The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 211, 7 September 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1870.

It is exceedingly interesting in looking over the ample statistics, that are from time to time furnished by the Government, to note the changes that occur uuder the various headings in the list of exports from the colony, for the figures there to be found afford the surest indication of the progress or otherwise of our various local industries. In looking over the returns which appear in the last Gazette it is highly satisfactory to find that two or three of these industries have either sprung into existence, or have assumed very large proportions, since the same period in last year, namely, the three months ending 30th June. The most noticeable of these is the tallow trade which last year was quite insignificant, the value of the article exported during the second quarter of the year being not more than £2764, while in the same period in 1870 the large quantity of 14,587 cwts. of a value of £28,394 was shipped away to other countries. This large increase is no doubt due to the pastoral country becoming stocked, and we must therefore be prepared to find that the export of wool will not continue to increase at the same rate as it has hitherto done, but it is satisfactory to fiud that some means have been adopted for turning our vast flocks to account, aud that an answer to the enquiry of the alarmed sheep-farmer as to what he should do with his sheep is furnished by the return before us which shows that we are now exporting an article produced by the surplus stock to the extent of considerably over £100,000 a year. Another item connected with the pastoral interests shows that the flocks and herds of New Zealand are being turned to account in other ways besides that of boiling them down for the sake of their tallow, for there now appears for the first time in the list of exports the heading "Preserved Meats," under which we find that £4033 worth of this article has been sent out of the colony during the quarter, the great bulk of it having been furnished by Canterbury. This meat preserving industry is yet in its infancy, but, if we mistake not, it is destined at no distant period to figure very largely in our export trade. We now come to the article of flax, and here we find that great advances have been made within the last twelvemonths. One year ago the export for the quarter amounted to £7,386, now, during the same period 1,751 tons, of a value of £44,307, have been despatched to the Home market. Nelson, we are sorry to fiud, does not make a great show in this column, her export amounting to but 16 tons, but we hope soon to see this trade entered upon extensively in our out districts, where the raw material is to be found in large quantities. Probably, few amongst us ever expected to see the day when flax in the leaf would be carted from 15 miles up the country into Nelson to be manufactured, and surely, if this can be effected with a profit to the manufacturers, there is plenty of inducement to our out settlers to erect mills and machines, and to commence to work at the flax, which is growing in such large quantities at their very doors. We are surprised to find that in this industry, as well as in the preserved meats, and tallow trades, Canterbury takes the lead, for we had always been under the impression that Auckland was the largest flax exporting province in New Zealand ; the quantities however, exported from the various provinces are — Auckland, 507 tons ; Wellington, 123 tons ; Canterbury, 91 1 tons ; Dunedin, 132 tons ; and Southland, 62 tons. One more item and we have done. In these days when there is some talk of placing a protective duty upon wheat, it may be interesting to knowthat during the three months ending 30th June last, New Zealand exported 225,440 bushels of wheat, the value of which was £44,385. Statistics may be exceedingly dry reading, but there is much to be learnpfl fromftheir careful perusal.

Scientific Association.— The monthly meeting of this Society will be held at the Government Buildings, this evening, at the usual hour. j Culliford's Reef. —We learn that the long drive on the Culliford Company's ground is being satisfactorily proceeded with, 134 feet having been completed. It is expected that about 40 feet more will have to be executed before striking the reef. The Executive. — We regret to learn that Mr. A. C. Reid has tendered to the Superintendent his resignation of his seat in the Executive Council. The Act of last session renders it necessary to have a representative of the goldfiVlds in the Executive, and it is unquestionable that no member of the Council was so well calculated to fill the office with satisfaction to the public at large, as the gentleman who has just resigned his seat. Caledonian Society. — We again beg to draw attention lo the advertisement in our columns, calling a meeting to be held in the Temperance Hall, this evening, at half-past seven o'clock, of the proposed Caledonian Society. Several gentlemen who interested themselves in the successful gathering which took place last New Year's Day, have arranged all the preliminaries for promoting this Society, and we understand that in addition to the getting up of sports and pastimes on the Scotchmen's National Holiday, the objects of the Society are such as will commend themselves to all. It will be observed that the Society does not intend to be particularly exclusive, as all distantly connected with Scotchmen, or interested in the formation of such a Society are invited to attend. We trust to see a large gathering, and heartily wish the members success. Winter Evening Entertainments. — The sixth of this series of entertainments which was given at the Provincial Hall last night, was far more successful than any of its predecessors, over 600 persons being present. The crush at the doors was such as has never yet been known iu Nelson ; and the Hall, including the gallery, was crowded in every part. The lecture on Venice was admirably delivered by the Bishop of Nelson; and the dissolving views by which it was illustrated were beautiful specimens of the photographic art, the effect of the whole being heightened by the musical accompaniments ou the piano and harmonium. We notice that the Committee have published another most attractive programme for next Tuesday, on which occasion Mr. F. Wakefield will deliver a short lecture on Geographical Discovery, the remainder of the eveuing being devoted to recitations, and instrumental and vocal music. We are requested to remind those who are to take part in the next entertainment, that there will be a practice at the Harmonic Hall, to-morrow eveniug, at 7 o'clock. Speedy Delivery of Mails. — Mr. Vo«el read in the House of Representatives, the following telegram : — " Airedale arrived at Port Chalmers with mails in ninety-six hours from Manukau, including all detentions and bad weather. — Kennedy." Appointment. — His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint Charles Dudley Robert Ward, Esq., to be Judge of the District Court of" the County of Westlaud, and of the District of Westland North, vice Edward Clarke, Esq., resigned. Mr. Haughton has given notice of aj very important motion, viz.: — "That it is desirable that there should be one licensing law for the whole Colony, and that the Government be requested to cause a bill to be prepared during the recess to give effect to this resolution." Unseasonable Weather. An Auckland journal, in speaking of the unusually wet wiDter that has just passed away, says : — " We have now been five months during which there have .only been two days on which it has not rained in some part of the twenty-four hours, and people are beginning to dread that they will either become web-footed or turn into frogs." An old bachelor geologist was boasting that every rock was as familiar to him as the alphabet. A lady who was present declared she knew a rock of which he was wholly ignorant. "Name ifc madam." cried Coelebs, in a rage. "It ia rock the cradle sir," replied the lady. Coelebs evaporated/? .^>P^^r^**"~"~,^

