The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LO DON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 13, 1865.

when the land was sold to the Government, or so that the Ministry and nearly the whole of the official
near to it that the natives no doubt deemed it to be departments are located in Wellington, the new
so. As soon as the troops arrived at Wa'iganui an capital ; but the mercenary motive which has pro-
outpost was formed, and while waiting Gen. Came- moted the agitation, and the attemptwhich is thereby
ron's arrival Brigadier-Gen. Waddy made one or made to throw all the burden of maintaining peace
two reconnoitring expeditions. On Jan. 11 a force on the Imperial Government, must be too palpable to
of 600 men marched to within two miles of the pah deceive the Secretary of State into an acquiescence,
already mentioned (Varirea), where it halted, send- although the influence of Governor Grey is paraded
ing forward the 60 cavalry volunteers by which it by public speakers in its support. The agitation in
was accompanied. When about 600 yards from the Otago to obtain the erection of that province also
pah the natives fired a few shots of defiance, and into a distinct colony, but with a Governor limited
Gen. Waddy, having seen all he could see, returned by the advice of a responsible Ministry, does not,
to camp. The natives fully understood this intima- however, meet with individual local support. The
tion. They looked upon it as the usual preliminary to minds of very many revolt from the idea of any such
an attempt to drive them out of the pah, and knowing shabby method of clearing off from the Northern
from northern experience that an attack does not Island while hampered with a war and an increas-
generally take place for a few weeks after the first re- ing war debt, and a policy of increased powers to
connaissance they have, from that time to this, been the provinces is advocated instead. The cost of so
many petty governments, each with its little court,
strengthening it by every process known to Maori
ingenuity ; have sent out and secured assistance, would be intolerable. At the late Session of the
and the whole are seen daily working together with Wellington Council a petition to the Queen, pro-
more than the industry of bees. Nothing further was testing against breaking up the unity of the colony,
w done by the troops, and indeed nothing further was was unanimously agreed to, and other provinces are
protesting in a similar direction. The necessity for
intended to be done until Gen. Cameron arrived,
Federal action which lately manifested itself so
and now if it is attacked at all (which I understand
is not likely) a comparatively weak position, garri- strongly in Canada, and the want of it which the
coned by less than a couple of hundred natives, will Australians deplore, ought to be sufficient warning
be found to have been converted into the usual against wantonly destroying the Federal constitu-
strong fortification, defended by a number three tion of New Zealand, notwithstanding the specious
times as large. Our movements are slow and so pretexts advanced and the gubernatorial influence
cautious—" timid" would be the better word were believed to be secretly backing them.
it not liable tobe misunderstood—as to increase the Proclamations have been issued by which certain
toil and prolong the intended operations until the
rebel lands in the Taranaki province have been con-
time has elapsed when they can be of the advantage fiscated, amounting to a million acres.
intended. It is doubtful whether General Cameron The Victoria Cross, which we are glad to see by
intends to attempt any more pah taking while the
every mail from England is graciously sent to deco-
natives are in them, but hopes by pushing on in ad- rate some brave fellow's breast, has been recom-
' vance to compel the pah occupants in his rear to mended by the Governor, at the instance of Dr.
Featherston, for bestowal on Haimona, a Maori chief
vacate quietly, or leave him to go on unopposed.
How bold and dashing the native tactics are the whose courage changed the fight at Moutoa (between
events of the 24th and 25th of January testify. the loyal and rebel natives) from an approaching
On the night of the 23d of January a party of defeat into a famous victory. We hope the Queen
about 30 natives with their women and children
will grant it, and that one or two of the most dis-
were on their way from Kai Iwi to join their friends tinguished among the European civilian forces may
at Waitotara, when they came at early dawn within come in for a similar honour, which in several cases
sight of the tents of the road party before men- has been richly earned. If the Queen could be
tinned. Their own statement is that they knew also recommended to extend to the most prominent
that if the Pakehas were frightened they would cut of her civil servants an occasional C.B. or K.C.8.,
and run, and theytherefore only fired a blank volley, as well as to the officers of her army serving in the
but that before entering the tents, to loot them, colonies, she would fire an enthusiasm most bene-
