News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 929, 18 September 1869, Page 14

News of the Week.

The Oamaru Cricket Club we g°mg *o take the field early this < season. 1 '; The first game of the Club this season will be played on Saturday.' 1 l ' '..'". , , According to a local > papery very general satisfaction-Is' felf in the Tuapeka district. »t the throwing out. of the Otago Loan The London correspondent of the Wellington Independent says there as some talk of Mr Sewefc shortly returning to New Zealand »!o» !o put your affairs to ngnts. i, „ ( The sale of tho plant 'of the lately defunct Evening Mail took place at Christchurch on the 90h inst. , The whole was disposed of in one lot to Mr C. W. Turner for L2OO. We understand that His Worship the Mayor has kindly .placed the City Council chamber at the disposal of the Committee of the Otago Institute for the next meeting of, the members of that nody. An interesting game at Wgards has been played in Sydney between Mr Stritoh and Mr Weston, the New Zealand champion. The latter was defeated by only seven in

1000 up. ! Mining operations are ©nee more going on actively at Ciarkß, Surface Hill, and Eyeburn, in the Mount Ida district. The influx of Chinese from the Molyneux is reported to continue, the majority of them settling down at Surface Hill and Little Kyehurn. We are glad to notice that tbe pitching around the fire-plugs in the city is being proceeded with by the contractors, Messrs Thomson and Booker. This, with the mdicators. will doubtless prove of great service in case of an alarm of fire.

We are requested to Btate that owing to an alteration in the date of departure of the mail from Melbourne, t^e next mail for England will leave here on the Ist October, instead of 29th September as given in the Time Tables.

The s.s. Waipara has been unable to communioate with Oka ita, and has consequently been obliged to leave without landing provisions for the starving population at that place, whose condition,, says a West Coast paper, " will not boar thinking about. A northern contemporary states that Lieutenant Woods, who for some time back has conducted the marine survey of the coast and harbours of New Zealand, has gone to Sydney for the purpose of taking charge oi a schooner which has been purohaaed by the Government for the further carrying on the survey of the coast line. Accounts recently received from the Fijib are not of a very favourable character. From a gentleman who recently visited Sydney, the Grey Kiver Ar«us learns that he saw there several New Zealand people who had returned from the islands greatly disap. pointed, and giving a poor account of the prospects of those who remained. An Auckland paper mentions, aa a proof of tho rising prosperity of that province, and of the increased value of land in the neighbourhood of Auckland, that a Mr Wallace purchased a small piece of land n*ar Mount Edon about eighteen months ago for .L4BO, the half of which he sold a iew days ago for LISOO. . The brick and tile workß lately established at Tokomairiro by Messrs Dewe and Jones are now in full operation. Among the more noticeablo objects at these works are a tile shed, 55 x 24 feet, and a pug mill of a superior kind. The bricks, terra cotta, and other articles already turned out at the works, are reported to be of excellent quality. Actions for braaoh of promise of marring© appearto be plentiful at theThameß. Anoth.-r action of this kind in reported by the Shortland papers as at out to be brought t y an exbarmaid against a solicitor in that town. Tho "injured fair one" appoare to be in earnest, inasmuch as shohas retained an eminont legal gentleman" to conduct her oase. Tho Auckland papers report that, owing to tbo great rush to Coiomandol, labour is beginning to bo very scarce at the Thames, and 16 will be utterly impossible soon, when line weather aetn in, for many companies to ob. tain as many men as thoy will need for 'the difforont working* of tbe ground. There ought not to be an idle able-bodied man in New Zealand.

