Local and General.

Southland Times, Issue 1172, 7 June 1869, Page 1

Local an d General.

A floating steam sugar mill has been launched at Brisbane, and named the Walrus. It is a flat-bottomed stem-wheel vessel, of 100ft long, and draws only four feet of water. It has a plant capable of crushing cane to the extent of two tons of sugar per day, and it is intended to go up the rivets and visit the various plantation, crushing for the settlers. Other Tessels are to be built on the same plan. Wo (' Dunstan Times') are informed that the dredges on the Molyneux at the Teviot, almost all of them, are on gold, and that if the river should continue to fall the proprietors will reap a rich harvest this season. At £he conclusion of the business of the Supreme Court, on Satm-tlay, Mr E. W. Wade vva? duly admitted a oi licitor 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 his promotion, and trust he may be as successful in his career as his perseverance and application in it hitherto merit.

A meeting of tbe Committee of the Acclimatisation Society was heid at the Q-overmnent Buildings, on Thursday afternoon, 27th ult. Present — Messrs Crouch, Butts (Hon. Sec), Conyers, and G-ilrnour. The minutes of the former meeting having been read and confirmed, and some other little matters of routine transacted, the Secretary stated that he had received a number of raoa bones from a laboring man, who recently found them in the Makarewa Bush. There were two -or three bones, notably the shanks, in good preservation, but all the other portions of the remains were very far gone in decomposition. Accompanying the fossils was a letter from Mr Irvine, C.E., giving a description of the various parts, and also of the place wheie they were found. He had visited the locality, and made a very careful examination. Tho roots of a tree, computed by Mr Irvine at sixty years old, had become interwoven, to some extent, with the bones, which rested on the clayey subsoil, j and were nearly buried in the peaty formation of j the bush, subsequently deposited. A few Btones, about the size of plums, were also found with j the bones, and as a Btone of any size for miles around is probably as rare as a moa itself, the conclusion come to was that the stones had once | formed part of the contents of the bird's stomach, in the same way that gravel invariably forms an item in *hat of a common fowl. Mr Irvine also stated that the finder had offered the bones to him as a gift, which he had declinod because he considered their proper place to be a public museum, as being there both safer and more available to the public. It was ultimately agreed to give the finder enough to pay for his trouble in collecting and bringing the fosils into town, and a small sum was voted for that purpose. The skeleton is very imperfect, but still worth keeping, and as a beginning has thus been made, it is hoped that others who may yet discover natural curiosities of any kind suitable for reception will send them into the Society. Our Riverton correspondent, under date 26fch ult., writes : — " The anniversary dinner of the Loyal Sons of Perseverance Lodge, was held in the Oddfellows Hall, yesterday afternoon. About forty gentlemen sat at table, the usual toasts were given, and heartily responded to. The spread provided by Mr Williams was all that could be desired. The Hall presented quite a guy appearance, the new stage, which has recently been added to it at considerable expense, giving it quite a theatrical appearance, and is a decided improvement to the Hall. In the evening a concert was given by a few members of the Lodge. The Hall was extremely well filled, there being at least two hundred persons present. After the overture, Mr Aldred sang, " I Would I Were a Bird," followed by Mr and Miss Hancock, who sang, " A Bleak and Frosty Morn ;" Mr Rogers and Mr Aldred next came forward and gave " The English and Irish Gentlemen," in character ; Mr Walker sang a very good Irish comic song, and was loudly encored. The first part concluded with a very amusing stump speech, by Mr Wotton. A laughable farce was next on the programme, entitled "Done on Both Sides," and was greatly relished by the audience. The attempt was really a good one, considering that this kind of thing was entirely new to the gentlemen amateurs who performad. Mr Pankhurst and Mr Taylor, as Mr Whiffles, and Lidia, acted their parts admirably, and drew great applause. Tne evening's entertainment concluded with negro melodies," by Messrs Wotton, Aldred, Smith, and others, who acted their parts exceedingly we)l, and kept the house in roars of laughter throughout. The audience then dispersed, apparently highly gratified with their evening's amusement." Since the advent of winter the subject of once more starting the popular entertainments of last season, known as the Penny Readings has been again and again urged by correspondents in our columns. Fron? this it is sa'e to assume that a large number of the citizens would like to see the Headings resuscitated, and that the public looked to the old committee to take the initiative.. That body, however, for reasons know to its members, have not yet seen fit to take united action, and the season when the entertainments are acceptable is rapidly passing away. We believe that the subject has often been spoken of, and the desirability of making a fresh beginning admitted, by both the members of the committee and the leading performers, but talking and writing are not sufficient to set the thing on foot. Action ■ must ensue, or the opportunity will go bye with- | out result. In order to bring the matter to the test, as we understand, two members of the old committee have called a meeting of those favorable to the movement, at the Provincial Hotel, next Monday evening — the advertisement will be seen in our other columns. It is to be hoped that those able to lend a hand will give a willing response. The wind up of last year's proceedings was not quite so satisfactory in a pecuniary point of view as might have been, and it is not too much to say that all then concerned should feel themselves in honor bound to make an effort to rectify the slight errors of tbe past. The experience of the former scries should make the contemplated course even more I successful, and there is no reason why a considerable advance should not be made towards obtaining a few more instruments for the purpose of forming a Philharmonic Society, or funds be raised for some other useful or charitable purpose. At all events, an attempt should be made to wipe ' off old scores, and to finish up fair and square. It may be taken for granted that the public ] generally will cordia'ly support the honest efforts of any number of gentlemen who may undertake the organisation and management of the entertainments, and those who subordinate any little private pique, or peculiar idiosyncracies, to the public good will be mo3t deserving of public honor. There are 53 shires in the colony of Victoria. The number of miles of main roads in these shires is 1690 ; and 386 miles have been ordered to be constructed since 1865.

The following items of intelligence appeared in the Melbourne papers, and were telegraphed to the 'Daily Times' on the arrival of the Gothenburg. The latest dates are up to the 20th ult. Lectures under the auspices of the short hours movement are going on B'jsceßsfully. A woman named Elizabeth Grady has been found drowned in the Yarra. A party led by George Monger, have started from Western Australia in search of traces of Leichardt. Harry Fuller, the champion sculler, has been burnt to death in a bakehouse at Ballarat. A man named George Lea has been accidentally poisoned in Beechworth Hospital by drinking laudanum in mistake for a black draught. The appearanee of Mr Ettershank and the re3t at the bar of the Assembly, has been postponed. A Bill has been introduced into Parliament, authorising the construction of a r lilway to the Murray. B j,rnes, clerk in the Commercial Bank, has committed forgeries to the extent of £2000. The journeymen bakers' short hour movement continues. Mr James Fuller was murdered on the 12th at Geelong by one William Dunaber, with an axe. The murderer has been apprehended. His motive appears to have been jealousy. The Rev. William Hill was murdered in the Pentridge Stockade, by a man named Ritson, on the 13 th, while engaged in the act of prayer in the latter's cell. His funeral was numerously attended, and much sympathy has been expressed for his children, for whom subscription lists have been opened, and to whom the Government propose to give some money. A man, named Thomas Daly, described as a laborer at Colling wood, has bee a arrested on tbe charge of murdering the woman Lynch, and has been remanded to allow of further evidence being obtained. He says that he can prove an alibi. Commercial — Flour has sensibly declined, owing to large importations, and is now quoted at £13 10s. The market generally is steady, and little speculation is going on. Sydney — The great case of Walfskell i>. Mitchell has been decided in favor of Mitchell's heirs, with costs. The Barb has been sold to Mr Reynolds for stud purposes. The squatters at Dubbo have presented a memorial to the Government praying for an extension of tlieir licenses. Mr T. C. Mitchell, son of Sir Thomas Mitchell, has committed suicide. Jealousy is supposed to have prompted the act. The Government are extending the storm signals along the coast; Adelaide — Twenty tons of ore from *he Prince Alfred Mine have yielded 30 per cent, of copper. The markets are rising. The struggles of the North American Indians have often been illustrated in connection with the Maori wars. All the merit of similarity must lie in the fact that savage races invariably refuse to accept their destiny without a protest and an appeal to arm? in which they are generally successful. In the prosecution of those wars, relatively, there can be no greater dissimilarity than between the conduct of the, American and New Zealand Governments. We would commend to the attention of those who console them' selves in defeat by the examples of history in other wars of races, the following record of how Buccess is followed up and how measures are taken to ensure future tranquility : — The news comes from the Western Prairies that the Indian war is virtually ended. General Sheridan sends a despatch, under date of Ist January, to General Sherman, from Fort Cobb in the Indian territory, in which he says :— " The destruction of the Camanche village by Cononel Evan's command on Christmas day gave the final blow to the backbone of the Indian rebellion. At midnight on the 31st December, 1868, a delegation; of the chief fighting men of the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes, 21 in number, arrived here on foot, their animals not being able to carry them on. They said they ruled the village and begged for peace, and for permission for their people to come in, and asked no terms, but only for a paper to protect them from the operations of our troops while en route. They report the tribes in mourning for their losses. Their people are starving, having eaten up all their dogs and finding no buffalo. We had forced them into the canons on the eastern edge of the ' Staked Plains,' where there was no small game or bufialo. They are in a bad fix and desire to surrender unconditionally. I acceded to their terms, and will punish them justly ; and I can scarcely make an error in any punishment awarded, for they a?l have blood upon their hands." The ' Grey River Argus ' of the 6th uH., says : — It is expected that the County Chairman and Mr H. H. Lahman, M.C.C., will be passengers to Wellington by the s.s. Alhambra, for the purpose of consulting the Government with regard to the circular recently issued cautioning the Bank of New Zealand not to grant overdrafts or loans to Provincial Governments. It is said that in consequence of this notice the Bank has withdrawn the promise to advance the loan to the County, and the mission of the above-named gentlemen will probably be to induce the Government to say that the notice did not apply to tho County of Westland, or to take some other Bteps whereby, under the exceptional circumstances of the County, the proposed loan can be obtained for the carrying on of the public works. A lecture was delivered by William Fox, Esq., M.H.R., at Wanganui, on the 6th iust., ou the subject of strong drink, in the course of which he said that " the amount of drink consumed in the colonies was proved by the revenue returns for that article to be over that, in proportion, to the returns of England, Scotland, Ireland, and other Continental nations. In 1867 the Customs returns for ardent spirits were £360,000, wine \ £43,000, beer in bulk £15,000, and beer in bottles £37,003, making a total of 455,000 ; but { this was only at a low computation one-third of the retail price of the article, which would be I £1,365,000. But even this was not all. -Ale and beer brewed in this ' Colony amounted to £275,000, which would bring up this ocean of drink to £1,640,000. Thus every man, woman and child in New Zealand were taxing themselves

