The Press. WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1865.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 801, 24 May 1865, Page 2

The Press. WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1865.

Tbx Zg&elto* Times takes exception to a statement in the Press that Mr. Dobson in Mb report had used the investigations of Messrs. JShamsai and Browning without acknowledgment. The tenor of our remarks wa§ to this effect—that Mr. Dobson had started a theory as to the construction of the rocks in the central range of the province from which it might be concluded from a priori reasoning that no pass could lie expected to the West Coast "We dexnurred to that line of xeasoning. It appears

to us that that question has been settled solely by Mr. Harman's and Mr. Armstrong's expeditions, and that without the information thus acquired, no a priori reasoning could lead to a reliable result. But the Lyttelton Times goes on to say that Messrs. Edward and George Dobson personally examined these passes some days before the expeditions referred to. This is not the case. Neither of those gentlemen ever examined those passes at all. They looked at them from this side, but did not surmount them, and did not know what lay on the other side. It is quite true that Mr. Dobson may assert that they are impracticable on this side, but we do not accept his dictum. Mr. Cahill, who has constructed, we believe, one of the most difficult mountain roads in the colony, saw nothing impracticable whatever in Mr. Browning's pass. Mr. Harman and Mr. Browning give the same opinions as to the other pass, which in fact presents no insurmountable difficulties on this side. Had those passes led to the west and struck the head waters of the Arahura, which are only some three or four miles distant, the enormous saving in distance would have rendered all the difficulties on this side of light consequence. We cannot but take this opportunity of paying a tribute to Mr. George Dobson's great exertions as an explorer. His journey down the Otira, returning over the Goat's pass, was a feat showing remarkable energy and vigor, considering the nature of the country and the time it occupied. And yet Mr. G-. Dobson returned announcing the Otira gorge to be impracticable for a road. Further inspection has pronounced this gorge to be quite practicable. We do not therefore accept the first hurried observation of a pass as a final result, and as a matter of fact no one had ever been up the North "West Branch—Harman's branch —of the Waimakariri at all until the works on the Bealey had been in hand a considerable time. These works were begun without any sufficient inspection of the pass which was the most promising of all as to direction.

It struck us as a singular want of judgment that Mr. G. Dobson should have heen subsequently employed in prospecting the Poulter river instead of the head waters of the "Waimakariri. He did his work thoroughly amidst these ranges, but had. he found a pass in that direction a glance at the map shows that it would have been worthless ; for any road by the Poulter must he so far out of the way, and must come out so high up on the Teramakau, as to render it inferior as a route to that by the Hurunui. The Bealey route out of the Waimakariri basin is the very farthest east which can ever compete with the Hurunui. The great object all along has been to get not into the Teramak.au, which is far out of the way, but to the Hokitika j or Arahaura : in short, to go westerly, in-! stead of making a long detour to the north j to have to return again to the south on the West Coast. This question is not yet settled, j No one has yet got out of the basins of the' Bakaia or "Waimakariri into the westerly j basins of the Hokitika or Arahura except the late Mr. Whitcombe. The pass which he discovered is, we are told, exceedingly easy on this side ; on the other side he got entangled in deep ravines, but the weather was so terrible and his provisions so scanty, that hehad to hurry down without thoroughly prospecting the ranges, so as to see if there was a possible line to be got by side cutting along the hills on the west side. The head waters of the Bakaia have not yet been thoroughly prospected, and until the exploration is complete there is no reason for believing it impossible that some of the valleys, running as they do in a northerly and southerly direction, may not meet the corresponding valleys on the other side, separated, only by low saddles. Now that the "West Coast is occupied, and that the explorer is going, not as in poor Mr "Whitcombe's case into a country where no means of life existed, but where a day's walk will lead to shelter and food, the mountains will be penetrated in all directions; and it is quite possible that we may shortly find the Bealey route entirely deserted in favor of a more direct road. One great advantage would be gained in a route by the Bakaia above all others, in that the railway about to be constructed would shorten the distance ofland carriage by some twenty miles. Weanticipate a very large access of information on the return of Messrs. Browning and Phillips. Those gentlemen have now been out about a month, and by this time have returned to Major Scott's or have got through to Hokitika. And they will probably have explored, at alTevents several, if not all, of the numerous streams into which the head waters of the Bakaia branch out. "We have no wish to underrate Mr. Dobson's services, but* we for one, and we think the public generally, will not be content to accept a conclusion, based on a theory, as superceding the necessity of actual survey of the country. It is a work of time and of danger; but we

are persuaded that no class of men are doing more valuable service at the present moment than those who are laboring to extend our acquaintance with the great barrier between this part of the province and the West Coast.