they fired low with ball in case of ambush. The ficial to the interests of the Empire. I write
labourers, many of them diggers from Marlborough, " Empire" advisedly, because the Empire sometimes
being mostly unarmed, naturally made the best of shares directly by the devotion of those whose lives
their way out of danger as soon as the first volley are spent in the drudgery of a Colonial Executive.
was fired, and the women then plundered the tents In this province, for instance, larger than many a
while the native men kept watch. When the camp colony, his Honour Dr. Featherston has filled the
was informed the cavalry were called out, groomed office of superintendent for nearly twelve years,
their horses, ate their breakfast, and arrived and obtained an honourable report. Ever since a
on the ground of course t3o late to be of any constitution was granted to the colony he has held
service. During the day (the 24th) 800 troops, that office, having been elected four times—the only
under General Cameron, marched onwards to instance in which such has been the case—and by
take up a new position. The tents were being his untiring exertion, personal courage, probity and
pitched after a toilsome march along the sea coast tact, has not only prevented collision between the
(avoiding the newly made road because it ran races during periods of great excitement, but
through the bush occasionally), when the advanced has succeeded in preserving the most friendly
guard, 80 men of the 18th, were fired upon from an relations between them. He was expected to have
adjoining bush, five privates and Lieut. Johnston gone home last month on behalf of the Go-
killed, and four other privates wounded. A detach- vernment to negotiate the remainder of the two
ment of the 50th was sent to support, and the na-
million loan, but so lengthened an absence at such
a trues retreated without loss. This invulnerability juncture was thought unadvisable by his friends,
was attributed to their adhesion to the Pai Mariri and he was induced to abandon his intention,
faith, and they were emboldened to make on the although many of them were sanguine enough to
_ believe that those who know his worth to the colony
next day the most daring attack that the war re
by repute would, from their personal acquaintance,
cords. In front of the camp was a quantity of
scrub, which was set fire to by the General's orders, have left no stone unturned to have had him sent
in order to prevent surprise: Under cover of the back as our Governor.
smoke from this burning, the natives crept up, and
the engagement of Nukumaru took place. An officer
gives me the following account of it. He says :
" There has been nothing like it in New Zealand before.
The Maori plan of attack was admirable, and would have
done credit to any European force. It appears that our
troops wero busy taking up a position for an encampment,
and pickets were thrown out in advance of each flank. The
Maories, from a neighbouring bush, watched these move-
ments, and at length sent out three distinct bodies, two to
drive in the pickets, and the other as a reserve to attackthe
camp. This attack succeeded most admirably, for they
drove in one picket belonging to the 18th before it could
fire a shot; the other ono belonging to the 50th held its
ground and saved the camp ; but had the Maori reserve
come up it would have been very doubtful. It was as pretty
as a field day to see the cavalry charge. They went over
everything; but, unfortunately, the ti-tree was so thick
that a good many Maories escaped. You may imagine
what pluck these natives must have had when one was
seen to seize a soldier of the 18th and drag him bodily
away. Ono of the cavalry seeing this, however, came up
and sabred the native."
There have been 18 native bodies picked up, but
I do not believe the report that there were 70 killed.
After the first surprise the action was a constant re-
treat on the part of the natives, and they could not
have carried off many dead, and, though I doubt
not there were many wounded, yet Imuch fear their
loss was not much more severe than our own. How
severe that was the following list of casualties will
tell. The number of natives attacking was, from the
most reliable accounts, about 500. It has been stated
to have been 1,000, but that is ridiculous :
KILLED.-18th Regiment—Private James Brenny. 50th
Regiment—Privates John Murphy, Smith Hargreaves,
William Vine, George Poole, John Fisher, John Kenny,
Wm. Erwin, Wm. Land, Joseph Gold, Henry Paris, and
Robert Ridyard.
WOUNDED-18th Regiment—Private Trevors, mortally ;
Privates Thos. Lock, Daniel Wadkins, and Thos. Graham,
severely ; Privates Thomas High and Patrick Whelan,
slightly. 50th Regiment—Ensign D. L. Grant, dangerously;
Lieut. W. H. Wilson, very severely ; Private John Lyden,
dangerously ; Privates Arthur Poor, J. Cunningham, Jas.
Reardon, George Box, John Barley, and John Christopher,
very severely ; Privates Phelim Brown, Thomas Dobell,
William Griffin, B. Hargreaveg, Wm. Miles, John Flynn.
James Bleasdale, H. Handover, M. Burke, Robert Barret'
and William Croat, severely.