to the amount of £6 10s per head, whilst the taxation imposed by the laws of the Colony amounted to barely £6. The population of New Zealand by the last census vtas — Europeans 218.000, natives. 38.0C3," making a total of 256,000, which, included the whole, population. Afe this estimate it would be about £50 spent in drink for every adult man in the Colony, which was about the average wages of a working man at home. In England the amount spent in strong drink was about £2 per head. In this country men were not satisfied with, drinking their wages, but he had known men drink horses, cows, drays, ploughs, and every other kind of animal and implement, and then swallow the land , which they had-at one time tilled." ," A meeting of the Young MenV . iial Improvement Society took place on Mr. ay 17th ult, at the Presbyterian Vestry Hall. Sir Porter occupied the chair. The proceedings opened with the reading of a very instructive and interesting paper, " On the Social Advantages ofFriendly Societies." The essayist briefly traced their origin to very remote ages, although he remarked that their legal existence dated scarcely » century back. The earliest known allusions to the principles of the modern Friendly Societies was to be found in a essay on •' Projects,' published in 1696 by the celebrated Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, who recommended the institution of societies " formed fop mutual assurance for the relief of members in seasons of distress," and by way of experiment, he proposed to establish one for the support of destitute widows, and another for the assistance of seamen: That he thoroughly felt the principle that lies at the root of Friendly Societies is certain, for he says — "The same thought might be improved into methods that should prevent the general misery and poverty of mankind, and at once secure us against beggars, parish poor, almsbouses, and hospitals ; by which not a creature so miserable or so poor but should claim subsistance as tbeir due, and not ask it of charity." As to the advisability of the persons to whom such societies would be a benefit being entrusted with their management, Joha Stuart Mill's argument in favor of. municipalities was cited, as equally applicable to Friendly.Societies. 3e says — " In many cases, though individuals may not do the particular tbing so well as the officers of government, it is nevertheless desirable, that it should be done by them, as a means oi their own mental culture, :v mode of strengthening thenactive faculties, exercising their judgment, and giving them a familiar knowledge of the subject with which they are to be left to deal." An ; animated discussion followed, in which Messrs A. Dunlop, Liud, Bonthron, Findlay, Smith, and others took part. After its conclusion, Mr Porter was unanimously elected VicePresident of the Society. It was resolved also that the next, meeting should take place that night fortnight, as the following Monday will be a holiday. An essay, on Burns the poet, by Mr Fnvser will be the subject for that evening. Speaking of the efforts now being made to utilise the pkormium tenax f the ' Southern Cross' says : — What we really want is machinery to take the bruised and cleaned leaves from the drams, wash them, and deliver them to the boys 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 intro tuced. 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 mills could be freed lrom 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 Zealand Thorley, as we may expect to see it some day, it will be very useful to the farmer and stjck raiser. We are surprised that no machinery has beeen invented to seize the flax when it leaves the beaters, wash, and deliver it. The Cape River goldfie'ds, in Queensland, are now supporting some two to three thousand diggers, and hold out fine prospects for the use of machinery. The rush to the Gilbert Ranges, two hundred miles north of the Cape .River goldfield, still continues. The ' Wanganui Chronicle •' has been favoured with the perusal of a private letter I—written1 — written just before the despatch of the mail from England — which states on good authority that the 60th Kinea had received orders from the 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 be 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 undertake the organisation ot the expedition. The returns of customs revenue collected in the Colony during the quarter, ending March 31, are published in the ' New Zealand Gazette/ of the sth inst. The total amount is £189,584 as compared with £194,273, for the corresponding quarter last year. The amounts collected at the principal ports are as jfollows :— Auckland, £40,978, an increase of £14,205 over the same quarter's revenue last year j Wellington, £134,465, a decrease of £1,780 ; Napier, £6,261, an increase of £288 ; JVeison, £6,264, a decrease et £3,206; Westport, £5,3i9, a decrease of £1,338 ; Greymouth, £9,378, a decrease of £1,497; Hokitika, £16,069, a decrease of £6,332 ; Lyttelton, £20,677, a decrease of £1,292; Cunaru, £2,119, a decrease of £126; limaru, £2,596, a decrease of £956 ; Dunedin £5*1,360, a decrease of £291; Inrercargill, £5,021, a decrease of £1,333.

The congregational soiree of St. Paul's Wesleyan Church, held on Monday evening, 24th inst., the Queen's Birthday, notwithstanding the incessant rain, was a most thoroughly successful affair. The state of the weather during the" day had entirely precluded the idea of decorating the building in the usual way, with bought, ferns, Ac, but to make amends, the dullness of the walk was relieved by a few mottoes and devices tastefully wrought on colored papers, &c. Under the superintendence of a number of the ladies of the congregation, the tables — fourteen or fifteen in number — were also most tastefully laid out, and bore heaps of good things liberally supplied by a number of the bachelors belonging to the church, so that, what with the cheery chink of china, the aroma of the steaming tea, the profusion of rich cake, the delicious looking fruit, the other nice things, the blooming looks and gay dresses of the ladies, and the generally felt though unexpressed sympathetic cordiality of a happy crowd, the aspect of comfort within presented a strong and pleasing contrast to that of misery and mire without. The church was well filled by the advertised hour for commencing, but five minutes grace was considerately allowed in consequence of the wetness of the night. The wonder appeared to be that so many, especially so many ladies, had braved the elements to be present. However, none seemedto regret the efforts made for that purpose, and as group after group arrived, denuded themselves of hoods, cloaks, shawls, plaids, indiarubber overcoats, &c, &c, as the case might be, and took their places at the tables, they very quickly forgot the damp and dirt through which they had come and joined at once in the general harmony. Grace having been sung, the business of the hour — taking tea, with all its substantial and delicate accessories — engrossed the attention of the entire assembly, to the exclusion of minor matters. When all had been satisfied, the fragments taken up, the crockery removed, and the tables cleared otherwise, the audience settled down into a listening attitude. The pastor of the congregation, the Rev. R. S. Bunn, then proposed that W. Russell, Esq., Solicitor, should take the chair, which being carried by acclamation, Mr Russell assumed the presiding seat accordingly. During the stir, consequent on the process of clearing away, the singers had also retired from tables where theyhad been enjoying tea with their respective friends, and now mustered, to the number of twenty-five, in the choir, under the leadership of Mr Kingsland. A hymn having been sung, the chairman made a few remarks, and then called upon the choir, which sang R. A. Smith's fine Anthem—" The Earth is the Lord's." The Rev. Mr Stobo next addressed the meeting. He ex. pressed himself highly gratified, not only at seeing so large an assemblage, but at seeing that assembly made up in great part of people from his own and other congregations. It always gave him pleasure to join in the great work with any other evangelical body. He confessed to a strong love, or partiality for hia own church, and believed it right that every one should be attached to, and have a preference for some particular denomination ; such a preference was to be praised rather than deprecated, as those who had no preference were generally rather indifferent to religion altogether, than simply liberal in their views, as they would have us believe. While, however, prepared to stand up and defend important points distinguishing his own denomination from others, and while honoring also those who were equally ready and willing to stand by the peculiar princip es of their body, whatever they might be, he thought that all small, petty jealousies should be discarded, and that all should unite as one man in the great work of the church, the regeneration of the world. He could point to the success achieved in secular affairs by the union of individuals, each of whom had distinct peculiarities, and very often might demur to the action of the majority, or ruling force, on the question in hand, but by subordinating their own idiosynoracies to the common good, the greatest results were obtained, as witness the gigantic achievements of public companies, and cor. porate bodies, or witness even the success attending the amalgamation of the different church choirs that very evening. Each of these performers might have different ideas as to time, expression, &3., and were each to insist on having the piece performed in his or her way, probably no music <■ hi uld have been heard at- all, but by mutual forbearance, and a subordination of petty jealousies for one grand object, the result was what they hai had the pleasure of listening to. In the church he thought the same harmony ought to prevail, the more so that there was work for all, more work in fact than would likely be overtaken in our day. There were extensive country districts to provide for, and to visit, and there was plenty of work also for every minister, assisted by his full complement of church officers in town. Taking the population of the town and suburbs at 3,000 — not over the mark — it gave a congregation of 1,000 to each of the Protestant churches in town, and as none of the churches would Beat anything like that number, it showed that a large proportion of the population did not often attend divine service, while it was too well known that many never entered a church door from year's end to year's end. Here then was a field in which all laborers could earnestly unite, where differences of opinion need not obtrude, and where, by vigorous, hearty co-operation, much good might be done. He congratulated the congregation on the fact of their having found it necessary to enlarge their church, since the last time he was in it, and would be glad to hear soon again that it was ■till too small. The expressions of approbation which frequently interrupted the rev. gentleman in the course of his eloquent address showed that the sentiments to which he gave expression met with the hearty approval of his audience. He made a most decidedly favorable impression on his hearers, and on resuming his seat was most heartily applauded. Another of R. A. Smith's anthems, " Make a joyful noise unto the Lord," was then sung by the choir with fine effect. Mr Dyer having been called upon by the chair, next stepped upon the platform, and delivered a short but vigorous address, also counselling unity of action amongst the churches. Ho occupied precisely the position which the previous speaker had said he liked to see every member of a church occupy — a warm attachment to, . and a prepaiednesi to defend the principles of the body to which he belonged, with hearty sympathy and goodwill towards all others engaged in the great work. The choir then sanrr the anthem "Sing unto God." Mr Orout-h ;'i9n gave a short

