THE Thames Advertiser. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1874.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1884, 2 November 1874, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1874.

A very important and interesting paper has just been issued by the Government, being a report on the " Durability of New Zealand Timbers," with supplementary papers on the best season for falling timber in New Zealand, on the New Zealand teredo, the worm which does so much injury to all timbers immersed in water. Mr Kirk is a man of science, having especial knowledge of botany, and the results of his -tliis"coiony cannot fail to be interesting, and the publication of the report may be the means of calling forth most valuable information from others. Amongst the owners of saw-mills, amongst the men engaged year after year in felling the great trees of our forests, and amougst those engaged in fencing, shipbuilding and housebuilding, there must be an immense amount of practical knowledge, which would be most valuable if by any means it could be collated. These men comprise very many of good education, and of habits of keen observation. Mr Kirk seems not to have rested content with making his own observations, but to have endeavoured to collect kuowledge from practical men, and thus his paper becomes much more valuable than it otherwise would be. Mr Kirk contends that great mischief is done by cutting the timber at the season when the sap is in the greatest activity, and also shows that the same timber is of

very different quality according to the situation in which the tree has grown. In the prosecution of his inquiries Mr Kirk visited the Thames, and from the report we quote several passages are given from this district. KAURI. It lias been employed for tramway rails on the Thimes goldfield, and was nearly everywhere found in excellent condition after five years' wear and tear. At the Waikato coalmines it has been employed for the same purpose for nine years, and is still serviceable, which is remarkable, as the rails were cut from small sized trees growing ia the neighbourhood. Totaraand riinu rails laid at the same time have perished, the former probably from having been also sawn out of young timber. On the Thames goldfield it is used for mine props, struts, and cap pieces, and maintains its character for durability, although for this purpose tauekaha and black bitch are often used on account of their smaller cost. TANEKAIIA. On the Thames goldfield it is greatly valued for miue props, struts, and cips, which were perfectly sound after having been in use six years. Tramway sleepers were in the same good condition after having been laid five years. Used as round piles, it wa3 sound, fresh, and untouched by teredines after being driven four years. PURIUI, On account of its gmt strength it is highly valued ou the Thames goldfields for iniue props, caps, &c., but the supply is not nearly equal to the demand. RATA. On the tramways at the Thames it has been used for sleepers, which are perfectly sound after five years' use. REWAREWA, This is usually esteemed a perishable timber, and, I think, with justice. The late Mr Millctt, Goldfields Engineer at the Thames, held a different opinion, and employed it experimentally for sleepers on a small portion of one of the tramways, I believe about two years ago, but I have not learned the results. I examined a pile in a jetty at the Thames, which was perfectly sound, even the sap fresh, after having been driven five years, The base was attacked by teredines, but not greatly damaged. I have also seen fenciug-rails perfectly sound after five years' use. On the other hand, trees cut down and left in the bush are often badly decayed within a year. —In a future issue we shall give further extracts from this paper, and we may say that we shall he glad to insert communications ou tho subject, giving

the results of experience with the various timbers, In 110 part of the colony ought there to be a larger amount of information than on this peninsula, where the cutting and sawing of kauri and kahikatea have been largely carried on for years, and where almost all kinds of timber have beea experimented upon for mining purposes.

