News of the Week.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 38, 14 October 1871, Page 12

News of the Week.

The Education Bill. —The evil effects of the useless talk of this session, of which we have complained so often, are now beginning to be felt. The Premier, as will be seen from our Parliamentary report, ascribes to it the postponement of the Education Bill for this session. We regret very much that so important a measure should have been thus shelved for a year, but we acknowledge the Premier had too much reason at once for his remarks and the course to which they pointed. Seyenty-mile Bush.— -We understand that the purchase of the valuable piece of country known as the Seveuty-Mile Bush has been successfully effected by Mr Locke, who was, with great good judgment, selected to perform a difficult and delicate duty. In the Hawkes’ Bay district there had previously been purchased 240,000 acres, and Mr Locke has now succeeded in purchasing 130,000 acres at what we may call the Wellington end of the Seventy-Mile Bush. Thus the whole country between the Wairarapa Valley and Ruataniwba has been secured for settlement, and for the execution of such road and railway works as may be contemplated under the Immigration and Public Works Act. Sericulture.— Mr Batchelor, of Nelson, who has taken so much interest in the subject of sericulture, writes thus to a gentleman in Wellington When I was in Wellington I was prepared with a well matured plan for the gradual development of sericulture in those provinces that were suited to produce silk. The Government were fully alive to the importance of sericulture, and promised to give the matter due consideration when brought before the House, and most likely I should have the opportunity to give evidence before the Committee on Native Industry. Now it is just pos sible that in the press of business in the House sericulture may he entirely forgotten. Were such to be the case great injury would be done to silk producing for a time, and possibly in railway and other schemes, would be lost sigbt of; but if steps were taken to plant mulberry trees they would turn up when the railways were in existence, and be one of the staple productions ; at least, I hope so. At present the matter is confined to the province of Nelson. Now my wish is to see sericulture carried out in the other provinces, say Wellington next as I shall be much deceived if the mulberry does not flourish in the different spots that I pointed out in your province. I trust that you will assist in the matter by getting your members to move the committee to go fully into the question, which can only be done by actual evidence. Reports are all very well; but they do not answer at all times.” Mr Batchelors letter, we may say, was not written, with a view to publication, but, appreciating the interest he takes in the matter, we have thought it due to him to give it publicity. Lieut-General Gold.— Among the latest telegrams from England there is a notice of the death of Lieut-General Gold. Lieut-General Gold was well-known in Wellington, having resided here for a number of years while Colonel of the 65th Regiment, and his death will be regretted by many who then enjoyed his friendship. Consul. —The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr James Rees George as Consul in New Zealand for his Majesty the King of Portugal and the Algarves. The Reclaimed Land Bill. In the Legislative Council, on Thursday, an important alteration was made in the VV ellington Reclaimed Land Bill. On the motion of the Hon Mr Mantell, supported by the Hon Mr Pharazyn, the clause giving power to mortgage the site of the proposed Provincial Buildings was struck out—the division being 13 to 10. The Marine Surveys. About the time that the business of the Marine Office was handed over to the Customs Department, the attention of the Government was directed to the large expenditure that was going on in connection with the marine survey, and soon afterwards the Government arrived at the conclusion that it was undesirable to carry on the survey beyond the completion of the work then in hand. Therefore, the marine surveys have for the present been brought to a close. A resume of the work performed, and of the cost of it, is given by Mr Seed in his last report on the Department. By reference to previous reports of the Marine Department, it will be seen that the marine survey commenced on the 15th December, 1867, at the Kaikoura Peninsula, and that the following places have been surveyed; viz., Waiau-au, Gore Bay, Flaxbourne, Cape Campbell, Port Curtis, Entrance to Otago Htrbor, and West Coast of Middle Island from Jackson’s Head toCapeEoulwind. Theamount expended by the Marine Department on these surveys u p to the end of June last was: —ln the financial year 1867 8, £4,347 5s 10d; 1868-9, £2,222 18s 8d; 1869-70, £4,333 11s 5d ; 1870 71, £1,222 15s lOd ; total, £12,126 11s 9d. The expenditure in 1869-70 includes a payment ot £l,^

