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Southland Times, Issue 1604, 12 July 1872, Page 2

The arrival at Auckland of the Alexandra from Sydney yesterday enables us to present our readers with English news up to the 22nd of June, being the first despatch by the AngloAustralian Telegraph. The intelligence regarding I the progress of the Alabama negotiations appears ! to be derived from Java papers of dates from Bth j to 14th of June. The latest telegram received by the Suez mail, and published iv our last, it will be remembered was despatched from London on the 7th of June, and stated that the American Government had withdrawn the indirect claims. It is not absolutely clear whether the intftlligence now obtained from the Java papers referred to complications which had arisen since that date, or to revelations which had been made regarding the negotiations during the debate on Earl Russell's motion. As European telegrams may now be expected by every steamer from Australia, a very heavy additional expense will be entailed on newspaper proprietors. Our readers, however, may rest assured that we will spare no effort to furnish them on all occasions with the latest and most trustworthy information. Some steps should be taken to procure the removal of the unsightly erection, oppssite the railway station, dignified with the name of a lockup. Now that the footpath on that side of the street is being formed, its ungainly proportions become quite an eyesore. We should say that the most fitting place for the reception of those individuals who come within the meshes of the law, would be within the precincts of the police barracks, and if there is no part of that building adaptable for the purpose in question, there is plenty of spare ground upou which, to erect a suitable structure. We have to call attention to the entertainment to be given this and to-morrow evening in the Theatre Eoyal, by the Winton Meat Factory amateur Christy Minstrels, assisted by Mr R. B. Wotton. From the acknowledged talent of some of the performers, and the varied character of the programme, a pleasant evening's amusement may be anticipated. We have to acknowledge tha receipt from the Registrar-General of the volume of New Zealand statistics for 1870. No explanation is given of the causes which have led to the delay in publishing these returns, which have been expected from time to time during the last twelvemonths. It is stated, however, that a portion of the work appeared as a parliamentary paper last session. We have been requested to intimate that a petition to the Assembly, on the subject of education, has been prepared, and will shortly be circulated for the purpose of obtaining signatures. The following is a copy of the petition : — "To the Honorable the Members of the House of Representatives of the Colony of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled. The petition of the undersigned, inhabitants of the town of Invercargill, in the Province of Otago, New Zealand, humbly showeth, — That your petitioners have learned with satisfaction that it is proposed to introduce a measure at the approaching session of Parliament for the purpose of providing for the more extended diffusion of elementary instruction , and for the elevation of the standard of popular education throughout the Colony. Your petitioners are convinced that Parliament should leave the question of secondary education for more mature consideration, and confine itself in the forthcoming measure to providing elementary schools throughout the country, according to a uniform and purely national system." The following cases were heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court at Riverton on Wednesday, before Henry M'Culloeb, Esq , R.M., and John Petchell, Esq., J.P. Port v. Watson was an information for using abusive and insulting language. Defendant was fined 10s, and £1 14s costs. M'Donald v. Stevens, was a claim for £1, damage sustained by defendant shooting two pigs. Judgment for plaintiff, 153 and costs. Fullarton, collector for the Waimatuku Road Board, v. Bennett, was a claim for rates, 14s. Judgment for amount, with cost", 19s 6d. Fullarton v. Stuck, claim for rates, £2 ; ju Igment hr plaintiff, with costs, £1 18s. Fullarton v. Stuck, claim for rates due in 1871, 14a 6J ; due in 1872, £4 9s 6dIt appeared in evidence that the collector had not delivered the notice of assessment for the present year at the defendant's house, but at his brother's, and defendant had not received it. Judgment accordingly for the amount due in 1871 only, viz., 14s 6d, with costs, £2 9s 6d. At the Revision Court for tho Burgess Roll, held by the Town Council iv the Council Hall on Tuesday last, the claims of the following gentlemen to vote were admitted, and their names added to the roll : — Messrs Robert Carrick, Alex. Mair, P. Paxton, James Garven, Proctor Nichol- | son, A. M. Cameron, John Laidlaw, an J A.. W. Fraser. Mr Dalgliesh'a application to vote as manager of the Bank of Otago was refused, on the ground of the applicant not residing on the premises. On the motion of Councillor Blackwood, seconded by Councillor Garthwaite, Councillor