Commercial.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 247, 24 October 1872, Page 5

Commercial.

Breadstuff's and grain ace without change. Flour continues in goed trade demand jat Ll3 to Ll3 10s. The town sale is, however, becoming slack, owing .to .the ridiculously low price .at which bread, is being pold by some of the bakers'. ' Second c a-s Hour is in Jbetfcer demapd ;-for faifH-amples, LlO 10s is the value. Bran is scarce at L 4 "' Pollard has a. good sale.at L 5 lUs,. In oatmeal, there' Is not much doing, ' trade lots are quoted from Lll to Lll v los.- Wheat is' coming . forward sparingly ygood milling samples arc worth os 2d to 5s 4d, Second class doll at .. . 4b 6d, and fowl' wheat firm 'at --3a, .-.Oats are firmer, feeding- bave found purchattera'at as high as 2s 3d, the ordinary rate however, fe2kt6 2s-ld. ., Milling are wanted at 2s^d to 2s \&(i. ■ Of barley, tne market is quite bare. Malting samples are worth from .6s . to fa 34.; feeding 4s 6J. Straw, L2ss" ; hay,' - L 3 154 j'-ehaff* L 3 \si. ' ■ /■ -. . ' At' Mercer reports' for the week ending \.-. October lft:-4&etittl< prices cjily. 1 fc reifi f , butter in 41b and lib prints, best qtialityy 1» '•• to 1b 2d'per lb^ aecona qdalityi.;.lld ;j»- I I&;' fresh," butter in lumps, ; lld ; pow&ered-- -_ - and salt butwr, beat ' qnalityr Is • "lea&d ' quality onsuleable., Thfe market has, beed. completely gutted with freih. butter this week, and the long looked for decline "in prices has been fully realized. : Storekeepers', have been salting down -large quantities- of butter, which' meets with a ready market.at \ lid to 114' d per IK " The demand-' for new" - season salt but'er continues brisk, and tho supply, is readily met. ' Cheese is ia good request • good samples are,' however, scarce, and worth from_Bd to 9d per lb; second quality, 6d per lb. Side and rolled bacon is fetching 9d" to lOd'per' lb ' ' Eggs' are. getting a dnig ijj market, and aeTfin,!>j^^

1 Something Like a Contest.— -The Bgmont election was about the most closely contested election that has ever taken place in the Colony. There were only 266 electors on the roll, of whom 41 were either absent or disqualified. All the rest, with the exception of 21 who did not go to the poll, voted.

PERSONAL. — A South Australian contemporary writes :— Amongst the passengers who have arrived in Melbourne by the Great Britain is Mr Anthony Forster, iormerly one of the proprietors and Editor of the Register, and a member of the Legislative Council. We understand Mr Forster intends settling in New Zealand.

The Chathams. — An Auckland telegram says :—": — " The Chatham Island affair is not believed to cc so serious as at first supposed. The quarrel has arisen from a land dispute. The scattered nature of the homesteads has been the chief cause of the alarm. Mr Lanauze, the Resident Magistrate at the Chatham Islands, has been dismissed for leaving his post without orders "

Submarine Mining. — Mr Nuttall, the representative of the New Zetland Submarine Gold Mining Company, appears to have been very successful in his tour through the gold districts. At Mount Ida and the Lakes, the matter has been warmly taken tip, - and a considerable number of shares have been sold. At Queenstown the people were quite enthaßiastic, and speculated libewily.

Political. — The Thrum*, Gazette mentions as an on dit, that in the case of a dissolution of Parliament, Dr Fishur and Mr Moorhouse will come forward to represent the Timaru and Gladstone districts. Certainly, no better men could be found, being men of large experience, well versed in political matters! and staunch supporters of Mr Vogel's policy of progress, on which the future prosperity of the Colony so much depends. These gentlemen are very popular, and no doubt they will be returned if it comes to a contest, which, however, we scarcely think likely.

