VOLUNTEER NAVAL BRIGADE.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 74, 18 November 1864, Page 2

VOLUNTEER NAVAL BRIGADE.

A numerously-attended meeting, of the supporters -of the formation, of a naval ■ brigade for Invercargill took place last evening, 22nd ult.; in. the office of Mr. John Macdonald, Esk-street. " His Honor the Superintendent'occupied the chair/ . • lj ' The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. _, - The Chaibmajt then opened th©"'proceedings with a few remarks, and informed ; tke meeting; that, although jhe knew very little i on thef subject, he coriidl^:|e^; tell them something which^w^tild .. interest them. a paper received"Dythe ? last Northern mail, he -found ■ that -Colonel Balneavis; at Auckland, [had decided that the naval brigade .atlDunedin should take precedence over the rifle volunteers, and he (the Chairman) had no doußtsbufctthe same rule would apply in Invercargill. This announcement "'was received bythoso present with .feelings of much gratification. Mr. Chapmajt then moved ;that the scheme for the formation of the brigade be supported by the meeting, by ;_those present putting .: their; names ; C iiqw. to the declaration which. had been prepared by the committee, in "order that it might be forwarded to Auckland by the first mail. ' r Mr. Cousins seconded the "motion, which was carried unanimously. ~"' r '",' Those present then appended their names to the document. Captain Callow then moved that Mr. Wilson, late of H. M. steam sloop " Victoria," be appointed drill instructor, and also, that he be appointed commanding officer pro. teni. Captain Burke seconded the '-motion, which was carried unanimously.;; Mr. Chapman then moved that the members pay a subscription of 2s. 6d. per month to meet current expenses, until ' the appointment of Mr. Wilson- be confirmed.. Mr. Consist seconded the motion. Carried unanimously: - - -- - .*ls Mr. Wilson then tendered _his thanki to the meeting for being 'selected as their drill instructor, and appointed Thursday morning next, at six o'clock; for the first - meeting at drill. r - The place" pf^meeting was in front, of the Marine-Hotel, Jettystreet. A Union Jack displayed from a pole will denote the place. - ( --... yu-- r *£ Mr. Wilson's name was added to the Committee. Votes of thanlcs to the chSirnan, and to Mr. M'Donald, for-the vuse.of his office, terminated theproceedings.- — &2 7 .,0ct.22. The Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands publishes the following clauses > of; ithe. ";Southland Waste Lands' Act, 1863," .for the information of all.persons holding certificates - off occupation for rural land in the Province of Southlandjyho hare not performed the^improvements. .required by clause 7 of the O.fcago-Land^Eegulations, 1856. Clause 11. — Any -person who at any time before }the passing of -this Act^shall have, applied for th« purchase o! laiid 'uiifleV fchft ¥6jgula.ti6nß?tlieil in force, and shall~liave obtained from the Waste Land Board a certificate entitling him to taka possession of the land specified ,in iis application, but who shall not have expended on such land forty shillings per acre in improvements,- bo as to entitle, himsto.a ; Crown Grant thereof under the said Regulations (hereinafter styled •a' "former purchaser") may elect to'do either of'thT"following tilings : — (1.) To pay the Receiver" of Land Revenue, at tis ofiice, a. sum, of money equal to ten shillings per acre on the~quan£ity of land comprised in his certificate, and be entitled forthwith to a Crown Grant in fee-simple, free from additions. (2.) To take"a Crown- Grant* in feesimple without additions,' for two-thirds in value of the land comprised in such "certificate, to be ascertained to the satisfaction of the^Commiasioner of Crown Lands. Clause 13.— Any sucit' former purcliaser who shall not 'within six months after the coming into operation of this 'Act^eloct to do either of the aforementioned ; things, -and signify the Bame in writing to tha -Waste Land Board, shall be deemed to have decided to stand upon his rights, and to - remain subject to hu liabilities, as though -this Act nad not been passed. On the afternoon of the 22nd ulfc. Mr. J. B. Thompson, Detective Officer, arrested a man named Samuel Silcock, on the Dunedin road/on'tlfe charge of committing the offence of rape on a girl of about sixteen years of age. He waa at once taken into custody, and will be brought before the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning. Those who take an interest in the conversion of our famous indigenous plant, the phormiumtenas, into an article of commerce, will be glad to learn that by the last mail from Europe, intelligence was received that the samples of prepared flax sent home a few months ago, are worth £60 p« ton. This news ought certainly to excite renewed attention to this subject. One advantage qrep Drdinary flax which our native plant possesses it tb,at it doos not, "when -prepared, require to be bleached as does the other; and this cirounutance, )f course, adds to its commercial value, ■*» a eon* liderablo item of the expenditure uiiudly^nauwed « tha jttMufaotwf of fli^ tato:th.i ?»?i<miiMm<!i