Ross was appointed to preside at tho nomination of Mayor and Councillors, on Thursday, and at the election of Mayor if required. The Mayor is to preside at the electiou of Councillors. At the meeting of the Town Council last night, there was a full attendance of members. It was resolved to authorise the purchase of some new timber reported by the engineer to be required for the bell-tower. On the proposition of Councillor Pratt, it was resolved to devote 100 yards of gravel to repair the holes in tho gratings in Esk street. Councillor Garthwaite moved that three men be set to chip and place in heaps the tussacs on the garden reserves, and that the town surveyor be requested to peg out the blocks. Councillor Lumsden seconded. Councillor Jaggers moved that any action with regard to this reserve fund be postponed till after the election of the new mem- i [ bers. It appeared by the new candi-

dates who had been brought forward that the action of the Council, in some respect or other, had not been regarded as perfectly satisfactory by the citizens, and he thought it would be better to defer any action till the new Councillors were elected. This was seconded by Mr Tapper, and after debate the Council divided, when the amendment was lost by the casting vote of the Mayor, there voting for it Councillors Jaggers, Pratt, Blackpool, and Tapper, and against, Councillors Ross, Goodwiliie, Luinsden, and Q-arthwaite. . The original motion was then carried on the voices. An appointment of Inspector of Nuisances, at a salary of £20, wns resolved upon, and the Mayor was requested to arrange with Sub-Inspestor Fox for the appointment of one of the constables to that office. A motion by Councillor Goodwiliie, to call for tenders for fencing the Public Gardens Reserve, occasioned a lengthy debate, and was at length carried by the casting vote of the Mayor, there voting for the motion Councillors Goodwiliie, Garthwaite, Lumsden, and Ross ; and against, Councillors Pratt, Blackwood, Jaggers, and Tapper. The Council then adjourned. The Canterbury Flax Association held its annual meeting at Chrißtchurch on the 20th ult. The report recounts the labors of the association during the past year in procuring and disseminating information, and otherwise promoting the interests of this important industry, including experiments in the artificial cultivation of the plant, from which important remits are anticipated. A vote of £200 to the association from the Provincial Government had been exhausted, and the society being now entirely dependent on the subscriptions and donations of the public, resolved to make an appeal for further support from all who feel interested in the promotion of the flax industry. We have been requested to state that Mr R. Buchanan, Secretary of the late Southland Flax Association, will take charge of any subscriptions which niay be entrusted to him for this purpose. From a recently published Government Gazette, in Wellington , it appears that thers are some 825 justices of the peace gazetted for the colony of New Zealand, or as near as may be one magistrate for every 275 men, women, and children in the colony. The compiler of a future edition of the polite writer must (says the Ballarat Star) take a Chinese model for a letter intimating to a creditor i that one cannot pay his debts, and yefc wants mors credit. A really elegantly worded epistle, written by Lee Soon, charged with perjury, to On Eec, a merchant in Melbourne, was read in the City Court on Tuesday. After referring to his inability to pay, he says, " On thinkin* over the matter I feel like some of those ministers of ancient times, who lost their country and did not dare to give an account of their administrations ; or like a general of a defeated army, who did not dare to say a word about his bravery. If I do not take my money with me to pay off my old debts, with what face can I see you ?" He then went on to express regret at his position, and added, " If I did not regret it I should be parting with a good conscience, and should consi ier it a matter for rejoicing (rather than otherwise) that I was largely indebted to my creditors." And farther on, " But if you gentlemen will kindly remember the friendship of former days and succour me, and trust me again with goods to supply the demands," he would pay them his takings. • The business letter wa3 conclu led as follows : — " All my hopes are based upon the decision to which you gentlemen may come. I send you this scrawl for the inspection of all the gentlemen of the large firm of Oa Kee. Lee Soon bows." I think (says a correspondent writing to the Bourke Telegraph) that the value of the grasses in this part of the world is not sufficiently known. A few years ago the north part of Queensland was taken up with a rush, and then, almost directly I may say, deserted ; but last week, a few miles above Bourke, I saw 400 fat cattle that had been driven 641) miles towards a market. These were Mr Dargin's, in charge of Mr M'Namara, as fresh as a daisy. Many of them, I believe, would have taken prizes in a show. I shall watch these cattle, and see what they bring in the market. The same day Mr