becoming plainly Visible ; tlie great mortality wa« * attributed to the length of time the ship was oi f her voyage from England, a period longer than ii * naturally occupied^ in the process of hatching 1 It is feared that not one of the eggs will produra 1 a live fish. The project of procuring a supply of l sound ova from Vancouver's Island was mootec, < and appeared to be considered feasible. It vrai > thought that in a work of such importance ii i was possible that the question might be made s < colonial one ; that the whole of the province' might be induced to join in a general venture, I which would ensure the success of each ; that J the General Government if applied to woull | give its aid and influence ; and that probably om \

of the ships of war on the station might b» , appointed to take a cruise to British Columbia, where salmon abound, and there procure a sufficiency of ova to give each province a large | number ; the shortness of the voyage, and <|e,| siiccess'afhio's^ -"certainty, which would in future i years amply repay any outlay at present incurred. It was agreed that the subject should be considered, aad brought up again, after which the meeting proceeded to the election of officebearers for the ensuing year, with the following resuit. President— His Honor the Superintendent ; Vice-President— Hon Dr Menzies ; TreasurerDuncan Macarthur, iisq., 4 Secretary — E. D. Butts, Esq. The Treasurer's balance sheet was next submitted for consideration. It showed the Society to be £86 12s in arrears, but against this sum there were a good many subscriptions to come in. The Secretary also intimated that a very encouraging amount of support had been promised in response to circulars sent round soliciting donations in cash or kind. He believed that a systematic canvass of the town and country would result satisfactorily. It was accordingly agreed that the province should be divided into districts for that purpose. A small sum was voted as compensation to the shepherd who had attended the ponds during the absence of the Curator at Dunedin. The Secretary informed the meeting that he had written to Mr Allport in Tasmania regarding a further supply of trout ova. When laßt year's ova was supplied by the Tasmanian Society Mr l Allport, the Curator, had regretted that he could not then spare more, but promised to give a much larger number this year. Mr Butts had consequently lately written enquiring whether 6,660 could be spared. He had also communicated with Mr Basstian, a member of committee, who is now on a visit to Tasmania, asking him to see Mr Allport and to interest himßelf on behali of the Society in getting the ova safely and quick!) dispatched. Enquiries had been made, and it wai ascertained that no vessel would be coming direct ; the ova would consequently have to be brought by way of Melbourne, but the greater regularity and certainty of a quick run was considered more thaa equivalent to the increased distance The cost of fetching the ova was estimated al strengthen the Society it was proposed to offer an inducement to those who might wish to purchase spawn to pay for them in advance. The young fish were calculated as being saleable at 4s pei head, which price should be charged to those paying only on delivery, whereas, those who would assist by paying in advance should get tbeir fish at half that' price. It was considered that no great risk would be incurred by those prepaying, as the transmission and hatching of th< ova was no longer an experiment ; that got last year had done well, and with increased experience it was thought the next attempt would be stil more successful. As showing that somejwew sanguine, the Secretary intimated that he received £10 from one gentleman towards the cost 0: get ting the ova from Tasmania. It was suggested that, prior to his going to Tasmania, the Curatoi shou Id visit those districts of the Province besl adapted for trout for the purpose of selling, i_ advance, the spawn as proposed, and otherwise c nlisting the co-operation of the country residents in the undertaking. • I A meeting of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society took place on Monday evening, at the Presbyterian Vestry Hall. Mr Porter occupied the chair. The proceedings opened with the reading of a very instructive and interesting paper, "On the Social Advantages ofFriendly Societies." The essayist briefly traced ! their origin to,' very remote ages, although he 1 remarked that their legal existence dated scarcely a century back. The earliest known allusions to the principles of the modern Friendly Societies was to be found in a essay on '" Projeots," published in 1696 by the celebrated Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, who recommended the institution of societies " formed for mutual assurance 'or the relief of members in seasons of distress," and by way of experiment, he^prpposed to establish one for the support of destitute widows, and another for the assistance of seamen. That he thoroughly felt the principle that lies at the root of Friendly Societies is certain, for he says — "The same might be improved iuto methods that should prevent the general misery and poverty of mankind, aud at 'once secure us against beggars, parish poor, almshouses, and hospitals ; by which not a creature so miser* able or so poor but should claim subsistance as their due, and not ask it of charity." As to the advisability of the persons to whom such societies would be a benefit being entrusted with their management, John Stuart Mill's argument in favor of municipalities was cited, as equally applicable to Friendly Societies. He says — "In many cases, though' individuals may not do the particular thing so well as the officers ot government, it is nevertheless desirable that it should be done by them, as a means of their own mental culture, a 'mode of strengthening thenactive faculties, exercising their judgment, and giving them a familiar knowledge of tbe subject j with which they are to be left to deal." An animated discussion followed, in which Messrs A. Dunlop, Lind, Bonthron, Findlay, Smith, and others took part. After its conclusion, Mr , ' Porter was unanimously elected VicePresident of the Society. It was resolved also that the next meeting .should take place that night fortnight, as the following Monday will be a holiday. An essay,' on Burns the poet, by Mr Fraser will be the subject for that evening.

