WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 90, 24 September 1873, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1873.

One of the most useful works engaged in by the General Government in this district, and, at the same time one that is calculated to prove a lasting benefit to the community, is the survey at present being made of the remainder of the Muhunga Block Mr. Winter, the resident Government Surveyor, is now engaged in laying off into sections the residue of that Block lying outside the Military Township of Ormond, with a view to the location of a number of Small Farmers on them. The Muhunga Block comprises some portions eminently adapted to the pursuits of small holders, although a greater portion of it consists of fern hills fit only for sheep, and will find ready purchasers in a district with so limited an area at command as that of Poverty Bay. As we have said this work, small though it be, is a step in the right direction, and one which the Government should endeavour by all possible means to make progressive, and to follow it up with the speedy acquisition of other lands, so that some of the plethora of capital which is just now seeking for investment in the Colony, may find its way hither. Small blocks of agricultural land are just the thing wanted to push this dis-

trict a-head, and to settle down a thriving population; and this brings us to enquire once more as to the intention of the Government with regard to the Patutahi Block. Nearly twelve months have passed since the contract was accepted for the Survey of that block, which embodied a life and death condition that the work must be done almost against time. It was understood at that date that the cultivable portions of the Block were to be either sold on easy terms of deferred payments, or to be leased with a right of purchase—the value of the same to be determined by public auction; but so far as we can gather, the matter seems to have gone to rest with the driving of the last survey peg. Mr. Bousfield’s work has been completed, and the map finished in due course, some considerable time since, and besides the pleasure of having paid £5,000 in hard cash to the Ngatiporou for their interest (?) in the land, and consequently rid ourselves of some very unpleasant neighbors—we are no nearer the solution of one of our difficulties than we were a year back. There is one ground of which we are aware, (and may be put forward as a reasonable excuse for the delay) and that is, the desire of the Government to alienate the interest of the Coast and Hawke’s Bay Natives from their portion of the land before any definite move is made ; as it is believed, and possibly correctly, that they might have even a greater disinclination to sell when they find its true worth. But why cannot the Government allay the irritation which the settlers smart under in being kept so perpetually in the dark, and let them know that there is a good cause for delay ? Mr. McLean is proverbially known as the “ mystery man” certainly nothing seems to suit his hand unless carried on with all the esoteric appliances known to that department which is as a sealed book to the outside world. But why should this be so in dealing with a handful of land ? There are many necessities which imperiously demand that the Cabinet should keep its own counsel; but there can be no doubt that on any question connected with Poverty Bay lands, the more the Government merges itself with thepeople, and identifies itself with their troubles, which seem to be indigenous to the soil, the better each will understand the other.

But there are other questions which must be correlatively considered, with that of permanent settlement: these are Roads and Bridges. The General Government formed what is known as the trunk line to Ormond, the last state of which is worse than the first. If that line is to be maintained as a trunk road we hope the Government will see its way, during the coming summer, to make an additional outlay on it, so as to render it passable next winter—now it is not, neither has it been for some months past; and the funds at the disposal of the Road Board, are inadequate for such a purpose, even supposing it to be the duty of the district to tax itself to maintain trunk roads. Again, apart from it being incumbent on the Government to keep the great arterial Roads in repair, a condition is imposed in doling out the Road Board Grants which positively prevents districts from improving their highways. These monies are to be applied solely to the “formation of new roads,” which throws an onus of great difficulty upon a small community occupying a large area of country. Under the circumstances of our present condition, we think (if it has not already done so) that the Road Board should press this matter on the attention of the Government without further delay. With respect to “ bridges,” we shall have to content ourselves with one if we can get that, and that that one will be necessary before the Patutahi block is occupied by a single agricultural settler, is patent to all but those who won’t see —we allude to the Matawhero crossing, or someplace in that locality. The Messrs. Johnson have a fine estate in the parish of Lavenham, which might, ere this, have been occupied by thriving settlers, but it is not; and we warn the Government that great as the popular desire may be to see the Patutani lands settled upon, it is worse than useless to expect, that, unless the great chasm caused 4>y the Waipaoa river is spanned, so as to afford a ready means of market communication in all weathers, they will fall into the hands of that class which will be most beneficial to the district.

Our space is more than fully occupied ; but we snail take a favorable opportunity of enlarging upon these subjects which require the active intelligence of the settlers being devoted to their realization.

