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Otago Daily Times, Issue 849, 10 September 1864, Page 4

Evert now and then one finds a paragraph in one or other of the Colonial papers to the effect that some individual has discovered a process by which the Ne\y Zealand Flax, ov Phormium Tenax may be profitably converted into a marketable commodity. Ifc is characteristic of most of these notices, that very sanguine opinions are expressed of their success and of the value of the invention. Each Province, in its turn, has, in this way, laid claim to the honor of setting at rest a manufacturing problem which has puzzled people both in the colony and out of it, ever since the first occupation of the Islands by Europeans. But, unfortunately, most of the various new processes appear to arrive no further than the columns of the newspapers, and the prepared fibre of the phormium tenax still figures as the smallest and least valuable item inthe list of New Zealand exports. We should be wrong in saying that the conversion of the native flax into a fibre fit for manufacturing purposes, has not been accomplished. The difficulty is not in preparing the fibre, but in producing it at a sufficiently cheap cost to leave a profit on its sale—a result which has not yet been attained on any considerable scale. For it must not be forgotten that it has to compete in the home market with the ordinary flax of commerce, and it could only do so favorably in the mater of price, for in all the necessary qualities oi fibre for manufacturing purposes, the fibre of the phormium tenax is except in the matter of lateral strength, very much inferior to the European article. Now it has happened that the best samples of prepared New Zealand flax would, to leave any profit to the producer, require to fetch a price equalling that of the better descriptions of Russian or Irish flax—a price in fact much beyond the actual value. We have seen specimens of the fibre ofthe native flax as fine as the flax of Courtrai, and capable of being manufactured into the most delicate fabric. But beyond the interest attaching to them as proofs of what could be accomplished, they were of no value. To produce such a description of fibre would be be about as profitable a proceeding as to sink fifty feet for a speck of gold—the wold is there, but costs a good deal more to reveal the fact of its existence than it is worth. And it ia a singular circumstance that nearly every experimentalist has fallen into the error of attempting too

much, and seeking to make of the phormium tenax something to rival the better descriptions of European flax. A greater mistake could hardly be committed. The good qualities of the New Zealand flax are precisely . those which would have to be sacrificed in order to canvert it into a fine fibre. Tbe native flax is well suited for a vast variety of purposes, to adapt it for wbich little need be done but clean the fibre. And to tbe production of fibre, simply cleaned as much as possible from the gelatinous covering which envelopes the fibre of the phormium tenax, the efforts ofthe colonists should be directed.

There is, practically, an unlimited market for fibre of this kind, and at a price which would leave a fair margin of profit on the production. No doubt there are many persons in Otago, who, if they know anything of the trade of Dundee, can bear us out in the statement, that that market alone could absorb all the flax tbat New Zealaud could produce. Surely, it is not beyond the skill and enterprise ofthe colonists of New Zealand to turn to profitable account a very valuable and abundant natural product. Perhaps the forthcoming Exhibition will prove that the chief difficulties have been overcome in the way of preparing the fibre. The main objects to be attained, appear to be to expend as littlelabor as possible, and to organise a regular supply ofthe raw material. Some experimentalists bave sought to rely mainly on chemical action for the neutralization of the gummy matter. But the use of chemicals damages the fibre, and is too costly. Clearly machinery of some kind must be depended on, for manual labor is too expensive. While on the subject of machinery, we may refer to a method which we are not aware has yet been tried in the preparation of the New Zealand flax, but which there is reason to believe would prove effectual. We allude to pressure. A gentleman who possesses considerable knowledge on the subject, tells us that during the Crimean war, when flax became so scarce and dear in England, some of the largest manufacturers tried the experiment of subjecting hemp, which is much coarser in the, fibre than flax, to a very high degree of pressure massive iron rollers. The experiment proved remarkably successful, and a fibre was produced sufficiently soft and fine to mix with the flax. The rollers were subjected to hydraulic pressure, so that a weight equal to many hundred tons was brought to bear on the hemp as it passed between them. The pressure was so great that the hemp after rolling was quite hot to the hand. One would think that a high degree of pressure would effectually dispose of the gelatinous matter which forms the greatest obstacle to the preparation of the phormium tenax. At any rate the experiment might be tried.