~~ lnkjlje' course of His .Opening address to the a Provincial Council of Canterbury, the Superin- r, tendentf of that Province stated that a Bill \ would^e introduced to reduce the number of c the members composing the Council, as well as < for tKe redistribution of the representation. His < reasons'for bringing forward this measure he J "stated w follows :-X believe that the time has: < come when considerable modifications must be i made in the form and dimensions of provincial institrttionsif they are to continue their local usefulness, arid the weight in the general economy of j the colony which it is desirable they should retain. The machinery which has been created in more prosperous times has, I think, outgrown the necessities of Government in the province, now that its legislative powers have been curtailed, and its functions have devolved to a great extent upon the Municipalities and Road Boards, and the funds which it has to administer have ton largely pledged in permanent charges for works j of local benefit. i

The ' Wellington Evening Post' says -—"The srection of the telegraph to Wanganui is a matter of very great importance to us, and equally so to the Maori race, as they are perfectly well aware ; not so much from the advantages accruing from rapid communication with the West Coast, although that is much, but from its being one of those means by which we are uracWbr atl d aurely acquiring a timer gßap of the comply _ouiin»u__ the island. The Maori opposition to this undertaking proceeds not from petulance or ignorant prejudice, but from a clear knowledge of this fact, and it will consequently be the harder to overoome. Many of them are intelligent enough to know that all opposition on their part to our claim to be the dominant race in New Zealand is perfectly futile, and endeavor to adapt themselves to the now order of things; but others cling to the traditions of their ancient supremacy, encouraged by the recent success of their countrymen, and ■vrill cause much annoyance ere the work be completed. Firmness and even-handed justice are the characteristics most calculated to impress the native race, and we have every confidence they will be desplayed to their fullest extent by Dr Feath erston, who represents us at the meeting now about to be held in reference to this matter. Let what measures he may take be only oordially supported by the Province and the Government, and there is little doubt that, with the aid of the mode rate party, the refractory hapus will have to give way. Poor little Schaffer (says a Melbourne paper) is to be saved from himself at last. His German fellow-countrymen have not been unmindful of him, but their charity has not taken the best Bhape. Two objects have to be kept in mind. The dwarf should be restored to his relations — his natural keepers, and the Colony should be rid of a nuisance. Both ends will be attained by his passage to Germany being provided for him, and his welcome will be a cordial one, if it equals our desire to get rid of him. The chances of success with the Canterbury portion of the salmon ova, are, according to tho * Lyttelton Times' of the 10th inst., almost hopeless. Only about 18 or 20 of the ova give signs vitality. The ' Wellington Independent' says :—Considering that Wellington is the intermediate port and ought consequently to be pre-eminent for the arrival and departure of steamers, the following fact suggests volumes respecting the state of the country. During the past two days there has been neither arrival or. departure in the shipping returns of this port. Exactly one week ago our shipping list stood in a similar position. Such an instance of stagnation has not been known in this harbor for many years. ,