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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4286, 15 December 1874, Page 2

In tho circular of Messrs. Goldsbrough and Co., wool brokers, of Melbourne, for the past mouth, some facts are given of more than local interest. The importance to which the wool trade of Victoria has grown may bo judged from the fact that between the 30fcli of October and tho 10th of November the shipments of wool, chiefly for London, amounted to not loss than 85,599 bales. The previous shipments had been 27,103, making the total for six weeks from the Ist of October 113,702 bales. These shipments included 7315 baleß

for Boston direct, and from 10,000 to 11,000 bales were to follow to that port and New York, the American buyers now in Melbourne having picked up some of the best brands in the market. It is another curious fact that for the first time since the P. and O. Company have had the contract for the Australian mails their steamers have begun to carry wool. The Nubia, which took out the December mail, also carried fifteen hundred bales, for which a freight considerably higher than the ordinary rate was willingly paid by shippers. The fact of the steamers now going through the Suez Canal direct to Southampton has enabled the company to go into this, for them, new branch of trade.

An attempt was made, when the Feuding settlement was formed, to give effect in it to Mr. Fox's views on the subject of hotels and public-houses. The capital of the settlement was to possess no such institution, and the whole of the Feilding block was to be absolutely free frqm the presence of the seller of spirituous liquors, or the keeper of any house of entertainment for man or beast. The settlers, in short, were to be confined to " pure water," or " the cup that cheers but not inebriates." But the Feilding settlers were like unto other men. They did not all sympathise with Mr. Fox's views. Stimulants found their way into Feilding, just as they do into Maine. Men required them, and it appears that others, who saw no harm in doing so, supplied them without asking the leave or "license" of the Licensing Magistrates. In these circumstances Mr. Halcombe did a wise thing. The illegalities which he could not cure by repressive measures he resolved to legalise, and so keep the sale of liquors within control., He set to work to build a hotel ; but the Good Templars became alarmed, they held meetings, and they obtained Mr. Fox in person to visit them, and address the settlers on the enormity of the evil Mr. Halcombe proposed to commit. The lion, member for Rangitikei notwithstanding, we hope Mr. Halcombe will build his hotel, and will obtain'a license for it ; so that strangers who visit that rapidly-im-proving locality may find the accommodations of an hotel, and may live after their own fashion.

The Centennial Industrial Exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876, is likely to be carried out after all. San Francisco correspondents of the Auckland journals slate that New South Wales had arranged for a large display of the products and manufactures of that colony. They urge the importance of New Zealand being wellrepresented. They write : —" Your wool, flax, gum, and cabinet woods ought to be exhibited. If ever the phormium tenax is to become the great staple product of New Zealand, you must look to the States as your legitimate market. America so far is not a flax-producing country. The fibrous plants indigenous to it are of comparatively little value. Had they the New Zealand flax, the people of this country would long ago have found some way of cleaning it and raising it to its proper standard. There are many beautiful woods in this country ; but I have seen none that surpass the mottled kauri of your North Island, or the rimu of the South. All your furniture woods ought to be exhibited. Practically, New Zealand is yet a terra incognita to the average American. An exhibit of Seuffert's cabinet work in Philadelphia would open the eyes of the Quakers, and lead to inquiries about the country which produced such beautiful workmanship. Even here, in San Francisco, there is very little known as to the resources and climate of New Zealand."

It will be observed with great regret, by readers of the American papers, that the prospects before the working population of New York for the winter are described as being of the gloomiest sort. The poverty which existed in that city last winter was of the most frightful character—too great for the utmost efforts of the charitable to overtake—and the journals were filled from day to day with narratives of distressing cases of suffering from starvation accidentally discovered, as well as with accounts of what was doing at the numerous soup kitchens established all over the city and Brooklyn. The summer has done nothing to lessen the prospects of the misery of the coming winter. People were leaving in thousands for Europe or Canada ; there were numerous failures; business was very unsettled, and " the winter outlook was exceedingly gloomy." One of the San Francisco journals concludes its remarks on the subject by observing that " the charitable folks are preparing for the relief of unprecedented poverty in New York."

The release of Gardiner has considerably embarrassed the Government of New South "Wales, and led to a virtual defeat of Mr. Parkes's Ministry, which has been followed by a dissolution of the Assembly. The circumstances are somewhat peculiar. They are narrated by the Sydney Morning Herald as follows :

The Government were left in a minority of two last night when the House divided on Mr. Combes' motion for going into Committee of the Whole " to take into consideration the minute of his Excellency the Governor on the subject of the release of the prisoner Gardiner, laid by command upon the table of this House on the day of its last prorogation." Comparatively little interest appeared to be taken in the debate until within an hour or two of its close, when, as the result of assiduous whippiug-up on both sides, it became apparent that the decision of the House would be adverse to the Administration. The resolution was agreed to by 28 to 26; and if we take accoun tof the pairs, the numbers represented were sS—an unusually large House. Upon the House going into committee, the following resolutions, submitted by the hon. member for Bathurst, were carried by 28 to 27:—" 1. That this committee regrets that the Governor should have been advised to communicate to the Assembly his Excellency's minute to the Executive Council, dated the 23rd June last, with reference to the release of the prisoner Gardiner ; because it is indefensible in certain of its allegations, and because, if it is considered to be an answer to the respectful and earnest petitions of the public, it is highly undesirable to convert the records of this House into a means of conveying censure or reproof to our constituents ; and if it refers to the discussions in this Chamber, then it is in spirit and effect a breach of the constitutional privileges of rarliament. 2. That this resolution be communicated by address to his Excellency the Governor." On the division in the House for the adoption of the report the numbers were 28 to 2S. Mr. Speaker gave his casting vote on the side of the noes, and the motion for the adoption of the report was therefore negatived. The announcement of the numbers in the various divisions was followed by much cheering, and the Chamber was for some time the scene of considerable excitement. The galleries ware crowded. The Premier stated he regarded the vote as one of defeat, and we are consequently in the midst of a political crisis.