News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 802, 13 April 1867, Page 11

News of the Week.

[prom the daily times.]

The " Provincial Government Gazette" of Wednesday contains a proclamation, convening the Provincial Council on Wednesday, May the first.

The " Waikouaiti Herald*' of this week appears in an enlarged form, and improved in appearance, being now a four-page paper of twenty-eight long columns.

The " New Zealand Gazette" announces the appointment of Mr J. P/eadergast, to the office of Attorney General for New Zealand, under " The Attorney- Generals Act, 1866.'*

Mr Paterson, civil engineer, advertises for a number of plans and documents connected with the Otago ancf Southland Railways, and engineering books, instruments, aud private papers, lost at the late fire.

We have been requested to state that the Hon. Major Richardson has, by telegram, authorised his agent in to%va to contribute L2O to any subscription in aH of sufferers by the late fire.

The deeds of covenant to be executed by those runholders who bare agreed to resign licenses and tak« leases under the Act of 1866, must be signed forthwith: An official notice on the subject has already teen published.

A telegram from Adelaide, under date March 26th, says : — " The orders received by the last mail for the purchase of wheat for the English market extend the time for shipment from Here to the end of May. In consequence of these advices charters are freely taken."

On Wednesday, a deputation from Port Chalmers waited upon His Honor the Superintendent. Their object was to ascertain the, cvuaes of the delay in the commencement, of the construction of the projected Graving Dock. His Honor read correspondence which had passed between him and the Chairman of the Teust, Mr R. B. Martin. From that correspondence, it appeared that the delay was owing to Mr Balfour, the engineer, not having I yet provided the plans. His Honor and the members of the deputation expressed regret that >the work was not in the hands of a resident engineer. No specific step was resolved upon, as a meanß ot remedying the cause Of complaint. It was agreed to wait the airival lof the next steamer, by which the plans are i expected, and in the meantime, or after that date, it was suggested that the deputation should placa themselves in communication I with tha members ot the Trust.

The Coroner's Jury, empannelled to inquire into the origin of the late fire in Princes street, returned a verdict on Thursday evenK ing, that the fire had been wilfully caused by some person unknown. One juryman dissented from the verdict yesterday. Mr George Will son, on whose premises the fira orginated, was arres ed on the information of Detective, Thompson, on a charge of wHfully eetting fire to his premises, with intent to defraud the insurance offices.

The inquiry into the causa of the wreck of of the steamer South Australian, commenced: on Monday, and was continued on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thurs lay. Yesterday, oa the the application of Mi- Haggitfc, it was postponed until Thursday next, to give time for the attendance of Mr John Reid Maokenkie, and to endeavor to obtain as jjifcnasses, some of the passengers by the vessel from Melbourne to Otago.

la consequence of the non-arrival of the Mail via Panama, we were unable to continue the story of '■ Lady Adelaide's Oath #ris week. The Mataura arrived at Wellington, on Thursday, having been detained three days at Panama waiting for the* WesG Iqdis. steamer, and in consequeuca of running sfyort of coal, having to make way under sail for Dine days.

The Directors of the Dunedia Waterworks Company have issued an appeal to the public, detailing the difficulties they have had to overcome in the prosecution of the works, and showing the loss the city has sustained through their non-completion. There. are 1500 shares still undisposed of, ani it needs no argumenc to show that owners of property, by taking shares, "will be not only. insuring themselves against loss by fire, but investing in what on the face of it appears a paying speculation. The address appears in our advertiiina columns.

Th.3 Committee of the Otogo Benevolent Institution acka^wl-dge, by advertisement, the receipt of Ll2 2s 6d from Mr — Wales, and L 3 3* fiOm Mr Walter of the Occidental Howl.

