The Southland Times. MONDAY, MAY 17, 1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1160, 17 May 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, MAY 17, 1869.

The Omeo arrived at the Bluff yesterday after a rather long passage. The late Australian news will be found in our other columns. The AJhambra is reported to be aground inside the Heads at Port Chalmers. A meeting of the committee of the Acclimatization Society was called for Friday last, but lapßed through non-attendance, probably on account of the sitting of the Court. The meeting will be held this day at 3 p.m. Mr Osborne holds a trade sale of general merchandise, this day, at the stores of Messrs. Dalgety, Rattray & Co , consequent on atransfer^of same gentleman will hold a sale of similar goods, at the stores of Messrs. Cochran, Granger and i Blackwood, in Deveron-street, the firm being about to remove entirely to their Dee-street i premises. At the conclusion of the business of the Supreme Court, on Saturday, Mr F. W. Wade was duly admitted a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. His Honor took occasion to express himself highly satisfied with the manner in which Mr Wade had acquitted himself on the necessary preliminary examinations. We heartily congratulate him on bis promotion, and trust he may be as successful in his career as his perseverance and application in it hitherto ! merit. The ' Omaru Times ' says : — We hear on good authority that two boiling down establishments will shortly be started in J this district, and among other satisfactory items, we note that a townsman, who has recently returned from Auckland, has brought with him the necessary machinery for setting up a flax mill. Speaking of the efforts now being made to utilise the pTiormium tenax t the ' Southern Cross' says : — What we really want is machinery to take the bruised and cleaned leaves from the drums, wash them, and deliver them to the boya to bring to the lines. This is absolutely indispensable, as hand-washing must always be a tedious process. Even drying by machinery may be afterwards iutro uced. And another question is the utilisation of the green or vegetable matter that has been scraped from the leaf. Cattle have been observed to be very fond of chewing the leaf, which they leave white. If the green or vegetable refuse at the different millß could be freed irom particles of fibre and mingled with some other ingredients, it might be used for cattle.food, much in the same way as oil cake is at home. The refuse is now of little value, and if it contains much fibre would not be so suitable for pig or cattle-food ; but prepared by some New Zualand Thorley, as wo may expect to see it some day, it will be very aaeful to the farmer and stock raiser. We are surprised that no machinery has beeen invented to seize the flax whon it leaves the beaters, wash, and deliver it. The Cape River goldfie'ds, in Queensland, are now supporting some two to threo thousand diggers, and hold out fine prospects for the übo of machinery. The rush to the G-ilberfc Eanges, two hundred miles north of the Capo River goldfield, still continues. The ' Wanganui Chronicle ' has been favoured ' with the perusal of a private letter — written just ' before the despatch of the mail from England which states on good authority that the 60th Rifles h&l received orders from tho War Office to raise their complement of men, and hold themselves in readiness to form part of a brigade of four or five regiments, about to bo despatched to New Zealand. It is besides reported in military circles that Lord Napier of Magdala was to take command and engage in a campaign in New Zealand similar to that of Abyssinia. By the mail intelligence has been received of Lord Napier having left India for England, probably to uudertake the organisation ol the expedition.

A meeting of the luvercargill Rifle Volunteers i took place on Frilay evening, at the Resident Magistrate's Oourt, I.ieutennnt Griesow io the chair. Mr James Surman. was unanimously elected ensign of the company. The Color . Sergeant was appointed Secretary, and Mr Reese added to the finance committee. The question of providing a temporary drill room was remitted to the finance committee, a desire being very generally expressed that one should be erected if the -ways and means cou'd be secured. It was resolved that a general meeting of the company should be held on the first inspection night of July, October, January, and Apri 1 of each year. After some routine business had been passed, and thanks voted to the Chairman for presiding, the meeting adjourned to next Friday evening, at 8 o'clock, when the capitation money will be handed over to each member who has not yefc received it. The members of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Committee are reminded that the usual meeting takes place th'B evening, at eight o'clock, the Bubiect for discussion being " On the Social and Economical Value of Friendly Societies." Rather Btrange rumors were prevalent in town during the past few days to the effect that a disagreement of a serious nature had occvred between His Honor the Superintendent and the Executive ; so much 80, that one of the principal officials had been requested to resign. The amount annua"y paid in pensions and allowances by the colony is — £11,243 5s 2d, of which sum £2070 6s 8d falls to the share of the natives.