GENERAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 870, 5 October 1871, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

There was considerable satisfaction expressed in Greymouth on Thursday last on receipt of telegrams from Wellington to the affect that Mr Gisborne had stated in the Assembly on Wednesday night that one of the first railways to be constructed would be the line from Greymouth to the Brunner coal mine in accordance with the report of Dr Hector and Blackett. It was further stated that no railway will be constructed unless there is a prospect of its paying working expenses immediately after construction, and that the construction of the coal lines of railway are to fall on the districts in which they are placed ; but a Board of Works will be enabled to assist by advances. The meaning of this is, that should the railways to the coal mine not pay working expenses and the interest on the cost of its construction, the Government reserved power to levy a special rate on all residents in the vicinity of the railway who are benefited by it. The question has so many important bearings that it cannot receive full consideration in this issue.

Telegraph communication between England and the colonies has long been looked forward to bj Australians with keen interest, and there seems everv probability of their desire in this respect being satisfied before next Christmas, and Australians may be fairly congratulated on the fact. Mr Hugh George has been in London for the last two months, and, on behalf of the Melbourne "Argus" and the " Morning Herald," of Sydney, made arrangements for receiving and supply, jug all the European and American intelligence considered worth telegraphing. There appears to have been somewhat of a race between two of the Melbourne papers for this privilege, but the " hundred-eyed one" looked beyond the age, and has secured the right of " paying for his whistle" at the rate of £8 9s for every twenty words, including the name and address of the sender and receiver, delivered at Port Darwin. The charge of transmitting the message through the land line will have to be added to this. Mr A. B. Bain, of the Thames, announces the early publication of

what will be a useful work to those interested in the Thames goldfields, namely, a plan of reefs and workings of the Thames goldfields, from actual surveys by W. C. "Wright, Esq., C.E. The Christchurch Artillery made some good practice the other day, nearly every one of the shots from the Armstrong guns striking the target full, so that it was completely battered. The range was 1200 yards. The following is the prayer of the petition in favour of the Permissive Bill:—" The principle which your petitioners desire to be passed into law affirms that the adult inhabitants, men and women, of any given district thall have the power by a majority of two- ! thirds of prohibiting the issue of any license for the common sale of intoxicating drinks within such district, with a proviso preserving any right or privileges conferred or enjoyed by virtue of any license current or in force at the passing of the Permissive Act during the currency of such license ; and also allowing the sale of methylated spirits for use in arts and manufactures, and the sale of alcoholic liquors for medicinal purposes ; such liquors to be sold only on the production of a certificate under the hand of a legally qualified medical practitioner of the Colony. The Dunedin Gaslight and Coke Company's works and buildings are to be disposed of by public auction, on the 21th of October, on behalf of the debenture holders of the Company. An Auckland paper asserts that the price of gas in Auckland is much cheaper than in any other town in New Zealand, and that it is still more so if the quality of light per thousand feet of gas is considered. The net price in the other provinces is 18s per thousand—in Auckland it is 15s per thousand, or 16 per cent. less. The illuminating power of the Auckland gas is such that two burners of it consuming the same quantity of gas will give as much light as three burners of the Southern provinces. An inferior gas can easily be made by using only ordinary coal. In order to give a superior illnminating power, the Auckland Company use a proportion of cannel coal, costing in Auckland, somewhere about £4t per ton. Our contemporary adds that the net profit to the company last year was not quite 15 per cent. ; that the shareholders received no dividend for a considerable time ; and the average profit had been about eight and a half-per cent* —" Nelson Evening Mail."

3NANG-AHUA. (From the " G-i-eymouth Star.") A correspondent writes us from Reefton, this wsek, as follows : —" If ever a place was upheld in existence on hope alone, it is Reefton. There is no money in the place, but so great is the hope of the inhabitants, that new are buildings going up every week. Since the fine weather set in provisions are becoming more plentifull. Tapley and party have their s u aft now down 135 feet. All the way down, the reef is from two to three feet thick, and looks very well, gold being visible in all directions through it. They have had an offer from some of the business people in Westport to place a machine on the ground, on certain terms. They sent Aewt. of quartz to Westport, to be forwarded by the Bank of New South "Wales to Hotitika, to be crushed and thoroughly tested. It is a mistake to think this place will be rushed within the next few months. I hear lots say that there will be a population of thousands here in a year. This is a mistake. It will take twelve or eighteen months before any large quantity of stone can be crushed. Of course there will be many small erushings long before that time ; but it will take that time to define whether there are payable lines of reefs in the district as is now supposed. At present there are four distinct lines of reefs, and so far as can be judged by the eye, all look well, and promise to be payable. Mace's machinery is expected to reach here next week."

