THE Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4740, 2 November 1872, Page 2

THE Daily Southern Cross.

LUCEO, NON URO. If I have been extinguished, yet there lise A thousand beacons fiom the spmk I boio.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1872. We glean from the Southern papers that ie is the intention of the General Government to encourage an Inter-pro-vincial Exhibition of New Zealand produce, to be held at Christchurch early in December, with a view of making a suitable selection of articles which are to be forwaided for exhibition to Vienna. It is to be hoped that all sections of the community will show becoming energy in this business, not only in coming forward with an adequate display of such commodities as it is desirable should be exhibited on behalf of the colony, but .that the utmost despatch will be exercised as well, seeing that the time is now i limited within which exhibits should be forwarded to Europe. It is understood that applications detailing the articles to be exhibited, and the space required, should be received by the General Committee of Management, in Vienna, by the Ist of January, 1873. It is to be assumed, however, that instructions will be given in the meantime to the Agent-General to secure a certain amount of space, in order to prevent disappointment, as it is impossible that articles which are to be brought together at Canterbury in December could be properly advised in Europe at the date specified. If this is done, there ■will, we suppose, be nothing to prevent the exhibits being subsequently received in due course. The time for the reception of atticles extends to the 15th April, and the Exhibition itself will be opened on the Ist of May. We observe that in most of the leading provinces of the colony steps are being taken to have the special products of the several localities duly represented at the Chriatchurch Exhibition, which is to take place we understand about the middle of December. In Dunedin a public meeting was to be convened a short time ago, by direction of the Provincial Government, with a view of affording intending exhibitors there all necessary information and assistance. Business men were taking an interest in the matter, and there is every reason to believe that Middle Island products at least will be well iepresented. We have no doubt that the people of this piovince will not be behindhand, but we shall be glad to hear that proper steps are being taken for forwarding our exhibits to Christchurch in good time. Our citizens appear too lethargic to take the initiatory steps for the holding of an interprovincial or intercolonial exhibition in this province ; but it is to be hoped no dilatoriness will be displayed in forwarding specimens of our natural products to the Exhibition now to be opened at Christchurch. This is a matter in which the Provincial authorities might be of some service, and we trust they will see it to be their duty to exert themselves to do what they can in the way of encouragement to intending exhibibors. All necessary information should be afforded which might tend to facilitate the transmission of articles for show at Canterbury, It is above all things desirable that the forthcoming opportunity should not be overlooked for having the products of the colony favourably represented in the markets of Europe. Hitherto New Zealand has not been so represented. Many of our products, no doubt, have been on view from time to time in the Industrial Exhibitions of London and Paris, but they have been almost invariably confounded with the products of Australia. Our great natural resources as a separate British colony have never yet been displayed on such occasions to the best advantage. This need be the case no longer if the colony now means to be true to itself. A separate space is intended to be set apart expressly for the accommodation and display of New Zealand products, and it is to be borne in mind that the approaching Exhibition will be on a scale of more than ordinary extent and magnificence. In fact, it will be unprecedented a» a world's fair. The pro-" ducing and manufacturing resources of all nations will be represented at the Vienna Exhibition. The largest numberi of exhibitors ever yet brought together at one time will be there, and the greatest possible variety of interests i will be represented. The English papers speak of the preparations in connection with the undertaking as being most extensive and imposing. The result so far, it is said, Surpasses all previous precedents. Upwards of 15,000' Austrian' exhibitors have announced tjieir intention of taking part' in the Exhibition, and from Hungary alone have come more than 3,000 requests for admission. The German Empire will be represented by some eight to ten thousand exhibitors, while Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, France, and other Continental nations will send their products in immerisevarieiy. 1 O£ more distant countries ihe* : tTaifced' 'States, I

China, India, Brazil, Japan, will be well represented, and the Porte ac well as Egypt have taken steps to ensure the participation of the East in the universal competition. It may be also assumed, that England and the British colonies -will be largely represented. Altogether, there is every reason for believing that this great Continental Exhibition of the industries of the world will be the largest and most important that has ever been witnessed. Such an opportunity for exhibiting the products of New Zealand to advantage, as we said before, must not be overlooked, and therefore we trust that the efforts now being put forth in various quarters for the purpose of securing the transmission home in good time of a suitable representation of the various valuable resources of the colony, will be in all respects equal to the occasion.

