PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 197, 9 November 1871, Page 6

PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL.

At the half-yearly meeting of the share-holders of the Bank of New Zealand held on the 2nd inst., the available balance was stated to be £52,004. A dividene of 15 per cent., equal £45,000, was declared, and the remaining £7004 carried forward. Great improvements are being effected in the town of both by the erection of new buildings and the renovation of old ones. - During the June quarter of the year 3172 tons ,of flax were exported from the various provinces of New Zealand. The steamer Nevada ran down the barque A..H. Badger on the New South Wales coast, and borß away without | ascertaining wnat damage had' been done. It was at first thought that the barque had sunk with all hands, but they were rescued by the barque Alice Cameron and brought to Sytfnsy, Au enquiry into tbe causes of ths collision wiU probably fee held,

According to a recent letter from Darfur, in Africa the monkeys of that region are inordinately fond of a kind of beer made by the natives, who use the beverage to capture their simial poor relations. Having placed quan-: tities of the beer where the monkeys can get at it, the natives wait until their victims are in various degrees of inebriation, and when they then mingle with them the poor creatures are too much fuddled to recognise the differences between negro and ape. When a negro takes the hand of one of iliem to lead him off some other fond creature clings to the hand of the latter one, another to his hand, and thus a negro may be seen .carrying off a string of staggering monkeys. When secured, the beer is administered in decreasing quantities, so that they may gradually awaken to the sad results of their spree. It is to be regretted that no philosimiast has yet arisen to establish a "Band of Hope among his unfortunate fellows.

The mining population of the Lake Wakatip district is estimated by the Warden at 2430, of whom 1241 are Europeans, and 1229 Chinese. At one time during the last three months there were 1800 Chinamen in the district, but the departure of numerous gangs for the Nokomai lessened the number to the figure stated abovf.

A meeting, for the purpose of considering how to prevent the Taieri river encroaching on the surrounding lands during floods, was held at the East Taieri on the 30th ult. After discussion, it was resolved to get the district proclaimed under the Hawke's Bay and Marlborough Rivers Act.

The mining population of the Mount Ida, district is estimated by tho Warden at 1500.

The Lake Wakatip district, for the quarter ending September 30, yielded 8956 oz. 17 dwts. 23grs. gold.

Mr. Macandrew has given notice that, with a view of setting at rest the disputed question as to the iudebtedness of the Middle Island to the North Island in respect of the alleged payment of the North Island towards the extinguishment of the native title in the Middle Island, he will move for the appointment of a Select Committee to enquire and report on the matter.

Hall's Californian line having come to grief, the A.S.N. Company aie trying to find employment for their steamers in the New Zealand and Australian trade. The pioneer steamer of the new line, the Cifcy of Adelaide, arrived in New Zealand waters last week. This action on the part of the A.S.N. Company has caused Messrs. M'Meckan, Blackwood and Co. to establish, an additional service, vi 2., to Auckland once a fortnight, by the east aud west coasts alternately.

An interesting item of Australian news comes by way of America ; — i, "There has been a- terrible hurricane in the Fiji Islands. So great was the force of the wind that heavy substances were blown more than a hundred miles. A- ship was sailing eaisily aloug with a light breeze off the coast of Australia, when something descended upon her deck with a dull fchuoip. The boatswain stepped forward and picked it up. It was a piece off cut meat, weighing half a pound. The boatswain, who was an old resident of Fiji, tasted it arid pronounced it Missionary.- Most singular to relate, there was a full set of false teeth imbedded in the tissue, with a grip like that of a • steel trap. The boatswain examined these, and recognised them to belonging to Manu Meateat, a well-known Fiji chief." It wac rather evident that there had been a high wind in Fiji.

In a recent case (Ferguson v. M'Cormick) in the Supreme Court in Auckland, before Sir G. A. Arney, a definition of the term " Yankee Grab " was given, which caused some amusement. ' The following is an extract from the report: — The plaintiff, in cross-examination, said that himself, the defendant, and another man were original holders of the ground called the " Clyde," for which each one got thirty-three shares in the Alburnia. Gold Mining Company^— ln answer to^what was to be done with the 100 th share, the plaintiff said that Mr. Hannaford told them that they were to have "Yankee Grab for it. — His Honor; " Yankee Grab!" (laughter). What is that?'V-Mr. Hesketh: I do not know, your Honor. I believe it is shaking something in a hat. (Loud laughter. Practically he knew nothing whatever of " Yankee Grab," but he had been informed upon reliable authority that it was a speculative pastime, invented to arrive at a result — as, for instance, where two persons were in doubt _as to which of them should pay for a bottle of wine, or the like; or, as in the matter before the court, to determine who should become the owner of the odd share. Some persons had opined that this method of deciding things had not a moral tendency ; but this he (Mr. Hesketh) could not say of his own knowledge. — Mr. Rees stated in respect of his belief,, but not of his experience, that the game referred to would be Known in years as " rattling the bones." It was an appeal to decide certain issues by ascertain ing 1 the aggregate, number of spo.ts upon dice thrown in, triplicate in" au.a<£reedupou succession of throws or casts. — • His Honor bowed his acknowledgements for the information, and resumed taking note's,

