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Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1975, 3 September 1869, Page 2

Political. —The Provincial Government have received a telegram stating that the General Assembly is prorogued. TinLegislative Council threw out the Otago and Southland Reunion Bill. Long speeches were made yesterday reviewing the Session. Erratum.—A typographical error occurred in the report of the minute adopted by the General Road Board yesterday, which requires correction. The m nute of the, Board is stated to recomment levying rates on the annual value of property, ou account of its being “ the most just and least expensive method.” It should have been “least oppressive method.” Royal Commission. —The following gentlemen have been appointed Commissioners to investigate and report upon the laws relating to building and I ml societies, the operation of such laws, and the working of such societies :—Messrs Oswald < urtis, M.H.R., Nathaniel Edwards, M.H.R . W. H. Reynolds, M.H.R., H Howorth, M.H. R., G. M. OTlorke, M.H.R., E. C. J. Stevens. M.H.R-., and Jonas Woodward (HeceiverGeneral). Spiritualism. —Suppose the departed wife, sister, or friend of any one present desired to make herself manifest to him, how could she on the supposition that modern phenomena are produced by natural laws ? Suppose a departed wife or sister wanted to converse She speaks to you, mover yoiqfun iture, touches your person your dress: “All automatic action,” you say, “of some brain, an rapport with the locality. She sings, plays the guitar, or piano ; takes a pencil and writes, and you >-ee the pencil in free space tracing your wife’s or sister’s autograph. “Automatic still,” you say. She shows you a cloudy hand, nay, a lumino s form, and smiles and speaks as when in life. “That is an optical illu-iou, or ha’luuination, or subjective vision,” you say. She communicates facts, past, present, and future, beyond the scope of your knowledge. “ lhat might be clairvoyance,” you say. Alas ! what could she do more ? She must retire baffled and confounded, complaining that you had become so scientific that all communication with you was impossible. —rßev Charles Beecher.

Taranaki Steel Works. —We (Taranaki Herald] with pleasure announce that the first smelting at the Pione r Steel Woiks has proved a success. It is true that a number of unforeseen difficulties have arisen to impede the operations, yet notwithstanding the steel has been produced:; and if a doubt has hitherto existed in any one’s mind as to the result, it must by this time have been removed As an experiment this smelting has far exceeded the expectations of the most sanguine. During the past four days the works have been thronged with people inspecting for themselves the steel, and a large quantity must have been carried away in small pieces by persons ■wishing to possess a bit of the first steel smelted in Taranaki. The excitement has been such t at Messrs Hen ch--berg and Co. have intimated to us that, as the inimbi tants of this town wish to have a local interest in the undertaking, they are willing to fosm a company, allowing about 5,000 worth of shares to be open for sale in this Province, that the public may not complain of their wi-hing to monopolize the whole of the profits of the concern to themselves. As an idea of what the returns will he, wje may state that at t- e lowest computation the furnace now erected will smelt twentyone tons of steel per week. Supposing the steel to be worth say L 25 per ton (wdiich is merely a third of the value, according to the stab meet published in our last issue, of similar steel from sand on the Island of Bourbon), they would, with only one furnace, be able to manufacture L 525 worth of a marketable article per week. We will now go into the expenses of this production. According to the returns of the first experiment, it is calculated that it will not cost over L 6 per ton to make the ore ami run it into steel; therefore, L 126 would he about the outluy, leaving a profit of nearly L4OO per week. Messrs Henochsherg and Co , have shown a great amount of fsith in the undertaking, by spending such a large suiii of money in an experiment which, we are happy to say, has turned out so successfully. B. si ms this, they have exhibited a liberal principle in employing no other labor but what Was availab e in the place. The settlers of this Province will now have an opportunity of obta ning an interest in a concern which, according to all appearances, is likely to prove a profitable speculation.

The Adjutant will meet the Yolunt. er Musketry Instructors on Tuesday next, at the Drill Shed, Dowling street, at 7 p.m.