to the Government of New South Wales for the surveying schooner Edith and upwards of £BOO for fitting her out; she was afterwards sold for £1,250, thus leaving the sum of £10,876 lls 9d as the total cost to the General Government for the marine surveys specified above. Light Dues.— The amount of light dues collected for the year ended 30th June, 1870, was £6013, and for the year ended in June last, £5575. The falling off in the last year’s dues of £439, as compared with the dues of the previous year, arose from the tonnage of vessels arriving from beyond seas, and the number of steamers plying on the coast, being less than in previous years, and from the steamers now carrying the English mail being exempted from payment of light dues. An Order in Council fixing light dues at certain ports, at which dues had not hitherto been charged, and for slightly increasing some of the existing rates, was issued on the 23rd June la3t; the additional revenue that will be yielded under this order will only be trifling. The changes in the rates were made, not so much with a view to increasing the revenue, as to remove the anomaly of rates being charged at some ports and not at others, and to fix charges on vessels visiting ports benefited by the new lights. Dog Island Lighthouse.— Mr Seed, in his report on the Marine Department, says : —On the occasion of my visit to Dog Island lighthouse, at the end of February last, my attention was directed to a crack iu the masonry at the .base of the tower. I should here state that soon after the tower was erected it was found that the mortarused in its construclionwasbad,and that it had to be raked out from between the joints of the stones on the outside, and replaced by Portland cement. Since this was done, the defect above referred to appeared. I thought that sooner or later it might endanger the safety of.the tower, which is 100 feet high, and is built of rubble stone work, and accordingly I applied to the Government to instruct Mr Blackett to inspect the structure, and report whether, in his opinion, anything was required to be done immediately to strengthen and repair it. Mr Blackett soon after visited Dog Island, and reported that it was necessary, for the safety of the tower that it should be strengthened without delay. He was authorised at once to prepare the requisite drawings and specifications, and to have the repairs proceeded with as quickly as possible. All the other lighthouses are in good order : they are all amply supplied with stores, and the light-keepers are performing their duties zealously and satisfactorily. Wellington Boating Club. —A meeting was held at the New Zealander Hotel on Wednesday evening for the purpose of forming a new boating club, and about twenty-five persons attended. It was proposed and seconded that Mr Stewart take the chair, and two-thirds present put their names down as willing to form a club. It was proposed and seconded that the name of the Club be the “ Wellington Boating Club.” A committee was appointed to canvass for members, and to duly report at the next meeting. After discussing several minor matters it was proposed that the meeting do adjourn until Wednesday evening next at the same time and place. The business terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman. Wellington City Reserves. —In the City Council, on Friday last, the Mayor brought under the attention of Councillors a subject of very considerable interest to the Corporation and to the citizens generally. As the Mayor explained, there is now a bill before the Assembly by which it is proposed to vest the management of what are known as the Wellington City Reserves, not in the Corporation, but in a composite body including the Superintendent and Mayor, two members nominated by the Governor and three others elected by the ratepayers. The bill, though drafted by the City Solicitor, had not been seen by Councillors, and it was natural that they should take some umbrage at a proposition to create a new body for the purpose of taking charge of what is as a rule committed to the care of Corporations. It is to be regretted that the short discussion on the subject should have been of rather an irregular character and somewhat ill-natured there having been shown an amount of meaningless ill-nature which does not appear on the face of our report; but some good will, no doubt, be effected by the Mayor bringing the matter before the Council, and by the proposed conference with his Honor the Superintendent. It will be well, indeed, if the proposal contained in the bill have the effect of directing the attention of the Council and of the public to the whole question of the management of the city reserves. It was the complaint of one of the members that the proposal not only affected the possession of the reserves by the Corporation, but the funds derivable therefrom. This complaint seems to be based on the conception that the reserves existed chiefly, and should be maintained, as a source of revenue to the Corporation. It is unnecessary to say that this is an exceedingly fallacious idea, and it is to be hoped that in any conference with the Superintendent, or in