The cheering improvement in the revenue exhibited by the continued advance in the Customs revenue for July and -August speaks well for the pros pects of the colony for the ensuing year These two months show an improvement on the corresponding term for last year of £17,545, or equal to £105,270 for the year. This is the more encouraging, as it sustains the improvement in the revenue which had set in during the latter part of the last financial year, and therefore may be fairly taken as a safe indication of the general prosperity of the trade of the colony. Of course this will be ill news for the professional grumblers, whose dirge-like lamentations amid the bright sunshine of our prosperity are so often laughed at by their good-natured and long-suffering readers. We can imagine the internal groanings of these lachrymose sensationalists at this practical refutation of the slanders they areutteringagainstthecolony,andaending forth to the world by the present mail. The colony however has nothing to fear from such crude efforts at misrepresentation. The fact is established now beyond contradiction that we are making successful headway against our difficulties. The straightforward action of the Colonial Government in carrying out its colonising policy is inspiring confidence in commercial circles. The gold export of the colony for the last quarter ending the 30th September is also very encouraging. Though not equal to last year it amounts to a very respectable sum, namely, 98,9560z. of gold, valued at £389,278, or equal to upwards of a million and a half of money for the year. Our wool produce is still on the increase, and the steady improvement maintained in the Home market is not without a highly beneficial effect upon the prosperity of the colony. The total amount of wool exported by New Zealand within the financial year of 1871 was 35,964,2711b., valued at £1,476,639. For the present year the export is 40,691,2351b., valued at £2,374321. This shows an increase of production of 4,7?6,9641b. of wool, and an increase in receipts in return of £897,673. So great is the improvement for the year on a single industry. These are sufficiently encouraging signs of the steadily advancing prosperity of the colony, and fully sustain our previously expressed opinion, that, everything considered, we have good reason to be satisfied with the present, and to be hopeful for the future.

Several of the Auckland mombers of the House of Representatives were passengers from Wellington yesterday by the mail steamship 'Nevada.' We would remind intending exhibitors at the New Zealand Agricultural Society's show on Wednesday next, in the | Albert Barracks, that there is now no time to delay in making preparation for the exhibits. We have not the authority to uae the names of intending exhibitors, but we can safely say that for variety of exhibits, provided the weather prove favourable, this exhibition will be far superior to that of last year. Many branches of industry carried on in Auckland were unrepresented last year, but the same will not happen again. For example, jewellery is manufactured to a very large extent here, and there were no representatives of that industry last year. So also with our glass works. It is well known that these two branches of trade are the media of circulating a considerable amount of money during the year, and each industry works up raw materials found in the pro-vince-Mr. Wilthew, sand, fireclay, &c. ; and Mr. Lewisson, our native gold, precious stones, &c. There are other industries which could be satisfactorily represented, for it is a mistake to suppose that, although the show is got up under the auspices of the Agricultural Society, the exhibition is to be confined to farm stock and agricultural implements. The committee intend, as far as they are able, to make it substantially an agricultural and industrial exhibition. The various establishments which turn out flour, biscuits, confectionery, flax, bellows, leather, blacking, kc., ought to be freely represented at the Exhibition on Wednesday next. The various workers in iron, brass, tinware, &c, could also be fittingly and profitably represented. We have one brick- and tile-making establishment, which made but a very poor sho^r last year, Mr. Carder being the only representative of these trades. We trust that a more general display in these branches of trade will be made this year. Wehave again our various stone-workers, who were wholly unrepresented last year, but from no fault of the committee of management. The lessees of Mangawai and Hape Creek quarries might show what they can do in their several lines. There is room for all, and the keener the occupation and the more numerous the exhibits the more interest will be felt in it. There are many other trades and occupations we could enumerate which should also be put in a position to receive at least " honourable mention" ia the judges' awards on Wednesday next ; but the things we have enumerated above will give some indication how numerous that list could be m&^e. Messrs. T. and S. Morrin and other firms will, we believe, exhibit on the occasion a selection of the wares they have to dispose of. Messrs. Morrin's collection was the best and most numerous last year, and we under- [ stand that other firms will try and dispute the right to that honourable distinctionthis year. Our Thames correspondent writes:— "A very striking instance, of difference in tendering prices was brought under my notice this this morning by Captain Richards, of the Caledonian mine. The work to be done was cleaning out and resecuring an old drive at so much per foot lineal measurement. JNineteen tenders were sent, at prices ranging between 355. and 3s. The lowest tender was 4ccer>ted,-and the men not only made wages at tne figure but performed the contract to the entire satisfaction of the manager. They however had to work long hours, and no doubt tendered at too low a price. But if they were too low what can be said of the altitude of the 355. per foot ? As Cousin Jonathan might remark, • tall wages would certainly have eventuated/ " We understand that a short time ago Mr. James Mackay, jun., left Auckland for the purpose of proceeding on a visit' to Tawhiao, in accordance, it ia aaid, with some understanding entered into with Mr. Stafford, while that gentleman held office as Premier. From information received in town it appears that ho b.as changed his mind upon the subject, and has turned off in the direction of Wharepapa. We presume he ,will proceed across the .country; and wilj, probably next b« heard of in the Ohinamuri dutriot.