Iu reference to the correspondence between. MrE. H. Power and the Borough Council as to the existence of diphtheria in this district, we understand that Mr Power has written to the Council setting forth the cases of diphtheria which have been reported to him within the last few months. We shall likely hear more of this matter, as, if these were really cases of diphtheria, they ought to have been reported by the medical men. Most, if not all, of them have occurred beyond the boundary of the borough. While on this subject of vital statistics, we may say that we are afraid some essential mistake has been made, and which if not rectified will cause continual error iu the statistics of the colony. The tnisfcike, it may be said, would be of advantage to me Borough ' of Thames, as showing it to be by far the 1 healthiest place in New Zealand, but we must' remember... the motto—"Fiat justilia, mat ccelum." 'In the statistics of the last census the "Town of Thames" is set down as having a population of 8,073. Each month statistics are published showing the number of deaths and births within the principal boroughs of the colony, and therein the population of this borough is set down at 8,073, and the deathrate per thousand is calculated on that. We have always shown very low, and for the mouth of September the death-rate was not half the percentage of the next lowest town. The error arises from the fact that, as we believe, for the census, the old township boundary by the foot of Murphy's Hill was taken, and everything below that includedjn the "town of lhames," while the borough boundary runs along Bolles-ton-street, and the death's within that boun-' dary are returned as those of the borough. The way in which the census returns were printed shows pretty clearly' >( tbat the whole of the residents on Block 27 were included in the " town of Thames." The districts are given thus:— Puriri, 45; Kirikiri, 32; Kauwaeranga, 38; Parawai, 265 J town of Thames,-8,073; Uape and Karaka, outside town, 132; and so on, Now this 1 " Kauwaeranga "is obviously not the highway district, for instead of there being only 38 persons in that—33 males and 5 females —there must be about 1,500. Where can they be if not• included in the "town of Thames?" It is pretty oh-iqus that the Kauwaeranga in the census reV'rns means the stream, and includes only thet.&ulents there. ObjoctioM to the assessment in the Kauv.'icranga district will be heard at the office, • Seale'y street, to-day, from two to five, and seven to nine. m. < The Rev, 11. Laishley preached twice in the Oongregatioanl Church, Mary-street, yesterday, to large and attentive congregations. We understand there is some likelihood that'Mr Laishley may be induced to settle at the Thames. We notice that provision has been made for a good day's sports at the Parawai Gardens on Monday next, the 9th instant, the anniversary of the Prince of Wales' birthday, which will be observed as a holiday. The. programme of events and the conditions attached appear in our advertising columns. It includes four horse races, numerous foot, races, jumping matches, &c, for all of which prizes are offered. It is intended, we believe, that a ■Volunteer review will be held in the Gardens on that day, which will, of course, prove an additional attraction to visitors to these pleasure grounds.

In the last number of the Wdka Maori, a Maori writes a sarcastic letter about the achievement of Mr Smyth in catching two live moas. He says that if the birds have escaped, the *** thers. ,

A return has been published of tft e ste lands disposed of in the provinces of N?^^' i ' A '. land during 1873, and it is interesting a 8^ aow " ing the happy fate of some provinces tae happy fate of other provinces in maki n ? a revenue out of their waste lauds, TaliSL? the country lands sold, the total for" the provinces are as follows: -Auckland, 2,667 acres, £4,429 15s-£l,lOO in scrip, tfawke's Bay, 114,036 a 3c 16p, £52,890 8s Id; Wellington, 86,130 a Or 30p, £50,382 0s 9d—£3,390 in scrip; Nelson, 1,796 iOr 12p, £1,719 8s; Marlborough, 420a2r33p, £1,818 Is lid; Canterbury, 281,771 alr 38p, £566 93018s 9d; Westland, 10,017 a3r 27p, £11,619 2s; Otago, 156,136* 2r 39p, £151,71418s 2d; Southland, 133,272 a, 3r 29p, £136,223 1632d-making a tofcdfor the province of Otago of £290,937. The total amount received for waste land throughout the colony • was £980,758, and of this sum £857,867 went into the provincial exchequers of Otago and Canterbury. In Auckland 221,501 acres were granted to natives under the Native Lands Act.. In a Provincial Government Gazette, issued on Friday last, the rate 3 of pilotage for the port of Thimes are published under the provisions of the "Marine Act,' 1867,'' namely: —For sailing vessels of and under 100 tons, 6d per ton register, and for every ton over 100, 2d. For steamers of and under 100 tons, 4d per ton register, and for every ton over 100, 1/jd. Vessels anchoring within the limits of the port and below the line of the Government Goods Wharf, half the above rates. Vessels anchoring auy where between the sea limits and Kopu and above theline of theGovernmentdoods Wharf, full rates. Vessels going to or from any anchorage above Kopu, one penny per ton additional. G. 0. Best is gazetted pilot for the port. : A meeting of the Eauwaeranga School Committee was held on Saturday night, at which several applications were read from candidates for the position of teacher to the Eauwaeranga Boys' School. It was agreed that the election , should be delayed for a week, during which the " committee will receive any additional applications which' may be sent in. We perceive that the time-table of the p.s. 'Manaia' has been altered so as to give two extra trips from GrAhamstowu this week, namely, on Wednesday and Friday. On Saturday the members of the Cricket Club met on the Parawai Ground for the purpose of playing the opening game of the season. It was intended that the first eleven should play , eighteen, to be chosen from the club, but the counter attractions in the way of shooting, &c,, prevented a number from being present. A scratch match was started, but the rain coming on put a stop to the game. The members took shelter in the pavilion, and while waiting for the end of the shower, held a meeting, at which the secretary informed the members that the late performance hid added nearly £15 to the funds of the club, which had also been further increased by a donation of £5 from Mr It. Eenuan. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Eeunan and to the members who had given their services to the theatrical performance. The band of the Thames Scottish was on the ground, and performed numerous selections of music in a very creditable manner, A Provincial Government Gazette, issued on the 30th October, notifies that the officss of the Provincial Government will be closed ou Monday, the 9tb of November, in commemoration ot the birth-day of H.ilfl, the Prince of Wales. We understand that the p.s. ' Golden Cro V has been purchased to be employed as a passenger boat at Sorrento, a new settlement in _ Hobson's Bay. On this land villas are being built and improvements carried out, and it is the intention of the purchasers of the ' Golden Crown' to convert this land into a watering place for the citizens of the Victorian capital. The ' Golden. Crown' is to connect this new locality with Melbourne, a distance of 35 miles The surrey revealed the condition of the vessel to be much, better than. wa3 sun*.posed,