But ot course any successful method of preparation would be comparatively valueJess, unless a regular supply of the raw material could be depended on. Thisis by far the most difficult part of the subject, and the question arises—would the regular cultivation of the indigenous flax pay? We are afraid that it would not., But at any rate there is such a vast quantity of the phormium tenax growing wild in the Colony, that the discovery of a simple and economical method of turning it to a profitable purpose wOuld be an important public benefit Whether this has already been achieved or not, the Exhibition will i ■ ■ . 'prove. _

A deputation was to have waited upon his Honor the Superintendent yesterday, for the purpose of requesting him, if possible, to postpone the time for bringing the new Land Regulations into effect; but in consequence of not being able to attend at the appointed time, the interview was postponed to this day at noon.

We have received from Mr Robertson a cheap edition o£ Bulwer's " Strange Story," published in Melbourne. The price is 2s 6d ; it is wonderfully well printed and got up for so cheap an edition. Ie is unnecessary to dwell upon the merits of the story, they are sufficiently well known.

The New Caledonia Moniteur notifies that Frenchmen married in the colonies under forms of English law are not considered legally married, and recommends such to comply with the. French law, according to the Code Napoleon.

The following is the List of Common Jury Cases for trial on Monday, the 12th of Sept., before the Supreme Court, Civil Session ; —

Mr Warden Simpson in his official reporfc from Mount Benger, dated the 3rd September, says :—" Nothing1 of interest to note this week. Mining operations on the riverhave been carried ~-r. with great vigor during tlie week, the weather having been everything that could be desired, and the river lower than. it has been this season. Many of the. miners are working both night and day, particularly in the upper part of the district, where some of the claims are turning out remarkably well. A good many parties are now out on the Pomahaka. Oue party, Tobin and Co., who have for the last month beenengaged turning the creek below the Upper Junction, have struck very payable gold in the bed of the creek, but the difficulties witlv which they have to contend are great. Several parties bad attempted to bottom at this part of the creek but never could, and Tobin and Co. are tbe first who have been able tP do so. Nothing new from Long Valley or that direction.

At a meeting of the shareholders of the Dunedin Water Works Company, held yesterday afternoon in Farley's Buildings, Princes-street, the following gentlemen were elected Directors for the ensuing twelve months :— Messrs. T. Dick, J. Bathgate, W. H. Reynolds, B. B. Martin, R. Gillies, E. Chalmer, D. Boss, G. Turnbull, and W. H m Cutten. There was no other business brought before .the meeting.

We have heen requested to correct two slight inaccuracies which occur in our report of the proceedings at the Meeting of the Education Board on Thursday. The report of tlie Secretary in reference to the Queenstown.,, memorial was to the effect, thafc he had as^" certained, from inquiries at the Land Office, that a large number of the sections in Queenstown had been sold; not " that he had visited the district." And that from the memorial on the table it was evident there was a large number of children, in the locality requiring education; and he knew there was ahead/ a good workingSchool Committee; and thafc the present school was conducted by a a fully certified teacher. The finding of the Board in reference to the fencing of the School ground at Lake Waipori, was to the effect that the land could nofc be fenced until the township' in. which the school buildings are erected should be surveyed.

We are requested to state that St Paul's Church will be closed to-morrow, and that the usual services at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. wilL be held in the Court House.

By the Hero we have two days'later news from Melbourne. The papers confcain nothingof particular interest.

Payment in matters theatrical is nofc on a niggardly scale in Australia. The Melbourne papers state that from some insolvency proceedings, now going on, it appears that Mr George Coppin was paid the sum of L 386 for his services at the theatre for two weeks, on his last visit to Adelaide; and that Mr Jefferson (the American comedian) received L 538 for five weeks and two* nights' performances.

The Sydney Morning Herald mentions the probability ofthe New South Wales Legislature passing a Convict Prevention Act.

His Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, accompanied by Mrs Gore Brown and Miss Browne, had a narrow escape lately whilst out driving. One of the horses stumbled upon the new metal that lay upon the road, and fell down on his side, dragging the off side 'horse with hira. Both norses struggled and kicked violently, the pole got above them. The coachman in his fright dropped both reins. The horses were about getting to their feet, when a Mr James Lord (who happened to be passing at the time), in company with some other gentlemen, rushed b> the spot, seized the reins, and with wonderful dexterity and agility brought them to their feet, and their proper position. Fortunately no one was hurt.