Prize Firing.—On Monday last a chosen few of the Poverty Bay Mounted Rifle Volunteers met at the respective butts at Ormond and Gisborne, to contest for a medal and two money prizes, given by the troop to the beet three shots. From some cause or other, —known only to those who are familiar with the working of these corps —a protest was entered on the one hand, and a counter-protest on the other, so that as we understand it, the officers have deemed it advisable to set the event of the day aside as a “ practice ” only, and to postpone the final contest until some future day, the 15th of October next. Mr. Parsons topped the score at Ormond with 53, and Mr. Thelwall at Gisborne with 47. The following remarks were already in hand on receipt of the alteration alluded to above : —lt is but fair to add that the chronic cause of complaint of all indifferent shooting—the weather—operated very much against a better show at the Gisborne range. The day was oppressive from an unseasonable heat, a strong N.W. wind blew across the range of fire; and a dull lurid cloudiness obscured the vision to a painful degree. This is the more to be regretted inasmuch as at the practice on Saturday last some very good shooting was made, and some hopes were entertained that the trophy would have fallen to scores that are sometimes heard of, but seldom seen, as the troop ranks amongst its members some foes not to be trifled with in the use of the short, rifle. Of these we may mention two, Mr. Douglas—a recent arrival, and brother-in-law to our respected fellow settler Mr. Hall, the saddler—who at present holds the champion belt of New Zealand, having successfully competed at the last annual prize firing at Nelson; and Mr. Thelwall an old and respected resident in Poverty Bay, who has steadily worked up the accurracy of his aim until (on Saturday last) he scored the “ possible ” 60 points in three ranges (150, 200, and 300 yards) with 5 shots at each. That this was not the result of mere accident was evidenced by the fact that Mr. Thelwall o’ertopped the “ possible,” with two additional bull’s eyes and three centres, making a total of 77 points with 20 balls. We have not heard that the “ possible ” score has been made in the colony before; and, although Mr. Thelwall failed in securing the trophy, we congratulate him on the promise he has given of becoming one of the best shots in the colony, and having accomplished what we think we are safe in saying has never before been accomplished in New Zealand. If it has, we shall be glad to hear of it. The Rev. Mr. Root will (D.V.) hold Divine Service at Ormond on Sunday next at the usual hour.

Cricket.—We understand that owing to the wet state of the ground, play has been postponed for the present.

Among the passengers by the last trip of the Paterson for Poverty Bay, was Mr. A. C. Pratt, who, for a length of time, has been manager of the Napier Telegraph, and is now on the staff of this journal. The Hawke's Bag Herald says:— “ We cannot permit Mr. Pratt to leave Napier without bearing testimony to the many good qualities he possesses, particularly to his thorough knowledge of every branch of the trade, his good business habits, and his uniformly obliging manner. The Telegraph improved greatly under the management of Mr. Pratt, whose devotion to its interests was patent to everyone. Although the only real competition the Herald has had to encounter was consequent on Mr. Pratt’s strenuous exertions on behalf of his employers, we cannot (knowing that what he did he did conscientiously), but feel regret at his departure from Napier. We cordially wish him every success in his new sphere of labor.” Very good butter, it is stated, is prepared now by a butter manufactory at New York, according to the following process:—Agents are employed to visit slaughter-houses, and buy up all the beef suet. This is carted to the factory and cleansed. Then it is put into meat (Shoppers and minced fine. It is afterwards placedjin a boiler with as much water in bulk as itself. A steampipe is introduced among the particles of suet, and they are melted. The refuse of the membrane goes to the bottom of the water, the oily substance floats, and is removed. This consists of butter matter and stearine. A temperature of eighty degrees melts the former, and leaves the stearine at the bottom. The butter matter, or cream, is drawn off; about 13 per cent, of fresh milk is added and the necessary salt, and the whole is churned for ten or fifteen minutes. The result is Orange county butter at about one-half the usual cost. The stearine is sold at twelve cents a pound to the candle maker, and the refuse at seven cents a pound to the manufacturer of food for cattle. A company with a capital of 500,000 dollars has been organized for the manufacture of butter by this method, and it is expected that the dividends will amount to 100 per cent. In the meantime a chemist in France is reported to have made milk from grass, but as the milk thus made is much more costly than old-fashioned milk, his discovery is not likely to be so profitable as that of the butter manufacturers. Billiards.—The first of a series of billiardmatches, was played last evening at the Occidental Hotel, between Mr. W. Weston, Champion cl Australasia, and Mr. Perkins, of this city; and proved a great treat to the audience, whe vit an exhibition of skill never surpassed in this town. The game commenced at ten minutes past eight o’clock. The first 500 was finished in one hour forty minutes, when the game stood as follows: Weston, 503 ; Perkins, 268. Up to this time Mr. Perkins play was very indifferent. This he attn* buted to the balls, which were a new set, being larger than the usual size, but on play being resumed, after an interval of twenty minutes, the balls having been changed, he played much better and gained 58 points on Weston on the last 500, the match concluding thus: Weeton, 5000; Perkins 823. Weston’s principal breaks were—-78, 48, 47, 37, 37,34, 29,29, 29, 28, 38, 26, 28, 23, 22,