Since writing the above we have learnt that Mr. Harper arrived in town yesterday, and states that nothing has yet been heard of Messrs. Browning and Griffiths, but that two of the horses, they had with them have returned to Major Scott's station. As they had three horses and the missing one was accustomed to run with one of those returned, it is conjectured as highly probable that the third is still kept by the party, who are therefore somewhere on this side the range. Had the horse been turned out it would most likely have been with its comrades. Messrs. Browning and Griffiths had provisions for nearly a month, and intended when starting to remain out the full time in order to prospect all the streams possible. As, however, the month has elapsed, and they may have been cut off by the rivers, an expedition will start under Mr. Harman to-day or to-morrow morning to see if they are in need of any assistance. As they were, both experienced explorers we do not see much cause for anxiety ; but we think the Government are bound to let no further time elapse without sending assistance; and Mr. Harman who was with them, and is acquainted with their intentions, has volunteered to start at once.

Discoveby ob Human Remains.—An enquiry was held on Monday at the .toll-house, Kaiapoi, before Dr. Dudley, the coroner for the district, respecting the skeleton of a man which had been found by Mr. Orchard, of Woodend, on the North Beach. Mr. Orchard, who is a carpenter and resides at Waikuku, said that on the 18th inst. he was walking on the beach when he found portions of a skeleton, viz., the skull, backbone, one leg and foot. The foot, which wa3 quite perfect had on a blucher boot tied with a piece of rag. He also found some smaller bones lying near the skeleton. He collected the remains, and gave information to Mr. Cameron, who communicated with the police, by whom they were brought to Kaiapoi, and the matter reported to the coroner. The body when found was r at highwater mark and could not have been washed any higher. The feet appeared to be lying towards the sea with the face downwards. Sergeant Beattie, of the armed police force, gave similar evidence to the above, and said that he co njectured the body might possibly be that of a man named Baker, who was drowned in March last when ! going to Sumner lighthouse with water. Dr. Beswick stated that there was nothing about the bones to indicate that death had been caused by violence. He should suppose them to be those of a man of from 45 to 50 years of age, and about 5 feet 8 inches in height, and that they had been in the water about three months. The inquest was then adjourned till the 29th inst., to allow time for the identification of the remains, of which the coroner furnished our reporter with the following description:—The remains appear to be those of a man aged about 50 years, rather more or less, about 5 feet 8 inches in height, had on when found a pair of cotton drawers and one blucher boot, very square at the toe, nearly new, and nailed from the toe to the heel, and tied with what appeared to be a piece of rag or tape. They can be seen on application to the sergeant of police at Kaiapoi.

Sittings in Chambebs. —The following case was heard yesterday in Chambers by his Honor Mr. ! Justice Gresson:— ln re the estate of H. and D. Manning. Mr. Wynn Williams moved for' a rule nisi calling upon Mr. F. Slater, solicitor, and Mr. J. C. Aikman,-the trustee, to show cause why they should not pay into Court the sum of £412 received by Mr. Slater from the debtors to the estate, Dr. Foster, Mr. Cowlishaw and Mr. Slater having severally made some remarks with respect to the interests of the different parties, when his Honor suggested that the matter might be settled by his making an order for payment of the money into Court, and after ascertaining the proper amount of costs that should be paid, the money could be distributed amongst the creditors; Dr. Foster said that his client, Mr. Slater, had paid the full amount received to the Trustee, and that Mr. Williams was applying for the rule with a full knowledge of that fact. Mr. Williams said he denied ever having heard it, excepting in the course of conversation, and even if he had knowh it, it would not make the slightest difference, as the money had been paid since the filing of bis affidavits and notice of motion. The Trustee was brought in because he was now acting in collision with the creditors, and not because he had done anything intentionally wrong. His Honor said that as no terms could be come to, he must grant a rule in the terms of the application, returnable next Chamber day. Thb Pbovihciali Govbbnment Accounts.—A statement has just been published of the receipts and expenditure by the Provincial Treasurer, for the quarter ending March 31. They are arranged under four several heads, viz., the Ordinary Account, the General Account of Land and Works, Harbor and Railway Works, and the West Coast Goldfields Account. On the first account the income amounts to £18,951, and the expenditure to £17,569 2s 6d, but the balance against the account from December 31 was £12,096 2s 4d, which is reduced for the quarter commencing April 1 to £10,714 4s lOd. In the General Account of Land and Works, the receipts were £13,576 2s 4d, and the expenditure £22,987 3s 6d, including a balance overstanding from the last quarter of £339 3s lOd. showing an over-expenditure of £9411 Is 2d. This amount only includes about £800 for works in the"".Upper Waimakariri country, but something over £7000 went in grants to the different municipalities. The Railway and Harbor Works account shows a balance against the next quarter of £6673 2s Id, the receipts for the quarter being £12,278 Os. Id, and the expenditure £17,374 25., an overstanding account of ,£1577 Oa. 2d., making up the difference. The principal item is the works on the Lyttelton and Christchurch railway, on which the expenditure amounts to £15,071 15s. On the