Craigie, with 1050 stores, also from the upper portion of our border, crossed ; a larje quantity of fat ones could be taken out of this lot. I should not have called your attention to these cattle only for the prejudice that exists down iv Sydney and Melbourne against fat cattle from this part of the world. The Melbourne Daily Telegraph says that the school inspectors who travel about the country are emphatic in favor of compulsory educati >n. Mr Edwin Pears, L.L.8., writing to the Hobart Town Mercury on the subject of education, says, with regard to Tasmania :— " In practice it is found that the community consists of three religious denominations — the Church of England , the Roman Catholics, and the Evangelicals. The latter include all the Protestant dissenter 3, who, for the purpose mainly of giving instruction in board schools, have formed themselves into an Evangelical Union. I have often been ask ed how such a system works. I answer unhesitatingly, well. The amount of religious instruction given may be as great as a clergyman could give in his own school. No child is deprived of religious teaching except through tho neglect of his own minister, and with him the parent can deal. Tlie necessity of having a multiplicity of schools at great expense and with inferior masters is avoided. The system, too, works harmoniously. I have seen under the same roof, at the same time, an English clergyman, a dissenting minister, and a Roman Catholic priest, each giving religious instruction to the child of his own flock. Nor do I believe that the effect upon the children is otherwise than beneficial. It would be difficult, I imagine, to arouse such feelings of bitter hostility between Protestants and Catholics as we have seen aroused by violent lecturers, even in England, if Protestant and Catholic children had been educated together." Mr Parkes, the new Premier in New South Wales, proposes in regard to his land policy to give the free selector a complete and unassailable title, and to exempt his land for a limited time against the claims of creditors. "In any legislation," said Mr Parkeß, '' which he might have the good fortune to introduce on the land subject, he should endeavor to grasp the principle which had worked so exceedingly well in Canada and other parts of North America — he meant that the freehold homestead of the agricultural settlers should not be capable of being seized or taken for any debt, or for any cause whatever, for the term of 30

years. Of course, the storekeepers and eTerybody ] else would know the law. It was a wise law, and had worked in the most beneficial manner in other parts of the world — that those struggling men who had formed homes should be secured against the reverses of fortune, against all chances, against all schemes of cupidity, against their own folly and will, that they should be secured in those homes at least for a generation." I The following is the report of Mr Nancarrow, ; G-overnment Inspector of steamers, assisted by Mr Brunton and Mr Douglas, on the shaft, of the Nevada .-—"Whether cracks are from shaft not being properly fagotted and only superficial, or from shaft having been exposed to a great strain and cracked through, cannot be said. We do not anticipate any danger. If it does ultimately break, it will give due notice of its going to do so. If examined, say after every port, we believe there is no need of fear. Vessel should proceed to San Francisco under easy steam, Bay il2 lbs steam in boilers. Mr Stewart should I again inspect it in Auckland. We find three distinct cracks, not two. We recommend the shaft to be taken out and examined thoroughly by heating, on the vessel's reaching the first port where such a work could be undertaken. Till such time we consider she should not be restricted from carrying passengers. If shaft should break, vessel must depend on sailing capabilities. A new shaft cannot be made or repaired in New Zealand. — (Signed) J. NanOAEEOW, W. BRtTNTON, W. R. DOUGLAS." The farmers in the Northern districts of Canterbury are reported to have experienced most favorable weather for sowing wheat — better in fact than known for some years. Mr John Muir writes to the Otago Acclimatisation Society, that having observed no marked reference in the Society's Annual Report to the success of the green linnet in the neghborhood of Dunedin, he has to state that -during the last month he has observed a flock of from twenty to thirty of those birds at the southern end of the Peninsula. He adds that they are in good condition, and beautiful plumage. Mr Muir also reports having seen, early last summer, a pair of rose linnets, near the Anderson's Bay road. He has since been informed that the same birds afterwards bred in a gorso hedge on Mr Cutten's property. The Wellington Independent states that " the negotiations of the Acclimatisation Society "with Mr Graff for the purchase of the three black fowl at present in the Society's grounds have been completed. £56 was the price finally agreed upon. The present confinement being altogether unsuitable to the habits of the birds, they will shortly be removed to Mr Waterhouse's station in the Wairarapa."