Wo arc requested to state that Hia Honour tho Superintendent is not 000 of tho lroviaionftf Committee appointed at tho mooting hold last w«ok for the .purpose of making arrangements for tho construction of tho Port Chalmers Railway. Wo nndorstonp that His Honour deolinod to havo his narao added to tho Committee on account of his official position. - Tbo following wa* the state of H.M. Gaol, Dunedin, during tho week ending on Saturday lastN-Awaitin* trial, 1 man; under remand, 1 man; penal servitudis f™*J hard labour, Winen and 11 woman $ debtors, 6 men ; total, 90 mon wad 11 women. 17 inon and 3 womon were reooived during tbo wook, and 21 men and 3 women wore <Usouargod during tho m«o period. We hod an opportunity the other day of inspecting a new bioyolo, juat made by Mr fish, the manager of Mr Chaplin's coach factory. It it oftho American pattern, and of the racing mo, the break being workc d by Ujo oporator loaning backward. Mr Fwb. expresses himself tatU«d with ity oapabilitie* foe safety and speed, and is desirous of finding a velooipedwt skilful eitoogh to give it

" kn adjourned meeiinl of 'members of thY neWl3Pfbr*ed v "D'uhedin' v Jockey Gtab was* held at»the 'EmpiresHotel on the'lOfchiDst' .Twenty new .members were added to.tne liß,t. Several offers of land near (own. were placed before the meeting,' and a Committee waa, formed to enquire into the eligibility of the same for a race course, and to report to a meeting which is to'be held next Thursday. AWordirig 1 to a private letter published in a Wellington - paper, it is stated that the foremast head of the Taranaki-ss above water 6 feet: main-masb about 5 feet 6 inohes under water ; the bow of the vessel is 'close' to tbe top of the water; The accident which happened on Friday morning wob bub slight j having repaired the damage we lifted •the"vesseH I fodt 6 inches same day ; the average lifts are about 3 feet each day. j The Civil Sittings of the Supreme Court were commenced on Monday. In Draper v. Murfay, the plaintiff, a farmer at Waitahuna, brought an action against the defendant, Thomas Murray, sheep , farmer. Mount Stuart, to recover LIOOO. damages for false imprisonment ' and malicious proseoution. The- case occupied tho Court until past seven ! o'clock in the evening, and tbe jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff, damages LIQO.

We understand, says the Lyttelton Times, that, there in no truth in the rumour that Mr Fitzh'erbert is likely to succeed to tbe office of Treasurer. We also hear that the telegram announcing Mr Vogal's resignation is incorrect. The mistake arose, probably, from the fact that Mr Vogel has gone on a visit to Auckland, and has handed over a portion of his work, for a time, to tne care of Mr Gisborne.

The crops in California are stated to have •been attacked by rust. The New York Times of June 23rd says :~-Keportß from various parts of Calif ornia have been received of the rapid progress of rust ia wheat and barley crops. The damage is most considerable in tho coast counties, where heavy foga have prevailed for weeks p»at.^ Although the accounts represent that the rust is not general, the misohief is more serious than anticipated.

Our Timaru contemporary of Saturday says :— By the last trip of the Maori from Dunedin, Messrs Crawford and Green, contractors for the Timaru breakwater, received a large consignment of cement, of the aarne description as that ÜBed by the contractor of the Port Chalmers graving dock, and whioh was specially recommended by Mr Balfout. We hear that Messrs Crawford and Green will Boon be in a position to commence the breakwater. From the EngHsh papers to hand by fchg mail, we learn that Mr James Cooper, the official liquidator of the New Zealand Bankine Corporation, attended, on .Tune 28th, at the Rolls' Chambers, before Mr Hawkins, the chiei olerk, and obtained an order for a further call to pay certain promissory notes to settle the matter, and pay the creditors the balance of the admitted claims. Tho debts were, in the whole, L 133.000, and the settlement proposed will now be carried out. During the debate iv the Housr of Representatives on the manufacture of flax, stress was laid by several of the speakers upon tho necessity for tho systematic culture of thiß plant. Mr Travora, among others, said that in Canterbury it was being rapidly dostroyed, aa "it was being mowed like hay, instead of tho mature leaves only being selected." The hint Bcems to have been taken by tbe inhabitants of the province, for wo notioo that seven tons of flax roots have been shipped at Napier, to be planted in Canterbury. Mr Stephen Dorraan writes to ns aa followßl owB: _ < 'Sir— My attontion has been drawn to a local in your valuable paper, noticing the narrow escape from fire of the promises oocupied by me odjoiuing Mr Yates, draper, George street, on the night of Saturday, tho 4th instant, I should esteem it a favour if you would kindly allow mo to state in your columns the faot that the premises and stock were uninsured, aa impressions unpleasant, and perhaps injurious, to myself may aiiao from my silence in the matter."

