North Otago Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1880.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2403, 21 January 1880, Page 2

North Otago Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1880.

TiV tho Tinmrn Herald of tho 10th instant thoro appunrod a lotier of great intorest to farmers anrl wool-growers in Now Zealand. The letter, which ia dated Edinburgh, November 25, 1870, ia tho composition of Mr W. S. Davidson, an old colonist. Mr Davidsons lottor, it may bo romarkod, contains an onclosuro no less interesting than itself. This is a communication from Messrs Bekry, Barclay, and Co. , grain dealers in London, and at Leith and Glasgow, and its subject is the state in which Now Zealand grain generally is when it is placed upon tho English market. Mr Davidson says : "The losses incurred by New Zealandera in not paying attention to the ordinary requirements of tho Homo trade annually represent a very large sum, but I hope when this is prominently brought boforo them, my fellow-colonists will take a little moro trouble to gain a good deal more profit." Ho comments in strong terms on " the suicidal manner in which the Now Zealand wheat trade is conducted," and at once introduces the lettor addressed to him on that subject by Messrs Bbrhy and Barclay. These gentlemen, after the manner of well-meaning mon who wish to remedy a public evil, express their views in very clear and simplo language. With reference to the grain trade in New Zealand, they say that " tho loose and caroless way of conducting it is neither creditable to tho sense nor advantageous to the pockets of those moro immediately concerned." And they add that " the trade is a growing one, and of immense importance to the colony, and it is really too bad to see property sacrificed, and what is worse, prejudices engendered by carelessness and inattention." It would of course be easy enough for some colonists to rustle their plumes, to fret and fume at this language, to retort on Messrs Bekry and Barclay in tho vain and vulgar phraseology of larrikins and hoodlums, tolling those gentlemen to mind their own business, and informing them that tho colony does not need their advico. Not only would it bo easy enough for some colonists to do this, but many will doubtless actually behavo in this manner, for one of the characteristics of our young communities ia their petulant impatience of criticism. Petulance, however, is for peevish boys and persons of feeblo understanding, and it is tho business of mon of sense and character, when criticised cither collectively or individually, to examine in a rational spirit the charges made against them, and to remedy tho faults pointed out, if they exist ; if these do not exist, they can afford to let the charges pass for what they are worth. In this spirit the criticisms of Messrs Beury and Barclay should bo accepted by tho farmers and grain doalera of New Zealand.

Tho case which thoso gontletnen mako out amounts to this : tho avorago original quality of New Zealand wheat is splendid, and when it reaohea Britain in good condition it is much approciatod by millers ; but shipmonts ofton arrivo in England in bad ordor, and thon tho valuo of tho grain deteriorates to an alarming oxtont. Tho system hero alluded to is that of shipping various qualities of grain undor ono mark. Under this systom dealers, it is pointed out, will not buy until tho grain lias boon landed and assorted in tho warehouses — a determination which ofton causes tho owner to miss his markot and sustain an iwerago loss amounting to two shillings per quarter. The writers very reasonably surmise that " it should bo as easy for tho shippers, as for tho London warehougokoopers, to assort thoir wheat in parcels of uniform quality, and then to bag and ship them under distinct marks ; " and they go on to say that " a samplo drawn from ono bag should thon represent tho uniform quality of tho entire parcel, and such a sample should be mailed along with tho documents or letter of advice, and a larger samplo sent with tho ship." It is pointed out thai wore this plan adopted wheat could bo sold while on the passago or immediately on arrival — advantages at present enjoyed by all shipments of grain except thoio from Now Zealand. Suroly for such instant advantages as these, and for tho sake of the future status of New Zoaland wheat in tho London markot, it is worth tho while of colonial growers and dealers to effect the reform here pointed out as being so urgently necessary. Messrs Berry and Barclay also counsol colonists against shipping wheat that is soft or in any way out of condition as their doing so only results in loss to themselves ; and they give some hints as to tho advisabloness of colonists displaying more method than they have hitherto dono in tho stowage of grain, and adviso that tho lottora now used by shippers as marks should bo substituted by crowns and triangles. These aro, perhaps, when regarded by themselves, trivial matters, but as they affect tho favorable placing ot a colonial product on the English market they aro worthy of gravo consideration. To Messrs Berry and Barclay's valuable and suggostive lottor, Mr Davidson adds some notoworthy comments based on his own experience and observation. Ho first indicates the great loss that is sustained by tho system of " shipping grain directly after being threshed from tho atook ; " and he avers that a groat deal of the grain sent in this way las': year from Canterbury and North Otago arrived in Britain " very much damaged, and in some cases quite musty." Mr Davidson also says something which should be as suggestive to wool-growers as his remarks and thoso of Messrs Berry and Barclay should bo to shippers of grain grown in Now Zoaland. 110 says that "aa in tho enso of wheat, New Zoaland wool suffers considerably from the manner in which it is prepared for the Homo market, and far greater attontion should bo paid to its classification bofore being put into tho bales. Tho chief aim in packing should bo, to make all bales similarly branded to contain a rogulnr iind uniform oltvan of flouuu. " It is evident that what is wanted to offect a reform hero is a system of scientific) sorting. Mr Davidson, therefore, portinently asks, " Would it not bo advinablo for some of the principal Agricultural and Pastoral Associations to take tho matter in hand and issue certificates to men who were willing and ablo.if required, to pass nn examination in tho practical classing of wools ? If it was not fully eflectivo, it would, at any rato, weed out a number of impostors j more especially if men with such certificates wore preferred by employers." Altogether tho ; suggestions and commonts which we havo quoted aa having been made by Mr Davidson and Mossrs Berry and Barclay are ontitlod to tho caroful consideration of all porsons and associations interested in the sproad of colonial commorco and desirous that all products sont from tho colony should bo sont in a stato ontirely favorable to tho realisation of thoir fullest valuo.

