TOWN EDITION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6376, 11 February 1892, Page 3

TOWN EDITION.

A ship was signalled in the bay this afternoon, which will probably prove to be the Oamaru.

A correspondent wires from Hawera that Mr Buick's meeting there last night was a complete failure, very few attending.

Mr Ryiner's coach will leave Newton's corner at half-past nine o'clock on Saturday morning to convey those sporting gentlemen from town who intend patronising the Rissington races.

The mortal remains of the late Mrs de Lisle were laid iv their last resting place in the cemetery this afternoon. There was a very large attendance at the funeral, the peculiarity of which, at the often expressed wish of the deceased lady, was that there were none of the usual trappings or outward signs of mourning.

Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co. have received the following telegram from their London firm, Messrs Sanderson, Murray, and Co., dated 9th inst:—"Tho wool market is very weak, and has a downward tendency. Compared with the opening rates of the present series, merino wool has declined 5 per cent, and fine crossbred 7. per cent."

There was a strong muster of the local Volunteers and Garrison Band, including a biir squad of this year's recruits, en parade last night After inspection, the three companies headed by tbe Band, were marched to Clive Square, where a course of drill wesgoue through under Major Wood, and Captains McCartney and Smith, despite the rain that had set iv. The companies then returned to the M trine Parade and dismissed. In the meantime the recruits, who remained at the drill-shed, were treated to preliminary movements under Sergt-Major Huddleston.

Before the Rifles were dismissed last night they were marched back to the drillshed, and held a special meetinjr, when the company's drill night was changed to Monday instead of Thursday, as it is found

that the former will be most convenient to the majority of the members. Tho change will take effect after next week's parade. Final arrangements were made for holding the annual meeting ou Thursday next The tine of parade was altered to half-past seven, so as to get through the formal business, and not delay the social gathering to follow. The captain intimated that the new KarKhee uniforms are to be worn on that occasion as far as served out, and those not served will appear in the blue undress.

A committee meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held this afternoon, when there were present Messrs N. Kettle (chairman), Craig, J. H. Coleman, Neal, Puflett, Wenley, Miller, and R. D. McLean. Mr Swan, M.H.R., wrote that, in reply to the Chamber's letter, iv regard to the annual railway returns of the Hawke's "ay section, he hnd to report that he had two interviews with ihe Chief Commissioner iv Wellington ou the subject, and after careful consideration and enquiry into the mattor, ho informed him that it was out of their power to grant the concession asked for on account of the traffic returns of the Manawatu line being mixed up wirh theirs, and only one set of books and returns being kept for the whole of the sectien as now arranged, and called the

" .Mapier-Taranaki section." He offered on behalf of the Chamber to pay for any extra clerical work in the event of their being able to comply with the request, but even that, the Commissioner said, would not meet the case, so the Chamber would havo to be content with taking out tho returns as published in their last report. After discussion, the letter was received with thanks. Some routine business was transacted, and tho Committee adjourned.

Our cable to-day records tho death of Sir James Caird, who was born in 1816, at Strf-nraer, and educated at the High School aii'l University of Edinburgh. During the Projection controversy iv 1849, he published a treatise ou " tiigh Farming as the be*t Substitute for Protection," which went rapidly through eight editions, and attracted much public attention. In the autumn of 1849, at ihe request of the late Sir Robert Peel, he visited the west and south of ireland, then prostrate from the effects of the famine, and at the desire of the Lord.bieutenant, Lord Clarendon, reported to tho Government on the measures which he deemed requisite for encouraging the revival of agricultural enterprise in that country. This report was enlarged into a volume, published in 1850, descriptive of the agricultural resources of the country, and led to considerable landed investments being made. During 1850 and 1851, as Commissioner of the Times, he conducted an enquiry into tho state _of English agriculture, in which he visited every country in England, and his letters, after appearing in the columns of The Times, were published in a volume entitled, "English Agriculture," which has been translated into the French, German, and Swedish languages, besides being published in the United States. In 1858 he published an account ox a visit to the prairies of tho Mississippi, descriptive of their fertility and great future. Translations of this wo-k also appeared on the Continent. In 1850 ho was elecied member for Stirling without opposition, and during the nine years he was iv Parliament took an active part in all subjects connected with agriculture. In 1864 he carried, after many years' perseverance, a resolution of the House of Commons in favor of the collection of agricultural statistics, which waß followed by a vote of £10,000 for that object. The returns of 1866 for Great Britain, the result of that vote, for tho first time complete tha agricultural statistics of the United Kingdom, which are now published annually. In 1863 he visited Algeria, Italy, and Sicily, to ascertain the possibility of extending the production of cotton in those countries in case the supplies from the Southern States of America should be seriously lessened by war. In 1878 he was requested by Lord Salisbury to serve on the Indian Famine Commission, which visited all parts of India, and reported largely on tho whole subject. Sir James Caird was a Deputyiiieutenant and Magistrate of his native province of Gollaway.