On Snndsy morning, a valuable horse, known as Black Tommy, belonging to Messrs Hoyt, Chaplin and Co , broke awiy from the nstler, who wts washing him in the yard, and started off down Stafford street. Some of the bystanders, in t.-yr>gto stop tha horse, ciused him to swerve on to the foot-path, and he came violently against; the limp-post at the Provincial corner, and w;*b killed on the spot. There were a. number of persons ia the street at the time, but there was no further accident.

Mr H. Ko^er, the Warden at Orepukf, gives the fallowing account of the beach diggings in the Province of Southland :— «■ " Tnere are ftbout eighty miners at work on the goldfield, ard the }iel<l of sroH is aboutone hnadred ounces p^r week, "Very few men are making ies3 thau L 3 par week, and several claims both on the beach and in tbe bush are returning from L 8 to Ll2 per man psr wesk_ Two par.ie3 have brought in water for ground, sluicing since my last report. A party have struck payable ground at the southern end of Kawhakapatu beach, and are now engaged cutting a water race. Fryefct and party, at Colac's Bay, are housed, and are now bringing in their rac& There are about nine miners on the Longwood side, bub I hive no reliable: report as to their returns. Fourteen. miaer.«, some of whom still hold shares in claims here, are prospecting at Price's boat harbor. Reports recently reesived by Campbell's boat state that coaise gold has been, found, bnt not ia payable quantities, and there is no inducement for others to come there. I visited Bushy Point on the 14th. instant; there were about thirty miners at work between there and the Mataura. They reported their returns at from L 3 to LlO per man per week.

The " Provincial Government Gazette" of Wednesday contains a statement of the revenue and expenditure of tha Crown LandsDepartment for the quarter ending March 3ltt. The revenue was derived as follows :—> Rural Land Sales, L 15,851 17s; Town Land, L 1651 11s 6d; Depasturing Licenses, L 1321 11s 8d; Assessment oa Stock, Ls6B9 17s lldj Fees on Transfer of Kural Certificates, L 5; Timber Licenses, L 275; Quarrying Licenses, L 6; Fees for Certified Copte3 of Depasturing Licenses, L 5; Fees on Issue of Pastoral Licenses L 240; Occupation Licenses, L 2; Transfer of Runs, L2O; Gold lie venue, including Miners' Rights, &c, Fees and Fines. ia Wa-dens' Courts, Ll9ll 18s 6d ; Rent* and Fines under Agricultural Leases, L 77 18s 9d ; Rents and Feea under Mining: Leases, Llsl 93 sd. The expenditure was Ll2 10s and L 315 wai paid to theColoniat Sub-Treasurer as axi iasUlment of the New Zealand Company's debt for January 1867.

" We," " Daylesford Mercury," " have react of many queer reasons assigned by indignant subscribers for stopping their paper, but the following one is one of the oddest attacks on the ' liberty of the press' we have heard oL Some days ago the manager called for tenders for the supply of flf cy cons of firewood for this paper. A subscriber called, and under threat of stopping his paper, demanded thafc his tender should be accepted. The manager, however, had the temerity to study the interest of his employer so f»^r as to accept the lowest tender; and yesterday we were frightened from our propriety by the receipt of the following letter. In charity to him we suppress the name of the writer: — • Daylesford, March 20, 1867. The Editor of tha •' Mercury." In consequence of not havinghad the tender for supplying your office of firewood, I give you notice that I intend to discontinue to take your paper dating front the 1 6th instant as I g we you notice verb<u>~ I remain jours—.' "

Amongst the sufferers by the late fira were Messrs Sontgen and CniT% tailois and clothiers, whtse business premises wer n near the Criterim Hotel. We are informed that Mr Carr, with his wife and children, livei on the premises, and that all the clothing, cloth. and furnitu.e of 'the family, with about L 2 10s in money, were carried away and cannot be found." They estimate the loss at LIOO. Were not complaints so general of the heartless robberies that took place at the fire, it is hardly conceivable that in Dunedin \rretches could be found so lost to every hUTiar.e feeling as to add to the distress of the eufferers by their cowardly thefts.

