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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4604, 22 December 1875, Page 2

Messrs. Pearce and Hunter addressed a meeting of electors at Thomdon last night. Over 200 were present, and'Mr. Gr. H.’ Vennell occupied the chair. The candidates having spoken at some little length, an enthusiastic vote of confidence in them was passed unanimously. The winding engine, for picking up the cable, is being placed ©n board the Luna, which will start for the Straits after Christmas. The engine has been in - Mills’s Lion Foundry, and is a most extensive piece of machinery, and together with its boiler will make a heavy cargQ for the Luna, but she will carry in addition thirty tons of cable. It is not thought probable that Captain Fairchild will bei able to make a start before Christmas. During, the last trip of the Luna to Taranaki, Captain Fairchild visited the Waitara, and whilst there tried an experiment bn the Paterson with dynamite.. He found it answer admirably. Having put in a charge, it blew the stem clean out of the Paterson, from which Captain Fairchild justly infers that he could easily clear away the wreck by the use of this explosive material.' The effect of the charge he put in was something, wonderful Not only was the stem blown out and carried some distance away, but- it foiled up a bar of iron like a piece of paper, and shot out the bolts along her sides. There was an excellent attendance at the Theatre Royal last evening, bn the occasion of Mr. Charles Burford’s benefit—a fact which speaks plainly for the estimation in which Mr. Burford is held by tbe Wellington public. “ The Octoroon” was placed upon the boards in excellent style, Mr. Bnffofd playing Jacob McClosky; and Mr. Wheatleigh Salem Soudder. To-night, “ The Bells ” will be played. It was in this great drama that Mr. Henry Irving made his first signal “ hit”'in London. On the present occasion, Mr. Wheatleigh will represent Mathias. A crowded house may be expected. On Christmas night a sacred concert and recitals will be given, and it is to be hoped that the company’s efforts to please will meet with the reward which they undoubtedly deserve, > A few gentlemen, sympathising with poor little Osborne, the young jockey now lying with his thigh broken, have started a supplementary list in his behalf. The amount subscribed in this list is. limited to half-a-crown. Mr. Bromley has kindly consented to act as treasurer, and we doubt not that the charitable appeal will be responded to. Shareholders in the Titanic Steel and Iron Company may like to know how their property (which, is regarded by some as a fanciful dream) is getting along. The works are situated in Taranaki, about three-quarters of a mile from the centre of the town, : which may be taken to be at the boat-house or landing place. In dimensions the works are huge, the principle feature being the , smelting apparatus—a large circular brick building with doors leading into the furnace, which is fed with the iron sand from the top. Attached to this is the blasting machine, a most complicated arrangement, and 1 being worked by an engine quite as complicated, it would be rather difficult to give a description of these works which might be guaranteed to convey a correct impression of their magnitude. The cost must have been enormous, and there are not wanting shrewd men (who affect to “ know you know”) that look upon this heavy cost as something regarding which shareholders had need to be sorrowful—they think in fact that it will prove to have been so much money wasted, as,they doubt whether they will be able to work the sand into iron after all. Tests made in the old country, of the very best iron sand procurable from Taranaki, have not turned out so remarkably satisfactory. Others have high hopes of ultimate success, when the; machinery is got fairly to work. To this end operations are now being pushed ahead, with a view of getting the works in order, so as to commence operations next month. The furnace is finished, and has been fired for some'time in' order to dry it, and the apparatus for creating the blast is nearly finished—indeed, all the internal arrangements are complete, 'and all that is wanted is, that it should be roofed in. A large number of bricks have been made with which to commence operations, and brickmaking is still being continued. In case it should not be understood what the manufacture of bricks has to do with smelting iron sand, it may be mentioned that the sand is put into the furnace in the form of bricks for greater convenience, and to facilitate operations. The sand which is carted from the beach into the yard is there mixed with a clayey substance, formed into bricks, which are dried in sheds in the usual manner, and then baked in the kiln. These bricks are exceedingly heavy, and have a very polished metallic appearance. It is intended to mix with them some of the rough iron ore obtained from the Miranda and elsewhere, when the first experiment is made with the big furnace. It is supposed that this iron ore will assist the process materially. The end of next month will see the works ready for a fair start. A meeting of the Philosophical Society was held in the lecture hall of the new museum last evening. This is the first meeting held in the new museum. There was a good attendance of members, and several papers were read. The man who shot himself early yesterday morning died at about half-past nine o’clock. An inquest will be held at the hospital at 2 o’clock to-day. We understand that the Athletic Club purposes holding a day’s sports on the 3rd January, and there is no doubt that if they are as well managed as in last April, a crowd of spectators may be expected. Programmes will beprinted containing full information. A boat for tbe Customs has just been completed, having been built by Mr. Berg, of Te Aro, and the work does that gentleman infinite credit. The boat is light and handy, being well adapted for the class of work for which she is intended.