'The Wellington correspondent of the Lyltclton Times states that the costs in the cases of Steele and Keogh v. Hutchison would amount to £600 or £700. Thes.s. 'Phoebe' left the Manukau for the South on Friday. Passengers—Saloon: Mr and Mrs Nancarrow, Mr and Mrs Brittain, Mrs and Miss Bess, Mr and Mrs Stevens, Mrs Kenny, Mr and Mrs James, Mr and Miss Barker, Mrs Hoad, Messrs Jll Davies, Gunn, Speed, Hack, Hornbrook, Cox, Kuox, and Bennett. Steerage: Mrs Shirson and three children, Mr and Mrs Briggs and family, Mrs Darby, Messrs Waverley, Pugsley, Sutton, Craig, Mouatt, Darby. The s.s. 'Hero' took her departure from Auckland at 2 o'clock on Thursday for Sydney ' and Melbourne. The following are ber passengers:— Saloon to Sydney—Messrs Walker, E Fyvie, C Barnes, Miss E, Nathan, Messrs G and C Bayley, Morriah, Mr and Miss Lamb. Steerage—Messrs Lawson, T Mack, F Faulkner, J McCrony, J Burus, J Sandell, E Iluss, W Martin. Saloon to Melbourne—Mr Berghoff and Mr J H Smith, Steerage—Mrs Stapleton and three children, Mr L Weissborger, Mr W "Williams, Miss H Fitscfc, Mr Curtis, Mrs Marriot, Messrs Sweete J Richmond, H French, Jas Armstrong, C Stephens, J Holman, T Tracy, H Grey, J Williams, Mrs Scott and child, TC Albert, J Pelly, Mrs Provo, P Cook. The ' Hero' also took three boxes of gold shipped byihe Bunk of Hfew Zealand, and a general QMm~ The boxes contained the fo'lowing:—l.lflszs loilwts lSgrs, the produce of the ThaJf Qoldfields, valued at £5,059 14s sd; 2,3870zs 7dwt* 12grs, the produce of :>el son, valued at £9,549 Ids-Total, 5,7370zs 3 dwtsCgrs, total value, Jt'ls,soD 4s sd, Duty on Thames gold, £134 19s 7d; duty on Nelson gold, £238 14s 91; total, £373 14s 4d. The RM. s.B. 'Macgregor,' H Grainger, Esq, commander, cleared Sydney Heads at 3.50 p.m. on the 24th ultimo, and eneountered strong N.K. winds with heavy sea to 29th, after which light winds and fine weather, Passed the Three Kings at 2 p.m. ou Thursday. Passed the s.s. ' Hero' off Cape Brett at 1a m, on Friday, and arrived in harbour at 3.15 p.m. same day. Passengers—Saloon for Auckland : Mrs B Wood, two children.and two servants; Mr T L Haynes, M Devouport, Bev Father Chustagoni, Messrs H Poring, Hon Jas Williamson, Hon Thos Bussell, Coney; Mr and Mrs Denham, Mr Pidcock, Mr J W Winslow. Lientenant Underwood, UN; Mr B. Levy, Mr GraLame, Mr Westg.rth (mail aaehtj. For Honolulu—Mr Morgan. Steerage for Auckland; Mr O'Hanseu, Airs Haslop and child,' Mr and Mrs Macdonald, Messrs Wright, Higggins, Hoodcock, Hall, Willis, and 17 for San Francisco.