22, 21, 21, and many others under 20. Perkin’s principal breaks were—sl, 46, 44, 37, 35, 29, 26, 28, 27, 27, 26,25, 25, 22, 21. During the game Mr. Perkins made 10 consecutive spot strokes, and Weston 17 consecutive, white losing hazards. —N. Z. Herald, September 9. With reference to a telegram which appeared in a recent issue of the Cross, that Judge Rogan had withdrawn from the action for libel against Mr. Ballace, proprietor of the Wanganui Herald, we are informed that the criminal prosecution was stayed upon a full and ample apology being made and published by the defendant, in the Wellington and Wanganui newspapers, and all costs in the action being paid.— D.S. Cross. In moving the second reading of the Floatage of Timber Bill, Mr. Vogel said :—“ Very few persons attached sufficient importance to the wealth which New Zealand possessed in its timber. All over the world timber was advancing in price, and was likely to continue for the next few years to advance very much more, in proportion to the advance in iron and other materials. But there was another reason why timber was rising in value, and it was, that the immense consumption of timber during the last half-century had, to some extent, exhausted the supply in those countries where formerly it was most abundant. Norway and Sweden were even now making most stringent provisions as to the way in which their forests should be worked, and he was aware that considerable inquiries were being made as to the forests of this country.” His Maori Majesty, King Tawhiao, in order to replenish his treasury, has placed a capitation tax on pigs exported from his territory. Every porker of Hauhau descent which crosses the Aukati line for the purposes of trade is, according to the Raglan correspondent of the Southern Cross, now assessed at the sum of one shilling for the benefit of the Royal Treasury. The Archbishop of Canterbury has conferred the degree of Doctor in Divinity on the Rev. John Kinder, Master of St. John’s College, Auckland, New Zealand.

A drouthy sailor swam ashore from his vessel in Wellington harbour the other night, and proceeded (clad in his shirt only) to a hotel. The landlord gave him a glass of brandy but refused him a bed.

It may be of interest to mention that Dr. Harold Browne, Bishop of Ely, who has been appointed to succeed Dr. Wilberforce as Bishop •of Winchester, is a brother of Governor Gore Browne formerly of New Zealand. Dr. Browne, who was consecrated Bishop of Ely in 1864, is admittedly one of the most distinguished ornaments of the Episcopal Bench. According to the Wellington Post, “ A Northern contemporary states that his Majesty King Tawhiao is desirous of encouraging within his dominions the industry of distillation, and that his agents are now making anxious enquiries for a man learned in the manufacture of whiskey. Perfect safety is guaranteed to him who will invade the territory of his Maori Majesty with a worm as his sole protector. It is nearly true, as a native remarked at the meeting in Ngaruawahia, that our Governor only exercises his functions over half the island.” An Enormous “Dust Ball.” — Mr. Robinson, chemical manufacturer, has shown us a large “ dust ball ” which had become consolidated in the intestines of a horse which had been dissected at his establishment. The ball is of a bluish or slate colour, and is in the form of an elongated cone, with a deep cavity on one side. It is Bilb. in weight, measures 24|in. long, and 19jin. round the mass.— Weeklg News. A Noteworthy Item. — Here is an item worthy of more than a casual reading:—Professor Lawes of England has a plot of experimental meadow to which 14 tons of stable manure has been applied each year since 1843. Plants grown on this surface have absorbed all the rain water, so that little or none has been discharged by under-drains. Similar drains under a part of the meadow not manured “ have run freely several times a year.” An acre of long manured land holds within 36 inches of the surface 1,910 tuns of water; while the same area and depth of similar ground unmanured holds only 191 tuns.