address on the condition of the Sabbath school in connection with the church. Anthem — " Give ear to my words." Mr Trew -was the next speaker, and gave an interesting account of the rise^and progress of Methodism, alluding to the wonderful results which had sprung from the very small beginning made by the founder of the society. In a few prefatory humorous remarks, while alluding to the excellent tea which had been got up by the ladies, he said that from his relation to one of them he had made a discovery which he would suggest tox-the gentlemen for their adoption in similar circumstances. In attending meetings of committee of one kind and another, he had often found a great deal of time occupied by everyone having to | speak in turn. By keeping his ears ope», however, he had got a wrinkle which might be vrorth noting ; he found that the ladies managed their committee meetings altogether differently, discarding the slow process of speaking in turn, they all commenced at once and the thing was soon over. As for the results, judging by the j excellent arrangements of that evening, he j thought the balance was in favor of the mode | adopted by the ladies. The choir then sang the anthem — " How Beautiful upon the Mountains." Mr Bonthron, being called upon, took occasion to j say a few words on behalf of the temperance \ cause, the handmaid of religion. He intimated that efforts were being made, by means of a bazaar, to raise funds for the erection of a hall, and that donations either in kind or coin would be received by the members of committee. The choir then sang the " Hallelujah Chorus," from the Messiah. The Rev. Mr Bunn next addressed the meeting on the importance of praise in the worship of God, and the very general necessity existing for iniprovemement in this respect, not only in his own church but in all the churches. He blamed strongly the indifference manifested by the people in this matter, and hoped united efforts would be made to have th's defect also remedied. A vote of thanks, given to the ladies for getting up the tea, and to the bachelors for providing the wherewithal, having been duly accorded and acknowledged, Mr Bunn proposed in warm terms a similar vote to the I choir, stating the pleasure it gave him to see the singers of the three churches, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Wesleyan, thus joined to afford real enjoyment. He paid a merited compliment to the manner in which they had, even with short practice, performed the various pieces, and to the zeal and tact of the?r talented conductor, Mr Kingsland. The audience having given the vote with right utmost good will, Mr Kingsland acknowledged the same on behalf of the choir, pointing out some of the difficulties in the way of attaining excellence in church music. A good instrument, well played, he considered as the first requisite, and congratulated the Wesleyans on having in their young organist, Mr Twinning, a player of no mean ability already, but one whose enthusiasm would yet make him a proficient in the science and practice of music. He also expressed himself as at all times willing to give his services, in the musical way, whenever he could do so for a good purpose. The choir then sang " God Save the Queen," which brought the programme to a conclusion. Mr Bunn then pronounced the benediction, and the company dispersed high'y pleased with the evening's entertainment. We regret to have to record the occurrence of a serious accident at Croydon, in the Hokanuis, on Wednesday last, to Mr George Martin, son of the late Dt Martin, of Riverton. It seems that while cutting up some firewood in company with others the axe of oue of the party accidentally glanced off a loose fragment of wood and penetrated the knee joint of the unfortunate young gentleman. Drs Monckton and M'Olure were summoned and found it necessary to perform amputation above the knee, which was done without loss of time on Friday last. On Sunday, the sufferer was carefully brought to town, and having reached Dr Monck ton's resideuce without further injury, is reported to be now progressing most favorably. i Willie Steel's Seventh Annual Friendly Concert, held at Mavis Bush, on the evening of the Queen's birthday, was not on this occasion so successful in a pecuniary point of view as it has been formerly. This unsatisfactory result is however in no way attributable to the " natural songster," who exerted himself as heretofore, and trudged out from town through rain and mud, carrying his scenery and stage trappings witli him, to keep hia engagement with his country friends. Constant heavy rain, day and night, with roads knee keep, are, however, enough to damp the ardour of all save thosewho are very enthusiastic, and as that was the state of matters on Monday, there was only a very sparse audience to enjoy Willie's concert. Those who were there however, it is said, enjoyed themselves very much, some of them even assisting to carry out the evening's entertainment. The gross proceeds amount to a little over £1, which Willie has magnanimously i determined to hand over entire to the Hospital funds, paying the expenses connected witk his I concert out of his private purse — an act of } benevolence worthy of imitation. So far as holiday making was concerned, the Queen's Birthday proved a total failure. Unceasing rain, and interminable slush, proved an occasion to w hich few if any were equal. Cheap trains lost their attraction, and buggies, saddle and harness horses, &c, &c, were allowed to rest in inglotious ease. The solitary resource from despair was the constitutional one of growling at everything and anybody in general, and at Southland weather, and those individuals who happened to come in one's way in particular. Tobacco, of course, suffered severely under the circumstances, being largely indulged in by way of change from the grumbling. Wouldn't it be a good plan to hold all our holidays at such a time of the year as there might be a chance of getting good wea.her. Celebrate the birthday of Her Mtyesty, the other members of the Royal family, and all the Saints' days usually kept, either in advance or in arrear as the case might be, durirg the two or three months when we sometimes have summer. The South Australian Government has reduced the rate of charges for telegraphic messages very considerably. From the Ist of the present month ten-word messages are to be transmitted ten miles for sixpence, seventy miles for a shilling, a hundred and fifty miles for one and sixpence, and, to the boundary of the colony, for two shillings ; in fact the reduction amounts to something like one half the scale hitherto in operation.

A meeting of the Invercargill Bifle Volunteers t )ok place on Friday, 14th May, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Lieutenant Giesow in thp 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 Jhe ways and means could 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 April 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 yet received it. In the course of his opening address to the Provincial Council of Canterbury, the Superintendent of that Province stated that a Bill | would be introduced to reduce the number of the members composing the Council, a3 well as | for the redistribution of the representation. His reasons for bringing forward this measure he stated us follows : — I believe that the time has come when considerable modifications must be made in the form and dimensions of provincial institutions if they are to continue their local usefulness, and the weight in the general economy of the colony which it is desirable they should retain. The machinery which has been created in more prosperous times has, I think, outgrown the necessities of Government in the province, now that its legislative powera have been curtailed, and its functions have devolved to a great extent upon the Municipalities and Road Boards, and the funds which it has to administer have Leen largely pledged in permanent charges for works of local benefit. The ' Wellington Evening Post ' says :— " The erection of the telegraph to Wanganui is a matter of very great importance to us, and equally so to the Maori race, as they are perfectly well aware ; not so much from the advantages accruing frorp rapid communication with the West Coast, although that is much, but from its being one of those means by which we are gradually and surely acquiring a firmer grasp of the complete domination of the island. The Maori opposition to this undertaking proceeds not from petulance or ignorant prejudice, but from a clear knowledge of this fact, and it will consequently be the harder to overcome. Many of them are intelligent enough to know that all opposition on their part to our claim to be the dominant race in New Zealand is perfectly futile, and endeavor to adapt themselves to the now order of things j but others cling to the traditions of their ancient supremacy, encouraged by the recent success of their countrymen, and will cause much annoyance ere the work be completed. Firmness and even-handed justice are the characteristics most calculated to impress the native race, and we have evory confidence they will be desplayed to" their fullest extent by Dr Featherston, who represents us at the meeting now about to be held in reference to this matter. Let what measures he may take be only cordially supported by the Province and the Government, and there is little doubt that, with the aid of the moderate party, the refractory hapue will have to give way. Poor little Sehaffer (says a Melbourne paper) is to be saved from himself at last. His German fellow-countrymen have not been unmindful of him, but their charity has not taken the best shape. Two objects have to be kept in mind. The dwarf should be restored to his relations — his natural keepers, and the Colony should be rid of a nuisance. Both ends will be attained by his passage to Germany being provided for him, and his welcome will be a cordial one, i". it equals our desire to get rid of him. The chances of success with the Canterbury portion of the salmon ova, are, according to the 1 Lyttelton Times' of the 10th inst., ahnost hopeless. Only about 18 or 20 of the ova give signs vitality. The ' Wellington Independent' says :—Considering that Wellington is the intermediate port of call between the Northern and Southern ports, and ought consequently to be pre-eminent for the arrival and departure of steamers, the following fact suggests volumes respecting the state of the country. During the past two days there has been neither arrival or departure in the shipping returns of this port. Exactly one week ago our shipping list stood in a similar position. Such an instance of stagnation has not been known in this harbor for many years. Legs of mutton are selling in Wanganui for one shilling each. The skeleton of what is supposed to have been a moa, was discovered by a labouring man in the Makerewa Bush the other day. On one of the recent wet days, when the railway works were stopped, the man alluded to, who was employed on the line, took a stroll through the bush, and accidentally came upon a collection of bones which, from their size and shape, attracted his attention. In spite of the jeers of his mates about " carrying home the remains of an old bullock," he gathered up the fragments carefully and took them to hia tent. Yesterday, Tuesday, the 18th, he brought one of the bones into town, apparently the thigh, and showed it about. It is certaiuly a bone of no ordinary animal, with which we are acquainted, and is quite likely to be what the finder supposes it is. He says he has all the other larger bones of the body, including the head, and that they are those of a gigantic bird ; the bone shown us yesterday, must have been over three feet in length. What seems most remarkable is the fact of the remains having been found on the aurface. They must, however, have lain for a very long time, as they are, to a crtain extent, petrified. The fortunate finder proposes to place them somewhere for exhibition, and then to have them put together as well as possible, and sold. Our local Acclimatization Society should try and secure the prize as a nucleas of the museum which has been proposed in connection with the Society. A circular has been forwarded to the various Banks in the Colony, some time since, from the Colonial Secretary's Office, informing them that advances of any kind in the way of overdraft or otherwise to Provincial Executives are illegal. A genuine case of " sticking up " occurred in the neighborhood of the Otautau bridge a few days ago, when a traveller wa3 relieved of a small sum of money, some £7, by two ruffians, one of whom threatened violence with, a knife. The robbers have not yet been caught, but they will, no doubt, very soon be in the hands of tho police.

