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New Zealand Mail, Issue 936, 7 February 1890, Page 16

Mr R. J. Creighton. -The San Francisco mail agent haß telegraphed the postal authorities here that on the 21st of Decern • her Mr R. J. Creighton, the New Zealand Government Agent at San Francisco, met with an accident by which one of his legs was fractnred. San Francisco Mail.— The s.s. Kanieri, with the Southern portion of the San Francisco mail on board, left Onehunga at 10.15 a.m. on Wednesday. A special train mßt her on arrival at New Plymouth, aDd the mail should have arrived here early last evening. A Rival to New Zealand Hemp. —A private letter from Sydney says For some time past a number of our leading business men have been inquiring into the possibility of growing sisal '■ in this Colony. A gentleman who has been engaged in the hemp tirade ih London for the past years, and who has dealt largely in New Zealand hemp, has carried out a number of experiments' here, which go to show that sisal can be grown as a profitable speculation It is belieVed the Government will assist ih the matter by a grant of suitable land at a merely nominal rental. It the fibre samples shown to me can be grown largely, and there seems to be bo reason why the plant should not thrive. New Zealand is likely to have a formidable rival in a year or so. I was also Bhown a beautiful fibre prepared from the Foucroya plant, which was found" growing in 3. wild state in yhe vicinity of “Manfy. Although. the fibre had been prepared bv most primitive {nefcho3? 3 the texture tyas orceflen't, T'Ms fibre is largely prepared in the Mauritius, and is shipped principally to Franoe, where it is used in the manufacture of textile fabrics, Ihe plant can be grown here at even less expense than sisal, and owmg to its fineness the fibre commands a much higher figure. lam given to understand that the gentlemen interested intend to spend £29,000 la the venture immediately.”

Law Examinations.— lt is intended to hold extra law examinations tinder the existing regulations in September next;

Exhibition AwaiuL. —lt is gratifying td learn that the ellington Tiriware Company secured first prize at the Dunedin Exhibition for their exhibits of trunks and general tinware.

Frozen Meat.— Nelson 8r05.,, Limited, telegraphed Wednesday night:—“ The frozen mutton market is steady ; best quality ia worth Beef—Hindquarters, 4d ; forequarters, 3§d.

Union Bank of Australia.—At the half-yearly meetiug of the proprietors of the Union Bank of Australia held in London on 27th of January a dividend of £1 15s per share, equal to 14 per cent, per annum, was declared, and the sum of £17,000 carried forward.

Civil, Cases. —Judgment for plaintiffs was given in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr H. W. Robinson, R. M., as follows : —M. Webley v. W. Summers, £2 9s 3d, aad costa 6s ; Meyers and Co., v. 11. F. Bagnall, £34 4s 2d, and costs £1 2s ; Colquhoun v. Loftman, £9 4s, and costß £1 11s ; J. W. Newman v. Cole and another, £1 ss, and costs 4s. This was all the business of the sitting.

Moonlight Excursion. —A very enjoyable moonlight excursion around the harbour took place on Wednesday evening, the p.s. Colleen conveying a considerable number of excursionists. The reflection of the full moon upon the water, which was like a sea of glass, formed a picture unsurpassed for beauty, and oue which will not readily be forgotten by those who were on board.

Wellington District Road Board.— At the meeting of the Wellington District Road Board on Wednesday there werepresent Mr D. Speedy in the chair, Messrs Death, Russell, Wakeham, and Barton. A letter was received frem the Gear Meat Company, in reply to a complaint made by the settlers of Alicetown, stating that the nuisance would be abated in future. Accounts amounting to £4l 14s 9d were passed for payment, and the meeting closed.

Fruit Culture, —Mr A. F. Spawn, the fruit expert, has got his evaporator and other plant in working order at the Pheanix Buildings. Wednesday he held quite a levee, the Premier, Sir Wm. Fox, and Mr W. C. Buchanan, M. H.R., being among the gentle, men who inspected the work. The Committee appointed at the public meeting on Monday evening are, we understand, now in negotiation with Mr Spawn, and it is probable that some arrangement will be arrived at by to-day.

