SUMMRY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE

Taranaki Herald, Volume XV, Issue 731, 4 August 1866, Page 2 (Supplement)

SUMMRY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY. In the Legislative Council, on the 24th, the report of Dr. Hector on the specimen of petroleum from Poverty Bay, was laid on the table. A Select Committee was appointed to consider and report on the designs for a chamber for the Honse of Eepresentatives, &c. The Appeals from Justices Bill and the Justices of the Peace Bill were read a second time. ..ln the House of Eepresentatives, certain papers were laid on the table. The Colonial Secretary stated that the debentures had been sold at home at 92, notwithstanding the late panic there, and that the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed to the House of Commons that the Imperial guarantee should be given to the half-million debentures remitted home last year. Mr. Carleton asked the Colonial Secretary, " Whether it is his intention to bring in a Bill to make provision for the more eSFectual prevention of what is ordinarily termed " cross iag;" i.e., the buying off of intending bidders at Government land sales when made by way of public auction. Mr. Stafford replied that he would give a definite answer in a day or two. The Arms Act Continuance Bill and the Provincial Compulsory Land Taking Bill were each read a third time and passed. A debate took place on Mr. Whitaker's resolutions, which was adjourned. — In the Legislative Council, on the 26th, the Indictable Offences Trial Bill, the Arms Act Continuance Bill, and the Provincial Compulsory Land Taking Bill were read a first time. ..ln the House of Eepresentatives, a petition from Mr. Walter Grey was presented. In reply to Mr. Cargill, Colonial Haultain said it was not the intention of the Government to amend the Volunteer Act, 1865, so as to exempt volunteers from serving on juries. The report of the Waikato Militia Committee was brought up : the report stated that the committee saw no reason for giving the claimants any further facilities than they possessed for bringing their claims before a legal tribuna 1 . "An Aofc to define and restrain Vagrancy," was read a first time. Certain correspondeuce relating to the withdrawal of the Resident Magistrate at Maangakaranea was ordered to be laid on the table. On the motion of Mr. Yogel, the following resolution was passed : — " That, in the opinion of this Honse, the Government should introduce a measure providing that in oases of violent crimes evidence of previous convictions in other colonies should be permitted, and should be allowed to influence the sentence passed upou the convicted prisoner. Mr. Fitzgerald moved that the petition of Wi Tako, relating to the manner iv which certain friendly natives had been treated in the Compensation Court at Taranaki, be referred to the Committee on Confiscated Land. After some discussion, the motion was withdrawn, with a view to refer the petition to a Select Committee. The debate on Mr. Whitaker's resolutions was resumed.

On the subject of the Hartley coal oil the Sydney Morning Herald, of the 30th nit, says .— " The richest cannel coal yet discovered in Australia is being transmuted into oil. Some of the first produce from the works of the Hartley Company has been received in town, and its quality is in every respect satisfactory. The crude oil is produced from the coal by the process of retorting. At present only nine retorts are set up ; they are producing at the rate of 1,200 gallons par week, hot they are not worked up to their full capacity, and can be made to produce 2,000 gallons per week. Eighteen additional retorts of larger capacity have been sent up, and will be in position and at work in about six weeks. The productiveness of the works will then be at the rate of from eight to ten thousand gallons a week. This of course may be indefinitely increased by the erection of additional retorts and stills. To produce ten thousand gallons of oil will not require one hundred tons of cannel of the richness of that found at Hartley, so that at this rate of consumption the supply in store will last for a long time. The seam there is thick, and a single acre will furnish mineral enough for a year's supply at the rate of a hundred tons a day. It has been found in England that oil distilled from coal has more power in it and burns longer than an equal quantity of oil from the wells. This peculiarity is quite confirmed by the results of experiments ou the Hartley oil. We are informed that a given quantity of it will burn nearly onethird longer in time than the same quantity of imported American oil ; and, if bo, it is of course by so much the cheaper. As now being manufactured at Hartley, it is also safer than the imported oil. The latter is iinflammable at a temperature of about 105° to 110°. The Hartley oil does not catch fire till it is heated to a temperature of 107°. 4 This is important in a country like this, where, in' the heat of summer, the thermometer often ranges above 100°. The consumption of kerosene in these colonies must probably amount to two million galtons per annum, and the rate of consumption is steadily on the increase, even leaving out of account any probable demand for steam purposes. There is, therefore, a large local market, irrespective of any trade that may be done by exporting." Wesietan Missionabs Society.— The annual gentral meeting was held at Exeter-hall, London, Mr. Fernley was called to the chair. The Eev. Dr. Hoole read the report which stated that the total receipts of the year, from home and foreign sources had reached £144,885. os. 2d. The committee gratefully accepted this augmentation of income as an approach to the £15,000 increase required in order to the due support of the work as at presont carried on.

It is stated that the diving bell has beenabanoned on the Thames in favour of the diving-dress, principally because the men employed were found while Westminster bridge was being built to spend thier time at the bottom in playing oards.