News of the Day.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 6, 21 February 1872, Page 3

News of the Day.

1 ■ — Nelson Institute.— The annual meeting of • the Institute, advertised for this evening, is postponed until Wednesday next, at half-past Seven o'clock. 1 Nelson Race Meeting.— We call attention ) to an advertisement requesting persons who are willing to assist in getting up a Race Meeting on . the Nelson course, to meet at the Masonic Hotel to-morrow evening. Nothing but money is wanted to secure a good meeting, and with a ■ little exertion the necessary funds may, we believe, be got. We hope, after the leading place • which Nelson held in turf affairs for so many years, that the sport will not be suffered to die out. The Weather.— Yesterday it blew a strong S.E. gale, and, what rarely huppens with a wind ■ from that quarter, it made itself felt in Nelson, j and did, we fear, some damage to tbe hop gar- > dens. We shall not be surprised to hear of other damage inflicted by it. Wairau Election.— This election took place on Monday, and resulted in the return of the Superintendent, A. P. Seymour, Esq. The following was the state of the poll at its close : Seymoui — Blenheim, 145 ; Renwicktown, 9 ; Wairau Valley, 1 ; Flaxbourne, 6. Ward—Blenheim, 88 ; Renwicktown, 24 ; Wairau Valley, 8 ; Flaxbourne, 2. Majority for Seymour, 39. Government Appointments. — The Gazette contains the following appointments: — Hubert Day Church, Esq., Resident Magistrate for the District of Blenheim, and Deputy-Registrar at Blenheim of the Supreme Court. W. H. Eyes, Esq , Commissioner of Crown Lands, has' been appointed Sheriff for the District of Marlborough. Newspaper for Volunteers. — A paper named The New Zealand Volunteer Gazette has appeared in Auckland, which is devoted chiefly to volunteer and sporting news. It is a small paper, but vpry well got up, and will be sought after by those who take a special interest in volunteer affairs. The price is three shillings a quarter. ILLNES3 OP THE PfIINCE OF WALE 3. — The newspapers received by the late mail show how intense was the anxiety which existed throughout the United Kingdom during the crisis of The Prince of Wales's illness. This crisis appears to have arisen from congestion of the bronchial tubes which supervened upon the simpler symptoms of the fever. For several dayß the Royal patient was in a most critical state, and the paroxysms of the disease drew several times around his bed his mother and near relatives who were in attendance. Again and again, as the Times remarks, " the principle of life had to battle for the means of life," preventing sleep, and causing the Prince great uneasiness. The papers of the morning of Dec. 12, were full of sad forbodings, as the latest bulletin, issued at 130, was very unsatisfactory :— " The patient is passing a restless night without 6igns of improvement." The favouraole symptom, and what gave hope for recovery, was that the circulation never failed, so that although the Prince might be exhausted at the end of a paroxysm, the recouperative power of his constitulion was ever ready on his behalf. It is only by a reference to the papers published day by day during the crisis of the Prince's disease, that ono can learn how the whole heart of England was moved in sympathy towards the sufferer, and his august parent. Mr, Ciiilman and the Iron Sand.— The Taranaki Herald says :—": — " Letters were received from Mr. Chilman by the last mail, in which he states that he hud disposed of the interest of the Pioneer Steel Company. Mr. Chilman was to leave England early in January by the steamer 'Northumberland' for Melbourne, and may therefore be expected about the middle of March, when we shall have further particulars." Important Native Meeting at Ohinemutu. — The TaranaM Herald, of Saturday last, has the following: — We have been kindly supplied by the Native Minister with the following copy of a telegram received yesterday: — "A large native meeting has taken place lately at Ohinemutu, on Lake Rotorua. The number of natives assembled was computed to be between 800 and 1,000, and the meeting was convened by the Arnwa, the tribe inhabiting that part of the interior, and a portion of the shores of the Bay of Plenty, and to which Kereopa belonged. The discussions included general subjects over the whole island, and the most friendly sentiments were exhibited during the meeting, the chief object being apparently the reiteration of friendly assurances to the Government, and of promises to aid in the prosecution of public works. With regard to the execution of Kereopa, there was unanimous opinion that he had brought upon himself tho punishment which he received." Visit of Wiremu Kingi to Waitara. — This old chieftain, who was the cause of the war at Wnitara, paid the district a visit last week for tlie first time since he was expelled from it in 1860. The Taranaki Sera d thus describes the change which has taken place since W. Kingi lust saw his beloved Waitara :—" The Imperial foices had given place to unarmed colonists, who followed their callings side by side with the friendly Maori. Well Ordered fill" III 3 nOW fOml the background of the town, and live stock everywhere dot the unenclosed lands. The white