The * Bruce Herald" says :— " From Waitahuna we learn that about twenty hands have Bet to work in Old Identity Gully, a branch of Nuggetty Gully, and the locale of the late nngcet discovery. Another lump wa3 found dorjng last week, which weighed 12ozs 6dwts. The name of the fortunate discoverer is Fowler, who finding it impossible to work profitably in the main Waitahuna, in consequence of the want of water, went out to the nugget gullies, and consequently has in mining phrase, touched lucky, and lost no time. The majority at work there of course meet with varied Buccess ; but we are able to state that very fair returns have been met with by several — as much a 9 20s per day per man having been averaged since attention was drawn to the place by the finding of the larger nugget. Several smaller nuggets have been met with ranging from 2uz down. All who are at work there bear testimony to the patchy nature of the ground, and the necessity lor perseverance. A visit to the locality will lead to the conclusion that there is a large extent of ground available for the energies of thorough ' Korong miners' — men prepared to work with perseverance."

The " Bruce Herald " thus notice * the arrangements for assisting the passengers wrecked in the South Australian •.— "Jt is our pleasing duty to ttive prominence to some traits of generosity and kindness which have been manifested on the occashn of the recent ehipwreck f the South Australian. As the result of the several telegrams from Mr D. Bel), &c, an extra coach was forwarded from Dunedin to Tokomairiro, and arrived late on last Thursday evening. Fro-n intelligence received, however, it was determined to delay tending it forward until after the arrival of the morning coach from Balclutha; it whs then ascertain-, d that two women aud five children were still detained at Kaitangata. The coac-h was at once sent off, and returned to Tokomairiro in the evening with them; the other shipwrecked passengers hud been cmveyed away by the Geelong bteam^r J. E. Brown, Esq., Mayor of Milton, callei upon these women in the mon in^, acd find ing them in a destitute condit on as regaidtd clothing, &c, he made a hasty call upon several rf the most influential persons in the town, Sec, and in less than half aa hour h° colltcted Lll, which he handed over to them Mr Capstick, of the White HorseHofel, kiudly gave them their lodging and entertainment free of charge, and we understand Cobb and Co. g'nerously conveyed them to toivn ■without payment being demanded.

The third lecture of the Course given under the auspices of the Grorers' Mutual Improvement Association, was delivered on Wednesday in Farley's Hall, the lecturer being the Key. Mr Scrymgeour, who th se as bis subject — " The Cultivation of the Mind." Mr E. 8. Cargill pre-ided, and in introducing the lecturer, he expressed his cordial and h-arty sympathy with the Association and its object. He urged upon the members to persrvere in honest, manly, and generous detenni nation to uphold a truthful principle, hoMing in scorn that which tended to lessen the sense of honour and self respect The lecturer delivered an earnest addres?, defining Mind ks cor. sifting of Thought", Will, and Conscience. He traced the culture of the mind from early infancy through the various stages of life in impressive and eloquent language. Tne audience, which was a numerous one, listened with marked attention to the Rev. gentleman's address, and at its close votes of thanks to the lecturer and the chairman were heartily accorded. It was announced that the next lecture would be given by Mr Robert Gillies, an* would be entitled, " Recollections of a rccenr tour to Tasmania."

We extract the following from the " Melbourne Agrus" of the 23rd ult, : — " Mr Ramsbottom has at last been able to testify personally to the fact that the salmon have returned to the River Plenty after their trip to the sea. He writes as follows on the 15th of March: — ' I have H.t last feeu a salmun, after having visited the river just seventy times for that purpose, and walked nearly 300 mile 3 to and fro. However, I leel well repaid tor the trouble and monotonous pi'. ca of wr>rk. We have got the salmon back, and I tiiink in goodly numbers too, though I have been very unfortunate in not being at the proper place at the right time. I had really got impiessed with the idea that I was to be about the laat person to see a salmon, but luck has come at last. I saw a salmon this afternoon about twenty minut-s to four — a beautiful fish it was, I assure you, I shouid think from 4lb to 61b weight. He showed twice, but the best the last time, as he rose about two feet from the water and broadside on ; a better sight I could not have wfc-hed for. Our water bailiff has had another siffht of supposed salmon this mornir g ; he says not lets than half a dozen were playiDg about, but did not rise high, aa the were chasnig the small fish in the river ; but from the much disturbed state of the water he was sure they were the salmon ; and I may add that it was at the same place in the Derw£nt where I saw my fish this afternoon."