Tho nominated immigrants from the Marlborough aro to bo forwarded from Dunedin to Oamaru on Friday next. The usual meeting of tho Town Council takes placo to-morrow evening, at 7.15 o'clock. Tho meeting called by His Worship the Mayor, to consider what stops should bo takon to raise funds for the relief of tho sufferers by tho famino in Ireland, takes placo this evening, in tho Volunteer Hall, at half-past seven o'clock. Tho picnic of tho High School Cadots takes placo to-day, and from tho present appearance of the weather thoro is every probability that they will enjoy themselves. They arc requested to moot this morning at tho High School, in uniform and with rifles, at 9 o'clock sharp, Wo have received from Messrs Ronayno and Cottroll, Mackay'a almanac for 1880. The present is decidedly tho best issue of this almanac which has appeared for tho last eight years, and for this tho public is in« dobtcd to the disappearance of tho numerous stereotyped blocks with which tho almanac was formerly padded. For about eight successive years tho first section of tho Oamaru Brcakwator was, according to Mackays almanac, being laid. Tho issue under notico gives us credit for having accomplished this undertaking, and also notices tho addition which has been mado to this important work. Thoro is a lot of good and reliablo information in tho publication now lying before us. At tho Resident Magistrate's Court yestorday, tho prisoners Lofovro and Hawker, charged with stealing postage stamps, who were oxamincd on Monday, wore convicted and sentenced, tho former to 28 days imprisonment, and tho lattor, who has been boforo convicted of thoft, to six wocks. Two I cases of drunkenness were punished with Pino, and James Reid, for allowing ahorso to wamtor at largo, was fined ss. Judgment was given in tho following civil cases : Garjglo v. Smith, for plaintiff, Lll 13s 4d with costs { Currie v. Harvey, L 2 Is 9d, for plaintiff ; Familton v. Eusioll, T V 3 ?s Id, for plaintiff. Wo have received tho seventli nutnbor of tho Matrimonial Chronicle, a paper published on tho Ist of each month at Tumut, in Now South Wales. Jtt) general contents are

fairly rcadablo, though many of tho arbicles aro mado up of what plain spoaking persons would bo apt to term sontimontal squash. Tho "matrimonial advertisements" appear to bo bona Jlde, but they are not vory numorous, and this fact favors tho assumption that thoro aro not many fools and imbeciles about Tumut, Ono of tho malo advertiaora is, howovor, if not a vordant idiot, evidoutly orassly ignorant of the naturo of lovely woman in tho ninetoonVh century, for ho naivoly doscribos himself as a moral young man, who wants a partner, and who has nothing but lovo to offer for lovo. This dear youth must be a ltip Van Winklo ; othcrwiso ho would know that young ladios don't deal in kind now-a-days. Our Hampdon correspondent, writing under dato January 20th, informs us that tho crops in the district are all looking well, and showing at present a very good probable return for tho farmer. Tho lnst heavy rain did no harm to tho crops, as mostly all tho farmers in tho district aro on sloping land. Lato potatoes are not looking extra well, thero having been too much rain for thorn. This has caused some of tho seed to decay. A mooting of tho diroctors of tho Caledonian Society was held on Monday evening, at tho Criterion Hotel, Mr James Martin, vice-president, in tho chair. After the usual formal business, tho mooting proceeded to consider somo of the arrangements for tho Burns Anniversary Ball, and Mr Cook's tender for the music was accepted. Tho time for the dancing to commence was fixod, nine o'clock being tho hour decided upon, tho address to tho memory of Burns to bo delivered at 11 o'clock. Tho next meeting was fixed for Monday, 2nd Fobrufli'y. The usual monthly meeting of tho Oamaru Hospital Committee was held last night, at the office of Mr J. Church, secretary. Prosent — Messrs T. 11. Brown (president), Mainland, Shrimski, Montagu, Townsend, Korr, Hassoll, Headland, and Church (secretary). The minutes of tho previous meeting having been read and confirmed, and tho outward correspondence read and approved, the general businoss of tho Committee was gone on with. Tho roport of tho Visiting Committee was read, expressing their satisfaction with tho ordorly and oloanly manner in which tho Hospital was managed, Accounts for L 25 17b