any further proceedings taken, no such idea will be acted upon. The reserves were, no doubt, originally made as reserves for public recreation, and, even if it were competent for the Corporation or any other body to lease them to private persons, the proceeds of such leasing should have been applied to the improvement of the ground, and to carrying out to the fullest extent the object for which it was originally reserved. This is the principle which has been asserted in other cities in the colony, and, in fact, so jealous were the inhabitants of Dunedin of any interference with the full public use of the Town Belt, that an attempt to lease the same, even with a view to its improvement, was strongly and successfallyresisted. Whileit seems desirable that, in this instance, the management of the Wellington reserves should be vested in the Corporation; rather than in any other and probably antagonistic body, Councillors will require to view the subject iu a very different light from that in which a few of them were disposed to view it yesterday, if they expect to have public sympathy and support. Indeed, a rare opportunity now offers itself for the Corporation asserting, not only their fair claim to manage the reserves, but their desire to manage them in such a way as will redound to their own credit, and to the credit of the city. In these reserves the public possess a valuable estate, which has hitherto been converted to purposes very different from that which was contemplated by the original founders of the settlement; and the proposal to introduce such a bill as that before the Assembly will serve one excellent purpose if, in that respect, it should become the means of inaugurating a substantial change. Death of an old Settler. —On Monday night, an early settler of the province, Mr Lyeil, till recently principal lighthouse keeper on Soames Island, died at the age of sixty-six years. Mr Lyell’s name will be remembered by many of the earlier settlers of the province. Medicinal Properties of Blue Gum. ■—With respect to the medicinal properties of the leaves of the blue gum, a correspondent of the “ Wakatip Mail” writes: —“ Few perhaps know the real virtues of this tree. From some experiments recently made by the writer, he has found that it possesses more than the reputed qualities as a styptic. The Chinese having continually asked me for gum leaves to apply to wounds, I thought a solution of gum leaves boiled would answer perhaps more quickly and rapidly in effecting a cure. I tried it in the following instances with success : —(1) A dog got his toes cut off, and his foot divided by a broken glass bottle. He was bleeding profusely, and all the licking of his tongue had no effect. He would not submit to have gum leaves tied round him ; so as rapidly as possible some gum leaves were boiled, and the heat brought down with cold water. Though the water was warm, the solution within a minute or two, produced a most beneficial effect. (2) Applied to a pack horse, it healed most rapidly a nasty saddle sore; and I think it would act, therefore, as well with collar galls. (3) Applied to a. severe burn to a female on the wrist, it alleviated the pain and an ugly scar was prevented.” Wire Suspension Bridges. —One of the finest bridges recently erected in the colony is a wire suspension bridge erected over the river Arahura, in Westland. Some light bridges on the same principle are being constructed in Victoria. The “ Argus,” in a recent issue, thus notices one . —A suspension bridge now in course of erection across the river at Morrison s, at a cost of £BS, is expected to be completed in a fortnight, should the weather prove favorable. This kind of structure, which is altogether a novelty in Victoria, is likely to bet he forerunner of others iu districts where foot traffic is required. The one in question is not only simple, but considered durable, and the cost is not much. The span of the bridge is 129 ft, and the width 3ft. The cable, which is of wire, is of about an inch in diameter, and is attached to posts placed on each side of the river. The footway is suspended from the cables by iron rods, the dead weight they have to carry being estimated at two tons. Each side of the bridge is to be well secured by wire, so as to render it perfectly safe. Heartless Hoax. —A great hoax wa* perpetrated iu Adelaide by a person, name unknown, who, soon after the arrival of the branch mail steamer, wrote the follow, ing on the Government notice board outside the Telegraph station : European war. Queen on death-bed. Ministry resigned.” This announcement caused great excitement, and the news soon spread. Several clergymen in Adelaide offered up prayers during the morning service, in accordance with the sad news. The Colors of the 68th.— In the House of Commons on July 31, Lord G. Hamilton asked whether it was true that the colors of the 68ch Regiment, recently ordered by the War Office to be sent from Ireland to London to be inscribed with a record of the N ew Zealand campaign, had been lost. Sir H. Storks replied tha Uh e