A meeting of the Committee of the Acclimatization Society was held at the Government Buildings, on Monday afternoon 17th May. Them were present — Messrs Wood, (chairman) Blacklock, Fielder, Butts, Crouch and Gilmour. The Secretary informed the meeting that the Curator's report regarding the salmon ova, recently placed in the ponds was most unfavorable ; they were dying off rapidly, even after showing signs of vitality to the extent of the eye of embryo becoming plainly visible ; the great mortality was attributed to the length of time the ship was on her voyage from England, a period longer than is natui % ally occupied in the process of hatching. It i9 feared that not one of the eggs will produce a live fish. The project of procuring a supply of sound ova from Vancouver's Island was mooted, and appeared to be considered feasible. It was thought that in a work of such importance it was possible that the question might be made a colonial one ; that the whole of the provinces might be induced to join in a general venture, which would ensure the success of each ; that the General Government if applied to would give its aid and influence ; and that probably one of the ships of war on the station might be appointed to take a cruise to British Columbia, where salmon abound, and there procure a sufficiency of ova to give each province a large number ; the shortness of the voyage, and the appliances at command would thu3 render success almost a certainty, which would in future years amply repay any outlay at present incurred. It was agreed that the subject should be considered, and brought up again, after which the meeting proceeded to the election of officebearers for the ensuing year, with the following result. President — His Honor the Superintendent; Vice-President — Hon Dr Menzies ; Treasurer — Duncan Macarthur, Esq., ; Secretary — E. D. Butts, Esq. The Treasurer's balance sheet was I next submitted for consideration. It showed the Society to be £86 12s in arrears, but against this sum there were a good many subscriptions to come in. The Secretary also intimated that a very encouraging amount of support had been promised in response to circulars sent round soliciting donations in cash or kind. He believed that a systematic canvass of the town rmd country would result satisfactorily. It was accordingly agreed that the province should ba divided into districts for that purpose. A small sum was voted as compensation to the shepherd who had attended the ponds during the absence of the Curator at Dune din. The Secretary informed the meeting that he had written to Mr Allport in Tasmania regarding a further supply of trout ova. When last year's ova was supplied by the Tasmanian Society Mr Allport, the Curator, had regretted that he could not then spare more, but promised to give a much larger number this year. Mr Butts had consequently lately written enquiring whether 6,000 could be spared. He had also communicated with Mr Bapstian, a member of committee, who is now on a visit to Tasmania, asking him to see Mr Allport and to interest himself on behalf of the Society in getting the ova safely and quickly dispatched. Enquiries had been made, and it was ascertained that no vessel would be coming direct ; the ova would consequently have to be brought by way of Melbourne, but the greater regularity and certainty of a quick run was considered more thaa equivalent to the increased distance. The cost of fetching the ova was estimated at about £50, and to raise this sum and otherwise strengthen the Society it was proposed to offer an inducement to those who might wish to purchase spawn to pay for them in advance. The young fish were calculated as being saleable at 4s per head, which price should be charged to those paying only on delivery, whereas, those who would assist by paying in advance should get their fish at half that price. It was considered that no great risk woald be incurred by those prepaying, as the transmission and hatching of the ova was no longer an experiment ; that got last year had done well, and with increased experience it was thought the next attempt would be still more successful. As showing that some were sanguine, the Secretary intimated that he received £10 from one gentleman towards the cost of getting the ova from Tasmania. It was suggested that, prior to his going to Tasmania, the Curator should visit those districts of the Province best j adapted for trout for the purpose of selling, in advance, the spawn as proposed, and otherwise enlisting the co-operat ion of the country residents in the undertaking. The ' Omaru Times ' says : — We hear on I good authority that two boiling down establishments will shortly be started in 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. It is understood (says the 'Nelson Examiner') to be the intention of the leaders of the Opposition to endeavor to defeat the Government on the Address, bo we may expect to see a full muster of members in Wellington at the commencement of the session. Mr Vogel, it is said, has been looking up support for his wild scheme of purchasing exemption for the Middle Island from a future contribution to native wars by the payment of £1,000,000 to the North Island. The ' Wanganui Times ' says : — " Kemp and his party have returned, after being ten days out in the bush in pursuit of the 1 enemy. They report having killed a number of Hau-haus, and, as trophies of victory, have brought in three I heads, said to be the heads of three chiefs, namely, those of Ka Waihi, Tepene Waitangi Orupi, and Ko Tipoko. This chief, Ka Waihi ia one of the cannibals who ate the white men. The Natives — Kemp's men — claimed his head, set it up, and danced round it." The ' .Daily Times,' says :— We understand that the subscriptions towards the Bishop Jenner Fund have reached the sum of £200. The ists will remain open for a month. It is rumoured in Wellington that the Hon. John Eall will resume the offices of PostmasterGeneral and Electnc Telegraph Commissioner before the Assembly meets. The corn crop of the OniteJ Staets is in IqQS officially estimated at 905,178,900 bushels, as compared with 767,820,000 bushels in 1867. The following extract from a report by Navigating Lieutenant Stanley, R.N., Admiralty surveyor to the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, is published in the ' Gazette : — " I consider the whole of the strait between King's Island and Tasm\nia as most dangerous, and one which, if possible, should be avoided altogether. The tidea ruu very strong, and nothing but great local knowledge would, I shonld imagine, be able to ibnn any conception of them. Vessels would do w«ll at night time to keep iu the centre of the strait, out oi the tidal influence, or else borrow on the Tasmanian shore."

A meeting of the subscribers the of Horticultu- I ral S ociety took place on Friday 21st May, at the ' Princess Hotel. The President, Mr John Black- j lock, occupied the chair. Messrs Cleave and j Stewart, the auditors, presented the balance sheet j for the past year. On the motion of Mr j Preston, seconded by Mr Mountier, it was adopted. The election of office bearers fas then proceeded with, Mr John Blacklock being re- j elected President, Mr T. M. MacJonald and Mr Wm. Stewart elected Vice-Presidents ; Mr John Dalgliesh, Treasurer ; W. Scandrett, Secretary 1 ; and Messrß D. M' Arthur, Butts, Preston, Cooper, \R. Millar, Cleave, Hall, Kingsland, Broad, Birrell, Pritchard, and Waugh members of committee. An animated discussion ensued ou the advisability of holding two exhibitions, the unanimous expression of opinion being that it was quite practicable, but the queetion of providing funds for the additional expense that would be necessary being an important consideration. It was agreed to leave the matter in the hands of the Committee. It was arrangod that thg first meeting of Committee should be held on Monday, the 6th of September. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. It is gratifying to learn that an effort is about | to be made to open a profitable and easily available market for the surplus flocks of our squatte»-s. Our townsman, Mr A. J. Smyth, in connection with the Messrs. Herberts of Otago, purposes I erecting a boiling-down and meat preserving j establishment at Tapanui Bush. The locality is very suitable, being within easy reach of runholders on both sides of the Otago border. The bush is also a fine one, containing an almost exhaustlesg supply of splendid timber, and as the steam power to be erected will not be exclusively required for the meat establishment, it is intended that the works shall include a saw-mill. The casks required for packing will also be made on the spot. Mr Smyth proceeds to Melbourne per first steamer, for the purpose of procuring the necessary plant and machinery, which are to be of the most approved description, and on an extensive scale — the vat to hold 500. carcases — and to get an insight to the different processes now in use for meat curing, so that that most likely to prove successful may be adopted. Wo trust the venture may be remunerative to the company, and that ilie products of their manufactory may aoon form an item of importance in our exports. The * Waikouaiti Herald' gives the following account of the Waikouaiti and Shag Valley Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Grain Show : — " This Show, the first of a distinct nature since the formation of the Association, was held at Palinerston, on Wednesday last, the sth inst., in the School-house, which had been kindly placed at the disposal of the Committee for the purpose. Owing, no doubt, to the unfavorable state of the weather for the past week or two, the competition in several departments in which prizes were offered — notably in grain— was not so good as might have been expocted,^,nd intending exhibitors were prevented from producing such samples as they otherwise ' might ha/e desired to do. The competition in roots exceeded that of grain, as the past season undoubtedly more particularly favored. The principal exhibitors were residents in or near the Shag Valley ; the farmers in this neighborhood did not contribute so largely as they might have done, the distance, perhaps, acting as a deterent. During the day however, there was a good number of visitors present, and considerable interest appeared to be taken in the show. The exhibits, generally, were considered to be of a superior quality, and highly creditable to the producers and the district, as showing its capabilities. The fair held in connection with the show was not near so well represented in the various classes of animals as wa» anticipated. The samples of wheat exhibited wwe really good, particularly white, and the competition was spii-ited. Oats might also be considered to be well deserving of mention. We regretted to see barley unrepresented, as we consider that if more attention was paid to the growing of this article, farmers would find it to their advantage. In lye grass there were some fine samples showu. There were also some excellent looking potatoes exhibited, as well as some remarkably fine samples of turnips, carrots, &c. The committee of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce have brought up their report apon the steam postal service. They recommend two intercolonial and inter-provincial (combined) services for the Middle Island, and a double service from Sydney to Aucland and back. The Hon. Elliot Yorke has addressed a letter to Mrs Heir at Auckland, intimating his intention to play with her in the three last acts of Hamlet, upon the arrival of the Q-alatea in that city. The following extract from a letter from Bishop Jenner, with reference to a letter signed •' Dikaios," which appeared in the ' Oamaru Times ' of the 4th inst., is published in a subsequent issue of that journal : — " A correspondent of the ' Oamaru Times,' signing himself " Dikaios," accuses me of inconsistency. There is some show of reason in what he says, but he forgets, or perhaps never heard, that I distinctly and deliberately withdrew from the attitude I assumed at Oamaru and elsewhere, on finding that the mind of the Church would not be represented in the Diocesan Synod. My appeal was to a Synod eleoted in accordance with the laws and regulations, as I understood them, of the General Synod. That non-communicants should be allowed to ait and vote, and that at the elections the votes of bona fide churchmen should be swamped by those of members of other religious bodies, or of none at all, Hever entered into my calculations. The voice of the majority in the Synod waa not the voice of the Church in Otago and Southland, and I decline to recognise it as such. My present intention is to proceed to England at once, and I shall not return to New Zealand until I am sent for — i.e., until the Church in this Colony sees fit to undo the grievous wrong and injury which has been inflicted on me. This remedy I shall undoubtedly continue to ' claim,' and my present critic, if he be ' Dikaios ' in reality, is surely bound to assist me in obtaining it." A steady flow of Chinese immigration appears to be setting in to Otago. The population of Tuapeka has recently received an addition of nearly 200 celestials. Could not the Provincial Treasurer induce John Chinaman to develop the Nokomai or Orepuki " diggings." The cheap meat question appears to be received with favor in the country districts of Otugo. At Milton, and at the Lakes, the best mutton can be procured at 2id; best beef, 5d to 6d per pound. A remarkable escape occurred one day lately at Latham and Watson's mine, Victoria. A pick accidentally fell down the shaft, nearly 600 feet, and although two men were working below, strange to say, it did not strike them. The • Otago Daily Time*' says that a correspondent writing from Levuka, on the 2 1st March, says: — "There is very little of importance to report from here. The most important item is the arrival of the first branch of the Polynesian Company from Melbourne. Their steamer is shortly expected. On the 15th inst. we had a terrific storm, one of the heaviest we have had for some years. The barque Ellesmera of Sydney, was lost in it on the island of G-au. She is a total wreck. Nearly all the ' houses in the Rewa district were blown to the ground ; and the Catholic Church was bodily moved a distance of 22 feet. On this island several stores suffered considerable damage ; and at Bau, the native houses were all blown down. As yet, we have not had time to hear of all the disasters, which I fully «xpcct will be great, especially to small boats trading about the group, and to the cotton crops. The natives at present are pretty quiet. Thakombau is preparing for a war with the moantaineers on Viti Levu, which I trust he will be successful in, as then everything will be quiet. It is the king's intention to hire the pinsoners of war out to planters, which of course will be a great boon. I am sending this by the Ida, via Sydney. Our port is very bare of shipping just now, there being in harbor only the Alfred, brig, bound for Samoa ; the Jeanie Duncan, schooner, bound for Sydney ;- and the Jubilee, mission schooner,"

