THE COLONIST. NOTES OF THE MONTH.

Colonist, Volume XIV, Issue 1385, 3 January 1871, Page 2

THE COLONIST.

NOTES OF THE MONTH.

NELSON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1871,

* The Parliament of New Zealand, having run its full five years, has been dissolved by proclamation of the Governor. A new Parliament is summoned, and the writs for tht, elections have been issued. Por fully a month to come the people of the polony will be largely engaged in electioneering.

A kumob obtained currency in some parts of the Patea district, on Saturday last, that there had been a massacre of Europeans by natives in the Waikato. One report had it that sixteen were killed; another account said forty-nine; and a third stated that sixty persons had fallen victims. The news which thus grew, apace, was said to be dated from Auckland on the 27th of December, and to have arrived overland at Patea, whence it was telegraphed to "Wellington, and for some time caused excitement and apprehension, although the G-overnment disbelieved the statement, late dates having said nothing on the subject. A Government telegram* from Tauranga received yesterday, states —" Latest dates from the Thames and Auckland, to S'p.tn. on the 27th of December, state that all is quiet in the district; have heard nothing of the rumored massacre at Waikato. — (Signed) Telegraphist, Tauranga." A telegram received last night in Nelson by the Hon. J. Vogel, gives one day's later date from Auckland, and is as follows:—"Following just received from Tauranga overland—'Hon. D. M'Lean, Wellington: No further news from Waikato. All quiet. (Signed) Daniel Pollen, Auckland, December 28.' "

Anotherttelegram received at a later hour by Mr. Yogel, from the Defence Minister, says:—"There is n» foundation whatever for the rumor about a massacre. No news of importance from any part of the country." This is satisfactory to the public, except, perhaps, to some model politicians, who would seem to be almost disposed to welcome calamity, so that it might damage the present Ministry.

There is little to say regarding other Provincial affairs. Trade still continues dull, but the cessation of the Christmas holidays may give a slight impetus. The English ship Firth of Clyde will leave Port Underwood in a few days, with a cargo consisting of about 3000 packages of wool and flax. The Beautiful Star, which left London, for Nelson, on thei 7th September, is now fully due, and is hourly expected.

The question of a railway between kelson and the West Coast, so much made of by the Provincial authorities, and forming for years such a prolific source for political agitation, and high promise, that led so many to look for boons tHat never came, has at last reached the end of its tether, at least as a Provincial question. His Honor the Superintendent has sent a circular to each member of the Council, covering certain correspondence from ' Mr. John Morrison, the London agent for this Province, and requesting that the members of the Council should say whether they were favorable to the breaking off all negotiations in London on the subject, and that certain land and mines, understood to be reserved pending these negotiations, should be dealt with. In the first place, it has been objected to that the members of Council, separated as they are, not being in session, cannot give a deliberative opinion on the subject, and are not fully supplied with all the facts. If a deliberative opinion was desired it could only have been obtained by calling the Council together; if it is a mere matter of form to save the Superintendent from acting on his own responsibility, the circular might have been dispensed with. Whatever action was necessary with respect to "dealing" with the land and coal-mines could be placed in proper training before the next meeting of Council, and as that takes place in the course of the next three months, no great harm can ensue. Besides, if anything pressing arises, the Superintendent possesses all necessary administrative powers. The railway question, however, so far as the action of the Provincial authorities is considered in connection with London negotiations, which have been in progress for years, and regarding which such high expectations even created, has undergone eclipse; and the hope now is entertained that something may be done by Sir Charles Fox, the English railway contractor, whose services in the construction of railways in this Colony may possibly be secured.

"We are glad to find that the improvement of the Bush End and Wangapeka road is to be commence! forthwith, instructions, we learn, having been given to the Superintendent of Works, to that effect, so that, probably, men will be at work widening and improving the track in the course of the present week.

Although there have been some discouraging statements from England of late regarding flax, and the varied and somewhat low average price of the article, it is pleasing to find that better accounts continue to arrive. The diversity in price is caused, as we stated some time ago, by improper preparation, which tends to cause deterioration on the voyage, Buch deterioration being set down in the broker's account as "sea-damage," which properly it is not, but bad manufacture. There is a good demand for fine qualities, but inferior sorts get no attention. Prices are rising too for fine well prepared flax. A. private telegram to Adelaide from London state* that the flax Mid in London

■- T"~ v* * ■ ' | T , - -'- - ■ ■''.... ;.. _h at 465.. per cwt. The sample probably was small, and of more than ordinary excel* len.ce of quality; but it serves to show, what has repeatedly been shown ere now, that New "Zealand''flax is capable of producing a rich and silky fibre; and that care and sound judggaent in its preparation is all thai; is requirecNo give it a large demand in the market of the world. Already it is attracting the attention of American ropemakers, and a commercial circular published in Dunedin states that a considerable demand for the article has sprung up in Boston and New York. The Otago Daily Times says that " a large shipment of flax will shortly be sent from that port to Boston, the barque OusurLbaving been chartered for the purpose! We believe that about 200 tons will be sent, the flax having been carefully selected in the different Provinces. It n»ay reasonably be anticipated that a direct trade with America in this article will be established, and if so that the 'flax problem' will be speedily solved."

Me. Shoobekt, of Sydney, Manager of the Bulli Coal-mine, haß sent to Dr. Irvine two samples of Australian timber, the capacity of which, for endurance, under the severe test of attack from the marine borer, the teredo, has been satisfactorily tried. The two pieces have been under water, the one for nine years, the other for three. The first is called turpentine wood, its botanical name we do not know; the other is the well-known iron-bark. The iron-bark is completely honey-qombed; the turpentine wood, although three times longer in the water, is scarcely touched. Here we have a^practical test of the most satisfactory kind, certified to by gentlemen of ability and observation, as to a safe source from which to derive timber well Buited for wharf building. These specimens were exhibited in the Exchange at Sydney, and naturally created a great favor for the turpentine wood. Dr. Irvine has sent the specimens to his Honor the Superintendent; and, as something must speedily be done in the way of wharf improvement at this port, the information thus supplied is of very considerable advantage. New Zealand timber has never been tested by comparison of this sort, at least we do not remember seeing any report of such testing. Experience, bowe\»r, of its nature under the incessant appiication of the marfne 'borer's tooth has not been favorable to its capacity for wharfbuilding; and, therefore, frequent use has been made of foreign timber. Tasmanian gums have been deemed useful, but these are not comparable with this Australian turpentine wood, of which there are, it seems, large forests in the Illawarra district of Mew South Wales. It may be useful, by way of inducing future experiment, to refer to a Maori practice, noticed in this paper some months ago, regarding the insertion of upright posts in the earth the opposite way to which the trees grow. If this is sound in land posts, as experience has proved in the cases of piles in Chat Moss, on the Liverpool and Lancashire railway, the same thing would, doubtless, hold good in sinking marine piles, and the immersion top-downwards would, most probably, have as beneficial an effect as regards longer preservation as a like process was found to have in the piling of Chat Moss. In the cutting of such timber, it would be no harm and little trouble to mark each pile with the broad arrow pointing topwards, so that in the construction of the marine works the arrow might be made to point downwards. Eeversing the timber could not possibly do any harm, while most likely it would do good by preventing the sap from flowing its natural way upwards and drawing moisture with it. That, however, is a subordinate idea, the main point is the excellence of this turpentine wood for wharf-building purposes.