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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5554, 16 January 1879, Page 2

A prospectus has recently been issued bearing the title “ H. & J. Bell and Coleman’s Dry Air Refrigerative Apparatus,” which opens up the question of exporting fresh meat from the colonies to England, or to the Continent. Erom an exhaustive article on the subject in the “ Capricomian,” which is too long for admission into our columns, we glean the following particulars:—The apparatus provides for a current of air which shall be dry as well as sufficiently cold, andshall not be dependant upon any but mechanical means for its production. The prospectus states that Messrs. John Bell and Sons, of Glasgow, London, and Liverpool, who were the original and largest importers of American live cattle, as well as consignees of the greatest proportion of the American fresh meat brought to the United Kingdom, have discovered in their extensive experience that meat, although landed in good condition, has not obtained such remunerative prices as might have been possible had it been brought across the ocean by some process which, while preserving it sound and fresh, also kept it in appearance equal to town-killed meat, and this led them to seek for an improved system by which the defects they had noted.might be obviated. They now assert that they have succeeded beyond their most sanguine expectations in this object by the perfecting of the process by which “ meat can be conveyed any distance without the aid of ice or chemicals, merely by the production of dry refrigerated ail - , obtained by a mechanical appliance as simple as it is effective, and for which the motive power can be applied at a charge quite nominal, as compared with the existing costly systems,” which it is expected will be entirely superseded by the new and improved method. The machine introduced first compresses the air to be used, and then while in its compressed state it is cooled by means of water, the object being to maintain the temperature of the meat chamber by a current of cool air at a figure which shall never exceed 40 degrees of Fahrenheit nor go below 33, it being essential that at no time during the passage the meat shall be frozen. Although this would be practicable in the case of a voyage from America, on a long voyage such as that from Australia to New .Zealand the patentees admit that it would be necessary to allow the temperature to take a lower average than 40 degrees, and possibly to descend even below freezing point, a temperature which they say could be maintained by their machine. It has been abundantly proved, however, that the freezing of meat injures its quality ; wo fear therefore that the problem of sending meat in a refrigerated but unfrozen state to England from the Australasian colonies has not yet been solved. The practical use of the invention has been fairly well tested, and for the keeping of fruit, meat, or fish in hot climates, in hotels, on board passenger steamers, it seems likely to hold its own with the ice-coolers which are now so extensively used. The now apparatus will also be available for cooling the cabins of ocean-going steamers in tropical climates, cooling hotels and hospitals, and for reducing the temperature to the required coolness in such places as breweries and chemical works. The following instances are given in proof of the efficiency of the invention :—“ The first trial on a large scale was begun on Thursday, the 30th July, when a quantity of fresh killed meat was placed in the chamber. There were also placed in it a quantity of grapes, plums, peaches, and other fruits, and two salmon trout. At the expiration of a fortnight—the period having been one of the intensest heat of the past summer—the contents of the chamber were removed, and distributed among a large number of persons so as to get their practical opinion regarding the quality. In every instance, it is stated, the very highest commendation was given, the meat being up to the mark in every one of the points which go to make the opinion of the practical man. A second test, extending over a period of twentyeight days, was completed on the 11th October, and the meat, forwarded in the usual manner from Glasgow to London, was pronounced by competent authorities to be an unqualified success in every respect.” Our latest advices from England, however, show that the carcass trade between England and America has somewhat declined. The prospect of the trade being extended to Australia has therefore become less likely. Many scientific men are firmly possessed of the belief that some chemical process may yet be discovered by which the transportation of fresh meat across the ocean will be rendered feasible. Many rumors have been floated to the effect that this had already been successfully performed, but that the cost of the process was such as to hinder its general adoption as a mercantile venture. Be these rumors true or false, there can be no doubt that a fortune is open to any man who can solve the problem, and ere long we may expect to hear that success has crowned the efforts of some earnest laborer in the cause of scientific advancement. ■

