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Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2058, 9 December 1869, Page 2

Athenaeum. A private copy of the work on t} ( .e education of girls, by Dr Hodgson, L. UI J, mentioned i* our mane of Tuesday, lias been placed oil t|io table of the Athemeum.

Land in the Province. - i f Toih a return of lands in the Province ami their classes, published in the Provincial Government Gazette, it appears 1,421,000 acres are Forest; 284,800 acres Lakes ;2, .H0,240 acres Barren ; and .9,308,000 acres agucultural and Pastoral: giving the total area at 13,300,040 acres. Of this, 5,956,00G acres arc under Pastoral Leases; 310,500 acres Pastoral Licenses ; 0,800 acres AgricuLuial Leases ; 901,740 acres sold within Hundreds; 303 acres with n Goldfields ; 3,506 under Leaseholder’;; Covenants ; 302,031 nnsmd within Hundreds* aijd au area of 1,384,400 acres of Hundreds, The Coming Elocutionary and Musical Entertainment. —This is an event that cannot but be regarded with great interest by all classes in Dunedin, as it will be the first time the students of the High School, as a class, have left their academic scclusiou to take part iu public intellectual amusement. Even a child is known by his doings, and although the inevitable nerxonsnoss of a debut, will throw a cloud over many a talented lad, the future leaders in the higher walks of public life may be discerned in the ifp£itude displayed by these young ones, who in a fes' .years will have to battle with the higher require l iue;;ts of a more advanced and exacting state of society than it fo] 1 to the lot of their fathers to have to grapple with. Wo like the idea of these for bn nately bbrp. ones, remembering their more lowly circumstanced little fellow noVists W the Industrial School and Benevolent institution, ilia Christmas treat provided for these young ones, snatched from poverty and trained to future usefulness by the kindly liberality of the people of the Province, will never be forgotten by them, and they will like it all the mare because it expresses the sympathy of youth With their happiness and enjoyment. The Dunedin Private Musical Society laid the first fruits of their efforts at the service of beuevohnoe. They now identify themselves with the intellectual movements of t«;o day. We are surprised that the spirit manifested by them has not drawn into their membership every musician and lover of music. Their programme is good. It includes several solos and glees, a pianoforte solo by Miss 8011, and .one or two instrumental pieces. The tickets are beipg rapidly sold, and there is likely* to be a large attend? ance.

New Inventions. —From the numerous complaints lately received hero from London, and from letters published at intervals by cue or other of our Lading business firms, of the manner in which New Zealand wools have been got up for the market, it is now evident that a system different from scoui iug in freeing the wool from dirt and superfluous yolk must be adopted, and the using of chemicals and heated water abandoned. The washing machines projected, and of which brief descriptions follow, have been planned to meet this difficulty—reducing, at the same time, the cost of manipulating of the wool to the lowest possible limit, and cleaning it in a manner that will be satisfactory both to the London broker and purchaser, and to the llockowuer or seller here. No. 1 machine consists of a series of tanks, containing water heated say to 90, with an alkali in limited proportions in the first tank, and of a non-in jnrijjms tendency to the fibre, but which operates rapidly and certainly in freeing the wool from its coagulated dirt, &c. The other tank?; arc simply filled with water heated to 80 °. The fleeces ere carried through the tanks by a series of revolving nets, and each tank is fitted with a pair of indiarubber-covored pressure rollers, and the pressure regulated by springs. After being washed, the wool is thoroughly dried and cooled by an apparatus attached to the machine for these purPqscs, thence passed at once by action of machine tp the sorters and packers, the whole oppßtipni? going -on simultaneously, entering the fleeco frprn the newly-shorn sheep, or taking it from bale of gpeasy wool, placed convenient to the attendant on machine. The cost '■of cleaning the wool by this process will be in all :jd per lb. to tbo floekowner having a machine. No. 2 machine is intended to clean and wasli tjw wool with stream or river water, at ica natural temperature, and without the use of chemicals. ‘ This ♦pachiuo has the motive power within itself, and operates at the same, mo both as a washing and driving machine.

