The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 129, 8 April 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 1879.

The discovery and development of gold-fields, coal mines, stone and slate quarries all over New Zealand has occasionally been due to accident in the livst instance and enterprise in the second; but probably in most cases the fortunate result has been due to systematic prospecting. There have been in the annals of the, colony occasional dull times when men, by the absence of profitable employment, have been tempted to devote themselves to seeking in the ranges which intersect both islands that fortune which they could not obtain through ordinary industrial channels. The present period of depression is favorable to enterprise of this character, and what is perhaps of still greater importance, the Wairarapa is a favorable field for prospectors, Hitherto but little attention has been

paid to the development of agricultural arid pastoral pursuits in' either County East or County "West, but tliere is no reason why in both' counties there should not exist , treasures such as those which have made' other portions of the colony rich and prosperous,. It is known that indications oi gold, silver, coal, slate, shell lime and other minerals exist in [ the district, and at some future period industries in connection with one or the other are certain to be developed, At tile present time we are glad to leam ■ that an experienced practical miner and mineralogist, resident at Masterton, contemplates organizing three prospecting parties to work the Wairarapa ranges in a systematic manner, and to try for any metal or mineral, which may exist in sufficient qualities to furnish profitable occupation to miners. We understand thathis opinion is that the district is as favorable for

prospecting as either the West Coas' or the Thames country, with both o: which localities ho is thoroughly ac quaiuted. It is' well worth while t< spend annually a small amount o money judiciously in trying to add ; new industry to our means of subsist ence, and we do not doubt that man) persons will gladly contribute a smal sum of money towards such ail object The Government offers a bonus foi discoveries cf this character, and evei our County Councils would be justified we consider, in offering some direc l inducement to prospectors. The pre sent low price of wool is severely fell in the Wairarapa. The effect of ii would be'still more apparent were ii not that our agricultural -wealth if greater than it formerly was, and the same may also be said of the timbei trade. Still, another industry, whethei manufacturing or mining, would be oi great value in counteracting the de pression in the wool trade and in pro rooting the progress of the district, anc it is because the present is a favorabk time for initiating one, that we call attention to the subject. A Woollen Factory has been spoken of, but it if. very questionable whether we coulci just at present saise the capital necessary to ensure the permanent success of such an undertaking. A Factory ol this kind would probably take £10,00(1 , to establish, but a few hundred pounds would go a long way in prospecting, i and as the smaller sum can be raised without inconvenience and the larger one cannot, we would recommend prospecting as a sort of winter speculation very likely to be more profitable than either sweeps or art unions.

. Tiie Hinemoa lias left Wellington for Opunake with 40 of the Anncd Constabulary.

'l'lie ordinary monthly meeting of the House Committee of the Masterton Hospital will bo held on Friday next. There is a sale of stock at the Wairarapa Company's sale yards, ■ Featherston, tomorrow.

Mr Job Yile announces for sale a consignment of Hunter's white seed wheat, which he purchased during his recent visit to Canterbury, We call attention to some alterations in the programme of the Tenui races, which will be noticed by a reference to the advertisement in another column.

Notwithstanding the scarcity of money the cattle trade appears to be brisk. Besides the quantity sold by auction on Saturday, Mr A. Stewart sold privately on Monday a mob of 80 large cattle to Mr Duncan McMaster, the price for which did not transpire, but we believe the amount for the mob was upwards of LGOO. The Attorney-General of New South Wales has given his opinion that a Governor may use a stamp bearing his signature for the purpose of affixing his name to documents, but he may not employ a deputy to do the work. On the eve of Governor Robinson's departure from Sydney he was required to stamp his name 011 between 8,000 and 9,000 documents 1

A man named George Moulds, says the New Zealand Times, while walking down the wharf on Saturday morning, had his right leg broken in rather a simple manner. As he was passing a stack of sawn timber a sudden gust of wind lifted one of the boards and blew it against his leg, the force completely breaking the shinbone. Captain Fraser, of the Luna, who was close at hand at the time, procured a cab and had Mould conveyed to the hospital.

The fashion of" reversing" in the valse is all the rage just now at dances, and bids fair to deprive the " mazy valse " of much of that elegance and smoothness which the poet has described as "the poetry of motion," Those who are proficient in this somewhat difficult accomplishment, and, worse still, thoso who are not, career about a ball-room in all directions, twisting and twirling evidently very much to their own satisfaction, but greatly to the inconvenience and annoyance of the uninitiated.—London Truth.

