AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2557, 19 June 1882, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

[By Tbxbsbaph.]

[Per s.s. Rotorua, at the Bluff.]

MELBOURNE, June 14. Very little business has been transacted by the Aesembly during the week. The debate on the famous Grrattan address was somewhat animated. Mr Frauds' amendment, disapproving of the expressions contained in the address, and accepting from the signatory members assurances answering for their loyalty, was carried by 37 to 21. A further amendment proposed by Mr Mirams that the unity and integrity of the empire should be maintained was also added. The substanoe was at once telegraphed home by the Governor. A meeting at Emerald Hill strongly condemned the five members, and called for their expulsion, The Grattan committee passed a resolution declaiming any intention of uttering sentiments disloyal or even disrespectful to the Queen. Their whole aim was to atsert the right of the Irish people to self government. The Chairman of the Tariff Commission has written to the Commissioner of Customs recommending foreign barley being malted in bond, and a drawback being allowed to malsters under somewhat similar conditions to those allowed to the milling trade. A Board has been appointed to report upon the treatment of Miss Southon, who wag lately a small-pox patient. The soarch for coal at Narrao»n, at Western Port has proved fruitless.

A Board has exonerated Mr Ford, engineer for the construction of Viotorian Railways from the charges brought against him. O. J. Luoas, injured in the Windsor Railway accident, has been awarded £SXS. The Lusitania, to-day, takes 4500 picked carcases of mutton and some beef.

A robbery has taifji place from Avinski's, a jeweller, in Lonsdale ttreel. The jewellery, valued at nearly £2OOO, was contained in a leather box, which was stolen from a table in his bedroom during Saturday night. SYDNEY, Jane 14. The brig Syren, bound from Eaipara to Sydney, has put into Brisbane. She encountered a terrible gale on June Ist, whioh washed overboard two seamen, besides carrying away the lumber and everything else on dock, and smashing the long boat. Another sea carried away W. &.' Brown, the mate.

It is stated that the Rev. Dr. Barry, Canon of Worcester, is likely to be the new Bishop. Four notorious characters, including Wild Wright, are bushranging about Nymagee. The police are in pursuit. Efforts arc being made to form a third party in the Assembly, independent of the present leaders. It is likely the result will be a success.

The question of raising the Sydney see to an Archbishopric is boing considered.

FLAX FIBRE AND LINSEED OIL.

A meeting was held on Saturday afternoon, in the offices of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Hereford street, to ooniider the advisableness of forming a Flax Fibre and Linseed Oil Company in Canterbury. Preient—Mr W. Henderson (in the ohair), and Messrs J. P. Jamieion, M. Murphy, B. Aherne, J. Miln, B. Marshall (of Oust), J. Pearce, W. Andrews (of Andrews and Eeavan), J. Davis, J. Johnston, Geo. Booth, J. Cook, O. Kiver, W. H. Hubbard, W. Norman, and others. The chairman introduced Mr Davis, Clyde, Wairoa, who submitted papers contributed by him to the "Wairoa Guardian" on tho culture of European flax. If a certain number of farmers were to combine and put in, say, 1000 acres of flax, and subscribe the capital required to purchase the necessary plant, he would be prepared to teach farmers to put the crop through the " retting " or steeping process, and take charge of a mill for preparing flax for market. He had devoted time to the preparation of a small quantity grown of flax (linum usitatissimum), grown at the Kiwi, by Mr Gemmell. The sample had been retted by the continental system, as practised at Oourtrai, Northern France. The flax was allowed to remain five days and nights in water, then spread for three days to dry on grass. After being "crushed," "scutched," and put over the " hackle," the fibre was ready for the spinner. Estimate of expenses and returns for ono acre showed— Rent and taxes, £2 j ploughing, I2i; rolling and harrowing, 15s ; seed (three bushels at 10j), £1 10.4; stripping seed, mowing and oarting, £2 10s ; retting and grassing, £2 ; crushing, soutohing, and packing for export at average yield of 5\ cwt, per acre, £2lss ; total oost, £l2 2s. Beturn from one aoro—--51 owt. fibre at 60s per owt., £l6 10j ; 24 bushels seed at 6.«, £7 4s ; total return, £23 14s; deducting £l2 2s cost of orop left net profit per acre of £ll 12i. Coat of 14 stock mill, patent rollers (for crushing), £35 ; mill (for cleaning), £186; press (for packing),£so; buildings (sheds), £2OO ; steam engine, £3OO ; total, £765. Beturn for nine months —3O tons per month (at £lO per ton), £2700 ; deduct labor (two-thirds estimated), £1800; balance for mill owner, £9OO. Deducting £4OO for cost of coal and oil, wear and tear, left £SOO profit. As it required only four months to mature the flax plant for fibre and seed, its cultivation needed not to intorfere with the sheep-farmer or agriculturist in other work. Where flax sesd was sown in the middle of September, it could be pulled about the middle of January, when shearing had concluded, and harvesting operations were well under way, if not finished. A orop of turnips or rape seed sown after the flax was removed, and fed on during winter by sheep or cattle, would be found useful to stock, would return to the soil the elements extracted by the flii crop, and would fit the land for a similar orop the following year. Th6n fallow, and crop again for two years in succession. By this rotation the soil would be kept free from weeds, and in good " tilth." Dams for retting purposes would not require to be as large as at Home, rb the rapid process which the flax underwent here in water would permit of the dams being used three times in succession by sowing at intervals of from one to two weeks. No chemicals had been used in bringing the specimens on the table to their color. Mr Pearoe questioned the practicability of locally bringing the fibre to so good a oolor without the me of chemicals, which would impair the strength. Mr Miln gave the result of his oxperienoo in the old country. The time for sowing should be carefully selected, that all the seeds might germinate simultaneously. The prioe of labor, being relatively dear hore, should not be overlooked in any calculations. Mr Miln did not find that birds did material damage, even if the seed were dead ripe; neither did they pull up the young crop. Mr Murphy had ascertained the heaviest weight of the seed to be 51'ilbs a bushel. The average was 531bs. One sample, grown by Mr Deans (of Biccarton), weighed 53J1b0. On Mr Jameson's motion, seconded by Mr Murphy, it was resolved —" That Messrs P. Cunningham, W. D. Wood, J. Anderson, J. P. Jameson, G. King, M. Murphy, J. Miln, J. Gimmack, C. Kiver. J. Anderson (of Kangiora), G. Booth, and Thos. Bruce, be requested to take the necessary steps for the formation of a company for the growth and manufacture of flix and oil, and be asked to report at an early date." Mr Booth thought it eosential that the farmers' interest should be aroused. It wai stated that thoßß intending to promote similar operations in Kangiora would probably amalgamate with the company now proposed. Mr Miln said that though a running stream was the best, the artesian was admirably adapted to the objeot tn view. The motion was oariied, aud the proceedings concluded with votes of thanks to Mr Davis and to the chairman.

At the meeting there were shown on the table specimens of European flix fibre, prepared from flax grown by Mr Davis, and from which seed, also exhibited, had been saved. The sample shown was " Riga," flat aDd plump seed, of bright color. The association offer a £l2 10* prize at the November Show for a machine to thresh seed, preserving the straw intaot for fibre purposes. A capital has been suggested of £IO,OOO in shares of £5 each, the company to be limited. Mr Murphy acts as hon. sec. pro tem.