The Melbourne Herald says : "The pursuit of the police after the murderer Morgan has been so hot of late that he has been compelled to shift his quarters from Tumbarumba' and Meragleto his old haunts between Tirana ani the Lower Billabong."

The Daijlesford Express relates the following singular occurrence:—" About ten month* ngo a poor fellow at the Sportsman's Reef, Dry. Diggings, was standing in a blacksmith'sshop there, when a fragment of steel entered his right eye. He suffered excruciating pain^, and is still unable to see with the injured organ. One day last week, while working in the same claim, a chip of quartz flew into hi* left eye, and cut it also. It is not unlikely that he will be permanently blind. Atkinson, tbe sufferer, was formerly a sailor, and served twenty-five years in the navy." il Afi

The Melbourne Age of the 31st ult.., says r —" An accident of a serious nature occurred at Sunbury, yesterday, to a man named John Quifcin, one of the employes of Mr Knight, manager of the Bald Hill Vineyard. He wa& thrown from his horse, which was frightened by a wild bullock, and when down was kicked by the horse aud rushed and gored by the bullock. On being admitted into the hospital,, it was found that several of his ribs were broken." The special reporter pf the Rockhampton ulletin, under date 2nd August, writes to that journal from the Peak Downs thus:— "A new rush has taken place. It is-situated on what Messrs Rolfe and other pioneers of the district call the Eastern River. Tbis watercourse, however, can scarcely be considered worthy of such an appellation, being: simply an ordinary looking creek„ a tributary of the Beyando. The scene before us was an extremely animated one. Some hundreds of diggers had made their appearance, and wero engaged in all the various occupations incidental thereto. The present camp was iv a. bend of the creek, on either side of which the tin-dish men were already hard at work. I immediately proceeded to the tent of the prospectors (Mr Harry Atkioson and parfiy), in front of which stood a conspicuous heap of wash dirt, the accumulation of their secret labor. A couple of ihem were cradling- in.

the creek by the side of it. ' Well, Harry ! found you out at last ?' ' Oh, yes, it looks like it.' 'I suppose you have made your pile ?' ' Oh, well, I donfc know about that,' &c, &c. Some ten minutes after the panning -off of their whole morning's wash took place, yielding, with quartz, mixed gold and all. I should say, at least three quarters of a pound weight, hut which, I understood, was au unusually good average. However, I did not -seeihe yield weighed, ancl may have been a trifle mistaken in ray estimate. I afterwards 'had a look at other workings near, but I cannot say that I saw many washing anything like payable stuff,- considering the distance it had to "be carried, viz., from one to two miles. The majority of the men, however, were as yet simply fossicking over the old guliies ■hurried through by the prospectors. Mr Finlay and I had dinner with Atkinson and his party, and were there shown some of their gold. We saw four bags containing from four to six pounds weight each, aud I then asked them pointedly if this was all they had, -and if not, what was the total amount. The. reply was that they had more, bufc could nofc say what the bulk represenfced,as they had not .yet weighed ifc. I then told them it was currently reported in Clermont that they had made from L2O to LCO a man per week since 'they had struck gold there,-and asked them if this report was exaggerated. They replied •distinctly thafc it was nofc, and said they authorised me to confirm ifc in the manner I am now doing. They also stated their washdirt was averaging from four to six ounces to the load. The gold (a sample of which is enclosed) is principally of the description known as quartz gold, viz., a good deal mixed with thafc article, and not at all waterworn, very bright, and very pure. The largest piece I saw weighed about seven ounces. The prospectors said they had been there thirteen weeks undiscovered, although once they saw a party trying the creek a bit below them. Tliey had worked out the centres of four small ravines or gullies, and commenced a'<fifth when they were rushed."

MrE. H. Carew, officer in charge afc Nokomai, writing under date 3rd September, sa yg : —"ln a river claim below the old workings at the Gorge, and nearly opposite the township, gold has been struck. From a prospect paddock ten feet by eight, depth of sinking, two feet, five ounces of coarse gold was obtained. I have great confidence thafc ■several miles of the river Nevis, or its branches, as yet untouched, will be ultimately worked. The present population here is far too limited for the quantity of available ground. The late arrivals are getting their claims into working order, and appear well satisfied with their prospects.

A .drill for recruits in the Dunedin Volunteer Naval Brigade will be held this evening at the Drill Shed, at 7 o'clock.

