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Southland Times, Issue 1013, 31 August 1868, Page 2

In a recent issue we Btated that it was contemplated to hold a Horse Show in October next. We understand that project is likely to be carried out, and the sooner the arrangements are perfected the better, as we understand that some of our best stock is being soaght after by parties desirous of exhibiting first-class animals at the forthcoming Otago Shows. The winner last year of the first prize in the draught class. ' Thane of Clyde,' will not be a competitor this year, as he has gone for the season to travel in the Dunedin districts, and in the thorough-bred class, the winner; 'Secundus,' wPI also be absent, his death, as announced by us, having occurred recently. Wd learn from the ' Lake Wakatip Mail', 20th August, that the news of the rejection of the Provincial resolutions introduced by Mr Fox in the Assembly was received by a numerous section pf the community with satisfaction. The same paper says : — " We have to acknowledge receipt, through the Queenstown agent, Mr S. GL Cook, of a parcel of coal from the Dooley Coal Pit, Kawarau."

The fourteenth of the popular evening entertainments came off with quite the customary success on Friday last, notwithstanding that the price of admission was double that formerly charged. With the exception of a slight attempt, on the part of a few, at interruption, during the delivery of the lecture, which was instantly and effectually checked by the chairman, the evening passed off most harmoniously, and at the close the general opinion seemed to be that the additional comfort and good order secured amply compensated for the increase in price. The pro* gramme was gone through with most spiritedly, everyone of the performers being well up in their parts, and every piece, lecture, readings, vocal and instrumental selections were most favorably received ani applauded by the audience. It says a great deal for the Managing Committee, and for the " available talent" of Invercargill, that in such a small community a weekly entertainment of a very high order has been kept up, without intermission or professional assistance, for something over three months, and without exhibiting any symptoms of decline. It is to be hoped that those who have so zealously and successfully inaugurated and carried on the Society may still "keep their shoulder to the wheel," and that the movement may realize its promoters wishes, and prove the foundation of a permanent institution.

The following letter has been received from Mr H. Howard: — " Hobarton, August 22, 1868—1 reached here on the 25th ult., and put myself in early communication with Dr Officer, and Messrs Allport and Buckland — three of the salmon commissioners. The latter gentlemen were deputed to visit the ponds on the Plenty, with Mr Huddleston (a gentleman from Nelson on the same errand aa myself) and I. We found the ova already gathered for distribution and already deposited in the hatching boxes. Mr Huddlestoa returned from the ponds with his ova (800) this morning, and is to take them to Melbourne by steamer to-morrow. The brig Prairie is again laid on for the New River, and Mr M'Pherson informed me yesterday, would leave here on the 22nd inst. at the latest, in which case I might be expected about the Ist September, a time generally con-i Uu-ud good here. Dr Officer considered ilie arrangement made to take the ova direct l'-,i.- preferable to going by Melbourne, and ail agree that ice is quite unnecessary. I shall also, through the kindness of Mr Allport, be enabled to bring a few English perch, and, I hope, tench. With regard to singing- birds, I fear there is little chance of obtaining them, as all acclimatised beasts and birds are turned loose on an island in Lhe Derwent."

A meeting of those in favor of governmental retrenchment will be held at Polling's Hotel, Wallacetown, on Wednesday, the 2nd September.

A Dunedin paper states that a manual for the use of schools has just been published by Mr James Wylde, C.E. The subject ia the G-eography and History of New Zealand. The ' Daily Times,' 25th August, says:— "A sea elephant, nine feet in length, and beautifully marked, was caught at Brighton on Thursday last." ■■■-■ Bishop Harper, has returned, after a trip to England, to Canterbury. His arrival was celebrated at Lyttelton on the 20th inst. by a special service in Trinity Church.. At the. conclusion, an address was read by Dr Donald, to which his Lordship replied. tie then proceeded to Christchurch by the train, and on reaching the station, was welcomed by a large conconrse of fiends. The f ßruce Herald,' 20th inst., says:— "We are pleased to record an instance of the advan- ; tages to be obtained from the breeding of firstclass cattle. The short-horned bull "Van Tromp," lately the property of R. A. Kempshe", Esq., West Taieri, exchanged hands the other day for the very handsome sum of £100. " Van Tromp " carried off two medals from the Tokomairiro Cattle Show in December of last year, and on two occasions in the Taieri. The fortunate purchaser is a Southland gentleman of the firm of Morrison and Co.