An adjourned mooting of the Committee lately formed for tbe purpose of collecting subscriptions for a testimonial to Mr Honniugham, was held at tho Criterion Hotel on Monday aftornoon. Mr Vornon, from Tuapeka, who attended on behalf o( the inhabitant* of that distriot, expressed his approval of tho object the Committee had in view. Mr George Lloyd, Green Island, was hppointed Honorary Treasurer, and Mr Henry Wright, Honorary Secretory. Several resolutions having been passed, tbo form of tbe aubaoriptionb'sts was then agreed upon, and arrangomonts mado for their circulation throughout tho proviuco. Tho tuoetiog then separated. AA. statement was mado by Mr 0. O'Neill, in tho Hou»o of Representatives, during tho lato session of the Assembly, .and was repnblished in our columns, to the effect that Four men had iv eight weeks obtained L4OOO worth of gold from the Bendigo Golly R««f. nearCromwolL ThiMtatemontwa*discr«ditod by the Danstan TUne», which stated that upon OTQO'ry it was traablo to Imd any ground (or it. The Cromwell oomwpondent of that journal, howorer, says:—^'Thoro can bo no doubt that tho s tying was quito truthful, and tho gold was got from tho Bendigo Gully quarts reef. Farther, I make no donbt whatever that other U.OOO worth has unco that timo been got, though I oannot say to for a oortainty. Th§ roj'.at any rato, it turning out woil, and the fortunate shareholders m it havo ©very prospoot of a ♦ pile ' before them."

f ; lAnot^e^faWfacoid^^^ 0 &&%(' 'eairth is reported from Wsitahima, which is obtaining an unenviable notoriety from this cauae. r The ( .sufferer, in the instance r under notice, was A miner named Uono De Carlo. While working in his claim on the 3rd inst., a large quantity of .earth, fell- upon, him, causing serious internal injuries. Medical assistance was' at once sent tor,' but, from some unexplained cause, could not be obtained until the following. day. In spite of this efforts then made, however, De Carlo died, on Tuesday last. 1 A canal of great practical utility , has been rapidly advancing towards completion without attracting the notice which its importance deserves. The Rhone, which traverses so large a part of France as a navigable river, 1 is practically useless, for purposes of foreign trade, owing to the bar of shifting sand which' obstructs its mouth- Some years ago an engineer suggested the possibility of uuiting this river .with the. Mediterranean by a canal ; his plan was adopted, and at a probable cost of 12,000,000 francs this most important work will be terminated before the endof the year. The canal is 20 feet deep, and will «nter the Mediterranean "at, the Golfe de Foz, between Cette and Marseilles.

Wo understand that the non- commissioned officers and constables of the Otago police force are initiating a subscription for the presentation of a testimonial to Mr J. G. Fox, late chief clerk and accountant' to the department, who is about to leave Dunedin, having reoeived a similar appointment in the Colonial Armed Constabulary Depot, now in courso of formation by Mr St John Branigan at Wellington. Mr Fox, during his long connection with the Otago force—extending over a period of upwards of seven yearßy earß has by his uniform .courtesy won the esteem of all the members of tbe force, as well as of tbe public with whom he had been brought officially in contact. We heartily wiuh him success in his new and extended sphere of duty.

During the month of August, there were 17 days on which rain fell, the total rainfall being 1.507 inch, aud tbe greatest rainfall in one day .370 inch on the 25th. The mean daily velocity of the wind during the month was 82 miles, the greatest velocity observed for 24 hours being 370 miles on the 13th. Snow fell on the 12th, and fog prevailed^on the Ist. The approximate mean temperature for the month was 44.6 degrees, the highest maximum temperature being 63 degrees on the 2Sfch, and the lowest minimum tempera, ture 32 degrees, making the extreme range for the month 31 degrees. The mean daily range, however, was only 11.8 degrees. The barometrical observations for the Bame period show the highest pressure to' have been 30.238 inches on the 19th, and the lowest pressure 29.508 inohes ou the 10th, giving an extreme range of .730 inch. The mean atmospheric pressure for the month was 29.923 inohes.