The fifth ordinary meeting of the Groftars' Mutual Improvement Association was held on Tuesday, in -the Athviraiui Hall, The members mustered in great force, to listen to an essay by Mr R Baio, on " Wtiter." '] he ■essay was very carefu ly written. Id wa-> replete with useful and interesting information ; and the criticism which followed its reading was animated and instructive At the close of the meetiDg,a deputation was appointed to waitnr>cvi the master grocers, in order to stillshorten the hours of labor by closing at 6 p.m. during the wiuter months, aid at 10 p.m. on Saturdays.

The chief officer and the two seamen of the South Australian, who remained on shore near the wreck after the return of the Geelong, have arrived in town. On Friday lust they boarded the vessel, snd found herio the same state as ehe was on Thursday, when she was visited by those who proceeded to her io the Geelong. Subsequently, it blew strongly from the N.E., the wind shifting to S.W., and a considerable sea rose. The consequence was that the vessel broke in two, nearly amidahip, and the front of the poop pointed seaward. The vessel h&ving been sold, and being in this condition, it was not necessary for any of those connected with her to remain longer on the spot. Mr Retrnart, the chief officer, expresses his thansß to Sergt. VPeidner, of the Otago Constabulary, for the assistance he rendered to those who were left in the vicinity of the wreck, and f >r his hospi tality at Tokomairiro. In the report given on Saturday of the circumstances which succeeded the wreck, it was stated that, v> hen handing the passengers into the boats, llr Regnart fell into the sea. The facts were, that after Mr Regnant had assisted the passengers into the boats, and when hs had returned from the boats after supplying them with blankets and provisions, he was in the mainrigging, and the bo*t, risimr on a wave, struck him, and precipitated him into the water.

In June last, John Hanahan, who was being kept in the Clyde lock-up as a dangerous lunatic, contrived to sip away, and to iamp into the Molyneux. Constable John Carroll, who was near the river at the time, saw Hanahan's act ; and, without waiting to take off any of his clothes, he also jumped in, got to Hanahan in a very dangerous eddy, caught him by the hair, and brought him ashore. Hanabin did not long survive the shock an i the exhaustion which resu'ted from his immersion. By the last mail, there was received from the Royal Humane Society, a certificate for Carroll. From that document, we learn that at a meeting of the Committee of the Society, on the 17th October, Mr Thomas Eld Baker, the Trtasurer, in the chair, it was resolved unanimously, "That the thauks of this Committee, inscribed on parchment., are hereby presented to James Carroli, P.C., for his courage and humanity in having, on the llth June, 1566, plunaed into the river Molyneux, Otago, New Zealand, and tried to Bave John Hanahan, who threw himself therein." The certificate is signed, "Thomas Eld Baker, Chairman ; Larabcon Toun?, Secretary." Hia' Honor, t K e Superintendent, in forwarding the certificate to Carroll, through the Commissioner ot Police, wrote, "Such a recognition of the courage and humanity displayed by you, on the occasnn in question, cannot buc be gratifying to yourself; and I trust it will act as aa i .ctement to others in imitating your example." The certificate is enclosed in a neat case, baring the words, "Presented by the Royal Humane Society."

