LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume VII, Issue 247, 9 October 1867, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[from our own correspondent.]

Wellington, Oct. 5.

A Select Committee to which the Consolidation of Loans Bill was referred, brought up two Bills of an entirely different nature from the originial Bill.

On the second reading, Dr Featherston strongly objected to the proposal to accept the liability for Provincial Loans. He argued that the colony should buy up the loans ; the measure would then have stood m the position of leaving outstanding Provincial Bonds uncovered by security, as the Public Revenues Bill makes Converted Bonds a first charge upon Provincial Revenues. The Bill passed the Lower House by 37 to 12.

To the utter surprise of every one, the Upper House, by 8 votes to 6, introduced an amendment having the effect just described, viz., of putting the Bondholders at the mercy of terms fixed by the Government, on pain of seeing themselves deprived of security. Mr Menzies led the Opposition.

The House indignantly resented the amendment. A conference, consisting of Messrs Fitzherbert, Yogel, and Moorhouse, Managers' for the House of Representatives, and Messrs Menzies, Johnston, and Mantell, Managers for the Council was held.

Each House adhered to its determination,

The Government moved an adjournment to Tuesday, and have sent for Messrs Harris, Strode, and other members.

The Upper House met on Saturday, and showed symptoms of giving way.

It is expected that on Monday, before the Other members arrive, they will concede the point altogether. The business of the session will then be ended on Tuesday, and the Assembly will be prorogued on Wednesday.

WEMJHOTOjr, Tuesday, 2.30 p.m.

The Hon. Hyde Harris, Strode, and Gray have come up per Tararua to vote with the Government m reference to the disagreement between the two Houses. Matters will therefore be settled.

Parliament will probably be prorouged tomorrow. The only business remaining to be done is passing of the Appropriation Bill.

Births, Deaths, and Marriages. — The following is the Registrar's return for the Timaru district for the quarter ending September 30, viz., 41 births, 9 deaths and 7 marriages.

Public Mektiko. — To-morrow evening a public meeting will be held, at tho Royal Assembly Rooms, at half-post seven o'clock, for the purpose of hearing some account of the local government question from Mr Cox. We believe other gentlemen will also address the meeting.)

Tkmttka. — A Magistrate's Court will be held to day at the Police station at 11 a.m.

Besident Magistrates Cotjet, Timaru. — At this Court yesterday, before W. C. Beswick, T. W. Hall, and H. Belfield, Esqrs., J. P.'s, Jane Walden had the license of the Opawa accommodation house transferred to herself. William Hooper was fined 5b for committing a breach of the peace. There were no civil cases before the Court.

Fire at Waimate.— The bush at Waimate is again on fire and considerable damage has been done, but how much we do not yet know. The fire started on Tuesday, the Ist instant, and has been burning ever since. How it originated is a mystery. We shall supply full particulars m our next issue.

Peice of Bread. — We cannot understand why the price of the 4 1b loaf rules at lOd m" Timaru, whereas, m Christchurch and Oamaru the price is 6d or 7d. Flour m Timaru, direct from the mill, is about £12 a ton, consequently we might expect the loaf should not be higher than at the places above quoted.

Church Hymnal. — On Wednesday evening laat a meeting of the parishioners was held m St. Mary's Church to consider the advisability of adopting another hymnal m the place of, or m addition to, the New Zealand Hymnal now m use. The attendance was very small indeed. The Key. Gh Foster presided. Dr. Butler explained the necessity for some change, and said that a subscription had been set on foot, and that a sum of about £7 had been raised and expended m a new hymnal, known as Monk's, and said that the books were m the church ready for use. There would be a sufficient number to place two or three m every scat. He moved the adoption of Monk's hymnal m addition to the one now m use. The motion was not seconded. A long discussion then ensued, Mr Horton objecting to any change until after the next meeting of the general Synod, for he thought the Synod might possibly take up the subject again, and attempt to amend the present hymnal, or introduce a new one throughout New Zealand. Ho would move that the meeting adjourn until after the next meeting of the Synod. Mr Bilton seconded the motion, and remarked that several of the tunes from Monk's are at present used m the Church, so that the alteration would be but a mere change of words m some instances. The Eov. G-. Foster thought it desirable to delay the matter until after the next session of the. Synod. The motion was put and carried, and the meeting adjourned.