flags of the railway surrey flutter in the breeze. A vessel lays at the wharf loading direct for Sydney, and drays are arriving from New Plymouth with wool, fungus, and other articles for export. Amidst all this activity and advance, the interests of W. Kingi's countrymen have not been overlooked, as he well knows. Ample reserves of town and suburban land were made for them by the Colonial Q-overnment before the white man could obtain a foot of ground ; whilst the whole of the valuable open lands lying between Waitara and Bell Block, which were confiscated for native rising, had been returned to the natives— much of it being now held under improving leases by the settlers." W. Kingi was accompanied by a large following of his people, and after staying a few days at Waitara it was his intention to paEs through New Plymouth, to attend the ensuing great native meeting at Periaka. RAILWAY Works.— The Independent, of the 7th, says:— "Yesterday, notice was given to Mr. Bi-ogden, by the Minister of Public Works, that the data for the lines, Auckland to Mercer, Wellington to Upper Hutt, Napier to Pakipaki, Invercargill to Mataura, and Dunedin to Balclutha, would be supplied on that day month. Mr. Brogden is allowed another month to prepare his tenders, and immediately on their acceptance the work of construction will commence. The Auckland and ICuipam railway has already been handed over to the Government, and is in course of construction." Harvest Phospectb of Cant eebury.— The Press of (he 3rd instant has the following : " The continued dry weather has enabled the farmers to secure the bulk of their crops, and in another fortnight, if it keeps fine, everything will be safe. We have seen several samples of new wheat, and the condition as a rule, is all that can be desired ; but a large proportion of it is thin and shrivelled, being in many instances blighted and badly filled. The yield is very irregular, for although threshing has scarcely yet commenced, a fair estimate can usually be made of the probable return. In some cases not over ten bushels per acre will be obtained, while in a few rare instances as much as forty bushels is expected. The average, however, will probably not be over twenty bushels to the acre, which, with 55,000 acres under crop will give a gross return of 1,100,000 bushels." The Caledonian Mine.— lt mu»t be pleasant working in the Caledonian mine. We see by the Auckland papers that matters are now so contrived that the miners can only have access to one room at the head of the shaft. There they have to strip and pass naked before a detective into another, where they dress before leaving for meals or sleep. What a pity some contrivance could not be made to keep equally clear the consciences of directors, who, according to Auckland reports, abstract, in one way and the other, from the pockets of confiding scrip-buyers the value of many tons of specimens. Until some such invention be perfected, and in daily use, it cannot be surprising that the men employed in the mine should have struck, and declared that they would not submit to systematic degradation. A telegram from the manager to the directors, announcing the strike, winds up, " I will be firm j" but later on wo observe concessions have ' been made, and work resumed. Wages to Newly-arrived Immigrants.— Speaking of the immigrants lately arrived in Canterbury by the Charlotte Gladstone, the Press says :—" As usual, the demand was much in excess of the supply, many people being unable to obtain servants. All the single men, single women, and married couples without children, were soon engaged, and out of about 150 immigrants landed, only six families remained for engagement last evening. The following rates of wages were given :— Married couples, £60 per annum and found ; single men, farm labourers, £10 to £45 ; ordinary labourers, £35 to £-10 ; single women, domestic servants, cooks, £30 per annum ; general servants, £20 to £30 ; nurses, £25 ; housemaids, £20 ; nurse girls, £13 to £15." Acclimatizing in Canterbury.— The following is a list of the birds lately received in Canterbury by the Charlotte Gladstone :— 60 goldfinches, 95 blackbirds, 43 thrushes, 50 redpoles, 4> quail, 4 rooks, 5 jackdaws, 6i partridges, 31 starlings, 19 hedge sparrows. From Zoologi- ; cal Society, London, 5 waterfowl. The loss has only been among the Bmall birds; all the valuable birds have been brought out alive. Haves in Canterbury.— Tbe Press, of the [ 30th of January, says :— " It would appear that there is now every probability of our colony being stocked with hares, and as it is likely that ' ere long a pack of hounds will be introduced into • the province, we feel sure the news we give will ', rejoice the hearts of all true sportsmen. To Mr. Gordon Holmes must be accorded the credit of ' successfully introducing what, we trust, will turn ! out to be a fine breed of these animals. This gentleman has just arrived from Melbourne in ' the Alhambra, and has brought out with him ' four hares, two of which are jacks. They tire \ full grown and in splendid condition. We are : informed that Mr. Holmes intends turning them ' adrift on his property at Pigeon Bay, and we ' trust they will increase and multiply." ' Infant Mortality in New Zealand.— | Alluding to the great excess of infant mortality • over the provinces and cities of New Zealand, an ] Auckland paper has taken the colonial s'atistics ] for live years, ending 1870, and it appears that , during that period 9,959 children were born in ( Auckland, and that of these 1837, or nearly one , in five, died before the age of five years. In Wellington in the same period there were 4.352 . infant births, and 593 infant deaths ; in Nelson, : 2,859 births, 385 deaths; in Canterbury, 9 905 ' births, 1,464 deaths; in Otago, 11,091 births, ' 1,336 deaths. And putting the figures in another : form, during these five yenrs Otago lost 120, ; Nelson 130, Wellington 135, Canterbury 145, and Auckland 180 out of every 1,000 born. Of ! deaths of infants from one to two .veara of age, - during the same period, there were in Auckland 376, in Wellington 107 ; in Nelson, 76; in Can- | terbury, 228; in Otago, 186. Of deaths of <

