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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 938, 28 April 1868, Page 2

The Maby Edson, American ship, sailed for London yesterday, with a full cargo of wool. We wish her a safe and speedy voyage. Artestan Well. — Last week, Lord and party sank an artesian well for Mr. Baldwin, in his paddock near Waitangi. The depth was 135 feet; the sinking easy ; and the flow very good. Educational Reserves. — This day, will be submitted to public competition the lease of certain sections in the Town of Napier, the same being reserves for educational purposes. Government Auctioneers. — We learn that Messrs. Routledge, Kennedy, & Co. are the successful tenderers for selling Government land &c. by auction, and that they will make their debut in that capacity this day. The Nelson Races come off to-day and to-morrow. A large number of horses will take part in the meeting. We believe that " Moss Rose" is the only one known in Napier that will run — this mare having been shipped by the Star of the South, last trip. Fall of Rain. — On Sunday last a thunder cloud passed to the southward of Napier, travelling from the ranges towards Cape Kidnappers. It did not reach town, but it was the precursor of a heavy fall of rain, which set in after sunset and lasted till an advanced hour in the night. The rainfall was equal to about two inches. The Artesian sinking, Napier. — The men were engaged on Saturday and yesterday in cleaning out the sand and gravel which had again risen into the pipe. The contents of the shell leave no doubt that the bed has been struck. The iron shell, unfortunately, still clogs the bottom of the tube, but something, it is hoped, will be done to-day towards breaking it in pieces or driving it into the lower strata. This Day. — We call attention to the extensive clearing sale at the stores of Messrs. Kinross & Co., to commence this day. We understand that Messrs. Routledge, Kennedy, & Co. will officiate as auctioneers on the occasion, and that the hour of commencing has been altered from noon to 2 p.m.

The Royal Irish. — It is rumored in the barracks that a detachment from the Head Quarters at Auckland, will shortly ', be'dispatched to Wanganui. — Independent. 1 General Chute. — Major-General Sir Trevor Chute, X.C.8., commanding the i forces in the Australasian colonies, is expected to arrive in New Zealand shortly,on his annual tour of inspection. The Sydney Morning Herald of the 2nd April, states that H.JEt.H. the Duke of Edinburgh had on the previous day spent several hours at Wdollahra in pigeon shoot- | ing, the Duke being very successful, killing nearly, all his birds. ' The Philadelphia papers have been discussing the propriety of Sunday evening concerts. They are about to inaugurate the practice in that city. In Boston the Sunday performances of oratorio, in which Madame Parepa [Rosa takes part, are attended with great success. — The Orchestoa. Pbospecting. — The Wanganui Evening Herald says : — " A prospecting party of eight intend proceeding up the river, tomorrow morning, the distance of about forty miles. They have received such in-, formation as induces them to believe that gold exists in payable quantity, close to the river, and they have determined to test the matter, by going to work quietly, and examining the ground for themselves. It is a fact, which has been vouched for upon the best authority, that gold, mixed with sand, has been brought down the river within the past fortnight, by some Maoris. On Monday or Tuesday we hope to be able to report that prospecting has commenced in earnest." The Queen's Interest in New Zealand. — The following communications regarding Dr. Hochstetter's work will be ' read with interest in this province : — The first is from Mr. W. H. Maxwell Blews, a member of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, to the editor of this journal ; it is dated Jan. 27. The second is from Col. Sir T. M. Biddulph to Mr. Blews, and is dated Qsborne, Jan. 23 :— (1.) As my friend Dr. Ferd. Von Hochstetter will not be able to convey to his friends in New Zealand by this month's mail information that Her Majesty Queen Victoria has graciously accepted the dedication of his valuable work on New Zealand, I enclose for publication the copy of a letter received from Col. Sir T. M. Biddulph, Keeper of the Queen's Privy Purse, which I feel sure will be perused in the colony • with great pleasure. (2.) With reference to our conversation, when you were so . good as to call on me here yesterday, I have to state that, although it is not usual 1 for Her Majesty to accept the dedication of works translated, the Queen (in consideration of the desire expressed by the loyal inhabitants