THE HAWKE'S BAY HERALD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 2, Issue 70, 22 January 1859, Page 2

THE HAWKE'S BAY HERALD.

r ' Napier, Saturday, Jan. 22, 1859.

: We had hoped that the overland mail from Auckland; although somewhat uncertain as to the time of its arrival, would, as-it has done on several occasions, make its appearance on Friday evening ; and that, this_ morning, we should hav.e news of importance to communicate to our readers — . possibly that the long-looked-for writs had arrived. In this we were , doomed to be disappointed. The. fact. fhowever, of this mail being now due-; and- .of a vessel— probably the ! " Emily Allison 5 " r from Auck r land— leaving been -in sight last evening, . leads us, to hope, thai the blank in our news columns -will, not be : one^6f long continuance.. . . .. ■■'■;■ , .;■:{^, K _ . \, ,._;- , ' '..;, ..' The oyfsland "imail- would leave Aticltla'nd on Wednesday the 12jhv ,and. the ; 'Emily Alison' probably about the /same time.

As this would give the ministry nearly a fortnight after the "Regulation of Elections Act" would coma into operation, we think there can be little doubt that b-y the one or the other we shall receive the little pieces of parchment, which have . been so--long expected, and which, it iffay be anticipated, will create no small sensationamongst us when they are fairly to hand. The elections, we find on reference to the "Regulation Act," must take place not less than five, and not more than fifty days after receipt of the writs — the Returning Officer having such wide discretionary power entrusted to him.

The most interesting matter in our Auckland files is the account of the arrival in Auckland harbour of the Austrian frigate "Novara," having on board a number of gentlemen eminent in science, whose mis■sion.is to make researches in their respective departments at each port of call. This scientific commission has been busily employed in Auckland, and a large amount of valuable knowledge is said to be the result. We observe that the Naturalist of the commission has, in a letter to the "Southern Cross," solicited information respecting the native silkworm ; and as the South is therein specially referred to, we re-publish the enquiry, in hope that, through our columns, or otherwise, some light may be thrown upon so interesting a subject. Communications of such a character would be found a pleasing relief to those in which politics and personality so much abound, and with which the columns of the ''Herald" have of late been filled, to the almost total exclusion of general matter. A change, such as we indicate, could not fail to prove generally agreeable, as well as beneficial. Amongst the desiderata of the Imperial Museum of Natural History in Vienna, respecting our visit to New Zealand, is likewise the*>btaining of some more particular information about a silkworm, occurring upon wild brushes and shrubs in the bush in some parts of New Zealand, trie cocoon of which is said to yield a most beautiful kind of silk. It. was reported in German newspapers that some Glasgow mercantile firm has already made experiments with the cocoon of ths New Zealand silkworm and has found it to yield a quality of silk superior by far to any one actually produced in any part of Europe. "My first endeavour in arriving in this interesting country — blessed by nature with so many invaluable gifts — was. to get some information repenting the silk worm of this country, which is found on wild bushes ; but although I' addressed myself to gmtlemen, who, by fchior position, learning and occupation, might have been most probable in the ca»& of knowing something about it, I am sorry to say till this very moment, I have not been able to acquire any more minute information on this subject. But I should not like to leave this country as ignorant respecting the silkworm in question, as I came to it. I therefore take the liberty to make use of your far circulating newspaper 'in order to bring the subject before the public, and to ' get perhaps some more information on it by this channel, as I suppose that the silkworm in question does not occur in the vicinity of Auckland ; perhaps more to the South. Hoping you will excuse my liberty, in ing you- to give soma space to this query in the., next number of your newspaper, as it might piT-, haps likewise be of some interest to your Auck-^ land readers to hear some particulars of a native" caterpillar that may become of so infinite value to tho country. ■-