The ( Argus ' of the 19th inst., says :— " The following letter was received in G-eelong yeßterday from the Q-ympie Creek diggings, under date 3rd of August : — ' We have at last arrived at the diggings, after five days' hard travelling, having to sleep at night in our tents. We had to Btop three times to get over the creek, which we had to cross no less than thirty times on our road up. Now to tell you what sort of a place G-ympie is. We find that the people are literally doing nothing. The place is twelve months old, and was worked out three months ago. There are 10,000 or 12.000 people here who are merely waiting to see if something turns up. Hundreds are returning; and others intend doing so. The place is chiefly constituted of shops, public-houses, and bil-liard-rooms. I counted no less than seven of the latter this morning. Everything is much, cheaper here than in town. You can live well for 10s a week ; meals and beds at Is each ; and there is not a glass window in the place. The mam street is only twenty feet broad. There are some good reefs, but the best is only 3ft. 4in. thick. This place is a complete swindle, and will be the ruin of a good many. . The only source of profit has been people going in and out, and not the yield of gold. There were four men stuck-up a few hours before we arrived, so you may wall imagine we travelled under difficulties. We intend returning to Sydney, and are, indeed, sorry we ever came. Wages are 30s per week, and no men to be had, as they will not work for that. One sees no drunken men about — not even on a Saturdaj night ; and that is a tolerably certain proof that there is not mush money knocking about." This letter was sent to Mr M. S. Levy, by his brother-in-law, Mr Ackman, who, with Mr Salmond, had a large capital at their command to carry on business with, had they seen any lucrative opening." We learn that the brig Prarie was to sail from Hobarton on Saturday the 22nd inst. with a full cargo of Tasmanian produce. She also- bring 3 a number of horses and a hundred superior rams from the celebrated flock of E. Q. Kerinode, Esq. As will be seen from a letter, appearing elsewhere, Mr Howard is a passenger by the same vessel, and brings with him the ova for which he went over. It will be remembered that the Prarie sailed from this port only about four weeks ago, and we understand Capt. Westbrook has reported mo3t favorably of the New Eiver, notwithstand - ing that his vessel touched in crossing the bar.

We take the following from the * Pall Mall Gazette.' The example set by Sir R. Mayne, might be beneficially followed, in the colonies. It says : — " An order has been issued by Sir E. ilayne, the Chief Commissoioner of Metropolitian Police, which will be received as a boon throughout the service — namely, the granting to inspectors, sergeants, and constables one entire day's cessation from duty in each week. Endeavours will be made to grant this leave to as many as possible on the Sunday, and the men are invited to give timely notice of any particular, day such leave is wished for.' '

The ' Argus' 22nd August, says : — " A deputation, representing the total abstinence body, had an interview with the Chief Secretary yesterday, in order to draw his attention to the systematic manner in which the law prohibiting the sale of intoxicatiug liquors on Sunday* is infringed by the keepers of hotels and publichouses. In answer to the request that he would cause the police to set the law in motion against the offenders, Mr M'Culloch said the police did take action at one time, but had bacoine disheartened because the magistrates before whom the cases were brought refused to convict. He promised, however, to do all in his power to obtain a more strict observance of the law.

The ' Wellington Independent' is responsible for the following item of news, "which, if true, should put our Volunteers on their metal, for a tackle with the Maories will be something rather different from drill-shed exercise : — " We learn upon reliable authority that about sixty volunteers will arrive in Wellington from Dunedin en route to Hawkes Bay.

Wellington 'Punch' contains the following amusing business* cards of leading politicians : — '•Messrs Yogel and Stevens, accountants and financial agents. Loans arranged, Constitutions manufactured. Tinkering in all its branches. National debts paid off. No connection with any other firm. — Canterbury house, August 4th, 1868.' 'Mr John CargiU begs to call the attention of recently-elected members of Parliament to his atock of Central Opinions. These are as good as new, having been only in use one session, and Mr C. can confidently recommend them as being likely to lead to valuable commissions. N.B. — The pressure of circumstances alone induces the disposal of this valuable property. — Provincial Hall, August sth, 1868.' ' William Fox, having jnst returned from a lengthened tour iv Europe and the East, begs to inform his numerous friends and the public generally that he has brought with him a lot of Yankee Notions, suitable to the progression and spirit of the age. Mr Fox confidently recommends them to young politcians as likely to take upon the hustings, and even with a limited section of the Assembly. N.B. — Mr Stafford's peddlars are. mat. furnished with the above.'

The result of Mr Eraser's enterprise lit, ,. UU exportation of ifrew Zealand (timfcer to. Ifictoriij appears to have given an impetus to the tunbaif . trade; Mr Murdoch has just completed- : the >!; erection of a new Baw-mill, adjacent to the Seaward Bush, by which the railway passes, and a tramway from the bush to the mill is being constructed. Mr Thompson, shipbuilder, is also erecting a mill on his ground, a little south of the jetty* and siding rails connect nis establishment with the main trunk line of the Bluff Harbor and Inveroargill Railway.- There is reason to believe that the exportation of timber to Victoria will soon" become of considerable importance, and the enterprise displayed by the above-mentioned gentlemen be deservinjly rewarded.

