THE Bay of Plenty Times

"m mm of the times wall teach me west KIKO /OHM, ACT I SVEI>NKSI>AV, DECBMBEH 7, 1881.

The advance the Bay of Plenty District is making must soon have the effect of stimulating our local indus* Itries. All new places have to dop^nd on importations from other districts till they progress bo fat that their pro-

duciiig pow^r exceeds the lofcal consumption. Whea a ; district ;or a country teaches this point something has to be done to utilise the surplus, production. What cannot be consumed must be turned to account in some way to repay the labour and cost of production. In. this yay the industries of a country start, and though, small at first, and generally iti small articles of home and domestic ; consumption, the | mere fact of a beginning, however small, is a significant sign of a country's prosperity^ In this district signs are not wanting'of substantial progress being made, and that our pYo&uetive power is rapidly, increasing, and should soon reach, the point where manufacturing industries begin. Many articles of household consumption are already superseding our old importations, and we hear of more than one gentleman considering the advisability of oertain docal industries that should b© of a profitable nature, A tannery and a soap factory ,are spoken about, and. both should be suitable industries for such a town as Tauranga, which has a large and extensive district on each side from which the raw material could be obtained and whose residents would also "be steady customers for the manufactured articles. There are also one or two other matters of the kind being enquired into by an English gentleman of means, but we ; are not at liberty to mention particulars. Then we have the proposed flour, mill, which we trust, will before long be arranged about. The establishment of a flour mill in our midst should be a wonderful stimulus to the "agricultural interests. It would afford a ready market for the local grown grain, which is of the highest quality grown .jp. the colony. Farmers would get a Tjetter price for their, grain, labour wouH find employment^ and tjie.raw article 1 would be majaiifabtxired ; and intimately consumed as bready Bran, pollard, ajid such like articles would also be produced, and sold at a cheap rate that woiiild' soon lead to a more general Consumption, could be brought even from tHe South with advantage by small coasters, which could take a return freight of totara, < puriri," or Other similar valuable timber. This would stimulate bush work, cause trade, and extend the market for our locally manufactured flouTi .Then, also [with thie protective ;4^t^" on niajze our OpOtiki Iriends might i-o&a^-: ;Suitable i machinery erected to mknufacture that useful product into articles of 'cpmiiiefo^ at present have to ill© 1 -; imported from the "Old Country. If a flour mill were successfully started, and proved profitable, there is little doubt a bisouit manufactory and other such like local industries would follow. A little energy and push might secure all these advantages, and countries, like people, do nqt know wjiat tliey can accomplish till they try. There is always a prejudice, somehow, against a local article, but in the latest development of our local industry the article produced is of so . satisfactory,, a., /quality. ,. that it . will j rapidly "beeWhe popular, i We allude I to the cheese manufactured by Messrs Shaw and Chalmers, and which we have inspected, and! can. say is a thoroughly first-class article. Although only a commencement, the article produced is of most excellent manufacture, tempting to leok at, and quite equal in every respect tothe best imported from the South. The only thing it wants !is what it is gaining day by day, and that is age. It is very gratifying to find the maiden attempt here of Messrs Shaw and Chalmers such a thorough success, and we trust the public of Tauranga will thoroughly appreciate their enterprise and so patronise the local article as to enable it to become soundly and firmly established in the market in preference to the imported article. We must not omit to notice the article produced by MrvSnotlgrass, which has been long and favourably known in Tauranga, and has become established as a favourite in the popular taste. We trust before long to see many more industries of the kind profitably established in our midst, but small as our local industries are at present they are welcome signs of a prosperity that should ultimately have a beneficial effect on our permanent progress.

The amount of duty collected at this port for the week ended December 3rd, was £45 12s 3d. Thirty-eight head of fat cattle were brought from Motiti to-day, per. s.s. Glenelg, for the Auckland market.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Town Board will bo held Li tho Government Buildings, at 3 p.m. , to-morrow.

The s.s. Glenelg left the Town Wharf at halfirpast three.this morning, for Motiti, to load cattle for kuckland. The returned to the harbour during the afternoon.

The English mail is due in Auckland from San Francisco on Monday next. The Tauranga portioa may 1 be expected here per s,s. Wellington, pn Friday..,

JL rumour of the greatest importance to the maritime interes's of this port was circulated in town last night, it was to the effect that the Gazelle is to "have a cost of coal tar, and is in future to carry a light at her mast head ! Wo trust the report i» correct. Keally this hulk is a most unsightly object, and we do hope whoever is responsible for her present position, will see to having her removed as early as possible.

Two practical bricklayers, Messrs Stasy and Oantell, arrived at this place per s.s. Gienelg, yesterday, bringing with them all the requisites for a bricknißking business. They have determined to commence this industry m the distric, but have not yet settled which part of the district they will try first. We understand they have proceeded to Mount Stewart, to look at the land round there, and afterwnrds they are to try tho Urctara.

The following notice nppears in the Gazette-: — "John Alfred Chadwiek and Windham Franris Phillips — Allotments 108, 110, 111, 112. lU, 135, 135 nnd 141, of the town of Grreerton, containing 8 acres, in occupation of Windham Francis Phillips, 1798. These parcels of land will be brought under the provisions of the 'Land Transfer Act, 1870' unless caveat be lodged forbidding the same on or before the 28th day of December,"

The B^B. Oreti is> advertised to leave this for Auckland -to-morrow.

