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Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 139, 1 November 1895, Page 2

Tenders close to-morrow with Mr J. 11. 'Stewart for felling SO acres of bush at Opua. Mr W. D. Scott notifies the arrival on Thursday of 150 sacks prime Derwent eating potatoes. James Mitchinson, gardener, of New Plymouth, well-known throughout New Zealand, died sudlculy on Wednesday night of heart disease.

Tenders for metalling on Main South Boad close on Monday next, at the County Council’s office, New Plymouth.

Messrs Newman Bros notify the arrival of 300 sacks of prime Derwent potatoes, which are now on sale. They have also imported a few tons of lime manure, which is very highly commended as a fertiliser.

The Parramatta’s butter at London is quoted at 126 s to 130 s but the high prices asked are preventing sales and attracting American supplies, 36,000 tubs being shipped from New York during the last fortnight.

Mr B. M. Smith, M.H.E., says the New Zea'and Times, leave on his voyage to England about six weeks hence. He goes to introduce the claims of Taranaki ironsand to the people of the Old Country, and takes five tons of samples with him.

Mr A. O’Donnell notifies having assumed the proprietorship of the Eahotn Hotel. Special coaches leave the hotel every Monday and Saturday ’for New Plymouth, the latter one returning the same day, in addition to the ordinary through coach, which leaves three times a week.

Mr Newton King’s sale of Mr W. J. Dew’s stock, which was to be held on next Thursday, November 7th, has been adjourned till November 21st. Mr King has made the alteration as it would otherwise clash with the Egmont A. and P. Show which takes place next Thursday, at Hawera.

In the St. Albans estate consultation at Brisbane eight prizes come to New Zealand, including Eiridspord, to Mrs Davy, of Eketahuna; Nada, to Mr D. Maher, of Hawke’s Bay ; Ballance, to Mr J. Bird, of Palmerston. Messrs W. Brown (butcher) and C. H. Ewens (groom), Christchurch, drew Mersey, the dam of Carbine.

The entries for the A. and P. Show total upwards of 830, and it is anticipated that reckoning post entries the grand total will exceed that of last year by 150. The Hawera Band have acted very generously to the A. and P. Society, having offered, while making their usual charge of £7 10s, to return as a donation to the show funds 80 per cent of this amount. The balance of 40 per cent will be applied to the instrument fund.—Star.

The s.s. Aorere arrived on Wednesday from Wellington, Imports: Eanby, 3pkgs; Simeon, ISpkgs ; Swinnerton, 14pkgs ; D. McGregor, IGpkgs ; Newman Bros, 525pkgs ; Agent, Mpkgs; Kennedy, Bpkgs ; Mrs Ballard, Spkgs ; McEeynolds, 49pkgs ; Knowles, 29pkgs ; Ching, 3pkgs ; Beaver, Ipkg ; Stitt, 3pkgs; O’Donnell, 4pkgs; McLeod, Ipkg; Maxwell, Ipkg; Wagstaff, Spkgs; Harvey (Eahotu), Spkgs. Exports; Rutherford and Sons, 139 bales hemp; Newman Bros, 11 kegs butter, 1 keg, 2 bales fungus ; G. W. Rogers, 5 casks tallow; W. D. Scott, 4 bales wool, 1 bundle skins. She left for Wellington last night. Speaking to a deputatation of Wellington citizens with respect to the unemployed, Mr Seddon said the unemployed, despite all that could be done, were always on the increase. This year GOO more men were employed on the co-operative works than last year. Whereever practicable the Government intended to introduce the alternate system in connection with the co-operative works. Dealing with the unemployed question was almost like shovelling away at the foot of a sand hill, the more that was shovelled away the more sand that came down. He thought that some system was wanted by which work required might be equalised throughout the year, and he hoped the day was not far distant when the payment of a living wage would be universal. Mr Reeves said that in reference to a living wage a Bill had been introduced earlier in the session, but had to be dropped, as from the Whips he learnt that there was very little chance of its being passed.

It has long been believed that some if not all, high grade ancient tools of steel were tempered in human blood, and a recent discovery in a ruin of Syria substantiates the belief, says an exchange. In the remains of an armourer’s smithy was found a parchment, written in Syrian characters, giving directions for making the famous “ Damascus blades. ” The recipe reads as follows :—“ Let the workman be furnished with a slave of fair fame, and let the Ethiopian be bound, shoulders upward, upon the block with his arms fastened underneath the thongs. . . . His head and neck projecting over and beyond the edge of the block. Then let the master workman cold-hammer the blade to a thin, smooth edge. Next let it be thrust into a fire of cedar wood coals until the color of the blade be red like the rising sun. Then, with a quick motion, let him pass the blade six times from the hilt to the point thereof, through the most fleshy portions of the slave s back and thighs, or a sufficient number of times to cool it until the color is purple. Then with one stroke it will sever the neck of the slave and not receive a nick, whereupon it may be cooled in the blood flo .ring from his body.”

The statistics of the seven colonies which form the Australian group, just published_ dealing with the returns up to the close of 1891, furnish some interesting details which are specially useful at the present juncture, Naturally the very big advance lately in the price of wool will direct attention to the sheep holdings of various colonies. According to the figures given, the total number of sheep in the various colonies amounted in 1891 to 121,101,217 head, whilst the total value of our wool exports for the same period is given at £20,722,229. Assuming the recent advances in the staple to be as estimated in our cable messages 20 per cent, this means an increase in the value of our principal staple of export of £1,105,115. Of this increase New South Wales is given £1,803,010, New Zealand £965,301, Queensland £583,711, Victoria £115,017, and the balance is divided amongst the other colonies. As, however, Victorian interests are very largely represented in both New South Wales and Queensland, the actual monetarj 7 benefit conferred on this colony by the rise is by no means indicated by those figures, whilst the fact the Victorian grown wools, as a rule, are of a better character than the bulk of those grown in other colonies is a factor which must not be overlooked. The very marked improvement in cross-bred wools favors Now Zealand as the bulk of her wool shipments are of this description. According to the figures given in the returns it would seem tho total number of sheep in the colonics in 1891 was less than 1891. The returns for the former year are 121,101,215, against 121,517,937 for the latter, The returns of 1895 are likely to show a still further reduction, owing to the heavy losses of stock in New South Wales and Queensland through drought, and in New Zealand by the snow storms. Hence the clip of next season, it must be expected, will be sensibly reduced, and this will doubtless have its inllacuco on market prices for wool, —Ago.