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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 934, 3 February 1871, Page 3

A letter from Carcoar, N.S.W., states that the recent rains and cold have killed 30,000 sheep in that district. Several salmon were seen in the Derwent river, Hobart Town, on the 7th ult., some of which were estimated to weigh from i!o!bs to 301bs each.

The report of the Adelaide Meat Preserving Cumpany is very encouraging. Thirty-seven thousand sheep have been preserved during the mouths of September and December.

Dr. Irvine read a paper at the meeting of the Nelson Scientific Association on a method of detecting heating in wool, flax,, &c, on board ship. He observed that the desideratum in this respect was s uue contrivance which should indicate a dangerous rise of temperature before any portion of the cargo had become so hot as to undergo charring; f»r that when this latter stage had arrived it was not sale to get flux out of the hold, the contact of the air causing it to burst into a flame. He proposes to affect this object by carrying a copper wire through the bales, and connecting the ends with a small galvanic battery, which will thus keep a current of electricity in perpetual circulation so long as the connection remains perfect in every part. The wire is to be severed in a tube (which was exhibited) placed in each bale, but the electric connection is still maintained by a small quantity of quicksilver between the cut ends; should, however, the temperature rise to 160degs. Fahr., the melting of two plugs of beeswax which keep the quicksilver in its place, causes the latter to run out, and the electric circuit is broken. This occurrence may be signalled by various kinds of tell-tale apparatus which Dr. Irvine enumerated, but the kird he prefers is a horse-shoe electro magnet, forming part of the circuit, and placed on deck or in the cabin. The moment the circuit is broken, the armature of the electromagnet instantly falls, and may be made to start an alarum, attracting attention to the fact of a dangerous degree of heat existing in the hold. Dr Irvine, assisted by Mr Tatton, illustrated the simplicity and practicability of the invention by some interesting experiments, He exexplained that the temperature at which the danger-sigual is to be given need not be 160degs. (the melting point of wax), but any other below 400 min. (at which charring takes place) that may be selected, the plugs being made of a suitable material accordingly. Sir David Monro suggested the employment of fusible metal lor this purpose. —Colonist,

NEW MAIL CONTRACT. If the late accounts from Sydney are to be relied upon, the grand postal scheme entered into between Mr Vogel on the part of New Zealand, and Mr M'Cann Neilson on the part of Mr Webb, of San Francisco, bids fair to break through. Mr Webb is said to have distinctly stated that he would not run his vessels from port to port in New Zealand —a resolve which every practical man must have anticipated. The idea of employing vessels of the tonnage of the Nebraska, after twenty four days hard steaming, to extend their voyage another four days along the coast to perform a service which a steamer like the Taranaki would execute equally well, is one of the most insane things we ever heard of. It is equivalent to employing a coach-and-six to do the work of an express-wagon. Fancy a paddle-wheel steamer of nearly 2,200 tons, with empty bunkers, and little or no cargo, facing a south-easter from the East Cape down to Port Chalmers, and keeping her contract time. Why the thing is a rank absurdity, and a clear proof of how little Mr Vogel understood what he was proposing, or Mr M'Cann Neilson what he undertook. But Mr Webb understands what such an undertaking means. It means entailing on him an unnecessary expense of very many thousand pounds a-year, and subjecting his vessels to great unnecessary wear and tear and risk ; so, like a shrewd Yankee, he repudiates that part oj the engagement.

The whole contract made with Mr Neilson when calmly reviewed, exhibits similar defects of judgment. To suppose that New Zealand could obtain a monopoly of the postal service with England through America, to the exclusion of the large colonies of Australia, was what no man of common sense could believe. It was not likely the people of Victoria, and New South Wales, and Queensland, to gratify New Zealand, would send their mails along two sides of a triangle, when they could shorten time and distance by steering a direct course. The very attempt to force Australia to depend for its American mails on New Zealand, naturally begat .opposition. Mr Vogel says, in his Memorandum of November last, that he believes " that the contract times aro such that it would be impossible for the Australian colonies not to come in and contribute fairly in reduction of the .£60,000 subsidy." Instead of our expensive service exacting a contribution, it is altogether ignored, the Australian colonies starting a direct service of their own. Losing the Australian traffic will the trade of New Zealand alone maintain Mr Webb's fleet of 2,200 ton steamers ? Of course it will not, and instead of the Postmaster-General compelling New South Wales and Victoria to contribute to his line, New Zealand will have to put up with a branch line from Fiji. As this will ensure a large saving of money, the sooner the idea of our grand trunk line of unsuitable paddle-wheel steamers is abandoned, the better.—Nelson Examiner.