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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 231, 16 December 1874, Page 2

Speaking of the recent arrivals by the Rooparell at Auckland, the Star says: —lt will be found infinitely cheaper for the Government to make a selection of the ruffians who have landed in the various parts of the colony during the past twelve months, and re-ship them back, consigned to the Agent-General with compliments and thanks. In cases like these the first loss is always the smallest, and upon the point of economy there cannot be a shadow of a doubt that the price of the passage back would be very much smaller than the maintenance of such ruffians in gao], apart from the mischief caused by their predatory habits in relation to private ; roperty. The Bay of Plenty Times of the 25th November says : —“ The steamer to-day will take away from our community a gentleman, who, since he has been among us, has made many friends —we allude to Mr. Sisley, Government Sub-Storekeeper. Mr. Sisley came to this district from Poverty Bay in the beginning of the year 1871, and has always lent his aid. in furthering the interests of the settlers. He was one of the promoters, and, during his stay here, the most active supporter of, the Mechanics’ Institute, of wdiich he has been Honorary Secretary since its formation, and to his exertions the success of the Institute is mainly attributable. To desire that a man of Mr. Sisley’s talents should remain in his present position would be selfish, and to suppose it possible, an injustice to the Government, which he so ably serves. We can only regret his departure, as we should that of any useful member of the community. The cause of Good Templaryin Tauranga will lose one of its brightest ornaments, the Mechanics’ Institute a hardworking member, and the district a sterling man. We understand that Mr. Sisley has been presented with a very handsome and valuable ring by his personal friends as a mark of their esteem. On behalf of the settlers of Tauranga, we wish him “ God Speed.” Gigantic Reclamation of Land.— The Duke of Sutherland is setting a grand example to other large landowners in Scotland and elsewhere in the reclamation, in a wholesome manner, of waste lands. Out of nearly 2,000,000 acres in the county of Sutherland • belonging to him, only 20,000 are arable, and the consequence has been that the stock farmers have had to import all their winter food in the way of turnips, hay, &c. The Duke determined to end this state of things, and after various consultations with his agents and with practical farmers, has entered upon a gigantic plan of improvements. He is doing everything by steam. He has got two tremendous engines for ploughing, which have very broad flanges to their wheels so as to traverse swamps. These plough about -an acre a day in the following way. They drag backwards and forwards between them a plough which turns up the ground to a depth of nearly 2ft. The plough is a massive concern which goes right through everything, and is not stopped even by large boulders. Whenever it comes against an unusually large boulder it is lifted over it, but it is followed by a large hook attached to its tail, which scoops out stones of almost any size. If on the other hand the plough reveals the outcrop of solid rock a party of men rush up and fix to the obtruding excrescence a charge of dynamite, which shatters the rocks to atoms, and the next time the plough comes up everything goes smoothly, The ploughing is followed by a draining machine, which is in the form of a huge anchor or hook, which is dragged by main force through the ground to the depth of 3ft or 4ft, according to circumstances, and so loosens the earth that a party of men with shovels can throw out the soil with the greatest ease and rapidity. The drain pipes are dropped in, the earth is filled in, the steam harrows follow, the sowing machine comes next, and almost, before the idea can be realised the face of the country is changed as if by magic. lu a few weeks, what was a short time previously a barren moor, supporting a few head of sheep, is an expanse of smiling cornfields. The expense is about £8 per acre, and the appearance of the crops is stated to be most satisfactory.