As intimated in our yesterday's issue the ' Horticultural Society's Show day has been changed from the 13th inst. to the 6th, Wednesday next. The show will be held in the Drill-shed. The two shows, except in the matter of payment, will thus be practically one, that is, so far as the visiting public will be concerned. Those who go to the one show inside the BarrackValls will findbut a short distance to go before they are in the Horticultural Show. The reason which ha 3 decided the Society to change their exhibition day from the 13th to the 6th was the fact that, the Agricultural Society's Show being held on the Cth, and the Saturday following being also a holiday, the Prince of W ales's Bii thday, when the Volunteers will be reviewed, it was considered that the public would be so well satiated with two holidays in one week that but a small chance remained for a successful exhibition on the following Wednesday. There can be no doubt but the change of day resolved upon has been a judicious step, and should the weather prove favourable there will in all probability be a large attendance at both shows. The schedule of objects for which the Horticultural Society offer prizes is divided into four sections. The first section embraces the large one of " Plants in Pots ;" the second, "Cut Flowers;" the third, "Fruits;" and the fourth, " Culinary Vegetables." Amongst these different sections the Society offer no fewer than 90 first prizes, 67 second prizes, and 10 third prizss. The schedule is well arranged in favour of the amateur. In fact the attainment o£ prizes is made rather too easy. For instance, in the first section classes 34 to 36 inclusive will well illustrate our meaning : window plants in sets of six ; window plants in sets of three ; window plants, single specimen. In each of these classes no fewrer than three prizes are offered. This liberality should satisfy almost every amateur. In the section of cut flowers the same easy terms are offered. Herbaceous plants are divided into fonr classes — sets of 12, sets of six, and sets of three. Seeing that the Society has nude the conditions thus easy, we hope a numerous competition will be the result. The prizes for native plants deserve also some notice. There are two classes of them in the section of " Cut Flowers" — native plants, for rarity, in sets oi 12 ; native plants, for beauty, in sets of 12. The prizes for these classes should also be well contested. In the section for fruits there are two classes we would draw special attention to — pot-grown strawberries, in fruit, six pots j and pot-grown fruit trees, in fruit, six pots. These terms are also within the reach of many other than professional gardeners, and should secure good competition. There are also "special prizes," which deserve some notice. Mrs. T. B. Gillies offers a prize of £1 for the best collection of recent cut specimens of native fern, and allied plants indigenous to the Auckland isthmus and North Shore. This action on Mrs. Gillies's part should be the means of causing other ladies to do likewise. Mr. F. Mcßae, of the Grammar School, on behalf of the pupils attending that institution, offers three prizes for the best collection of cut specimens of native flowering plants, in any stage of flower or fruit, to comprise not less than 18 kinds. The prizes offered are respectively, £1, 155., and 7s. 6d. It is known to captains and officers of vessels trading to and from our port, as well as others engaged in our shipping trade, that Captain Burgess, acting in the double capacity of Harbour-master and Pilot, has more work put upon him than he is capable of performing efficiently, indefatigable and untiring in his duties as this officer is known to be. The pilot service and harbour duties ought to be under distinct departments. From time to time for months past our attention has been directed to the excessive work and the onerous duties imposed npon Captain Burgess. Within the last few weeks, however, owing to our enlarged shipping trade these duties are qnite over. weighting a very excellent and most worthy servant of our Harbour Board. We therefore trust that