colors had been transmitted per carrier to have the record of the New Zealand campaign inscribed upon them, but that they were lost on the way. Telegraphic.—£B 9s for every twenty words, including the name and address of the sender and receiver, is the rate at which Mr Hugh George, on behalf of the Melbourne “Argus" and “ Sydney Morning Herald” has arranged for the transmission of telegraphic messages from England to Port Darwin. The charge of transmitting the messages through the land lines willhave to be added to this. Funeral of Mr Shepard. —The remains of the late Mr W. H. Shepard were interred on the sth. The funeral was followed by a, large assemblage of his fellow-townsmen. The sad cortege, says the “ Herald," started from his late residence in Victoria Avenue, and proceeded by way of Victoria Avenue and Taupo Quay to the cemetery. The Ancient Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in accordance with their laws, headed the funeral procession of their late brother. The Eevs. B. K. Taylor and J. Elmslie conducted the burial service, the Oddfellows grouping around the grave and casting in each a sprig of evergreen on the conclusion of the service. The unfeigned sorrow exhibited by all present testified to the general respect with which Mr Shephard was held by all classes of the community.

The Fatal Accident at the Melbourne Fire. —From the account given of the fatal accident which occurred after the burning of the Melbourne Ilaymarket Theatre, it seems that the deceased, a young man named John Jones, a stage carpenter by occupation, was induced, rather against his will, by a friend named Wyatt, to enter the shell of the main building a little after 11 o’clock in the morning. While they were looking at the debris they heard something falling. One jumped one way and the other in the opposite direction. It was an iron pillar which had fallen, and it came upon Jones’s head. He was taken up senseless, and removed to the hospital, where he died in little more than an hour, without having once regained consciousness. The pillar was one that supported the gallery, and one end rested upon another which had supported the dress circle, while the upper end rested against the wall. It is a singular fact that Jones had a narrow escape of being killed in precisely the same way after the late fire at the Varieties.

Shipment of Taranaki Beef. —The s.s. Go-ahead,says the“Taranaki Herald,” took away from the Waitara on her last trip, a quantity of Taranaki salt beef, which Mr W. Baley, jun., is sending to England by the Halcione, as a trial shipment. The beef, we hear, was in fine condition when casked, and if a fair price for it is realised at home, we believe it is Mr Bryley’s intention to commence this new industry on a large scale at the Waitara.

Meat Preserving. —A new meat preserving process is noticed in the Home papers. The novelty in the process is the employment of powerful pressure as a means of making the drying possible. In six hours the bullock which walks into the slaughter house may be put on board ship in the shape of highly dried pressed beef and dessicated beef juice. - Meeting of Natives on the Wanganui Fiver. Mete Kingi returned from a visit to the up-river districts on Thursday week, after almost fourteen days’ absence. He was accompanied, says the Wanganui “ Herald," by Tahana, Pehi.Topia, and other chiefs, Mete having received an invitation from Topine to visit him at his place, Maraikowhai, where some 250 natives assembled to welcome Mete and discuss the present state of affairs. Mete and party, after the conclusion of the meeting, proceeded to Tauma* ruanui, the most distant settlement on the river, where he met Ngarupiki, Hau, Parata, and other chiefs of note, and at which' pa a second meeting took place. Mete’s account of the intentions of the Upper Wanganui natives is most gratifying, and the whole of the tribes located on this river may now be said to have again united, and made up their minds to live for the future in peace and friendship with their European neighbors. At both the meetings the ceremony was gone through of presenting a female child to Mete, signifying thereby the wish of the inland tribes to return to a state of peace and tranquillity,and the determination to which they have come not to renew strife with the white man. From all we can learn, we are led to believe that our native neighbors aro sincere in their professions. Berkley, Sept. 1869. —Gentlemen, I feel it a duty I owe to you to express my gratitude for the great benefit I have derived by taking ‘ Norton’s Camomile Pills.’ I applied to your agents, Mr Bell Berkley, for the above named Pills, for wind in the stomach, for which I suffered excruciating pain for a length of time, having tried every remedy perscribed, but without deriving any benefit at all. After taking two bottles of your valuable pills I was quite restored to my usual state of health. Please give this publicity for the benefit of those who may thus be afflicted.” —I am, Sir, yours truly, Henry Allpass. —To the proprietors of Norton’s Camomile Pills.

