FLAX MANUFACTURE.

Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1216, 3 September 1869, Page 2

FLAX MANUFACTURE.

Numerous communications, both written and personal, have been received by us respecting the suggestion made in these columns a few weeks ago on the subject of Flax Machines. People up country are exceedingly desirous of turning their flax land to profitable account. In these hard times, however, when money is scarce, and speculation on contingencies—other than gold-mining shares, (somewhat deceptive though these be, in not a few cases,) ia rare, and it is hot easy to obtain the means by which an undoubted source of wealth may be readily utilised. "We have used the word contingencies; but experience all over the Colony, experience in Nelson, twelve, aye twenty years ago, abundantly testifies that the flax product is not a contingency, but a certainty. Twelve years ago flax was manufactured near Nelson, arid sold, with a profit to the producers, at £18 a-ton. A quantity was sent home, but the returns did not arrive until eighteen months had passed. During this interval the producers offered various merchants a limited quantity, sufficient only to keep themselves and their families, at £18 per ton until the price was ascertained in the Home market; but the uncertainty prevented this being done, and the affair collapsed, from the inability of the manufacturers to carry on without a market. Yet, when the returns did come, something less than one half, an inferior lot, sold at £22, in the English market, and the rest at £40 per ton. There is no uncertainty now. A mine of agricultural wealth lies in our up-country flax swamps ; requiring no prospecting, no tantalising efforts like goldmining ; but a present reality within the grasp at once. Hundreds and hundreds of acres in this Province are covered with flax of a quality far superior to that of Auckland, and it is waiting to bring wealth and smiling plenty to the whole Province. We believe, were machines obtained and at work, [ within a few months, £800 worth of flax per week might with ease be brought to this port for shipment. One settler writes to us, enquiring if the Government is likely to give effect to the proposal we made of obtaining flax machines and letting them out, either at a reasonable rent or on deferred payments. He says " I have at least flax, that would produce about 100 tons of the manufactured article; but in these hard times I cannot afford to buy a machine. I have a water-wheel which could be applied to a machine, and I know I could make a splendid thing of it." Buch communications are frequent, both to this office and to people outside who have intimate personal dealings with country settlers. Here is a speedily attainable benefit, the certainty, we deem it, of a rich and profitable manufacture, a really great work, carried out by the aggregation of manifold little appliances spread over a large number of people. Thousands have been spent by Governments and Provincial Councils in pursuing phantoms that are deemed realities, but which are fleeting as the rainbow's hues. This is a substance ; and, since the hardships that followed the collapse of the New Zealand Company, never was there a time in Nelson when those in power should seize the substance and allow the shadows to return to "the shades." Able-bodied men are desirous of getting work, and cannot get enough to supply themselves and their families with food and clothing ; and within the past few days a man has been taken to the Hospital who for days had not tasted food. That such a thing should occur amongst us tugs at one's heart-strings. But many here will suffer the pangs oi hunger before they will make any appeal, and, unhappily, there is not enough of intercourse, there lacks the proper social agency to find out the real cases of distress and to relieve them. But it is no indiscriminate benevolence that we desire to see. It is a real permanent remedy; and we believe that remedy is flax, and flax machines. The material is plentiful, the labor is ready and willing, the market is safe and certain. A product of this kind would bring benefit to all trades. It would stimulate one lasting foundation of Colonial wealth, —agriculture; it would furnish moans to increase the business of towns, and for the future would lead to many sources of employment for the rising generation. Once more we urge on the Government, and on all who see the untold good that will arise from the flax trade, to assist our efforts and give our suggestion respecting flax machines speedy and practical embodiment. The time for action never was more urgent