] The report of the Commissioner of Police^a^ the Industrial Schools in Otago, was i^htlyjiudfef p on the table of the Council. The repoHeohtaihs ~ ' a description of the circumstances of the children prior to their being ordered fo\be placed in tlfi Institution, and a precis of tbi^rules and nianag- ?| mont. There are 47 inmates, boys and girls.; .^kU of them have been removed from abodes ! of vrice, ;^- --or rescued from want and liestitutioni Tneir g<* '■£ ages vary from one to. seven years. : - ? . - , v r? ' A Medical Aid Society has been established at Switzers, and from the interest manifested in the matter, is likely to prove successful. The following notice,, issued. by. the Goye_rn? ment of Natal, is published for general information in the ' New Zealand Gazette : ' — -" Government Notice, No. 23, 1869: His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor directs it to be notified that two vessels have arrived in the harbor of Port Natal from Australia, conveying a number of passengers, who hare informed certain officers of this Government, at Durban, that they have come to Natal under a misapprehension which is widely spread in Australia, that what are there termed ' payable Goldfields' exist, either in Natal or the country of the chief Moselikatse, at a distance of upwards of eight hundred miles in the interior of Africa, and beyond the territories of he Transvaal, or South African Republic. The Lieutenant-Governor therefore deems it advisable to inform the public generally, both in .Natal and elsewhere, that this Government is not in possession of evidence of the existence of gold in remunerative quantities, either in Natal or in the territories referred to, although auriferous spots have been discovered in both. The Lieutenants Governor deems it expedient also to caution persons at a distance against being misled by indi-. vidual impressions or imperfect information, and against supposing that there exists at present ia Natal such a demand for labor as would supply by its profits, to persons without capital, the means of proceeding into the interior. By His Excellency's command, D. Ebskinb, Colonial Secretary. Colonial Office, N»tal, 9th February, 1869." The amount annually paid in pensions and allowances by the colony w — £11,248 5s 2d, of which sum £2070 6s 8d falls to the share of the natives. The ' Lyttelton Times' says : —On the 20th of February, the Governor of New Caledonia published a decree by which the tribe of the Tendianous, or Ouebias, was formally dissolved, and declared to be expelled from its territory. AH the tribes in the northern part of the oolony were specially forbidden to give them shelter under pain of being treated as rebels. This extreme measure h»8 been taken inconse^ quence of the murders and hostile acts committed by these Tendianous on the respective dates of the 7th, 19th, and 29th October, 1868. A dei tailed account of the military operations for the punishment of these criminal acts appears in the , Moniteur d* la New Caledonia of the 21st and ' 28th February. An order of the day, signed by Governor Guillaim, speaks in the highest terms of the heroic defence of the post of Bonde made by Adjutant Malezieux and sixteen men against more than 1200 savages. The ' Dunedin Independent' of the 12th inst., saye : — ln Committee on Mr Vogel's Land Resolutions, this afternoon, Mr Haggitt -moved the following amendment— " That whereas the existing Land Laws of the Province are not calculated to promote free settlement on the Lands, and as it is therefore desirable to amend the same by throwing the whole of the Waste Lands of the Province not included within the boundaries of the Otago Gold Fields* open to selection ; at a uniform price of twenty shillings per acre. — . Resolved that a respectful address be presented' to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him' to cause an Act to be introduced into the General Assembly at its next session, to amend the Otago Waste Lands Act, 1866, and to provide for throwing open for selection and sale the waste lands of the Province not included within the boundaries of the Otago Goldfields." Th© amendment was defeated. Tictoria is adding the manufacture of salt to the long list of industries lately established. Referring to it the c Argus ' says : — " We are glad to observe that, notwithstanding the difficulties naturally encountered in establishing a netr industry, owing to the indomitable perseverance of the proprietors of the only salt manufactory attempted to be set agoing in the colony — Messr W. M'Kee and Co.'a — the manufacture of this article is likely to meet with the success it deserves. The Victoria, a little schooner just arrived from Westarn Port, has brought a trial shipment of that now made, to test the feeling in the market. A sample has been shown us, che quality and appearance of which in no way differ from Liverpool made salt, and as a thoroughly practical man has of late been engaged by the proprietors to take the management of the wbrksi ' all the faults common to a first undertaking hare been successfully got rid of, and we are, also informed that there is no doubt that the standard of excellence now attained will be kept up. in future." We observe that a fund is being raised in Dunedin, for the purpose of re-imbursin? Bishop Jenner his expenses to New Zsaland and back to, England. The ' Independent, 1 of the Ist inst, regrets to learn that since Mr Fitzherbert's return, he has sustained an attack of gout, from the effects of which he has been confined to his room. The ' 3outhern Cross' says that the chiefs Tamihane te Rauparaha and ttohe >a Tamahengia arrived in Auckland from Wellington on April 23. Their mission is a somewhat important one, as they intend, if possible to visit the King, in order otao ainour to establish parmaaout paa^e between the Europeans and Natives. Theunauth <:i^ed expenditure of the Province of Otago for ti,u past year is stated by the Provincial AuditoV to be £1,890 6s 9d. We learn that another action for breach of promise is about to be brought against one of the members of Hunt's claim at the Thames. This time the defendant is a Mr White, and the plaintiff a Miss Morrow, a barmaid in the Q. C. B. Hotel, Auckland. The damages are laid at £3000. Mr Wynn, the Provincial Solicitor, has been enza°ed for the plaintiff, and Mr T. B. Gillius, for the defence. The'Tuapoka Press* reports that "the bad weather which has prevailed during the week has quite paralyzed business. Some injury has been . done to property by the high winds, and two cases of gentlemen being blown off their horses 1 have occurred. The first of these accidents befel Mr Smith, while crossing the Round Hill, when his horse was blown clean over, and Mr Smith escaped with a few scratches and Bruises. Anaccident of a similar nature occurred near the powder magazine, to Mr ,E. Vernon, Tuapeka Mouth, who fortunately escaped unhurt. Yesterday the ground was white with snow, and the cold remarkably intense." The inimitable Thatcher, it is said, is shortly to visit In veroargili. He has lately been winning fresh laurels in Wellington and Nelson, and is now working his way southward. To his budget of music, burlesque and satire, he has added a a panorama of a congenial description, which forms a feature in his entertainments. The ' Wairarapa Mercury* speaking of the boiling down establishments says:— Establishments of this kind will shortly become the order of the day in Wairarapa, Mr M'Masters having sent for one for his station at Tepurupuru, and Mr Waterhou-e one for that at Huangaroa. We have also heard it reported that I*. H. ,Luxford, Esq., the enterprising proprietor of the Boiling down Establishment at Burhampore, near Wellington, intends putting one up on the Taratahi, and we understand a Company will shortly be formed to establish one at Masterton. At Warehama also it is probable that one will be erected, and we anticipate that the ultimate result will be that every large sheep-owner will have a small one of his own on his station. We i hear, iri one instance*^ of old ewes and ram stags that have been 'culled from the flocks, being sent to the boiling-down establishment, and realising ' four arid'five shillings per head. This is anything but a' bad price; and affords a glimpse of great prosperity to the sheep farmer*