Water Suppli. — For some weeks past many persona must have heard from time to time loud explosions m different parts of the town like the firing of cannon. This has proceeded from the operations of miners at work deepening wells by blasting through the rock. The well m which the greatest amount of work of this kind has been done is at Mr Melton's stables. The proprietor, Mr Turnbull, was determined, if possible, to get a good supply of water m that quarter of the town, and about four months since he commenced operations. The sinking through the clay was 4-1 feet to the rook surface After about three months and a-lialf of steady work the miners have reached a depth of 56 feet m the rock, thirty-nine feet of which is blasted out the whole size of the well, and the remaining seventeen feot is bored by the jumping tool. This jumping of the rock was most tedious and laborious work. It took two men a week to get through the seventeen feet, and when it is considered that the men were working m a narrow confined space of four by four feet m which, no machinery could be brought into play, and moreover 44 feet below ground, we can well imagine the difficult nature of the work. All through tho rock sinking the miners were not much troubled with water, but after boring some thirteen or fourteen feet with the jumping tool, the water rose m considerable quantities, for m about the space of thirty hours the water gained 25 feet m the well. At midnight on Sunday the men commenced to bale out the water m order to resume operations, but although two buckets were kept going without cessation it was not until 4 o'clock on Monday afternoon that the well was emptied. Boring was again commenced and after getting down the bore hole to seventeen feet the work was suspended for a time. Yesterday morning there was about thirteen feet of water m the well and there is every likelihood of the supply being permanent. We believe it is the intention of the proprietor to prosecute the work till the rock strata is bored through, when a most ample supply of water is anticipated, and it' is believed it will rise nearly to the top of the well. For the first fifteen or sixteen feet of the rock workings the character of the strata was of a very hard description and difficult to mine, after that the solid blue stone rock was met with m which greater progress was made. From three to six blasts were made each- day, and the quantity of material used was somewhat large — about ten kegs of powder of 251bs each and about £5 worth of fuse being consumed. Another well at the back of Mr CuUman's bakery has also been deepened some considerable depth into the rock —about eighteen feet. This well is from five to six chains m rear of that of Mr Tumbull's. The rook was reached at 52 feet from the surface of the ground. In this well, however, the water has never stood high sinco the blasting was suspended, now some time since, and at the present time the well is dry. Mr Cullman, we believe, now that Mr Turnbull's well has turned out so successful, intends at a future date to bore through the rock, when he expects to get an ample flow of water. The next well of any importance m which rock blasting has been carried on is at Mr Cliff's timber yard. There the rock was struck at 23 feet from the surface. The miners had gone through nineteen feet of the rock when further operations were stopped by the entire well filling up owing to the heavy rainfall about two months since. From that time the water has sensibly decreased, and now there is not more than three feet of water m the welL The rock blasted out was of the same nature as m the other two wells, a hard honeycomb rock, very difficult to mine. If the water further decreases Mr Cliff intends to resume • blasting and to go through the rock. In these three wells the greatest depths have been attained, but m other parts of the town, wells have been sunk at various depths into the underlying rock from three to thirteen, feet. These are sunk more as retaining basins for the water collected from the top surface of the ' rock than for getting an increased . supply through the seams of the rook. . The cost of this rock sinking was m one instance £2 per foot, the miners .finding powder, fuse and tools, and m another instance, £2 per foot, the miners being found m the above requisites.

Geoqbaphy. — A gentleman residing at the Pareora Jiear Timaru is m the habitof receiving papers from England with a printed frank addressed to " Parson, Simario, Canterbury."