(From the Supplement to the London Gazelle of Tuesday,
April 11.—Wednesday, April 12.)
WAR-OFFICE, APRIL 12.
The Secretary of State for War has this day re-
ceived a despatch, with its inclosures, from Lieut.-
Gen. Sir D. A. Cameron, K.C.8., commanding the
troops in New Zealand, of which the following are
copies :

"Head-quarters, Camp, Nukumaru, Feb. 4.
"My Lord,—l have the honour to forward herewith the
copy of a report from Brigadier-General Waddy,C.B., com-
manding the field force at Wanganui, of a skirmish which
took place between one of our pickets and the rebels on the
' evening of the 24th of January, and also of a general attack
made by the latter on our camp at Nukumaru on the follow-
ing day, when they were defeated with heavy loss.
" The celerity with which the troops got under arms,
and the spirit with which they met and repelled this sud-
den attack, was very creditable.

" Brigadier-General Waddy was very active throughout
the engagement, and showed great judgment in the dispo-
sition of the troops under his command. I beg to recom-
mend him strongly to your lordship's favourable notice, as
well as those officers who are mentioned by him as having
particularly distinguished themselves in the action.
" The detachment of the Military Train were very gal-
lantly led by Capt. Witchell, and it was their steady and
well executed charge that put the rebels to flight on their
left attack.

" Colonel Mould, C. 8., commanding Royal Engineers,
was present, and Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, command-
ing Royal Artillery, directed the movements of the two
Armstrong guns.

" Col. Carey, C. 8., Deputy Adjutant-General, Lieut.-
Col. Gamble, C. 8., Deputy Quartermaster-General, Major
Pitt, Assistant Military Secretary, and my two Aides-de-
camp, Lieut.-Colonel M'Neil and Lieut. St. Hill, were also
present, and were active in conveying orders.—l have, &c.,
"D. A. CAMERON, Lieut.-General.
" P.S. A plan of the ground is herewith enclosad.
" To the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for War,
War-office, London."

" Camp Nukumaru, Feb. 1.
" Sir,—l have the honour to report, for the information
of the Lieut.-General commanding the forces, that, in com-
pliance with orders received from him, I marched from
Camp at Alexandeisfaun, on the 24th Jan., at 9.40 a.m.,
towards the Waitotara river. The advance of the troops
was necessarily very slow, owing to the steep ascent of the
road from the beach to the sand hills at the Okehu river,
and the passage across these hills of the carts conveying
baggage and stores. The force reached this position about
4 30 p.m., the same day, when I. formed the camp close to
the Paetaia Lake, and about half a mile from the small
native village of Nukumaru. Immediately after the camp
had been formed I ordered out pickets, and, as a picket of
the 18th Regiment approached a bush close to the village,
which I considered necessary to occupy, it was fired upon
by a party of rebels, who quickly retired and took up a
strong position at the edge of the bush, further away from
the village. The men of the picket got under cover behind
a railed fence with a small ditch. Firing was kept up by
both sides till dusk, after which it gradually slackened, and
ceased altogether about midnight.
" It is with deep regret I have to report the loss to the
service of Lieutenant Johnston, 40th Regiment, Deputy--
Assistant-Adjutant-General, a most zealous and gallant
officer, who proceeded with the picket to see it posted:as I
had directed. He was mortally wounded soon after firing
began, and died next day at noon.

No farther engagement has taken place. General
Cameron has reached the Waitotara river, into
which a small steamer has succeeded in entering
under the command of Capt. Cadell, of River Mur-
ray (Australia) celebrity, who has for some time past
been engaged in opening up the New Zealand rivers.
A further movement to the Patea river, distant
about 15 miles, is contemplated, if the river can be
entered so as to afford facilities for commissariat
purposes.

The loyal natives up the Wanganui river, those
who fought so well when the rebel horde attempted
to pass down last year, are still as zealous as ever.
It occurs to me to state, in proof of the good fellow-
ship between the settlers and natives, between the
much maligned, " greedy, covetous, land-sharking
settlers," and the natives whom they are supposed
to have maltreated during the last 25 years, that
there is not a single soldier in the whole of the set-
tled districts of the Wellington province, the few
formerly garrisoning this city having gone to the
front last week, all the fighting being beyond the
settled province of the Wanganui district, which
does not extend more than 12 miles north of that
town. There is not a soldier within 120 miles of
Wellington city, nor a man-of-war in its harbour,
though there are five at anchor in the port of Auck-
land. All the garrison duty is being done by volun-
teers, and not only are the natives quietbut friendly;
even Wi Tako, whose kingism was once such a bug-
bear, lately paid into the Treasury a sum of £3O to
obtain the grant in aid towards a road his people
are making through the centre of his now friendly
settlement. I only hope that the calling out the
militia at Wanganui for service at the front will not
give the rebels occasion for regarding it as a set-
tlers' war. It is bad enough for the orators of St.
Stephen's to misname it a settlers' war, kit it would
be far worse in its immediate consequences if the
clearer knowledge of the natives should become simi-
larly beclouded. But I am afraid that my hopes
will not be wholly realised, for only this morning
the Wanganui steamer startles us with the intelli-
gence that on the night of the 9th Mr. J. D.
Hewitt, M.P.C.,Ione of the settlers furthest out
from Wanganui (about nine miles), was -brutally
murdered in his own house by natives, who carried
off his head. Mr. Hewitt's man servant escaped to
the stockades close by, the family having providen-
tially been sent into Wanganui a few days ago for
safety. As the news of the outrage spreads it will
make the out-settlers elsewhere very timid, and I
fear that if we hear of more such occurrences it
will tend to panic.
The agitation in Auckland for a separation of that
province into a distinct colony, under the irre-
sponsiblegovernment of a governor appointed by
the Queen, is continued all the more vigorously now

