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Southland Times, Issue 1562, 9 April 1872, Page 2

Thursday first, being sot apart as the Presby* terian half-yearly fast-day, will be observed as a holiday. The Treasurer to the Provincial Hospital reports his receipt of £1 6s 6d, collected after Divine service at the Greenhills on Sunday last. The Committee of the Southland Acclimatisation Society met yesterday, the business being chiefly that of preparation for the annual meeting, which will be held to-morrow evening, at the Prince of Wales Hotel, at 8 o'clock. We understand that some siny perpetrators of practical jokea amused themselves the other night by cutting the signal halyards of Messrs Pay and Campbell's flagstaff. Such childish miachief deserves to be checked somewhat severely should the parties be discovered. A special meeting of the Inveroargill Education Committee was held on Saturday, at the office of the Secretary, at which authority was given to complete the acquisition, either by purchase or exchange, of land which the committee held is desirable to include within the boundaries of the Grammar School site. 'As now arranged, the site will occupy an area of two acres. Our readers will perceive that a farewell complimentary benefit to our old friend Mr J. Small, is announced to be given in the Theatre to-morrow night, when an excellent programme will be produced. The company with which Mr Small is connected has deservedly won the favorable opinion of the Invercargill public, and as this is the last appearance here, we hope to see a large audience rally round " the unfortunate man." One of our. oldest Southland settlers, Peter M'Kellar, Esq., of Longridge, proceeds by the mail Bteamer of ■ this month to San Francisco, on a visit to California. Mr M'Kellar takes with him a few pure Lincoln rams, the good qualities of which we doubt not will be duly appreciated by the American wool-growers. Our readers will understand when we Bay that these aheap wero bred by the Hon. Mathew Holmes, on his -estate near Oamatu, that the reputation of New Zealand for long wools will not suffer by their exportation. Colonel Whitmore was recently arrested at Napier for refusing to obey a subpoana issued for his attendance before the Werero'a Commission, appointed to investigate claims for losses during the war. Colonel Whitmore pleaded illness, a medical certificate was produced, an! tha Napier magistrate declined to commit him. Since then a fresh warrant has been issued by the Commission, and sent over by a police constable, who is charged with the duty of bringing the unwilling witness to Wanganui. There was a meeting of wool-growers at Scott's Hotel, Melbourne, on. the 2t3th ult., to adopt and sign a document that had been prepared by a small committee of, their number, in reply to the report of the sub-committee appointed by the members of tho Wool Merchants' Association of London to consider the communications forwarded from Australia relative to tho management of the London wool sales. The meeting was numerously attended, and comprised representatives of Victoria and the neighboring colonies. The document submitted for approval was signed by all present. It is intended to despatch it by the outgoing mail. It is of some length, and seems to be a clear and exhaustive statement of • the Australian woolgrowers' case as against the London wool merchants and brokers. A correspondent of the Cromwell Argus suggests that more attention should be paid in our educational establishments to imparting a knowledge of mineralogy. He says : — " I have often read, both in the English and Colonial Press, of the growing distaste of the ' youth of the period' to learn trades or occupations where mechanical skill or manual labor is involved, and his intense yearnings after something • respectable ;' of a plethora of candidates for the legal or medical professions, for clerkships, &c, &c. Well, this may be the fault of the age we live in ; but, such being apparently the case, what better outlet could be devised for these ' respectable' aspirations than the educational method I have indicated ? Not only would- the anxiety of Paterfamilias for the future of his scions be allayed, but a body of young men would be in readiness to uphold one of the most remunerative industries the Colonies possess in tho time to come, when, probably, from continuous anl exhaustive production, the paying or. non-paying nature of our gold mines will have to be determined by the extraction of the precious metal even to the most minute particle." . ' Fiji news continues to preeefve its characteristic interest. From our files of the " Times," which extend to the 21st February," we notice that the return of the Jeannie Duncan, after a cruise amongst the islands -collecting