The claimant to the Tichborne title and estates arrived at the Swan Inn, Arlesford, near Tichborne-park, on Friday afternoon, July 2, after an absence of somo months. He w*s immediately called upon by many of his old acquaintances, and by the oldest and most influential of his tenants. The claimant has now been known for nearly threo years in Arlesford and Tichborne since his return from Australia. Hardly a day passes •without some fresh case of recognition between him and those who knew him in his youngor days. He only awaits tho arrival of tbo commission from Australia to try hia oaso. Tho other commission, from Chili, has arrived, and is said to have ascertained that tbe claimant cannot be Arthur Orton, and that he is marked in so peculiar a manner as to Bettle that question to the satisfaction of any jury in Groat Britain.

Iv an article on theßtato of feeling in New Zealand towardo tho mother countiy, the Spectator says :— For our part, wo expeot a serious demand for independence, which we do not sco how Great Britain can refuse, unless she is pr«pared to alter her policy very materially. Now Zealand gains at present absolutely nothing from her connexion with England; exoopt in teroote ohanoo of navaldefenco against any foreign power in timo of war, while in independence of action sko loses much. And wo should oxpcot that this domand for independence will bo followed, by an application for a protwotorntd to some other power—nay tho United Statoa of America or Prussia. That latter oventuality is startling enough. Is it a wholoeomo threat held in terrvrm over the Imperial Government, or is it a roal revelation—a prospective glimpse of what oar presont do-nothing policy is drifting us towards ?

With regard to tho now telegraph rate, tho Southland News says .—The now rate appears to be a financial mistake. At first sight it might bo supposed that tho Treasury would gain by tbe alteration, but tho exporionoe of threo months will probably proro the contrary. An to those stations botwoen •which tho charge is increased by ths now r»to, it may fairly bo inform! that opon tho whole a diminution of meMages will bo tho roault. That this diminution will be counterbalanced by the increase be* twocn tho extremes is very unlikely. If tho measure should tncoeed in a "revonuo point of view, tho success will have been attained by tho unfair or disproportionate taxation of tbeaonuors of short inoisacos. Uniformity is desirable without doubt, but it mast not be AtUinwt by tho injustice of imiKwiogM additional ehartpon the majority, for tho use of a publio oonwnienoo for whioh they have alrody boon in the habit of pay* ing enough.

