SYDNEY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Auckland Times, Volume 3, Issue 139, 6 September 1845, Page 3

SYDNEY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Dr. Lang on the Overland Route from South Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria. — Dr. Lang said, that it must be particularly gratifying to this House to hear from the honorable the Colonial Secretary that there was any subject connected with this colony in which so high a functionary as the Secretary of State hesitated to interfere, or which he left to be determined on by the better knowledge of the country which those in it might possess. He agreed with all that had fallen from his honorable friend the member for Melbourne in support of this motion. He thought it anything but creditable to the British empire, to this por tion of the empire, that so little should be known of the nature and resources of this continent. Had this been an undisputed possession of some other powers, as it was of Great Britain, the case would have been far otherwise. Great Britain, year after year, expended vast sums of money in exploring expeditions to the North and South Poles, which would never benefit mankind, while it wholly neglected the means of opening up and making known a country capable of receiving and maintaining thousands and tens of thousands ot her surplus population. He trusted that there would be no further delays in this matter, and that the head of the department to which such an undertaking naturally belonged, would be consulted, and his opinion deferred to, as to which of the routes pro posed, or what other route, it would be most desirable to follow. He should give his cordial support to the motion.— Herald.

Embezzlement by Public Officers.—The Attornjy-Geueral moved the second reading of the Bill to adopt an Act for more effectually prevents ing embezzlement by persons employed iu the public service of Her Majesty. By a late decision of Mr. Justice Coleridge (he said) it had been expressly declared that the Larceny Act, as it was usually termed, applied only to clerks in private employment, and not to those in the service of the government. This decision had seemed to meet with the general concurrence of the Bench, and under sach circumstances there was at present no lew in the colony which could be applied to the punishment of this class of offences. He proposed, therefore, by the Bill then before the Council to adopt the Act of William IV., which provided for

this evil. [The Bill was read a second time with* out opposition, and the Council having resolved itself into Committee for the consideration of the same, upon'"the motion of the Attorney-General, the several clauses of the Bill, after Undergoing some verbal alterations, were adopted without discussion. The'BiSl was theu reported to Council with its'amendments, a d was ordered, upon the motion o't the Attorney-General, to be engrossed, and read a ihisd time on Friday next.]— ibid,

Colonial Exports.— Flax. We are pleaded to learn that a general opinion prevails among our scientific agriculturists that the culture of flax in Australia, would amply remunerate the grower, and prove a source of colonial wealth, f hat it contributes largely to the financial prosperity of Flanders and many other parts ol the northern hemisphere is unquestionable; and that it is suited to most of our soils and climates is affirmed by competent judges, who are acquainted with its cultivation in Ireland. We would therefore again recommend our settlers to lose no time in instituting experiments, with the view of determining how far their respective localities would or would not afford to them a reasonable chance of success. The cultivator who, in his preliminary essays, at least, would adopt the Flemish plan of intermixing flax with forage seeds* could incur no risk, inasmuch as the associate plants might be expected to yield a sufficient return to defray the whole expense of culture. In Flanders it is sown with carrots and turnips, which being employed in the fattening of swine, realize an abundant profit of themselves. M, Yvart, the professor of agriculture at the Veterinary College of Alfort, near Paris,,, who, in common with the most distinguished French agriculturists, recommends mixed crops, adduces the case of a farmer at Neufehateau who intermingled flax, carrots, turnips, cole, and chicory. The flax supported by the cole was pulled at the end of the third mouth (July) ; a fortnight afterwards the cole was cut ; ia September the turnips were gathered ; ia October the carrots ; and in the spring, the chicory afforded an abundance of milk to dairy cows. Von Thaer, the director of the Royal Agricultural School at Meglin, in Germany, says that long experience has convinced him that lucerne ia every case grows more equally, and stronger, when sown with flax, or with buckwheat, than with any other kind of grain. This grass, in conjunction with edible roots and a small portion of corn, may be turned to profit in the production of lard and salt pork for exportation. The fattening of swine, and in fact the system of alternate cultures with forage plants, would also improve the qualities of our wheat, and increase its quantity* This, at least, has been found to be the case in every country where the plan has been adopted. Let it be, however, remarked, that we make these suggestions more as experimental hints ; but as flax is known to produce a stem of finer quality and greater length when densely sowu, it is not unreasonable to expect that the crowding of it with certain plants might contribute to. a similar result. If, on the other hand, the production of seed be more desirable than that of the filament, it must be thinly sown, and by preference in drills. These intermingled cultures are also recommended by “ the Farm Book” for the purpose of keeping down weeds, which supersedes the necessity of extirpating them with the hoe. This fact should be borne in mind, inasmuch as some might be disposed to ascribe to the associate plants the noxious qualities which are found in weeds. Decandole, in his observations on this subject, gives the title of social to plants which grow together with mutual benefit. Weeds are unsocial; but clover, although ranked amongst social plants, is considered by some to be injurious to flax, from the rapidity of its growth. Fine bone-dust manure to the extent of ten or twelve bushels an acre is said by “the Farm Book” to produce a finer quality of flax. It is recommended to be applied in August or early spring, instead of dung, which should be avoided near the time of sowing. Dung, in fact, produces weeds, which bone manuie does not. The best account of the culture of flax and hemp, with its probable returns, appeared some time since from the pen of Dr. Campbell. We perceive from an advertisement, that this excellent little work is again in the press, and may be obtained at tbe office of the “ A^stralian # ~ at tha price of Is,