taxes, • was an event of great interest to the creditors of the Government. All holders of Treasury paper immediutely improved the occasion by rushing to get their notes cashed, and the Finance department had an air of unwonted activity. However, it does not appear that the operation went off so successfully as could have been desired. At% subsequent discussion which arose in the Chamber of Commerce on this matter, it was stated that the Government was unable to take up the notes on presentation, and waß only meeting them at the rate of 10s in the pound. At the close of the discussion the following resolutions were then adopted : — " This chamber adopts the principle that all paper issue payable on demand is currency, and a legal tender. The Government having to-day dishonored a number of their Treasury notes, it is the opinion of this chamber that thoy cannot be included in the currency." Another deputation had waited upon Mr jßurt to ask him to resign his seat in Parliament. Iu support of thia application, it was stated that tha people wero dissatisfied with his (Mr .Burt' a) policy, and the deputation now called upon hinr in their name to resign- the trust they had committed to him as their representative. Mr Burt " replied at Bome length," but hiß.speech might have gone in very small compass. It was to the effect that he \ would not resign. Ultimately, " the depu tation, ' thanking, Mr Burt for Ida courtesy, withdrew." Later information states that Mr Burt has resigned. I

The total yield of the Thames goldfields for the month of February wag,,,12,4i1i0Z3 7dwt 12grs. • . ?aA nugget weighing 50 ounces is, reported* to have been found at Flaxbourse Creek, Lyell, on the We*t Coast. . ■ ; It is expected that in about a month's time uninterrupted telegraphic coinrnunication with Auckland will be en^ed. ""Mr George Augustus Sala intends visiting the Australian Colonies next year. He will., give readings and lectures in all the principal Colonial towns. It is said that Mr M'Lood, M. H. R. for the Bay of Islands, goe3 to Nova Scotia as. an Immigration Agent, having placed his resignation in the hands of the Government. Mrs Mansfield, ''whose name has such unenviable prominence in connection with tho assassination of Fisk, was married in Melbourne, and was pretty well known there at one ti-ne. In compliance with the strongly-expressed desire of many of the electors of Nelson, Mr J." 0. Richmond will offer himself for the vacancy which w.ill .take place on Mr Lightband's departure for England. Mr Luckie, of the Colonist, is likewise spoken of as a probable candidate. The "Grey River Argus" is authoritatively informed that at present much misery existß on the Inangabua G-oldfield —large bodies of men having rushed there without any prospect of i employment. There are nearly three thousand men there " waiting for something to turn up." i At the meeting of the Otago Waste Land Board, held in Dunedin on the 3rd, the Ranger asked to ! be instructed as ■to what 'should be done with cattle that were being depastured on the Mataura Hundred contrary to the Regulations. He was | directed to enforce' the Regulations. ' i • The man Hartley who was recently brought back from Melbourne on a charge of horse stealing, and who paid a visit to luvercargill for the purpose of selling his booty, has pled guilty at the sittings of the Supreme Court in Dunedin to two indictments, and was eentenoed to penal servitude for four years. ' We learn from the " Argus " that Mr Patrick Hayes's meat preserving works at Footsoray were opened the other day. Tho buildings occupy two acres of grouni on the Saltwater River, the works are very conveniently arranged, i and when fairly in order; will consume 2JOOO sheep a week. They . are at present carried on entirely by private enterprise. The " Wakatip Mail " of the 3rd inst. sajß : — Mr John Alloo is called' away " to Invercargill again, and the district was left without his j services in the midst of the hearing of the Chinese cases before the District .Court. Mr Alloo should either remain in the district, or relays and expeditious means of conveyance be" founi for him.. He was required lately in three places at. once. . At the monthly meeting of the General Road Board, held in Dunediu on the 4th inst., an application from Waimatuku for authority to levy a special rate of 3d per acre was sustained, and it was resolved to inform the local board that the rate would not be subsidised. An application from Mabel to form a Road B.oard was *qot granted, it being explained that the new Ordinance would bo soon proclaimed, and that no action would be taken until it caine into force. The Wellington '•Evening Pu3t " says that a programme is being prepared of a new policy, including the remodelling of the Ministry, a thorough administrative and financial reform, the abolition of the Premiers hip, and the amendment of the Loan ani Ima>igratioa and Public Works Acts. Messrs G-isborne and M'Lean are said to be favorable to the foundation of a party . under a now leadership. . ' .