Another. claim has. been Jodged for. the re» » ■ wat^offered bytbaQanterljuty^oyerrifaient" -for tho discovery 'of, »; payable, goldfield, in '' tha,t. province. The Press, says ir-Theiolaim is made by a company .called Jbhe, Eureka, Company,- and the locality is stated to be neat* .Windwh'ist'e House.^Rakaia^Gorge. Mir" 1 Aulsebrook is in possession of several specimens of auriferous <quartp brought, from the spot. We believe fifty acres of ( land on whioh the reef was; silmatect, were.purohaaed, yesterday. ' ' ° : --.v , The Church of the People gives the following as "thegood ßishop fcJelwyn's experience of 'the weekly offertory." In an address on "Church. Work," delivered at Stoke-upon-Trent, Hia Lordship said *'■—•* In New* Zealand they never had Church-rates^ »but they felt their real strength and' power was in the offertory. At first, when the offertory was established in New Zealand, .people saw quite clearly that the ministers of the .Church there were going to the Church of Rome, because at that day there was just as much, uproar about the offertory as there was at tbe present time about Bitualiam. But New Zealand said nothing j^fcheywent Suietly on,' and the income derived, through le offertory, from a diocese in which there were only 30,000 English people, was at least L 6,000 a-year. When he had first gone out, the whole sum available from a diocese then, six times the size, had been only L 1.200 ayear ; afterwards the diocese had been divided into sir, and in one-sixth L 6,000 was, ■ supplied through the offertory." The "diamond feyer" which has tieen raging so violently in Australia for some time past, seems to have- reached Canterbury, The Lyttelton Times of the 6th inst. says : —Some time ae;o, a number of crystals were brought into Christchurch by the Ashburton mail carrier, and one of them was' generally reported to be a diamond. Recently a miner has brought a 'number of coloured crystals into Christchurch and submitted them to the inspection, of Messrs Coates and Co. The result w a hat, a'though the majority are entirely worthless, one stone, about half the size of a pea, was pronounced to be a diamond, but it was so> . rough and jagged that its intrinsic value,., when worked up, would be very trifling. The decision as to its character, on such good authority, is however encouraging, and th« tinder, having declared that be knew where there was " any quantity " of the sand in which he f ou ud the stones, it is possible that something better may be brought to light before long. A considerable amount of curiosity has been excited hy the announcement in the last English mail telegrams that '• the Prince of Wales has nearly been drugged into- the position of co-respondent m a divo cc caße.' The matter is explained by the London correspondent of the Argus as follows :— An unfortunate oase of divorce, associated with the name of the Prince of Wales, has been occasioning some amount of public scand al. The proceedings were instituted by Sir Charles Mordaunt, in order to annul his marriage with his wife. The plaintiff proposed to include the Prince's name among the corespondents, on account of revelations made by the lady while in a state of temporary insanity. The Prince has assured the plaintiff upon his honour that there was no pretext for the statements. The Prime Minister sent for the plaintiff and told him the course ho contemplated adopting was regarded by the Queen as being unfriendly to royalty. Sir Charles was thereupon induced to abandon his determination. A Wanganui paper gives the following particulars regarding the position occupied by the friendly natives at the head of the Wauganui river :— Wirihana is at Tokanu, with 70 loyal natives, and h.iß built two small redoubts, and has placed 35 man in oaoh. Ho reports that To Kooti had arrived at Taupo, and was only a short diatapco from Tokanu. To Kooti has 300 men with him, and ia about to attack Wirihana, who fears that bis supplies will bo out off Some Atawaa havo joined Wirihana, and 40 more Wnntfanuis havo also gone up the river to join him. Ho has written to Komp to Bend up assistance at once. Komp is in Wellington, and a* soon »b ho hears of tho news is certain to stare for Taupo with as many men as ho can raise Tho Government are bound to sond up a forco to tho assistance of Wirihana without delay. This ohiof occupies a moat important position, as it is the key to tho Wanganui rivor, and a few division* of Armed Constabulary ought to bo stationed, along with tho friouaHce.

A correspondent writes complaining of tho present state of Stuart street, between tho Panama Hotel and tho Brick School. Ho says "it is so steep that drays with firewood havo to halve their loads at tho bottom, and thus bring up thoir load in two journeys, earning on inoroaao of prioo to buxnors of firewood up the hill. This portion of the rood wants metalling very badly. Boforo that is done, I would suggest that there should be an oron inolino from tbo Pa* nama Hotel to the Robin Hood, as thai portion of Stuart street botwuen the Briok School and tho Robin Hood, is nearly law). Noarly all the dwellinghouses on each stdo of tho stroot being TroUt on a siding lower than th« road, vroold have their meant of aooess considerably improved. Tho strott itaolf is ono of tho main thorough fare* from several populous ooaatry districts to ths City.— Another correspondent write* that the condition of Park-Hroot, noturtthstanding tho repairs offootcd thoro some time ago, in "nearly as bad as ever. Ths other day 1 noticed * horse 'logged • up to the Hanks opposite to Mr GilUotV'

■poriang,6ir6tes. ill ; Melbourne for sometime; paatregardin'g the performance of Manuka at the last Chrißtchuroh race-meetingP It was confidently "asserted that k some niistake had Been made with regard to the length of the course,, and ,"mth , a view, to,' Bettle the maWr the iiyttelton Tunes writes that Mr Davie,, ihe Chief Surveyor, Kindly consented to re-measure it, and test the' J correctness of the Several distances. The ' result in, every case shows that godd'measufe has, teen, allowed., -The threemile course, taken aloDg the middle, measurea exactly" Smiles' 71* y^ds. Our Melbournec friends may now.be perfectly satisfied .ihati' Manuka ran' all the, .three miles, and afew yards over, ni6re especially aa, .being-, very green, he went all over the course; As it is possible that for want of other objections ithey may fall baok upon the' time, we may here state that the time, as published in this journal, was taken after making enquiries from a large number of persons, among -whom were included the most experienced, racing men in this part of the world. . ,