Legal. — A want which has been long and severely felt by the bar of this Colony is a periodical containing colonial law reports and other information of interest to the profession. The expediency of supplying that w»nt w&s recently brought under the notice ot the leading members of the profession here, and the result is a suggestion for the publication of a periodical to be based, on the model of the English Law Time*. a?d to be equal in size to the monthly numbers of the Law Time* Reports. The New Zealand Law Times will be its title, and the iir3t number is announce ' to appear in April next. The names of its editorial ragers—^essrs Macassey, Haggitt, and Ook — are sufficient guarantee of the thorough reliability pf the proposed work, which we feel sure wil-, fln issue, be largely supported by those to whose interests it is to De devoted-

JtyRTHER I§XPEBJIJENTS WITH I^EW 3b4M.NI} Hemb, — Y-t 0. Thorne, of Mark Lane, London, writes to the Secretary of the Canterbury Flax Association, on July 24, as follows :—": — " Mr Forbes has just finished some very nice damask towelling - in all 142 yards — and about 26 yards of really good linen. Both these fabrics were made entirely from native dresned phormium, for Dr Keatherston, to whom I have to-day sent them. The fibre I alluded to, in my letter to you of May 17, as having been prepared by me, and Bent to Mr Forbes, for his own us^s, has been mixed by him with other flax-hemp, whereby he has improved the appearance of the yarn, and strengthened it at the same time. Be found my fibre so good that he has given me (6£d) sixpence halfpenny a pound for it ' (this is for the fine or long flax), aud says, if I could, supply him wi^hlarge quantities of similar "fibre, at' this prices, 'should very m'ucVlJfce to have if. "' This, you seei }s L6O Jss 4d pec ton. Tljerg ja still prejudice Manifested by ifrhfr manufapturers, tqwards, this fibre, bpt it is bound eventually, if pro ; perly spftened, $6 fake up a ppsitjon for it-

•A Splendid Yield, — A late Australian telegram says that at Tambaroora 1200 OJSS. of gold have been taken from fourteen tons of stone.

Very Consistent. — The master of the schooner Sunbeam must indeed be. an enthusiastic "abstainer." He notifies by advertisement in the Southern Cros> that no alcoholic liquors will be received as freight on board his schooner.

Metropolitan Kaces. —Mr H. Bedwood arrived in Christcourch by the Taranaki with his string of hones for the Metropolitan meeting. 1 These 'are 'six in lUihAer, ' and comprise peeress," Mystery; iVwi&a; Mai vena; 1 : Reliance, and Rapir, all of V&cli arriyfed in goojl coiidition. fielaqn Rontenjporary, pf Ofitqber fe cays. :— By tljp mail on Monday last Mr Huddjesfon, Seppetary to our Acclimatisation Society, wrote to the secretary of the society of San Franpisco requesting to be supplied with salmon and sea trout ova at the end of the present year, which will be the suitable season for sending ova to New Zealand.

A Sab End. —^Many will remember John De Haga, formerly of Lyster's Opera Troupe, whose death by his own hand was announced by telegraph the other day.. It occurred at Williamstown, and the reason of his destroying himself was that his reduced circumstances compelled him to sing at a second-rate concert hall.. Poor,De Haga was naturally sensitive, but none of his friends thought it would lead to such results.

