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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2633, 26 July 1871, Page 2

Religious. —We hear that a c.-ill to the Presbyterian (Lurch, North Dunedin, was made to the Rev. Mr Ryley, of Otepnpo, and declined by that gentleman. Fatal Accident. —A fatal accident occurred at Scrubby Flat, Waikaia, on Thursday last, to a man named James Tom. While employed with his mates in bringing up a tail race through rotten rock, some of it came down, killing him instantaneously. Scarlatina. The Bruce Herald learns from a private l-.-Uer, dated, the 22nd, that scarlatina is still on the increase at Tapanui. Mr James Kerr, who is himself confined to bed, has lost his eldest son. The school has been closed for a month past.

Princess Theatre. —“ The King of the Peacocks” Avas repeated last night to a moderate house ; this evening it Avill be agahi played (last time) ; previous to which will be presented the comedy ofAJWolf iu Sheeps’ Clothing. ” Waste Land Board. —At the meeting of the Board to-day the Chief Commissioner, Messrs Hughes and Reid were present. The Board met at noon. Mr Moore’s application, on; behalf of Mr Robertson, to! have section 1, block 26, Palmerston, put up for sale, Avas granted. Mr Attwood’s application for lease Avas approved. Mr Marsh’s application, to lia\ - e land occupied by hin in Cromwell offered for sale, was complied with ; upset pries L 3 per foot frontage, with:LSo valuation for improvements; the applicant to deposit 10 per cent, on the valuation. Mr G. F. Mackey’s application, to have the laud put up for sale on Avhich his house and that of Mr Barton are situated, Avas consented to with the usual conditions for improvements. The Provincial Solicitor was instructed to take proceedings against Waste Laud Board lessees Avho have not paid th-ir rents. New Zealand Flax, —An Auckland contemporary is indebted to Mr David Graham for permission to extract the following important information from letters recently received by him. 4he idea of utilising flax within the Colony iu the manufacture of cloth for sacks and woolpacks —articles which are largely imported—has before boen suggested here, and Mr Graham communicated with some friends in Scotland, from Avhom he obtained the definite and practical information Avhich he has placed at our disposal. Mr J. Low, of Monifieth Foundry, near Dundee, furnishes a general estimate of what he terms the smallest system that could be worked to advantage. The estimate of cost does not include buildings, moving power, or shafting. A 16 horse-poAver steam-engine would, lioavever, drive all the machinery named. Mr Low says :—“ Thirty power-looms constitute a small system for the kind of goods he named ; and these, including all preparing ami finishing machines, Avith a supply of all furnishings, such as shuttles, pickers, buffers, leather mountings for lays, cambs, reeds, &c., packed in cases and delivered in Dundee, will cost about L4S per loom, or iu all L 1,440. To supply yarns for these, a warp system of 360 spindles of spinning, with all the necessary- preparing machinery, such as cards, drawing and roving frames, and a weft system of 176 spindles of spinning, Avith all the preparing machines as above, would be required; and these-machines would cost overhead, with all general furnishings supplied as for looms, sm-h as cans, bobbins, listing, kc , packed in eases and delivered in Dundee, about L 3,000, or, in round numbers, you might say L 4,506 forth e Avho! c. ” Referring to this statement, another gentleman, in a letter to Mr Graham, remarks : “Thirty loons would produce about 900 yards each per week, or 27,000 yards in,all per week of 17oz. sacking, which is the weight used for 2|lb. bags. This, allowing spy 10 per cent, for waste, which oughttobcsufileien'y would -represent about 14 tons of ilax per week, Again, supposing it were cloth for IG.Ub. woolpacks, the 30 looms would give perhaps rather less than 27,000 yards, the cloth being so much heavier (220z per yard). HoAvever, taking 27,000 as the production, and allowing ill per cent, for waste, this would represent about 18 tons, of flax per week, if Avoolpack cloth only Avere made, As you Avill see from the foregoing statement, the consumption is regulated by the weight of cloth made, and Avould be more or less according as more woolpack or three-bushel-bag cloth Avas made.”

The Honorarium Question. —Our country contemporaries regard with no friendly eye the action of the Provincial Council in raising‘the honorarium to Ll a day. Here are the opinions of such of the papers as have yet dealt with the subject. The Wakatip Mail says ' The last days of Provincialism, so far as Otago is concerned, have closed with a piecejof business that deserves all the withering remarks heaped upon it by our contemporary the Daily 'Times of the 14th inst. We asserted that come what might the present session of the Provincial Council Avould be more expensive than any of its predecessors. . , . They met Avith a flourish of trumpets ; they Aveut in as a lion. The session closes without beneficial results; and is full of recantations. No

principles seem to have, been involved, except these tlncea: useful ones take care of yourselvessecond-, attemptv ipfore than you can do; 'third, deceive the- country by vain,propositions. The first aot of members, when passing the Estimates, was to reduce their honorarium to 15s per day ; and now about their last act has been the reversal of their decision, by resolving, in a Council of 28 out of 48 members, and by a majority of 17 to 11, to increase that honorarium to LI per day for country members, and I.os per day for town members. - However men—after crying out for retrenchment, and bickering and fighting over paltry reductions in salaries of goldfields officers, and even wages of nurses to hospitals—can so heinean themselves is past the comprehension of every honest man.’ The Oamaru Times asks if “it is possible to imagine anything meaner or more inconsistent” than the action of the Council in raising the honorarium, after the estimates with the “cheeseparing” reductions, were passed. The Arrow Advocate agrees with the condemnatory remarks of the Daily Times, and says :—“Who ever heard of a greater piece of absurdity, or-of a more monstrous injustice, than the reduction of the Wardens’ salaries? In the case of. the Warded of this district, the reduction of his salary is-not only a, wrong to himself, but will be found to be a hardship upon-the whole-district, and more especially, uponjouroutlyiugdiggings Cardrona Maori Point, and Macetown have all made earnest and reasonable appeals for more frequent, periodical visits by the Warden ; but the reduction-of-his-salary renders it almost impossible that these appeals can be complied-with". Even as it is, the duties of our-Warden are perhaps ihoi’o arduous than .those of any other in the Province. It remains to be seen whether the residents of fhe localities ■wc have mentioned will patiently arid quietly submit to be subjected to the great amount of inconvenience and expense, that will result to them through this stupid action of our legislators, who are continually showing their ignorance in matters pertaining to the goldfields, and their incompetency to make laws affecting the interests of the miner, ”

Mu Gilchrist’s'Committee will meet, meet at the Hibernian hotel this evening, at 8 o’clock. ; M u Henry J. Walter,’s Committee are requested by appointment to meet at M‘Cubbiii’3 hotel this evening, at S.o’clock. W, F. IT. Evans announces that at the request of numerous ratepayers, he will contest the election for Bell AVardy • ' The 90th. monthly meeting .of the. Permament Building Society of Otago Avilj, be held at the society’s office, Temple Chambers, Princes street, on Friday evening next at 7 o’clock. , Sale of moneys; at .8 olelock. Mr Robert : Paterson, ,at the request; of a large number of ratepayers, an-' nonnees his intdhtion to alloAV himself to be placed in nomination to represent Bell. Ward in the City Council. . A meeting of the Dunedin Mutual Improvement Society will be hold; in the Lower Hall of the Athenaeum this evening,, at eight precisely. Business: Essay by Mr Bolt "on “The Social and Religious Condition of Europe a Century ago.”