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Marlborough Press, Volume XIV, Issue 835, 15 January 1873, Page 4

A splendid sample of fibre prepraed from an indigenous plant of Fiji is in possession of a Mr Drew, Auckland. The material was veiy fine, yet strong and regular, and the staple was about a yard in leugih, perhaps a little over. The plants from which it is prepared are very numerous, and it is Mr Drew’s intention to send some home to be tested as to its quality, its uses, and its value. The following information respecting the crops in Canterbury is furnished by the Press : —“ln several parts of the country the harvest has commenced, and on the low-lying lands it is particularly heavy, while on the dry land rain is much wanted to*revive it after the long spell of dry weather we have had lately. The general opinion among farmers is that the corn crop will be good, enough short in the straw, if the dry weather continues. A great breadth of the early corn is in full ear, and promises a good yield, though this will depend in a great measure upon the state of the weather between this and harvest, as in all probability, if rain does not soon fall, the corn will be hardly so full as it should be.” A correspondent of the same paper says: —“The opinion of the farmers themselves is that, take the Province through, the average will not be over twelve bushels per acre—whole paddocks on the higher lands having dried up through excessive drought, and become utterly worthless.” Official Despatches published in the Sydney Morning Herald show how strenuously the Imperial Government is exerting itself to stay the atrocities in the South Seas consequent on the Polynesian labor traffic. From the documents in hand it appears that Commodore Stirling was first instructed to hire vessels in the Colony as cruisers, but on his telegraphing that no suitable craft could be obtained, he was authorised to build six schooners, of 110 tons each, at accost of £3O per ton, thus involving the Home Government in an expense of nearly £20,000. Armstrong gunslmd non-commissioned officers are to be sent out from England for these vessels, and crews are to be recruited in Sydney; and Commodore Stirling warns the Imperial Government that high wages will have to be paid, as steady respectable men can hardly be induced to go to the islands! .because of their fear of being murdered. Tiffin Commodore is told by the Admiralty not to mind about his ships visiting the Colonial ports, but to devote the whole resources of his squadron to supervise the Polynesian traffic. The corvette Barrosa, from the Chinese station, is visiting the Solomon -group about this time, and the Commodore is authorised to detain her. The following lines, which will be generally appreciated, were delivered by Captain Bullock at a recent election : John Bull of New Zealand is canny and keen, And no one knows better what two and two mean ; But exceptions, they tell us, are proofs of a rule, So in proof of the sage we must show up the fool. Does John ever look to the state of his till, With eight little Senates to run up the bill ? Does John ever think that the work might be done By eight little Senates rolled into one ? Eight little Parliaments, sitting in state— Eight little Speakers, and Ministers eight— All sit to show they need never have sat ; And the country grows lean, as officials grow fat. Has John ever heard of the froggie who died Of a great deal of wind in his little inside ? How he puffed himself up, till his poor little skin Was bound to let out what he’d just taken in ? Let Johnny take warning before it’s too late, One rat in the larder is better than eight ; And Councils Provincial are dear at the rate, If Johnny, like froggie, must die to be great.