" New Patents.— The foUqwing applir catwna&tt: dewWtnts' have been lodged in ihe Registrar General's office, Wellington : —William Isaac Wilshire, of Tarariiki, * patent for converting the finely-granulated iron sand of New Zealand, abounding on tbe Taranaki coast, into a hard, compact mass, thereby rendering it fit for smelting in the same way as ordinary ore. Mr Tonrick, of ' Marlbordiigb, applies for a patent for a flaxwashing machine. Ignohance of the Colonies. — jn ihe aUri^ean MaV <f ' ''"Anglo'-Aiiutrklian" w-rites "as 1 follows on the fertile -subject of English ignorance of Australian geography : As a pwof of the «ad havoc which, the fl . Changeable nature of' our 'climate pl»ys;with men'« brains, I may mention that the letter of the Adelaide. correspondeint,to,the 'London Standard was placed under, the head New Sout'k Wales. To ntany "of the readers of Ac Standard the mis Sake is' r of tfo'coriseTqnence,.*! Adelaide mighVbe iftTimbubtoq • oVottami and they wouM ha none the wirier. 1 Ijftftlitfle' Btfb-eflitorof'a 1 firstfblafs 1 journal - ought ttfWow something of the geographical < tfoution of 'k country which has played bo ; conspieuoui a part in the iritrodoe'tioHof out 1 .^egr^^tyatem.? - >* . '/ " '•' ■ ' ' IS - , T^:b Emperor 'of CJlbrmany and the '.King oy'^jiis! — Some* of the Continental ;jSaper« report that the captajn of the German -./gh'm Nymphe had on the : 2!jth of last ' an-^udience'p.f ' the King of the Fiji Islands! Tq yxq communication that the German Emperor genii's eventually to establish a ' consulate at FijC the King replied, " I know , that Germany $*t tbrpujjn her union become m ji^i S^alg, » 4 Uwe tyupi %>^P W Mbwed to® **»¥ $ m . , tha anwateit JntCrCltl It « Py WWfttlOß WO '

to form a strong empire through the union of the different races and through carefulness of the interests of the foreign colonists. It will be the greatest honor for me if His Majesty the Emperor will grant me' his help and recognition by the nomination of a Consul." The next German ship of war which is to vißit Fiji is to carry to King Thakombau a present of some cannons and breech-loading guns.— Argus.

Unscrupulous Journalism. — The Welling on Independent of Wednesday, Oct. 9, has the following with regard to the lates specimen of unscrupulousness of the Wellington evening pap*er : — " A paragraph appeared in the Post last evening, the purport of which was that the opponents of the Stafford Government had circulated a rumor to the effect that the Bank of New Zealand had consented to advance to Mr Stafford's Ministry a sum of L 200.000, in case they should not be able to obtain supply in the ordinary manner from the House. We have only to say that this statement is a pure fabrication. No one heard a word of any such alleged arrangement until the Post was published, and we have no hesitation in stating that tbe paragraph we have referred to is one, the authority for which is only to be found in the office of that paper. It is due to the Bank of New Zealand to state that there is not the slightest foundation for the ptatement' made by our unscrupulous contemporary."

Who's to Blame ? — We have of late

noticed some grossly inaccurate telegrams in the Northern papers, in reference to the yields from the t fomwell reefs ; and at fir.it thought they -.rose from mistake, but their repetition leads to the belief that something more than mistake has to do witb< • these misquotations. Last month all the Northern papers published telegrams from' Dunedin to the effect that the Heart of Oak's crushing was 67 ozs. from 217 tons, whereas the yield was 267 ounces, and now the crushing the other day is represented as 256 ozs. from 371 tons while the quantity crushed was 271 tons. Similarly the Elizabeth Company's crushing was misrepresented. Thirty ounces from 160 tons of atone is what the telegram says ; but 121 ozs. was the actual yield. The injury that is likely to be done to interested parties at a distance, and to the character of our reefs by these incorrect telegrams is manifest. If the sender of them is at fault, his employers should call him to account ; if the telegraph department is to blame it deserves to be severely censured. One thing is certain that if figures cannot be accurately telegraphed, none should be sent.