The Brisbane " Courier" of the &h says:— "B* the Corsair's Bride a norel importation has arrived here. Messrs Webb Bros, have received a consignment of Baron Yon Link's patent gun cotton rope, a new explosive, much used in Europe for blasting purposes. It possesses many advantages over blasting powder. Ie is more economical in use, and as it does not produce any smoke, is paeu-li-irly adapted for use in close quarries or mines, where the drnse clouds evolved by the explo-tion of ordinary blasting powder are found to be injurious to the health of the workmen."

The new Central Market, on the Old Hospital site, on the north side of the Octagon, was opened on Saturday, anl, for the opening day, it was well attended by the sellers and buyers of gnrden and dairy produce. As its existence, and the advantages it possesses.be co ne more generally known, it will, douhtl'ss, become a more general resort, and, in course of time, assume all the proportions of a public market which its promoters have anticipated. At present, it is only temporarily in the occupation of the City Corporation, as repr - stnting the citizens, but the admitted convenience of the situation, and its general use during its temporary occupation, are very likely to lead to its becoming the permanent site of one of the principal, if no; the principal, public markets of the city. At present there is only one row ot buildings, containing a number of stalls, and for a time these will, probably, be amply sufficient for the amount of business which will be transacted. As the business increases, the market is fully capible of being proportionately extended. The site is large, and a sufficient; extent of ground has been prepared even foryearly additions to the present buildings. Between the Hibernian Hotel and the old entrance to the hospital, an entrance and roadway have been formed by the removal of a piece of high around which intervened, and the approach from the Octagon has been improved by the widening and levelling of the footway. It is not intended that any market should, in future, be held on the open space in front of the Custom house ; and it will be for the interest of sellers and buyers to adapt their arrangements as readily as they can to making thi ir principal p^aoa of resort the new market which has thus been prepared for thorn.

On Wednesday, as the larop-poso as the Provincial corner was being taken down, it fell upon one of tho meu engaged in its removal. He lay under the heavy mass for some miuures, but has fortunately received no serious injury.

A model of a very ingenious sluice-gate, of peculiar uiility in connection with water-race* in mining districts, is to be seen at the officof Mr Kichard Creeth, Princes street. The design is by Mr Creeth, and the model i* sufficiently complete to illustrate tho action of the full sized apparatus. Its design is to meet the frequent difficulties which have to be encountered in connection with sluicing works in such a country as this, where a sudden flood may so swell the body of water in a • race as to burst the bank, and to cause, in consequence, a delay of work and damage to property. The chief merit of the apparatus is that it is self-acting. The object which it serves is to open a sluicegate for ihe escape of water as soon as the storm channel becomes unequal to the work, and to close the same when such necessity ceases, without requiring the attendance of any one. The secondary merit is the tiinpicity of its construction. Itreqnires no cnusual material or machinery, and its mode of operation is intelligible to the humblest capacity. The sluice-gate may be of the simp est construction; the additions to it are a honzoatal bar, and a wooden or iron box or bucket to be suspended therefrom. The use of this bucket is to receive the overflow of witer from the storm channel. It has an escape in the bottom — that is, a simple hole — sufficient for the ordinary amount of water which it is calculated to receive ; but if an extraordinary quantity come, id necessarily gets filled, aud by getting filled, becomes so weighty that it pulls down th« end of the horizontal bar to which it is suspended, and the other end of the horizontal bar, of course, pulls up the sluice-gate, and so the water escapes. As soon as the bucket empties itself, down goes the sluice-gate, buc it cannot fall until tho water has sufficiently subsided to admit of the up-rise of the bucket; and the danger of bursting the water-race is thus averted. All that is necessary is so to adj ust the weight of the gate and the bucket that the lever will act at the proper time, and the sluice gate wil) return to its position when the fl.»w of overplus water has ceased. This is simply done by making the gate so heavy that it will go down readily, and this may be done by making a sort of double gate and filling the space between the two with stones, or by having boxes on eac'i aide of a gate filled in the s»me way. The model works with the irmost accuracy, and we have no doubt that the pkn can very easily be applied in connection with water-races in mining districts, and be found to prove most effective.

