LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 817, 18 November 1872, Page 3 (Supplement)

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

<, The Fibe at Heed and Gear's 3?oundey. The Otago Daily Times of October 26 says : — A fire broke out at Messrs Reid and Gray's plough factory, at Oamaru, on Friday morning early. The origin is not fully known, but is supposed to have "arisen m some way from lighting the engine-fire iv the morning, first thing. The loss is a very serious one to Messrs Reid nnd Gray, who have shown great enterprise m manufacturing ploughs and reapers. There was very little wind at the I time, or the adjoining buildings, though of [ stone, might have been greatly injured. The I lathes and tools are all either partially twisted and spoiled by the action of the fire. Energetic efforts are being made by Messrs Reid and Gray to resume business at an early date, and to complete orders m hand. Great sympathy will be felt for them iv the town and district, as their losses will amount to about £3000, and they are, unfortunately, entirely uninsured, owing to a 'policy not being renewed wlieu it expired a fortnight previously.

■ The Masque of Lorxe. — This horse was | sold on Oct. 2G, on the show grounds, by Messrs Stubbs and Co., fetching £300, the purchaser being Mr J. Cramond. South Canterbury Athletic Club. — At a meeting of members of the above club on Oct. 26 at the Royal Hotel, twenty-five new men were elected. The Club now consists of about eighty members. Newspapers m New Zealand. — In Victoria, with a population of three quarters of a million, there are one hundred aud twenty public journals. In New Zealaud, with a population of 300,000, there are about fifty-five journals, The District Court.— lt will be remembered that two or three months ago a petition was forwarded from Timaru to the Government, praying that the District Court at Timaru and Oamaru might be extended m various ways, and that Mr Stafford's Government, when m power, promised to accede to the wishes of the petitioners. The present Government has, however, declined to take action m the matter, and so the jurisdiction of the Court remains unnltered. Sad Accident m the Waitangi. — We regret to have to record a sad accident m the Waitangi on the 24th October, by which a settler named Neilson lost his life. Neilson, whose family have resided on the banks of the river for some years past, and who follow farming pursuits, started on that morning with a dray aud a team of three horses to go over to the Wahnate for timber. The man, it appears, did not follow the line of the ford, but attempted a Bhort cut, and getting into a deep hole was washed off the dray and drowned ; the three horses were also drowned. Quick as Thought. — The communication between Adelaide aud Port Darwin has been proved by numberless . experiments to be instantaneous. The current passes over the 2200 miles of new wire lyiug between those points with greater facility thau over the twenty-one miles of old wire which separates Mount Barker from the metropolis. On Friday week tho messnge " What o'clock iB it?" was sent from tho operating room m Adelaide, aud within twelve seconds the answer came, " 21 minutes pnst 3." Kidnapping Act. — In the New Zealand Gazette of the 3rd instant, is printed the " Act for tho Prevention aud Punishment of criminal outrages upon natives of the Islands m tho Pacific Ocean," passed m tho last session of the British Parliament. The Act is very stringent. The conveyance by sea of natives of the Pacific Islands, otherwise than as part of a crow, is made ielony, except on board vessels specially licensed for the purpose. The licenses for the purpose to be issued by the Governors of the Australasian colonies, require the master and one approved security to enter into a bond of £500 not to contravene the provisions of the Act. Election- of School Committee. — On October 21, a poll was taken for nine gentlemen to serve on the Timaru School Committee for the ensuing year. Mr E. H. Tate, the presiding officer appointed by the Deputy Superintendent, took the poll, and about 6 p.m., declared the resn.lt as follows : — Belfield, 99; Healey, 91; Hibbard, 87; Sutter, 81; Cliff, 80; Jackson, 68; Wildie, 61 ; Turnbnll, 57 ; Padget, 41 ; Rev Lee, 40 ; Hutton, 33 ; Kent, 29 ; Melton, 25 ; Elder, 23; Iteilly, 13. The presiding officer then declared Messrs Belfield, Healey, Hibbard, Sutter, Cliff, Jackson, Wildie, Tumbull and Padget duly elected as a Committee for the ensuing year. Wanted, Private Lodgings. — The following touching appeal to the possessors of hearts and homes, appears m the Grey River Argus :— " Wanted — very much wanted — by a person of twelve years' experience of board, lodging, and vexation of spirit ii\ colonial hotels, the honor and pleasure of j living with a private family, to whom he i will give no trouble beyond the preparation of his bed and his breakfast. The applicant believes himself to be moral, and (comparatively) temperate m his habits, and any person who will take him will confer a benefit upon him individually and upon society at large. Such an opportunity of doing good, and being sufficiently paid for it, rarely offers. Personal inspection of the applicant invited. Address 0.X., office of this paper." Government Immigration. — Private letters from Englnnd received m Canterbury Bay that Dr Featherston has arrauged for a large ship, with Germans and Scandinavians, to follow the Hydaspes for Ofcago, aud for the Bebbington, 900 tons, to