A meeting of the Otago Building Society will be held in the Odd Fellows' Hall, George *treet, on Monday evening nextf 12th instant, at 8 o'clock, when the cash in hand will be disposed of in terms of the rules.

•:- The Chief Postmaster has furnished us with a return of the results of the Money Order system for. the past month, from which it appears that during the month of August the number of order issued was 571, for the total sum of £2642 13s Id ; while the orders paid; were 202> amounting to £938 10s Bd. Since the commencement ofthe system 10,523 orders have been issued, representing £53,629 7s 4d ; and 2893 paid, forming an aggregate of £14,361 2s sd.

Via Sydney news has been received that the natives on the island of Lifou, New Caledonia, are in a state of rebellion, and that Freuch military law has been put in force.

A clerical error was made in our notice of the forthcoming Bazaar and Ball, in aid of thefunds ofthe Benevolent Institution. The Bazaar will he held on the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th inst., and the Ball, we are given' to understand, will take place on some day, during the week following the Bazaar.

The annual public meeting of the owners and occupiers of land, and householders, in the different Educational Districts, for the '-election of District School Committees for next year, will be held in the School House -of each district;, on Monday, the 1 Oth day of -October, 1864, at half-past six o'clock p.m.

. By the City of Dunedin, we have Havelock papers to the 3rd, ani Canterbury papers to the Bth inst. There is absolutely no fresh intelligence from the Marlborough diggings, and the news from Canterbury is devoid of -interest.

Our report of the meeting of the Education Board, published yesterday, contaiued a slight inaccuracy. Ifc.was 3 stated that Miss Brown had applied to have her preparatory school placed under the inspection of the Head Master of the High School. It was Miss Blair who made the application, her reasons for which were, we are given to understand, that no break should occur in the education of the boys, who would go into the High :School and continue there the system on which' they had been taught.

There was an unusually protracted sitting of the Police Bench yesterday, the examina tion of John Jones, charged with perjury, being continued up to half-past five in the -evening. The prisoner was fully committed for trial. A new information has since been sworn against him for larceny. In consequence of the length of this hearing, all' civil •cases on the list were postponed till Monday morning. We extract the following from the Dunstan Times :•—" The Catholic inhabitants of this ■place have made great improvements in their place of worship. A porch has heen added to the building, and the whole of the interior has been lined and very tastefully decorated ; while a new and very handsome altar has been added, which for construction and the really elaborate manner in which the painters have bestowed their professional skill upon it, does great credit to the artists^of this district. Messrs Auckland and Poole were the gentlemen who so well carried out the improvements, the whole of which were executed in 4ha short space of three days. The Rev.

Emmanuel Royer personally superintended the whole of the arrangements, which do infinite credit to his untiring energy and good taste. The total cost of the building was iaoo, aud it is capable of seating with comfort one hundred and twenty persons." The Molyneux Mail remarks that since the arrival of Father Royer," the Chapels have been put in order and tastefully decorated. The Altars aud Tabernacles have been very neatly finished off and varnished, and the interior wears a very creditable appearance."

rLAINTIEFS. DEFENDANTS plaintiff's solicitor. defendant's solicitor. I I 1 Marshall Greenwood Howorth and Co. ... AVilson 2 Kcowii... Mansford ... E.F. Ward Prendergast and Co. 3 Brace ... 4 Hildreth 5 Armstrong 6 Heaps ... Shrimski ... Trueman ... Armstrong Bowden ..." Prendergast and Co. ... M'Gregor ... do do E.F.Ward James Smith Howorth Prendergast and Co. Wilson Cook 7 Macgregor 8 Forsyth .. 9 O'Connor Edwards ... M'Leod ... Scanian ... do do Howorth and Co. ... do I do . Ward Cook Wilson 10 Dickson... 11 Morgan... 12 Mallen ... 13 Clark ... 14 Taylor ... Warren ... 1'a.lock and another Bullock ... Finch I Cargill and another... Turner do do Cook&Main do Johnston James Smith 15 Kidston... Wilson ... . Ward and O'Louglilin Prendergast . and Co. Howorth & Co. do . Ward 10 Calder ... 17 Quadri ... 18 Buckley 19 Stevens... I 20 Uavies ... M'Landress Quadri ... Palmer ... Pritcliard ... Simpson and another... Keith Howorth | 'and Co. ...I K F. Ward j do Haggitt ...i I Wilson ... O'LoiigWi" Howorth & Co, do 21 Kirby ...