The Pastoral Interest require all the aid that; can be given to enable tneni to rear and select the best stock of cattle. A little work has been published by G. S. Whitmore, of Napier, calc :lated to give important assistance m that direction. Under tie title of the ' .New Zealand Herd Book, vol. I," he gives the pedigrees of i nproved Shorthorned cattle, and such other particulars as are necessary. and invites information from breeders to enable him to continue so useful a publication annually.

One of the industrial purposes to which the water-power ot the Leith is now regilarly applit d, is the working of the bone-crushing mill belonging to Mr W. K. Dougl-is. The mill is by Crosskill and Son, Beverlty, Yorkshire, and is cpable of crushing two tons ot b nes per day, but, at present, is noc employed m crushing more than one ton in the working day. It is a simple enoairh affair, consisting of two tooined rollers, which work into each other, with a revolving sieve attached; but it does its work most effectively — the toothed rollers, or "jaws," demolishing:, in very little time, whatever comes within their reach, be it bones of horse, bullock, or &heep, aud the sieve assorting the mass of maier ial which is thus indiscriminately broken into du&t and half-inch pkc^s. The usual proportion is eight bags of half-inch stuff to three of absolute dust. Tatre are two classes of boue3— green and dry, and, with a sufficient quantity of the former, b .me- boiling, as well «s bone crushing, mi iht be uuiertaken. Ac present a large quantity of marrow and animal fat, wnich might be obtained, is not i conomised, and there are hundred-weights of bones passed tbrougli the mill whbh at Home, would be selected for the manufacture of kniie-handles, or other of the multifarious purposes to whica boue is applied. The supply of bon^s which ihe mill has received, ha» hitherco been somewhat irregular aad sm.ill, but, as their value becomes mure recognised by tho farmer and market gardener ior the purpose of manuring the soil, supplies will, no doubt, be received from the country, as well as irom the immediate neighborhood of the cicy. One experienced agriculturist, Mr James Kennedy, in addition to quantities of bones of the ordinary description, has now at. the mill some cart loads of the bones of whales ; and, notwithstanding tbat these have been exposed for a number of years, it is believed by Mr Kennedy thao they will be found to contain a proportion of phosphates quite sufficient to make them a moss valuable inauure. There are quantities of these boaes along certain parts of the coast, and they may yet be found to be well worth the trouble of collection. The price ad which the dvs r is at present supplied is L 8 and L 8 10s per ton. The same water-power by which ttris bone-crusher is driven, is occasionally applied to the sawing of timber, under the same' roof, and we believe it is Mr Douglas's intention to add to it a flock mill, having already on hand a quantity of rags for conversion into the material with which btddicg and articles of furnicare ure occasionally; stuffed.

We are iuformed by the Melbourne " Argus" chat the entire proceed* of ihe Hutolo Memorial Concert wereL2oo ls"6d. Of this sum MUdanue Cutolo received L6O 7s, ihe general expenses having amounted to L 79. and not less than L6O having been charged for the uio of the Tneatre Royal for the one nighc of the concert.

" Some idea," says the " Bruce Herald," "may be formed of the difficulty and expense the contractor for the Clutha Bridge Surfs in, driving the piles, when wo state that on. Thursday and Friiay list six men -were engaged in attempting to drive four piles. Ai'ec driving each pile seven feet down from the suiface, on the south side of the river, the grouud is so hard that two of the piles, through the force of the ram beating on the top, broke in -two. Tue other two split from the top, rendering them useless for the purpose intended — that i»V forming a buttress for the bridge. The uiles are from 35 to 40 feet long, and 1 foot 4 inches to 1 foot 6 inches square, aud the cost of euch may be estimated at about L 7. Before being driven each pile is shod, at the point entering the ground, with a pointed iron shoe, weighing 211b 1 ?, costing Us, and the driving, say 26s each, making a total of L 33 loss to the contractor in two days, independent of the loss of drawiag the useless piles from the ground, which is not only very expensive, bat difficult to manage."