Stimulated, no doubt, by the discoveries recently made by Adam Smith and psrty, near Murray's Creek, a number of miners have been out for some months past exploring the ranges between the Big Eiver and the Inangahua, in search of quartz reefs. From recent information conveyed to the Ahaura, the " Grey Valley Times" states that several well-defined quartz veins have been discovered in the watershed of the Grey River, but though all being auriferous, not sufficiently so to render their development profitable. The party are determined to thoroughly test the country. » NELSON DIOCESAN SYNOD. The members of the Nelson Diocesan Synod assembled at Christ Church, Nelson, on Thursday morning, when a sermon was preached by the Rev. C. 0. Mules, after which the Holy Communion was administered. At 4 p.m. the session was opened by the Bishop, who delivered an address. After referring in terms of praise to the meetings held in different districts by deputations and their practical result; he stated : —The pressing wants of the Dioceße are : —l. The maintenance, by subscriptions, from every individual member, young or old, of the Central General Fund, in which, eventually, every parish will have a share. 2. Assistance for churches at .Richmond, Collingwood, Kaikoura, Ahaura, and Amurij parsonage-housos at Takaka

and Havelock. 3. The providing of a clergyman who may assist the Bishop in his superintendence of the studies of candidates for the Ministry, and also be ready to take occasional duty to enable the clergy of the city and neighbourhood to travel occasionally amidst the more scattered part of the population.

I should gladly receive contributions in land or money towards the above objects. The past year is, I think, the first year in which no donation of land has been made to the Church for church purposes, I hope that thoso who are able to help our work in this way, will not hesitate either by gifts or legacies in money to do so. Some of the gifts of land in former times are now the basis of our most successful operations. Nelson, Havelock, Spring Grove, Waimeawest, Westport, all may be mentioned as examples; while some of our stations would have been of necessity given up long ago but for the permanence presented by the existence of the church site, glebe, or house.

Great advance has been made in the matter of Education, and it is satisfactoryto find the growing conviction that itis both desirable and possible to have religious instruction as a part of our educational course in primary schools. The Government Bill has recognised this, and I trust the matter will be left to the free determination o,f the Local Committees, who are the representatives of the parents. I trust that the new measure may give confidence to Local Committees, to carry out that which the vast majority desire—religious instruction.

Our duty henceforth is plain—to labour so as to reach the hearts of parents that they may, in accordance with St. Paul's directions, " bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," that "from children they may know the Holy Scriptures wbich are able to make them wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."

It is surprising that any well-edu-cated man should now find fault with religious teaching ou account of the supposed number of religious sects, and sheuld make the foolish taunt, " Agree among yourselves first and then teach." Such a remark is ignorant, superficial, and unscientific in the highest degree; those who make it, would not dare to make the same objection in reference to geology or any other science. What reasonable man would say, "Do not let us have any teaching of the science of .life," because Darwin and Professor Owen are at variance about it; "Do not teach geology, because Lyell, Sedgwick, Carponter, and Murchison have different views ?" Belter for us to have all our divisions, and more too, for the sake of unfettered investigation of truth, than to have the stereotyped formality of a unity based on ignorance or stifled convictions. Wo know the worst of free thought, and of men judging for themselves., and are thankful to think of the substantial unity on fundamental points that underlies all the superficial divisions of tbe millions of Protestants who are the fruit of the exercise of the divinely given right of private judgment. We are in these days solving the problem, how to differ, if it must be so, without thinking or speaking ill of one another, while we yet at the same time know clearly what it is which we believe ourselves.

After referring to the legislation of the last session of the General Synod, his Lordship concluded, and a vote of thanks having been passed, the Synod, after transacting some formal business, adjourned uutil the following day in order to give the West Coast members an opportunity of attending. PEOPOSED PUBLIC WOEKS. The " Colonist " contains a telegraphic summary of the statement made by the Minister of Public Works, from which we extract the following with reference to the railways. Two principles are to regulate the construction of railways: first the ability to pay working expenses ; second the power of local rating. The railways were to be divided into three classes: (1) Main lines, (2) Feeder lines, and (3) Coalmine lines. The main lines were Auckland to Waikato, Wellington to Napier and New Plymouth, Envercargill to the North part of Canterbury, Wmton to Kingston, and Nelson to Cobden. It was thought advisable that the Assembly, during the-present session, should give authority to construct these lines, reserving the right to determine, from session to session, whab portion should be constructed each year. A list of lines proposed to be undertaken this year is then given, among which is the Nelson and Poxhill railway, The total number of miles is 449. COAL LINES. —THEIK COST. It is estimated that it would take five years to finish this work, at a cost of £1,669,000, the annual liability on which would be 5£ per cent. LINE FROM BBUNNER COALMINE. As to coalmine lines, they would endeavor to make the cost he borne by the mines, but the Board is to have power to assist by advances on sufficient securities. The Government would immediately ask for provision for constructing lines from Brunnerton (the Brunner Coalmine) to Greymouth ; and from Morven to Eolleston. They would futher give assistance to a line from Mawakawa Coalmine to the Port.