afc the next Board meeting some member will move, and that all the others will consider the advisability of relieving Captain Burgess from pilot's duty, by which he will be able to give his individual attention to the duties imposed upon him in his position of Chief Harbour-master. At Mr. Alfred Buckland's flax sale on Wednesday last there were exhibited two bundles of flax, prepared by Mr. James MoHaffie, residing in Beresford-street. The bladea from which the two bundles were prepared were obtained from the ordinary swamp flax, one of the bundles being prepared from phormium grown on drained land, and the other bundle from that which was grown in a wet undrained swamp. The two bundles were subjected to the same process at every stage of their manufacture, but to the most inexperienced in qualities of fibres there can be no hesitation in assigning the first position to that which was grown ou drained land. This atonce opens up thequestion of cultivating our phormium as our other crops are. The results obtained in this case are such as should direct the attention of manufacturers of this article to the gradual substitution of cultivated phormium in place of that grown wild on uncared-for land. Mr. MeFlaffie's method of cleaning the fihre is as yet a secret. The first part of the process is similar to that now in general use, but where the leaves come from the strippingmachine the fibre is steeped for a longer or shorter time in a warm chemical bath. After soaking here for a period ranging from half-an-hour to a couple of hours, the fibre is removed, washed, bleached, and dried in the usual mauner. It is then subjected to the scutch, and passed through in a dry state. It is said that, owing to the nature of the bath to which it had been subjected, scarcely any tow was made in the scutching process. It is claimed for this process that the fibre is left perfectly free from gum, much softer than by the usual treatment, and produced in a state well suiting it for subsequent processes of subdivision, &c, so as to render it fit for textile purposes. Samples of both kinds are now on exhibition at our publishing office, and any one interested in these matters can easily see that the article produced is a superior one. Mr. McHaffie informed us that the additional cost of the chemicals used in his process is more than recouped by the small quantity of tow that is made during the scutching process, and that fibre dressed according to his method can be produced iv quantity at as cheap a rate as the ordinary fibre that comes to the market. We learn that our report of the meeting of the Mount Albert ratepayers, held on Monday erening, was somewhat incorrect, and conveyed a wrong impression. The meeting was called by the District Board, for the purpose of taking into consideration the proposed division of the district, to form a suburban one of the part next town, removal of the (tollgate, and a request of certain ratepayers to have the whole of the Mount Hoskili road put into the Mount Eden district. Mr. Paice proposed that the tollgate be mored to the extreme boundary of the district from the town. Mr. Phillipps I moved au amendment, that it is undesirable j to make any alteration in the district by the ' removal of the tollgate or fresh division ; to ] which another amendment was moved by j Mr. Monk, that there be no division of the district, but that the district be relieved from the imposition of tolls. The last was carried by a large majority, with the under- ' standing that the Board would forward the same to the Government. j By an advertisement in another column it will be seen that the General Government have already called for tenders for the performance of the steam mail service between Auckland and Fiji, for a period of 18 months. Tenders are to be received until the 21st of December. Public works in che district are being rapidly proceeded with. Instructions have been received from head-quarters at Wellington to commence operations in opening up roads, and Captain Turner and his able and efficient staff are not allowing the grass to grow under their UsS.>-]3ay of Plenty Titnet.

