The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, MARCH 4. 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 53, 4 March 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, MARCH 4. 1870.

A gentleman who has been travelling through the province of Olago for the purpose of acquiring information on the subject of flax, has contributed the result of his observations to one of the Dunedin papers, from which we take such portions as are of nacre than local interest. The production of that province at present is about 20 tons per week of the dressed fibre, and it is expected shortly to reach 50 tons. As in some places the leaves are being cut in an injudicious manner, mill-owners are strongly advised to use the utmost care in cutting, and not to take the young and tender shoots, and so destroy the plant as to prevent its bearing a full crop the following year. Under the present system it is much to be feared that the supply will run short before mill owners are aware of it. The cost of production appears to range between £12 and £14 per ton, but this is at a very high rate of wages, as even boys ara in receipt of 255. per week, thus the labor becomes a most serious item of cost. " Very imperfect arrangements appear to have been made at some of the mills for washing and drying. In some cases the flax is only washed for a few minutes in running water, being stirred about by sticks ; in others it is allowed to soak for an hour or two ; while in some instances it remains in the water for several hours. We believe it would be better if it could be trodden by the feet, so as thoroughly to loosen the fibre, and passed through several rinsing troughs, each higher up the stream than the other, so that the impurities would be carried quickly off. Then, on the drying and bleaching ground, if the grass be Euglish grass, it will grow under and through the flax and greatly discolor it. Short native grass forms the best bleaching ground, as it is not so succulent, and therefore does not discolor the fibre." The prevailing opinion seems to be that it will scarcely pay to " scutch " the flax in this country, as a sufficiently high price cannot be procured for the tow obtained in the process, but if this could be got rid of in New Zealand at £7 or £8 per ton, it would then be worth while to scutch. It seems quite certain that, if judiciously cut, at least one full crop a year can be obtained off the wild plants — by cultivation, it might be quite possible to get two crops. If the planting of a large acreage is contemplated, it is considered desirable to obtain from the North Island some young plants of the yellow flowered kind, which is said to besuperior to the red flowered description prevalent in this island. If it be true, as we are told, that 10 to 15 tons per acre of the leaf may be obtained, equal to a produce of l£ to two tons of fibre per acre s there could scarcely be a more profitable crop, and once put in the ground, with proper management, the plants would last for years. It is clear, says the Times, that much has to be learnt with respect to flax dressing, and we ought not to be satisfied until some effective means of ridding the fibre of the gum, which is the great objection at present, is discovered.

. The Name of the man who was reported as missing from the steamer Kennedy has been found to be Robert Nurse, not Norris, as previously stated. Inspection Pakade. — The monthly inspection of the two town companies which were represented on the ground by some two and twenty men and four or five officers, took place yesterday afternoon. If the muster of yesterday is the largest that can be obtained, the sooner our volunteers are disbanded the better, for it must be highly unsatisfactory to those who are regular attendants, and whose heart is in the work to be compelled to take part in such an act of child's play as the parade of last evening. The Clocks. — A correspondent inquires the reason of the difference between the church and telegraph clocks, and asks by which he is to be guided in going to aud from his work and his meals, aud how his wife is to regulate her cooking ; especially as he works in one part of the town, and some of his children work or go to school in another — one going by the clock on the hill, the other by the one in the valley, so that his "good wife is bothered out of her life." We cannot account for the discrepancy, and do not know which is right, but should think it might be easily remedied. Pioneer Company. — Captain Cock returned from Collingwood by the Lady Barkly this morning, aud brings very encouraging news of the copper discovered on the Pioneer Company's clatrei. There is, we understand, every indication of the lode extending the further it is worked, and some fresh specimens of excelleut quality have been brought over by the steamer. We may state that a letter was received from Dr. Hector a few days ago relative to some specimens which had been sent to him for analysis, and that he confirms the report of Captain Cock as to the percentage of copper. Presbyterian Sunday Schools. — The children attending these Schools were yesterday treated to a picnic, which was given in Mr. Richardson's paddock. A large number of happy youngsters assembled on the ground by noon, and games of every description became the order of the day until five o'clock, when they all sat down to a capital tea, provided by Mr. Chisholm, after doing full justice to which, the merry party returned to town, having thoroughly enjoyed their day's recreation. Perseverance Company. — The working of this claim has been proceeded with until a drive of 45 feet has been completed, and the reef has now reached a width of 5 feet. Some specimens have been sent over to Messrs. Curtis Brothers, an examination of which will satisfactorily remove any doubts that may have existed as to the existence of gold in the stone. By the Gothenburg which came into harbor this morning, the manager from Messrs Langlands, who is to superintend the erection of the works, has arrived, and as the machinery is expected by the .next steamer from Melbourne, we may hope to hear the results of the first crushing within about six weeks from this date. The Wangapeka. — From a gentleman who arrived in town yesterday afternoon, we learn that a hearty welcome has been accorded to Mr. Kynnersley by the miners, to whom his appointment to the wardenship appears to have given great satisfaction. Mr. Kynuersley opened his court on Monday last, and before proceeding to business he addressed a few words to those, present. He was glad to see so many familiar faces among them, and was sure that they would always assist him in the preservation of order. To those who were strangers to him he might say that whilst he was on the West Coast, he had always insisted upon law and order being kept, a statement in which he was sure he would be borne out by those then present who had known him when he was in office before, and he had only to say that it was his intention to do the same in the district to which he had lately been appointed, i At the conclusion of his address Mr. Kynnersley was loudly cheered, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that he enters upon his new duties among men who know him, and entertain the highest respect for him. Culliford's case had been partially heard when our informant left, but the decision had not been given. It was generally supposed, however, that the prospector's claim, extending 300 feet along the face of the reef, would be awarded to him and his mates. Rumours are afloat of excellent speclmeua having

been taken from the reef at some distance from Culliford*s claim, and great hopes are entertained that the field is going to turn out a rich one. A Miner of the name of Delargy has had a wonderful escape in a claim neat Charleston. The claim, which has a face of nearly 40 feet in height, was being worked by sluicing, and at the time of the accident, Delargy and another man were employed at the face when, without the least warning, an immense mass of earth and a quantity of large timber fell, com* I pletely burying Delargy and jamming hi 3 mate by the leg. The alarm was at once given, and a large number of miners collected, and after about two hours aud a half of hard labor, succeeded in extricating Delargy alive, and, with the exception of a few severe bruises, none the worse, he having providentially been preserved from death by some timber having falleu across the tail race, thereby saving him from being crushed.