West Coast goldfields account the expenditure is £1,393 lis. 2d., of which the receipts fall short by £306 16s. 3d. The amount of export duty for the quarter was £597 103. The balance due to the Bank for the whole quarter on all the accounts combined is £27,105 4s. 4d.

Flax Wobks.—The flax works of Mr. Donaldson, in the Harewood road, were yesterday thrown open for inspection, and the process by which he intends to prepare flax fit for market explained to visitors. During the afternoon several merchants and others interested in the experiment visited the spot, and received from Mr. Donaldson a detailed account of his operations. The machinery at present in use can only be called a model of what is intended, and consists of a small caloric engine, a crusher, and a machine for washing the flax after it has been put through the mill. Mr. Donaldson has two methods by which he intends to operate; the first is by steeping the flax in a chemical compound, by which means the gummy substances are partially removed, after which the stems are run through the rollers and the remaining vegetable matter extracted by pressure; the pulp is then thoroughly washed and dried, and is fit for market. The second method varies from the first only in one particular, and that is, that the fla 1 is put through the rollers green, as cut, and is afterwards boiled in the compound and operated upon as in the process first described. The difficulty to be overcome in preparing flax is to extract the whole of the gummy and vegetable matter without destroying the fibre, and for this end many chemical compounds have been invented, but hitherto no one has been discovered of sufficient pungency to effect the one without the latter alternative following. This difficulty Mr. Donaldson professes to have overcome, though of course the different ingredients forming his compound are not divulged. He proposes that a company should be formed (his own means being inadequate), consisting of eighty shares of £10 each, forming a capital of £800, which he estimates will be sufficient to procure machinery capable of turning out weekly a quantity of not less than 24 cwt of flax fit for exportation. He calculates that the weekly expenses would amount to £14 10s, and the flax would readily bring here 20s per cwt, leaving a margin for profit of £9 10s on each week's work, or interest at the rate of 45 per cent, for the capital invested, after making great reductions for wear and tear of machinery, stoppages, Ac. Mr. Donaldson is willing to take for his remuneration the sum of £5 per week as manager until 6uch time as the amount manufactured should reach 40 tons, the quantity specified for which the Government reward of £2000 will be paid, one-half of which istobepaidto him for the invention ; or should the company find it more profitable to take out a patent and not claim the reward, he shall still receive that or an equivalent in shares as soon as that quantity shall have been procured. Samples of the prepared flax can be seen at the offices of Messrs. Deßourbe] and Co. Yesterday an offer was made by Mr. Edward Thomas, a ropemaker, to purchase any quantity of the flax equal to the samples yesterday at 6d. per lb., but with the means at present at his disposal Mr. Donaldson says he could not manufacture sufficient to make this pay. He states that the machinery required would be very simple, the great requisite being sufficient power. The cost of the chemicals Mr. Donaldson calculates to be 15s. per ton of flax, and it is his opinion that no very large area of flax ground would be required, as the usual crop of flax amounts to about seven tons per acre, and only the outside leaves being required the inner portions of the plant would be left to grow and come in for the next year's crop. We hear that it is intended to call a public meeting to consider the subject. We do not wish to throw any cold water upon Mr. Donaldson's speculation, and wish him every success; at the same time we cannot forget that his is not the first invention by many a dozen which has been made for preparing the flax fibre, all of which have been failures. The specimen of flax placed in our hands, which was cleaned yesterday, does not, we are bound to say, give us much hope. It is not by any means entirely free from gum, and the fibre seems to us to be decidedly injured. So much money has been lost by new comers in these flax speculations, that we think the press is bound to speak with perfect candour in the matter.