Referring to the matter of laying the foundation stone of our new Market-house, it ia not definitely settled on what day it shall | take place, the contractor heing hardly sufficiently forward ; but doubtless it will be within a week or two, and probably on market ! day (B'riday), to meet the wishes of the country settlera. The Prince of Wales's I Birthday is likely to be a gala day with the Volunteers in the Domain. - Yesterday forenoon Mr. A. Buckland I offered by public auctian the right of admission to the New Zaaland Agricultural Society's Show in the Albert Barracks on Wednesday next; also the right to sell the catalogues and to erecfc a booth on the grounds. At the time the offers were made a good deal of rain was falling, and the weather appeared somewhat unsettled. Whether this had a depressing effect upon the bidding or not we cannot say, hut certain it is that only £65 waa offered for the right of admission to the grounds. The reserve put upon this part of the revenue expected from the Show being £100, of course the bid waa not accepted. There was no public offer for the catalogues or tLe booths. After the auction was over, we learn that the right of admission to the grounds waa sold privately to Mr.Bainbridge.of Otahuhu, for the sum of £101. An offer was made for the booths, but not being equal to what the committee had expected, and there being only two members of committee present, it was decided to defer closing with the offer until an opportunity was afforded of having the opinion of a quorum of the committee. A few days ago some little uneasiness was created in town respecting an alleged stoppage of the works at Niho-o-te-Kiore, and the works generally in the Upper Waikato. We are glad to learn that the rumour referred to was without foundation. The report of opposition to the works seema to have been got up by the Hauhau section of Haua and Kaukawa tribes for th 6 purpose of intimidating their neighbours the Queenites of Raukawa. The Kingites living at To Kuiti know nothing about the threats alleged to have been made. No serious opposition is likely to arise in connection with these works. The man Smith who so narrowly escaped the fate which befel his mate Hart, in the Manukau mine, on Thursday night, ia not very severely injured, but at the same time his hurts are considerable. There are ghastly wounds oh the right arm and wrist, and another on the right thigh, whilst his face is somewhat disfigured with the powder. His eyesight however ia sound, and ho far as the doctors can ascertain no bonea are broken. His recovery is simply a question of time and constitution. The wonder ia that he was not killed outright, as the space he and his mate were working in was very ood fined. We have received a printed circular letter by Mr. S. Kempthorne, headed, " A plea for Freedom of Speech and a Free Bible, the Only True Law of Liberty." It is addressed to the Committee of the Auckland Bible Association. The writer says :—": — " £ thought it desirable at the annual meeting to inquirebefore the resolution for adopting the report was put — whether the committee had considered the present position of the subject of public education, as affecting the circulation of the Scriptures among our own population, and whether they had considered any plan to counteract the contempt which will he shown towards'the Bible if it is excluded from our common and public schools." Mr. Kempthorne was about to move the followiag resolution, when he was declared by the chairman to be out of order : — " That it is the duty of all professing Christians, especially those engaged in promoting the circulation of the Scriptures, to use every constitutional effort to induce the Legislature to provide that the Holy Scriptures be taught in the schools for both races." The letter is one strongly urging the expediency, bo th from a political and religioua point of view, of the Bible being read in schools. A mishap occurred yesterday morning at Martinson's machine, Thames, whereby the engineer, Mr. Dick, lost the thumb of his right hand. He was in the act of hanging up one of the stampers, which was thought to have cast its shoe, when the cam, which was slowly revolving, caught his hand, and all hut severed the thumb. He at once proceeded to the Hospital, where Dr. Lethbridge completed the amputation. Thia wa.i a truly unfortunate event in more respects than one, for the sufferer hasa sick wife and sick brother ±o support. We are in receipt of papers from New Caledonia from the 18th September to the 9th October. The Moniteur of the 18th September states that a penitentiary establishment ia being formed at Uarai, and that the necessary arrangements are being pushed forward with all possible activity. Roads are in the course of construction between Uarai, Bourail, Canala, and Noumea. The same paper also mentions the visit of the 'Basilisk, 'and other matters of local interest. On the 24th and 26th September, being the anniversary of taking possession of New Caledonia by the French, there was a reception at Government House, The anniversary was the 18th of that historical