The s s.' Wellington' arrived in the Manukau on Saturday morning from the South. Passengers:—Saloon—Mr and MrsPearce and family (3); Mrs Alexander and family (2); Misses O'Korke (2), Shepherd, Macdonald, aud Valentine; Messrs Calcott. Willis, Harrison, Stuart, Shepheid, Hamer, Boss, and Knight. Steerage—Messrs Campbell, George, Macfayder, and two natives. At a Coroner's inquiry into the circumstances of the late fire in Wakefield-street. Auckland, Mr Brohaia said tbat the attendance, as a witness, of a man named Avery, who had occupied the cottage adjoining the premises in which the fire originated, was material to the inquiry. A telegram had beeu seut to him at the Thames, but he h'id not appeared in answer to the summons, and it would be necessary to secure his attendance. He therefore asked for an adjournment, to enable this witness to attend, and the inquest was adjourned until Tuesday (to-morrow). Oar contemporary the Herald appears to have been strongly convinced of Dyer's innocence, for in its issue on the morning of execution we read:—"As neither reprieve nor respite had reached Auckland at a late hour last night, nothing follows but that the culprit Charles Dyer will suffer the last penalty of the law this morning at eight o'clock. Dyer leaves behind him a written statement, the contents of which will probably not be. made public until after it has been forwardel to the Government. Dyer protests his innocence, and, we believe, will leavethe world with the declaration that for suffer." x -^.„ ,The General Government in connection with %; immigration scheme, are providing cottages fer immigrants, which are being placed in different parts of the country districts for their Convenience. We believe that the Provincial government are letting these cottages to marAied men with familios at a moderate rent, or S are proposing to adopt this method, with, probably, an arrangement uuder which, if the tenant choose, he can become the purchaser on terms of deferred payment. This is so far well, and may be found to work satisfactorily, although considerable care will be necssiary to prevent any loss resulting from careless tenants —dross. "Siubad,"a sporting contributor to the Christchurch Press, learns from i\fr Prince, the well-known book-maker, who has just returned from Victoria, that, in the Melbourne Cup, Mr Watt has backed Lurline and Papawa to win him £5,000, at 1,000 to 40 against the mare, and 1,000 to 35 against the colt. The question of the adulteration of foods and drinks will now be tested, and if we are Dot able to check the practice we shall at least have the pleasure of knowing what are the actual substances which we take into our systems. The public (says the Auckland Star) have felt somewhat tantalised at the delay which has taken place in the appointment of a Government analyst, but the time has not been lost, as it has been employed in testing the ability of candidates, and their fitness to perform the important functions devolving on such an officer; and the result is that perfect confidence may be reposed in the gentleman receiving ihe appointment. Mr J, M. Tunny has been the successful candidate, and has received the appointment of Provincial Analyst, subject to the approval of the Governor. A. number of adulterated and .poisoned articles have been submitted to his analysis, and it is satisfactory to learn that with the most unsatisfactory appliances Mr Tunny has, in the moft accurate manner, discovered aud described the various substances and tb.3 proportions and quantities ifi the mixtures. It is impossible to overestir miite the importance of such an office, and the service which the Government analyst may render to the public,

A Wellington correspondent of the Herald says the Government is experiencing great difficulty in bringing the Licensing Amendment Act into operation, as it does not dovetail ut all well with Fox's Act.—Mr Brandon, of the Stamp Office, has been furnished with a copy of the report of a commission to inquire upon chirges against him, with the (Jovernmeut's decision. The report is that all charges affecting Mr Brandon's honesty were either withdrawn or broke down. That he had been guilty of injudicious or irregular conduct in several instances; but most of these occurred upwards of two years ago, when Air Batkin was chief of the office, since which Brandon has been made acting-head of the department. That one case had occurred in 1873, but that latterly the commissioners' audit reported a most marked improvement in the conduct of the office. That he had duties for which he was unequal thrust upon him, and that the charge of general iuefficb-itcy and negligence were not sustained by evidence. Further, that although deserving of some punishment for irregularities, he had done nothing justifying his dismissal from the service. Un tbis report the Government had reduced his salary from £300 to £2i)o, to date from suspension, and ordered him to hold himself in readiness to lie transferred to soras other part of the colony (which will necessitate the loss of another appointment worth £50 a year). The decision is generally considered excessively harsh, and unwarranted by the report,