A meeting of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society took plaee at tho Presbytetlan Vestry Hall, on Monday evening last. The proceedings were opened by nominating a member as chairman. The Secretary, Mr Archibald Campbell, re*d the mibutes of the previous meeting! which were duly confirmed. The Chairman then introduced Mr Wm. Eraser to the meeting, who read a capital paper on the Life and f "Writings of Robert Burns'. The essayist traced succinctly the' early life of the poet, his tra'ning, and touched briefly hut graphically on all the important incidents of his varied career, arguing that what little was objectionable in his life was counterbalanced by his noble and magnanimous spirit; the reader concluded amidst well-merited applause. Meßßra Smith, Findlay, Rose, Andrew Smith, Erskine, Porter, Dunlop, and others, spoke on the question. Messrs Porter and Dunlop hairing the previous evening given notice to move an alteration in one of the rules of the society, an animated debate foVowed, causing Beveral amendments to be submitted; ultimately Mr Dunlop' s amen Jment was carried as - follows — " Intending members to be proposed by an existing member on one evening of meeting, and ballotted for the ne&t." Throughout this discussion the chairman kept the meeting to the question, and submitted the amendment and 1 motions although only verbally given in an excellent manner. Tae Rev. A. H. Stobo, the President of the Society, having at thispo'nt entered the room, made one or two explanations and {suggestions, and afterwards closed the meeting in the usual manner. A case which appeared in our columns early H April, in which Mr Kingewell sued a person of the name of M'Donald for damages incurred through the destruction of a number of plaintiff's sheep, by a dog alleged to be the property of defendant, came again before the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, Ist inst. After the hearing of evidence, the case ■was adjourned for a week, to ellow of the defence producing a material witness. An accident of a severe nature occurred to Mr Thomas Douglas, currier, at Mr CHara'a tanyard, on Monday last, whereby he' lost two of the fingers of his left hand. He was engaged at the time feeding the bark mill, . when, owing to his looking round for a moment, his hand was caught bj'the. toothed rollers, and severely lacerated before the steam could be shot off. Surgical aid was at once procured; and everything done to relieve the pain. It is feared that amputation at the wrist trill yet hare to be resorted to. By Davidson's boat, wh : ch arrived from Stewart's Island yesterday, Ist inat., we learn that on the 20th nit., an old man of the name of Walsh, •who has long been a resident on the island, and was much respected, left his home and proceeded to the bush to look after some cattle. He did not retarri but Mb absence was accounted for by his neighbors, on fhe supposition that he had gone OH to Messrs Hay Bro's. Saw Mills, some distance off, where his sons were at work. Three days afterwards, one of the sons came home, and it was then ascertained that the old man had not gone to the mill, but had evidently lost himself in the bush, or met with some accident disabling him from walking. A search was forthwith instituted, in which all the neighborhood joined, including, tha men from the Saw Mulb, and the sergeant of police, stationed at Port William. ' A"l efforts to trace the lost man were, however, fruitless, no clue haying been discovered up to the time our nfbrmant left. The country in the vicinity is said to be extremely :rough, so that unless Walsh had the power ,of attracting attention to himself when any of the seekers came near him, he might remain undiscovered for a long titne and yet be within a very short distance of his own home. The newly-elected • popular entertainments' committee met last evening, Ist inst, at the Government Buildings, Mr Perkins in the chair. After the dispatch of some business of a formal nature, Mr B«. D. Butts was elected Treasurer, and Mr D. Macrorie, Secretary: It was also arranged ? that if possible the first entertainment should 'faKe place on Friday week, the 11th inst., and that they should be given weekly thereafter. The question of where the meetings should b held was also considered, but not decided, pending certain enquiries.' , Immediately on this point being settled, the secretary is to invite the o-operabon of ladies and gentlemen able to assist. No doubt the appeal of the committee ii this respect will be heartily responded to. ,-. The Members of the.lnvercargill Rifle Volunteers, are elsewhere notified that the company will parade every Friday evening at half past seven o'clock, at the Exchange Hall, Dee-street. The * Daily Times * of the 28th ult.,' says :— Mr Luke, a passenger by the Pampero from London, which' arrived last night, has brought with him two white ferrets and a squirrel. The latter is supposed to be the first of its kind that has been imported into this colony. The • Australasian' of May Bth contains the f ollowi-ag :— The peera of Queensland had quite a little scene the other day. There was a call of the House^ and one of its members, Dr Hobbs, dsd not answer to bis name. Thereupon he was adjudged, to he gDi'ty P? contempt and during the adjournment for .dinner waa arrested, aid, when the House resumed, was brought in the custody of the Black Sod. . In his defence, the honorable doctor stated that Jiis absence was unavoidable. This explanation was declared to be entirely satisfactory, and so he was released, and all charges were remitted. But he was not at a 1 ! disposed to accept this termination of the affair, and next' day horrified the President by moving a vote of censure on the House. He had, it seems spent the interval in the study of" May," and of some authority, peculiar, we suppose, to Queensland, for we have never heard of it' elsewhere, styled "Ansfeflf" and hKS 1 from them come to the not unreasonable (joneiusion that -he had been veiy badly used. ' ' Jjappuy, the President and the represei'tative of the 'Ministry were able to soothe the goba 'doctor's -ruffled feelings, and he allowed the House to proceed without insisting upon its condeninine its own conduct as unwarranted by , Parliamentary authority. Anglican Synod at Adelaide has passed the , following resolution almost unanimously : — " That in r the opinion of Synod it is of the highest , importance the. ; unity and well-being of: . the Church of England, that the Bishop be earnestly : .requested to use his, influence for the correction . andipreventidn af such erils as are known by the • term 'ißitualistic,' or ' Romanising,' in keeping within the tenor of his lordship's address at the opening :o£ the Synod, and that all the ceremonies of the Church be strictly carried out in accor- ] dance with the directions of the Common Prayer j

A narrow, almost miraculous, escape from broken limbs occurred to a horse and rider on Wednesday last. Most of our readers will have observed the habit of the livery stable keepers sending their horses with boys to the lagoon by the eide of Pum Creelt, for watering and washing purposes. One young urchin, not content with the- ordinary roadway,- it would appear, wished to fol'ow the aspirations of " Longfellow's Excelsior," and forthwith headed his horse up the steep bank, the sp'Vited animal ne'er thought of refusing th« call, and literally climbed the height. Those who observed the feat, as tae horse nearly reached the pathway, held their breath ?-i suspense, for the animal only by. a conyu'srve effort gained the top. Owners should be careful to whom they entrust them. The Imperie 1 . policy with respect to the employment of troops in the colonies was forcibly explained by the head of the War Department on a recent occasion. Mr Cardwell, on introducing the Estimates, shewed that, deducting such dependencies as Gibraltar, Malta, the China stations, &c, the expenditure for the colonies proper was last year £1,643,794, and will this year be £1,070,735 — showing a saving of £573,059. Since the Estimates were framed, a regiment haa been recalled from New Zealand, and another from the Cape. The troops stationed in Canada are to be reduced from 16,185 to 6,249 men. In vindicating this policy of withdrawal, the War Minister- ssid — " And here let me pause to ask whether.this diminution of force is really weakening to our colonies? In my opinion, it is exactly the reverse. I do not believe that New Zealand was in any way better off when she had 10,000 of our troops to fight her battles. If, instead of casing upon your colonists to exert themselves and to rely on the • own resources, you distribute forces among them |in sma 1 ! divisions, you will paralyse their efforts without furnishing them with real strength. I believe that Canada, with 30,000 or 40,003 armed men of her own, occupies a stronger and more 'idependent position than she ever did before. Again, I believe that Victoria, raising her own fleet to defend her own harbors, is in. a better position to defend herself, and will be a greater strength to the empire, than at any previous time. One of the Eastern potentates — I think Hyder Ali — said the English he was - afraid of were not those whom he saw, but those whom he could not see ; and I believe that we shaH be augmenting the power of England by encouraging in the colonies u> the spirit of selfreliance." The following is from an able and interesting article in the March number of 'Blackwood's Magazine,' on New Zepland and its goldfields : — :i Grand, indeed, are the leading features of the phenomena of nature which New Zealand con^ tarns. But the botany and zoology of these islands have I; kewise much that is remarkable in their respective sciences ; and the geologist will find here special points of interest, since the formation of the country is not less Varied than that of our own islands, while in addition are to be seen the peculiar volcanic phenomena that have just been described. To the traveller, then whether he be a lover of science, or one whose motives are curiosity and love of enterprise — we wouM say, ' Visit New Zealand — you will there find a vast field for speculation and inquiry open to the philosopher, with virgin peaks and untrodden glaciers inviting the exploits of a Southern Alpine Club.' " The following, according to the Crow a agents, are the net results of Mr Fitzlierbert's financia mission to England : — The tote! annual charge to wh'ch the colony was before liable in respect of the old stock extingu'shed was £207,737, and the present annual charge in respect of the new stock substitul jd for it is £179,230, be ; lg an increase in t\e nominal debt of £251,450, end a decrease in the" annual charge of £28,517, In addition to this saving, the operation, will render immediately available for ot \qr purposes so much of the accumulated sinking funds aa properly belong to the converted debt. The amounts so disposable out of funds accumulated under the "Loan Act, 1863," supposing the investments to realise what they cost, is £40,532 j and the sum to be derived in like manner from the sinking funds formed under various other acts is estmated by us, upoa the very imperfect information we possess, at about £105,061, making altogether a present saving of £145,593. If this amount were applied to the purchase and extinction of some more of the old debentures (which is a fa ; ~ way of measuring its value as part of the operation), a further reduction would be effected of about £153,000 in the outstanding debt and £9180 in the annual oharge to be provided by the colony. The local journal says: — "The temperance movement appears to have taken firm root, and to "be making rapid progress in Naseby. New members are daily joining their ranks, and the society already numbers about eighty. Several ladies have joined. By way of diversifying their amusement, the society have determiued upon setting apart every alternate Wednesday during the winter months for quadrille parties." The tunnel on the Lyttelton and Cbrietchurch Rai'way has been exanrned by an engineer, and ! raported to be in an unsafe state for traffic. In , the course of his opening address to the Provincial Council, the Superintendent said : — " The returns from, the railway have, up to the present time, been in excess of the amount they were estimated to yield. The grosß income of the year was estimated at £39,350, and the actual income for the past four months has amounted to £17,280, or £4164 more than one third part of the estimate for the year. But this period includes the greater part of the wool season, and an. important portion of the grain season, and the present income will not be maintained during the winter months. It is reasonable, however, form'ng a calccation upon the relative income for the different months of last year, to anticipate an excess of the estimated amount of receipts over the whole year ; but,, on the other hand, there w'll be expenditure necessary in the tunnel which was not previously contemplated, and which will more than absorb any such excess. The stores paid for in last year, and consumed during the present year, and a per- j centage for depreciation, are not taken into account in the above observations. .. Coal is said to have been found within a mile and a half of Milton, Tokomairiro, which has been pronounced by his Honor the Superintendent of Otago to be superior to any yet found in the Colony, except that at Preservation Inlet. The deposit from which the sample submitted to his Honor was taken is described as being an extensive one and it is said that a company will shortly be ' formed to work it.-r-Coal has also lately been 'found near • bamaru. •• • ■ ' ' ' ■ '

