SPRING GROVE AND RAUNZAU. RANZAU.

Colonist, Volume V, Issue 466, 11 April 1862, Page 1

SPRING GROVE AND RAUNZAU. RANZAU.

One vessel, the Ravenscraig, has arrived in port direct from England, after a protracted passage of nearly 150 days—an unusually tedious affair even with the tubs thought to be good enough for the New Zealand trade and New Zealand passengers. Some dispute took place on the passage between the captain and mate, which was finally settled by an appeal to the legal authorities here, which resulted in the mate being imprisoned for one month. A great deal of evidence was adduced, in which a good deal of recrimination was shown. It was asserted that the captain was drunk, but the following testimonial to that gentleman is a flat contradiction to the assertion :— We, tho undersigned, passengers by tho ship Ravenscraig, from London, have seen the evidence of several of the passengers given in Court before the Resident Magistrate in Nelson, where they say that, the Captain was in a state of intoxication on the morning of the Ist day of January. We here give our . united testimony to his strict sobriety and attention to his duties throughout the whole voyage, and to his kindness towards the passengers generally, and his anxious desire to make them all as comfortable as he possibly could ; and we consider the charges made against tho Captain unjust and unfounded.

Several more of the passengers, who expressed their anxiety to sign the above document, have been prevented from so doing in consequence of their absence from town.

From the length of the passage, there was a little shortness of rations, which

caused some dissatisfaction. We believe that a thorough reform is required in victualling passenger ships. Why passengers who pay a pretty round sum of money should be either starved or poisoned, we could never see the reason. We are sure the bad and uneatable stuff which finds its way overboard would purchase wholesome food (or even longer trips than those usually made by vessels from London to New Zealand. All the passengers arrived in pretty good health.

The volunteers have been busy in the past month, in contests lor the following prizes :—

The winner of the first prize also to keep and wear the Champion Pouch and Belt for the best shot in *'ew Zealand during the year in which he wins it. These prizes have been offered by the General Government, and the trial for which, as far as the Nelson volunteers are concerned, can be judged of by the following account of the shooting :—

It has not been thought necessary to notice any under ten points. Several lectures have been given in the course of the month, especially to the members of the Christian Association and the Mutual Improvement Society. The Rev. J. Innes gave a very instructive one on * Passion and Principle.' Mr. H. J. Goodman, in his usual lively style, gave one on • Poetry and its refining influences,' to a very attentive and numerous audience. And Mr. I. M. Hill did ample justice to the cause of teetotalism, of which he has been so. consistent an advocate and member for so many years, in a lecture on ' Malt Liquors,' illustrated by the analisation of a bottle of Nelson brewed beer, which was proved, we believe, to contain something besides malt and hops.

The eighth anniversary of the Baptist Chapel has bffen commemorated this month by a public tea and meeting, at which ministers of various denominatious attended. Several addresses were delivered, and we believe everything came off to the satisfaction of the promoters.

The business in our Police and Resident Magistrate's Courts has been of the usual kind, varied a little by a bit ot a brush between our Board of Works and the Dun Mountain Railway Company on two counts —one a matter of importance to the public, the ot-!?er a point of etiquette between the Secretary to the Company and the Board of Works. The first was an action for damages to the roads by the line being much higher than the road, thus preventing the water being carried off by the usual channels: this was satisfactorily settled. The second arose from the Company making a siding on a footpath for the passenger

[PRICE 6d.

carriage without communicating with the Board, which led (o some attempts at forensic eloquence before our worthy Magistrate. At last, however, we are happy to say, the matter is amicably adjusted, and we may shortly expect to see it running daily on the line from the Port to the town. This carriage was built in Sydney for the Company. It is capable of carrying forty passengers, and is constructed of cedar. It is said to be equal to anything of the kind, colonial or imported, as regards ' elegance of appearance, excellence of workmanship, and neatness of finish.' We think it might have been as well executed in Nelson.

We are exceedingly glad that another of our settlers—nothing daunted by the frequent failures for the last fifteen years—has turned his attention to the dressing of flax and manufacturing of rope and twine. We trust that better luck will attend his efforts than has hitherto been the case.