event. Some of the outdoor rejoicings were postponed in consequence of the rainy weather. The Moniteur of the 2nd of October publishes the following telegram from the Government at Versailles, dated the 15th of August, 1872:— "From the Minister of Marine to the Governor of New Caledonia, at Noumea, to the care of the French Consul at Pointe-de-Galle : 'You are appointed to the command of the naval division of New Caledonia, and you are at once to assume the title and powers.' " The screw steamer ' Danae arrived at Noumea on the 29bh of September, with a large number of passengers and 249 convicts. The ♦ Danae" was 147 days coming out. The ' Danae ia commanded by Captain Louis Riou de Kerprigent. There were races at Noumea on the 27th and 28th ultimo, and a regatta came off on the 29fch of the same month. A young man named Coleman m«t with a severe accident, in the Waikato district, on Monday. It appears he was riding a young horse ; the animal threw itself down, and the young man being unfortunately unable to get his leg out of the way in time, the hoise fell upon it, causing a. compound dislocation of the knee joint. Dr. Waddington, who happened to be in the neighbourhood, examined th* patient, and attempted I to replace th« dislocated joints in their I proper position ; he was, however, unsuccessful from want of proper appliances. The young man was sent to Auckland Hospital on Wednesday.— Waikato Times. The Inspector of Schools, Mr. O'Sulliran, hat furnished the Waikato Times with the following facta with reggrd to the school* in the Waikato district :— There are ten school* in all, viz. : No. 1, Ngaruaw&hia, 22 pupils. No. 2, Hamilton Bast, 36 pupils. No. 3, Hamilton West, 26 pupils. No. 4, Oh&upo, 25 pupils. No 5, Cambridge, 30 pupils. No. 6, Alexandra, 20 pupils. No. 7, Rihikihi, 30 I pupiU. No. 8, Raglan, 27 pupils. No. 9, Waitetun»,l7pupilB. No. 10, Ruapuke, 14 pupils. Ohaupo has si lady teacher ; in all the other cases the situatioa ia occupied by males. The inspector points out that there is great want of teaehert' houses and glebes, wibhout which respectable married teachers cannot ho induced to undertake the duties. Numbers of children in each district, who might and should attend, do not. Children working at the different flax-mills should have some provision made for their education. The number of children attending the school at Hamilton West has very mnch decreased of late. We are pleased to hear it ia intended to welcome Mr. Kelly, M.H R., with a public dinner or supper on bis return from the House of Assembly.— B. P. Times. The committee of the Auckland. Society of Artists have deferred their next exhibition to February next. Sir G. A. Arney, Chief Justice, was a passenger South per the s.s. 'Phcebe,' which left the Manukau yesterday morning. Dr. Armifcage has received instructions to proceed at once to Tarawera, for the purpoiQ of vaooinntdng the Tnhorangi tribe,

The Cleveland Bay Express says, ' ' Another { disgraceful fight has taken place at Charters Towers, by which a man named Sam Croft i has lost his life at the hands of a man named i Harris. A telegram which has reached us r from Rockhampton, and which appears in \ its usual place, informs us that the man r Reid, who killed a man some weeks ago at f the rush — in fact, at the same place received at the hands of Chief Justice Cockle t the ridiculously small punishment of three v weeks' imprisonment, having been found c guilty of manslaughter by the jury." t In noticing Sir David Monro's dissolution \ mot ; on, the Sydney Morning Herald says :—: — a "The following extraordinary motion, in t view of a dissolution, was tabled in the New t Zealand Parliament by Sir D. Monro : I • That, as the Governor appeared to do? ot o whether the House would grant supplies in o case of a dissolution, the House would assure fc him that it would always be ready to per- s form its constitutional functions. ' How Sir i David can guarantee that Parliaments will i ' always' act constitutionally, in the face d of innumerable instances to the contrary, is ii not yet made public. Sir David is of opinion ? that Mr. Stafford was entitled to a dissolu- ii tion, Sir George Bo wen thought otherwise, c and according to indications his Excellency c had no doubt good reasons for thinking that t the House would not pay that respect to f constitutional practice which is at all times t desirable. Many persons will think Sir f George is right. " c "We have been requested again to draw at- r tention to the want of sufficient lights at the ? road-cutting in Pitt-street. The street is at r present in a very dangerous state both for s foot passengers and vehicles. ;? To the Editor: Sir,— l should like to be j, informed if there be any decision in regard s to private streets? Some of them have t, have been completely blocked up and d rendered inaccessible to carts by the recent p improrements in the main streets, so that c they are now in a worse condition than ever : but I expect the rates will be exacted as formerly and possibly increased. — I am. &c, T.C. T We take the following from the Church