Letters received by the General Government to August 31, give the following intelligence with reference to Te Kooti a movements and the disposition of the Colonial Forces :— The Uriweraß have returned to the east side of Waikaremoauu, ,bnt nothing more ia known of their movements. Te Kpoti is still at Rotoaria, and is said to be building apa there. His force is computed at from 150, to, ,200 men. He is encumbered with a large number of women and children. Te, Heuheu and Kewi are still with him. The Wairoa is protected by all the force available for that purpose, and the forts at Te Haroto and Titiokura secure communication with Taupo, and protect the settlement on that side. ' A force of nearly 200 men, composed of 90 infantry, 40 cavalry, and 40 or 50 natives, under Colonel Herrick, reached Runanga on Saturday last. Lieut. - Colonel M'Donnell has moved from Wanganui to Hare Tauteka's camp in the Taupo country. One hundred mounted nativeß have gone from Napier to join HareTauteka. Those .with Hare's own cavalry and tho ConBtabulary make a force of 200 cavalry. Capt. St. George is at Taupo Lake, with an available force of 100 men. The forces will not act on the offensive unless attacked, or unless a certainty of crushing Te Kooti presents itself. Satisfactory arrangements have been made for provisioning the corps.

A correspondent, referring to the disous■ion on the Free Church and the Land, gives the following statement of facts :— The properties belonging to the Presbyterian Church of Otago, while certainly an endowment, are not in any sense a state endowment. The three properties in Ducedin, known as Bell Hill property, Manse reserve, and College site (where First Church presently stands), were the gift of the New Zealand Company to the Church. The title is a Crown Grant in the name of the Superintendent, in trußt for the Churah. Tho management is in the hands of the highest court of the Presbyterian Church. The other properties in Dunedin and the country were the vilt of the first settlers of Otago under the Otago Association soheme, as they had to pay an extra 5s per aore for their land, that 5s per acre to go to the purchase of properties for the Church. The title is Crown Grant to tho Trustees of the Church. When it was necessary to obtaiD an Act of the General Assembly anent the management of said Trust, the Select Committee to which the Bill was remitted reported as follows :— "The Committee having learned that objections were taken to the Bill, have deemed it riaht, notwithstanding that the Bill was not formally opposed, to satisfy themselves as to the nature of theso objeotions ; and, after careful enquiry, have come to the conviotion that they are not material.— Hugh Caklbton, Chairman."— ( Vide Session 1866.)

Numerous complaints were mode some time ago by the squatters in various parts of the colony with regard to the nuisance of travelling swagmon, and in tho province of Wellington ono ot two squatters went so far as to annoance that such persons would bo charged the Bame rates as at the nearest accommodation house. Tho matter appears to have been attracting attention in tho neighbouring colonies also, as will be scon from the following extract from tho 1 Wagga Wftgga Express :— So numerous a 0 tho awaßmon and travollors becoming, that tho cost of feeding tho crowds of thorn that nightly ' roll up* to tho different stations on tho lower river is boginning to bo felt as a very serious burden indeed, On ono station on tho Yanko, as wo learn from our fciarandora correspondent, no less than 110 of theso travollors applied for and ontnincd shelter and rations, and 'lucky' is tho squatter esteemed to be who has not nijjhtly to play the host to a dowmatloasfc. Tho evil is a oreat and a growing ono, and ono that it is absolutely necessary should bo vigorously doalt with if tho stations of tho intonor are not all to be turned into institutions for the free delivery of food to tho lastly, and too often it i« to be f earod the criminally, dm. poned, The following extract from a lottor re oeivod by astockowner in Canterbury from a gentleman in Melbourne, is published by the Lyttelton Timei t— " lam glad you have got a factory in hand, and that you take 1 tho samo Tiewt of working it that I do, via., by giving back tho produoo to tho shipowner, and obawriug for tho manufaoturiDg just ai millers do with wheat. Tho advantage is, that with LIO.OOO paid no you can go on always j whereas our Melbourne Oompsny had to open th« trade, and Ihorsfore had to

