THE PROVINCES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 130, 4 August 1870, Page 6

THE PROVINCES.

We are glad to observe that at length there is a prospect of tardy justice being done to Walter Tricker — the Hon. Mr. Johnston having, in the Legislative Council on the' 15th inst., succeeded in carrying a resolution " That the depositions taken at the inquest on the body of Mr. Rayner, the depositions taken before the Resident Magistrate at Wanganui, the jevidence taken before the Supreme Court, and the evidence taken before the Commissioners, be laid upon the table of the Council." The hon. gentleman, in a masterly ad- . dress, laid before the Council a full resume of the facts of the case, and contended that there was no evidence against Tricker except that of the halfcaste Hamilton, who gave two accounts of the transaction, directly contradictory of each other, and which consequently could not both be true, though both might be false. On this, according to the elementary principles of justice, Hamilton's evidence should have gone for nothing, and Tricker have been declared innocent, and discharged a free man. Further steps will be taken in the matter after the papers have been laid on the table. — "Hawkes Bay Times." The "Auckland Herald" says: — "The importation of Pacific Island natives for purposes of labour has been the 'new thing' of the week. We disapprove of the scheme altogether, as calculated to damage the country in the eyes of intendiug immigrants. It is a measure adapted only for the enriching of a few capitalists at the expense of the masses, and for creating a monopoly of land and labour. The vessel which brought the first batch is, we believe, about to proceed to the islands to obtain a further supply." A serious breach of the law has occurred at Charleston, which may cause the Government some trouble. The Bank of New Zealand held a mortgage over the machinery and plant of the Southern Cross Gold Mining Company, near Charleston; but some men who had wages owing them, put in an execution for their claims. The rival claims were argued first before the Warden, Mr. Broad, who gave a decision in favour of the labour men ; but an appeal to the District Court reversed the Warden's judgment, and the Bank obtained possession. The Bank having forclosed their mortgage, the property was advertised for g^p ; but about four o'clock in the morning preceding the day of sale, the plates were stripped of gold, the engine-house was blown up with powder, and a complete wreck made of the property. An attempt was afterwards made to sell the property as it stood, but not a single bidding could be got, the following ominous warning having been affixed to a board :—: — Take Notice. — Let no man dare to bu;y this plant or claim until the wages men are satisfied. — Roary of the Hills. At a recent gathering of the notables of Auckland, the Chief Justice said :—: — "Ladies and gentlemen, it would ill become me, upon this occasion, and in the presence of his Excellency, to lavish a studied panegyric upon the Governor who is now ruliug over us ; but I think I that I may, and know that you will, congratulate his Excellency upon tho condition in which the Colony is now | placed under his beneficent rule. When [lie came to this Colony, he found it jin a state of some distraction and I much alarmed. He has already lived jto see it brought into a state of peace and renewed prosperity ; and I feel I assured that he will yet live to hand over the government of this country to his successor-, who will find a Colony as remarkable for its prosperity as it is for its various resources — for its admirable climate and surpassing beauty. Gentlemen, to you I will say likewise, that if the Colony owes much to his Excellency' the Governor, &c., &c." The " Wellington Post " thus comments on this : — Now, what in the name of all that is wonderful has Sir George Bowen done to merit such a panegyric as this] If he has displayed the negative virtue of not interfering with matters he did not understand, he has certainly been of no more positive use to the Colony than a fifth wheel would be to a coach, and it must be an insult to Ms common sense to ask him to swallow such a dose of flattery.

A correspondent of the Auckland " Herald " says :: — v I have lately paid a visit to one of our fiax fields. The flax was cut two years last spring. I have been examining it closely. The leaves that come up after the cutting are very small and stunted, not more than from two feet to two feet six inches long. This year's growth is about three feet to three feet three inches in length, and much healthier. The former growth was from five to six feet long, and it appears that it will take at least -another year before it comes to its former health and vigor. After examining a great manjva^tnts, I believe we can get a crop ev&y year, and maintain- the plant in health by cutting it in the proper season, that is, from April to August. Cutting last year's growth and leaving this year's will be the means of saving the plant. I also saw many plants that had died out, the roots being exposed to the sun. The roots require great shelter. There appeal's to be some difficulty in raising the plants from seed. I have some experiments going on, of the result of which I will inform you in due time,""