The Southland Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1134, 2 April 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 1869.

Railway Engineer. — We learn that J. F. Dundas, Esq., has been appointed by the G-overnment as Railway Engineer. Oeeti Bailway. — We understand that it haß now been definitely arranged to commence the Railway works on Monday morning. Diocesan Synod. — An advertisement in our other columns announces the return of Mr Whittingham as the representative of Oampbelltown in the approaching Synod. Diocesan Election. — We have been requested to draw the attention of members of the Church of England to an advertisement appearing elsewhere announcing that voting papers for the election of synodsmen will not be received after 6 p.m. this evening, and that the Returning Officer, the Rev Mr Tanner, will meet the electors at Moeller's store, Tay street, at 7 o'clock. Volunteer Band. — Ifc will be seen from our advertising columns that a meeting of the members of the Invercargill Rifle Volunteer Band, and others willing to join, will be held at the Orderly Room this evening. As it is now almost certain that the Duke of Edinburgh and His Excellency the Governor will shortly visit this Province, it is to be hoped that those qualified will at once unite to render the Band as efficient as possible for the occasion. Queensland. — A new industry appears likely to spring up in Queensland, in the cultivation of the tea plant. It appears that tea made by some Chinese from plants growing in the Botanical Gardens at Brisbane, was exhibited at a lato agricultural show held there. This tea was of three or four sorts, the worst being said to be equal to that ordinarily sold in the shops. It is said that the climate and soil of Queensland are well suited for the cultivation of this plant, and the Press of the Colony is sanguine that it will ultimately form an important item of its produce. Drought in Victosia. — A gentleman who drove overland from Melbourne to Geelong lately informs the ' Advertiser ' that the country is in a dreadful state for want of water. Hardly a blade of grass is to be seen. Carcases of cattle and sheep are lying about on the plains by the score, and with the exception of numerous crows who are feeding on the disgusting remains of dead animals, few if any birds are to be seenInfluence of Tbees in Causing , Raiw. — An English paper says — " An instance ' of the intimate relation between the climatology of a country and its forests is afforded by a . change which has been brought about in the climate of Egypt. For a long time, as is well known, rain has never fallen in Upper Egypt at all, and in the Delta only on five or six days in the year. Some years ago, however, Meherret Ali planted 200,000 trees on the Delta, and they have now attained a considerable size. The result is that the number of rainy days has gradually increased from five or six every year to forty, with the prospect of attaining a still greater proportion hereafter." Wesleyanism. — The report of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society for last year, published in London, says : — lt may show how fearful a scourge has fallen upon New Zealand during the past twelve years, if we compare the figures of the first Australasian conference with those of the last, in 1855, the returns for the whole of New Zealand were — Church members, 3070 ; attendants on public worship, 7590. In 1867, church members, 539 ; attendants on public worship, 2709. There are now, in the northern district, 366 native members, and in the southern district, 68 — total, 434. A Novelty in Fancy Dbesses. — At the fancy ball which took place in Melbourne lately, the fancy dress worn by Mrs Butters is thus described by the ' Argus' : — " Mrs Butters illustrated a very popular and useful art by a highly characteristic and effective costume, which she styled ' Photography. 1 The dress and bertha were of white moire antique silk, trimmed with blue satin and silver, with sash of blue satin trimmed with silver. The whole of the dress was trimmed with photographs ot eminent personages and citizens of distinction, symmetrically arranged. Amongst the likenesses were those of His Royal Highness the Princo of Wales, the Princess of Wales, Prince Alfred, and other members of tho Royal family, together with those of tho Hon Eliot Yorke, Lieutenant Haig, and several officers of the Galatea. There were also photographs of Sir H. Manners Sutton, and the two previous Governors of Victoria — Sir Charles Darling and Sir Henry Barkly — besides the ' counterfeit presentments' of most of our principal statesmen and public men. The idea w.iii carried out to the fullest extent, for the bolt c insisted of photographs, while a coronet of photographs formed the headdress. The ornaments worn with tho dress — earrings, bracelets, necklets, &c. — consisted of small miiirors set in silver, similar to those worn by Mrs Butters on her 'Mirror' costume at tho laat fancy ball."