We have very little to report on our golddiggings. At the Taitap'u, the last discovered, the men are making from fifteen to twenty shillings a-day, according to their own confession. The Maoris are still the most lucky in this district. A two ounce nugget has been discovered here. The old diggings at the Aorere are steadily worked. But the great cry from all the gold districts is for roads; and the government get pretty well belabored because they do not make passable tracks to every spot where gold is found—a rather Herculean task, even if they had the power to do it, without permission of the Council. We think the complaints should be made to this latter body, who would then put the pressure on the government in this matter, as well as in others.

The Grey coal has been pronounced, by all persons who have tried it in Nelson, to be superior to the Newcastle (Sydney) for the various purposes for which it has been used. Tha General Government has issued a Gazette containing testimonials from the Provincial Engineer, engineers of steamers, foundrymen, smiths, brewers, chemists, &c, &c.

Mr. Blacket's report, as well as many other testimonies, on the valuable qualities of this coal has already appeared in a former summary, as likewise the chemical report of Mr. Tatton on the same subject. The chief engineer of the Lord Worsley says that steam was got up in fifty-five minutes by the use of this coal, which is about twenty-five minutes less tirao than from the ordinary New South Wales coal. With little and gentle stirring an average of lOlbs. of steam with a clear saving of 12 per cent, over the Newcastle coal could be kept up. • The coals burn exceedingly well, making a bright clean fire, and remarkably free from clinker, and burn to a clean white ash.' When this coal is properly screened the engineer says that he has no doubt a saving of' 20 per cent over Newcastle (N.S.W.) coals' will be effected. Captain A. Kennedy, master of the Lord Worsley, confirms this statement, and congratulates ' the province on the discovery of such a quantity of coal within its boundaries.' Mr. Charles Balme, proprietor of the Soho Foundry, Nelson, says :— • I have tried the West Coast coal, both in the smith's forge and for making coke. In the smith's forge I have no hesitation in saying it is superior to any coal we get here, either English or Sydney. Sydney coal is better for smiths' purposes than English, and I should estimate the Grey coal to be almost as much superior to the Sydney as the latter is to the English.'

Mr. Field, brewer, says that it took 1471b5. of New South Wales coal to bring his copper of 386 gallons of water to boiling point, whilst it took only 1241b5. of the Grey coal. He prefers it to any coal he ever used in Nelson, as there was * neither dirt nor clinker in the fires, and no unpleasant smell.'

Messrs. Hooper and Co., of the Nelson Brewery, say :—' We have used the West Coast coal both for brewing and steam purposes, and find it of a superior quality. We got up steam in less time and with one-third less coal than the Newcastle.' They express a desire that ere long they may be able to procure the quantity they require. We have no doubt that the wish of these gentlemen will soon be gratified, as a regular governmental survey has been undertaken by competent surveyors, accompanied by the Superintendent inpropria persona.

As might be imagined the death of the husband of our beloved and virtuous Queen plunged us all into a deep feeling of commiseration for her bereaved state. Though not the slightest official notice was taken of the matter, we may say that not an individual in the province failed to express his or her sorrow for such an unexpected event. The Episcopal Church and Baptist Chapel were hung in black, and funeral sermons have been preached in several places of worship, in which the virtues of departed greatness and goodness were dwelt upon, as guide-stars to the living.

One of the prettiest structures in Nelson —the Suspension Bridge across the Maitai river—has long been in a state of jeopardy, from the foundations having become worn

April 11/62,

away by the action of the water. It seems that the City Board of Works contemplated moving to some more suitable she, as it led to no public road; but a gentleman, whose residence was in the vicinity, and 10 whose property it was not an unseemly ornament, threatened them with an action in the Supreme Court; and the project of removal was then abandoned. The late floods have made it, as it were, hang by a thread. We are glad to hear that "all opposition to its removal has ceased, and that we may now hope not only to see this bridge ornamental to the city but useful to the citizens.