Death of Mr. Bernard Gappee.—One of the early settlers of this Province, Mr. Bernard Gapper, died at his farm at Apploby, on Tuesday last, aged sixty-three. Mr. Gappor arrived in tho ship "Clifford" in 1842, and was assistant-surgeon on board. Ho had a largo family, and like other curly Bottlers underwent his share of the privations which followed the breaking up of tho New Zealand Company. Ho was drafted as ono of tho constabulary force to go to the Wairau at the time of the massacre, aud stood third in tho canoe which crossed the stream towards tho Maori position, aud saved tho life of Lieutenant Howard by shooting a nativo who was in the act of firing hjs pioco at the Lieutenant. The uoxt shot that was iirod by tho natives took effect in Mr. Gappor's right hand which it smashed, and for treatment of this wound ho was afterwards a considerable time in Wellington hospital. Snbsoquoutly ho was appointed second officer of H.M. Customs (under Mr. Logio) at Nelson, but afterwards resigned and sottlod on his farm in Waimoa East district. Mr. Gappor had Buffered from heart disease for forty-seven years. Ho was much respected as an honost, straightforward sottlor. Tho funeral takes plnco to-day at half-past one.

Another old settler, Mr. William Gardiner, twonty-sevon years in tho Colony, has also gone to his long home, Mr. Gardiner came out in tho " Now Zealand" in 1842, and had, wo believe, the merit of being the first ropoinakor in this Colony, his ropes being made from Now Zealand, flax, Ml\ Gavdiuw ww jiity-iewn yowa of ago,

Ma, teum&iito kg beea ftpplnted M'anapf si the Union Bank at KewOaj having been JNJmOvgd from the bank at Inverdargill to fill the larger ftnd more responsible position here. Ml*. Mdcdonald arrived in Nelson a few days ago. Mr. Cowie, the Inspector, left for the South by the Lord Ashley this morning.

Nelson SoiEHTmo Association.—The usual monthly meeting of this society was held at the Government buildings on Wednesday evening last, when several gentlemen were elected members, and the names of others proposed for election at the next meeting. Mr. Hunter Brown laid before the meeting a sketch of a remarkable treble rainbow, which he had observed on the afternoon of August 10th, in the Waimea East district. Dr. Williams then read a long and most interesting paper on flax, in which he compared the merits of the phormium tenax and the common flax, or linwm, as objects of cultivation in this Colony j and showed that the former was preferable in consequence of the grett expense attending the growth and preparation of. the latter. At the close of the paper, which was heartily applauded, Dr. Williams illustrated his remarks upon the phorium tenax by means of a great number of specimens of that plant, and other fibres carefully prepared by himself as microscopic objects, which were examined by those present through powerful microscopes kindly lent by himself and Dr. Irvine. He also exhibited a number of articles of nativo manufacture j and some flax dressed by the new process in Auckland, which, however, was pronounced by all to be far inferior to specimens prepared by Mr. L. ISTatfcrass of this place, and which were also exhibited. A vote of thanks was warmly accorded to Dr. Williams.

The inhabitants of Charleston have procured from Dunedin a gold watch and chain to be presented to Mr. G-asquoine, J.P., who is compelled, through illhealth, to leave the district.

Fire at Hoeitika.—On August 20th, a fire broke out in the kitchen of the Union Hotel, Hokitika, which was not extinguished until considerable damage had been done to the building. . The Otago Escort.—The escort arrived at Dunedin on August 24-, bringing 7259 ounces of gold ; of thut quantity 1365 ozs. came from Tuapeka, and 1003 ozs. from the Teviofc district.

Westland G-oid Diggings.—Large quantities of the precious metal have lately been exported from the diggings on the West Coast of this Island. On August 25th, the s.s. Omeo took from Hokitika, 8204 ounces, as well as 11,480 ozs. shipped at Gt-reymoutb. Then on August 30, the s.s. Gothenburg took 3556 ozs. from Nelson. These shipments' give a grand total of 23,240 ounces! " '

Coai in Southland.—Coal of good.quality js reported to have been discovered at Otipiri, in the Province of Southland, by a prospecting party. The extent of the bed discovered is believed to be " almost limitless." The Southland Times states that a small portion of the Otipiri coal, and v, similar quantity of Newcastle, has been tested in. tho crucible, and the opinion appears to be that the coke from the Southland coal is the best. Mr. Dawson, C.E., is of opinion that when boring is resorted to, a bed much superior to that at present tried will be found at greater depth. The country is level, 'so with a tramway, there exists no difficulty in getting the coal to tho port.

