CHRISTCHURCH.

North Otago Times, Volume VII, Issue 167, 28 December 1866, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

f BT El, EC TRIG TEIEOBAPH.] ( VSO1C OUB OWN COBBESPONDENT. ) Thursday, 4-50 P.M. The Provincial Council is iu full Session. Governor Grey is reported to have arrived at Taupo. The St. Hilda has sailed from Wellington for Chatham Islands with 37 prisoners. The -wife of Capt. Duncan, Manager of N.Z.S.N. Company, died yesterday at Wellington.

We have to acknowledge receipt of * copy of " Grif," Mr Farjeon's new Cristmas Tale, a notice of the contents of which wo have to postpone till » future issuo. The Mayor*! Court in Dunedin it to be discontinued after 31st imt, in consequence of the repeal of the clause in the Empowering Act which gayo the fees and fines to the municipality. From the " Daily Times " of 27th instant, we obserre that the names of the Eleven of the D.C.C. appointed to play the Eleven of the Otimaru Club, on the ground of the latter to-day, differ somewhat from those given in our last. They are now given as follows :—Butterworth, Bathgate, Chapman, Creagh, Kettle, Hendley, Morrison, Murison, 6. K. Turton, and W. Turton. The Oamaru players were to be selected hut evening. The Dunedin Team arrived in a special coach last night. Today, an interesting match may be looked forward to, and to-morrow the Dunedin Cricketers will be entertained by their Oamaru brethren in the Star and Garter Hotel. Crown Grants are now ready for issue in favor of the following persons :— J. Anderson, Section 33, Block V., Oamaru District ; Calcutt and Menlove, Section 7, Block "VIIL, Awaraoko; Hamilton, Buchanan, Malcolm, and Hunter, 11 Sections, Block I., Oamaru District ; Superintendent of Otago, Educational Reserves : — 3 Sections, Block III., 1 Section, Block IV., 1 Section, Block X., Moeraki ; 1 Section, Block V., 3 Sections Block II., Otepopo; 1 Section, Block IX., 3 Sections, Block IV., 1 Section, Block V., Oamaru. The "H,T. Mercury" saya :— William Lanney, the laat man alive of the aborigine! of Tasmania, is about to visit England, and his ambition i* to have the honour of an audience of her Majesty Queen Victoria. He writes a fair hand, can read well, and may be said to be intelligent. He speaks highly of Governor Browne and Mrs Gore Browne, and prides himself on the notice taken of him and his four countrywomen at the birthday levee and ball. He is also not a little proud of the several photograph* in which he figures, and seems to think himself * every inch a king.' His reminiscences of ' life at Oyster Cove' are of a somewhat jovial character, and Mr Dandridge, the superintendent of the establishment, has won golden opinions on the part of ' bis Majesty.' Plenty of rations, boating amusement, and sundry outdoor healthful occupations, are themes on which he admiringly dwells. No doubt ' King William' will be well received in England. The "Lyttelton Times" reports :— By the kind courtesy of Messrs Birch and Co., Kaiapoi, we have been favoured with an inspection of a wool scouring and drying machine, recently imported by them. It is one of Messrs Petrie and Taylor's patents, and evidently possesses every requisite for cleansing and acouring wool in the most approved manner. The machine is 21ft 6in length (over all), and 5ft in width, with a trough 12ft long by 3ft wide, at each end of which are revolving drums for passing the wool in and out. In the trough are fixed two forks with prongs about two inches apart, and above are three others which seize the wool as it is passed into the trough, and by an eccentric motion pass it through the stationary forks on to a drum at the other end of the machine, which being provided with spikes conveys the wool between a pair of rollers by which it is wrung completely dry ; and then conveyed on to a wooden fan which separates the wool as it falls into the basket placed for its reception. The scouring and wringing gear are entirely separated, and worked by two different pulleys, thus enabling the scouring to be continued, as long as desired, before passing the wool between the rollers. The action of the forks in the trough is most complete, rendering it next to impossible for the smallest particles of wool to escape their action. The trough is fitted with the necessary feed pipes and escape valves for the water, and altogether the machine is complete in every respect. It has been fitted together by Mr E. J. BlacJcwood, and is now in full working order.