Ravages oi' Smaol-Pox ox toe' Pacific Coast. — The smnh-pox, which now afflicts as, not only this city, but the Pacific Stiites and territories, is the most serious calamity that has occurred to us since the drought of 1864. Here, in San Francisco, we are losing at the rate of between seventy and eighty lives a month by it out of our population of 150,000 ; hut in some parts of the interior the scourge is even more severe. In San Juan, Montorey County, with a population of about 1000' people, there have been 180 cases, and of these one-third (sixty) have died. Every large town in the Statq has had its loss, though iv some few favored instances it has only been a life or two. The disease has travelled by every stage, steamship and railroad route in California ; it lias gone by sea to all our domestic ports north and south. It lias crossed the Sierras and raised its head in Virginia City, and found its way up the Columbia River to Portland. It has domiciled itself among the pines on the shores of Puget Sound, and has found victims among our British neighbors in the northern colonies. It is scourging the whole coast. — ' San Francisco Bulletin.' The Thames. — A gentleman who has : just arrived in Dunedin from the Thames, informs lus (' Daily Times ') that matters there are, I generally speaking, in a very satisfactory conI dition, and the returns from the various claims good. This statement -would appear to be borne out by the figures published by the local press. From these find that amongst others, the Victoria Battery crushed during last month a total of 545 tons of stone, yielding on an average 2ozs 16dwt to the ton, which at the low average of £2 10s per ounce, is equal to a money value of £3857 10s. The Moanatairi Company also have just completed a crushing of 250 tons for a retort yield of 1131 oz of gold. Four shares in this Company recently changed hands at a figure said to be about £80, the price until recently being only £8. By far the richest yield reported, however, is from the Junction claim, 1801bs of stone from which yielded 225 ozs of retorted gold. , The Musical Pitch: — We notice the following in the ■' Athenssum ' of January 2: — " We understand that the lowering of the musical -pitch in England is shortly about to assume a practical form. The letter of Mr Sims Reeves, addressed to the ' Athenaeum,'- in which he positively refuses to sing at the Sacred Harmonic Society whilst the present high pitch is maintained, has decided the matter : and as most of the competent musicians of the country are, to our knowledge, ranged on his side, there can be little doubt that, whatever may be the difficulties to be overcome, the change must be made. During the ensuing season a series of six concerts will be given, in which the standard French pitch will be adopted. These concerts will consist exclusively of sacred music (and mostly of Oratorios), and Mr Sims Reeves has pledged himself to sing at each performance." Seed Wheat. — " It will interest farmers," says the Ararat ' Advertiser,' "to know that a. gentleman in this district, who has pursued farming for the last thirty years, and who during the latter portion of this period has fanned much in Victoria, has never been troubled with rust or drake in his wheat ; and this immunity he attributes to the pursuance of a very simple plan in the preparation of his seed. Mr Manly, of Elmhurat, the gentleman we refer to, states that he never by any chance usea wheat for seed that is not threshed by hand, and the seed he Bteeps, not in bluestone, as is usual, but iv strong brine, for about three hours, keeping ifc continually stirred, so as to admit the influence of the solution to every part of the grain. While in the brine and being treated in this way, the drake floats upon the surface, and may be easily skimmed off. Mr Manly is quite confident that it is solely owing to this treatment that he has been unaffected by rust since he first commenced farming in Victoria." The Longevity of Women. — It is a curious fact, says a New York paper, as appears from a report of the Secretary of the Interior, that while there ia but ono revolutionary soldier now living (he lives in this State) and drawing a •pension, there are at the present time on the rolls the names of 888 widows of Revolutionary soJdiers. The mothers of the Revolution were evidently younger than the fathers, or else they live longer. Camels in the Interior. — The Wilcannia correspondent of the ' Pastoral Times' writes with reference to the camels on their way from Adelaide to Mount Murchison, Darling River, for some stations in that district : — " The town turned out en masse to see the amval of sixty-five camels loaded with general goods for Mount Murchison, Billilla, and other stations in the neighborhood ; it has proved the fact that no matter how hard the season (as it is not likely they will ever experience a worse one than this) we. can get goods from Adelaide here at a moderate figure, I believe £14 is the price per ton, so that, isolated as we are, we are in as good