leave for Wellington on July 28, with 210 adults, including 150 of Messrs Brogden's people and 26 females. The Lady Jocelyn is laid on for Canterbury, owing to the accident to the Zealandia, which sprung a leak after leaving Valparaiso, and had to return to port, narrowly escaping wreck on some rocks on re-entering the harbour. Dr Featherston is devoting his attention to procuring and sending out salmon ova to Otago at the close of the present year. "Discretion me Bktter Part," &c. — Mr Reynolds roused the ire of Mr Taiaroa m the House of Representatives recently, by raising a poiut of order which threatened to preveut, or at all events to hinder, the passing of the Maori Representation Bill. Taiaroa said that "he hoped the honorable member for Dunedin would not proceed further m the course he had taken; if the honorable member did so, he would give him very much annoyance. The honorable member would see the result of it m any divisions that might take place. If the honorable gentleman voted against the Bill, he (Mr Taiaroa) would always be found m the opposite lobby to him."., Mr Reynolds did not vote against the Bill. Fur Manufacture. — A manufactory for the preparation of all kinds of furs and skins has been established m Melbourne within the last few months by Mepsrs Cohn and Scott, who have directed their attention to this special branch of industry with marked success. The articles they produce consist of rugs, mats, boas, muffs, collarets, and other varieties of fur goods, which are carefully prepared, and find a ready sale. Skins o£ every description are used m the manufacture of these articles, from the feathery covering of the Australian emu down to the furs of the opossum and native bear. Those natural enemies, the cats and rats, alike furnish contributions, and it may be noticed that the skins of the latter, especially of water rats, are very handsome. Coloniai. Advance. — A Victorian, lately from Queensland, tells " jEgles" .that the growth of Stanthorpe, the capital of Tinland, is something marvellous. Sixmonths ago, he saw a single tent ; now there are three theatres and a newspaper. Things are still a little primitive. It is a cold country there, and the especial privilege of reserved seats m the theatre is the right to place your feet on the nail cans of hot charcoal which warms the building. It cost the proprietor £50 to build this theatre, and he has had an audience mit worth £80 cash. On the opening nights the footlights were represented by four candle 3, and the scenery consisted chiefly of Bheets of corrugated iron of the Gospel Oak brand. Being a modest people, they essayed the opera of " L'Africaine," as a simple thing not requiring any extraordinary effort on the part of the performers. A contractor who had just completed the erection of a place of worship, said appealingly, " Well Bir, I have just finished the church, put a lock on the door, and handed the key to the parson; total cost £17. I don't think, sir, that it was^ dear for a church, but I can't get the money." The architecture of these diggings is not of a florid character, and bark is much more popular than granite.

j Iron Ohe ik South Australia.— The Melbourne A rgus of a recent date says . — " Some very fine specimens of iron ore have been received by Mr A. li. Macdonald, of Geelong, from South Australia, and it is his intention i to form a company to work the same, there i being abundance of it on an 80-acre section, near which, there ia a good supply of wood and lirneatome with which to work it. Some years ago samples were aeut home, and after j being tested by a person connected with the Lowmoor Ironworks, Yorkshire, he pronounced that the poorest specimens were ; richer than their best. The distance of the section from the place of shipment is only two miles along a good metalled road. The exact locality, for obvious reasons, is at . present not divulged. ;x ■ ; CULTIVATION OF THE SITGrAB BBM.->-The Provincial Government having received a parcel of beetroot Beed, three varieties, from ' Wellington for the purpose of experimental ' cultivation, have placed a quantity of it at the 1 disposal of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association. A parcel containing a portion of ench variety came to hand on October ' 18, for distribution, and more can be had ! if required. Accompanying the letter notify- ' ing the forwarding of the seed, were instructions as to its cultivation, whioh may be seen ! on application to the Secretary of the Association, to whom applications for the seed niUßt be made. A portion of the seed will be given, 1 to any farmer willing to fulfil the required conditions, members of the Agricultural Aaeo-. ciation of course being entitled to the prefer- • ence m the distribution. Shocking Death. — The Soulltem Cross of a recent date says :— " A very awful death oc- . curred to a farmer named John Cowan, who . resided at Pufcekohe. The deceased had gone . into tho bush for the purpose of felling timber.