A notice appears in the Gazette, appointing the Town and Victoria Wharves logal landing places for tho lading and 'unlading of Ropdo,' under the ° Ouetoms Kegulations' Act. ' Mr J^ Ellihghant is the successful tenderer for erecting verandah in front of four new shops pn the Strand for Mr .John Ghadwok,— M> Fitz-Gibbon Louch, iO.&, architect. [ | The Atuarpa butchery hear the Bailway store, at Te Pllke, is to be opened in a few dayß. Mr William Shannessy having obtained his license at the last meeting of the County Council. :

A, circular is being industriously handed about the town signed by Mr Blake, containing the following ' paragraph "Mr Kinij must have telegraphed -the contents of the letter last night to, the Bay of Plknty Times, as no reference has been made to it in the Auckland papers." We give this statement an unqualified contradiction. The letter in question was received per s.s. Glenelg on Tuesday morning. lake many other reports that are being spread about the object is to prejudice one candidate in the interest of another.

The formation of a footpath on the cast side of Cameron Koad will be a great boon to the public, wh'6 have long felt the want of such a convenience. Mr Somerville, the contractor, appears to be doing his work well, and from the progress that has bt en made, the path should very soon be completed. IS'ow that the people of the east side have got a footpath, the people residing oh the west side are entitled to a similar convenience, and as Captain Turner is preparing plans, we hope the Counr cil.will not allow the next meeting to pasg without instructing him to invite tenders. The leading thoroughfare in Tauranga ought certainly t> bo provided with the convenience of a footpath on each side.

A report was spread this morning that a square rigged vessel was seen out beyond Mayor Island, and it at once became the talk of the town that the ship May Queen was in siuht. We have inquired carefully, and have been informed by several reliable persons that a square rigged ship was in sight thin morning, but as no signal was hoisted at the pilot station, we presume it. "was not the May Queen. Between 9 and 10 a.m. a good many persons gathered on the Victoria and Town Wharves, and many were the glasses levelled towards the pilot station. Something like the top-masts of a vessel were seen between the pilot station and the Mount ; but the general impression was that this was not a vessel, but something recently erected by Captain Best.

The Burfaccman has' been engaged for the last day or two in raising the footpath in front of Mr Chadwick's no* buildings on the Strand. At the last meeting of the I own Board this mutter come up lor discussion, when some of the members seemed to bo of opinion that Mr Rhodes had raised the part opposite his place too high, and that it would have to be roduced. It now iurns out that the part opposite Mr Rhodes' is considerably too low, and that this, with ihe other parts of the footpath, will require to be raised a considerable height to bring it to tiu; proper level. We are glad to see that the engineer fully endorses the opinion we eipressed some dayajago, after milking an inspection of the place. This work when complete will be a great improvement.

A correspondent writes >— "I see by the Auckland papers that the contest between Sir George Grey and Mr J. M. Clark for the seat for, City .East is creating intense excitement. It is. the most important contest that will be fought in the colony, and much angry feeling is already being indulged in. Some strong language was indulged in on nomiuation day, and subsequent circumstances did not tend ,to f Hay the irritation that was aroused. Mr Olai'k seems .the popular candidate, and appears likely to become the elected member. At the nomination the show of hands was l»rgely in favour of Mr Clark, there being 25 held up for him, and 19 for Sir George Grey. It will be a loss to the colony if Sir George Grey's abilities are not used in the service of his adopted country. It is a striking contrast to the Inst general election, when Sir George Grey was the idol of the people, and when his fiat went forth bis 'nominees were re* turned. District matters appear to have wonderfully altered since then, and the once dominant political party has now a desperate struggle to even get its chief returned."

The withdrawal by Mr Henry T. Rowe from the contest for the Tauranga electorate was received in town early yesterday morning, and handed to the Heturning Officer. We are informed he retires afc tho request of his numerous supporters, who think it better for the interests of tho district that they should all support one candidate than split the votes on the other side, and allow one of the other candidates to go in. A correspondent writes : — v Mr Rowo made a a great hit sit Pxriri in demonstruting the preference of special settlements, as undertaken by Mr Stewart, in opposition to those being under the direct control of Government, as advocated by the other candidates. The retirement of Mr Rowe will greatly strengthen Mr Stowart' cause at the Thames, and from, numbers o? letters received from that district by Mr Stewart's agent, there is every reason to expect he will head thn poll there with a very substantial majority. The supporters of Mr Stewart and Mr Eowo having now combined, and declared to support! Mr Stewart as against the other two Tauranga candidates, should have a great influence on the remaining part of the Thames electors, for they are fully alive to tho benefit to be derived from giving i one candidate their unanimous support. Mr Howe, I understand, has gone to the Upper Thames, to thoroughly canrass on Mr Stewart's behalf the different centres of population before the eventful Friday. From Mr Howe's letter I learn he anticipates Mr Stewart will receive considerably over one-half of the votes that will be. polled on tha 9th, and vigorons efforts will he made at the Thames to place him in first posiiion with as great a majority as possible."

It is said that; pmnea fowls will keep down all pardon pe»tn of the insect kind. They are gplcndid for the table, nnd their epgß are delt<'i"iip. They d^i not pcrabch up the ground nor injiue *h« plantw. They make aplendid venti' els by ivgHt or day, though noisy. They will kill »11 young fowls of other kinds.

Mr Oroik, late of Dew*bnry, 'England, but; now of Sydney., NA Wales, thus writes of tlii colonhls :— " A word on the colonials— the white people born and reared out here. Thfiy nro jnzy, dirty, drunkeu, and deceitful. The drunkenness out here, both of men and women, is something frightful, and the immorality and vice appalling It is a common thing to see a woman laid on the roadside drank and inatpable, unconscious of everything a'OMivl. Young aud old, ■ there are hundrods of them. Peopln can net drunk all day on .-v -dnyi at thr> t-<v rns. Thn law compels thu front doors to bo shut, but aid© doors are open. It ia estimated that £19,000 is spent; every week ia Sydney tor drink,"