NORTHERN NEWS.

Southland Times, Issue 1241, 29 April 1870, Page 3

NORTHERN NEWS.

"We take the following telegraphic summary from the Otago Daily Hmes : — ■ i .. WeliiHtgtok', .April 22 ad. Mr Collie continues unable to attend the proposed public meet-in?. At a meeting, of the Chamber of Commerce and others to-day, a deputation consisting of the Hon. Messrs C. Pharazyn, and J. Johnston, and Messrs Bannatyne, Rhodes, Gillon, Hunter, and Wakefield, was appointed to wait upon him. Stone yielding gold, according to the Government analysis, at the rate of 3oz sdwts to the ton, has been obtained from Baker's Hill, near town. The liquidators of the N.Z.S.N. Co. refused to accept either of the tenders sent in for the purchase of the entire plant of the Company. The Circular Saw Company offered £16,000, and the new Company £17,000. Messrs Krull and Co.'s tender, on behalf of an Auckland firm, for the purchase of the Lady Bird for £850, was accepted. The remainder of the plant will be sold by auction. Neibost, April 20fch. The following are the results of to-day's racing: — Handicap Steeplechase (called 3 miles). Six entries.— Mr Worthington's Toby, 1 ; Equity, 2. Time, 6 mm. Free Handicap. — MrEedwood's Misfortune, 1 ; Mr Stafford's Lacenfeed, 2. Consolation Stakes. — Mr Stafford's Lacenfeed, 1 ; Mr Redwood's A XX, 2. The attendance and racing were both very fair, being a great improvement on yesterday. April 22nd. The rumor that Te Kooti has been offered protection by the King is not credited in Auckland. The Southern Cross. says that there may be some truth in it, but the Government have received no notice regarding it, and it is improbable. There is no other Auckland news. The prospects of .the Wangapeka goldfield are steadily improving. The Lyell reef is turning out very rich, 'according to unquestionable samples obtained from a leader. 1 Queesstown, April 21st. William. Eox, the noted prospector, and Ms mate, started by steamer this morning to prospect the country between the head of Lake .Wakatip and' Martin's Bay. £40 was subscribed by the inhabitants of Queenstown for that purpose. About 20 diggers started at the same time for the same part of the country. At a public meeting held on Tuesday evening, it was resolved to open the Shotover bridge early next month with a grand ceremony and a free luncheon for 1000 persons. The Superintendent, Secretary for Land and Works, and the Mayors and and Councillors of Clyde, Cromwell, Alexandra, and Lawrence, are to be invited on the occasion. TnTAßir, April 22. Mr Stafford addressed a meeting of his constituents last evening. There was a very large attendance. Mr Stafford spoke for an hour, and his speech was well received. He first spoke of the pleasure he derived from meeting his constituents, whom he had not known before, and who had chosen him as their representative in the House, being a stranger to them. He deeply sympathised with their discontent, and in wishing for a change under the present system of Government. He had carefully studied the wants of outlying districts, and felt that his const tuenta were justified in what they sought for when they desired to be made a separate district. Timaru had a larger revenue than any one of the original provinces, and ten times the value of exports. It vras inconsistent on the part of thß older provinces to have refused their request, and he had had great pleasure in bringing forward the bill of last session, as they desired, for although not carried, it was a protest against the existing order of things. No reform was ever got without continued agitation and constant pressure being brought to bear. No reform was ever spontaneously granted. Many people depended entirely on the retention of Provincialism. If three-fourths of the people of New Zealand desired a change, the chances were there would be a bitter struggle before it was granted, owing to the opposition of Superintendents and others interested. Failing that, the passing of the County of Gladstone Act would be a hard trial to effect. An arrangement had been made with the Superintendent of Canterbury to carry out the Bangitata and Waitaki bridges, and the Superintendent and his Executive had promised to supplement any balance over from the Bangitata bridge up to £5000 for the building of the Waitaki bridge. As far as he could learn, that promise had been faithfully kept. He (Mr Stafford) was not fond of Superintendents in their official capacity, and not many of them were his private friends. The development of the country and the means of obtaining safe and rapid modes of communication should not depend upon the caprice of one or two individuals. He should like to see such a system established as part of the policy of the colony as would ensure that every dangerous river between Southland and Auckland should be bridged, and that every road necessary should be made across wet ground or across any ground that impeded transit. We had isolated ourselves in this colony, which was intended by nature and God to carry 55,000,000 people in health, wealth, and a, contented state of life. There was only a quarter of a million population. We aeem determined to live in a small petty isolated manner, with the petty aims and the petty ends of petty states. The policy of New Zealand should be a policy to open and people all parts of the country simultaneously, but he never would be a party to shovel people within its borders, and there abandon them, or to vote sums of money by way of loan, to be expended for those purposes by the

provinces. He would employ the bulk of the immigrants on the great arterial works of the country, and the greater part of them would afterwards settle down in the country. Another objection to allowing provinces to borrow was, that it would perpetuate the vicious system of finance of having one party to lay taxes on the people, and another irresponsible body to spend them. He gave no prospect of reducing taxation consistently with existing liabilities. Superintendents went to the Assembly demanding money to spend. So long as there are two treasurers, that system will increase till it strangles us. Mr Eolleston had said the North was trading on war, but it was a most unjust calumny. The present Government were doing its best to arrive at a question of peace; we had never doubted that they wished to do so. They had laid themselves open to animadversions by the difference between their professions and their practice. The three cardinal features of their policy were—to act on the defensive, obtaining Imperial troops, and raising a local force in England. If he thought Q-overnment were as likely to change their opinions in provincial matters as they had done in Native affairs, he would be one of their strongest supporters, but he believed they dare not do it. Speaking of the G-ladstone County Act, he did not think it was the best that could be initiated, and wished to see a much wider and more general system, but if the provincial system is to be maintained, he would be found again raising his voice to support the wishes of the people of Timaru. In reply to a question, Mr Stafford said that the proceeds of land sales should be devoted to the districts where it was raised, and the arterial works referred to should be carried on by loan. At the end of the meeting, the following resolution was passed unanimously : " That this meeting begs to thank the Hon. Mr Stafford for his address to-night, and for his past services on behalf of the district and the colony, and pledges itself to support him at the approaching general elections, and it further desires to record its opinion that the present depression of the colony will not be wholly removed until some changes are made in the present system of Provincial Governments, and especially in the financial relations between the provinces and the colony, the present system tending to keep up taxation." Hatelock:, April 23rd. No gold has been obtained in the quartz lately found here. Mundic was mistaken for gold — hence the report.