- . He had cut nearly through a tree which fell- . m a direction contrary to that which ho had i reckoned on. He. stepped hastily on ouo side : , but a large branch caught by tho branches of i tho falling tree struck him, and ho was ■' i knocked with fearful force to the ground. On. " ■ the spot on whioh he fell were several stumps ■ of sharp-pointed saplings, every one of which, • ! pierced tho man's bowels, and any of which. ' i would liavo caused death. Cowan was dis- • : covered dying, but just sufficiently sensible to '■ [ tell his unhappy fato to a man named William i Hamill, who immediately gave information to ; the polico. ; The AuoitisnirENT of the Native Department. — The Otago Daily Times says : — 1 "Te Hira has deliberately turned off tho sur- • veyors employed to get plans for a case m the Native Lauds Court, and has sent their mii struments back to the office at Grahainstown. Of course, wo shall not attempt to resent this, 1 but the question arises, ifwe are to take- such proceedings from Maoris as a matter of course, • why bo burdened with such an enormous annual outlay for armed forces ? If tho pen ■ is really ' more powerful thau tho sword,' let it bo a fact, and not a mero figuro of speech ' to round a sentence for effect. Northern set- ' tiers are fond of the assertion, that if all distinction between native and colonist wero abolished, and individuals of both races wero allowed to deal freely with each other, it would be better for both. The constant failure of Government and its agents, and tho ■ equally unvarying success of private negotiations — the Tauranga telegraph for example — certainly lend colour to tho beliof that tho 1 Native Department might be abolished with advantage. A Parable.— Mr Gillies Bummed Mr > Yogel up m a picturesque and artistic manner a few days ago when replying to Julius's 1 speech on his Want of Confidence motion. Mr Gillies said : — The Hou Mr Yogel had. : alluded to his (Mr Gillies') connection with. ! Auckland as that of a man having married his grandmother. The idea was hot happy, ; and he could not find fault if, m return, he gave him another; — A. beautiful young heiress was wooed by a gambling spendthrift In ; spite of the warnings of her guardians and ; friends she listened to his voice until at length, by vows and protestations, by bribery and fraud, he induced her to elope with him. ; Her guardians and friends followed the couple, and sought to save the heiress, but the gambler, by professions, of love, induced her to turn a deaf ear to their arguments ■ and warnings. For some time all went well. i As long as the heiress' fortune lasted matters , were pleasant enough ; but at leugth, hay- , ing dissipated her money, the gambler left her to ruin and disgrace, while he flew ' away to " fresh woods and pastures new." . That heiress was New Zealand." (Cheers.) ; Introduction of Grouse to Auckland. —The Herald of the 30th Sept. says :— " Wo are glad to learn that the Acclimatisation : Society are expecting a shipment of grouse by the Queen Bee, and heartily trust the birds 1 will survive the voyage. Two years ago, Mr > F. Larkworthy, of London, to whom we are indebted for the first introduction of Californian quail into the colony, collected sub- ■ scriptionß to the amount of nearly £50, specially to defray the heavy expenses connected with the introduction of grouse into 1 this province by tho Acclimatisation Soeioty. After many failures and disappointments, he 1 has procured a number m good condition for shipment, and has forwarded the first con- '■ signment of ten birds by the Queen Bee, which may be Bhortly expected. Other ship- ' meats will follow during the season. In the 1 present case, every attention has been paid to '■ the selection of food, and every precaution taken to ensure the birds receiving proper attention on the voyage. A stock of heather, ' planted m boxes filled with silver sand, has been put on board, so as to afford them an occasional taste of their favourite food ; and ! prjnted directions for their feeding and treatI ment have been distributed about the ship, ia the endeavour to enlist the interest of tho pas- ! sengers and crew m the undertaking. If this . fine bird can be landed m good condition, it [ is probable there will'be little difficulty attending its acclimatisation m the southern parts | of the province, where there are several native heath worts well calculated to afford r good subatitutea for the heather, to which ifc , is extremely partial." s A "Result of the South Sea Laboe • TaAOTO. — One of the results of importing I Polynesian labor to Queensland is, that white E girls occasionally marry natives of the Pacific Isles, and accompany them to their homes 7 on the expiration of their engagements. A t correspondent of the Brisbane Courier def scribes the condition of three girls who had 3 accompanied their husbands to Lifu, as being > wretched m the extreme : — " For some time 3 past the poor women have been deprived of 7 the common necessaries of life — such as tea, 1 sugar, and flour — which they have had to beg 1' from the white settlers on the island. What i little money their husbands saved m Queensi* lund wns spent m paying the passages of them- ' selves and wives to Lifu. Since the arrival of - these women at Lifu, according to their ac--7 couut, and their husbands' also, they havo f been living on yams and cocoanuts ; which, < however suitable to natives, are hardly suffi--1 cient to support these white women. Their ; husbands' relations are complaining that they ' should have to support these white women, so > that m a short time, if they remain on the f island, they will have to do the same drudgery s as the black women — such us go and dig the - land, and carry wood aud water on their backs 1 like beasts of burden. These white women r have been told by the representative of the c French Government at Lifu, that they are at f liberty to leave the'island and their so-called c husbands whenever they choose ; and they are only seeking an opportunity to do co."