The following are the arrangements in connection, with the Supreme Court sittings for next week :—The case of Carkeek v. Williams will be taken by his Honor the Chief Justico and a special jury of twelve on Monday. On Tuesday, at 10, chamber business will be disposed of, and at 12 the Bankruptcy Court will sit. Wednesday, being Anniversary Day, will be observed as a holiday, the banco sitting being postponed till* Thursday. On Saturday, 25th, the midsummer vacation commences, and extends to the 15th March, both days inclusive, during which time the Supreme Court offices will close at 1 p.ro. daily. The Manawatu and Eangitikei papers are full of the great terminus question. Each party assert the claims of their respective townships to be made the terminus of the WelHngton-Foxton line. The official map issued with the Public Works Statement shows alternative lines, surveyed both to Foxton direct and to Fitzherbertpn ; from which fact it seems probable that at the time of making the statement the Minister for Public Works had not sufficient data to enable him to decide definitely which should be finally adopted. The decision said to have been arrived at by Mr. Macandrew is to the effect “that the route of the West Coast line will not be definitely fixed until full explorations and surveys of all proposed routes is made,” and it seems a wise one, and will commend itself to Wellington people, who are to be called upon to pay the piper out of the proceeds of the sale of the reclaimed land, whether they like it or no. They are even expected to submit without complaint to being deprived of a railway station in the business quarter of the town, so as to enable the Minister for Public Works to make this line without encroaching upon loan-money. Ho doubt there are a great many calls upon that fund, and an equitable division of Government favors is to be hoped for rather than expected. The Royal Commission appointed to consider the whole question of higher education commenced their sittings yesterday in B coro-mittee-room, House of Representatives. There were present Professor Brown (Canterbury College), Professor Cook (Canterbury College), Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Rev. James Habeas (Inspector-General under the Education Act), Dr. Hector, C.M.G, Dr. Macdonald (Dunedin High School), Professor Shand (Otago University), Professor Ulrich (Otago University), Rev. Dr. Wallis, M.H.R. The commission sat at 11 a.m., and then adjourned till 4 p.m., but, pending the arrival of the members of the commission, nothing beyond the merest preliminary business was done, not even a permanent chairman being appointed. The commission will reassemble to-day at 11 a.m. Samuel John Hill, who, it will be remembered, was recently committed by the Supreme Court for contempt, was brought-before Mr., Graham, J.P., at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday and charged with using threatening language towards Mrs. Hunter, It appears that Mrs. Hunter is wife of the person who looks after Mrs. Hill’s business. Prisoner asked for a remand of the case, as he wished to employ counsel. The Bench adjourned the case until to-day, admitting accused to bail by entering into his recognizances of £2O and one surety of a like amount.

The Supreme Court will reopen at 10 o’clock this morning, when the case of McLean v. Nioh'ri-on will come on for trial.

TJie trial of the case Bishop v. Macdonald has been postponed until the next circuit sittings of the Supreme Court. The manager of the Tramway Company informs us that, owing to some alterations to the line, no tram-cars will run to-day before noon. Baker and Farron had a good house last night, when the well known drama of “ Liza Ecclea" was presented. Mr. Thomas Short, bailiff of the Resident Magistrate’s Court, is now licensed to deal in stamps, under the Stamp Act, 1875. The novel point of practice raised in the Supreme Court yesterday with regard to the challenge of a special juror will be found reported in another column. The valuation lists are now open for inspection at the Corporation offices. All objections thereto must be lodged at the Resident Magistrate’s Court before February 15th. Copies of objections are required to be left at the Corporation offices.

We are authorised to state that there is no foundation for the rumor current that the sale of the property known as Hunter’s Farm had fallen through. Yesterday was the day fixed for completing the transaction, and everything was satisfactorily arranged as provided for in the agreement. The attendance of buyers at Mr. Francis Side/s land sale yesterday was rather limited, and as a consequence the bidding was not very spirited. There was only one property sold, viz,, one undivided moiety of a farm at Karori, containing about forty acres, and forming part of section 31 in that district. This was purchased by Mr. T. McKenzie for £825.

The weekly meeting of the committee of the Wellington Benevolent Institution was held on Tuesday. Present—L. Levy (in the chair), Rev. W. H. West, Rev. B. W. Harvey, Archdeacon Thorpe, J. E. Smith, and Jos. G. HoTdsworth. Subscriptions Mrs. Barber, 10s. 6d. ;L. Levy, £1 Is. Several cases of destitution were considered, and arrangements made for relief.

Inspector James, who is to take the place of Mr. Atchison when the latter leaves for Nelson, is expected to arrive in town to-day. As we believe that at present there are no cases of undetected crimes in the hands of the police, Inspector Atchison, if he retires from active service in Wellington at once, will have the pleasure of handing over a clean sheet to his'successor. If any one could get a peep behind the official scenes at the present moment, he would probably discover that the Premier is busily engaged in a wordy warfare with his Excellency the Governor relative to the recommendation of Ministers to appoint a Northern resident (Mr. Dignan, for example) to the Upper House. His Excellency, according to a rumor which appears to be well founded, declines to make the required “ call,” and grounds his objection on the fact that the Legislative Council is growing out of all proportion to the other branch of the Legislature; that it .contains more bon. members than the Upper House of any of the other colonies absolutely and relatively to population, and that the number of people in New Zealand is not so enormously large as to require that the roll of the Legislative Council should be increased by further additions at the present time. It is also understood that the Premier’s determina-. tion to ignore the finding of the jury and the opinion of the Judge in Walsh’s case has led to correspondence between the Governor and the Cabinet. Walsh was convicted of wife murder, and sentenced to death, but Ministers, in spite of the expressed opinion of Judge Williams that there is nothing in the ease to warrant the law being arrested in its course, have advised his Excellency to commute the sentence to imprisonment for life. It will be remembered that upon more than one occasion lately a proposalhas been mooted in the City Council, that in order to mitigate the dust nuisance in Wellington, wood pavement for the streets, such as that used at the crossings and cabstands, should be introduced in Wellington. The cost of the system has been urged against its adoption ; but inasmuch as the expenditure on repairs is said to be very light, and street watering is seldom if ever necessary, the savings effected are very great. New Zealand timber, whether totara or black birch, is, on account of its durability, specially suitable for the block pavement, and many people have lately expressed the opinion that some modification of the plan of laying the crossings might be found suitable for general adoption. A plan was not long ago submitted to the City Engineer, who reported adversely to it, but now that the system is being adopted in London, it might be worth while to obtain information as to the method to be employed there. London traffic, even at the West End, is infinitely heavier than any that Wellington streets have to bear, and therefore we hope that the matter may again be brought up. The following extract from the World shows that the plan has had to encounter opposition elsewhere as well as here: —“ At last ! Wood pavement is being put down in Pall Mall, greatly to the benefit of Clubland, or rather that part of Clubland that has its abiding-place in Pall Mall; for as yet there is no symptom of a like benefit being conferred on the dwellers in St. James-street. As a matter of fact, wood pavement might have been laid down in Pall Mall years ago had it not been for the pig-headed opposition of the vestry. Even now the clubs are, I believe, paying half the cost. This they offered to do long ago, but only now have they been able to persuade the ‘parish authorities to behave like reasonable beings.’ ”