. infants under one year old there were in Auck- • land 1,223; Canterbury, 1,066; Otago, 963. ' And the question is naturally asked — " Can anyi thing be done to reduce this death rate? Could , we by thorough drainage, and closer attention to ; other sanitary measures, save the lives of only a ) fourth of these children, a very simple calcula- > tion in political economy would show us that; i these lives would be worth much more than the < rates levied, or the interest on a loan to carry out sanitary measures. The most ruinous extravagance that any young country can indulge in, and especially a. young country such as this, situated so far from the source whence immigrants can be obtained, is the waste of infant i life." Land Law Reform.— The Auckland Herald, in a recent issue, says :— " No one with sufficient knowledge, would now think seriously of emigrating to New Zealand to engage in agricultural pursuits. The day is past. The all but criminal disregard of the future in the administration of our waste land, has cut off from New Zealand this strong incitement to voluntary emigration. The lust for land, which more or less influences all men, cannot be gratified on easy terms in New Zealand. The Q-overnment should initiate a new state of things, by assuming the control of the residue of the public estate, and by a judiciously conducted system of free immigration, endeavour to people it by creating a numerous class of small freeholders. In this way, and in this way alone, we are satisfied, can the Government hope to surmounMhe difficulties of our position, and lay the permanent foundation of a prosperous future." New Zealand Butter in England.— A Christchurch paper ha 3 the following:— "Those who have always maintained that dairy farmers ou»ht to find a market in England for their butter and cheese, the price of which hera is unremunerative, will be encouraged by the report that we published recently from Mr. Gould's correspondents, Messrs. Redfern, Alexander, and Company. A trial shipment of butter — made by Mr. Ghirkin, of Hoon Hay — was sent home by the Crusader, and it sold for 725. per cwt., or nearly double the price quoted for prime samples in our commercial report. This shipment, Messrs. Redfern observe, was superior to any New Zealand that has yet been sent home, and they add that if regular shipments, in good quantities, could be made, a large trade might be done. Why, we may ask, should there not be regular shipments of Canterbury butter, and cheese too, in considerable quantities ? If one superior sample can be made, and successfully disposed of, we see no reason why there should not be hundreds or thousands, of the same sort. In these matters, as in the case of preserved meats— and indeed of any other article of colonial produce— care must be taken to send only the very best. It might be thought there was no necessity to impress tin's caution on the persons more directly interested, but experience has convinced us that the necessity exists. It is a very common 6aying among us, that people at home would do well to get rid of the idea that any rubbish will do for the colonies. Entertaining this opinion, would it not be as well if colonists were to bear in mind that England, above all other places, will not accept an inferior article, more especially when it happens to be an article of food ? New Invention fob Extracting Animal Heat from Milk.— Recently a private trial of a capital new invention for extracting the animal heat from large quantities of milk, and also for agitating the mass of milk contained in the milk vat, took place in the establishment of Messrs. M'Caw and Knox, Melbourne. It has hitherto been found difficult for cbeeee-nrmkers to fvee the milk of all animal heat before adding the coagulative power, viz , rennet, and likewise to retain all butyraceous matter therein. The invention consists of a 240-gallon oaken vat, supplied with a cooler of lin, 15 inches in diameter in the shaft, which rises 9 inches above "the summit of the vat. The cooler consists of a tin vessel 3 inches deep and 3 feet 6 inches in diameter, containing cold water, which is kept in motion by, a miniature water-wheel. This wheel is fed with water from, a eupply-pipe from a cistern, the quantity being regulated by a tap fixed at the end of the pipe. The milk agitators are worked by the waterwheel, and it ia calculated that 150 gallons of water will not ouly cool the milk but keep it in motion for six hours, thereby being a certain preventive to the cream rising. As the water becomes warmer at the bottom of the cooler, it is convoyed for about two feet up the shaft to an outer pipe, and thence to a tank, whence it is handy for dairy and domestic purposes. Thus ifc will be seen that no waste of water occurs. The design of the machine ha 9 been furnished by Mr. Joseph Riddell, the well-known chepse-maker of 'the Duck Holes, Lacenfield-road. The vat and the whole of the wood-work' have been constructed by Messrs. M'Caw and Knox, in their usual excellent Btyle; the tin work and piping have been manufactured by Mr. Radford, o°f Post-oflice-place, Melbourne, tuul certainly reflect credit on him for the care he has evidently bestowed upon them. The great advantages of this invention are— the prevention of any aridity in the milk, and eradicating therefrom ail obnoxious gases. The care, attention, and labour hitherto devoted by all owners of extensive dairies will be now avoided, and the <-vil of cheese-packing in the corners of the American square vat will be, by adhering to the old circular cheese tub, utterly impossible.— Weekly Times. Norton and Co.'s Watches.— The 12-dollar Lever Watch, No. 13,580, purchased from Cliaa. P. Norton and Co., 86 Nassau-street, New York, January sth, has been carried by me over six months, with a total variation in time of only 26 seconds, without the slightest regulating, and presents the same brilliancy of colour as when purchased.— James R. Wilson, Soc. A.S.M. Co., N-Y. —New York, Juljr 30, IS7O. Honour to Journalism.— Mr. Walter, M.P., the i-hief proprietor of the Times, lias been elerated to the peerage.