lOd woro received for payment in tho usual manner. A letter from Mr Thompson, presenting an arm chair to tho Hospital, was road, and it was resolved that the thanks of tho Committoo should bo sent to Mr Thompson. Tho reports of tho Houso Committeo and of tho doctor wero accoptod, and a list of tho monthly subscriptions, amounting [to L2B 7s, was read by tho secretary. Tho treasurer's statomont for tho annual general meeting was read and adopted. Tho annual roport, and tho doctor's roport for tho general mooting wero read. It was resolved that tho thanks of tho committeo to tho doctor should bo inserted in tho general roport, and that that, with tho doctor's statement and the balance sheet, should bo adopted. Mr Montagu suggested that tho Committee should consider tho subject of an increase of salary to the warder and his wife, as a mark of approval of their excellent performance of their duties during tho year. Mr Brown thought that a bonus would bo bettor, and Mr Shrimski thought that tho matter ought to be loft to tho docision of tho incoming committee After somo discussion, Mr Korr movod that a bonus of L2O bo offered by tho Committee, fti had boon dono last yoar, to the warder and his wifo for tho sa^factory way in which they had performed their duties during tho past year. Mr Montagu seconded tho motion, which was carried, Mr Shrimski then moved—" That tho thanks of tho Committee bo offered to tho president for tho ablo and satisfactory manner in which ho had porformod his duties during his time of oflico." This was seconded by Mr Headland, and carried. Mr T. H. Brown oxpressed his thanks, and thought that tho Oamaru Hospital would compare with any in Now Zealand for the manner in which it was managed. Tho meeting then adjourned. Apropos of tho trouble which has recently arison in Dunodin between tho Rev. Lorenzo Moore and Archdeacon Edwards, tho Rev. Mr Barry, Anglican minister, New South Wales, who was formerly censured by tho Bishop for preaching in tho Wosloyan chapel, has issued a circular challenging tho Bishop's consistency in officiating in the private Wosleyan chapel of Sir G. W, Allen, the Speaker, in performing tho marriage between Miss Allen and Mr Looper, of Melbourne Thoro aro somo spooimens of first-rate manhood in tho Borough of Sydonham, which is a suburb of Christchurch, with a population of Bovcn «r oight thousand persons. Tho local Council recently appointed a street-naming committoo whoso members aro evidently men who appreoiato literary genius, and love to honor it. At anyrato wo leai u from tho Lyttolton Times that in accordance with this committee's recommendations Sydonham will soon boast of such thoroughfares as Wilkio Collins streot, Oliver Goldsmith streot, Tom Hood stroet, Charles Lamb stroet, Douglas Jerrold street, Bulwer Lytton stroot, Stuart Mill street, Dean Swift streot, and Victor Hugo streot, Mr Giblin, tho Colonial Treasurer of Tasmania, in delivering his financial statoment in tho local Parliament on tho 13th instant, stated that as a moans of raising revenue tho Governmont proposed to levy an excise duty on beer of 3d per gallon. Ho expects to derive Llfi,ooo a year from tho duty which will bo collected on tho American system —by moans of stamps. It will bo re. membcred what a terrific huo and cry was raised in Now Zealand when Mr Ballance, in the session of 1878, proposed a bcor tax of l£d per gallon, and what a quantity of unmitigated bosh was talked about tho tax being equivalent to robbing tho poor man of his beer. Tho Colonial Treasurer of Tasmania, wo observo, expresses tho views whioh sonsiblo men in Now Zealand, who wero not blinded by self intorcst, ontortained at the timo of Mr Ballanoo's proposal. ITo doscribos tho tax as in no sonso prohibitory, but as boing simply a tax on an articlo of luxury— an articlo which no ono will ooutend is a luxury ; and ho adds that " men's minds havo grown considerably on that point during tho last quarter of a century, and it is now generally admitted that it is a luxury and nothing more, and one which most medicos would toll us wo should bo much bettor without." Tho South Canterbury Times in an articlo on tho appointment of Mr Justice Johnston and Mr Koid, tho Solicitor General, as commissioners to consolidate tho statutes of tho colony observes that "many of tho Now Zealand statutes aro elaborate, and thoy contain the germs of utility. Their fault is that as compositions thoy are far too labored, and their good traits — tljeiv genns— aro usually buried in a mass of incoherent noiir sense. Itis hecauio of this that we regard J

