THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1872. NOTES OF THE MONTH.

Colonist, Volume XV, Issue 1502, 16 February 1872, Page 5

THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1872. NOTES OF THE MONTH.

The long drought of which we wrote four weeks ago lasted until the 7th of February, on which date copious showers of rain fell in , most of the districts which had been suffering. The crops in many parts of the ColoDy have been seriousl) affected by the drought, which in Hawke's Bay was so severe that numbers of cattle died from want of food and waler, while in Auckland a very high rate of mortality prevailed among iuf'ants during the first month of the year, attributable to the great drought. Anotheb consequence of the great heat and long drought was that grass and bush fires were dangerously prevalent in every Province in this Colony. In our own Province the district which comprises Stanley Brook Kun has been laid waste for about ten square miles. A large quantity of excellent etauding timber has been destroyed at Waketield and other places. In Marlborough and Canterbury grass fires have occurred ou many of the sheep runs, causing the destruction of thousands of sheep, miles of fenciug, a large quantity of feed, and, in some instances, of buildings. In Wellington, Marlborough, and Hawke's Bay Provinces fires had broken out in tue bush, and tiiou■ands of pounds worth of timber have been consumed. One of these conflagrations in Wellington Province caused the destruction of about a dozen settlers' homesteads, and left some of the poor creatures homeless, and almost destitute. At Coromandel, in Auckland Province, a bush firo caused damage to the amount of about £30,000, and so fiercely did it rage that the women and' children had, at the risk of being ■uffocated, to take refuge in the shafts of the quartz mines. The Pine Hill, aud other district* of Otago, have been visited by similar disastrous bush fires. The most painful circumstance in connection with these fires is that, in many instances, poor, hard-working, and industrious settle™ have lost their little all, and the fruits of many wearisome years of toil. The yield of gold from our goldfields has been very seriously affected from the scarcity of water. This has been more particularly the case with the Auckland diggings. At the Lyell reefs, in this Province, a second trial of stone from Zala's claim has been made, with a highly satisfactory result, 40 tons of stone yielding 213 ounces, 13 dwts. of retorted gold. The other reefs at the Inangahua still attract considerable attention. A large population is now settled at Eeefton, which already commands a local newspaper. Shares iv the claims are sold at i-ery high figures, for instance, £3800 per on > eighth share, and great things are predicted for the future of this portion of our Province. The produce of the New Zealand goldfields lastyear (according to G-overuinent returns) was 730,029 ounces, and iv value £2,787,529. Last year's produce was, therefore, 185,149 ounces (or £630,995) in excess of the yield in 1870. A good augur. The whoJe of the West Coast of this Island wi»s last week visited by fearful floods. The destruction caused by these in the Grey district was wide-spread and particularly severe. Tradespeople, farmers, and miners have suffered heavy pecuniary losses. We regret to state that loss of life also occurred. The details of this sad calamity will be found recorded in another column. Iffwaa a lource of gratification; to New Sttiw^MloaMto t» ton* bj ttt In* w&

from America of the M^li prices obtained in N6w. York" for our flax, also of its" beiug manufactured info yam and cloth at London. Ihe time baa not yet arrived when tho real \aUiu of I lie so-called " flax" fibre will be understood ; but, wheu the best means of working the flax to the best advantage, chemically and mechanically, so as to present it, as it can be, a pure, clean, silkylookingand strong staple, to the English ar.d American manufacturer, we do not doubt in the least that £50, £60, and £70 a ion will be common prices for the article; and there are many farmers in New Zca'and who are waiting for the advent of that practical and simple machinery and processes by which this desirable end can be Becured, as secured we do not doubt it will be.