The New Registrar-General op Land. — According to the Lyttflton Times the appointment, we believe, was offered to Mr Williams immediately after the resignation qf bis predecessor, and then declined on the ground, that he had an. insuperable objection to. the consequent removal from Canterbury to Wellington, 'that difficulty, it appears, has been removed, and Christchurch will thus beoome the head-quarters of the department. No fitter person could have been selected for the office than '-Mr Williams, and the appointment does Mr Stafford as much credit as the conditions on which it was accepted reflect honour on the new Registrar-General. • The Southland Railways. — The spectacle of a string of heavily-laden wool drays, toiling slowly along the road from Winton to liivereargill, while the locomotive is whirling jauntily along the railway, in front of a passenger carriage and two or three empty trucks, does not say much for the wisdom of those who settled the scale of charges for freight. Yet it was common enough last summer, and will no doubt be repeated this year, unless the tariff is reduced without delay. "V^o are informed that seyeral runhotders a.re already in, terms wfth carriers to take the coming season's woo.l all the way to tn.vercar.giil) and that at the rate p_f freight up'w cqarge.d on, the railway* vis'i 2s per. bale, the. carriers qau do 80 and maj|c a prafjt. We would suggest an immediate reduction of the freight to Is per bale from Winton to Inveroargill, and Is from Invercargill to the Bluff. As the trucks can take 30 bales at a time, this ought to gave a fair return, especially if labor in handling were economised by omitting the weighing process, and charging the same rate per bale all round, on greasy and washed wool. JS'e time ought to be lost in making the necessary alteration in the rates, as the wool season is now fast approaching. —Southland Times. More Work for Legislators. — The Leader urges that the law should "interpose reasonable barriers to hasty marriages." ' ' ' Legal. — IVfr Alexander; Batb.gate and* M* tieorge 'Hutchison were tp-day^ad-; ihitted barristers 11 and ' solicitors 1 " of/ tfye. Supremo oqurt o| NeV Zealand. Pneuspwaljty Oq.rb.e,qtep, — The Wangaimi Resident Magistrate, in order to enforce punctuality in hi* Court, would not allow Mr hoberti, a barrister practising, his professional- fee on account of being ten minutes late. A Miscellaneous Collection. — In the gizzard of a fowl killed in Christchurch ,two days ago were found several large pebbles, a, piece of glass, three pins, about; half-a-dozen brass rivits half an inch long, three or four fragments of some curious article, of jewelry in wrought gold, three nuggets, ,of alluvial gold— one Bomewhat minute, .another the size of a barley-corn, and another of a pea ; a shirt button, and a brass trowsers' button. ( * ' ' PoMMISSION OF.' THE Pj^CE,— Mr H. V S. Fiib, Wn.j'lw been ' appointed a Justice" d! the Peaoe for the Colony. A Long Court DAY.~At Hyde, the other day, we learn from the Mount Ida Ohroniclt, Mr Warden Robinson , adjoui ned .his Court, with a number of applications still unheard, at three o'clock in the morning, the Court having sat almost uninterruptedly from eleven a. in. the previous day. " " ' A Decided Change. — The Herald is kn b'ut-and-dut su^Jiarter. o| Mr Stafford; yet for twee in a"way, buries jts prejudices, and says :— " For the sake of the Colony, which just now requires'a staple and tirm Government, tbo .present^Ministry has our best wishes." ' , Effects of the Public Work/3 .Policy in Canterbury. —Thanks to s th£ policy conceived by the Fox-Vogel Govern;raent,,.the Provincial coffera are overflowing, and the question: will'^saoh arise^-AYJia* "are , we ' *o "do ' with ' fell t&B' nloriey ? Without profegsirig tb ! be 'in possession of exact or omciai information on' the' subject, we hare reason to believe that the Provincial Treasury it in credit to the extent of L 130 ,000, ntoreor less, the probability being that the sdm is m6re rather^ than' less. ' The receipts 'from- knd.kales during thetabnth bf September amounted^ to' over' L2£;006, and there. -Beems^to tfeno reason to; e^pe^t % 'material diminution 'i^ the;' purchases. —Li/tldUm ' ' ■<■''• The Press* and the Telegraph,.— It wul be seen from' our Parliamentary ielegrams that Mr Vogel' has suggested a reduction of the rates charged for Press telegrams. How necessary such a re4uo.tion is may "be uider»t9.o4 V&w ft" ccnipatMpii between the Press r*tei of. New Zealand and