Arrangements have been made by which the public will be able at night to determine the locality of a fire. The signalman stationed in Bonlcott-street tower has been supplied with white lamps, which he will hang from a projecting arm iu the following manner : —For a fire iu Cook Ward, 1 lamp; Te Aro Ward, 2 lamps ; Lambton Ward, 3 lamps; Thorndon Ward, 4 lamps. Counting from Cook Ward northward the number of lamps for each ward will be easily remarked. The fire brigade stations have also been connected by wire with each other, and with the police station, so that the officer in charge of the police station being notified will be able to ring the alarm. From the Wairarapa we hear that during the late gale on Tuesday the roof which covers Mr. Pilcher’s large goods shed was blown off. It struck Mr. Vile’s shed and cottage and caused a considerable amount of damage. The new butcher’s shop near Too- ■ good’s Hotel was completely wrecked, and several buildings sustained slighter injuries. The coach which was blown over was heavily laden ; but fortunately the horses became detached, and but little damage was done.

A rather sudden death from paralysis occurred at Kaiwarra yesterday on the premises of Messrs. Hirst and Co., fellmongers, &c. Mr, James Blacklock, who had for some, years acted as accountant to the firm, left his residence in Charlotte-street early in the morning, as was his custom, to discharge his daily business. He appeared to be quite strong and in the best of spirits up till about 3.30 in the afternoon, when he was suddenly seized with a paralytic stroke, which proved fatal to him at an early hour in the evening. The deceased gentleman was an old and much esteemed resident of Victoria, where he gained the respect of all those with whom he was connected in business matters. Both in New Zealand and in Victoria he made many friends, who will deeply regret his loss. It is a striking fact (says the Wellington correspondent of the Argus) that, in spite of Ministerial boasting, the Queen’s writ does not run through the North Island. A notorious murderer is sheltered by the Maoris, and the Government seem afraid to ask for him ; yet if a white man slaughtered a Maori the law would at once lay hold of him. The want of boldness on the part of Ministers is all the more astonishing because a very little firmness would put everything right. The whites are now so numerous, the M aoris so few, and their numbers so divided, that if a little pressure were put on any one tribe they would at once submit and deliver up the murderer. We hear that the crops between Bulls and Sandon are looking in prime harvest condition, and a number of reapers-and-binders are, at work in various parts of the district. Some* of the fields of wheat, particularly, are really magnificent, having attained that golden color indicating abundant ripeness. From the Wairarapa also it is reported that the crops near Greytown are unusually heavy this year, those at Waihakeke being estimated to yield fifty bushels to the acre. The same is the case at Ashburton, notwithstanding the great drought. At the latter place laborers demanded high wages, as much as £4 a week and found, and are given ss. 6d. per acre for tying. This is a common figure, as men are scarce..

The Waipawa County Council are advertising for an engineer at XSOO per annum. Ap-. plications, with copies of testimonials, will be re.ceived by the chairman of the county np to the Ist of March,

From Lyttelton we bear that the New Zealand Shipping Company have received a telegram from their London agency, stating that they had chartered the large, full powered steamer Stad Haarlem, 2700 tons register, for the conveyance of 600 immigrants to the colony. The steamer is appointed to make the round voyage out and Home again, and will sail on January 28. She may therefore he expected in New Zealand about March 20. It is the company’s intention to load her back to London, and as she has splendid accommodation for first and second cabin passengers, a most favorable opportunity will be presented to parties desirous of a summer visit to Europe. Referring to the Timarn breakwater the Herald says :—We notice that the contractors have commenced the laying down of the permanent way for the crane between the shore and the 620-ton block. They have also got the concrete mixer ready to work, and will thus be enabled to make blocks much easier, and with less labor. The idea which has got about that the shingle and action of the waves is injuring the large block is simply theresult of pure imagination, andhasno foundation whatever in fact. The slight irregularities in its corners and sides were caused by the water getting into the casing while it was being constructed, and before it had time to set properly. Since the casing has been taken off and the block fully exposed to the action of the sea, no damage whatever has been done to it. We may mention that all the steel rails for the crane have been here for some time, but we believe the Harbor Board have as yet received no advice as to the exact date when the crane itself will be delivered.