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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 996, 19 April 1871, Page 2

The Evening Post, April 8, says ; A Court Martial, or Board of Inquiry, composed of Colonel Reader, Colonel Gorton, Majors Edwards, M'Baraet, and Withers, sat to-day at Mount Cook Barracks to investigate some charges preferred against Inspector M'Donald. The result of the inquiry had not transpired when we went to press, but we trust that when the proceedings are concluded, full publicity will be given to them. To morrow (Thursday) will be polling day for the Superintendence of the Province of Wellington. The old Wanganui cavalry intend to take .step." to obtain the award of fifty acres of land they consider themselves entitled to. A fatal accident occurred (says the Wanganui Herald] on Monday, 3rd instant, on the No. 1 Line. A man named Long started work this morning at the gravel pits near Mr John Cameron's. Not long after he had commenced, an immense block of earth, some forty tons in weight, fell on him, crushing him against a cart, death being instantaneous. The body was extricated and brought into town to the Bed Lion Hotel. An inquest was held at 4 o'clock the same day, at which the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."

NEW ZEALAND FLAX, j \Ye (Southern Cross) have been favored with the following, a copy of which, we believe, has been sent to the Flax Commissioners : "Wellington, 21st Feb. ; 1871w The method of preparation which T suggest should he applied to the Phormium tenax may be biiefly summed up as follows -.—Each leaf should be split, after which the half leaves should be pa-sed through heavy rollers, and placed in alternate tiers with loose earth, and in this state to be left for, say, one week for the purpose of absorption of the gum and other extraneous matter. At the expiration of this time the flax should be passed through two or three sete of rollers, made either of wood or wood covered with lead, with a difference of revolution in favor of the upper one. These rollers T would propose to weight by means of elongated axles, supporting the pressure of a lever similar to that used in a country cheese press, The rollers should be supplied with dry river sand, and with a copious supply of water falling from a height of say feet. The delivery from the last roller should be on to a sloping platform, formed as a screen, a shoot being constructed to receive the deposit from under each roller, felling into the same tank which would receive the deposit from the screen. The sand thus deposited would again be fit for use by being kiln-dridd, The whole process involving the u«e of sand, T. am inclined to believe, might be obviated by the use of rollers of Oamaru stone. The chief advantage of the process I have attempted to describe may be said to exist in the operation of sand, or grit, in the disintegration of the particles of vegetable matter contained in the valuable plant under consideration. No fear need be entertained that the process would be injurious to the fibre, as any one acquainted with the habitat of the plant will well know in what a state flax is left after +he mastication of cattle ; above all, its cleanliness is then especially remarkable, it often assuming the appearance of the finest hem)), and in this state the fibre will readily take tar, only, having parted with its gum, the beautiful gloss is lost. I contend, also, tint the action of the particles of sand or grit would be analogous to the process by which the Maoris now handdress the fibre. My reason for the use of earth is that I have noticed that flax having been buried for a short time has become very pliable, and if left in the earth for a very long time becomes com pletely rotted.' Now, I wish to take the mean between the two, and assist Nature in her work of decay, by first destroying the tenacity of the coating of the leaf by severe pressure, and then, bringing chemical action to my aid, by the fact of piling the partially-destroyed leaves until they commence to ferment. The exact time chosen to liberate them at this staoe Can only be known by experience. The gum and vegetable matter in this stage is in a soft, loose state, and the scrubbing action that T would apply, with the assistance of water, wouid, I have not the slightest doubt, bring the fibre into thab state of preparation at present so much desired. I am convinced that earth will be found the best solvent and absorbent thai can be used, though what particular description of toil should be supplied Tam not, without further experiment, in a position to state. By determining the chemical properties of the soil that may be found best suited for this purpose, probably a discoveiy would be made of some simple chemical matter that might with advantage be artificially employed. The reason for my opinion that the use of sand or grit will be found effective in dressing the fibre has been adduced from my observation of roots of flax which, having been washed down by the rivers, have lodged with alluvial deposit; in such cases, the roots being held by the superincumbent gravel, leaving the leaves free, and the flood subsiding, I have in many instances seen the flax beautifully dressed; as also in othei instances, where the sea, having received from the rivers, lias placed the plant in the above mentioned position, leaving the fibre in a thorough state of preservation—very fine, quite white, and denuded of nearly all its gum." [FR.QM THE HOME NEWSd New Zealand flax is obtaining a reputation beyond rope walks, and

among the ranks of the learned ones o T the work!.. In a most interesting account of a visit recently paid to Kevv Garden*, the . following v appears : " New Zealand flax (pbcrmium tenax) will serve to show us how truly Kevy Gardens may be described as a great botanical menagerie. It is a notable illustration of the truth, which is at length being seen in all its significance, that herb*, and plants, and trees are as actually at war among themselves as are anv of the caged animals that fife kept by iron bars from making weaker animals their prey. The* struggle for existence, which involves the destruction of the weaker individuals, is by no means confined to the animal not only i*.— Nature red in tooth and claw With raving in the world of animal life, by reason of the struggle for existence; but even herbs and trees and plants are as persistent in attacking aikl overcoming one' another as the carnivorous creatures, that fly at the throat of their prey. Here, iu Kew Gardens, are instances in which the extirpation of the weaker individuals and tribes of plants is prevented by attentions which areas necessary to preserve the endangered plants, as ate iron bats for endangered, animals. The New Zealand flax plant before us. is an astonishing illustration of internecine vegetable warfare. But in this tough-looking and formidable specimen, of which Kew Zealanders make string, and cordage, and fishing nets, stronger than any that can be made of hemp —is it the victoi or the prey in the struggle 1 Tt is the victim, and the little white clovei of our fields is its enemy, assailant, and conqueror ! Let us state the facte with still greater precUenes* and on the testimony of the best authority. 'ln New Zealand,' says Sir John Hooker, * the little white clover and other herbs are actually killing and strangling outright the New Zealand flax, a plant of the coarsest,, hardest, and toughest description—a plant which forms huge matted patches of woody rhizomes, which sends tip tufts of sword-like leaves, six to ten feet high, inconceivably strong in texture and fibre. I know of no English plant (says Sir John Hooker) to which the New Zealand flax can be likened, so robust in its constitution and habit. Tn some respects the great matted tussocks of Carex paniculata resemble New Zealand flax. Tt is difficult to imagine this little white closer invading our English bogs, and smothering the tussocks of Carex paniculata, but the resistance the Carex could offer to the attack would be child's play in comparison to chat which the Pbormium could apparently oppose. And yet in New Zealand the white clover is planted to extirpate this formidable looking flax, with its-' sword like leaves, sometimes ten feet long. Thus is the story of David and Goliath enacted in the vegetable world. And although, '•vheii the masses of New Zealand flax are broken through by cattle, numbers of other plants appear in the disturbed: soil, our common white clover rides triumphant over all, and remains sole master of the field.' "