telegrams are charged at, the rate 6d per 160 words when sent to one paper only, but 2d per 100 for every additional paper .after the first. In New Zealand, where the Press Association supplies nearly all the papers in tLe Colon}', the same message is frequently sent to fifteen papers, and yet it is charged at the rate ot' 3» 6d per 100 words, the same as if transmitted specially to one journal. During the sitting of Parliament telegraph charges become really heavy expeußOS to newspapers, as may bu judged from the fact that a column of matter contains 30ine 1600 words, and the heavy cost prevents journals from supplying the news so full as they would do at lower rates of telegraph charges. This is a matter of considerable importance to tbe public, as in order to maintain a healthy public opinion in Colonial affura it is necessary that events as they occur should be made known in detail throughout the Colony. — SoutJicrn. Cross, October 3.

telegrams are charged at, the rate 6A per 160 words when sent to one paper only, bnt 2d per 100 for every additional paper .after the first. In New Zealand, where the Press Association supplies nearly all the papers in tLe Colon}', the same message is frequently sent to fifteen papers, and yet it is charged at the rate ot' 3» 6d per 100 words, the same as if transmitted specially to one journal. During the sitting of Parliament telegraph charges become really heavy expenses to ' newspapers, as may bu judged from the fact that a column of matter contains 30ine 1600 words, and the heavy cost prevents journals from supplying the news so full as they would do at lower rates of telegraph charges. This is a matter of considerable importance to tbe public, as in order to maintain a healthy public opinion in Colonial affurs it is necessary that events as they occur should be made known in detail throughout the Colony. — SoutJicrti Cross, October 3. An International Squabble. — A "little difficulty" has spruug up in the district of Manawatu, with respect to tho Norwegians. It appears that an election took place for a seat m the District Board. There were two parties, the one the "settlers" and the other the Norwegians. The latter returned their man at the head of the poll. 1 his has made the " old settlers" furious, and they state they will not recognise the newly elected member, affirming that the N rwegians were brought down in a bo !y by Mr Monrnd (a son of Bishop Monrad, late Premier Of ©enmark) to vote en masse against the " 6ottler *•' candidate. The circumstance has caused a large amount of correspondence, and a good deal of ill-will. Scrip v. Cash. — "Apollo strikes the lyre." Quite a classical story uufolded itself lately before Mb Worship Judge Beckham. „ An artist brings a son of Neptune, in the form of a gal! ant sea captain (who was recently a coast harbor pilot in the Is'orth), to the studio of a photographic artist, who:-e name is not Praxiteks, but M'Garrigle. "Mr M'G.,"said the artist. "Captain B. ; Captain 8., MrM'G." Mutual salutations. Artist : " Captain B. wauts his portrait taken — in oil colors ; yo.i are to do the photo, I the coloring and stippling. What's th,e figure?" "Never mind, my dear sir. ■Sit down, Captain B." Captain B. sits, aud the lens of the camera is turned upon him. " My dear fellow," said the Captain, "will you take— scrip?" Tha photographer preferred ca h, bat the Captain aaid that Apolloa would be in a few days at the top of the market. The man of shadows took the scrip. He told tbe result in Court: 'I took the Apollos. They served me shamefully ; that scrip cost me L 40." " How ?" | asked the udge. - "In calls," was the spasmodic and bitter replyThe Superintendent of Hawke's Bat.