Volunteer Bazaar. — A fancy i bazaar j xvas held m the Oddfellows' Hall; on the 23rd and 24th Oct., m aid of a fund for the erection of a Volunteer hall and drill shed. The. Volunteer band played outside the hall on both evenings. There were six fancy goods stalls, presided over as follows : — No. 1, by Mrs H. Green and Miss Beswick ; No. 2, Missss Melton and Weaver; No. 3, (Cadets), Mrs Younghusbaud ; No. 4, (bachelors), Miss Green ; No. 5. Mesdames Xevien and Duff ; No. 6, Mrs P. J. Wilson and Miss Parsons. The post-office was kept by Miss Griffin ; the flower stand, by Miss Cramond; and the refreshment stall, by Mrs Beldy and Miss Wood. About £78 was realized the first night. The articles unsold last night were submitted at auction ; and judgiug bjj. the crowd of people that attended then, a good round sum must have been taken. The New Landing and Shipping Firm. — By the Pretty Juue November 8, Mcssvb Green and Maxwell received the boiler and engine for the service they are about starting. Both the boiler and engine wore built m Dunedin, tho former at the works of Messrs Clclland, Thomas and Co., aud the latter by Mr Hainbleton. It is satisfactory to find colonial •workshops turning out such very creditable jobs. The engine and boiler will soon bo ■171 situ, the former on the mnssive timber bed prepared for it on tho premises loused by Messrs Green and Maxwell at the foot of George- street. A whale-boat built for the firm m Lyttelton, was landed from the Maori on Saturday week. Wesxeyan Church. — Tho anniversary of the Wesleyan Methodist Sunday School, was celebrated iv the Wesleyan Chapel on October 27, by the ÜBUalaniiiversaryEermons, preached by the Key W. Leo, the Superintendent of the Circuit ; and by a tea meeting on Tuesday evening, at which thero were present about 150 persons. The tables were presided over by the ladies of the congregation. After tea the public meeting was opened by singing and prayer. Mr G. Butler, superintendent of tho school occupied the chair, and after a few introductory remarks, called upon the Secretary of the Sunday School Committeo, Mr Collins, to read the annual report, of which the following is a full digest: — From the report, it appeared that the number of scholars on the roll at the present time is : male, 108, and female 93, total, 201 ; being an increase of 14 on the previous year. Tho average attendance for each Sunday had been 129, showing a decrease of 3on the former year. The number of teachers on tho roll were, males 15, females 7, and the average attendance had been 14£ ; of theso teachers, five had been admitted tlie year. The income of the school during the year had been as follows •- — Anniversary collections, October 29, 1871, £5 16s 2d ; last anniversary tea-meeting, £12 lls lid ; refreshment Btall at children's treat, £2 ; other receipts, £1 3s. Total, £21 lls Id. Tho expenditure had been as follows : — Balance from previous year, lls lid ; priuting and advertising, £1 19s 9d ; children's treat, £4 4s 3d; children's prizes and rewards, £6 12 2d ; sundries, £2 8s 4d ; infant school, £5 15s 8d ; balance, Is. Total, £21 lls Id. In connection with the school was a libraryof 121 volumes, to which there were sixteen subscribers. The state of the library fund was as follows : — Cash m hand, £2 6s 6id ; subscriptions due, 15s. Total, L3 Is 6£d. The report stated that the school had, during the year, been brought under the rules of the late Australasian Conference, being governed by a committee which took a good deal of work off the hands of tho teachers, thus enabling them to devote themselves more fully to their teaching, and it concluded by expressing thankfulness to God for the success which bad bo far rewarded the efforts of the teachers and with a prayer for still further success m the future. After the reading of the report the meeting was addressed by Messrs Holdgate, S. Goldsmith, N. Fisher, and the Rev W. Lee, the latter m the course of his remarks stating that at the collections after service on the Sunday, a sum of £6 8s had been collected, which shewed the interest the congregation took m the Sunday Schools. The intervals between the speeches were filled m with musical selections by the choir. The usual votes of thanks terminated tho meeting. Wesleyan Sunday School Treat. — On Nov. 11, the children attending the Timaru Wesleyan Sunday schools assembled at noon at the Wesleyan chapel, and uudor the care of the teachers and friends, marched iv procession, with flags and banners, to Mr Bargefrede's paddocks, where they participated m a variety of sports for which toys, &o, were given as prizeß, and were also regaled with refreshments, the bulk of which woro the gift of various kind friends. Tho number of children present were about 240, 200 of thorn actually belonging to the schools. With