THE WATCHMAN.

Saturday Advertiser, Issue 52, 8 July 1876, Page 11

THE WATCHMAN.

“ For some must watch, while some must sleep, Thus runs the world away."— Hamlet.

Demand toe Silvee. —The Rangitoto Silver Mine Company may take courage from the fact that about one million ounces of silver are used annually for plate.

Dear Land. —An allotment of land, in Wellington, on which the New Zealand Shipping Company’s office was built, brought at auction £4,100. iThis is at the rate of £70,000 an acre, being a very expensive price to pay for a site in our tinder, metropolis, on which to erect a match-box.

Convalescent.— The division 51 to 19 lias completely cured Sir George Grey and his followers of the Swamp fever. Instead of the Ministry being found to be corrupt, the question has been found to be a Grey maggot.

Deep Regret. —Legislative Councillor Chamberlain regrets that he has not the eloquence of Gladstone or Bright. After hearing him attempt to make a speech, occupying half an hour, the Council were unanimous in their sympathy and deep regret. ■ ' ’

A High Figure.— The great Learmonth and Bailey case in Victoria lias terminated in favour of the defendant. The costs are £30,000. Four noughts on the right hand make a big sum, and we think plaintiff and defendant have been each a double l-ound O in the matter.

Extreme Temperance. —The ‘New Zealand Times ’ is determined not to be reezy in its Parliamentary reports. It thus chronicles the Auckland orator : “ Mr. Rees spoke.”

Not Quite Right. —Mr Wright is laying off a township near Wellington, to be called Vogelville. This is not euphonious. It will be popularly contracted in some absurd way. We suggest Vogeltown as being euphonious, and pleasing as well as equally complimentary.

A Weak Wasiiy Everlasting Flood.— The turbid stream of the eloquence of the member for Bruce has commenced to flow in the same shallow channel as heretofore. If he is a worthy member, lie is also a wordy one. . What did it Mean ? —An attempt was made to score out Reynolds’ name from the Committee on Public Accounts, and substitute that of Rees, of Auckland.. Flowing speecheswere made, the most furious being that of Mr Rees himself. The answer to our question is found in Macbeth: “ Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” The House seemed to think the man may be a cipher, and yet not good at ciphering.

Coaching Proprietors. —The name of Chaplin as a distinguished whip is not confined to Otago. The following English paragraph says: The stage coaching season has commenced in London, Earl Bective and Mr Chaplin having commenced running a coach from Piccadilly to Seven Oaks.

A Hint for Southland. —In Russia, bowls, dishes, plates, &c., are formed of the bail- of the rabbit. The articles are felted and afterwards varnished. These utensils have the appearance of paper-mache or varnished leather, and possess the properties of being strong, durable, and very light. More about the Swamp. —A swamp hen has been shot at Inch Clutha, having some good scaly gold in its gizzard. The swamp hen recently killed and swallowed at Wellington has not had any gold about it. The Auckland lot who flung it on the floor of the House have been rather scaly in the way of having a good deal of the gold of which copper tea-kettles are usually made.

Nothing Useless. —There is a use for everything if we could only find it out. Some things and some individuals are certainly mysterious, but their true use may yet be discovered. Even soap-suds are now recovered from the washings of wool in woollen factories. These were formerly allowed to run down the sewers and into the drains, to the great pollution of the latter; but in Bradford they are now run from the washing-bowls into vats, and there treated with sulphuric aeid. The fats rise to the surface in a mass of grease a foot or more in thickness, which is carefully collected and treated in various ways, mostly by distillation. The products are grease, used for lubricating the cogs of driving-wheels in the mills ; oleic acid, which is worth about £3O per ton, and used as a substitute for olive oil; stearine, worth £BO per ton, &c. It is said that some large mill-owners are now paid from £SOO to £IOOO a year for these suds, which a few years ago were allowed to run to waste.

A Touching Story. —An evening paper published in our wooden metropolis, lias been in deep distress because its Dunedin contemporaries forgot to mention that the American steamer touched the ground crossing the bar at Taiaroa Heads. Our touching Port Nicholson paper has exerted itself to remedy the forget. It is not by such efforts Wellington is to realise greatness. The citizens there must not be so wooden in all there enterprises. In Dunedin, our business men are alive, regular bricks, and they will make our beautiful harbour where vessels may lie without a breeze to disturb, the emporium of commerce.

Appropriate Emblem.— The bailiffs appear to be busy in Dunedin just now. A correspondent suggests that instead of the Royal arms or the Queen’s head, all writs and summonses should be stamped with. a. forget-me-not. V - - - - j

Unnecessary Expense. • Councillor Isaac has been at the cost of advertising that he does not mean to retire from the Mayoraltycontest. Nobody ever believed the loquacious councillor was of a retiring disposition. * , ,

_ Crops in England. The Spring in Britain has set in with its usual severity. The weather been unprecedentedly cold, and stormy. This must affect the crops, and high prices for produce will rule in autumn, in.all probability. • Mending their Ways. —The_ order for laying a street tramway in Wellington has been signed. The commercial capital might with advantage follow the example of our timber-built metropolis. > A Loose Shingle. —A sharp shock of au earthquake was felt last week at Karori, Wellington. It shivered the shingles of a. large house. Judging from the Parliamentary reports there are several eases of shivered shingles at Wellington just now.

Tol-lol—how droll.— Eden is represented by one Tole. He has been endeavouring toenlighten the House, hut the members fail to appreciate his eloquence, and regret that they are not exempt from Tole. Fall in Wool. —During the second series, of London sales terminating May 6. there has been a serious decline in price, almost averaging 2d. per lb. The lower prices invite foreign buyers, and next sales may improve. Any way, our wool-growers are in easy circumstances, and can stand a fall. Prospects. —The trade reports from London up to May 11 show a great diminution of exports and the existence of dull trade. We reap the benefit in lessened imports which will enable our market to right itself. Money in London is down to two per cent. This will induce an outflow of capital to the Colonies for investment, and will also help New Zealand.

Local Industry.—A very exhaustive and able paper on the growth of beet root and manufacture of sugar iu the Colony, has been laid on the table of the House by the Premier, Sir Julius Yogel, whose industry in. aiding the development of our capabilities is untiring. Such a document is of more service to the country than a dozen of wretched debates.