To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, October 11th, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 438, 13 October 1849, Page 3

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, October 11th, 1849.

c.jt —Permit me, through your paper, to contradict a statement, in a letter signed John Ashmore, which appeared in the Independent of Saturday last, insinuating that the flax machine now in operation was originally invented by Mr. Mathieson. j Some years ago I was employed by Mr. Mathieson to make a flax machine on a principle altogether different from the one now in use. It operated by beaters, and upon trial was found to be altogether useless. The present machine, which works with rollers, was invented and made by mycelf and: Mr. Lyall, without any assistance from Mr. Mathieson whatever. The yjriter of the letter referred to, although he has never seen the machine in operation, has been awakened to the melancholy conviction, and endeavours to persuade the public, that the " present system 1 ' will not answer. As I have tried the machine, I am aware what its capabilities are, and I feel satisfied that, with the addition of horse power, it will be found to answer in every respect notwithstanding the magician Ashmore's predictions to the contrary. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, W. Mason.

The Maitland Mercury, a strenuous opponent of pollution, is justly indignant at the attempt of Sir W. Deiiison to deluge these colonies with conviclisra in one of its worst forms, and asks, if it be competent to the local authorities of Van Diemen's Land to except that colony from the operation of conditional pardons, cannot our Legislature pass an Act to prevent paities holding conditional pardons from locating here ? Sir Alfred Stephen, Chief Justice of New South Wales, gives the following important testimony bearing upon this subject : — "There is one circumstance connected with Australian Criminal Statistics, which I take the opportunity of mentioning in this place. The three heaviest calendars in Sydney, -within the last three years, have been those in August and March last, and in the present month of June. In the August calendar there were 27 prisoners ; of whom only 9 were always free, the remaining 18 being persons originally transported. In the March calendar there were 23 prisoners, of whom only 6 were always free. In the late calendar there were (including Quarter Sessions cases) no less than 65 prisoners; of whom only 16 were always free. The remaining 49 were persons originally transported; i. c. 5 transported to Van Diemen's Land, and 44 to this colon ',inone of these calendars there weie eight cases of rape, or murder, or attempts to commit those crimes. Of the prisoners charged in these eight cases, one was tin aboriginal, and the other seven were all tukei-of-leava holders or men free by servitude. — Melbourne Argus.