WELLINGTON.

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

WELLINGTON.

By the Queen we have received our flies up to the 19th inst.:—

The New Policy.—The Independent of the 15th inst., after briefly enumerating the chief points of the policy as pnt forth by the South, says that in the main the Wellington members ire understood to agree. " We are aware that they do not agree with it all. The question of removing the troops is still an open one nnd there are differences in detail as to the adjustment of affairs between the colony and the Imperial Government. Still, on the main points, that a strong fight should be made in support of the interests of the colony, that the seat of Government should be removed to Wellington, and that a new Ministry with more of the Southern element in it should be formed, we have no hesitation in stating they are of one mind. But this Native policy is, we fear, exceedingly faulty. To close the war, to confiscate land, and to proclaim an amnesty, without first prosecuting a vigorous aggressive war against the Taranaki natives, and their allies between that settlement and Wanganui, till they have been coerced into submission, will not secure a real and permanent peace. Those districts of the Island are still the very hotbeds of rebellion, and till the fire has been quenched, and its embers scattered and trampled out, it is idle to talk of peace. This work must be done some day, sooner or later, either by the Imperial Troops or Colonial Forces. Defeat the rebels there, confiscate a large portion o£ their lands, and occupy those lands with settlers able to hold their own by the strong arm; then the Native difficulty will have been settled, and the incubus resting on our shouU ders removed. But no policy which does not include this as one of its chief features is fitted for the stem exigencies of the time."

New Theatre.—We understand that prospectuses will shortly be issued to form a joint-stock company to build what lias long been wanted in Wellington—a good theatre. The plans, which have been shown us, are in every way adapted for the purpose they are intended, and should they be carried out, will form a very handsome addition lo the public buildings of this city.—lndependent, Nov. 15. Public Baths.—The'weather which has kept the completion of this establishment back for some time, seems determined to defy the contractor. Everything, however, that possibly could be done, has been done, and we are glad to see that the rooms are all but completed, and as only nine piles have to be driven, we may reasonably expect the establishment will be open to subscribers and the public some time during next week.—lbid. Sale of a Racehorse. —Mr. Buckland on Saturday, the sth inst., disposed of at Auckland the thoroughbred English horse Ratan, bred in England, and recently imported into that province. He has a first-rate pedigree, and excited considerable competition. He'was bought by Lieut. St. Hill for £81. The donkeys announced for sale did not realise the owner's price, and were mostly withdrawn.—lbid. Departure op the Assembly Membkrs.—The s.s. Phoebe, which arrived here on Thursday morning, had on board the following members of the Assembly, viz.:—Messrs. Gillies, Mason, Bell, Richardson, Brodie, Reynolds, Baldwin, Yogel, FitzGerald, Lee, Wilson, J. C. W. Russell, W. Cox, Wilkin, L. A. Walker. C. Ward, Tancred, Thompson, Sewell, Patterson, Wayne, Hall, and Dr. Buchanan. She left for Picton, Nelson, Taranaki, and Manuknu, at two o'clock yesterday morning, taking in addition to these gentlemen all the Wellington members, including Dr. Eeatherston, Captain Rhodes, Messrs. Taylor, Brandon, and Fitzherbert. Mr. Harrison will, we understand, go direct from Wanganui. The Wairarapa will not be represented, through the absence of Mr. Carter in England. That gentleman, we believe, intended to be present at the session, which, however, he did not anticipate would be held till March.—lbid, Nov. 19.