Licensing Committee.— The nomination of candidates for the City Licensing Committee olosod on Wednesday. The gentlemen nominated were Messrs C. E. W. Willeston, J, Saunders, A. Young, J. E. Hayes, and F. H. Fraser, As the number of candidates did not uxoeed the required number the gentlemen nominated were duly declared elected by the returning officer (Mr. J. Ames). The newly elected committee will meet on Tuesday next for the purpose of electing a chairman,

Island. Bay Tramway. —A special meetTrig of the Melrose Borough Council was held on Wednesday, when the report of the Islandßay Tearaway Committee was read and adopted. There were present—4he Mayor, Councillors Collins, Howden, Fear, Brunskill, and Baylis. The recommeuv dations of the Committee are similar in the main to those adopted by the City Counoil, but several amendments have been made, notably, that the rent be £1 per annum for the first ten years, £SO per annum for the succeeding five years, and £IOO per annum for. the remaining six years : that the necessary works in eonneotion with the construction of the tramway be carried out in accordance with the plan deposited with the Council ; that the maximum fare shall be 3d 1 for each passenger the whole length of the tramway from terminus at Island Bay to junction of Riddiford-street and Rintoulstreet ; that after the company has commenced running, not fewer than six oars each way shall be run daily, and there shall be no cessation of running for more than two days in one year, not counting Sundays; that the whole of the works during prsgress of the same be subject to the approval of aa ! engineer to be appointed by the Council ; that in case the applicant fail to obtain the Order-in-Council within four months from date of deed of concession, then such deed of concesaiou shall be absolutely at an eod.

The Monthly. —The Monthly Review for January is to hand, and a very readable j number it is. A new contributor, J, E. F’G., dilates pleasantly on dreams, and our; friend Dr Newman discanta upon the birth of a nation in Australia. ' A very, well, written review upon the autobiography pit Mlary Howitt is contributed by R. EL Gibson, arid is followed by another, Nga Tangata Maori, the subject being “ Wars,” by W. E. Gudgeon. ' This article takes pride of place in the number; the subject is, admirably expressed in it. The articles of Major Gudgeon have really an educating tendency ; for we hold that a fl Nb*y Zeafanders should possess some knowledge ofc the ancient manners and customs of tfie interesting Maori race which Europeans are so rapidly superseding. An article on “.Opr Military .System,”- by V Observer,”, is very well from his stand-point, \yhjch L plf r q* local. that he suggests is but he is deeply prejudiced in his ovyn cc,nceptions, and strains in sqpport of theep., For instance, he knows v.ery well that tfie newspapers have not, advocated the subsidising of an English regiment. The 1 pipers have advocated the hiring of men ; of peculiar technique—trained gunners and ■ engineers—to be the nucleus of the Oolony’s fighting force ; the latter would be mostly j the volunteers and militia. An interesting incident of the Maori war is related by Colonel McDonnell ; and an article on the “ Revolution in Brazil,” and a review of Mr E. Wakefield’s book, “New Zealand After Fifty Years,'’ close the aeries,

TAe Premteß. —We are glad to rteport a decided iffiprovOment in the health of Sir Harry Atkinson. Unclaimed Letters. —We direct attention to the list of unclaimed letters on page 16, lying at the Wellington Post Office on January 31st. Mahakipawa News. —Our Havelock correspondent writes :—The gold returns at the Mahikipawa diggings for the week ending February 1 are as follow : —Greig and party, lloz ; Hibernians’ party, 50oz. Rush and party are reported to be doing well. The Golden Hope are looking for good returns, as they have got over their difficulties. Johnson and party, below the Hibernians, are floating their claim into a company with a capital of £4OOO. George and party, on the Terraoe, are down 36ft. Corbett and party are expecting to bottom daily. The Woollen Company. —The employes of the Wellington Woollen Company have decided to form a Gnion and will meet tomorrow evening for the purpose of drawing up rules and regulations. There Beems to be a little friction between them and the directors. The men objected to the inconvenient hours of the night Bhift, and the manager stopped the shift altogether ; and when, subsequently, the men asked him to resume it he said there really was not work to keep a night shift goinc. Some seventy of the mill people have received notice of dismissal.