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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1115, 8 September 1871, Page 2

Speaking of the Colonial flax exhibition at Wellington, the Post says : On the 20th August the Governor visited the Colonial Museum, to see the specimens of flax—the growing plant, dressed fibre, and manufactured articles —which the Royal Commission have collected during the past twelve months in the course of their labors. These specimens were classified and arranged in a complete manner, that reflects great credit on the care and labor bestowed by the Commission, or, rather, by Colonel Haultain and Dv Hector, on the work which they have under taken. It is impossible for the most careless to glance round on the articles exhibited without being impressed with a sense of the extent to which the flax industry might be developed in New Zealand, and also with a feeling of how little really has been done as yet. In one part of the exhibition is to be seen a ca.se containing all known fibres, and in another all those in use. In one compartment are exhibited samples of flax sent up specially to the Museum, and which may be accepted also as specimens of what the different dressers can accomplish by their several processes, Some of these exhibits are really beautiful, while all are of a quality that would doubtless command a good sale in the home markets. In other compartments are shown hanks of flax, obtained out of bales that have actually been sold in the London market, and which, therefore, are faithful specimens of the articles really sent home. The price at which these speci menn were actually sold is affixed to each. A glance at many of these will explain the low figure which most of the flax exported from New Zealand commands, and a comparison between the hanks sent up to the Museum and those purchased in Loudon will convince any one that dressers have only to spend a little more care on the fibre to make every bale exported command a high price. Native dressed flax and machine manufactured articles are exhibited, also fancy goods made out of flax dyed with European dyes. Some of these latter are peculiarly beautiful, and scarcely to be distinguished from silk. The walls of the museum are decorated with Maori mats, and probably there never have been collected together so many and such beautiful specimens of this kind of Maori manufacture. Many of them are only lent to the museum for the occasion by chiefs, who would not part with them for any sum. The police, we (Wauganui Chronicle) understand, have been industriously digging about the sand hills at Wangaehu in search of M'Kenzie McDonald's cash box which he telegraphs he had hid in the neighborhood of the late hotel. It may be all a ruse to make the counsel necessary to his defence believe him a man of money. It is reported in St. Petersburg that the Emperor Alexander 11. of Russia, previous to his. recent departure for Germany, took a solemn pledge to abstain entirely from spirituous liquors. The German Courts, have been privately informed of this and, in consequence, no wine will be offered to anybody at the repasts at which the Czar is present.

Hitherto, there have been no sittings of the Supreme Court held in borough, but the Government havj given hopes of such being the case be. fore long. The Otago Daily Times says that ft is gratifying to learn that tin; adapts bility of New Zealand flax and othet fibres, as well as the bai k of sonie of our indigenous tree-;, for paper -makin*' is attracting attention in England, will be seen from the following extract from, the Paper-Maker's Journal of the 31st May last:—"The usual monthly meeting of the Paper-Maker's Club held at the Terminus Hotel, Cannon. street, on Tuesday, the 9th instant, flip John Evans the President, in th R chair. There was a considerable attm. dance. The subject of the manufacture of wood pulp was again brought for. ward, and an interesting discussion en. sued. Several samples of wood pulp were received and submitted to examination. A letter was read from Mr M'Glashan, of Otago, New Zealand, enclosing some specimens of half stuff, and a small quantity of very excellent vegetable fibre, which if it could be obtained in any quantity, would doubtless be a very valuable material for paper making. This material was so much appreciated that it was deter, mined to conespond with Mr M'Glashan, to inquire at what price it could b& delivered in this country, and if a sup. ply could be obtained. It was also decided, in order to test its value, Mr M'Glashan should be requested to send from eight to ten tons at the pi ice of £8 a ton, delivered in London." For the information of those who are interested in the matter, we may add that Mr M'Glashan has some samples, of half stuff prepared by himself, which he will be very happy to exhibit to the curious. They consist of flax, various grasses, and manuka and ribbon-wood bark. A correspondent of the Taranaki Herald, writing of the medicinal qualities of various native plants, says : " Koromiko buds are too well known to our settlers to need man remarks, You take the young buds before the leaves separate and chew them. Six of the buds I known stop a bad diarrhoea. I have s* en the bu Is used only in diarrhoea. In dysentery you cannot use a better medicine than charcoal well powderecj and mixed with water. Any settler can make his own charcoal for this purpose; and as the medicine is cheaper than ehlorodyne, I wonder it is not more used. A nice food during an obstinate ca«e of dysentery is made by tying about four ounces of flour as lightly possible in around ball, in a cotton cloth ; boil the ball in water for four hours ; then take up and pound it fine again, make it into gruel, and take about a fourth part when food is required. The gum of the flax leaf eaten in its natural state is also a powerful astringent jn diarrhoea." A correspondent, writing from Camgolah to the Indian Daily New.s, says: — l - A shooting party has just broken up, after beating the southern jungles of Puneah for several day. The party were nearly the same that two years ago beat the same covers and bagged' eight ligers in seven days. This yearthey were less successful. However, they got four tigers, one of which (a tigress) showed great sport, charging four elephants one after another. She got on the head of a howdah elephant, dug her claws into the mahout's calf, and would haye had the man off but for a timely shot from the howdah thai knocked her down She was up again into the back of another elephant. The occupant nas nearly pitched put.. He fired his gun, pistol fashion, holding on with one hand; wh.en she let go. the howdah ropes she was holding with her teeth. Besides the four tigers, they had a good bag of buffaloes, deer, and pigsA male buffalo charged right and left, making good his charge on one of the elephants, burying his horns some inched deep in the elephant's flank." A Spanish journal relates that a days ago, a party of huntsmen entered a wood, where they found a species of grotto, and perceiving smoke to issue from it had the curiosity to enter, wbd a strange spectacle met their ga*. Before them stood a human being almost naked, with long and thick grel , beard that reached to. below sho nit $

-the stomach. He was occupied in roag tjng a quarter of a wild animal. He appeared extremely surprised and disconcerted at the presence of strangers in his grotto, and began to speak in a Jano-uage which appeared to resemble the°Spanish. It was some -time however before the man could make himself understood, when he related that he had fled from Madrid forty years ao-o on account, of his having committed a crime of fratricide, and that he jiud lived for a long time in the grotto where they found him, subsisting on roots, dead animals, and food taken by hunting; using for the purpose a bow and arrow which he hud made. They pressed him earnestly to accompany them to the town to which they belonged, but he resolutely refused, sayino- that he could not -possibly lead a more agreeable life than he was enjoy • iner. They :then left him, being entreated hy him not to reveal what they had seen. This, as is evident, .they failed to comply with.