The Queen's Bibthdat. —To-day has been proclaimed a public holiday in honor of the birthday of the Queen, and on all sides the public seem determined to make the most of the occasion. In Christchurch the different companies of volunteers will muster at the Drill-shed at noon, and fire a feu de Joie. The first turf of the Great Southern Railway will he turned at one o'clock, by Mrs. Bealey. The Volunteer Ball will take place in the evening in the new Town Hall, and the Temperance Society will hold a conference in Bonnington's Hall, to be followed by a tea and public meeting. At Lyttelton the artillery will fire a royal salute with the Armstrong gun, and a regatta will take place during the afternoon. At Kaiapoi the volunteers wQI also fire a feu de joie at noon, and a Volunteer Ball will take place at the Kaikanui Hotel at night.

Lyttelton Municipal Council. — Yesterday was the day appointed for the nomination of three members of the Municipal Council of Lyttelton in place of Messrs. Donald, Fairhurst and Day, resigned. The Chairman, Mr. E. A. Hargreaves, stated that the person elected in the place of Dr. Donald would retire in January, 1866, while those elected in the room of Messrs. Fairhurst and Day would remain inoffice till January, 1867; he then called upon the ratepayers to nominate a candidate for the place in the Council vacated by Dr. Donald. Mr. W. HHargreaves proposed, and Mr. Day seconded, Mr. J. Dransfield; Mr. Wilcox proposed, and Mr. Wilkin seconded, Mr. J. N. Fairhurst. The show of hands was in favor of Mr. Dransfield, and as no poll was demanded he was declared duly elected. The Chairman then called on the electors" to nominate two candidates to fill the places of Messrs. Fairhurst and Day. The following were the candidates : —Mr. J. N. Fairhurst, proposed by Mr. Jenkins and seconded by Mr. Rayner; Mr. Wilcox, proposed by Mr. Preece and ; seconded by Mr. Wilkin j Mrs TJ. Macpherson, proposed by Mr. Fairhurst and seconded by Mr. Preece j Mr. J. Ward, proposed by Mr. Webb and seconded by Mr. Herbert. A show of hands was called for with the following result:—Macpherson, 16 *, Fairhursf* 13; Wilcox, 10; Ward, 5. A poll was demanded by Mr. Wilcox, which will take place tomorrow from 10-a.m. to 4 p.m., and. the result will be declared at 4.30 p.m. the same day.

Chamber or ComtEBCE. —A quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be held in the rooms, High street, on Monday, the 29th instant. The business will be the reception of the report on Customs tariff and the election of new members.

Rifle Match. —The return match between Nos. 1 and 2 Companies will take place on Saturday next, at the Hillsborough butts. It will be remembered that the first match was won by No. 2 Company by 18 points, and the second by No. 1 Company by 13 points; the match on Saturday will be therefore the conquering one for the season.

VoiiTTKTBBE Ball.—We have been requested to publish the following programme for the presentation of prizes to the Volunteers at the ball this evening : — At 11 o'clock the bugle will sound, when the company in the hall will open out, right and left, leaving a clear space for the "Volunteers, when the prizes will be presented to the fortunate winners by Mrs. Bealey, the lesser ones first, and the champion cup last. This enp is a plain silver cup, value £30, and will have on it an inscription. We are requested to notice that Volunteers in uniform should wear white gloves. Peincbss' Theatbe. —The performance last night was a repetition of that of the previous evening, and though the attendance was very limited both pieces went off well, and were received with much applause. For to-night, in celebration of tho Queen's birthday, Mr. Hall has provided a most attractive bill. We are to have a drama in three acts, entitled Margaret Catchpole, a heroine well known in the- county of Suffolk, where her extraordinary adventures have formed the subject for a novel. Then follow a series of grand tableaux, concluding loyally, as befits the occasion, with the National Anthem and Rule Britannia. Little Laura will perform the Sailor's Hornpipe, in her usual clever spirited style, and the whole will wind up with the amusing farce of the Boots at the Swan. Every one is going to keep holiday to-day, and the announcement of such a programme will convince most that the festivities of the day will be incomplete unless they close in a visit to the theatre.