Gazette of the Ist instant : — The Bishop q has appointed the Venerable Archdeacon c Pritt to the charge of St. Andrew's District, Y Epsom, in the place of the Rev. John , Kinder, M.A., Master of St. John's College, resigned. — The Rev. George Maunsell, of a Hauraki, has been appointed one of the Bishop's chaplains. — The Bishop purposes T leaving Auckland for Norfolk Island early ?' this month and hopes to be back before the Ist of December. The object of the Bishop's ° visit to the island is to hold an ordination, S in compliance with the urgent request of the Rev. KH. CodriDgton, the present head of P the mission. ■* Our Aotea correspondent wiites: —"Twice f, within the last six weeks the storekeepers of p Raglan have been without flour, and the & people of that township have been on the f verge of starvation. One of our settlers f, here happened, fortunately, to have a few j, bags, and he has kindly lent them to his 'j neighbours and so kept this locality in the s indispensable article. To eke out flour some t of the old identities have been in the bush jj gathering 'para,' an edible indigenous n root. It is the only edible natural product c of the country that I appreciate, and it is so a good in its wild state that I think the p Government gardener, or some other qualified j person, ought to try whether it could not be c improved by cultivation. The main root of j the plant throws out protuberances just above T the surface, from the size of a good potato up to the dimensions of a lib. loaf ; and r these grow again as they are picked off. f When cooked the root is of the consistency c of a turnip, and the flavour is something like a that of a yam and a taro mixed. The plant x has no stem, but throws out long leaves — 6 \ feet or more — direct from the root. Unlike -^ most of the other indigenous food used by E the Maoris, there is a large amount of sus- r tenance in it. The nikau palm, the fern ( tree, convolvulus root, fern root, tawhara, \ or the fruit of the kiekie, different sorts of berries, &c, &c, are all eatable on a pinch ; <; butnone of these approach the para in satisfy ( ing and staying qualities. I have mentioned i the 'tawhara,' and I may as well notice a y quality of this fruit, which is worth the atten- \ tion of chemists. I was told, and I have ] since proved the assertion to be true, that j the flower or fruit (whichever it is) in ques- , tion was very efficacious in clearing children t of worms. Youngsters are very fond of it, \ and will eat any quantity without persua- , sion. From niy own observations I do not j think the tawhara kills the worms, but it < certainly brings them away from the children — quite as desirable a thing, I should think, , as destroying them. The juice of the fruit ( makes delicious cider, and yeast made from it is far better for baking purposes than that made from hops." "Dr. Peatherston (who has just returned from France)," says the " Anglo- Australian," ] " has, I understand, made arrangements for , sending out to New Zealand a small number of selected emigrants, from the wine pro- ' ducing countries of the Rhine, in the hoj c of encouraging the cultivation of the vine at Whangauui, and in other districts of the colony, which are said to be admirably adapted to the growth o£ the grape. The experiment is well worth a trial. The worthy Doctor has not spared himself in regard to furnishing New Zealand with fresh blood, for within the next seven or eight days he will have sent off more emigrants than have ever been despatched before within the same period. The 'Agnes Muir will take about 120, the 'Christian McCausland ' 350, tbe < Pleiades ' 130, the ' Chile ' 220, the 'Jessie Readman' 300, and another vessel not yet selected will leave about September 30 with 200. The bulk of the above, I believe, consists of navvies engaged for the construction of the railway. The rest consists of agricultural labourers, with a small number of mechanics. If you consider that every one of these has to be examined separately on the score of health, antecedents, and general aptitude for colonial life, you will see that the business of an Agent-General's agency is rather heavy." To-morrow the Rev. Dr. Wallis will preach in the Newton Kirk — in the morning upon " Faith Conquering the World," and in the eveniug upon " Procrastination." — In the Wesleyan Chapel, Pitt-street, the Rev. J. Warren will preach in the morning, and the Rev. W. C. Oliver in the evening. — In the City Hall the Rev. S. Etlger will preach in the morning upon " Our Young People Preparing for Life," and in the evening upon " The Devil, a Roaring Lion Seeking to Devour." The Rev. G. H. Turner, of the Methodist Free Church persuasion, is going to preach the inaugural sermons of the Methodist Free Church at the "Soung Men's Christian Association Rooms, on Sunday afternoon and evening. On Wednesday the first teameeting in connection with the Society will be held.. Notice is given by advertisement that all calls in _the .Hope of Corom&ndel G.M. r Co.not paid by Thursday next will be placed in the hands of -a solicitor for- immediate recovery. x