The fleeces, after being washed, are passed to an effective drying machine, driven by the wash in" machine. The cost of washing to the Hock-owner will be ,’d per lb. and one washing machine and driving machine combined, with a drying machine, will be sufficient in washing capability for the average extent of the stations of this Colony. Both machines have be/ u projected by Mr kojt, M “Aslan, of this City, and to suit the differing ideas of station proprietors and others interested, as to the comparative advantages of usino- heated water with proportions of chemicals, and of simply using cold water m washing wool. JSIunOKU AT Lyttelton.—The trial of John Smyth, for the murder of his wife, took place at the criminal sitting at Christchurch, before Air Justice Gresson, on Saturday. The evidence pointed to long continued and brutal conduct on the part of the accused towards the woman, and from the medical testimony, it appeared that doatli hid reunited from suffocation, in all probability through a gag having been forced into her mouth. The prisoner was defended by Mr Williams. The jury found some difficulty in arriving at a unanimous verdict, but ultimately 0 pronounced the prisoner guilty. In passing sentence, his Honor, addressing the prisoner, said : —The crime which you have committed is one, but merely of a verjaggravated character, not it is high m its class of crime, as there are peculiar circumstances of aggravation in it. It is not mci fly that you have sent a fellow-creature to her account sooner than she would have gone but for yon, but thatthatfollow-greatureisthc one whom you have solemnly vowed before God to love and to ehcridi in sickness and in health; and yet it appeas that I hat very same woman was put out by you almost naked at night, exposed to the inclemency of the weather, exposed to every passer-by, and that this was not merely under a temporary impulse of passion, but that you were in the habit of ill-treating her repeatedly.” The prisoner after the verdict did not deny the charge. Acclimatisation Society. The jveekly meeting of the Council of this Society was held this afternoon. There were present Messrs Murison (in the chair), Garrick, Turton, Kenyon, Thomson, Eccles, and Hepburn. Amongst the correspondence read was a letter from Mr A. Gregor, Balclutha, enclosing L 3, being the annual subscription of Messrs John Shaw, John Barr, and the writer. Mr Gregor wrote that a pair of magpies had bred this season at To Houka. The Californian <jnail released in theClutha district had taken kindly to their home. One brood wag seen last season, and two or three had been seen ibis spring. The writer attributed his sweeps to thg large number liberated, the selection of a place with abundance of shelter and food, and within easy range, free from cats and woodhens, and the careful manner in which the quail had been liberated. Mr G. Fiolayson, of Wairuna, ' Popotuno.r, wrote offering to collect subscriptions on behalf of the Society, the offer was accepted. The honorary secretary reported that a donation of L 5 had been received from Mr C. Burke; that Air W. Mason had reported Galiforniaii quail had I]qgu geen in tiie isortii, and that a firm in California had offered to send him out, for the Society, worth of Californian seeds.--A communication was read from the Provincial Government, asking fpv suggestions from the Council of the SotJotjL as to regulations for closing up rivers under the Salmon and Trout Act. The Chairman and a committee were appointed to submit regulations, On the motion of Air Kenyon, the following resolution was carried —That a committee, consisting of Alcssrs Garrick, Turton, Hepburn, and Murison, be appointed to examine into the various blocks of land iu the neighborhood of Dunedin about to be sold, and report as to the suitability of any such land for purposes of acclimatisation ; 'and the Council authorises the committee to apply for a block of land not exceeding SO in extent; the price to be paid not to exceed the upset price of 21s per acre, and the property, if obtained, to he vested in trustees for the benefit of the Acclimatization Society of Otago.

Acclimatization. —The young trout hatched in Dunedin for the Canterbury Society (the ova of widen came in the Eucalyptus to Tort Cba’mers) arrived in a lively condition on Friday, in the Maori. The fish were in charge of Mr Johnson, curator, who lias Sfiemended in bringing them up with very trifling” loss. T)).e arrangements generally for the transit of the fi»h wej,c all that could be desired, and the thanks of the society are due to Capt. Malcoin and his officers for the trouble they took. A few of the fish have been turned out at Timaru, and a number into the well-adapted streams at Akaroa, belonging to the iqeuiliers of the society.— Lyttelton Times.

An Impressive Scene.-— The village of Stanningley, Yorkshire, says the Liverpool Mercury, “ has just been the scene of one of tho most impressive spectacles, a scene witnessed by an immense crowd of people, numbering many thousands, who flocked in from the surrounding villages for many miles. The occasion which drew a such vast concourse was tho funeral of Thomas Har laker and Emma Garrick, the lovers who were strack dead by lightning. From the fact that the deceased couple had been Sunday school teachers, and of irreproachable character, united to ihe tragical nature of fheir death, the greatest comiscration was felt for their families, and a profound sensation has been caused iu the district around.”

The Jetty.—The following, says the Waikouaiti Herald, is a copy of a letter received from the Provincial Secretary and Treasurer by Mr Andrew Thomson in reply to the petition published in onr last issue on the subject of the Jetty, and will be read with feelings of satisfaction by all interested in the progress and prosperity of this district “I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter enclosing a memorial from residents in East and West Hawksbury, praying that the jetty at Waikouaiti may at once bo proceeded with, and to acquaint you in reply that the Government have resolved to construct an iron jetty, as being the most durable, and with that view plans will he prepared and by the next mail will order the necessary materials from Britain. I trust the decision of the Government will prove satisfactory to tho residents at Hawksbiuy,” “ Formosa ”.—Mr Boucic;u»lt : s hist new sensation drama was produced in Sydoy, for the first time, at the Prince of Wales Opera-house, on Saturday night last. From our Sydney files we learn that the theatre was crammed from floor to ceiling with the male sex, scarcely a female being seen iu any part of the house. The idea of

the author seems to be “to catch folly as it flies,” ami expose the frivolities of so-called fashionable life. The play is studded with scathing satire, which tells amazingly With the audience. A kind of modem Mrs Malaprop, named Mrs Bokcr, entertains auoh correct views of London life, that she feels herself compelled to speak very plainly all through the piece, and she denounces fashionable vice in these terms, “ They say the law ain’t no respecter of persons —no, but its a respecter of fine clothes upon ’em, and the 'ouse they lives in. What s a fashionable folly in a club is felony in a skittle-alley —that’s what it is ! They won't let me and my taxed cart in the Park because not in uniform, but a painted hussey in a brougham can ply her trade under the eye of a princess—there’s sunimut wrong about it somewheres a sentiment which met with vociferous applause. In closing its remarks on this play, the Sydney Morning I feral d, while regretting its production, says: —The genuine drama docs not pay, and therefore these sensational plays are produced, very much, we fear, to the demoralising of the playgoing community. The first meeting of the Commercial Building and Mutual Investment Society, for the purpose of receiving subscriptions and applications for shares, will be held at the office of the Society, Princes strept, on Monday next, the 13th inst.