Untitled

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1108, 31 August 1871, Page 2

In the House of Repiesentatives, on Tuesday last, Mr Haughfcon was to move, " That the question of Chinese immigration he referred to the Gfoldtields Committee, v*'ith the view of a report as to its probable effect upon the. gold-fields of this Cqlony." A notice has been posted up in the drill-shed, Albert Barracks, Auckland, bearing the signature of Major Gordon, prohibiting the extension of any meeting of Volunteers after 9 o'clock, at whiGh hoMr the gas will be turned off. This restriction has been made in consequence of the unnecessary length to which some of the meetings have been prolonged of late,

ViNQANXJJ EXPOETS. T?E Wanganui Chronicle says :-~ Among the curiosities on board the Satellite bound for Levuka are four or five dojzen of rats. These troublesome animals, acclimatised by Captain Cook 101 years ago, are, it appears, in great request at the Fijis, where t they are saii; to live upon another and apparently greater pest in the shape of some kind of bug that destroys the cocoa oii casks,. This is probably a remedy founded on the choice of the lesser evil. A number of dogs (the exact figure fluctuating from, day to day) are also on board this cutter at the Heads, and intended for the Levuka market. W& have heard that four of these brutes jumped overboard the other day, by no means relishing the prospect of their free passage and ultimate destination ; one was drowned and the rest, escaped to the sand-hills. Parties in, town who within the last few days have missed their dogs have got a habit of rushing to the Heads, and it is said that; sometimes they have found their property in that vicinity. If this rakish craft does not soon leave the river the dog-tax next year may be seriously affected, for,, while the Satellite or any other vessel entered outwards is welcome to a whole cargo of rats, it ought to be remembered, that to denude the district of dogs would seriously affect the revenue, throw somecivil servants out of employment, perhaps weaken the Government, and certainly give Sir George Bowen the opportunity of writing to the Secretary of State fo* the Colonies in re the Fiji trade.