— On the second reading of a Bill introduced into the Legislative Council by Mr Hall, with the object of making Superintendents ex-qffltio members of Pi ovincial Councils, Lit-u tenant- Colonel Whitmore took the opportunity of alluding to a distinguished j political antagonist, in a manner which displayed a degree of candor and generosity than he has, in general, obtained credit for ' possessing. Mr Hall bad quoted the success in the Province of Hawke's Bay of the system he desired to make universal The Hon. Colonel Whitmore, says the Independent's report, ' "explained that the success of the system in the Province of Hawke's Bay arose from the exceptional circumstances ia which the Government of that Province was placed. The Superintendent of the Province was a man possessed of very high abilities ; he enjoyed the confidence of the settl<a\s to a,n extent that was quite exceptional, and in the Cotfncil h,e had' always carried a very considerable majority with him.. That was the secret qf his success, and they would see that \\ h»4 nothing whatever tq do, with the question, now before theComicil," Vienna Exhibition. —In a General Qovemmeut Gazette issued last week, we are informed that the Agent-General has brought under the notice of the General Government the fact that an industrial exhibition will be held at Vienna in June, 1893, and suggesting the importance of having New Zealand properly represented on so important an occasion to industry generally throughout the world. The AgentGeneral regards the exhibition in another ligHt — as a most valuable advertisement to the Colony. It appears also that there is no hope of our getting any space allotted to us in the Exhibition now taking place in London. The Government recognising in this exhibition "an excellent opportunity for disseminating accurate information respecting the resource? of the Colony ami the advantages it'offeira aa a fiejd for. will afford, eyery facility for. the. collection jpd' transmission of specimens of BU,ch articles a^ a^e available f,oV export an.d for the em-, pjoyment 6| a. large population." The Government recommend that articles should not he shipped later than 15th January next, and intimate that all expense of transmission aud exhibition of approved articles will be defrayed by them. Advantage will be taken of the Competitive Exhibition of Staple Articles of Produce to be held in Christ* church in December, and the best exhibits selected of the following classes of articles : — Minerals ; raw produce ; manufactures ; maps, plans, and photographs ; ethnological and natural history collections. Appointment. — Mr Hector M'Neil Campbell has been appointed Sheep Inspector for the North-Eastern District. Congratulations.—- : Gr ( eyia 10. 1 0.u I tla l rri^t have been exceedingly "e^elyzliWd, wjth the rediityof the late' d^itai, xldt content with ' Mating' bonfires, when the defeat of the Stafford Miuistry became known, the Mayor, with the consent of the, majority of the Councillors, sent a congratulatory telegram to Messrs Yogel, Pox, and Reeves upon the event A reply was received the next day from the late Premier, asking the Mayor to convey "his thanks to the Couucil and Burgesses of Grey mouth for their congratulations. . •• •» ?> ' Publ.^ 1 , Qrjnjqs in Southland. — ; TUe iftveTcargiU correspondent of the Bruce Jferald, discussing the chanecs of a dissolu- | tioif, Bays : — " I believe that upon the whole the* balance of support is in favor of the .Yogel Ministry, and that if a dissolution were to take place now, the returns would I show a majority in their favor. I account for this by the prevalence of an opinion that in any Ministry of which Ntafisr<s wks leader, or into which the. VSfoSvVbrieleraent entered to a, ftofl&d^rabje degree, tbe public : woriia or the district are not so likely to re- : ceive their fair share of attention." A, Useful Return. — The banks have replied to the Government circular asking them to assist, in order that tho statistics of the production of gold presented to Parliament should distinguish the quantity derived from quartz, and alluvial workings respectively, soiaa to eimble^a Correct opinion j toiie-forthed of l tfye relative importance of these two branches of gold miniug. The only banks (who have been able to furnish any statistics are the Bank of Otago and the Bank of Australasia. ' The Bank of Utago has not purchased any quartz go\d during the six quarter? ended, June 30x1^, 18'?'2. The of Australasia 'purchased four times as touch quarts gold. a,s allu.v.ia.l. The $(a.u,k of, New Zealand promises returns, but tto Bmljc of JNew South Wales, through its inspector, leada it to be inferred that it, can* not furnUh any return >ri£hows v**y great

