LONDON WOOL MARKET.-FEBRUARY. (From the Home News).

Otago Witness, Issue 339, 29 May 1858, Page 5

LONDON WOOL MARKET.-FEBRUARY. (From the Home News).

The tendency to firmness noticed in out last report continues, and a large quantity of withdrawn and not offered wools have been sold since the close of November-December sales, materially reducing our stock of second-hand parcels. Accounts from the north continue satisfactory, and it is generally expected that an average advance of full l\d. per lb. will be established at our next sales, to commence on the 25th of February ; much, however, depends on the demand for continental requirements. The accounts thence all concur that stocks of the raw material are very low, paiticularly of good middle description, at prices ranging from Is. 9d. to 2s. per lb. The continued ease in our money market, coupled with more confidence generally, is a gratifying feature, and it is hoped that now the great speculators (who so unduly forced prices last year) are out of the money market, prices will be governed by actual demand, and a steady and good tiade will no doubt be the result of a more healthy state of things. Dealers in the north are very short of stock, and as the recent failures will bring a good quantity from the north for sale by auction to clear accounts, a better tone will prevail there ; and it is hoped that ere the May sales our Markets will be entirely cleared of all second-hand wools. We note by the accounts from the colonies that extreme prices are being paid for all descriptions, the loss on which will be very serious, as taking an average they are full 2d. above present rates, exclusive of all charges. Mr. 11. P. Hughes reports that " the next public sales aie fixed to commence on the2sih of February, and that the market is looking firmer, and hopes are entertained of a slight advance in price over the rates of November last."

Emigration and Matrimony. — There is one sort of "qualifying,"' though, to which I would earnestly call the attention of the whole bachelor brotherhood. A colonial proverb runs thus — " Single men may succeed, married men must ;" and any single gentleman having a little money, and emigrating to get a little more, should stop a week, uncord the box, take out the red waistcoat, ride round the neighbourhood, simplex munditiis, Coelebs in search of a wife, and seek to add to his outfit some far prettier and more fruitful than patent plough, thrashing mill, or thorough-bred. If long a Benedict, and jokers' joke, let him say with Beatrice's bargain, when I swore to die a bachelor I never thought to have lived to — emigrate ; and if he draw a prize (and ladies say there are no blanks) he will find the New Zealand valley a golden spot, where he mayexclaim, "Hie ipso tecum consumere cbvo" — • which, for the edification of maidens who have lost their Latin, we may freely translate into " Here with thee and a good cigar, I could wear away even life itself." — Mr. Hursthouse's Work on New Zealand. An Eccentric and Benevolent M.D. — A rather good story is told of the late Dr. Watt, of Old Deer, characteristic alike of his eccentricity, genuine humour, and good sense. He was celebrated in his day, and generally, before going out to his professional visits, had to attend a crowd of patients in his surgery. Among the host of smitten visitors there sat one morning a young servant girl, pining with the toothache, but waiting her turn as patiently as circumstances would admit of. Meanwhile a more dignified sufferer came in, and, seeing there was no one above the rank of commonality in waiting, announced herself as " the Gudewife o' Auchyoche," and, of course, that she would have to be immediately relieved of a very troublesome tooth, forgetting that the other patients had also their feelings and rights to be respected. However, the surgeon meekly extracted her tooth on demand, and as meekly extracted half-a-guinea for doing it, which was paid there and then, but not in a like spirit. After she had left, the servant girl — who had bhown strange symtoms since the mention of the half-guinea — also rose to leave, saying, "She was growin' better noo, and widna seek hers drawn." " Na, na, my lassie," said the doctor, "we ken fat's makin' you better. Sit' ye doon there, an' Ave'll tak' oot your teeth for naething — the Gudewife o' Auchyoche paid for hersel' an' you tee." — » Aberdeen Free Press.