Mistaken Identity. — A very laughable case of mistaken identity took place in Queen-street, Auckland, recently. A gentleman was walking with his wife towards the wharf, when she stopped behind to look at some " sweet bonnets." The gentleman did not seem to notice her quitting his side for a minute or so, as another lady was walking behind him, whom he mistook for his wife. He stopped for a second and said to her, " Come along, my dear, we shall be late." He received no answer, and the lady endeavored to pass him, but he caught her by the arm sayiug, "You need not run away." Judge his surprise when he got a sound box on the ear which knocked his hat off, and was told never to dare to Insult a lady again. He saw his mistake at once, and his wife coming up at the time added to the amusemsnt of the spectators and embarrassment of the unfortunate man, who didn't know his own wife. A Surf Boat in a G-ale. — Ou Monday afternoon, after the Phoebe had her anchor up, the surf boat proceeded to her to take the mail on board, and as it was blowing a stiff south-easterly gale out where the Phoebe lay, the coxswain of tho surf boat asked C'iptuin Worsp to tow him a short distance in, so as to be out, of the force of the gale, but this, we understand, was refused, nnd the boat was cast adrift to get ashore as best it could. It, was painful to those on shore to see the men trying their utmost to row against the wind, which was gradually taking them out to sea, notwithstanding all their efforts. The Harbor Master, at the time, was on board the s.s. Taranwki, and seeing the position the men were in asked tho captain to go to the boat's assisiauue. Captain Wheeler, without a murmur, ordered the anchor to be raised, and went after the boat, and towed her into the inner buoy. The boat being now out of the force of the the wind, was easily brought ashore. Whilst we cannot accor 1 sufficient praise to Captain Wheeler for the trouble he put himself to, we feel bound to say that Captain Worsp certstiuly deserves the severest ceusure for the manner in whichhecasttheboatadrift; had tliemaa drifted to sea and been lost,, he won I I have had their lives to account for. — Taranaki Herald. People ofteo wonder of what, real utility the new and expensive Amie.<l Constabulary are to the Colony. They keep Mount Cook Barracks remarkuoly cleau, and occasionally a detachment, of them is seen on its way to the wh'irf for shipment to some unknown destination, hut from the time they " wave their parting hands" all trace of them is lost ; liku Ropata, they dissappear in the bu*h, and are heard of no more. Such is the light in which " demilitarisation " appears to the outside world ; hut to those who occasionally get a peep behind the scenes, it presents other phases, and it is seeu that our brave defenders are much undervalued. Female servants are known to be scarce in Wellington, and it appears that Mr. Branigan, who has ever been anxious to play the role of a social reformer, endeavors to supply the deficiency as far as possible by m.-iking his men, in urgent cases, do housemaids' duty. On Wednesday, by way of aiding in preparing the Odd Fellows' Hal! for the l>all, a detachment of the "demilitarised," un ler a distinguished field officer, ot Wantranui celebrity, were told off to scrub the floor, and performed the duty to the admiration of all beholders. The gallant colonel himself, scrulibingbrush in hand, l^d the van, and vigorously assailed the dirt, and the advantages of discipline were clearly shown in the methodical manner in which the purification was effected . It was, "attention!" "kneel!" "scrub!" "wet flannels!" "wipe!" "halt!" " wring flannels !" " stand at ease ! " "spell, oh ! " and so on. We understand that the men worked so well that the gallant colonel purposes, by way of occupation for them, and to reduce the expense of their keep, to take contracts for house-scrubbing, and fr> lead his band of heroes rouud the Terrace in the early mornings. This will prove a great boon to many distressed house-keepers.— Post. A Curious story comes from San Francisco of two policemen who tried to arrest a Chinaman. They found it necessary to leave him a moment, and handcuffed him with his arms each side of a lamp-post. When they returned their prisoner was gone ; he had climbed up the post swung his arms over the top.J "~~H ..~.M

Representation Bill. — On the motion that the House go into Committee on this Bill, Mr, Stafford said that he wished to express bis extreme dissatisfaction at the way in which the Bill had been introduced, and with the form it had assumed. The Government had entirely given up their duty as a Government in determining the distribution of the growing power of the colony, and the result was a proof of the evil arisiug from a Government delegating that duty which properly devolved upon themselves. The Government bad delegated its powers to a Committee consisting of twenty members. What did that Committee do ? At its first meeting, and in the absence of a considerable number of its members, it determined to remit the functions of distributing the governing power to Subcommittees, which, in some instances, consisted of but one man. He wished the fact to go forth to the country. That was the way in which the representation of the colony was decided. To one mau was given the function of deciding upon the distribution of the governing power in large portions of New Zealand for the next five years. And then, with regard to those Sub-committees which happened to be composed of more than one man, it was notorious that, except in one instance, they never agreed. The Sub-committee for Canterbury, of which he was one, did not agree; it was two on one side and one on the other. The Subcommittees for Canterbury and Auckland differed so much that two days were occupied in passing resolutions and rescinding them. The business had turned out exactly as he had expected. It had been done as liaflly as possible, and the Bill "would result, in auything but satisfaction or credit to the colony.