maps, p

>0 difficulty, and then that the return could not !d correctly specify the respecti-ye kinds of gold >c purchased, bot the bank will assist as far as »a it is able. The Union Bank states that no n separate record is kept of the two kinds of v gold, and that it is therefore impossible to ■o. furnish tha information applied for. It ie would appear te be desirable, if our mining £ statistics are to be of any value at all, that h steps should be taken for securing their '0 accuraoy by law. ,0 The Nebraska. — The Following [ 8 letter from the Superintendent of Otago is y addressed to the captain of the Nebraska : - i. "On board the Nebraska, Wellington, Sept. c 28, 1872. Dear Sir, — As a passenger in the a Nebraska from Wellington to Dnnedin and t back, I cannot refrain from expressing the i great satisfaction which I feel at there being c such a vessel trading on the coast of New Zealand. Nrver before have I experienced any pleasure in a sea voyage, or escaped the *• nausea whichsare common to most landsmen '- during the first few days at sea. Onboard '• the Nebraska, however, it is like being on *■ terra firma, and without the slightest feeling 6 of discomfort. I look upon it that, apart from postal considerations, and from those of r commercial relations with the United States • of America, the advent of ships of this class > upon our coast, enabling the people of the B various provinces to interchange, visits withe out the discomforts which usually pertain to I a sea voyage, as calculated to exercise a 3 highly beneficial influence upon the political c interests of the Colony, and I earnestly wish. - tho line of which your ship is the precursor " every success. Aa a public man, I deem it right to contribute my mite towards diepel3 ling the prejudices "which ha"c been so assi- £ dously sought to be r raised against the line, and will only repeat that your ship is by far ' a the most comfortable one in which it has . been my lo.t to travel. I on-'y hope I may j be fortunate enough in my future travels by B sea to be a passenger in your ship. — 1 am. dear sir, yours faithfully, J. Macandrew. — '. Captain Isaac Harding, steamship N ebraska. " Sporting. — The following are the weights for the ChrUtchurch Jockey Club ! Handicap : — Peeress, lOst. 71bs. ; Yatterina, 8 9st. 10 1b3. ; Gazelle, 9st. j Queen Bee, Bst. : 611)8 ; Brunette, Bst. 61b*. ; Tambourini, B<t. 1 51bs. ; Talisman, Bst. 51bs ; Malice, 7at. : 121bs. ; Detractor, 7st. 71bs. ; Bitsman, 7at. 1 71bs. ; No Name, 7st. 2 lbs. ; Barbarian, Ost. " 12lbs. : Dragon, 6st. 21bs. ; Adonis, 6st. b '--lbs. t Fire at Invercaiigill. —^The flax [ mill at Dacre, belonging to Mr Basstian, and . rented by Mr H. T. Cullen, was totally de- > stroyed by tire on the evening of the 10th . inst. The establishment consisted of two buildings, containing two dressing machines, scutchers, press, driving gear, &<;., together 5 with about four ton 3of fibre, j)ack«d in - readiness for sendiug away. The mill was r usually kept working to a late hour at night, • and the origin of the fire is no doubt aitri- ■ butable to carelessness on the part of some i smoker in throwing away a lighted match I The property was totally uninsured, and the • loss is estimated at L4O». [ Webb's Line. — An Auckland telet gram states that the San Francisco News of . the World, received by the Nebraska, says, after thorough investigation it is prepared to '. siy that the debate published in the New ; Zealand papers with regard to the mail serj vice never took place. It denies the charge ( made as to the p^per being an organ for Wfbb'a line, an.<i conc)«<3es by staking • that I it is confident; liberal aid will be given by the ' American Government to the present steatn- , ship line to Australasia. It can by authority , at.«te that wealthy residents in New, York ' oity are confident Government aid will be ex- , tended to thft aerviae. and have made pro- ; positions to become interested when success , is finally achieved. It assures New Zealand that it need not he ashamed of having established this great undertaking — with tbe ' assistance of Y&nkee pluck.