MISCELLANEOUS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 285, 21 August 1874, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

A letter lias been published in the 'Otago Daily Times' from Mrs. Howard, in which she recounts what she has done for immigration. All that she says may be perfectly true—says- the 'Tribune'— we see no reason to doubt its truth—but it entirely misses or ignores the point which has been ipade of the charge against her. Thit point is this—that she bargained with the guardians of the Cork workhouse for a large number off girfe from that institution, and that these girlis were quite unsuitable-, as immigrants, and on this subject Mrs. Howard does not say a single word—in fact, she- allows judgment to go by default. Mr. T. Pavletich, of the Universal Hotel, Maclaggan-stseet, requests us (' Guardian') to state that he intends to establish a piggery on a large scale shortly in the vicinity of the city, and wishes it. to be understood that it is not from, any mercenary motives that he has taken the initiative in the movement, but that his action in the matter has been actuated from purely philanthropic motives and a love of bacon. We notice by advertisement that he has called a meeting to settle the preliminaries, to be holden at his, hotel on Tuesday next.

The 'New Zealand Times'of a recent date, contains the following :—" The latest telegraphic,news from England contains one item of intelligence which will be gratifying to the colonists of New Zealand generally, inasmuch as it conveys intimation of a well-deserved honor having been conferred upon the good and faithful the country, the Hon. the Minister lor Native Affairs. Already a companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, the Hon. Donald M'Lean has been raised to the higher grade of Knight Commander of the most distinguished order, as a special mark of his Sovereign's approval of the manner in which, as member of the present Ministry, he has aided in preserving peace in the colony, and in promoting friendly relationship between its European and native inhabitants. There is, perhaps, no man in the Australian) colonies upon whom such honor could have been more justly conferred ;• through - out his. life as a colonist, and especially during his tenure of office as Defence Minister, Mr. M'Lean has been to the colony and to the Crown of greater service than might have been the expenditure of millions and the presence of an armed host; and upon his... elevation to the dignity of knight, he will, no doubt, be congratulated by his fellow Ministers, by the members of both Houses of the Assembly and by the people of the colony generally."

The Australian and New Zealand Land Company are at present, according to the ' Southland Times,' carrying on extensive operations on their property at Mataura. From thirty-five to forty double-furrow ploughs are constantly at work, and each day, when the weather is at all favorable, from seventy to eighty acres of virgin soil are broken up. It is' Calculated that, at the end of the season, some eleven miles of country will have been operated upon by i the plough. Notwithstanding the number of immigrants that have arrived in Southland, the manager experiences great difficulty in obtaining men to carry on the extensive improvements' which are contemplated by the Company. The same paper says numbers of the immigrants sent out are found to be totally unfitted for country work, and adds that it may be possible to utilise men who, ; although they have not had any previous experience, are still-possessed of thew and sinew ; but it is a difficult matter to obtain anything like a fair day's work from those whose previous occupation has been that of bird-catching or billiard-marking.