Opening of the Boating Season.— Unfortunately for the occasion, the weather of Saturday was anything but favorable for the enjoyment of the proceedings connected with the formal opening of the boating season. Concurrently with the approach of the hour for the formation of the procession came evidence which extinguished all hope of the opening day attracting any considerable assemblage of sightseers, for at the hour of three many enthusiasts, who were in waiting on the wharf, were compelled to quit the scene on account of the persuasive influence of heavy showers which now and again softened down to an uncomfortable drizzle. Taking advantage of one of these intermittent drizzles, the crews launched their boats, and presently the Empire City and the Eualura, rowing up to the end of the wharf, gave the harbor an appearance appropriate to the occasion. Such an encouraging signal soon brought other boats from their seclusion, and by half-past three about ten boats had made their appearance. The Artillery band having piloted the Artillery to Pipitea Point, now approached the wharf in the Government printers’ boat. Mr. Logan acted as commodore, taking his position on board the printing office boat. The following boats were present: The Eualura, the Empire City, the “ Independent ’’ boat, the Victoria, the Blue-tailed Fly, the Napi Napi, the Electric Spark, the Faugh-a-Ballagh, the Star Club whaleboat, and four others. The boats started from the wharf, shaping a course round a buoy at the head of the bay, back past the wharf and on to Pipitea Point. The procession then made towards Oriental Bay, where the commodore drew the boats up in line for the purpose of starting them _on a spurt around the coal hulk and down to the wharf. The whaleboat, having a good crew and the most favorable position, reached the destination first, some good rowing being shown in the other boats. We hope now to see the practice taken up and carried on with energy. The valuable prize offered by the people of Christchurch will induce the sending of good crews from all parts of the colony to take a part in the great aquatic struggle on the Ileathcote estuary, and if our clubs intend, as we believe is their intention, to send a crew down to compete, weekly matches should be got up. for the purpose of enabling the committee to choose from the members of the different clubs the crew to represent the province. The Suez and San Francisco Mail Eoute. —The adoption of both these routes for mail service is advocated by the Melbourne “Argus.” In an article on the subject, that journal says:-The two services will connect us month by month with the four quarters of the globe, just as the electric telegraph, whioh is approaching completion, will bring us into daily contact with them. The closer and more frequent our intercourse, the more intimate, extensive, and beneficial will be our business relations with the countries with which we exchange mails. A thousand circumstances will combine to break down that spirit of Chinese isolation which has animated and directed our fiscal policy for the last seven years. New markets will be opened up on the American continent for our staple products ; and brought into regular and rapid communication with an inventive and enterprising people, actively engaged in pushing its commerce far and wide, the inhabitants of these colonies will discover new wants to be gratified and new methods of doing so by increasing the amount and variety of their exports. Instead of being “ cornered,” these colonies will be brought within a circuit of intelligence, embracing most of the great centres of population, commerce, and intellectual activity in both the old world and the new; while in the regular track of the mail steamers plying between Australia and the Pacific coast of North America, lie those clusters of fertile islands, some of which are in process of colonisation and cultivation by our fellow-colonists, and in all of which the more adventurous and restless of our population will seek and find, in the time to come, outlets for their industry and enterprise.