"Seeing the rebels were in a strongposition, and believing
they occupied it in considerable numbers, which might soon
be increased from the pah at Weicroa, about two miles off,
I sent out a reinforcement of 100 men. The rebels retired
during the night, and next morning they were not to be
seen or heard in the bush.

" I have also to report that about 2 p.m. of the 25th of
January the outlying pickets wore suddenly attacked by
the rebels in large numbers, who managed to approach under
cover of the high fern and flax plants unperceived till close
upon the sentries ; after a short resistance the pickets were
overpowered and forced to retire. Immediately after the
firing commenced all the troops in camp got underarms, and
I sent a reinforcement to each picket of 100 men. The attack
on the left was at once checked, and the Maories were soon
driven back, but on the right they advanced with great de-
termination, and pushed on through the village of Nuku-
marts. Into this bush the Royal Artillery, having movedto
our right at the same time as the cavalry, fired some rounds
from their two 6-pounder Armstrong guns, and the Maories
soon retired from it. Considering the very difficult nature
of the ground across which the cavalry had to move their
advance was rapid and their charge effective.
" Two wounded Maories were brought into the camp ;
ono of them is Te Arawa, eldest son of Hine Pumipi Ngah-
mamapoto, a leading chief and, I believe, a near relative of
Re wi. Both these men said that 600 Maories came on to
the attack of our position ; 22 bodies have been buried by
us, and I feel convinced they lost many more men, particu-
larly on the left. I have since heard on reliable information
that the rebels acknowledge a loss of 70 men on the 25th
of January ; their loss on the 24th was not ascertained.
" I enclose a list of casualties, which I regret were heavy,
particularly on the left, where the 50th Regiment was
engaged.

" I beg leave to mention most favourably the names
of the following officers who were in action :—Colonel
Weare, 50th Regiment (who happened to know the ground
on:the left), most ably directed a portion of his regiment in
the repulse and pursuit of the enemy. Brevet-Major Locke,
50th Regiment,who was in command of the first reinforce-
ment sent out, fully carried out the orders I gave him.
Captain Witchel], Military Train, commanding the cavalry,
led his men most gallantly, and kept them well in hand.
Majtr Roche, commanding detachment of the 18th Regi-
ment with his force, took out a reinforcement of 100 men
to the right picket on the evening of the 24th of January.
He remained there during the night, and withdrew his

men judiciously about daybreak. He was also engaged
on the 25th of January.
"Captain Shaw, 18th Regiment, who commanded the
right picket, also behaved well, and directed his men with
coolness and judgment. Captain Dgwson, 18th Regiment,
was the first officer of his corps to move out with a rein-
forcement to the right picket on January 25 ; and I have
always found him ready where duty required him. Brevet-
Major Greaves, 70th Regiment, Deputy Assistant Quarter-
master-General, directed the cavalry in their advance to
charge ; and afterwards he was conspicuous in cheering on
the infantry, when driving the enemy into the bush on the
right. From my aide-de-camp, Capt. Leach, 50th Regt.,
I received very great assistance on the 24th and 25th of
January in the conveyance of orders with rapidity and cor-
rectness.

Great Western was to obtain fair and remunerative
rates for the shareholders. He hoped that a wiser
and better frame of mind would come over the
Grand Trunk authorities with respect to adoption
of equal rates.

"As Sir Duncan Cameron was in the field on the 24th
and 25th of January, I have not thought it necessary to
enter more fully into details of the affairs of those days, and
I beg to say I felt fully sensible of the great advantage I
derived from the presence and able advice of the Lieut.-
General commanding the forces.—l have, &c.,

"R. WADDY,
"Brigadier-General, Commanding Field Force.
" The Assistant Military Secretary, &c., Camp Nukumaru."

