RATES OF POSTAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 56, 12 June 1852, Page 1

RATES OF POSTAGE.

Ship Letters, not exceeding oz 2d Do., do., exceeding J oz. and not exceeding 1 oz 4d. Exceeding 1 oz. and not exceeding H oz. 6d. " li oz. " " 2" on. Bd. And so on in proportion, being 2d. for every half ounce, or fractional part of half an ounce. Letters for any part of New Zealand need not be prepaid, and Newspapers are sent Free. New York Industrial Exhibition-. — The " New York Weekly Herald" of Dec. 13, says. " In the Board of Aldermen, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, a petition was presented by Alderman Startevant, signed by a number of merchants and others, praying that Hudson-square, in the 18th Ward, be granted to Edward Kiddle and his associates, for the purpose of erecting upon said square a building constructed of glass and iron, commensurate with the size of the ground, for the purposes of an industrial exhibition of all nations — said building to be at least 100 feet in length, ar>d 200 feet in width, with a semi-cylindrical roof or dome made of glass, and of a sufficient height to form an imposing edifice — the cost to amount to about 150,000 ! dollars, and the building to be opened "to the public on the loth April 1852. The Board made an appropriation of 3000 dollars for the expenses incurred in the reception of the Huni gariah exiles." English Gratitude !— Mr. G. Walker was the first to attract public attention to the evils I arising from Intramural Interment. He spent several years in the investigation of the question, and large sums of money in the accumulation of evidence. Mostly owing to his exertions the new Interment Bill has been passed. Appointments have been given away under that measure, and not one to poor Mr. Walker. His existence is ignored by Government. Services like his, deserving of some high acknowledgment, are passed over in the coldest contempt. We often think that England is a most ungrateful nation. France, and other nations, are not so tardy in rewarding their benefactors. Mr. Rowland Hill received nothing but the " cold shoulder" from Ministers for several years. Mr. Waghorn was allowed to die almost in want ; and numerous other examples could be cited, in proof of the little encouragement given in this country to men of science and enterprise. And yet we prove our gratitude in the most liberal manner, whenever a Prince of the royal blood is the recipient of it. We do not begrudge £12,000 a year to a young Duke of Cambridge, whose only public claim is, that he is the son of his father; but we have not a farthing to give to a man whose claims are based upon the strong ground of an universal good. It is a pity Mr. Walker had not been a member of the Royal Family; for then, instead of receiving nothing for doing something,

he would have received something for doing nothing. For the future, when we are told | of a Government patronage of men of talent and energy, we shall very politely exclaim, "Walker!"— Punch. Convention of Free Negroes in Indiana. — A convention of free people of colour is now in session at Indianapolis, and is occupied in deliberating upon various matters relating to the interests of its constituents as a class. There is said to exist among its members a strong inclination to remove out of the state of Indiana to some other country, where they hope to enjoy greater social advantages. After much debate a resolution was adopted, by a large majority, providing, that should the laws of the State become so oppressive as to be intolerable, they choose Canada, Jamaica, or elsewhere, in preference to Liberia, against which there appears to be a violent prejudice in the convention. Among the countries spoken of for the purpose of emigration , besides those mentioned, are Mexico, New Granada, and Central America ; but Canada is generally regarded as most eligible, on account of its accessibility. At last accounts the convention had under discussion a resolution somewhat contradictory to that which had just been passed, as mentioned above. It asserts, in substance, that the free negroes have a right to remain, if they choose, in the United States, the land of their nativity, and it accordingly recommends them to stay, and strive for their moral, social, political, and intellectual elevation. It was expected that the resolution would be defeated. — New York Herald. The Dairy.— On the economy of the dairy, the excellent directions, abridged from, those by the Agricultural Society of Aberdeenshire, may be studied by the farmer's wife with advantage : — 1, The milk-house or dairy should have no internal communication with any other building. It must be kept free from smoke, well-aired, and clean ; and should contain nothing but the dairy utensils, which must also be kept sweet and clean. 2. The milk, "'hen brought in from the cows, should be strained through a fine hair scarce or drainer, and, when cool, put into sweet well-seasoned oaken cogs, keelers, or milk pans, the latter to be preferred. A tin skimmer, with holes in it, is the best for taking off the cream, which should always be churned while | the cream is fresh. 3. The churn, whether plunge or barrell, should be made of the best well-seasoned white oak ; and as cleanliness is of the first importance, great attention should be paid to the washing, drying, and airing of the churns immediately after use, otherwise they are sure to contract a sour and unwholesome smell, which, must injure the quality of the butter. 4. 'The butter, immediately after being churned, should be thrown into fresh spring water, where it should remain one hour at least, that it may grow firm. 5. The butter should be immediately salted. 6. It is a very injurious practice to keep a making of uncured butter to the next churning, for the purpose of mixing the two together. It invariably injures the flavour of the whole, and renders it too soft. 7. The milk of new calved cows should never be set for butter until at least four days after calving. 8. Do not steep the firkin or other dairy vessels in boggy or unwholesome water. 9. Do not mix old butter with new. — Farmers' Almanack. Discovery op the Perpetual Motion. — The Courier de la Gironde states that a civil engineer of Bordeaux, named De Vignemon, has discovered the perpetual motion. His theory is said to be to find in a mass of water, at rest, and contained within a certain space, a continual force, able to replace all other moving powers. The above journal declares that this has been effected, and that the machine invented by M. de Vignemon works admirably. A model of the machine was to be dxposed at Bordeaux for .three days, previous to the inventor's departure with it for London, Gossiping. — A poor man in Xieeds,- who' had a gossiping wife, informed a neighbour of his, " as a great secret," that his wife went out o? the* house 1 every day forty times to gossip with' somei of her neighbours, and she remained out twd hpurs; pvery time.