tlio task of this commission almost as for* midablo as tho revision of tho Old and Now Testament." It is stated that in consequence of tho wot weather prevailing in Sydney ou tho 27th Deoomber, tho Now Zoaland Court at tho Exhibition was flooded, that all tho exhibits had to bo removed, and that somo of thorn woro considerably damaged. Tho Melbourne Loador estimates that the total yield of wheat in Victoria will bo 10,005,000 bushels, which, aftor allowing for homo requirements, will givo a surplus of 4,065,000 bushels, or about 109,000 tons. In South Australia, also, there will be an immense surplus for oxport. According to tho Molbourno Argus, tho total annual production of moat in Now South Wales oxcetds 354,000.0001b., while the amount required for local consumption, oven taking an absurdly oxtravngant ostimato, docs not oxcoed 220,500,0001b , which would loave a surplus for export of at least 133,500,0001b., or, taking its equivalent, 264,015 hoad of oattlo, or 3,440,000 sheep. News has reached Samaroaud of tho arrival in Afghan territory of tho Russian scientific expedition despatched to survey the Amu Darya. Tho examination of tho rivor, with its prinoipal aflluonts, is reportod to havo rosulted in establishing tho fact of their boiug navigable. Tho engineer of tho San Paulo Railway in Brazil has hit upon a novel way of utilising the old iron rails which havo been suporseded by steel, by making them into telegraph po9ts, and thus overcoming tho trouble and annoyanco occasioned in all tropical countries through the destruction of tho wooden posts by ants. Theso rails, when orginally laid down, cost Lll per ton, and tho stool rails which havo displaced them havo cost only L 4 10s. Tho population of tho globe may be roughly assumed at 1,421,000,000, divided thus; Europe, 309,000,000; Asia, 824,000,000; Africa, 199,000,000; Oceania, 4,000,000; America, 85,000,000. It has been calculated fMin tho mortality tables of known countries that tho annual number of deaths throughout the world is 33,093,350, or that, in other words, 97,790 persons die each day. On tho other hand, the balance of population is more than kopt up by births at the rate of 104,800 per day. Seventy now lives are ushered in ovory mitiuto of the 24 hours. At a largoly-attendcd meeting of the Council of the English Church Union, hold in November, there was a long and anxious discussion on tho present position of tho nuit Martin v. Mackonochie, tho vicar of St. Albans boing himself present. After the desirability of an appeal to tho House of Lords and of an application to tho Common Law Courts to test tho validity of Lord Penzance's appointment had been considered, it was resolved that tho policy in this particular ca«o should bo one simply of resistance. Mr Maokonochio expressed himself as ready to go to prison, which event it was considered would greatly advance Ritualist views ; and the churchwardens, Messrs WinsUnloy and Warre, woro stated to bo ready to refuse admission to any other clorgymon sont to carry on tho duty and to abide tho consequoncoi. In spito of tho visit of tho heir to tho Russian throne to Vienna, tho Austrian and Hungarian Press haa not ceased to express distrust of tho objects of Russia. The Pesthor Lloyd says: "Wo havo received from a trustworthy quartor in St. Petorsburg soino items of intelligence which are irreconcilable with tho news of the recent conciliatory turn in Russian policy. We learn that in Russia the lessons of tho last war aro boing zealously studied with a view to profit by them horoaftcr, and overy thing possible is boing dono in order to strengthen the confidonco of tho army and population in tho military power of tho Empire The practical foundation on which that increased oonfidonco is to bo built comprises tho following monsures : A reorganisation of tho artillery on tho largest scalo ; an incroaso of tho stores of anna, so that there will bo two rifles in hand for every soldier ; and comprohensivo measures for tho improvement and strengthening of tho cavalry. One interesting particular in that both in tho military schools and in tho active army tho greatost attention has roccntly bcou turned to tho study of tho geography of AustriaHungary. "