MISCELLANEOUS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 212, 21 March 1873, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Mr. E. B. Cargill was a passenger by the Dakota, en route for -Great Britain. As it will thus be impossible for him ifco be present at the next session of the Provincial Council, he has resigned his seat as one of the representatives of the city. Canoe Club.—The Duchess of Slither-" land has joined the Canoe Club as a life member. There are four canoes in the boathouse at Dunrobin Castle, and in one of these her G-race (who is a good swiinoaer) paddles on the salt waves of tfutherlandshire, or in the smoother lake at Trentham.

Admiral Eichards, Hydrographer to the Admiralty, said that the Challenger was a frigate fitted out to make a voyage of scientific discovery and research rouud the world.. Its object.is to investigate the mysterious-regions under the sea, and so this differs from any other expedition ever undertaken. Months will be spent in investigating the Atlantic. Prom the Cape of Good Hope the Challenger will proceed to the icy-barrier which hems- in the unknown Antarctic continent. Thence she will go to Australia, New Zealand, Manilla, Japan, and other places, and will' traverse the great oceans from north' to south. Great results are expected from this voyage: A hundred years ago Capt. Cook set on his great voyage, and there was much said about it. ' Now we are more enlightened and say less, though we expect more. —' G-eographical Association.'

Piecework in Ageicultuee.—Lord Nelson, in an address which his lordship has recently circulated among his tenantry of Whiteparish, in Wilts, says: "I press you to give piecework for everything, winter and summer. Turning, spreading, and casting dung will all come into piecework. You will not pay.a farthing more for the quality, of the work done. You will be enabling the best men to earn what they are really .worth, and you will be educating and bringing up a better style of labour. What can be worse policy than to ieep an active young man, under '2O, at a lower wage than his elders, simply because they are older or may be married men ? Piecework at once cures this evil, and enables the young man to hold his own when he has the ability and desire to lay by; I know it can be done so as to raise the wages to a clear 14s. throughout the year, without counting the wife's or children's earnings, and if it can be made to pay in one case why can't it in all ? But it' piecework is to educate the labourer he must be kept on, both, winter and summer, it' you would really wish to improve the character and value of the labour in .your district." Piecework has also been'strongly recommended in similar terms to the farmers of Dorset. Salmon foe New Zealand.—Another attempt to introduce salmon into the rivers of New' Zealand will be made, during the present month. A large number of salmon eggs will shortly be shipped "from"the London Docks to (3tago, at which place artificial breeding ponds, on an extensive scale, have been prepared for their reception. ' The carrying out of the arrangements on this side of the water has. been entrusted to Mr. James Youl, a gentleman who has taken a great interest and prominent part in the shipment of various cargoes of salmon ova to the Colonies, and who was, moreover, the first to start the idea of acclimatising .salmon in the Australian and New Zealand rivers. Although, as yet, no proof positive, has been brought forward as to the " salmonisation" of these rivers, Mr. Youl and others feel.confident, from the formation which has been brought forward on several occasions, that salmon, the' produce of eggs sent from England, do exist in more or less numbers in many waters where the experiment'has been tried, the large size and. rocky nature of the rivers rendering the chance of capture somewhat remote, more especially when the draughting of rivers is doubtless imperfectly understood by. the colonists who are not probably supplied with effective engines of capture. The salmon eggs which are to be forwarded to Otago will be collected from English, Irish,- and Scotch waters, and Mr. Buckland and others have promised to assist in the undertaking. It is • satisfactory to learn that both the white and the brown trout have been successfully introduced into several of our colonial rivers. Many waters, is is said, are now plentifully stocked with either or both of these fish.— The 'Times.' . . Since the earth closet system was commenced in Auckland, no less than 600 closets have been, constructed upon that principle. The new form of closets give satisfaction to all-who try it. The cost of construction is very moderate, about 9s. *xnd for clearing once a fortnight, 13s. a year. " The Dunedin ' Star' says that in referring to railway?, Sir David Vlunro at Waikouaiti told his audience that in Victoria they did things differently: there railways were discussed by the Press, in

Parlianient, in' Select Committees, and by pamphlets, for two years prior to arriving at a decision, and the agitation ended in making lines at a cost of £35,000 a mile. ; Bat in New Zealand, "a moribund Parliament decided upon constructing them at an expense oi £5,000 a mile. A certain twinge of the intellectual conscience seemed to tell him that this sounded yery like praise' rather than'censure of the "moribund" House of Representatives, so he clinched, it by saying,the Victorians were now try|to construct lines at £3,000 per mile. If Machiavellr was right in saying that " Words were' intended to" conceal thoughts," Sir David Monro's two hours'" speaking are an apt illustration. Seiious. comment is thrown away upon such lame and inconclusive utterances., .It is well, to hear, them, for through "them the man becomes known; but surely Waikouaiti, had no need to have left Otago to find one as inconsistent as Sir David. MonroWe regret to think dozens might be found who fancy him ah oracle. At Arrowtown, .on Wednesday, March sth, before H. A. Stratford, Esq., K.M.,. a man named James Willis was charged by Jacob London, hawker, with having stolen from his waggon certain articles of" wearing apparel, valued at £5. . There was no evidence to. prove. Willis committed the theft, and he was discharged. The directors' of the Canuck Range Water Supply Company have accepted tenders for cutting the 2i miles of race to complete the work-as far as Duffer's Saddle. The extent of' race already finished is 3f miles, and when the saddle is reached the distance cut will be. 0j miles. The directors have been much crippled for want' of funds to carry, on the work, and it is hoped that the.appeal-made to bis Honor the- Superintendent to assist them may result in his inducing the Colonial .Executive to advance without turther delay the amount of the loan applied for by ;he Company. The .. .question of. transferring themanagement of the Groldfields to the General Government will shortly be discussed by the various Miners'" Associations. If the manner in which the Greneral G-oyernraent have treated the Carrick Water Supply Company in regard to the promised loan, —harassing and delaying them at'all points, heaping expense upon them for surveys aud reports without end, and entirely without result as . yet, —is 'to be accepted as a sample of what the G-eneral Government's " management" will be, the longer the consideration of the handing-over question 'is shelved the better for the Goldlields.'—' Cromwell Argus.'--- .

The construction of the submarine boat is being' pushed forward as speedily as possible by the. sub-contractors for the hull, Messrs Thomas ' and Sparrow, Cumberland street, and we areiiiformed by Messrs Yiilaine and Nutfcall,' the contractors, that the ' remaining portions of the work will be sublet this week, in order that the various sections may be completed at about the same time. The first section of the "hull or bow of the boat is almost completed, and a good portion of the stern is ready for ■ fitting together j most of the material required : is on the ground, and, if no unnecessary - delay occurs, efforts will ' he made by Messrs Villaine and JSTuttall to have the boat ready for removal up country before the roads are bad.—' Daily 'J irnes.' A telegram from Wellington says :—Mr. Vogel will not leave Auckland until after the departure of- the Governor, when he and Mr. M'Lean will come down in the -Luna. It is believed in well-informed quarters that no Ministerial-changes will' take place until Parliament meets, Mr. Fox remaining .Premier: Mr. Reynolds went to Melbourne to arrange business in connection with the Public Works department. He returns per Rangitoto. - ' Bruce Herald.'