A storekeeper of St Bathans, Otago—Mr William Pyle-says a local journal, has lately been over-bidding the banks for gold. He has been paying £3 15s G1 and £3 16s per ounce, or a Bhilling higher than the price p.iid by the banks The consequence was that the greater part of tbe gold of the district passed into his hands, He has now gone to Melbourne with his gold to see how much it will produce at tbe branch of the Royal Mint there.

The barque' Elm Grove' arrived in Auckland on Friday from Newcastle, with a cargo of 393 tons of coal for the Thames Gas Company, consigned to Stone Bros.; 2,000 spokes," 1,500 felloes, Cousins and Atkin.

A very novel feature in connection with our Sunday School Union calls for public attention, (says the Herald) as likely to be attended with unusual interest. This is an industrial exhibition, the articles exhibited being the hand or brain-work or both of the boys and girls attending the Sunday schools of the province Already over 1,000 exhibits ate promised, a large nuuiberof which, we are told, show much ingenuity, great constructive ability, and no little amount of taste. What should be demanded of this exhibition is, that the exhibits, of whatever kind tliey may be, shall really be the result of the ingenuity or labour of the boy or girl in whose name the &' tide is entered,

At the recent session of the Bight Worthy Good Templar Grand Lodge held in Boston, U.S., the Executive invited the retiring R W G T, the Hou Samuel D. Hastings, to undertake a tour throughout the Australian Colonies, Tasmania, and New Zealand. The July San Francisco mail brought the proposal to the several jurisdictions, offering that the It W G Lodge will remunerate the brother for his time if the colonies will unite and pay all travelling expenses. The executives of New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria will do so, and also New Zealand, but South Australia declines for financial leasons The arrangement, we expect, will be carried out, and Brother Hustings would leave by San Francisco mail on 10th October

The Sijihwi Morning Herald, referring to t'le San Francisco mail arrangements, says:—Mr Thomas Bnssell will leave for Auckland in the ' Macgregor' (s.) this afternoon The result of his negotiations with the Postmaster-General of this colony is considered by both the most satisfactory that could be arrived at in the present state of things. The 'iovernments of New South Wales and New Zealand will equa'ly divide between them the expenditure of the interim service, and have agreed to unite on equal terms iu. establishing a permanent service combining the largest number of advantages obtainable for the two colonies, and enforcing penalties incurred by the failure of Messrs Hall and Forbes. A contract has been made with the Australasian Steam Navigation Company to carry on the temporary service until December next,

Captain Moore, of the' Mikado, has written a letter to the Herald expressing the fullest confidence that any of the vessels employed on the Pacific service could have performed the work in .the contract time (with fair piny), and that the real causes of the irregu'aties in the delivery of mails have been delays in the transhipment at ports of call, and the employment of slow steamers on the Atlantic side. The ' Mikado' lauded her mails in Sydney in thirtyone days from San Francisco notwithstanding the detour to Auckland. But for that they could have been lauded with ease in twentyeight days. Captain Moore's opinion is well supported by the recent history of the service, which has shown, as we have before pointed out, that, the great things required to insure punctuality are organization, management, and effective supervision of details. The idea that the average speed is too great to expect from the class of steamers that the trade would support may now be set aside as clearly erroneous. We may add that Captain Moore has a strong preference for Kandavu over Levuka as the Fijian station.—Sydney Mail.

The expenses incurred in the trial of the Claimant, alius Orton, alias Castro, alias Ticliborue, were not greater than might have been anticipated. A return 'to the House of Commens, obtained by Mr W. H, Smith, has been printed:—The probable cost is stated at £55,315 17s Id, of which £49,815 17s Id had been paid up to the 11th ultimo, and on the 11th of May instant, £5,500 remained unpaid. In 1872-3 £1,146 16s 6d, and in 1873-4 counsels' fees were £22,495 18a 4d. The jury were paid £3,780, and the shorthand writers £3,493 3s. The other expenses were witnesses, agents, &c., and law stationers and printing. Of the sum to be paid, £4,000 is for the Australian and Chili witnesses,— N.Z. Tims.