Local and General

Southland Times, Issue 1105, 6 August 1869, Page 1

Local and General

A Router's telegram from Galle, dated June 16th, and published in the Sydney Empire of the 10th ult., says that wool had recovered Id it London. On Saturday last, 31st July, about forty gentlemen, friends of Donald M'Donald, Esq., late manager of the Union Bank of Australia here, met in tbe Southland Club Hotel, for the purpose of presenting that gentleman with something to mark the esteem entertained towards him by his fellow-citizens. The souvenir, consisting of I a very valuable gold watoh, suitably engraved, was accompanied by an appropriate address, beautifu'ly engrossed on vellum by Mr J. E. Stewart. His Honor the Superintendent presided, and prefaced the reading of the address with a few remarks expressive of the esteem in which Mr M'Donald was held by himself and those present, and assuring him that he carried with liim to his future home their best wishes. Mr M'Donald replied in a short but neat speech, expressing how highly he valued the unexpected honor which had been conferred upon him, and assuring them that he should ever cherish the memory of the occasion as one of the most gratifying incidents of his life. Mr M'Donald s-iils by the Airedale to-day, for Nelson, to take the management of the Union Bank there. The « Daily Times' of 23rd inst., Bays :— "The Council of the Acclimatisation Society held an ordinary meeting yesterday, in the lower room of the Athenajum. Present :— Mr W. D. Murison, in the chair, and Messrs Carrick, Mason and

Thomson. Several letters were read and accounts passed. Mr G. Buckley, manager at the Hon. Mr M'Lean's station, at Morren Hills, stated in a letter, which was read, "the pair of deer turned out, now 18 months back, seemed to be doing well, but he was not able to say whether there was any increase. They rr.n Dear a small bush in the hills, about 30 acres, and when disturbed, they immediately made for cover. The shepherds had often seen them by approaching the bnsb against the wind. Sometimes there was only one, and never more than two together." A letter was also read from the Qapenstown Corporation, acknowledging with thanks the intention expressed by the Society to furnish them with a supply ot trout. In connection with the acclimatisation of trout, it was stated by the bon • sec. that it was intended to make the first experiment next year in the Queenstown district. He further intimated that 12 deer had been received from Canterbury. He was instructed some time ago to arrange for the purchase of them, the question of price being left an open one. It was expected that the deer would involve a cost of from £7 10s to £8 per head, but the price charged was £10 10s each. The cost price exceeded £11. After some arrangement; however, with Messrs Driver, M'Lean and Co. the price was reduced to £9 10s per head. The deer were placed in the possession ot Messrs Wenthworth and M'Kellar, and they were to be set free in the Tapanui district. There was a probability that ultimately the gentlemen to whom the deer had been consigned would give the Society the price they cost, and the gent'eman who sold them to the Society intended to contribute a donation to its funds. After a brief discussion it was decided to liberate the pheasants in the Clutha district, Messrs Murison and Carrick being authorised to select the locality. The President stated that the rules of the Society had been sent to Wellington for registration. It was also mentioned that Mr Clifford would most probably obtain a larger supoly of trout than was secured on his previous visit to Tasmania. The ' Oaroaru Tiroes,' of 23rd inst., has the following : — " It appears probable that ere long the limestone for which this district is famous, will be made available for an entirely new purpose viz., as a substitute for drain pipes. We have been shown by Mr Ritchie Young blocks of this material hollowed out semi-civcularly, so that when the two halves are united a first-rate drain pipe or channel nine inches in diameter is formed. We understand that stone piping or channelling of this dimension can be delivered in Oamaru at 3s per foot run ; something like 20 percent, under the cost of earthenware drain pipes of similar capacity. This should be the means of retaining, for the encouragement of a local industry a con* siderable sum now annually expended in the purchase of the means of drainage. Were the stones, instead of being hollowed ou semi-cir-cularly, cut on an angle, so that the two halves wben put together would give a rectangular channel, Mke a box drain set on its corner, the cost would be greatly reduced. In his speech moving the first reading of the Summary Trials Bill, Mr Fox made the following remarks :— -" lam glad to say that I found on the table of this House, where it bad been placed by the late Government, the draft of a Bill printed and circulated in the House of Commons >i April last, although it had not passed its second reading, providmj for the interchange of prisoners amongst the different British Colonies. I think it will be an excellent practice for us who have proved ourselves such bad gaolers, that if we should come into the possession of large bodies of prisoners, or could not provide for those we have, we should enter into an agreement with the Australian Government, or even with the Indian Government, which possesses the Andaman Islands as a penal si at ion, so that we might be relieved of them. I can imagine that the newlyappointed Governor of Western Australia, who has charge of a little convict establishment, would not be sorry to receive some of our prisoners, if for no other purpose than that of keeping up his acquaintance with the native tongue. If the Ast to which I refer is passed, it will relieve the Government of this colony of a great deal of t 'oubla and anxiety as to the deportation of prisoners. In the House of Representatives on tho 20th inst, Mr Bignan asked the Government whether it was their intention to take any steps for the establishment of a Mint in the colony. Mr Fox, in reply, said that the Government would be very glad to see a Mint established in the colony. The subject had been brought under the notice of ihe Imperial Government by Mr Fitzherbert, and, in reply, the Home authorities had sent out a report of the working of the Sydney establisment, which was not of a very encouraging character, as the Mint had put the colony to great expense, while it was under the sole control of the Imperial authorities. It was now about self- supporting, but issued 800,000 sovereigns a year, which was a larger number than a New Zealand branch would be likely to issue. The Government, however, considered the establishment of a Mint would be beneficial to the country, and would direct their attention to the subject, We are requested by the Secretary to the Ragged School Committee to acknowledge the receipt of £12 4s 6d, being the proceeds of an Evening's Entertainment, conducted by tbe Popular Entertainment Committee, on behalf of the Institution, and to render the thanks of the Committee of the Ragged School to the Ladies aud Gentlemen who assisted on the occasion. A correspondent writes to the ' Australasian,' asking " what the impression is in Victoria amongst sheepholders regarding washing sheep in hot water before being spouted. Since the receipt of the last news from England, which comments not very favorably on the hot water process, many persons here are halting between two opinions, whether to adopt the hot water at a medium temperature of, say about 90 deg. or dispense with it altogether. In a note to the letter the editor answers the enquiry as follows :-— " Hot water, improperly used, may be injurious, but there is no donbt that warm water, not over 110 deg., with soap and soda in the soaking-pen, gives brightness to the wool, and softens the dirt, so that it can be removed more quickly and more thoroughly than after any amount of soaking :n cold water." We take the following from the ' Daily Times,* of 2 7 th inst.:—" The mutton hams preserved by Mr George Thomson, of this city, promise to come into general favor. They form an excellent dish at a moderate price. On a late trip of the Alhambra to Melbourne, they were submitted for approval to the cab' i passengers, who concurred in thinking that as a relish for breakfast or lunch they cannot be surpassed.— We observe that meat curing has also been attempted in WanganuL In noticing some hams cured by a . Mr Lockett of that place, the ' Evening Herald' writes in the following strain :— ' It is something to have the privileges of an editor, when one of the privileges is to receive a present of a rasher of ham for breakfast. The opportunity having been afforded us of writing from experience, we may say. that the finest of Sinclair* hams does not excel hams cured by Mr Lockett, of this '.'.iown.^Mutton hams have been cured by, the same gentieinan (of course,, only for his own use]! in a way to make any gourmand tbju&tfogi^ the enjoyment of ti^. fM ' " 'v. „