The usual quarterly meeting of the Otago Schoolmasters' Ass j< idtion was held in the Athenaeum on Saturday. Present, Mr iiussell (President); Messrs Allan, Crccketfc, Gardmer, Halliwell, M'Liuchlan, Milne. Park, Stewart and Stouc The minutes ot lasfc meeting were read and co.. firmed. A motion rtgnrding school fees whb allowed to lapse. The report of the School-book Committee was brought up by Mr M'Lachlan. The committee recommended the use of certaiu sohool-bookß, published by the fr-c:>ttish School-book Association; but were of opinion that another book, examined by them, wasunfit, in its present condition, for school use. Tho report le.i to considerable discussion, and was ultimately remitced b*ck to the Coo'mittee, Mr Park's name being added to the same. Many members were of opinion that a Geography giving the prominence to Australasia, but still with the inorr important details of other parts of the world, wa3 a great desideratum, and it was hoped that the Committee would take active steps to get such a work at once published. A deputation, consisting ef Mest>ri Russell and Gardiner, was appointed to wait on His Honor the Superintendent, with the view of immediately getting a room, for library and other purposes, in the New Provincial Buildings. The Education Board having already recommended the matter to the consideration of the Executive, it was hoped that no unnecessary delay would occur before a room was granted. Some other details were discussed, bivr, no definite motion made. The meeting then adjourned.

We are informed by the " Waikouatti Herald" that the Stcond Annual Show of the Waikouaiti and Shag Valley Agricultural and Pastoral Association took place at Palmerston on Wednesday, the 3rd April, on ground situated in the toweship where temporary yards had been erected by the committee. By 12 o'clock, all clashes of exhibits were on. the ground, yarded, and clissified, and the arrival of visitors Came thick and fast. The entries for the show esceeded, we believe, that of last year, and tue number of exhibits on the grouud was larger. The show of cattle was very good. la bulls there was a better entry than last year, and consequently the competition waa keener. In b/>rses there waa a capital show, and int this department to > much credit cannot be given to exhibitors for the really superior class of animal* shown. Some splendid foals were also exhibited. In hacks there was also ».reat competition, and the class of animals exhibited was most creditable, and would bear favorable comparison. The class of roadsters also deserves mention as being very good. The entries in Shtep were not so numerous as last year's, nor, on the whole, ware the sneep shown so good. Of course there are special exceptions. As extra stock pens of three- parts bred, three and a half- pirts bred maiden ewes, were highly commended by the Judges. A pen of ten merino ewes was also commended. Theswine exhibited were very good, both in boars and sows. Some fine samples of wheat (red and white) and oats (long and shoit) were exhibited in the Farm Produce department, for which prizas were justlyj ustly awarded. There were peieunial rye-grass, excellent samples of potatoes, beaitiful turnips, comprising Swedish, Aberdeen (green and yellow top), and others; moaster carrots— all evidences of the magnificent soil with which the district; is favored. The quantity and quality o ftrrn produce shown was really first-class. In Dairy Produce, the exhibition of butter aud cheese waa indeed someth ing wonderful, and the general excellence of the butter was acknowledged by every one who tasted it There was a large show of batter, rts might have been expected, aud considerable interest was taken therein. The poultry department, also, had its attractions, and the initiated in such matters say that the exhibits of various classes were very good. In farm implements, there were no exhibits. Some splendid vegetable marrow* and tomatoes were exhibited by Mr Luks; the weight of one of the marrows was, we are informed, over 20ib. The show of garden produce was highly creditable to the district. In ihe evening; about filty gentlemen sat down to an excellent dinner served up in capital style at the Palunerston Hotel. The viands comprised the various delicacies of the season, and the winea were of the best quality.