Perhaps of all well-abused human institutions in every country, the Postal arrangements endure the most. And of all communities under the sun perhaps New Zealand grumbles the most in this matter. It seems to be utterly impossible to please East and West by any arrangement. If Auckland is well served, Nelson suffers; if Nelson is satisfied, Auckland complains. Otago fights lor a direct line of steamers to Melbourne; whilst Auckland insists on a direct communication with Sydney. Mr. Crosbie Ward has been visiting the various provinces, and holding forth to the Chambeis of Commerce, but with very little satisfaction to his heavers, and very little likelihood of carrying out his views. The end of all this must be that each province will have a steamer of its own, and make it pay the best way it can. In that case Nelson will stand as well as any other piovinee of New Zealand, as she will always have something to send, even if it be 'coals to Newcastle.' We give below a scheme emanating from a well known resident in Nelson, whose efforts in these and other matters of material import are well known.

A NEW POSTAL ARRANGEMENT. To the Honorable the Postmaster-General, Auckland. Sir—l lately addressed a short outline, respecting a new postal arrangement, to you, knowing that you were engaged in the consideration of that subject, I now venture to be more explicit on the subiect. and to offer more speciEe data for your consideration. It is quite evident that both in Australia and New Zealand, other means and facilities of communication with the home Government and parent State than at present exist is urgently called for: the problem, therefore, if. What arrangement is most calculated to afford the widest and most beneficial results ? In the first place, I think the Australian group of colonies are fully capable of maintaining an independent line of steam postal service ; and I will proceed secondly to show why I consider a direct passage round the Cape of Good Hope far preferable to any other route. It is abundantly evident that any overland route can only be of service to these cotonieg in the transmission of mails, passengers in a very limited ratio, and very valuable or very light goods. Then, as to whether an overland communication by the Suez line or the Panama line is preferable, I will not stay to discuss, because I feel strongly that each, or either, is far behind the Cape route in every point of view. The existing arrangements prove that sixty days is the average time occupied in the transmission of mails from England to New Zealand; that the Suez route entails an expenditure of £200 each passenger. That only such goods as are very light, or very valuable, can remunerate the very high rate of charge by this route, and consequently general cargo, emigrants, and persons who cannot afford to lay out a large sum in passage money, are all entirely excluded. Some people are inclined to argue that the Panama route would be a great improvement over the Suez route; be that as it may, it can never compete with the direct Cape route, because of the necessity of transhipment at the Isthmus of Panama, and although fcew Zealand might be the gainer in point of lime by the Panama roiite, and Sydney and the east coast of Australia remain statu quo, Melbourne and the western parts of Australia and Tasmania would be damaged in point of. time.

The position I take up anil hope to make manifest, is that the route by the Capo of Good Hope is the most speedy as regards postal communications. The cheapest and by far the most comfortable to all classes of passengers, emigrants inclusive, together with general cargo likewise.

I contend that a vessel builtjwith all the latest appliances as to type of hull, and improvement in boilers and machinery, would make the passage round the Cape of Good Hope to Melbourne in thirty days, and on to New Zealand in five more, or thirty-five days inclusive of stoppage at Melbourne. I set out with the preface that there is no vessel afc present built capable of performing this service, and consequently that it would be indispensable that; proper vessels should be built. It is essential that she should be capable of carrying fuel sufficient for the voyage out and home, consequently must be of largo capacity. I hold that the Great Eastern is too deep in the water and too high out of it. Looking to the other proportions of that vessel and her other arrangements, her depth may not be too great, but as the details I am about to set forth as to the character of vessel I consider best adapted to the required service will show why and wherefore a more shallow vessel is more proper. The dimensions I should prefer are 1000 feet in length by 100 feet in width, with a draught of water not exceeding fifteen feet at her deepest load water-line. It is evident these proportions are not suited to a sailing vessel; I will therefore say I contemplate the innovation of doing away with masts and sails wholly and entirely, andto substitute at least eight propelling powers or engines, so that it would be scarcely reasonable to expect that she would be left a hopeless cripple in case of a break down. Her height out of the water should never exceed twenty feet, and the entire form of the hull should be in strict accordance with those rules whereby she would attain the maximum of floatation or buoyancy with a midship section offering the leaat resistance to a high rate of speed. I think such a vessel as I have specified would carry the required quantity of fuel, and four thousand tons of cargo, 1000 first class passengers, and 2000 second class, and make three voyages out and home each way per annum.