therefore 1 with L 28,000 actually paid up,' and LSOOO owing x>n^the> premises, j they had to come to a standstill from . Bheer w,ant of funds. , But our company h»s done the work I chalked out, for it. M'Coll was ( 'perfectly astounded,? so he wrote, at the enormous demand for tinned' mutton in seven pound tinß, at seven pence 1 per lb^ for 'Birmingham and the other large inland towns. We can only ship, working full power, from 10,000 to 11.000 tins per week. He writes that, he could readily Bell ten times- that number, and urges us strongly to make the capital fL250,000, for the demand is practically (he says) unlimited. Therefore, go on and ship* before South America or Texas Bteps in and robs us of the good name the Duke of Edinburgh gave us."

A meeting of the Committee of the MeatPreserving Company lately formed at Oamaru, took place in that town on Friday last. In the report of the Secretary, whioh waa read, the following passage occurred : — " The most important information yet received is that of the arrival in the province of a gentleman charged with the initiation of one or more establishments capable, of tin ninga large quantity of meat. The first portion of the plant is expected to arrive next month, and it is said that a second plant complete will, follow very shortly, and that boiling-down apparatus will be combined with that for tinning. The proprietors of this plant are understood to have large means, and they have made a contract to take 60,000 sheep per annum from the New Zealand, and Australian Company, at from 2d to 2|d per pound, according to weight. As one of their establishments is likely to be in the Oamaru district, in that case all necessity for any acton on the part of the sheep-owners would seem to be at an end, and it will be much better to leave the matter to private enterprise. In the meantime, some valuable information has been got together at very small expense, and should the expectation of the erection of a meatpreserving establishment in the district by private enterprise not be shortly fulfilled, it wUI then be time enough, to consider what farther steps it is desirable to take ; for the j present there is no need to inour further expense." In accordance with this recommendation, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Graham, that the Seoretary Bhould take tbe necessary steps for the winding-up of the Company, and that Mr Black should be requeßted "to aot m Honorary Secretary, with aviewtothe future organisation of a meatpreserving company if deemed advisable."

"We publish in another column an account of a new method of conveying heavy materials for Bhort distances by means of wire tramways. This method is said to have been successfully adopted in England. Some remarks upon its adaptability to mining purposes are made by Mr John Macleod, of Auckland, in an oflioial report to the Government of that province. He says :— "From the small cost of oonstructing and maintaining such lines, and their efficiency when in operation, I am of opinion that Buoh a Bystem of conveyance would, bo preferable to any other means in use for conveying quartz from tho various olaims on the Thames Goldfield to the most convenient points for crushing, &o. And, as I have little doubt but this system will shortly be introduced on our Goldfields, I would suggest that, in granting mining leases, provision be made for the future construction of such lines across or over claims, <feo., as there is no doubt but suoh provisions will becondncive to the advantageous working of the goldfield. This old Eastern plan has been used in a modified form on the Goldfields of California and Australia, for conveying wash-dirt over gorges and diffioult places to convenient points for washing, &c But few persons as yet have had an opportunity of understanding tho details of this amplified system as lately introduced in England, further than that there are a number of boxes conveyed along a wire rope, which is suspended on posts like those used for the telegraph wires. The details are, however, extremely simple, and at places like the Thames, where wood is abundant, a muoh oheaper and more substantial mode of construction could be applied." After describing tho tramway, and its raodo of operation, Mr Macleod goes on to B ay :— •• In this country, whoro lines of this kind would pass through forest land, trees oould bo used iastond of posts ; while in open ground I think two posts, crossed near thoir upper end like the firewood cutters horso, would give greater Btrongh, especially nt curves, than tho single post braces and cross piroo. Tho ends of tho two posts, when crossed, would servo for supporting tho sheaved. Whcro tho ground is vory steep in tho direction of tho transit, tho wiro-ropo used would require oxtra strength in proportion to tho extra strain whioh would be brought to boar on tho dip-drums in checking the speed."