The Superintendent of Nelson, in opening the session of the Provincial Council, made the foliow'Tig remarks : — As soon as the actual state of things became apparent to me, I reduced the expenditure upon the public works, so far as was consistent with engagements already entered into to a point within the diminished means at my disposa'jand devoted my attention toaU practicable reductions in the departmental expenditure of the province. By the estimates which will be submitted to you, you will find that the reductions which have been made effect a savings to the extent of between £12,000 and £13,000 in the annual expenditure of the province in salaries and contingencies. In making so sweeping a retrenchment I hare performed a difficult and extremely vnpleasant duty. I ask for your support and encouragement in a task which I have endeavoured to execute with as little inconvenience to the public, and as little hardship to individuals as under the circumstances was I . possible. The principle upon which I have ' I mainly effected this large reduction in our J J expenditure has been that which invariably 1 guides commercial establishments in a similar position, namely, the reduction in the number of i/fficera employed, and not the reduction of the salaries of those whose services cannot be dispensed with and whose work is in many cases largely increased. When the estimates for the current year, which are now in course of prepr. ation, are placed before you, jou will see that I have abolished the formal distinction of " departments" in the provincial service, and haveclasßed them :n groups under distinctive headings. Each officer will be required to give hie service m any way in which they can be made efficiently available, an arrangement which, although only occasionally practicable, will probably prove useful with a staff so greatly diminished. The following, from the ' Bruce Standard ' of the 22nd inst., is as appli cable to this locality at to that to which it refers :— " A correspondent sa East Taieri informs us that as late as last week ' there' were sti! I ' to be seen standing exposed to all the wintiy weather several acres of oats, wheat, and barley, in different parts of the Taieri Plain. This should stimulate prompt energy in preparing the land for next season's crops, so that early sowing and seasonable harvesting may be the rule and not the exception. Over and above the comfort of farmers having crops put early under • thack and rape,' there is the large per centage of more abundant yields from early ploughing and sowing -to commend the use of prompt efforts to keep ahead in field work." An Otago contemporary says : — " Mr W. J. Steward, editor of the ' Oamaru Times,' was presented on Thursday, the 13th insfc., with the prize awarded for the poem in welcome of H.R.H. the Duke of Kdinburgh, by his Worship the Mayor of Dunedin. Mr Birch, in a graceful speech, complimented Mr Steward on his pro duction, and stated that the allusions in the poem to his royal parents had been highly appreciated by the Duke. Copies o? the poem had been printed on satin and furnished to the Prince, who had expreseed a wish to send them home to his friends ; and 500 copies had been printed for distribution by the Caledonian Society. Mr Steward made a very eloquent reply, concluding as follows : — ' He had before now seen in the thronged streets of a crowded city an humble plant struggle into existence, and spreading its tiny blossoms, amid the rush of hurrying humanity. To the utilitarian that flower was a weed, and a weed only, its beauty unobserved, and itself a thing of nought ; but that little plant, weed though it might be termed, was fresh from the hand of the Great Creator, and had a right to spread its fair petals and to waft its sweetness upon the air 1 , be the city ever so busy, the Btreets ever so thronged — (applause) ; and while he aB a poet might rank but as- that little weed, yet, if he could beautify but in the smallest degree even an out-of-the-way corner, he would endeavor to do it, let the critics say what they might. Be it as it might, though his productions might please none other, they gave him pleasure in their composition, and at least on this one occasion they had produced for him the pleasure of having to return thanks to Mr Birch, as the President of the Caledonian Society for his gift, and more for his kindly remarks, and to all present for their evident sympathy and eordial good feeling.' — (Loud cheers)." At the present moment, when lads of all ages are going about with guns, the following, from the ' Daily Times' of 26th, may be useful as a caution : — " A sad story comes from Otepopo. On Saturday last, a lad named James Po'lock, son of a farmer named William Pollock, once we. 1 1 known in business here, went to a neighbour named Hugh Carson, and borrowed a doublebairelled gun, with which he went shooting in the Taieri bush. Not returning to his home at night, a search was instituted, and maintained a'\ through* the night and the next day, till at nearly dark his dead body was found with the head riddled with shot, and the brains protruding. Both barrels of his gun -was empty, and it was apparent that death must have been instantaneous. The boy was only thirteen years old, and this incident should be a lesson to parents not to trust children of such tender age with dangerous death-; dealing playthings." The Canterbury 'Provincial Gazette,' of the 21st ult., contains the traffic returns for April. On the Lyttelton and Christchurch line, the total amount received was £2698 3s 4d, as compared with £2780 9s 2d during the corresponding month last year. The number of passengers carried during the month was 20,163 ; the quantity of merchandise was 818 J- tons, as compared with 1648 for the same month of las"-, year; the quantity of grain carried was 74,712 bushels, compared with 140,275 bushels for the same month of last year. The revenue of the Great South line for the month was £1482 2s, as compared with £1514 2s 3d for the corresponding month of last year. The grain carried amounted to 86,801 bushels, as compared with 142,433 bushels for the corresponding month of last year. The • Wakatip Mail' says :— " Firewood has lately been very scarce, and is as year as it was years ago — about £2 per cord. We can hardly understand this, as wood is easily got at on the the shores of the Lake. The advantage of the Antrim steamer has not reduced the price. In March, Mrs Case (Miss Grace Egerton) and Mr Case was concluding a successful, season in India. At Bombay and Poona, they had been particularly well received. They were to sail for China on the 19th of March, from Bombay.

' " It is not often," says the ' Daylesford Mercury,' that we hear in this colony of a duel, but one was actually fought last Wednesday evening, at Wood's saw-mills, by two men named Charles Randall and John Broughton. Being both enamoured with the same lady fair, a quarrel arose, which it was resolvod to eottle by moonlight, Messrs Jones and Phi"ips, Mr Wood's clerks, finding the foolish fellows determined to settle the dispute by an appeal to aims, agreed to act seconds. The belligerents were accordingly placed twelve paces apart, on an immense heap of sawdust, and care having bseii taken that the barrels should be leacPess, the weapons were discharged. As neither wa3 wounded, the duelists insisted upon a second and .1 third shot at each other. Previous to handing the pistols back for the last fire they were both loaded with red currant jam, and some of the spectators seeing one of the combatants apparently bleeding from the forehead, exclaimed . ' He's hit.' The wounded man, however declared ' / he did not mind ~tho injury, and would have insisted on a fourth shot, had not the seconds declared the ' honor' of both satisfied. Two holes had also been secretly bored through the hat of the 6iher fire-eater, and for some time he believed that he had a very narrow escape. Both men engaged in the affair "were" a'l seriousness, and neither flinched in the slightest degree. It was only after the hoax was fairly over they were made aware of the practical joke that had been played at their expense." A dejeuner to the Roman Catholic bishops and ecclesiastics of Australia was given on the 27th ult., in Melbourne. The Hon. John O'Shanassy occupied the chair, and the company, which included most of the leading Roman Catholics of Melbourne, numbered about 200. Those who prefer perfecting themselves as marksmen under the shelter of a friendly roof, instead of in a dismal marsh exposed to all the elements, have now the opportunity of doing so. Mr Mayo, of the Southern Cross Hotel, has jus^ fitted up a shoot'ng alley, on a ; rather extensive scale. The tunnel, or tube, through which the ball passes in its rapid flight from the muzzle of the gun to the target, is about 90 feet long, a distance which affords, under the circumstances, sufficient opportunities for the display of skill. Tbe " shooting • ons," provided by the spirited proprietor, consists of two very handsome little Schneider, rifles. The tnnnel was made by Mr Graham. It seems that the Pacifio Railroad, now approaching completion, is something more than a gigantic enterprise. It is also a stupendous job. The eastern division of it is being constructed by seventy persons, constituting what is known as the " Pacific Railroad Ring." Its cost will not exceed £20,000,000 sterling, but the stock and bonds issued by the Ring will represent £64,000,000 sterjing, and the passenger and goods traffic rates will be so adjusted as to pay a dividend of ten per cent, upon a capital upwards of two-thirds of which is fictitious ; while the company — or, in other words, the "ring" — receives a subsidy of £6000 a mile from the Government, besides a land grant of 12,800 acres a nrle to say nothing of donations of real estate from the cities it passes, or of the million of dollars which are earned upon such sections of the line as are a 1 -eady opened, and which are applied for purposes of construction. What is the nature of this ring ? It is thus, described in the last number of the ' North American Reyiew' : — " The members of it are in Congress ; they are the trustees for the bond-holders, they are stock-holders, they are. contractors. In Washington they vote- the subsidies, in New York they receive them, upon the plains they expend them, and on the Credit Mobilier they divide then? . Ever shifting characters, they ar« ever übiquitous — now engineering a bill, and now a bridge — they recpive money into one hand as a corporation, and pay it into the other as a contractor." When we come to investigate the origin of tb''s " ring," we -find it to have taken its rise ?i fraud and felony. Such, at least, is the account given bf it by the ablest and most high-toned publication in the United States. " The paternity of this institution," observes the ' Review' just quotsd from, "is currently supposed to be between General Duff Green and the irrepressible George Francis Train ; or rather to speak more exactly, some intelligent broker is supposed to have stolen from Green the charter under which the association was organised, and Train applied the stolen property to the purposes of Pacific railroad construction." Of all the " rings" which have been organised in the United States for the spoliation of the public or the robberv of the revenue, the Pacific railroad " ring" appears to be the most ingenious, the most comprehensive, and the most efficient in its operations." As stockholders they own the road, as mortgagees they have a lien upon it, as directors they contract for its construction, and as members of the Credit Mobilier they build it." As these seventy, .men will share among them i upwards of £0,000,000 sterling the proceeds of bonds issued over and above the sum actually disbursed or required for the construction of the line, they wi 11 . eventually become one of the richest corporations in the world, and as the ' North American Review' justly remarks, " wi 11 . surely hereafter constitute a source of corruption in the politics of the land, and a resistless power in its legislature." By the arrival of the Ida, form the South Sea Islands, at Sydney, the Polynesia Company have received despatches from Fiji up to the Ist April, containing reports from their agents, and the various island authorities, which, we understand, are satisfactory. The Alfred, the first of the Polynesia Line of Packets from Melbourne, arrived at Levuka, Ovaiau, F'ji, on the 6th of March. The Polynesia Company's represeritrtives were well- received, and it is satisfactory to know that the difficulties heretofore existing between the Company and the British Consul have been set at rest by this timely arrival. King Thakombau is said to have been busily engaged clearing the lands of the Polynesia Company from native occupation, I preparatory to its being taken up by the settlers of the Company. Mr Glenny, the Polynesia Company's representative, had visited King Thakombau at Bau, and was about to commence j the survey of the Compaay's property at Sova. ! He had not been able, however, to settle the shareholders of the company who held land warrants, by reason of the time required in mark, ing the boundaries. The library for the use of Members of tbe General Assembly has received an addition of 100 volumes, including a number of new and standard works.

