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Lyttelton Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1321, 22 November 1864, Page 3

Distress ix Melbourne.—With the cry of "Destitution in Melbourne" on so many lips, the following circumstance, narrated by a reliable eye-witness, is paradoxicall was at one of the leading labour marts to-day, when a man and a boy, in almost rags and tatters, just arrived, were offered the following employment—the boy (I should think about fourteen years old), twelve months certain on a good station, at 7s. per week, rations, &c., of course provided ; and his father (a man apparently about thirty-eight or forty years of age), jE4O per annum (to engage at his option for three or six months), with customary country rations and residence, to make himself generally useful on a farming station. Both offers were declined with a degree of contempt and impudeuce I could hardly have believed possible."—Australasian, Nov. 11. Cause of Rust in Wheat.—About four yearaagol wrote you about a now theory,as I thought at the time, of the cause of rust on wheat. You noticed my letter at your club, and Professor Mapes moved to discuss the subject at your next meeting. I have read every number of the Tribune since, and have never seen any account of any debate on that subject. I wrote that rust on wheat was caused by dew or gentle rain or fog, remaining on the stalk or leaf of the plant, and the hot sun coming out immediately after and heating these minute drops and scalding the plant. I proposed a remedy, by disturbing (when there was no wind to do it for you) the growing wheat by a long line, with a man at each end, and dragging it over the top, bending each stalk over, and causing the particles of water to collect and run down in drops.—Correspondent in New York Tribune.