Mr. HOYES seconded the motion for the adoption
of the report, &c.

Mr. FILDES said he was glad the overture had
come from the Great Western Company. He had
advocated on for Mer occasions the joint-purse sys-
tem for both lines between certain places. He now
advocated the same policy, and offered his services
to conduct negotiations for that object between the
Boards of the two companies. The joint-purse
system was found to work advantageously between
the London and North-Western and the Lancashire
and Yorkshire Railway Companies, with respect
to the Liverpool and Manchester traffic, and
also between the North British and Edinburgh
and Glasgow Railway Companies. He thought
that they should not declare any dividend on the
present occasion.

" List of Killed and Wounded at Nukumaru, New Zea-
land, Jan. 24:-40th Regiment, Lieut. and Deputy-Assist-
ant Adjutant-General Thomas 0. Johnston, dangerously
wounded; since dead, 2-18.—Lance-Corporal Patrick Cau-
line, killed ; Private Patrick Conolly and Private James
Heathwood, dangerously wounded; since dead; Private
John Bozle, Lance-Corporal John Scott, and Private Chas.
Rivers and Private Charles Gallaghar, severely wounded;
Private James Dorez and Private Patrick Cranny, slightly
wounded.--J. MOUAT, Inspector-General, Principal Medi-
cal Officer.—The Assistant Military Secretary, Head-
quarters, Camp Nukumaru, New Zealand."
"List of Killed and Wounded at Nukumaru, January
25, 2.l6.—Privates James Brien, killed ; Francis Trevor,
mortallTwounded ; Thomas Lock, Daniel Watkins, and
Thomas Graham, severely wounded ; Robert High
and Patrick Wheelon, slightly wounded. 50th Regiment
—Privates Michael Murphy, Smith Hargreaves, Joseph
Gould, William Vine, George Poole, Jonathan Fisher,
John Kenny, William Irvin, William Land, Henry Paris,
and Robert Redyord, killed ; Private John Lyden and
Ensign T. L. Grant, dangerously wounded ; Privates Ar-
thur Poor, James Reardon, George Box, John Barley,
John Christopher, and Lieut. W. Wilson, very severely
wounded ; Privates Phelon Brown, James Cunningham,
Thomas Dobell, William Griffin, Henry Hargreaves,
William Miles, John Flynn, James Bleasdale, Boez Hand-
over, Michael Burke, Robert Barnett, and William Crout,
severely wounded.—J.MouAT, Inspector-General, Principal
Medical Officer.—The Assistant Military Secretary, Head-
quarters, Camp Nukumaru, New Zealand."

After a few observations by Mr. Evans, Colonel
Evelyn, Mr. Conder, and Mr. Godfrey, the report
was unanimously adopted, and the dividend at the
rate of 2 per cent. per annum for the past half-year
declared.

Railway and other Companies.