Novel Application of Water-Power. —Mr Moutray, of Nelson, has just constructed a novel and simple substitute for the smith’s bellows. He provides a twelve gallon cask, which stands on one end. In the upper part is inserted a two-inch pipe, about six feet long, having a funnel-top. In the bung-hole of the barrel is inserted another pipe, communicating with the forge ; in the bottom is placed a small waste pipe to carry off the water. At the mouth of the funnel is a small pipe with a nozzle l-Bth of an inch in diameter. This communicates with the water supply. A stream of water from this small opening flows rapidly into the funnel, and carries with it a considerable quantity of atmospheric air. Tins air cannot escape through the waste pipe at the bottom of the cask in consequence of the water which is itself being driven out. The air in the barrel becomes condensed, and, escaping through the bung-hole pipe, blows the forge fire with more regularity and vigor than any couple of pairs of the best black-

smith’s bellows that ever were seen. The principle of the application is simplicity’s self, and the result is most effective. It is literally blowing the fire with water, and makiug the water supply its own air.

Volunteer Companies. —The Governor has been pleased to acceptthe services of the under-mentioned corps :—The New Plymouth Fire Brigade ; the Trenthara (Upper Hutt) Eifle Volunteer Cadet Corps; the North Dunedin Eifle Volunteer Cadet Corps; the Onehunga Eifle Volunteer Cadet Corps ; the Te Aro School Eifle Volunteer Cadet Corps ; the Egmont Eifle Volunteer Cadet Corps ; the No. 2 Company, Auckland Naval Volunteer Cadet Corps; and to disband the Lyttelton Artillery Volunteer Cadet Corps, at their own request. Appointments. —Mr J. S. Williams has been appointed Eegistrar General of land under The Land Transfer Act, 1870, and Mr E. Denham, Deputy to the District Land Eegistrar of the Canterbury Land Eegistration District. Mr F. F. Butter, of Maraoa, Otago, has resigned his appointment as Justice of the Peace.

Savings’ Bank Transactions. —By a statement of transactions at the several Government Savings’ Banks, during the quarter ending J line 30, we learn that the total balance at the credit of depositors at that date was £313,659. The total amount deposited during the quarter was £78,568, against £71,099 deposited during the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The amount withdrawn was £65,669, as against £52,062 in the quarter of 1870. At Auckland, the Thames, and Charleston, the amount withdrawn exceeded the amount deposited. In all other places the deposits were in excess. The following are the figures Deposited. Withdrawn.

Land Transfer Act. —ln the Legislative Council the Hon. Mr Waterhouse has introduced a measure amending the act, but the amendments are chiefly of a technical character. In the discussion on the estimates, this department got its votes passed without any opposition. Mr Bathgate proposed, it is true, a reduction of one hundred pounds on the salary of the Land Eegistrar of Auckland, but Mr Swanson, that ardent advocate of retrenchment, protested against any reduction in a department so useful. Anywhere but here,” was the burden of the hon gentleman’s remarks. Even Mr Eeynolds lifted up his voice against it, stating that the Land Transfer Act was the most beneficial measure passed in New Zealand since the Constitution. Mr Bathgate seeing the most noted advocates of retrenchment oppose any reduction, wisely withdrew his amendment, and the votes were passed on the voices. It is satisfactory to see an act that effected so great a revolution, acceptable to all parts of the colony, and to all classes of the community. It is said, however, that the lawyers do not yet fully appreciate its advantages over the old system of conveyancing. Birds Attacking Sheep. —Some time ago we mentioned that Mr Henry Campbell, of Wanaka Station,- had noticed that sheep on his run were frequently attacked by birds. The “ Daily Times” is indebted to Mr Campbell for some further information on the subject. The birds in question are of the kind called by shepherds the “mountain parrot,” and the scientific name of which is Nestor notabilis. The Maoris call it the kea. The birds come in flocks, single out a sheep at random, and each alighting on its back in turn, tears out the wool, and makes the sheep bleed, till the animal runs away from the rest of the sheep. The birds then pursue it, continue attacking it, and force it to run about until it becomes stupid and exhausted. If in that state it throws itself down, and lies as much as possible on its back to keep the birds from picking the part attacked, they then pick a fresh hole in its side, and the sheep when so set upon, in some instance dies. When the sheep stops bleeding, the birds appear to cease to attack it, though Mr Campbell is not very clear on this point, and thinks they attack it more for sport than hunger. For three winters back his sheep have been attacked in this way, and it was not till this winter, though he previously suspected it, that he found the birds were the offenders. Where the birds so attack the sheep, the elevation of the country is from 4000 to 5000 feet above the sea level, and they only do so there in winter time. On a station owned by Mr Campbell, about 30 miles distant from the other, and at the same altitude, in the same district, where the birds are plentiful, they do not attack the sheep in that way. For those on whose stations they are an annoyance,