FEEDER LIN-jSfc-With respect to feeiit^-lines, the Government would bring in a bill proyiding machinery to enable residents in the district contiguous to a main line, to petition the Board of Works for the construction of the branch lines under stipulation and provision regarding the extent, to which the petition would require to be signed, and thereupon to empower the Government on the recommendation of the Board of Works to authorise the construction of feeder branch lines, conditionally on the residents being subject, if necessary, to a local rate, to cover a fixed proportion of the annual charge of the Hue. All deficiences in railway cost to be recovered from the Province or by local rate. It is intended to take land as security for the loans [lines?] from Wellington to Masterton, and Napier to Rautani, and when the Government use this land for the purpose of settling immigrants, by special settlement, the proceeds of the same shall be credited to the railway fund. MODE OF CONTRACT. In the constructing of railways by guarantee, it would be necessary to contract with persons of large means. It would be false economy to always accept the lowest offer. Accordingly the Colonial Treasurer had entered into engagements with Mr - Brogden, and the Government intend to ask authority to accept the contract No. 2 with certain modifications, to be agreed when Mr Brogden arrived in New Zealand. The chief of these modifications would be that he should contract to include the lines already authorised or to be authorised this session. The Government thought it unadvisable to pay in land at present ; it would be better to use the land for the purposes of settlement. They would, accordingly, propose to substitute money for land payments except the giving of twenty acres for each adult male immigrant introduced. The lines to be constructed must be authorised, and provisions made to enable Government to purchase lines by debentures within a specified time after completion.

Withregardto the acquisition of land for railway purposes, a bill would be introduced to prevent extortionate demands.

LATEST PARLIAMENTARY. Wellington, Sept. 29. Mr Fox has given notice that lie will move an address to Sir David Monro, thanking him for his services as Speaker. Mr Vogel has given notice of his policy bills. The following were proposed:—New duties on grain and pulse, per lOOlbs; grain and pulse, manufactured or ground, Is per 100 lbs ; rice, 3s ; timber, 2* per 100 feet; shingles and laths, 2s per 1000; rails, 4s per 100; posts, 8s per 100. On the motion for going into committee on the Education Bill, Mr Calder opposed aided schools in any true national system. He advocated the postponement of the bill to next session, to allow public opinion to mature. In committee, Mr Wakefield'3 amendments to clause 3 were negatived, Mr Swanson proposed, and Mr Fox accepted, amendment on clause 5, disqualifying clergymen or ex-clergymen from holding the office of Inspector. Mr Rolleston and others opposed such a provision, although agreeing that clergymen should not be appointed. The matter is still being discussed. September 30. The Otago Land Bill was read a second time. Mr Smythies was again heard at the bar of the House, as well as Mr Travers who appeared on behalf of the Law Society. ♦« THE AUCKLAND "RING." The following is from the •• Otago Daily Times ": friends are suffering from the quarrels which a plethora of good fortune so often engenders. We hear that the annual meetings of their two most successful companies, the Thames and the Caledonian, were marked by unusual bitterness and ill feeling. The reports in both cases were highly satisfactory. In the former a proposal to pay the directors £SOO a year, as well as to make them practically permanent by making them hold office till removed by the vote of a special general meeting, called forth strong opposition. The directors and their friends were, however, strong enough to carry the resolution. At the Caledonian meeting a similar proposal to pay the directors £SOO a year met with bitter opposition, but was also carried. One of the directors, who is also a director of the Thames Company, retired according to the rules, but was eligible for re-election. The Thames Company, owning 900. shares out of 2860 of which the Caledonians consist, and the directors of that company having the right to vote at Caledonian meetings for the full number of the shares thus represented, their preponderating influence was a subject of much complaint. Insinuations were also made that the directors availed themselves i of the information their position gave them to speculate in shares, while the same information was withheld from shareholders. These insinuations were promptly| denied, but much warm feeling was mauifested ill the discussion. Finally the majority of the

shareholders left the room, and we are told manifold their displeasure by loud and prolonged hissing. One of the objectors declared it useless to call meetings, as the proxies at the command of a few, added to the representation of the Thames Company, made shareholders powerless. The position is anomalous, aiid may be worth remembering in the constitution of companies whose shares may be dealt in by similar investment companies among ourselves. In Auckland, however, the mischief is exceptionally apparent, as the same parties exercise a preponderating influence in the leading Bank, Insurance, Loan, and Mining Companies, as well as newspapers, forming in fact a " ring," whose influence over the policy and action of the General Government of the colony is well known and regarded by many politicians with somewhat the same anxiety that " rings" of the same description have caused on a larger field in America."