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Southland Times, 24 April 1868, Page 2

Yesterday, St. G-eorge's Day, -was observed in some sort as a .holiday, the Banks and lawyers offices being closed, otherwise business went on as usual. The day proved an exceptionally fine one for the season of the year, and was taken advantage of by a few for trips into the country. Some time since we drew the attention of the , jiuthoritiestothestateofthelowerend of Esk-street | which was then fa9t becoming impassible. Nothing has, however, yet been done to render it fit for the heavy traffic passing over it, and the consequence is that the roadway has become truly deplorable — a veritable slough of despond, in the centre of the city. The drays are obliged to avoid the " made " part and truot to the firmness of the original clay at the sides ; the drain recently formed and covered in alongside the new footpath is therefore greatly endangered. The wheels of the heavily loaded carts cut down through the soil, not yet fairly set, to the slabs covering the ditch : these, of course, cannot be long expected to stand a iolting they were never intended to bear, and the result will speedily be the caving in and filling up of the main sewer of the town. Surely, with an unlimited supply of metal on the spot, a sufficient breadth of the crown of the street might be macadamised to accommodate the loaded teams going uphill ; those going downhill, and empty drays going either way, could then take the sides. The necessary outlay wouh? be but small, while the result would be a boon to all parties, and would ensure the preservation of a public work recently constructed at considerable expense. The members of the Long Bush Ploughing Association are to meet at Baggot's Hotel on Thursday the 30th inst, at 3 o'clock, instead of 6 o'clock in the evening as heretofore announced. By advertisement in another column, it will be seen that a tea meeting at which his Honor the Superintendent will preside, is to take place in the Exchange Buildings, on the evening of Tuesday next, the 28th inst. The object of the gathering is a very laudable one, viz. to strengthen the funds of the Ladies' Benevolent Society. This Society has in times past done much to ameliorate the condition of many in our midst when misfortune has visited their dwellings, and it has never yet appealed to the public in vain. Even in our present generally prosperous condition there will, no doubt, during the winter, occur frequen i cases calling for the consideration of the charitable. The institution , under notice, is admirably adapted to afford needful succor to the deserving poor, many of whom will be readily accessible to the Ladies who would otherwise suffer extreme hardships unnecessarily rather than make their wants jDublic or accept of relief from less tender haudß. The Episcopalian congregation seem to have, much greater difficulty in raising money than the other denominations in town. The Presbyterians have lately got their place of worship nicely enclosed and the ground under a beautifnl sward of young 'grass, greatly improving the appearance and value of their property. St. Mary's Chapel has also recently received most extensive improvements and ornamentation, while the Weslayans have twice within the last few months made larg c additions to their property, first by the purchase of a new Chapel and latterly by a dding a wing to it, and yet St. John's Church, in the heart of the town, stands naked and bare, in the middle of what is a very agly vacant lot in summer and a swamp in winter. The members of the congregation have certainly recently made an effort to remedy this defect, but the effort has not yet been sufficiently effective. The concert some short time ago gave them a good lift, but . before they can hope to get their place of worship made decent they will, we learn, have to supplement the funds then raised to some extent. Tenders for the fencing and painting were opened a few days ago when it was found that the lowest tender exceeded by some £10 or £12 the amount of cash in hand. Un er these circumstances the ■wardens hold the tenders in abeyance until they can decide which had better be done, put up a plainer fence, or make another exertion to raise the money. We have seen the plan of the proposed fence and must say that while it is neat and ornamental in design it is far from being extravagant in cost. Surely the members of the Church will need no further hint to make up the small balance required, and not longer desf rye the reproach of having the most beggarl \ looking place of worship in town. About ten years since, writ« 3 a correspondent of the ' Builder,' I was laid up with an excrutiating neuralgic headache, which seemed to encircle the ear of that side of the head alone affected.The idea that the headache had something to do with the ear as a centre occurred to me, although in the ear itself there was no pain. I had a little almond oil, and also spirits, dropped into the ear, but without any good effect ; when the thought suggested itself that perhaps a little of the anresthetic ether (not the nitric) might do good, by deadening the nervous pain. I had some drops of rectified sulphuric ether, therefore, put into the ear ; and, in the course of half an hour, my headache was entirely gone. I have since found, both from my own occasional experience and that of others, that ether, so applied, is in nearly all cases an effectual cure of those very painful headaches, face-achea, jaw-aches, and toothaches, which are commonly known as neuralgic and rheumatic. If a severe case, two or three days may elapse, during which the pain may be apt to recur, especially from new and even slight exposure to draughts ; but repeated application of half-a-dozen drops, or less, of ether, at a time, seems certair to subdue the most violent attack, sometimes in a very few minutes. A drop or two of almond or olive oil afterwards put into the ear, I have thought, tended to protect from a new attack. As the ether sometimes gives pain in the ear for a moment while being applied, a single drop should first of all carefully be put in, and then more, as the case will allow ; but I have never suffered the least bad effect, either in my hearing or otherwise, from the use of ether in this way, nor have I heard of any from others who have tried it at my recommendation.

Mr Otto Berliner, of the Private Inquiry office, Elizabeth-street, Melbourne, had an interview with Colonel Smith, of the Royal Artillery, in reference to certain information that gentleman possesses about the disputed Tichborne baronetcy. Mr Berliner showed the colonel twenty -five photographs of different individuals, and he immediately recognised one taken of Sir Roger Tichborne at Wagga "Wagga, N.S.W., in 186^. The figure in the photograph is in bush costume, and has the appearance of representing a very heavy man, perhaps about sixteen or eighteen stone. Colonel Smith says that he recognises him distinctly as Cornet Roger Tichborne, of the Sixth Dragoon Carbineers, when he (Colonel Smith) was lieutenant of the Royal Horse Artillery — a chestnut troop —at Canterbury, England, in 1852 or 1853. Colonel Smith often messed with him — he then weighed about ten stone— and now has no doubt that the photograph represents the gentleman he knew as ; Coronet Tichborne. This information was for- j | warded to England by telegram, by the outgoing mail. A few days ago (says the " Daily Times ") we had an opportunity of examining a sample- of wool 'washed at the station of Mr Matthew Holmes, at Lee Stream, by means of the hydraulic batteries invented by Messrs Hamilton and Company, of Victoria. The fleece was beautifully white, and wa are informed that the rapidity with which the work is done, when the supply of water is ample, renders the process exceedingly economical. In this respect New Zealand possesses immense advantages over Victoria, as suitable streams abound, and are to be found on every station. Ihe estimated value added to each fleece is from Is to Is 4d, which is ample inducement to adopt the process.