it may be mentioned that their numbers can be kept well thinned by shooting them. If one is wounded, the rest gather round, and can be shot in fives and sixes at a time.

The Halfpenny Postage. —Nearly nine months experience of the halfpenny postage in England does not appear to have belied the anticipations respecting it. There are no such signs of a serious diminution of postal revenue as had been predicted—although a loss of £50,000 was caused by the abolition of the newspaper stamp—while the development of the postal service has only been in pro* portion to public requirements. It is clear that the Post Office administrators were prepared for a large addition of work. In the first six months of the new rates upwards of 58,000,000 post cards, and about 114,000,000 halfpenny labels and stamped wrappers, were issued. In one direction, however, the anticipations of the authorities appear not to have been verified by results. The quantity of paper sent in by the public to receive the impressed stamp appears to have fallen far short of the estimate, the number of stamps impressed being only in the proportion of 10 per cent, to the wrappers supplied at Somerset House. The six months’ issue of the halfpenny postage was as follows fd postage labels, 77,215,680—duty, £160,866; id post cards, 58,485,960, £121,845; |-d wrappers, 33,048,420, £68,850. Early Closing Entertainment. Another of the series of entertainments given by the members of this association took place on Monday night. Before the commencement of * the proceedings, Archdeacon Stock announced that he was sorry to hear that the drapers intended to keep open until a later hour in the evening than during the winter months. With the assistance of those present he hoped that by next year those with whom he had identified himself would have established such an hour for the ceasing of their labors as would place the members of the association on an equality in that direction with other sections of the community. This he assured the meeting could only be done with their assistance—by their refusal to transact any business after the hour of six in the evening. The programme was sufficiently varied to suit the tastes and inclinations of those present, th & forte of the drapers lying in recitation. The most attractive and most successful portion being the result of evident working up, due to the assistance of many ladies and gentlemen who had volunteered, consisted in the choruses, which, were very successful; the best of those given being a little selection from Auber, “ Away, Away.” The duet “ The Moon has raised her Lamp Above,” from the “ Lily of Killarney,” was not a judicious selection; something less pretentious would have suited the audience better, though it is proper to say one of the voices was good. MrTayloras usual carried away the honors of the evening by his delectable elocution in the rendering of Sheriff Bell’s “ Mary Queen of Scots.” Mr MTntosh gave a solo on the clarionet, “ The Heart Bow’d Down.” An amusing sketch in the comedy line entitled “ The attractive young Lady" was given by four members of the company, the joke consisting in the unusual circumstance of a young lady having pledged her affections to four suitors, three of them, who were agonisingly unconscious of the success of the fourth, being left, under peculiar circumstances, to envy the lot of the successful rival. Mr Taylor’s histrionic power gave life and success to thepiece. Asawhole, the performance was very successful, and justified the attendance of such a numerous audience as was present—an audience so large that the space afforded by the Athenaeum proved much too limited, many persons being obliged to return home in consequence of its crowded state. The Death of Walter Montgomery. —Eeferring to the reported death of Walter Montgomery, the actor, the Melbourne “Argus” says:—“Mr Montgomerjr had been so completely identified with the theatrical world in these colonies, and had made for himself so many private friends, that his sudden death startles and saddens us, just as did that of Brooke; for, as in the case of the latter actor, there was a general belief that Mr Montgomery would return to us, and, indeed, in private letters received from him, he continually expressed a hope that some day he would come back.” Of Mr Montgomery’s life and stage career, the “ Argus” says :*— “ Walter Montgomery was born in 1827 at New York. He was of English parentage, and was brought from the United States when still an infant. He did not adopt the name of Montgomery until after his mother’s death. He was a natural son, and for some time bore his father’s name, but took that of his mother, in compliance with her dying request. The circumstances of his early years were humble, and his education was limited in consequence. But he had from his childhood a strong leaning for dramatic studies, and though brought up to the occupation of a designer of shawl-patterns, his inclinations always prompted him to hope for an ultimate connection with the stage. Long before he

