The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1870.

Southland Times, Issue 1282, 22 July 1870, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1870.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday, Hunter and Hawkahaw sued J. Egan for the recovery of £5 19s 7d, goods sold and delivered. Defendant at first deoied indebtedness, but subsequently explained that he had got the goods, but had credited them in a contra account with a third party, through whom they had been ordered, and to whom he expected they would have been charged by plaintiffs. Hi* Worship gave judgment for the amount, with costs, £1 18 a, and explained to plaintiff, who seemed sadly confused by the whole affair, how to proceed in the matter of the account between himself and the .other party. The following gentlemen were nominated on Saturday for the Mayoralty of Dunedin, viz., Messrs W. H. Reynolds, John Griffen, John Millar, and Henry Smith Fish, junior. The Wellington police are collecting samples of various articles of food and drink retailed in that city for the purpose of having them analysed, and handing the analyses to the Adulteration Committee recently appointed by the House of Representatives. The Canterbury Government have reduced their charges for bringing out immigrants from England. The cost of an assisted passage from England, for males, is now £6, if paid in advance, and £9 if paid on the arrival of the immigrant. Steps are about to be taken in Auckland to form a company to carry out the graving dock proposed by Mr Aicken, 0.E., with a capital of £100,000. The greater part of this sum it is proposed to raise in England. The settlers in the southern districts of Hawke's Bay are taking steps to compensate, at least in part, for the destruction of the native forests in their respective neighborhoods, by planting English and Australian forest trees. The Dunstan Times is informed by Mr John Alloo, Chinese interpreter for the district, that six hundred of his countrymen are on their way to Otago, and may be expected shortly. The majority of them are " new chuma" just arrived in Melbourne, and they have re-chartered the vessel to bring them there. A Provincial Government Gazette, published on Wednesday last, contains notifications to the effect that J. A. R. Menzies, Esq., James Wilson, Esq., George Lumsden, Esq., and T.M. Macdonald, Esq., are to be commissioners for the purpose of arranging for the printing of the journals and records of the Provincial Council of Southland ; and that A. M. Clark, Esq., has been 'appointed Interim Inspector of Cattle, under the " Diseased Cattle Act," for the district of Can.pbelltown. ' A private letter received at the Thames from New Caledonia, states that prospecting is being carried on in the north-west part of the island by a West Coast miner named Parrington and his mates. A few specks have been obtained. Since the beginning of the year, 10 vessels have loaded home from Auckland, with cargoes altogether of the value of £373,724. The following analysis of those cargoes ia given in the Herald ot the 2nd inst. :— „ , Articles. Quantity. Value. £ ■. d.

A serious breach of the law (says the Kelson Examiner) has occurred at Charleston, vrhich may cause the Government some trouble. The Bank of New Zealand held a mortgage over the machinery and plant of the Southern Cross Gold Mining Company, near Charleston; but some mea who had wages owing them, put in an execution for their claims. The rival claims were . argued first before the Warden, Mr Broad, who gave a decision in favor of the labor, men ; but an appeal to the .District Court reversed the Warden's ' judgment, .and thY Bank ..obtained possession. The Bank having foreclosed their mortgage, the property was advertised for sale ; but about four-o'clock in-the morning. preceding ■ the day of sale, the plates were stripped of gold,, the engine-house was blown up witU powder, and a complete srreck-made-*o£— the~pi»perty.~An "attempt was afterwards male to sell the property as it stood, but not' a single bid could be got, the following ominous warning having been affixed to a board : — " Take Notice. — Let no man dare to buy this plant or claims until the wages men are satisfied.— Roaby of the Haas." Two or three men were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the outrage, and an attempt was ; made at resistance, which was afterwards aban- : doned. It is doubtful, however, whether evidence ' will be obtained sufficient to conviotthe supposed i culprits. Good news, says the Dunsian Times, is to hand from the Bendig'o reefa. A trial crushing of some five tons of stone from the Alta claim took place at the Aurora Battery during the past week with most satisfactory results. We are not aware of the exact quantity of gold obtained, but we are ' informed that the shareholders were so well satisfied that they at once entered into arrangements for the erection of a battery of ten stamps. The reef from which the stone was taken ia eightfeet thick, with every indication of maintaining that thickness. •.'".. Nearly all the flax mills in Canterbury are reported to have stopped, operations, in consequence of die unfavorable news received from England daring the last few months. According to the Serald, it is contemplated to form a Fanners' Society at Oamartv for the purpose of securing united action throughout the district in the regulation of wages and other matters in which the agriculturists are, as a class, interested. , . The hon. members of" the" House of"'Representatives were highly amused yesterday (says the Wellington Advertiser of the 9th) by the personal biography of Frederick Alonzo Curington, -the new member for TaranakL He commenced by declaring that he was a Government supporter, and then launched into a most ludicrous account . of his efforts to introduce the Tar&naki iron sand '_ into the Englishwnarket, He kept the House in ' a. roar of laughter by the comic account of his travels in India, Asia, Africa, and America; over ■ the Pacific and Atlantic oceans U The exhibition was indescribable. The House hat, seldom if -ever; had such a treat. The melo-draKatie style, the .: solemn manner in which he r&erred tor the ' atrocities of the natives at the White Cliffs, -and his utter unconsciousness of the fun . he was creating, were, a remarkably good joke. , He referred to s>md aristocratic connections, and *° one individual who was "the uncle of his son-in. » law!" (truly a "distant relation.") Like the ' lamented little Robion at the Olympic,- he said "Them's my sentiments." He would have his • say out, notwithstanding the laughter of the! House, and the ironical cries of " Hear, hear !" ■ "Go onl" &c. He almost frightened the : reporters by saying that "he could go on all' » night ;" to which Mr Haughton facetiously rejoined, "Go on!" The confiding and mirthi provoking 'member, however, quietly subsided with a beaming countenance, evidently thinking, > that he had acquitted himself well. ' We have to draw attention to an alteration in the advertisement announcing the grand ploughing match at Branxholme. It will be seen that the event is to come off a fortnight earlier than was . first arranged. Instead of the 12th of August, ' it is now to take place on the 29th of- the present r - month. •■;"■"■■•■■--"•■-■-■■"■' ■—-—-=— —--^— -.--s-^'-.r- -r -■=■- ■:■ ; It will be seen from an intimation elsewhere appearing, that the long Bush Ploughing ■ Association offer a prize for an essay on ploughing. This is a very judicious stop on the part of _ the Society, and will, we trust, enlist the talent of a number of competitors. . A correspondent informs us that the Western District Farmers' Club held a meeting in the Gummie's Bush School on the Bth inst. ; Mr ; James Reid in the chair. Co-operation was to , have formed the subject for a set discussion, but ■ otring to the absence of those who were to lead the debate, formal consideration of the question ,_ was dispensed with, and the matter was ventilated in a conversational manner. The sue- , cess of the Rochdale and other societies in England was instanced as encouraging similar unities here. The necessity for such action was illustrated by statements to the effect that the L settlers- bad frequently to pay from 25 to 100 per cent, on their goods ; that they could not always ' ' rely upon merchants buying their produce ; that they did not get cash even when sales at low . rates ware effected, but had to take it out in goods, j or accept a three months' bill. ; The general im- i pression amongst those present was that some--1 thing should be done, and that in the meantime \ information should be collected as to the working ■ of such a society, and in- what directions it could most benefically operate. It was arranged to . hold the next meeting of the Club on the 11th of August, when propositions will bo brought forward for holding a show of entires in the i district early in the season, for amalgamating the district ploughing association with the Club, and ( some other projects. The officers of the society : will also then be elected for the ensuing year. Our Riverton correspondent informs us that the second quarterly concert of the Church of England there, came off on the 18th inst., 'with great eclat. The programme comprised a sacred and a secular division, and in both there were pieces of high-class music. It is to the credit of the little " metropolis of the west" that it can be said the most difficult movements were executed with feeling and precision. Mr O. B. Marten was condtxo- | tor, and displayed his talent both in that capacity and as tenor soloist. One or two good female voices were introduced to the audience* for the first time, and added tellingly to the strength and , efficiency of the ohoir. The concert was altogether the most successful yet given in Riverton, and Bhowed what'ean be done by a little careful practice and unanimity of purpose. The repeated plaudits of the audience were no doubt well deserved and duly appreciated by the performers, [ but on a future occasion it would show good taste were encores not so persistently demanded. . Of the manner in which the Fox Government k has been exercising its patronage, the Wanganui , Chronicle caya :— " Government have been , perpetrating another, fraud upon the already sorely burdened taxpayers. No less than four mail agents have been' appointed- for the San ' Francisco line. The first ia Mr William Gray, \ who went by the Wonga Wonga, and was to -proceed through to New-York, to make arrangements for the conveyance of the mailß through American territory, and across the Atlantic, who • receives his ÜBual salary. The next is Captain East (who went in the City of Melbourne) > whose claims for appointment in preference to ' some others, equally eligible, are not clearly understood. His pay is £300 a year, with 10s a day while afloat, and 21s a day while ashore. He never was connected with postal arrangements previously. He goes on to San Francisco. In the Bsme vessel went Mr Meldrum Elliott— thoroughly acquainted with his duties — who goes as far as Honolulu ; and, as is supposed, will find himself obliged to do all the work. In consequence of this, his pay ia. £250 a year, and ho allowance's. 'The next on the list is Mr Edwin • -Rich, for some time a landing waiter in the' Gus--1 toms at Napier— never in the department before. There is no need for. all thoce gentlemen, but political proteges must be: provided for.: So Messrs Fox, M'Lsan, and Yogel have been giving their humble tools pay,- board, lodging, and washing at the public expense."