of New Zealand, evinced by their contribution of 500 guineas for the purpose of bringing out in English Dr. Hochstetter's scientific work, with his additions) has been graciously pleased to accept the dedication of his work. The Shipment op Salmon Ova to * Otago. — There seems to be some reason for anxiety on account of the shipment of salmon ova on board the Celestial Queen, from London to Otago. The vessel had an unfortunate start, as will be gathered from the following extracts from two letters, addressed by Messrs. Park Brothers, of London, the owners of the Celestial Queen, to Messrs. - R. B. Martin and Co., her agents in Dunedin. On the 27th January, Messrs. Park Brothers wrote : — This is a very fine ship, and has been, chartered especially with the view of taking out the salmon ova. Very unfortunately, she has had an unusually bad start. To-day it blows hard from S.W., with rain. We trust she is well clear of the Channel, but it is impossible she can make much progress. The Celestial Queen had left the Downs on January 20 — just a week before the letter was written. On the Ist of February Messrs. Park Brothers again wrote. Referring to their previous letter, they say : — Since then we have heard of the Celestial Queen having been off the Lizard on the 25th, having, we expecf, been driven back into the Channel by severe weather. One of the finest of the China clippers, which sailed two days after her, put into Plymouth, and two other fine vessels brought up in Torbay. A day or two afterwards the weather was more favourable, but it soon went round again to the old quarter. Last night it has blown a perfect hurricane from S.W. all along the Channel, and it does not seem to be yet at an end, as the barometer is still falling. This is exceedingly unfortunate, and we fear the prospects of the salmon ova are by no means bright ; but it is impossible for any ship to contend against the weather we are now experiencing. The experiment is of great interest to Otago and the colony generally, and we trust it will be successful. An Opium Shop in Melbourne is thus described by a writer in the Australasian; — 'There were some twelve or fifteen persons in the place when we entered, and the peculiar acrid smell of the burning opium was almost unendurable for the first few moments. The interior of a Chinese opium-house has been frequently described, and the languid eyes, withered faces, and hopeless aspect of the confirmed smokers descanted upon ad nauseam. The scene in the house we visited was of the usual kind. Couches, or rather benches, covered with straw matting, are placed in little alcoves. On each bench reclines a brown and withered figure, whose unstrung muscles, leaden eyes, and corpselike visage, proclaim him a slave to the i influence of the drug. It is a common mistake to suppose that opium-smoking induces visions of extraordinary beauty. This is not the case, save in some rare instances. The influence of hatchis, or opium, when eaten, not smoked, will have this effect. The drug is chiefly used in the first instance to alleviate pain, or to produce a temporary excitement of i the nerves, similar to that effected by the moderate use of alcohol. One pipe leads to another, and so seductive is the power of the poison, that a fortnightis longenough to rivet the chains of this terrible vice 1 around the victim. Should he attempt to break off the habit he has formed, the ter- ; rible pains that follow drive him nearly ; to madness. All the men we saw in the establishment were old and hardened smokers, and they were lying in full enjoyment of their brief respite from pain. The eager-looking faces of the new comers 1 became calm and composed after a few whiffs at the pipe ; and one unfor- ■ tunate, who had been hanging about . the door with a horrible expression of , longing and pain on his haggard features, upon receiving a few shillings, rushed in, and having applied his lips to the huge bamboo stem with impatient greed, puffed volumes of the acrid smoke through his nostrils, and sank back upon ! the matting with a smile and inarticulate i moan of delight that was absolutely painful to witness. He had been debarred from the use of his stimulant for two days, and after praying in vain for relief, had been twice ejected from the house with 1 blows. The drug is sold in little boxes at Is. each. Each box contains sufficient i opium for three pipes. The opium is pre- ? pared in the form of a paste, which has a i sweet and peculiar smell, and looks much like treacle. The smoker takes it up with an iron pin, and lights ifc in the flame of a lamp. The burning drug is then placed in. a small hole in the huge clay bowl of the pipe, and the smoke inhaled through the bamboo attached.