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Patea Mail, 22 February 1881, Page 3

The French Government have decided upon proposing to the Chamber to sell the Crown jewels, as in the opinion of the Ministry they do not possess any historical value. It is estimated that the sale will produce a sum of five million francs, which will be devoted to extending and improving the national museums* Condensed milk made in New South Wales has been tested at the Sydney Coffee Palace, and proved completely successful. It is in 11b fins, which are stated to represent five pints of rich country milk, and about one-third of a pound of; the best loaf sugar, costing about sixpence. Mr Plimsoll suggests that fire damp should be withdrawn from the mines by pipes, just as the water is pumped op from the sump. He would make a sump for gas in the highest part of the roof, and then allow the gas to escape from the workings up a vertical tube to the sump, whence it would be pumped to the surface and employed for lighting the village. The Chairman of the Westland County Council, who has been in office for two months, has received a salary of £4l 13s 4d. His horse and buggy hire cost the County £22 13s 6d, and at the last meeting he presented an account for a modest £2B 17s to cover expenses incurred cm certain journeys, one to “ Larrikins.” A visitor to Motueka, Nelson district, mentions that a Mr Carter, assisted by his only daughter, has commenced manufacturing jam and preserved fruit on a large scale ; large, that is, for only a couple of hands, energetic and bard-working though they be. Already he has turned out a considerable quantity, and before the close of the season he hopes to have at least five tons ready for the market. At first, tins for putting the jam, &c M in after it was made were difficult to be obtained, but Mr and Miss Carter are not easily daunted, so they sent for a lot of sheet tin, got the necessary machinery for rolling, punching, and pressing into shape, and one of the rooms in the house now contains a stack of cylinders that ere long will be filled with the product of the Motueka gardens. The South Australian Harvest. —A correspondent of the Observer , writingfrom Johnsburgb on the 31st December, says the crops in the Hundreds of Oladdie and Yalpara, with a few exceptions, are a total failure. Thousands of acres will not be reaped at all. It is nothing uncommon for a man to travel with his reaping-machine from twelve to fifteen miles, and get about a bag and a-half of wheat. Some are running the machine over their ground with the hope of getting part of their seed. One man has reaped 48 bags off 400 acres, and several others are not much better off. Feed also is getting very scarce. How we are to live through the coming year is a question. We have not made enough from our land this last two years to pay the first instalment to the Government, and next year several will have to buy alliheir seed if they sow any. Fortunately we are very well off for water in Oladdie, as most people have got wells, but in some of the adjoining hundreds the water famine is something serious. For Markets and other news, see fourth page.