The Press. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1869.

Press, Volume XV, Issue 1999, 11 September 1869, Page 2

The Press. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1869.

NEWS OF THE BAY. Owing to the pressure upon our epace, we are compelled to hold over a considerable number of standing advertisements, together with several letters, and other matter. Yesterday a the Rangiora fair was fairly attended, though hardly so well as the committee anticipated, considering the time of year.

The boating season commences to-day with a procession of boats on the Avon at two o'clock. Several matches will follow, and it is expected that a race between two water velocipedes will take place.

On Thursday an influential deputation waited upon the Provincial Executive, requesting that etepe might to be taken for clearing the Biver Avon outside the city boundary at Avonside. The deputation was courteously received, and a promise given that the Government would bear one-third of the expense of the undertaking.

At the weekly meeting of the Kaiapoi Institute Chess Club on Wednesday, it was resolved to invite the Christchurch and Lyttelton clubs to play two match games each.

The next annual meeting of the Kaiapoi Building Society will be held on the 6th October. The retiring directors this year are Messrs Eckersley and Parnham, who are both eligible for re-election.

The telegraph line between Wellington and Wanganui will be completed in a month's time.

The polling for the Kaiapoi Borough Council election will take place on Monday. The candidates are Messrs Porter, Newnham, Dudley, Funston, and Bevell. The poll opens at eight and closes at four p.m.

Op Thursday evening as Mr B. G. Griffiths, of the Imperial and Victorian Stores, Christchurch Railway Station, was driving in a buggy, the horse shied and bolted. Mr Griffiths, who was thrown out, was bruised, and his ancle sprained. The horse was much in* jured, and the buggy smashed. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Leithfield, on September 9, T. Muir charged with being drunk and disorderly, was fined 10s and costs. Civil Case—Saltwater Creek School Committee v A. Barnes—Claim 10s for school rate; defendant claimed exemption, being only a tenant at will in the house he occupied ; judgment for full amount and costs. At the Nisi Prius eittings of the Circuit Court held yesterday in the Town Hall, before proceeding to the business of the day, Mr Wynn Williams took occasion to congratulate the learned judge, the jury, and all those connected in any way with the proceedings of the Court, that the day's proceedings would close the connection of the Court with the old Town Hall. He remarked that although the next sittings would not be held in a grand building yet he believed that the convenience and comfort of all concerned would be greatly promoted by the change. On Tuesday night the crew of the American ship Panther (says the " Argus ") rescued a seaman from the Newcastle police, who boarded the vessel, and forcibly entered the captain's cabin in search of their prisoner. The captain stabbed several of the constables, one of whom is dangerously injured. Captain Kilton was afterwards arrested, and brought up at the Police Court, charged with assaulting the police in the execution of their duty. He was remanded to Friiay* On Thureday morning a house belonging to Messrs Bain Brothers, and situated near the Sandhills, was totally destroyed by fire. The building was uninsured. The Wimbledon meeting began this year on the sth of July, and will close on the 17th vrith a grand review, in which 5000 regular troops are to take part. The Blue Biband, tae Queen's prize, has been won, for the

On Tuesday night the crew of the American ship Panther (says the " Argus ") rescued a seaman from the Newcastle police, who boarded the vessel, and forcibly entered the captain's cabin in search of their prisoner. The captain stabbed several of the constables, one of whom is dangerously injured. Captain Kilton was afterwards arrested, and brought up at the Police Court, charged with assaulting the police in the execution of their duty. He was remanded to Friiay*

On Thureday morning a house belonging to Messrs Bain Brothers, and situated near the Sandhills, was totally destroyed by fire. The building was uninsured.

The Wimbledon meeting began this year on the sth of July, and will close on the 17th vrith a grand review, in which 5000 regular troops are to take part. The Blue Biband, tne Queen's prize, has been won, for the

eooonrt t'IDP. Hy Corporal Angus Cemeron, of the 6th liivt in< 9'phire, who was the winn.

in 18o*6. The shooting was unusually gour , . though the state of the atmosphere was for a time unfavorable. Mr Cameron's eeore was 71, the next being 67. The Elcho Challenge Shield for England, Scotland, and Ireland, was won by Scotland.

We learn from the "Argue" that despatches j from Fiji Islands have been received by Mr Firmer, dated the 24th and 30th of July last. Mr Cook announces that he has received the deed of conveyance for Suva and Benga | From the latter he anticipates a revenue of £2000 on account of cocoanut oil. Mr Firmer further informs us that as the British Government have definitely refused the annexation of the islands, that a petition was being extensively signed to the American Government to grant the settlers there (who, he observes, are mostly British subjects) the permanent protection of the flag of the United States, under their own eyetem of self-government, and he further observes that King Thakombau does not want to cut the painter with America at all. He also states that the negotiations he has completed with the native authorities and the American consul have been eminently successful, inasmuch as they have resulted in securing to the Polynesian Company the whole of Suva harbor, which port ie destined to become the great commercial emporium of the islands.

The following letter on the subject of New Zealand flax, from Messrs Devitt and Hett to their London correspondent has been handed to us by Messrs Cobb and Sawtell:—" 16 Mark Lane, London, July 14, 1869—We have carefully examined and compared the sample of New Zealand flax from Wellington, and consider the quality very good, very clean, and of good color ; but we would suggeet that in case of shipment of any parcels to this country, the strength of the fibre should not be weakened by the use of strong chemicals, as we fancy is the case with the sample, as it has a soft spungy appearance, and the glory of this fibre when well dressed, is its great strength. We value this sample at £41 to £42 per ton, which is £1 per ton over the highest price yet paid tor the best quality from Auckland. We strongly recommend your friends to make regular shipments of welldressed flax, like No. 1 sample, or as much cleaner as possible, so long as the extra expense is not too great, or else we would advise the shipment of the straw-like No. 3, which contains very strong fibre of eilky appearance, aiid which can be dressed here perhaps cheaper than in New Zealand, but this we must leave your friends to deoide for themselves, as they must calculate the difference in cost of dressing, freight, &c, to get at the nett reeult. We feel confident that the trade in this flax will become a very remunerative one, if the suggestions made are strictly adhered to; but unless spinners can rely upon a regular supply of one uniform quality, they will not take the trouble to alter their machinery for it. What we have to do is to compete with manilla hemp, which is just now very high in price, and seems likely to continue so, viz., £50 per ton for good, up to £80 for fine white."