Fire at Timuea.—The Timaru paper of Saturday, August 21, has the following:—"We regret.to learn that the new Wesleyan Chapel at Timukn, Canterbury, was completely destroyed by fire on Thursday night. Nothing is known of the origin of the fire at present, but it is believed to be the work of an incendiary. The chapel was a short distance from the township, and the fire was consequently not heard. A man named Burke, who is a stranger in the district, and who was taken into custody for disorderly conduct on Thursday afternoon before the fire occurred, is believed to know something of it. When taken into custody several pieces of candle were found on his person similar to those left in the chapel. He had a mate with him who has disappeared. Burke states that he is a Fenian, but he was much the worse for drink when taken into custody. The building, which was scarcely completed, was uninsured.

Amusing Police Case.—At the Hbkitika Police Couvt on August 20, the following amusing case was 1 heard:—George Banbury was summoned, on the information of his wife, jane Banbury, and chargtd with having assaulted her by beating her with a broomstick across the legs and shoulders, and by turning her out of the house. Mrs. Branbury harirg " ldssed the book," tripped quickly out of the boi, evidently thinking that by taking the onth she had firmly established, her case. The Magistrate told. Constable Elliot to get her to state the case, an1! the following scene ensued: —Elliot: State your case to his Worship. Witness: Yes, it'a a bad case, your I Worship. (Laughter.) Elliot: Tell the Magistral c I what happened on that day. Witness : To-morrow I was a fortnight, your Worship. Elliot: Tell what j happened. Witness: Oh, bad enough ; to-morrow I was a fortnight, your Worship, when he beat me, ar.d I put me out of doors. I came into town, your Woi» I ship, to-morrow was a fortnight, aud I took the I pledge, and he would not let me in, but pufc me.out I of my own house, and its along of her. The Magis« 1 trate : State what happened on the 6th. Witness: I Its the housekeeper, your Worship, that he let sleep I in my bed, your Worship; aud he kept me out of. 1 my owii bed, and put me out of the house, I can fi take a drop of drink, but I can always do my work §> and attend to my business, for I've worked hatd P your Worship. Elliot, at the request of the Magic- jfl trate: Was it on the 6th ? Witness : Yes, he's doie II it afore. (Laughter.) Mr. South: Were you sober?, I Witness : Well, I could do my work. Mr. South : fc Are you not in the habit of getting drunk? WnV KJ ness :Itis a bad habit; but I can always do my mi work. Mr. South: Did he ever beat you before ? fii Witness : No, he never attempted it before she caive. §> Mr. South: The defeudant is your husband is he hi not ? Witness: Yes ; we've been married twelve I A years come this blessed Christmas. I can always look *\a after my place, and many a time when-'I haven't la, touched for a fortnight he has said what a good o)d jta; woman I was getting. The defence was that the \^ oomplaiuant was ruining the defendant by her Mf r , drunken habits, aud that he did not beat her, but C c , merely pufc her out of the house. The case waa If j dismissed, the Magistrate telling the complainant to lac go home and keep sober. lap ( An Anecdote of Te Kooti in the Waikato.— I'es Mr. Hettet, the well-known Pakeha-Maori, has fin* fici nished the Alexandra correspondent of the Southern is Cross with some particulars regarding Te Kobti'i §pli recent visit to Tawhiao. According to this authority res Mr. Hettet, who had the " honor" of entertaining 'le lop Ivooti for two days, entertains no doubt as to his Ira being the original miscreant of that name. He sayl IA that, from the minute and circumstantial manner in fttic which Te Ivooti described the whole manner of his I'tii escape from the Chatham Islands, tho pursuit of le-d Biggs, and various occurrences \ip to the moment he §"7 was conversing with him in his own house, he is quite l&sj certain that he is the originial Te Kooti and nootheu |i b To Kooti described to him his visit to Opepe on h's f ion road to the Waikato. He says it was himse3f who Pule was then present and shook hands with the officei. ¥,t\ IHo said he had no intention of killing auy of the I lei Europeans there, but, seeing one of the men seize Pnds his rifle to fire at him, ho had no other alternative Paar than to kill them or be killed. Had the man not Pco done this, he says he meant only to expostulate with Be, " them for trying to fight with him, when he only l&er required v peaceablo roud to Waikato. Most of your Jsior readers aro no doubt well acquainted with the per- Ping sonal appearance of the friendly chief Wiremu ft Ppfo Wheoro, of .Lower Wuikato. Te Kooti greatly r$ si resembles him, having a slight stoop in the shoulder?* Rig Ho is very subtle and sarcastic in conversation, but myr ] when a littlo excited, appears a very jolly companifiO ffjug amongst his men. One of Hettct's sons, who par* a dei took rather tuuoh of the cup that cheers an<l ffevei does inebriato, had a disagreement with. Te Kooti, worm soized him by tho hair of the head, aud, using hi' ■surf hand as a saw at Te Kooti's neck, told him he would jet th out. his hoid oft*, and make it a present to Tawhiao mistei before long if ho did not mind. Several of Kooti's feenji men got very oxcitod at this, and .Wished to shock m naa« him, but Kooti would not hear of it, telling them it B^onsl was his own fault for giving him tho driak-—*thafc it fftablt was the gvog alone that was talking. laubje