Football Match. — On Saturday last, the first match of the season was played between the Timaru and Temuka clubs at Arowhenua. The Timaru men arrived on the ground about two o'clock, but the match did not commence until an hour afterwards owing to the absence of several of the best Temuka players, and the difficulty experienced m obtaining a sufficient number to make up a Bide. The first game there were ten on each side, and hi the Becond eleven. The result of the play was nn easy victory for Timaru, both the goals being kicked by Mr Rutherford. The following is a list of the sideß : — Timaru — Messrs Cuff (captain), McLeod, Kutherfurd, Hope, Morgan, Stansell, senr, Stansell, junr., J. Walden, Jennett, Morrison, and G. Hall. Temuka — Messrs. Parkerson (captain), Massey, Pascoe, Dyson, Parks, May, Bull, Brown, Forward, Macforlan, and J. Forward. In the evening a dinner was given at Young's Hotel. Dr Rayner occupied the chair. Several toasts were given and responded to; after which the company separated. The next match will take place m Timaru on Saturday.

Thb Chtoch Choib.— We have been requested to point out the great falling off which has taken place m the number of members constituting the church choir. So small has been the attendance m the choir for some Sundays past, that few hearers can have failed to notice the great difficulty which has been manifest m getting through the musical portions of divine service with satisfaction or comfort. This is altogether owing to the thinness of the choir, and we sincerely hope that the appeal which is here made to Church members will not be made m vain to those who have it m their power to assist m the fitting celebration of divine servico, by devoting any musical gifts which they may possess to the highest and most acceptable use to whioh they could be put. Treble voices especially are needed for the efficient rendering of the vocal music of the Church, and m treble voices the choir is just now most lamentably deficient. If only but a very moderate number of the ladies of the congregation would lend their assistance m the good cause, and could find enough leisure time to attend the practice meetings which are held at the church at half-past seven o'clock every Thursday evening, the organist would be enabled to exercise a wider discretion m his -selection of tunes both for hymns and chants, which from the paucity of voices have necessarily been confined to a few old and well known tunes, and we should have the satisfaction of seeing the choir seats more worthily filled than by troupes of unruly children, and of hearing music of a higher order than any which has of late filled the aisles of St Mary's Church.

Chicoet. — We have before referred to the attempt which, is to be made to introduce the cultivation of chicory into this district. Wo learn that Mr P. W. Hutton is now supplying seed gratuitously to all desirous of experimenting m the growth of this plant. A Dunedin paper gives the following interesting particulars of its cultivation: — '*As a green crop it is highly nutritious, is greatly relished by stock, and will lost for several years without renewing, and bear cutting four times m the year. It is very hardy, and the annual amount of produce is very large, Even upon inferior soils it will produce well, and the tillage treatment is small. In some parts of Europe it furnishes a considerable proportion of their forage for cattle. But it is for its roots, for which it is chiefly' grown m Great Britain, that we would recommend its cultivation m Otago, by some of our small farmers. There is very little doubt but if it were grown here, with a view of supplying our coffee merchants with the root, m a state prepared for grinding, it would yield a first-rate profit. The quantity of chicory now mixed with coffee is very large; and m some of the inland countries m Europe it iB used aB a substitute for coffee altogether. When the root-produce is the object of cultivation, the lighter class of sandy and' calcareous loams would be preferable, as it is important that the whole of the root should be lifted from the soil. - From four to seven pounds of seed are usually .sown to the acre, m drills or rows from ten to fifteen inches apart. When grown for roots alone, it is generally advisable not to sow very early m Spring, as it might then run to seed, and thus injure the root produce. When the young plants are well up m the drills, they should be " bunched," and singled out, like turnips, to distances of six to nine inches m the drills ; after which the hoe should be regularly used, to keep down the weeds. The harvesting may be carried on at convenient opportunities during the winter months. Each root, has to be carefully lifted, with a carrot fork, as if portions of roots are left m the ground, they will afterwards be as troublesome as weeds. The roots are carefully trimmed on the field, carted home at once, washed, and either sold m that fresh state to the dealer, or, they are sliced, kiln-dried, and then sold, by which process the produce is reduced from 75 to 80 per cent, m weight, though its money value is proportionately raised m amount. In England, from five to ten tons of the fresh root may be taken from an acre, and the price there ranges from 50s to 100s per ton.