GREAT WESTERN GF CANADA.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
yesterday at the London Tavern; Mr. Alderman
Dakin in the chair.
Mr. B. Baker, the secretary, having read the
notice convening the meeting, the report, an abstract
of which has appeared in The Sun, was taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report and statement of accounts to Jan. 31 last,
and also a dividend at the rate of 2 per cent. per
annum for the half-year, payable on May 2, said he
did not think it necessary to make many remarks
on that occasion. He thought they would agree
with him that, under the circumstances of the past
half-year, the report was tolerably satisfactory. The
sum available for dividend was a matter for con-
gratulation. The capital account had been reduced
by the discharge of the 6 per cent. bonds (172,681)
which became due, and were paid off. This ope-
ration saved about £4,362 in interest, and he had no
doubt they would be able to re-issue those bonds at
a lower rate of interest. The revenue account for the
past half-year was as satisfactory as could be ex-
pected. The passenger traffic showed an increase of
£24,550, and the goods traffic a decrease of £13,455
as compared with the corresponding half-year, leav-
ing an increase on the whole of £10,093. The pro-
portion of the through traffic for the half-year end-
ing Jan. 31, 1864, was 591 per cent., and of local
traffic 404 per cent. ; for the half-year ending Jan.
31, 1865, the through traffic amounted to 65f per
cent., and the local traffic to 34i per cent. The
larger proportion of through traffic receipts was
caused by the increase in the through rates. The
charges for through traffic were increased under the
convention agreed to in July, 1864. That gave the
advantage in amount as compared with the local
traffic. Were it not for the large deductions for
losses on the American currency and the heavy cost
for the renewal of the permanent way they would
have had a very satisfactory amount for dividend.
The heavy charge for the latter was being brought
to a close, and the loss by exchange of the American
currency would become less. But for those two items
the revenue would have presented a most satisfac-
tory account. The working expenses had been re-
duced and the traffic receipts increased. The per-
centage of working expenses was 43.95 per cent. for
the past half-year, against 45.5 per cent. for the
corresponding half of the preceding year. When he
and his colleague, Mr. Falconer, were in New York
last year they undertook the responsibility of stop-
ping the conversion of $340,000 at 280, and even-
tually they were converted at 192, by which a saving
of £8,415 was effected, and this sum came in oppor-
tunely for this half-year's account. The sum of
£74,502 was a large amount of loss on the conver-
sion of American currency, but that rate was gra-
dually reduced during the half-year. On the 6th of
August it was 260, and on September 29 185. Now
the rate was only a little over 150. If they could
keep up the increased staff, and the rate of conver-
sion should be further reduced, they would be for-
tunate. The directors and their new executive gave
the utmost attention to the interests of the company,
including their general manager, Mr. Swinyard.
They were now obliged to reckon on a diminished
traffic, but the causes were purely temporary. The
traffic from their line had been stopped on the New
York Central from a deficiency of rolling stock on
the line, but the Central Company had ordered 50
new locomotives to prevent a recurrence of such
stoppages in future. They had made arrangements
to lease a new line now m course of construction,
which would give them an alternate route for the
conveyance of the through traffic in case other routes
should be impeded. The short line into Buffalo
would give them access to the New York Central
and the Atlantic Great Western. The agreement
was to work the Erie and Niagara line for 12 months,
and to lease it for 21 years on the basis of the traffic,
or on terms to be settled by arbitration. The Board
had taken no steps for laying down the third rail,
nor would they do so until they saw their way clear.
Another obstruction to the traffic of the company
was the passport system, which had now been
abolished. With regard to the renewal of the rails

The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks,
to the chairman and directors.

BRISTOL AND EXETER.
The Earl of Devon has, at the invitation of the
board of directors, accepted a seat at the board and
the chairmanship of the company, which was held
for many years by the late respected chairman, Mr.
Buller, M.P. Mr. M. Castle succeeds Mr. W. D.
Wills as deputy-chairman. Mr. Wills retains his
seat as a director, which he has held from the ori-
ginal formation of the company, being named in
the act of incorporation.

SUNNINGDALE AND CAMBRIDGE TOWN.
A special meeting of this company was held yes-
terday at the offices, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster
—Mr. J. Garrard in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN stated that the meeting was held
for the purpose of considering a bill to authorise the
Sunningdale and Cambridge Town Railway Com-
pany to make new railways, to use part of the South
Eastern Railway, and for other purposes. It had
passed the House of Commons, and if they approved
the bill it would be proceeded with in the House
of Lords.

A formal resolution approving the bill was adopted
and the proceedings terminated.

___ .• ___ __ ....._—
_
on the line, it was commenced by Mr. Reid, their
engineer, on the Ist of Feb., 1861, and the estimated
cost was £331,279, which was to be spread over ten
half-years. Of. that amount £257,403 had been
expended, leaving £73,876 to be expended. Instead
of expending the sum over the next two half-years,
their engineer proposed spreading it over two half-

MUNTZ METAL.
The first general meeting was held at Birmingham
yesterday. The report announced the gross profit
for the year ending Dec. 31 to have been £33,828 ;
and after writing off the whole of the preliminary
expenses, and providing for all bad and doubtful
debts, the net profit remaining was £25,364. An
interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum
for the half-year ending June 30 was paid, and for
the half-year to Dec. 31 a dividend at the rate of 10
per cent. per annum was recommended, leaving a
balance of £7,685 to be carried forward. The re-
port was adopted, and the -dividend declared as
recommended.

years, averaging about £24,600 for each half-year
instead of £37,000. The renewal of the whole
of the permanent way had been a very heavy
tax on the. shareholders, but that charge
would soon be removed. Another gratify-
ing matter was that the company would soon
have much more convenient goods and passengers
stations in the city of Toronto. The traffic on
the Detroit and Milwaukie Railway had not pro-

gressed so satisfactorily as they had expected. It
had suffered from the passport system and the high
price of labour and materials, which latter had
caused the working expenses to increase by 5 or 6

per cent. as compared with the corresponding period
of last year. They had, however, been able to pay
their ordinary bond interest. The appeal case of
the bank suit would be settled in the course of the

next three months by the Privy Council in this

country, and they were assured that the company
could not be made liable for anything more than