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ft*tf ttod Wtt Ito.—A smalt '$*$■> pared flax has been employed at Balcluthtt, OlngO) in1 caulking a punt, oakum not being obtainable. The experiment id said to have given satisfaction.

Theatbioal. —Madame Duret and Mr. Le Eoy, after a successful Bojourn in the Australian Colonies, are paying this Colony a visit. A Sydney paper states that "Madame Duret and her husband will be welcome to the lovers of the drama in New Zealand, as being actors of tried merit, and of great reputation in their profession." The total quantity of kerosene imported into New Zealand during the year 1868, was 296,448 gallons, representing a money value of £38,672. Of this amount £21,083 was from Victoria, £9740 from the United States, £5109 from New South Wales, and £2750 from the United Kingdom. The total value of the candles imported during the same period was £88,958.

Wool Export.—The total quantity of wool exported from New Zealand during the year 1868 is shown by a return recently issued to amount to 28,875,16311)3., of a declared value of £1,516,548, being at the rate of Is. 0£ per ft. Five Hundred of the burgesses of Hokitika have been disfranchised through the non-payment of rateß. A NEW institution for the treatment of diseases of the eye and ear, with which is combined a department for diseases and deformities of the foot, has just been opened in Melbourne, near the Princess' Theatre in Spring-street. The establishment is called the "Opthalmic and Orthopedic Institution," the eye and ear department being under the superintendence of Dr. Aubrey Bowen oculist, and the orthopedic department under that of Mr. James, surgeon, both of Collins-street, Melbourne.

The Melbourne Omnibus Company have had ton new omnibuses manufactured for them in Melbourne by Mr. M'G-regor, of Swanson-street. For strength and durability and elegance these omnibuses compare favorably with those constructed in America. They are intended for use on the line between Melbourne and Carlton, which will be opened next week. Ten more vehicles of the same description are in course of construction.

The Douglas, which sailed from Melbourne on the 9th August, for Bombay, took 170 horses, the largest cargo ■which ever left this port for India. They were shipped by Mr. Win. Learmonth, who has sent altogether, in this and Beven previous shipments, over 800 head of stock.

A new Temperance Hall is to be erected in Melbourne, at a cost of £4000. At a meeting in aid of this object the chair was taken by the Chief Justice of Victoria.

The foundation stone has been laid of a new Wesleyan Church at Carlton, Melbourne. The church when completed will be 100 ft. long by 50ft. wide, and will eeat 1200 persons. The total coat will be about £3500. The material used in the building is bluestone, relieved with stucco work.

Colonial Enterprise.—A new woollen manufactory—that of the Albion Woollen Company—will shortly be opened at G-eelong, Victoria. The machinery has just arrived from Englaud, and will be placed in position without delay. The building in which it is to be erected is larger than that of the Victorian Woollen and Cloth Company, being two storeys in height, eighty-five feet long, and seventy feot broad. It is intended to start with sixteen looms, which will be increased from time to time as the necessity arises. At a recent kangai-oo hunt at Mr. Whitehead's estate, Goodwood, Victoria, upwards of 600 of these animals were killed.