made acting bis profession, he bad distinguished himself as an amateur. He nevertheless worked hard at his business, which was steadily becoming a very profitable one to him. The desire to become an actor, however, was irresistible, and so at a time when he was earning £9 or £lO a week at Bhawl-patern designing, he joined a provincial company at a salary of 265. The late Mr Charles Kean saw him in one ot his provincial tours, and offered him an engagement to travel with him for three years ; but Mr Montgomery preferred to map out his course for himself. He was variously occupied in the Midland and Western counties of England for several years, and eventually went to Manchester, where, at the Theatre Royal in that city, he became a great favorite. He made his first appearance in London, at the Princess’s, on June 20,1863, in the character of Othello, and by all the discerning critics of the time was pronounced an actor greatly beyond the range of the conventional order. He subsequently appeared at Drury-lane and the Haymarket, and well maintained the good impression he had at first created.”

The Late Mr John MoFFAT.-r-The career of the late Mr John Moffatt, whose death was recorded in our mail telegram, is not a singular instance of the success that has rewarded energy and perseverance in the colonies. The deceased gentleman, says the Melbourne “Argus,” originally came to the colony in the humble capacity of a shepherd. By dint of hard work and the strictest econony he in few years had acquired sufficient means to take a very small run in the Western District. At this time station properties were at a very low value, and he found it necessary to eke out his slender resources .by driving stock through the country, in doing which he gained considerable ill-will from the squatters generally, and was mainly instrumental in keeping the sheep in the Western district scabby. Mr Moffatt afterwards rented a run in the neighborhood of Hamilton, then known as the Grange, on which he had worked as overseer for Captain Lonsdale, and this proved a very remunerative speculation. His next step was the purchase of the Hopkinshill run. which was a greatbargain at the time. The value of station property then increased very rapidly, and Mr Moffatt began to be looked upon as a wealthy man. Every speculation he entered into proved successful, and when he he went to’England he had one of the finest freehold estates in Victoria. Of late years Mr Moffatt developed a taste for breeding racehorses, and during his ■tay in England he bought a stud of the finest animals to begot in the old country. Many of these have arrived in Melbourne, and others are on their way. Simultaneously with the news of his death, a further instalment of his stud arrived in Melbourne. Mr Moffatt represented Villiers and Heytesbury for one session in Parliament, but never took an active part in politics. During the first visit of H.R.H. the Duke of Edingburgh, Mr Moffat had the honor of entertaining the son of his sovereign at the splendid mansion erected by himself at Cbatsworth, the name given to his estate at Hopkinshill.

£ £ Auckland ... 14,527 17,549 Thames 3,389 4,193 New Plymouth 3,133 857 Napier 2,162 668 Wellington ... 6,049 4,939 Blenheim 1,954 928 Nelson 2,149 1,548 Chai'lesfcon ... 838 873 Westport 2,196 1,767 G-reymouth ... 3,699 2,717 Hokitika 2,187 1,976 Christchurch 14,735 11,326 Dunedin 19,955 14,732 Invercargill ... 2,689 1,589