! Arrival of 11.M.5.5. Eclipse.—ll. M. steam sloop Eclipse, 4 guns, E. R. Freemantle, Commander from Auckland, arrived in this harbour yesterday afternoon, at half-past four o'clock. She sailed from Auckland on the 15th inst., at 3 p.m.. and experienced fine weather during the whole of the passage, having only used half steam power. The Eclipse has come on here for the purpose of conveying a company of the 2nd Batt., 14th Reg,, to Auckland, and will call at Napier for three other companies of the same liegt She brings no news of importance. His Excellency Sir George Grey had returned from Kawau to Auckland. It was rumored at Auckland that the escaped prisoners had consented • w give ummscnLa ii|>s mm - ■ ■■■ Lyster Opera Company liad arrived at AucKlrentr, and were to give their first performance on the evening of the 15tli inst. The Aliuriri not arriving at Auckland at her usual time, fears were entertained for her safety. The Ahuriri, however, has changed her route this trip, proceeding via Picton, having been chartered for the purpose of conveying some of the Members of the General Assembly to Auckland, as by the ordinary steamer they could not arrive there before the i4th inst. Dr. Monro, the Speaker' of the House of Representatives, was to have been a passenger by the JVellington, but was detained owing to a domestic affliction. This is the first visit of the Eclipse to our port, although she has been about two years on this station. Notwithstanding there are so many men-of-war on the station, it is now quite a novelty to receive a visit from one of them: and our citizens were therefore on the qui vine to learn the object for which she had come. The Eclipse is the smallest man-of-war on the station. She is a very smart craft, and looked very pretty as she steamed up to the anchorage in Lambton Harbour. She is armed with four guns, viz:—one 110-pounder Armstrong pivot gun, one 68-pounder, and two 32-pounders; is 700 tons, and 200 horse power. The following is a list of her officers:—Capt. R. E. Freemantle, Lieut. Codrington, Lieut. Boughey, Messrs. G. Stevens, S. A. Willis, M.D., W. B. Hutchinson, A. Le B. Corrie, W. R. Donald, J. C. Weeks. J. McFarlane, W. Gilsut, E. J. Parker, Joseph Hawkens. The Eclipse will coal here, and will probably sail on Monday afternoon next, for Auckland via Napier, where she will embark three companies of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Regiment, and also the liead-quarttrs of that Regiment. Mr. J. Brerickley, a.traveller of considerable note, is a passenger by her.—lbid. Removal of tiie Troops. — Orders have been received by Colonel Dwyerfrom head-quarters, for a company of the 2nd Batallion, 14tli Regiment, to hold itself in readiness to proceed at once to Auckland. Instructions hare also been received at Napier, for three companies of the same Regiment to hold themselves in readiness to proceed to the same destination.—lbid, •

Prolific Sheep.—A learned Frenchman, who has studied a Chinese Encyclopaedia, reports that in China there are thirteen kinds of sheep, of which he gives the alarming long names. That introduced into England is fortunately brief and pronounceable, being Ong-ti. This breed produces, it is said twice in the year, and each time from two to four lambs. Hearing of this marvellous fecundity, giving promise of cheap mutton, the Parisian Society of Acclimatization dispatched- Dr. Cloquet to inquire into tlie fact, and, if possible, procure some specimens of the breed from the British Society at London. The result was curious. The young specimens which he j succeeded in transporting to Paris produced only a single lamb. Supposing that this might be accidental, the society, in concert with the Zoological Society of Acclimatization, issued instructions for the purchase of a hundred head of that breed of sheep, whatever they call it, which the Chinese assert to produce twice a year, and several lambs at a birth. A portion of the animals having arrived in April, 1863, the lambing of one of them took place in July. Sure enough there were four iambs, apparently in all respects of the same breed, but of a different breed from the pair brought to England. Three of the lambs were healthy, but the fourth was feeble and had to be fed by hand, as the mother refused to suckle it. To the great amazement of the Minister of Agriculture,at whose hotel the accoucliment occurred, the mother had only two teats to suckle her four little cows. As there is no description of the Ong-ti sheep in the reports of the English Acclimatisation Society, we do not know whether this peculiarity has been noticed in London. As to the economy of the Ong-ti breed, M. Jaquemart notices the shortness of the wool, or rather hair, and estimates its fleece at about 5s less than that of our sheep. Still he advises the continuation of the experiment, and holds out the prospect that both the flesh and wool may be improved by judicious crossing. In this direction the experience of the English society is encouraging; 25 ewes of various breeds, crossed witn the Chinese ram. have produced forty-six lambs. Mr. Robertson reports for Lord Powerscourt "The Chinese sheep still preserve their proline character, even by crossing. They have never less than two lambs, sometimes three; and on one occasion, four at a birth. We have now, in all, eleven lambs, the cross being very perceptible in two, more especially about the head and ears, the wool also being of so fine a texture. In further experimenting we shall .reserve the cross; and if the animal still preserves its prolific dispositions I fully expect by judicious crossing, they will ultimately prove a useful and paying breed.—Adelaide Observer.