The Melbourne " Daily Telegraph " says : — " An' invention likely to prove highly useful to-, persons interested in mining pursuits, if .it realises the' expectations .ejate.Ttain.ed of it by the discoverer, has , been made by MrVßou*,' an ingenious mechanist, .also the inventor of the self-registering weighing machine. He proposes, by the aid of certain machinery, to extract gold from quartz by means of melting the latter, and allowing it to flow over a bed of sand. The gold, from its weight, will sink in the sand; and can be easily gathered . •togetirer, while the liquid quartz,- it is said, will flow into, a- receptacle provided for the purpose. It will then be utilised in various ways, such as forming a kind of brick. It is of course too early yet to speak of the merits of the invention, but the discoverer ia himself Very sanguine of ifcs value."

Among the " things not generally known," we believe we may include the fact that another great trans-con-tinental railway is in course of construction from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Starting from Daluth, at the head of Lake Superior, it runs westward through Central Dakota to a point in Central Montana, where it will branch off into two arms, one of these passing through Central Montana, where it will branch off into two arms, one of these passing through Central Washington to Puget Sound, while the other will proceed through Northern Oregon to Portland. Up^ wards of 400 miles are already completed,, although the work was not commenced until July, 1S70 ; and by the end of the prese'ut mouth it was expected that the trains woujd be running over 560 miles of the line. It is estimated to cost about £17,000,000 sterling, or at the rate of £SSOO per mile ; • and, when finished, it will shorten the distance by water and rail between New York or Liverpool and the p.orts of Asia some 1400 miles. It will draw its traffic from a belt of fertile country 1800 miles long and 700 miles wide ; and it will join the Canadian lines at Sault St. Marie. The Northern Pacific Company has received a lavish grant of land from bhe United States Congress. In fact, it is the most stupendous job ever perpetrated, even by an American legislature. The eudowment consists of upwards of fifty million acres ; which is about equal to the area of the whole of this colony. Competent judges estimate that the land thus " donated" will build and equip the railroad, leave it free from debt, and place a surplus of five millions sterling to the credit of the company. - . Mr. Moutn^oi^JS^^--^^ «<motrtixjc3Tr~anoivel and simple substitute for the smith's bellows. (lla provides a twelve gallon cask, w^ich stands on one end. In the upper part is -inserted a two-inch pipe, about six feet long, . haying a funnel-top. In the bung-hole of the barrel is inserted another pipe, communicating with the forge ; in the bottom is placed a small waste pipe to carry off the water. At the mouth of the funnel is a small pipe with a nozzle one-eighth of an inch in diameter. This communicates with the water supply. A stream of water from this small opening flows rapidly into the funnel, and carries with it a considerable quantity of atmospheric air. This air cannot escape through the waste pipe at the bottom of the cask in consequence of the water, which is itself being driven out. The air in the barrel becomes condensed, and, escaping through the bung-hole pipe, blows the forge fire with more regularity and vigor than any couple of pairs of the best blacksmith's bellows thai; ever were seen. The principle of the application is simplicity's self, and the result is most effective. It is literal'y blowing the fire with water, and making the water supply its own air. The furore iv reference to Bendigo mining stock is reported to be subsiding, andCasfclemaine mining ventures are attracting attention.

Mr. Taiaroa M. H. R., is desirous that Maori members should sit in Provincial Councils.

A correspondent writes from London that, afc the lowest estimate, five hundred novels concerning the alliance between the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lorn are now in preparation, It is rumoured that the Pope will take up his residence in the Island of Bute. In the event of his doing so, a magnificent palace will be built for him by the Marquis of Bute. A Miss Scotland, is giving weekly scientific lectures to ladies, in Auckland. .Gentlemen are strictly "excluded.

The British army, according to the " Pall ivlall Gazette," consists of " lads that can't march, -and that cannot be taught."

The Wellington "Evening Post" says :—": — " The independent position taken .up this session by the Upper House has, we' believe given considerable umbrage to many membei's of the House" of Representatives, and it is v.cry far from unlikely that something-ap-proaching a dead lock may yet occur on some of the Government .measures. There is a whisper about to the effect that if such takes place, the Government intend to manufacture the requisite number of Peers to create a majority and-^iirlher, that supplies, so fir as Council honorarium goes, will be cut off. We give the rumours for what; they are worth, but may say. we believe there is at least sotae kind of fpunduiioerfor tbeis,"