: In another column we publish an article,* extracted from the ' Engineer,' upon '. Captain Liernur's " Pneumatic Sewerage System,*' which. is now attracting considerable attention throughout Europe and the colonies. ..■■-. 'i P '~'

Tasmanian papers comment rather dolefully on the lately published statistics of th^ colonjr for 1867. The 'Hobart Town Mercury* remarks : — " We regret being obliged to acknowledge that these returns convey no very encouraging impression of the state of the country, and they fully warrant Mr Nowell remarking at the conclusion of his elaborate analysis that a review of "flis condition of the colony presents but few v^coui-a-ging features; in abnoßt every direction the same law of decadence is found to have been in operation as in the: preceding years. ... Our agricultural and pastoral interests, our imports and exports, our bank returns, whaling and mineral resources all tell the same melancholy story of forsaken prosperity and cankering decay. There is not a single return in the whole catalogue which indicates permanent health in any one branch, of industry. Flour mills, bone mills, breweries, saw mills, are each and all decreasing in numbers, while HO new industry of any importance supplies their

place. We grow less grain, less wool, prepare less timber for market than we did ten yean ago, and amidst this universal decline of the general prosperity, we have the most perplexing of all problems presented to us for solution in the fact that we still continue to sell large quantities of Crown lands, and to receive proportionately large sums of hard cash in return for them. Surely the system which produces such a result as ttiilj under the present circumstances of the coiiritrjf must be radically defective, as well as ruinously exhausting""

Jhe following account of the extraordinary increase of rabbits, and the damage they are doing to the pasturage in Victoria, is dipped from the ' Geelong Advertiser,' 22nd August. It sajs : — " The wild rabbits hare increased to such an extent at the Warrion Hills, near Colac, and destroy so much grass on the purchased lands in that locality, that the proprietors hare commenced a war of.extermination against them, and for this purpose Mr William Robertson has for some time past had a small army engaged in their destruction. There are now eighty-fire men camped on the ground in tents, and a butcher and baker are fuHy employed in administering to their necessities, and it takes four bullocks weekly to feed them, besides an unknown quantity of flour. The rabbits hare taken possession of. the deserted wombat holes, which, are very numerous, and the ramifications of these burrows extend a considerable distance under ground, and owing to the rocky nature of the land cannot be dog out as in sandy soil. The wdmbat constructs* deep burrow against the stratified rock, always selecting a spot in which the natural rock fbrmi a lintel to their holes, and the flat surface of the" rock appears like a straight wall above. The rabbit-killers have been busily employed in blocking up the entrance holes with stones, and then partially fill up the burrows with soil} it was thought the rabbits would in this manner" get smothered, as it was supposed they would not burrow perpendicularly to the surface ; this", however they have done, and the animals are killed as they attempt to escape, in traps or other* wise. Mr Robertson estimates that the new year will have arrived before he considers the work will be done, and that an expenditure of between three and four thousand pounds will have been entailed. The richly -grassed lands of the Warrions have been famed for the fat cattle they have produced, but since the land has been so infested by the rabbits, it is as much as the cattle can do to exist, and flocks of sheep hare been starved out.. Dr. Stodart and Mr Andrew

Murray have also a number of men engaged in destroying mosecjestructive animals."

The ' Australian and New Zealand Gazette * says that the blue-book laid before Parliament shows that Western Australia is in a condition to meet the cessation of transportation with a reasonable hope that the sources of wealth open* ing up in various ways may, with care, prevent the stagna tion which was apprehended. j'TVeat* crn Australia has the distinction of being the only Australian colony free from debt; it cleared itself of its debt in 1866. The public expenditure, nearly £35,000 in 1866, was kept well within the revenue, notwithstanding a considerable outlay on' roads and bridges. The products of 1866 suffered from the drought, but the sheep increased in number to 481,040. The quantifer of land under lease is described as having increated by 3,175,576 acres j it has very nearly quadrupled in 10 years. There is a steady annual increase in the amount of land under cultivation, as also in the tonnage entered and cleared at the ports. A supply of free labor will now be of vast importance to this. colony. Nearly two-thirds of its' 22,000 people are males, and the demand for female servants keeps increasing, because, as the Governor reports, those who come are 'quickly absorbed by_marriage,- — Heiiable to state that the settlement on the north-west coast is progressing steadily."

The ' Sydney Morning Herald' furnishes the following with reference to the foreign Count who lately visited that town :— The Distinguished . Levanter.— Various rumors are afloat as to the former position of the foreign gentleman who so suddenly, like a comet, darted into the fashionable ' system' of Sydney, and astounded the lesser stars thereof by his reputed wealth and boundless liberality. We believe he was introduced to » countryman, resident in this city, when, in the most patronising manner, he shook hands with him, and spoke to some gentlemen who formed his suite while in Sydney, of the pleasure it gave him to see one of ' our subjects' doing bo well here. Next to our late Royal visitor, no one was more lionised than the. individual who evaporated so quietly, leaving souvenirs of his visit more lasting than costly gems or photographic resemblances. The rumor now is, whether true or hot we; cannot say, that he formerly occupied the position of valet to the noble whose .distinguished, name, he afterwards adopted.