< The Canterbury Press of the 11th March says : — " The Government white elephant, in the shape of the Thomson's road steamer, was submitted to public auction by Mr Charles Clark at Mr Anderson's foundry on Saturday, but despite that gentleman's eloquence no sale was effected." We understand that the Thomson's road engine, lately imported into the Province of Auckland, has al9o proved a failure, having been seized for debt, and taken to the Mount Eden stockade. From the report of the Melbourne. Meat Preserving Company, presented to the shareholders "at the half-yearly meeting on Ist- April, we learn that during the past half-year the company slaughtered 1,354 oxen and 133,117 sheop, the amount to credit of profit and- loss for the same period was £12,188 7s 31, after writing off £3jooo in diminution of building and machinery accounts. The directors recommend a dividend of 5s per share, equivalent to 10 per cent per annum. It is said that Messrs John Cargill and W. H. Cutten are candidates for the representation of the Waikouaiti District in the Assembly, vacated by the resignation of Mr George M'Lean. Messrs H. S. Fish, jun., J. Douglas, Preston, and Hutchison, are also spoken of as probable candidates. Mr M'Lean's retirement will be a loss to the Assembly. He wa3 a clear-headed man of business/ of independent views,' and was generally respeoted. " j " A vigneron," says the Geelong Advertiser, " well posted up in the subject, Btates the average wholesale price of wine in this district during the past year to have been lOd per.gallon. This was the price at which he sold 3,000ga1., and he states that even at so low a sum it will pay better, with a large vineyard, to make wine than to farm." The retail price in Invercargill is 143 per gallon. So much for intercolonial tariff arrangements ! The Daily News, a Quebec paper, says : — " There is no longer any doubt about tho success of narrow-gauge railways in Canada." The paper gives an account of the Nipissing railway, which is constructed on a gauge of three feet six inches, and has cost, " complete and equipped," £3000 a mile. The speed is stated to be twenty miles an hour. We notice that a first-class railway is estimated to cost 30,000 dollars or £6000 per mile. Our readers are aware that this is the gauge which has been adopted for the New Zealand Railways. . The work of completing the Clufcha contract of tho Otago Southern Trunk Railway — says a Dunedin contemporary — was let on the 2nd inst. to Messrs Blair and Watson^, of Tokomairiro, for £13,478 13s lOd. We understand that the General Government will in future publish only the name of the successful tenderer and the amount of his teniier, but that the same particulars of other tenders may be obtained on application at the Publfc Works Office. It is not, however, intended to publish 'in any wav the prices of tenderers.

I Bank of New Zealand shares are quoted in Auckland at £19 15a, and New Zaalan.cUlnsurance Company's shares are at £46; . Banik;ofc!Ot|jjo^ shares hare. been sold at £6 idUf , '-^^\''or- '^j- *'" The sale of long-woolled »hepp;*t Barwori-parif -^ Has disclosed tho'exiatenco of; a powerful; bias-in- -.. favor of that cla3s;of stock atncrngsfc the paatoral men of the Wostem distract of Victoria. Twenty* five years ago, the value of Larcbsters Vas 'proved [,.'}' to Mr W. J.J 1 ., Clarke's .satisfaction - 6n;f htf ifr station of Dowling Forest. In" parts of Tasmania and New Zealand they always bare been the leading • breed ; but. in- -"Victoria,*-., owing to injudicious crossing, or, rather, to. a total- want of method in breeding, and the omission to keep [ up a stock of pure sire? to which resort could be | had as often as required, "the very name of long wool fell into disrepute, so that a doziti years "ago Leicpsters were very unsaleable stock. Some of the unpopularity that attached to them was due to their having been located upon country fifc only for the most active merinoea. Under those conditions they were thriftless animals, and it was not nntil after a long interval that the adaptability of long-woolled sheep to the climate of the Western district was re-discdvered. .The spur given to the demand for this class of sheep by the late sale will doubtless lead to considerable "importations, not only of Lincolns, but also of Cotswolds, Leicesters, and other long-wools, not forgetting the Romney Marsh, sheep, which Mr Lyall has proved to be. specialty adapted to moist country— the, only, breed, that lias remained free from fluke on the. undrainod pastures of. Westernport. .