As to profit and loss account, say 4000 tons of cargo at £4, £IG,O()O; 1000 first-class passengers at £70, £70.000. Two thousand second-class at £15, £30,000, together £L 10,000; and on the return voyage, say £05,000 altogether, or £181,000 per trip out and home, which multiplied by three, gives £543,000 as one year's earnings, and this wholly irrespective of mail service or subsidy. ■ I will now introduce a second innovation arising out of tlie first, and one of which I consider of much importance. Having got rid of masts and sails, I would steer a course just the reverse of that now pursued, and after leaving the English Channel, run down the coast of Portugal, eastward of Madeira and Teneriffe, alongthe coast of Africa, and so round tho Cape of Good Hope; by this means you would save mileage, and run dowii'in tho region of calms with much advantage. Connected with this route, I beg to suggest that the railway system is making great progress in Spain, and that as soon as it is possible to complete the various lines now in great prat cxc» cuted, there will be an uninterrupted communication from Calais or Bolougne, via Bayonno, through Madrid to Cadiz, it, therefore, would bo advisable to call at Cadiz for the same reasons that the steamers now call at Marseilles.

If these data are correct, and I maintain they are so in each and every particular, I think the question is solved as to which route is preferable. I will now only recapitulate that, by tho direct Cape route, there would be a great saving in time, a gteat decrease in cost of transit, and very great increase as regards comfort; and moreover, by this route, cargo and emigrants could be conveniently transported, which ever must bo denied by any overland route. I am, Sir, Your obedient Bervant, W. LONG WREY, Mineral Surveyor, Nelson, April 10,1862..

First innings. Second Innings. Snow, b Rutherford . .Oh I'hipps . . 5 J. Lines, b Phipps . . 8 E. Stotfc. b Phipps 0 M. Coleuidii, not out. ,41 b Rutherford . 20 RufTel, b Rutherford . ,9b Phipps . . 3 T. Coleman, s Phipps. . 4 b Rutherford . 0 Kearns, b Rutherford . 8 not out . . C W. Lines, b Rutherford . 8 b Rutherford . 21 Chamberlain, b Rutherford 0 not out . . 0 Newth, b Rutherford . . 0 Sutton, 1 b w, b Rutherford 0 G. Coleman, b Rutherford . 0 Byes . . . . 8 . . . .8 Wides . . , 0 . . . . l 86 64 Total, both innings. 150. Spuing Gkove. First Innings. Second Innings. Hopgood, b T. Coleman . 0 b T. Coleman . 0 J. Palmer, c Snow . . 4 b T. Coloman . 17 Andrews, b T. Coleman . 6 b T. Coleman . 3 Phipps, b T. Colemun . 0 run out . . 20 J. Rutherford, b M. Coleman .... 7 nofcouf . . 7 Stott, b 11. Coleman . . 5 c W. Lines . 3 Jas. Rutherford, b M Colem™ • . . .6 hit wicket . . 1 G. Rutherford, M. Coleman 3 c T. Coleman . 2 Hammond, c T. Coleman . 0 run out . . 10 W. Palmer, run out . ,7b M. Coleman . 19 Dron, not out . . , 0 c G. Coleman . ft Byes . . . . 11 . . . .9 49 99 Total, both innings, 148. RIWAKA. Riwaka Sooth. First Innings. Second Innings. J. Grooby, b b w . .12 b Askew . . 4 G. Grooby, b P. Askew . 1 b Cook . 0 J. Hickell, b Askew . 6 c W. Askew . 0 A. JJ'Lean, b Askew . 1 c Wolfe . . 0 T. Croueher, run out . 1 b Askew . . 0 G. Grooby, c Askew . 9 b Askew . . 8 Jas. Duncan, b Cook. . 0 b Askew . . 5 John Duncan, b Cook . 1 b Cook . . 1 H. Jennings, not out .2b Cook . . 5 H. Inwood, b Cook . ,0b Cook . , 5 T. Grooby, b Cook . . 0 not out . .3 Eyes . 5 . . . . 3 38 34 Total, both inning?, 72. Riwaka North. First Innings. Second Innings. P. Drimiraond, b Croueher 10 b G. Grooby . 9 P. Askew, c G. Grooby, jun 2 c M'Lean . .10 J. Staines, b Croueher . 4 stumped out . 5 \V. Ryder. cG.Groobv,jun 12 c Jas. Duncan . 0 E. SI'Nabb, b Croueher . 0 b Croueher . . 0 G. White, b G. Grooby . 0 b G. Grooby . 6 D. White, run out . . 4 run out . . 5 J. Cook, b Croueher . 8 b G. Grooby . 3 W. Askew, b Inwood . 5 b Croueher . . 0 J. Wolfe, b Croueher . 0 run out . . 7 II. Fry, not out . . 2 C. Swan, not out. 1 Byes . . i . . . .5 51 fil Total, both innings, 102.