was authorised by the proprietors, and that the

company could not be:bound by Messrs. Brydges
and Reynolds. The directors had succeeded in get-
ting the rates for the through traffic increased. He
then read a correspondence which had been printed

by the Grand Trunk Company for political pur-
poses, with a view to show that application on the
part of the Great Western of Canada had been made

to the executive of the Grand Trunk Company with
a view to raise and equalise the local rates between
certain points on both lines ; and that the Grand
Trunk had declined to act on the proposition with a
view to give the Canadians the full benefit of the

present low rates. The object on the part of the

HERALD.—The suppression of vagrancy and the
extinction of the National Debt may be almost
ranked as parallel enterprises. We have scarcely
any more hope of the one than of the other. It may
be well to aim at the highest kind of success. Yet
we doubt whether a fond delusion is altogether a
healthy thing. We are now encouraged to believe
that, by the adoption of two or three peculiar clauses
in the Metropolitan Houseless Poor Bill, the reproach
of mendicancy will be altogether swept from the
streets of London, providing the bill passes into law
and the authorities are faithful to its provisions. The
grand panacea is found in the granting of enlarged
powers to the police, whereby the latter will be
enabled to convey all destitute persons not having
committed or being charged with any offence punish-
able by law, to the nearest casual ward or work-
house, where such persons will find shelter, and
where they will receive some measure of relief. It
is expected,. on the other hand, that being thus
enabled to provide for what may be termed the de-
serving members of the vagrant class, the police will
supplement the process by taking before the magis-
trates all who are mere professional beggars andim-
postors. This they might have done long ago, and
so far as concerns the plan of handing over the
really destitute to the parish authorities, even that
has been a legal and practicable duty on the part of
the police during the temporary operation of the
houseless Poor Act. The President of the Poor-
law Board recently stated in Parliament that in the
case of the Strand Union an arrangement had been
made between the guardians and the police, whereby
the police-station became a species of relieving office
where tickets were distributed conferring the right
of admission to the casual ward. The same provi-
sion was available for all the metropolitan parishes,
and Sir Richard Mayne had announced that three
constables would be placed at the disposal of each
board of guardians for such purpose. Only one union,
however, took advantage of the offer, and it is com-
plained that the streets still swarm with beggars, and
did so while the temporary act was supposed toi be
in full operation. At the same time, we make no
question that that the amended bill, if passed into law,
will be far more perfect than that which existed
during the past winter, and the results will be more
complete. After all the boasting which inaugurated
the defunct measure, it is palpable that' from some
cane or other it fell short of its promise. In the case
of three important parishes the relief was so niggard
that the expense has been disallowed, on the ground
that the act has not been complied with. In two
of these cases—St. Mary, Rotherhithe, and St.
George the Martyr, Southwark—it was shown by
Mr. Henley in the recent debate, that the mode in
which the poor creatures were " packed" away, was,
to say the least of it, highly objectionable on the
score of health. But for the fact that it was winter
instead of summer a case of asphyxia might have
been expected. In St. George's, Southwark, it would
appear by the returns that the women were not
allowed sufficient space to lie side by side upon the
floor ; and it was suggested by the hon. member
who drew attention to the fact that these recipients
of parochial hospitality must have laid one upon
another, somewhat after the fashion of " candles in
a shop window." Turning, however, from the con-
templation of these horrors, we are flattered with
the expectation that destitution is at last to be
vigorously dealt with—so far as concerns the me-
tropolis. The shameless scamp who hates work and
simulates misery must fly from the capital, or
Policeman X will take him by the arm and do his
best to get him lodged in gaol. This, we say, might
have been done before ; but the mere fact that there
was no certain relief for destitution 'practically un-
nerved the arm of the law, and beggary was gene-
rally winked at, though occasionally punished.
Now there is to be no more of it—the poor law at
last is to relieve us of this pest. The suffering poor
are to be taken under shelter, and the scamps are to
be left for the gaoler. Encouraged by the perma-
nency of the law, the metropolitan parishes are ex-
pected to prepare sufficient wards, and the very sight
of a beggar is to be unknown in the streets of London.
We wish it may come to pass; but we have our doubts.
The deserving poor must be really cared for, for this
purging of our thorougnfares can only be accom-
plished by a process which will multiply the deaths
by starvation which now horrify us so often in the
records of the coroner's court. The question arises—
Will the guardians allow effective relief ? The fact
is, that at the present time the poor rates have to be
largely supplemented by the hand of private charity.
Not only do we find' the casual wards of the work-