Tho medical properties of the blue gum are referred to by Herr Wildmarctli, profess9i' of botany at the University of Berlin, and secretary of the Great Horticultural Society of Prussia, in a letter to Dr Schomburgk, received by the last mail, It appears, states the S. A. Register, that a number of the plants have been raised in pots and then placed in _ the fever ward of the hospital at Griefswalde. The results have been very successful in reducing the fever of the patients, and the professor has requested Dr Schomburgk to send a quantity of seeds, and also to supply as much information as he can, with a view of extending the benefits which have been proved to follow the presence of the blue gum in cases of fever,

" iEgles" contributes the following to the Australasian" A gentleman who formerly held a commission in the 17th Lancers, and who has been a resident of Melbourne for many years, determined the other day to return and settle in the old country. An intimate and considerate friend asked him if he kd any books to read on the voyage. ' No,' was the reply, ' I have not—all my books I have read more than once.' ' Then,' said the friend, ' leave the provision of books to, me. I •would like to give you some.' A few days later there was a book sale by auction, and the faithful friend bought freely, sending his purchases as a kindly gift to the voyager, A day or two later said the departing lancet,' My dear fellow, it was very kind of you to send me these books, but curiously enough they are • without exception from my own library, which I sold last Saturday at Gemmell's!'"

A- meeting:.'of tlio Masterton School' Committee place WTliursday nejit. Messrs lorns and Fergusson sell 8 town allotments, (Mrs Dixon's) .on the 17th iust. ' '

' A'meeting of the creditors of Mr G. T. Farmer, of Mastorton, takes place at Wellijngton to-day, '

T.wo thousand five hundred. bales' of. wool wdrit from and through Masterton to Wellington during the past season, Laery Campbell '& Co., offer to-morrow at Wellington, imported blood stock,' particulars of which are given in our advertising coloumns., AVe are glad to notice that the main road from Masterton to Featherston is now being made good for: winter traffic by being metalled in bad places,

Messrs Blaker &■ Co. announce an extensive general sale on Saturday next, at the Empire Auction Mart, Masterton. The sale is to be a thorough one, as the auctioneers desire to disposo of all stock before moving into more central premises,

, Messrs lorns & Fergusaon are instructed by Mr T. Chamberlain to sell on the Upper Plain, oii,Saturday, the 19th inafc,, 50 head of mixed cattle, milch cows,- 400 sheep, farm horses, implements,,&c,.

We notice that ; notwithstanding the fact that the County Engineer stated the Black Bridge, is liable to collapse at any moment, carriers still bring over the usual large loads, two or three waggons sometimes following each in quick succession,

feigns of improvement, writes a correspondent,arc visible every where in Carterton, fencing and building going on at all sidfesj and in spite of the depressed state of the money market, 'latnitill keeps up its price... to organise the Volunteer Corps for Mas terton was ,held yesterday; Mr D, McGregor iivthe chair. Additional names were enrolled, making the list up to 58. The usual application will be at once forwarded for the Government to accept the services of the corps, The fire bell of the Masterton Brigade is daily expected, It will probably with the consent of the Church Trustees, be placed on a suitable tower in the corner of the Church of England acre, Mr J, Russell has, we understand, kindly offered to give the Brigade a plan of a suitable tower,

The sawmill trade at present is very dull at Carterton, Messrs Booth and Co, have had recently to discharge a number of hands. Messrs Chew are only working half time, and at other mills Government orders alone are keeping the men fully employed, This, we believe, arises from the Wellington market being overstocked with timber.

The battle of Borough v. Local JBourd, is being fought out at Carterton, with the greatest energy, A petition with the necessary number of signatures in favor of the Borough having been forwarded to the Governor, another petition against it is now being very numerously signed, and it is confidently expected by its supporters to overthrow the first. There seems to be a strong feeling by many, that the Local Board having done good work in the past, is good enough for a long time to come in the future, and that the Borough only means great expense and borrowing to meet it, On the other hand the supporters of the Borough, urge the increased importance and power it would give to Carterton, and consider the expense in inaugurating a Borough would be wisely incurred,

We learn from a Waihakeke correspondent that 011 Saturday afternoon last four large straw stacks belonging to Mr McGuirk, who had lately purchased them from Messrs A. and H. Braithwaite, were entirely destroyed by fire through the carelessness of one of his men carrying a fire-stick from the engine between two of the stacks to light a fire in their shed to cook their dinner with, The engine, which was working at the time, is considerably damaged, as also the chaff-cutter, which fell from a platform raised to work it on. Mr Braitlnvaite's house had a narrow escape, on account of tho wind suddenly changing to the south and blowing a regular gale. Fortunately the rain began to fall, which soon kept the fire down, otherwise the dwelling-house and surrounding buildings must have been destroyed.