LOCAL AND GENERAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 841, 22 July 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The "fault" in (he .telegraph wires-be-tween Giaborne anrl Nanier was made good at one o'clock to-day, which allow us to go to press with a portion of our special correspondent's communication.

At the Mahia within the last few days the natives have secceeded in capturing no less than seven Whales, all yielding will on the " try-out." The Hills around the Mahia this morning were covered to the base with heavy snow. The barometer indicates a change of weather. Those who study the elements in our latitude say it portends a southerly Bale8 ale - c. A smart shock of earthquake was felt last night at about 11 o'clock. It commenced with an oscillating motion, folowed by sharp vibratons. The members of the skating rink will meet to-night at the Masonic Hall, This is not the usual night of meeting, a change having beeii' made which will suit the greater number of members, and we are informed that during the remainder of the season the rink will be opened on Tuesdays. As the members have not had an opportunity during last week of enjoying themselves at this noble and healthy pastime, we anticipate a large and pleasant gathering. A speculative resident of Waipawa, Napier, collected and shipped to Auckland several tons of bones. The speculation (says the Mail) has turned out remunerative, about £2 10a per ton being cleared over aud above all expenses. We have a bone gatherer in Gisborue who nets close upon £5 a week at his occupation, besides being "handy man" to half-a-dozen housekeepers. The officer who distributes free railway passes to "the unemployed" on behalf of the Government at Duuedin. was lately requested to supply an extra ticket to one of the men, who spoke as follows : — " I hic-want-hic-another ticket. I've lost the first. " The * ' unsteady " man was advised to find the ticket which he alleged' he had lost. Mr. . Goldie has given notice in the House asking the Government if they will lsiy upon the table of the House the names of all persons who have received appointments to the Civil Service during the twelve mouths ending June 30, 1879, such return to specify the amount of salary payable to each, the names of the individuals upon whose recommendation the appointments have been made, with all correspondence that had passed between the Premier and his colleagues, relative thereto. The parable of the mote and the beam is brought forcibly to mind by the following extract from the Rangitikei Advocate: — Recently the Palmerston Times was poking fun at some print called the Leyall Argus, and among other things noticed the different dates on the different pages t In the same issue of the Times the first page was marked Wednesday, June 21, the second and third, Wednesday, June 18, over the leader Wednesday, June 84, and the fourth page Wednesday, June 1. Those who are interested iu the development and profitable utilisation of our prolific natural resources (says the Auckland Mar), will be pleased to learn that a new field is likely to be opened for industrial effort. A lake has been discovered at White Island which contains a solution of hydro-chloric acid, while a small stream which runs into it is Btrongly impregnated with sulphuric acid. These acids are, of course, potent solvents, and once their discovery at White Island was made known means of turniug them to profitable account were soon found. The valuable chemical waters were employed in the manufacture of bonedust, and the result has been most satisfactory. We have before us a small box of the product. It is of the consistency of flour, is almost odourleßS, and we are assured retains all the ingredients which rendec^t a marketeable commodity. The treatment with sulphurio acid is different from that with hydrochlorio acid, but in either case the process is simple in the extreme.