The hard labor prisoners commenced the gravelling of the aidepaths in Dee-street on "Wednesday. When finished, and the material " set" firmly, it wttl be a great improvement. ... . The wags of Melbourne are. making fan at a suggestion of the Wesleyan Chronicle. A writer in that journal, to put a, stop to such exhibition* as are seen at the Oriental Cafe, advocates introducing in the new "Wines, Beer, and Spirits Bill, a clause prohibiting barmaid* wearing 5 ' costume.' As the word means ■• established mode of dress,' the adoption of the suggestion would be, jumping out of the frying-pan into the Ere! ..; The Melbourne correspondent of the Daylesf<ff# Mercury aays;— X,dare, say every one has :seeri the burden of a song in favor at teetotal gatherings, " Fill high, drink Veaa" but it is^not often one. meets with a nearer realization of the sentiment than in the case of the North Adelaide Young Men's Cricket Club, who, : I s notice, drink all their toasts in coffee. : The coverings of the several Fire Brigade wells in town have been showing signs of decay of late to such an extent as to threaten danger to teams passing over them. We were therefore glad to see workmen commence repairs upon them the other day. The House was seized with an uncontrollable fit of hilarity ; yesterday afternoon (says the ! Wellington Advertiser of July 2nd) on the relation, by Mr Brown, the new member for Bruce, of the mystic horrors he had been told he would have to face if he, or any other private member, had the audacity to present a Bill to the House. Mr Brown, in a very verdant manner, and with a face as serious aa a donkey's baby, related how Mr Main, the member for Port Chalmers, had, in confidence) assured him that be knew a young member who introduced a "Bill to the House, and with great difficulty obtained for it a firsc reai-ing./-By. the time it reached the -tecohd reading the obstacles had multiplied, and his, case was one 'of perplexity and distress, but he managed to ■ate it from the abyss of rejection, and it was read a second time. This somewhat recruited the member's shattered organisation, and presently the Bill came up for its third reading. - It was thrown out, and the result was — (Mr Brown worked up to the culminating point of agitation) — the member died ! This was too much. The House released itself from the restraints of decorum, and risibility reigned around, Mr Brown, wondering what there could be to laugh at ia such a calamitous circumstance. . . . At a Bpecial meeeing of the Wellington Philosophical Society, held on the 9th inst. at the suggestion of the Flax Commissioners, Dr Hector opened the proceedings by describing the differences between the various kinds of marketable fibre, and pointed to the hard cuticle of the leaf in the case of Phor'inium tenai as being the only thing requiring special treatment. ' He exhibited a series of enlarged microscopic drawings of the various-samples of flax that had been sub*, mitted to him. by the -Commissioners, and. showed that the machine-dressed flax was easily' distinguished from that dressed either by the Maori method, or by retting, or chemical reagents. Tne macbine-dressed'flax possessed the character of Manilla in so far that the fibres were strongly adherent to one another, so that- they snap away in bundles, while the other class of fibres draw, out, and leave a tuft of filaments in the break, showing that they, can bear a greater longitudinal strain than the strength by which they are bound together ■ side by side. By actual experiment' it was found that this character was always present, even though the break was made with enormous Telocity, and the different appearance of Maoridressed and machine-dressed flax, when broken in single fibres, and when so combined as to require a tension of several hundred pounds, was. -exhibited in proof of this important point. Dr Hector intimated that the testing of the strength of the various samples submitted to him by the Commissioners was not sufficiently advanced to warrant the publication of results, except in a general way. Nearly every sample of the machine-dressed flax was equal in strength to Manilla. The Maori-dressed flax was not far short of double that strength. He exhibited and explained the_apparatus used in applying the tests. " .

Kauri dam ... 18,700 cases 85,944 0 0 Flax ... ... 6,943 bales 18,273 10 0 Wool 2,070 bales 56,803 13 5 ."W&nr • 4,61616 0 Whale CXI ... 61 casks 1,105 0 0 Cocoanut 0f1... 255 casks 18,040 0 0 Cotton ...... . 489 bales 24,151 0 0 Cotton seed ... • JJJ 1,194 0 6 ffides ... ... 741 800 0 0 Silver 10 bar» 5,500 0 0 Sundries ... , 2,900 15 9 The balance of the grandlotal is made up with gold.