The Colonial Museum.— We learn from the " Wellington Independent" that the Colonial Museum has received, through Mr G. R. Carter, who has recently returned from England, several interesting donations from George Robert Stephenson, Esq., the eminent engineer. The most valuable of these contributions is a well-executed model of the Britannia tubular bridge, over the Menai Straits m North Wales, which was designed by the late Robert Stephenson. The model is on the scale of twenty feet to the inch*. The bridge has a total length of 1833 feet, the central spans being 640 feet, the side spans 230 feet, and the height of the centre tower 221 feet It contains 11,468 tons of ironwork, and 1,500,000 cubic feet of masonry, and was erected at a cost of £602,000. The other donations consist of pictures possessing some historical value m m connection -with engineering science. They are— (l) A framed engraving representing a conference of celebrated engineers at the Britannia tubular bridge ';' : (2)' an engraved portrait of the late Mr George - Robert Stephenson, the self-taught man who became one of the greatest railway engineers m the world;, (3) ■,-». . portrait , of hia son the late Mr Robert Stephenson, designer of the Britannia tubular bridge, of the bridge of the St Lawrence, and of other great works; (4) a photograph /coloured m oil) of Mr George Robert Stephen-

son, a cousin of the former, and the present representative of the family. Mr G. R. Stephenson has not only inherited the bulk of his cousin's fortune, but Has maintained the reputation of his precedessors, with whom he was associated m several great undertakings, by becoming m his turn a celebrated engineer. Mr Stephenson is consulting engineer to the province of Canterbury, and he designed the Wanganui bridge. To the above are added a Parian marble bust of the late George Stephenson, another of the late Robert Stephenson, and a sculptured stone vase, bearing • the inscription— " A relic of Old London Bridge; date 1176." Mr Carter through whom these donations were forwarded, has himself presented to the Colonial Museum a valuable book of plates, and two volumes descriptive and explanatory of the Britannia and Conway tubular bridges, together with a specimen of the Cook's Straits telegraph cable, handsomely mounted m a cabinet case.

WesTLAND County Bill. — The Grey River Avgua m commenting npon the Bill expresses its belief that the Act is more suited to the Timaru district than to Westland. Our contemporary says : — "We must confess that we were not prepared to find the Stafford Ministry propose a scheme of so apparently liberal a character. On its face it professes to give all the advantages without the drawbacks of Provincial Government, and if applied to a settled district— such as Timaru, for instance — would be almost all that could be desired; but we venture to dissent slightly from the unqualified approval with which our neighbours, of Hokitika have received the Bill. Its outline as sketched, is certainly very attractive, but we fear that the joy of our Hokitika friends has interfered with that close enquiry which should have been made before sending their thanks to the Government." The Ross Gnardian says of the Bill : — " Truly this is a grand concession, and if carried, will pay the way to the gradual extinction of provincialism. Timaru has already got a measure of justice awarded her, which renders her largely independent of Christchurch, and Westland is m a fair way to obtain a much more liberal measure. All praise to the Separation League for their efforts m that behalf." Lost Children. — The fate of three young children who were lost from Duylesford on Sunday, June 30th, and who were for some time searched for m the most persevering manner, by all the inhabitants of the town and surrounding district, was at length elucidated m a painful -manner, by the discovery of their remains on the 13th ult. The circumstances under which the discovery was made are thus reported m the Argus: — The attention of a roan named M'Kay being attracted' by obserping that his dog was carrying a child's boot with a portion of a foot m it, the news was circulated, and ft party got together to renew the relinquished search. The bodies were, . after Borne . searching, discovered near the hut of M'Kay, on the Mack Creek, near the Baw-mill. Two of the unfortunate children were m the cavity of a hollow tree, where it seems that they had crawled m and huddled together, to endeavor to keep each other worm. Of the third only a few bones and the skull remained, and it was thought that this body had been dragged out. by dogs. From the appearances presented, there seemed to be no doubt that the children had m their wanderings found their way impeded by a brush fence ; that . it being night, they were unable to see that by following along the fence for only a couple of hundred yards they would get to the hut of M'Kay ; and that they had turned into the hollow tree to shelter from the bitter cold of the wet winter's night; thinking, probably, to find their- way by the aid of the fence without difficulty m the morning. They must then have lain and slept and died together. It was felt as a very melancholy consideration, the fact that the poor children had reached so near help and yet failed to find it. Two of them were. brothers, named Graham; the other was named. Burman. The remains were interred m Daylesford, where it is proposed to erect a monument by public subscription over their graves.