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Southland Times, Issue 978, 1 July 1868, Page 2

By the arrival of the Gtothenburg we are in receipt of our Mjlbhurne files, and correspondence. It will be seen that there is at last a prospect of the Victorian " dead-lock " being brought to a close. The Auckland letter, that was. crowded out in our last issue, contains matter of interest and importance. The annual meeting of the members of the Southland dub was held on Tuesday, 30th June. Mr J. Mitchell was called to the chair. The Hon. Secretary brought up his report, and a committee was elected to consider the working of the institution, to report to the members on Tuesday next. We learn that the vessel that Mr Harrold has for a length of time been constructing on . Stewart's Island is completed, and fairly afloat. We have received the following description of the new craft. She is a fine strong built vessel, 80 feet long, 22 feet breadth of beam, and 8 feat 6 inches depth of hold. AH the inside timbers are iron wood, and all tree nailed with ironwoad. The iron work used was manufactured by Mr Wilson of the Otago Iron Foundry. The sails, riggings, &c, are of the very best description, and when completed she will be one of the smartest vessels on the coast of New Zealand. Mr Harrold has had great difficulties to contend with since he laid the keel of this craft ; but he has now overcome them all. Our files from Adelaide are to the 11th inst. The "Eegister," has the following :—" On Wednesday, Mr H. Swan, of Norwood, brought to our office a hind quarter of mutton, cured by him according to the new process which he has on one or two occasions brought before the public. A few weeks ago he offered to put the value of his process to a practical and decisive test, if he were supplied with a sufficient quantity of meat for -the purpose. Acting upon this -proposal he was furnished by Mr Price with a couple of sheep, and by Mr Giles with a bullock. The flesh of these he placed in the spirit solution with which his cure is effected. After a few days the beef was taken OUt, and it has kept perfectly sweet and good ever since. A portion of it was sent to bo cooked, but the result of lhe trial is unknown to Mr Swan. The mutton he has had in steep for four or five weeks, and judging by the joint submitted for our inspection it has remained quite fresh, although it has become thoroughly impregnated with the odour of the solution, which on the whole is not agreeable. It is estimated by him that the cost of killing, curing, and packing will be, for beef, lid per, lb., and for mutton, lfd — the difference being due to the fact that the former can be packed, much . closer than the latter. It would . be necessary that the flesh Bhould be sent away in hogsheads, and should remain in the spirit solution during the voyage. Of course, the cost of the meat, casks, freight, shipping charges, &c, would be extra, but Mr Swan fancies a ready sale could be had for it, for provisioniong the navy, at 7d or 8d per lb. It has been found that the curing cannot be carried on in hot weather, although the preparation is strong enough to cure even the marrowbones of beef which have been separated from the flesh." A Melbourne paper says . — " The true oriental ruby exists, and has been found in our Victorian mines, is now beyond a doubt. Some years ago Dr Bleasdale mentioned that one had been found by Mr Ulrich, the able mineralogist of the Q-eological Survey, not far from Mount Eliza. Some people were sceptical on this point, and | though Mr Ulrich had mistaken some other hard | substance for the ruby. Curiously enough, the unmistakeably evidences of its existence among us have come from that district, and a couple of dozen of these interesting crystals, picked out of a very miscellaneous jumble ot matters generally 1 found about our primitive formations, .have . been ! shown to us. Among the allied substances was a' new color of sapphire- — the oriental aquamarine — and the green sapphire." . . .'■

The "Perth Inquirer" (Western Australia) writes: — "The most valuab'te .mother-ofcpearl shells are located along -our ( seaboard. Large quantities" hare been /found, their value tested in the English! market; and the highest prices known obtained. They are. said to.be precisely the same description of shell, with the same colored edges and beautiful rainbow tint, supplied by , Manilla " and Solo^(oft. ,the east coast of Borneo), and worth from:I»l^to|L180 per tori. Stretching over our northern coast we believe that the field of these sheila is all but boundless, and their quantity beyond all estimation. They are certainly not new "things on these shores, if new to us. The settlers found* that the natkes had long appropriated them as an article of dress» after their primitive fashion, just as Columbus found the natives of the ,New World wearing virgin gold aB an ornament/ Nor is it alone on this particular first-class shell that our enterprise need depend. .All mother-o' -pearl shells have a market value in England, which should afford a i lar?e return. The smallest shells, of varied tint | and not larger than native oyster-shells, if kept ! from Bun and air and packed face downwards, are ; worth L 35 to L 45 per ton in Englandl The Panama shell is of this class, v and finds a ready market at home. Then there is another class, somewhat larger, with black edges, similar to 'those found near the South Sea Islands, worth L 45 to LSO per ton. The pearl-shell 13 so much in demand, and now enters into so many branches ~drin^ausl^flirough^i;^urope,~that rifTmay ""be said to rank high amongst the raw material of manufacture, and its market value is subject to little fluctuation." • The " Hamburg Reform" of the 10th April, mentions that " the first shipment . of Australian smoked beef caused quite a sensation at Franz ' Meyer's hotel ; Messrs Wallach Brothers having sent a quantity of it to Europe prepared and cured according to the Hamburg style, the greater portion of which was sold on arrival in London. Small quantities of the beef were sent for trial to Cologne and Hamburg. This meat was killed in October last, and was found, to be. in excellent condition, tender, and of good flavor.. As the beef can be sold wholesale at from 6d to 7d per poundj free of bone, it is anticipated that larger importations will take place, and as the price of meat is' at present very high, : tha- work-, ing man is deprived to a certain extent of its taste, he will then be enabled to procure good Australian meat at a moderate figure."