Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 235, 3 October 1881, Page 3

The Danedin Herald states en " autnorty," but does cot mention whose, that the elections will take place in January, and that the new Parliament will be called together in May. The elections could not well be held at an earlier date, as it will take nearly three mGntha for the compilation and revision of the electoral rolls, and it would be adverse to public interests to hold elections during the Christmas or Sew Year holidays. The N. Z, Times says : — Party distinctions at present have no defined lines of demarcation in the colony. The public have just witnessed the conclusion of a Parliamentary sessioD wherein there has absolutely been no well-regulated organisation on either side of the House. Ministers commanded a majority Btrong enough numerically to keep them in office, but by no means strong enough to carry measures which, at tbe commencemert of the Besaion f were clamored for as being of special importance ; but which, being introduced, there was found to be no concord of opinion as to the merits of sach proposals " A correspondent of the Wanganui Herald mentions a rumour current in Hawera that Mr Bryce would be asked to oppose Major Atkinson for the Egmont seat. He adds : — " Settlers are of opinion that had Major Atkinson backed Mr Bryce in his wish to march on "Parihaka, the natives would have received their quietus by this time. They blame him now for not having given Mr Bryce his support, and a general feeling prevails that in not carrying out the exMinister's advice the natives took it as a sign of weakness on the part of the Government. Hence their proaent attitude. Bryce v. Atkinson is, however, extremely improbable." Natives on the Plains (say 3 the Patea Mail) have been selling cattle and horses at any price to raise money. Many cattle have been sold within a few days at £2 a head, and horses at £1. Geese and fowls in quantities have been sold at trifling prices. Auctioneering in Wanganui appears to be encompassed by as many perils as editing in America. Wo learn from the local morning paper that there was a eale cf plants on Taopo Quay, and a dissipated man bid for a lot for which he wai unable to pay. The knight of the hammer remonstrated, and the diesipated one made a rush at the rostrum. It did not last long, for the auctioneer 'knocked down the lot" like a flash of lightning Glaring wildly round, the lover of flowerß went for another of the assemblage, who was calmly and critically surveying one of his purchases in tbe most peaceful attitude. After jamrniDjj his head in the stomach of this floriculturist, and hurling his cherished plant to the ground, and filling in the time by pitching over a few more plants, the auctioneer gallantly came to the rescue, and, assisted by a few friend?, took the offender by the lega and threw him down the stairs. It was very warm while it lasted, and the proprietor of the establishment sadly contemplated tbe wreck, ventilating his feeling in softly murmuring, " Why do summet roses fade ?" and then changing into tbe reflective air. " I would I were a boy again." The Post cf Saturday says : — The Hinemoa returned this morning from the South with 162 recruits for the Armed Constabulary, nnder the charge of Sub Inspector Coleman and Sergeant Webb. Oa landing from the steamer, the men formed fours and marched op to the Mount Cook barracks. Their fine physique was the subject of general remark. One of the recruits measures 6 feet 5 inches ia height, and all of them are fine, strappinglooking fellows. It is said that one wellknown citizen in Wellington looked more frightened than even Te Whiti may be expected to do, on seeing tbe stalwart proportions of the new recruits. He has the contract for clothing the Armed Constabulary, and was thinking of the immenae quantity of cloth that wonld be required. In order to show how dependent we are upon the foreigner for the staff ofiife^t may be stated that, roughly speaking, twothirds of the bread consumed in this country comes from abroad. Upon an average, each of the thirty-five millions of human beings in the United Kingdom requires about five and a half busheb of wheat annually, which gives a total consumption of nearly twentyfive millions quarters. Oat of the fifty million acres of cultivated land in this kingdom only three millions are used to meet this demand. They produce a crop varying from six million quarters in some seasons to eleven millions in others, so that we have annually to import from fourteen to nineteen million quarter. Since 1869 the number of acres under wheat cultivation in Great Britain and Ireland has decreased by nearly a million, or one-fourth of the entire acreage, and in 1879 the total value of the wheat crop, estimated with its straw at £30,000,000 formed only a ninth part of the £265,000,000 at which Mr. Caird valued our agricultural produce. The tendencies of the times, therefore, point to the probability that we shall have to rely to an even greater extent ttpoa $6 ioxeiga producer.— English paper,

Captain Maxwell, of H.M.S. Emerald, has offered a solution for the chronic difficulty with Sotitti Sea Islanders, It is virtually a recommendation to the Admiralty to increase the police of the seas by despatching additional gunboats to cruise constantly about the islands, in order to watch natives and traders alike. He believes Csays the Australian correspondent of the Otago Titles), very possibly with good reaEon, that one or two such vessels would "do more good in prevention than aDy punishment could do in tho way of cure." Ho seems to admit that the natives have very gocd reason for (heir hostility to the white men, as he says " the horrors of the eandalwoad and kidnapping trades committed in these islands but s few years ago have sunk deep the seeds of distrugt, dislike, and revenge." A no?elty in cricket is reported from Birmingham. A match was played between an eleven of the Edgbaston High School for jzirls, and an eleven of the girls of Sandwell Park School, the latter being victorious by 19 runs. The Printers' Circular cf Philadelphia is responsible for the following statements : — '* The Times uses eleven tons of paper a day. It pays £3 per column for outside contributions, but rejects nine-tenthß of the matter offered."