' The Wellington correspondent of the * Oama.ru Times' says : — •• The apathy that was displayed by all classes in an event which in any other Province of New Zealand would certainly have . given rise to an excitement lasting several weeks, can only be accounted for on the supposition of a wide-spread feeling that a : material change in the Government of Wellington is fast approaching, and that it is of little consequence by whom the Chief Magistracy is held during the short interval that must elapse ere that change is brought about. This, I think, is the correct solution of what otherwise would be a mystery. For the last fifteen years, Provincialism has been tried here under the most favorable circumstances, and with a true believer in its virtues to demonstrate them practically ; and the Province I (having enjoyed none of those adventitious j events which Otago, Auckland, and Canterbury I have had the benefit of, and which have carried them onward to prosperity in spite lof our peculiar institutions), has found it wanting. ProviaciaKsm,- pure and simple, has brought Wellington into such a deplorable state that I believe nothing short of the interposition of the General Assembly will save it from bankruptcy. And if you look at those provinces which have, like this, labored to rise under the fostering of Provincialism, and have not had large populations, goldfields, or military expenditure to keep them going, you must agree with me, in thinking that they are miserable examples of failure. Look at the present state of Southland, Mai'lborough, and of Taranaki — Are. they not so many living proofs that change in oar form of Government is needed ? Advices received in Sydney from the Gulf of Carpentaria are to the effect that heavy floods had seriously interfered with the settlers, and had compelled the abandonment of gome of the stations. Fears were entertained of the safety of the settlers on the Flinders and Cloncurry. Additional evidence regarding the practical value of the road steamer lately invented in Edinburgh by Mr R. Thomson, is given in a late issue of the ' Scotsman,' According to that journal, one of them was used on the 11th of March last, to haul a large marine steam-boiler from the Leith Docks to the works of Messrs T. M. Tennant and Co (Limited.) The boiler and its waggon weighed over twenty-one tons — a weight so great it severely; tried the macadamised roads over which it had to pass. The enormous pressure on the iron wheels of the waggon sank them in several places down into the road and they had to be raised by screw-jacks and iron plates placed beneath them to prevent them sinking. It was curious to watch the extraordinary difference in the behavior of the india-rubber tires on the road steamer, and the rigid ; ron tires of the waggen on which the large boiler was being carried. The india-rubber tires passed over a ll kinds of road surface without any sinking whatever, while the rigid iron tires of the waggons sank into and cut up the road in a way that not only increased to an excessive degree the power required to draw the load, but seriously damagedjthe road itself. Nothing could have shown in a more convincing manner the remarkable advantages, in a'l respects, of Mr Thomson's indiarubber wheel tires. The road steamer, with its huge load in tow, passed safely round several sharp corners, and finally turned up a lane into Messrs Tennant's works, which is not only narrow, but rises with a sharp incline of 1 in 2. We learn from the ' Jewish Chronicle' that three important events now occupy the attention of the Jewish people all over the civilised world. " The first iB the revocation, by the Provisional Government of Spain, of the decree of banishment, enacted in 1492, in consequence of which the Spanish Jews, over half a million in number were driven forth from their country. After a lapse of nea r ly four centuries,. Judaism may again find a home in Iberia. Mr H. Guedalla, who has chiefly been instrumental in obtaining this revocation, recently forwarded to Madrid a magnificent scroll of the Law of Moses — no doubt the first seen there since the year which witnessed the expulsion of this race ; and we shall soonhear that at the side of a Protestant church a Jewish synagogue will be reared. The second event is the establishment of an agricultural colony by Jews in the land of their forefathers. At the annual meeting of the Universal Israelitish A'liance, lately held at Paris, M. Ad. | Cremieux, the president, announced, amidst the loud applause of the audience, that measures had been taken for founding a Jewish settlemen near Jaffa. The approaching completion of the Suez canal promises a profitable outlet to the agricultural products that might be raised in the fertile soil of the district of this part of Palestine. The third event is a proposed universal synod to be held in Germany in the course of next summer. The formal invitations to the synod have been sent out to the principal Jewish communities in Europe, and probably also, in America. One of • hem has reachedu s, and bears the signature of Rabbi Dr. L. Philippson, of Bonn, the wellknown editor of the ' Universal Gazette of Judaism' ; of Rabbi Dr Aub, Rabbi of Berlin ; and Rabbi Dr Adler, Provincial Rabbi of Cassel. These Rabbis, act in the name of a conference of twenty-four G-erman Rabbis, who met in August last at Cassel, when the convocation of a universal synod was resolved upon. It will thus be seen that there are still some vitality in the ancient stock of Judaism." A late ' Angus' says : — Some time ago we copied from the ' Leeds Mercury' a statement with respect to the claimant of the lichborne estates, which certainly was not complimentary to him and his pretentions. We take from the same journal, however, the following contradiction signed by Mr S. J Harwood, of Leamington : — " I am astonished to see an extraordinary report, relative to the Tichborne case, in the ' Mercury.' It alleges that a brother of Sir Roger Tichborne has made some revelation to damage the baronet, and the rightful owner to his estates. I know him full well, and was with him to the eve of his sailing for South America in September to establish his interests in his property. lam a9 satisfied of his identity as I am of my own existence. No impoater would or could be recognised as he has been by every gentleman of Hampshire ! — by every tanaat of the Tichborne estates in existence fourteen years ago, when he first went abroad. He has no brother; his last surviving brother died two years since. Pray Bend me the paper containing the unfounded* and mischievous statement. I hope you will be now able' to peremptorily contradict it." At Wellington, on April 24, the steward of the s.s. Bangitoto was fined £5 10s for haying in his possession ten boxea of cigars. L— —

' Our Riverton . correspondent, under date the '4th in'st., says':— A sad accident occurred yesterday afternoon, at Mr Reid's Flour Mill, (Juuroaie's Bush. It seems that a girl of about 1-1 years of age, daughter of Mr Gumming, Gummio's Bush, was seat into the mill with a. message to Mr Reid. When returning she was accidentaly caught .in the machinery, and the body was fearfully mangled, "Dp Scott was immediately sent for, but surgical aid was of no avail. She expired about 8 o'clock' the same evening. A most commodious and conveniently situated hall for public meetings, &c, will in the course of a few days be ready for the use of our townpeople. Mr Tulloch has had the entire upper storey of the Exchange Building reconstructed, the main portion Or transept with one of the wings, forming a hall, which, for dimensions and accoustic properties is probably unequalled in New Zealand. The entire interior length is 66 feet, and the breadth 33 feet, while the height from the floor to the crown of the arch forming the roof, is 27 feet. Allowing for the space to be occupied by the platform or stage, the room should still seat comfortably about 400 persons. The other wing of the building, at the head of the stairs by which the hall is reached, is divided into three comfortable ... apartments, which will be available as cloak-room. The hall, will be opened on Wednesday, 9th. June, on which evening the Loyal St. George Lodge celebrate in it their first anniversary. Should its presumed , superiority as a place on which either to speak or sing be found correct it will no doubt become the favorite place of public resort. At the sitting of the Waste Land Board* on Friday last, 600 acres were taken up by two applicants, making the total for the month of May, of about 8,000 acres. On Tuesday, Ist inst, another application for 300 acres was granted. The following paragraph from the " Thames Advertiser," shows how great is the yield of some of the claims on that field : — The rich yield of gold from this claim has for a- long • time been of such an extent as to almost rival Hunt's in rich.ness. The dividends have been magnificent and frequent. It was but a few days ago, we informed our readers that £700 per share had been paid as the resalt of less than three week's work ; and on Thursday, at a meeting of shareholders, a further dividend of £600 per share was declared. Our readers will not be surprised at those figures when we inform: them of the result of a crushing at Goodall's machine this week for the Golden Crown. One battery of five stampers engaged on the ordinary stone yielded 161b weight of retorted gold up to Thursday. The singlestamper crushed a parcel of six bags specimens with the' following return :->— First Tetorjt, 221b weight of gold? second 14$lb ; third 141b. Since then 241b of amalgam had accumulated, and the tailings were in 'process of manipulation, from which the manager of the battery expected a return of 2oz to the ton. The return from this battery alone during the week amounts to between 601b and 751b of retorted gold: and we understand that the yield from this claim dnring the last fortnight has reached something over 1700ozs. The " Southern Cross " of the Bth instant adds : — Yesterday the John Penn brought up from the Thames 3000 ounces of gold for deposit in the Union Bank of Australia, being a number; of parcels, from crushings of various claims. We notice that the export of gold for the past month from the Thames has been 23,6220za., of the value of £2 12b per oz., of £62,004 15s. The duty realised by the Government on this export is nearly £3003.