houses opened under the provisions of a general me-
tropolitan rate, but at the same time the " refuges"
and " asylums," provided by the voluntary benevo-
lence of the public, are in full operation, receiving
more than 27,000 persons during the mouth of
January. It is notorious that in the case of paupers
receiving regular out-door relief the allowance is
often so small as scarcely to pay for the rent of the
miserable room in which the recipient dwells. But
for private beneficence, either the poor rates must
rise or many of the poor must perish. The clergy of
those parishes which contain a large leaven of the
working classes can tell sorrowful tales of the desti-
tution which they are compelled to witness, and for
the relief of which they are perpetually imploring
funds from the rich and charitable. The poor law
administers but a part of the relief which is required
for the sustenance of those who from sickness,
widowhood, or other causes, are rendered really des-
titute. Many a half-starved woman carries on a
practical mendicancy under the guise of selling
some trifling articles which she carries in her hands
from house to house. If this be vagrancy the law
dare not touch if ; for if it is to be prevented
there must be a wondrous enlargement in the
amount of out-door relief, or else in the size of our
metropolitan workhouses, unless we are to build
bigger prisons, and shut up the destitute out of our
sight along with thieves and veritable vagabonds.
At the same time we have no objection to the
experiment on which Mr. Villiers seems so san-
guine. Some good will come of it, no doubt. It
will throw the plumb-line a little deeper, and show
yet more distinctly how far we have come short of
a law which really helps the destitute while it
frowns upon the idle and disorderly. The tempo-
rary nature of the relief offered under the proposed
system is one defect. Destitution is a slow fever,
and is not soon over. There is misery in this
mighty London which needs a very patient and dis-
criminating hand for its successful treatment. We
have great faith in the operation of our voluntary
institutions. The money placed in the hands of the
clergyman of an east end parish goes far more
directly to the relief of the poor than the so much
per pound which is paid in obedience to the demand
of the overseer. The poor rate is a compound
article, only a small portion of which goes towards
filling the belly or clothing the back of the hungry
and ragged Lazarus who appears at the gate. There
are those who boast of the poor law ; but to this
hour the relief of the poor is very largely dependent
on other hands than those of the parish officer. The
police are now called to the rescue, and we are told
to expect great things when the man of the trun-
cheon helps to distribute the parish loaf. The beg-
gars are to vanish, and we hope they may; but we
have no doubt that destitution will yet remain, and
we are rather doubtful whether even the beggars will
be got rid of. No modification of the poor law will
be successful until the guardians are able and willing
to afford effective relief.
TIMES.—The result of the elections inNew Bruns-
wick is. now completely known, and it is quite as
adverse to the prospects of Confederation as was
anticipated in the letter which we recently noticed.
Out of the 41 members who compose the Assembly
30 are returned in opposition to the scheme, so that
its rejection must be expected by a majority of three
to one. There is reason to fear that this unfortu-
nate result will greatly affect the decision of Nova
Scotia, and Newfoundland, it is said, will require
the exercise of considerable influence to insure the
success of the proposal. In short, there can, we
fear, be little doubt that the prospects of the
scheme were at first represented to us in too flatter-
ing colours. It was said to have the approval of
the Colonial Governments and of the principal
members of the Oppositions. We are now told that,
at least in New Brunswick, it was only approved by
a majority of the Government, and that if the
leading members of Opposition assented they ex-
pressed no opinion but their own. Under such cir-
cumstances the project must probably be considered
to have failed for the time, and indeed we lately
published the intelligence that one of the Govern-
ments had already assumed its failure, and had pro-
posed to proceed instead with the scheme for the
legislative union of the Martime Provinces, which
was already under formal discussion last
any such
year,
when the larger scheme was started.
schem
thee,h mowevaerirti, even
Provinces, the
lete arrangedaslystof th
be-
tweeneHome Government would, of course, be necessary,
and we should be justified in refusing our consent to
a partial Union when a wider, and therefore more
complete, Federation has been proposed, and has
been heartily accepted by the most important of the
colonies. If the New Brunswickers and other colo-
nists reject so peremptorily a proposal which we
think desirable, they could have no reason to com-
plain if we acted from Imperial considerations in a
similar way. The motives of their perverse determi-
nation are but too evident. There is plainly, in the
first place, a keen jealousy of Canada, and a very
strong dislike to any plan by which the minor Pro-
vinces would become liable to the influence of the
larger colony. The New Brunswickers say they are
very good friends with the Canadians, and wish to
remain so, but that is no reason why they should
enter into a partnership with them. They have,
they say, no common commercial interests, and it
may be added that the present establishment of a