a position as any of the neighboring bush towns. Much nearer to town the eight waa certainly a novel one, sixty-five camels and thirty odd young ones at foot, the former with large packs on (about 6 cwt). There are sixteen Arabs with them ; the party being ia charge of Mr Acramas, who was most obliging to anyone wishing to have a ride on them, &c. He says that the camels would get fat up here ; that there ia splendid feed for them, . so that when sheep, cattle, and horses are dying with poverty, a camel would get fat in the same country, and carry heavy loads on their up and down journey — each camel takes two bales of wool on their return ; this proves beyond doubt, that they are the very things for this country, and should receive support from the settlers in the surrounding district. The Arabs with them appear a fine intelligent body of men, and up to any work." Lord Somervtxle. — " The mail from England, wluch arrived here in January," says the 'Sydney Morning Herald,' " brought news of the accidental death of Lord Somerville. The title has thus descended to an Australian colonist, who returns to England ' toy the next mail steamer. The present Lord Somerville has been for some time a resident of Port Macquarie, ■ where he has been engaged in the formation of one of the largest supai* plantations in that district. We understand that his recently acquired honors will not induce him to sever his connexion with the colony, but that, alter arranging his affairs in England, he will return to watch the development of the new industry, of which he has been ono of the most practical advocates." Agricultural Statistics. — The first of the series of agricultural statistics collected by the G-eneral Government during the month of February, says the ' Lyttelton Times,' has just been published. This return relates to the province of Marlborough, which is divided into three districts — Picton, Wairau, and Cheviot. In the first there are 128 holdings ; in the second, 159 ; and in tho third, 39. The extent of land broken up, but not under crop, is 2188 acres. There are 2363 acres in wheat, estimated to produce 46,211 bushels ; 1256 acres in oats, estimated to prodace 34,85 1 bushels ; 1453 acres in barley, estimated to produce 33,629 bushels ; 1086 acres in hay, estimated to produce 13d6 tons ; 13,378 acres m permanent artificial grass, including the acreage in hay ; 256 acres in potatoes, estimated to produce 14 L 5 tons ; and 238 acres in other crops not specified. The population of Marlborough is 4000. Allowing 8 bushels per head for food, there would be a surplus of 14,211 bushels, which would be nearly absorbed in providing seed for next year . ■ ' ' ■ Summary Execution of Hauhaus. — Three of the natives engaged in the Poverty Bay massacre wore lately captured at Patutahi by a { friendly" native, and while they were in his kaianga, a Mr Elston, whoso son lost his lifo iv the massacre, accompanied by one or two others, determined, as there were no means of bringing tho iiauhaus to trial ? to execute the.m by "lynch, law." Elston and party accordingly., attempted to shoot Nikora, who, howover, managed to make bis escape. They then shot Te iho Ariki, the

murderer of Mr Wyllie's son, dead ; and would have treated Peka in the same -way, but he, having learnt their design, contrived to escape beforehand. Gutter Litehatube. — On referring to the ' Age ' recently, we find that the debased literature known by the prefixed title , of " gutter," has found its way into Melbourne, and we doubt not into Sydney also. " Q-enerally speaking," says our contemporary, "it takes the shape — and this is its worst and most dangerous f orm — o f journals and magazines, whose special mission appears to be among the lower classes whom it furnishes with vile exciting stories, of which hate, jealousy, debased love, wilful murder and determined suicide form the leading characteristics. The tal.e is never complete without a dissipated young nobleman rejoicing in a highjapunding name, and the forged will is as indi'sprflasable to the author as is a phial of deadlyj fluid. Hitherto, we havo bean comparatively free from the presence of these wret&hed publications in our booksellers' windows. The booksellers were too virtuous to import them or they wore confident that no section of our community would patronise gutter literature. Of late, however, some of the second or third rate stationers and booksellers have begun to exhibit in their windows one of the most disgusting of those journals we have referred to, namely, the ' Police News,' a publication which has for its special objects the record of the foulest crimes committed in EngUnd, illustrated by woodcuts hideous and revolting. The crowds of, doubtless, uneducated persons who throng round the windows to gaze on the horrid illustrations and read the revolting details is truly surprising. It is to bo hoped that the circulation of • such rubbish here will be discountenanced as much as possible by those who are capable of appreciating the evil attending their diffusion.