W. Dickinson, cab T. Hirst, Miss W. Jay, Miss Kingdom, Mr. & Mra. Bomfoi James Robinson John Overhand Samuel Huggait Joseph Sherratt Emma Shenatt Jesse Humphrey Jesse Humphrey Mis. Humphrey Margaret Humphrey Thomas Roaue Fiances Kogan Mary Kogan Mary Ann Dayman 'in passenger. do. do. do. id, do. Elizabeth M'Conochio Thoa. N. M'Conochio Charles Price Mary Price Mrs. Murphy Arthur Miller Agnes Miller Sarah Hambeton Ann Harse Mary Oregan Manse Leary John Kogan.

Prize 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 n 12 1 '"* 14 15 1G 17 18 19 20 ♦ 0 £ 8. 50 0 35 0 30 0 25 0 20 0 17 10 17 10 15 0 15 0 12 10 12 1C 10 0 10 0 10 0 10 0 7 10 7 10 5 0 5 0 5 0

100. 200. 300. Total. West, W. H. Rutherford, G. . Lutherford, J. Catley, J. T, Hunter, A. Gill, E. M'Lochlan, J. K'Rae, B Vindleborne, L. Bailey, J. L. Wastney, J. , Slater, D. Hibble, A. Clarke, G. Best, G. Malcolm, It. Haling, C. , liicketts, John Jl'Gowan, 30. Perry man, H. W. Rutherford, Andrew Wells, Williatn . York, t. . Martin, C. Aiken, J. Percy, J. Lockett, J. Edwards, W. Webley, J. Gifford, Thomas Barnes, William . Rutherford, James Webb, J. Alborongji, W. . Ad°ms, H. Hodgson, W. C. . Young,H. Doughty, T. Wooley, Alfred . Bradley, H. Wooley, G. Sigglekow, J. Harford, E. Wastney, W. Gray, W. Lightfoot, W. . Sinclair, M. Hopgood, George. Lane, \V. Young, J. Bradley, A. Hildreth, W. Scott, William . Ching, John Sigglekow, \V. . Small, Henry Newport, J. . Sigglekow, H. Garner, H. Prate, J. . Laminau, J. 9 12 13 12 11 9 11 12 13 11 13 10 12 13 11 10 10 12 9 6 11 11 10 9 11 8 10 10 11 10 9 9 10 10 9 7 11 9 6 8 7 11 8 5 7 10 10 6 8 8 7 6 6 9 7 5 7 8 8 9 4 11 9 6 9 9 6 8 9 6 8 5 9 9 5 8 6 6 5 9 6 7 4 6 6 5 5 7 6 5 o 8 8 3 5 6 6 4 3 5 6 8 4 6 6 6 3 4 6 2 3 4 4 5 2 4 4 4 2 4 3 5 10 30 5 26 6 25 4 25 5 25 9 24 5 24 2 23 4 23 4 23 2 23 3 22 1 22 3 21 2 2L 5 21 4 20 3 20 2 20 7 19 1 19 4 19 3 19 4 19 3 19 5 18 1 18 2 18 2 18 3 18 1 18 1 18 4 17 2 17 3 17 4 17 1 16 4 16 5 16 2 16 0 15 0 15 1 15 4 15 1 14 1 14 0 14 2 14 3 13 2 13 2 13 3 13 1 12 1 12 1 12 3 12 1 12 2 12 0 12 0 12 1 10