Extraordinary Find OF Gold.—On Thursday (says the Western Post, New South Wales) two miners from the Stony Pinch brought into town a block of quartz and gold weighing 91b. 20z., which they had found four feet below the surface. The gold was solid in most places, and estimated to run leventy-five per cent, throughout the piece. Another party alao brought in two bags of nuggets of good size, and much waterworn, which were said to have been found partly on Mr. Cadell's land and the flat betwixt there and Stony Pmch.

Silver in New South Wales.—Silver of a very rich character (says the Northern Argus), and in large quantities, has been discovered thirty miles from Westwood, in the neighborhood of the Goganga Ranges. The specimens brought into town are very ie&utiful.

Lumps of gold as big aa potatoes are still being unearthed, it seems; for the Mount Alexander Mail tells us : —" A splendid nugget, weighing 570z. 12dwt. has been found in the Hitt-or-Miss Gully, at Vaughan, (Victoria), just about 100 yards from where the large nugget that brought between £300 and £400 was discovered about twelve months ago." The South Australian papers publish a scheme of

ilegraphic communication between the north and

louth of Australia, comprising a choice of routes. One would proceed from Port Augusta to Lake Hope, to Cooper's Creek, and on to the Standish Eange, and

hence to Burke Town. The other would pass via iVentworth to Menindie, Mount Murchison, and the Barcoo up the Thompson to the Gulf. By the iccond of these routes, Wentworth would be made i general terminus for Victoria, New South Wales, Hid South Australia.

A Heeo op Wateeioo. —George Tuckley, aged 80 years, who fought at Waterloo, has lately been in Gundagai gaol (N.S.W.), for having no visible Beans of support. " The path of glory." the poet

lays, " leads but to the grave;" but in New South Wales it appears sometimes to approach that terminus

through a gaol. A MAN named Michael Norton, (says the Sydney faming Herald) is now living on the Cole river, Kurrajong, N.S.W., who is 113 years of age. He states that he is the sergeant who was in charge of the party under an office named Ross, who marched to Government House to arrest Governor Bligh, as

recorded in Colonial annals. A Mas. Soixitt, who resided in Hutchinson-street,

Surry Hills, Sydney, who died the other day in a itate of apparent indigence; but after her death she *as found to be possessed of considerable property, and £1100 in gold and silver were found in her bed. Mrs. Sollitt, it is supposed, was over eighty years of

Me, and was of a miserly disposition. The interior of her cottage bliows that she was eccentric in the Manner in which she decorated it, and she had a Wardrobe of a most extensive kind, consisting of dresses, skirts, shawls, and bonnets, principally, as Dickens would say, "of the old old fashion." She has been a widow for about fifteen yenra, and her nephew and daughter's husband were her only relatives in the Colony. She possessed considerable

Property, nearly the whole of which is bequeathed to relatives in England. A Decided Sell. —A somewhat laughable illustration of the difficulties experienced by the police in getting a jury together for a coroner's inquest (says 'he Advertiser) occurred on one of the leads in the Maryborough district, Queensland. Ten of those indispensable constituents of these courts of inquiry W been safely secured, and were ready for delibeWion whenever the requisite number of twelve •hould be made up. Pull of zeal and with curious eye, the summoning constable explored the lead, and 't length came to a hole from which proceeded sounds that afforded unmistakable evidence that a human being was at work below. " Come up," said toe constable, attracting attention by shaking the '°pc, " I want you for the jury." " I can't," said a fiither shrill voice with an apparent attempt at evasion. " But you must," rejoined the functionary, hinting that refusal would be accompanied with the Infliction of all sorts of penalties. The voice in the tynie. shrill tone answered, " I'm a woman." Hesitating what to dp, and believing that the digger felow fyad resqrted tp a trick :jn order to escape Senjug on tiie jury, the constable resolved to expose 'he deception. So, insisting upon the individual, whoever it might be, coming up, he undertook and performed the tusk of winding up the unknown to 'he surface. The process of winding the rope, like other things, at length camo to an end, which end consisted, to the constable's inexpressible disgust and amazement, of the figure of a robust female, who jlien made a request to be lowered down again when ""> constable had found out bis mistake. But the constable immediately made tracks, and the story was :r c BubJe°fc of endless joking on the lead throughout wramamdwQf.tfoedaj, *