visitors and all thero could not have been less than 500 persons on the ground. After spending a very happy day, the party broke up m the evening, after having given hearty cheers for the Prince of Wales, m honor of whose birthday Monday was observed as a general holiday. Timahu Pbesbytebian Chubch. — At a recent meeting of the Presbyterian Church of this place, it was unanimously resolved to send to Scotland for a minister, and to appoint Commißßionera to act on behalf of the congregation. Tho congregational committee wob enabled to complete the necessary arrangements bo aB to 'forward the requisite papers by last San Francisco mail. The commisßionerß who have been requested to act for the congregation are : Tho . Eev Professor .Blackie, D.D., Rev Andrew Thompson, D.D., (Broughton Place,) Rev P. Hope, 8.D., Secretary to the Free Church Colonial Committee, and Messrs Malcolm McLean, (Bellevue Terrace) Alex Mitchell, (Dalkeith) and another gentleman. The sum of £100 was also remitted for the passage money of the minister who should be appointed. Meanwhile, satisfactory provision has been made for the regular supply of the pulpit, until the arrival of the settled pastor. The Rev J. W. Laughton who has labored for tome at Stufford Town on the Weßt Coast with inuoh success, has been appointed to officiate here for some months. Presbyterian Church— Meeting at Ash burton. — The Press of October 3 says ; — " A public meeting was held m the Ashburton schoolroom on Monday evening, m connection with the Presbyterian Church Extension Association. There vras a good attendance The Eev Charles Fraser presided, and after opening the meetiug with prayer, explained the object for which it had been called, which was to consider what steps should be taken for at once erecting a churoh and raising funds to support a minister. It was reßolved to form an Ashburton Presbyterian Churoh Committee, the members to consist of Messrs D Hiddleton, D Cameron, James Johnstone, D Williamson, R Miller, M Miller, and J Jainoson. It was resolved to 'open a subscription list for the erection of a church, m the township, and to apply to the Government for a site. Ie was resolved to request the committee to aot as a branch of the Canterbury Presbyterian Church Extension Association, and to distribute subscription 'lists to different gentlomen m the district. The meeting, which was a vpry hearty one, was attended by several members of other denominations who proved their interest m the matter by subscribing towards the building. Mr Wiggins promised to submit plans at an early, date. ; The churoh is expected to cost about £200, of :■■ which £50 has already been subscribed. Votes ■of thanks to Mr Fraser, for calling the meet- : ing and presiding, were passed, and the meet- [ ing closed with pronouncing tho Blessing,!' -

New Zealand Meat Pbeserving Company. — This company resumes work on Nov. 4 • after an intermission of nearly four months. During thiß interval considerable improvements have been effected m concentrating the steam power by re-setting tho boilers close together so that the work may bo carried on on a much larger scale than heretofore if required. A largo addition has also been made to the building on the hill for storage purposes. The works would now be capable of conTcrting from 800 to 1000 sheep per diem. As shearing has only just commenced, work will not be carried out on a very large sscalu for the first month, only from one to two hundred sheep per day being preserved, the work employing about sixty hands, but as the season progresses, both the work and the number of men it employs will, as iv former years, largely increase. We wish the Company, the operations of which have been so beneficial to this district, a prosperous season, and have good ground to hope that our wishes will be realised. Australian Wines. — We are glad to see an attempt made to introduce into Timaru the light palatable wines of Australia. It is a pity that these wines are not more generally known, for it would be both good for trade and good for society if their introduction forced into the background the more ardent and often moat deleterious spirits at present so largely consume:!. It is much to be regretted that tho suggestion made some time since (we forget from what quarter) of admiting Australian winus free into New Zealand, with a quid pro quo on the part of Australia to admit free New Zealand ales, was not carried out. Both countries socially would have been vastly benefited by tho interchange ; but fiscal reasons probably stood m the way. Mr W C Beswick is agent for these wines m Timarn. The New Zealand Press. — The newspapers of this colony, says an exchange, as a whole deal liberally towards the reading portion of the public m the supply of telegraphic intelligence. Indeed, we doubt if there is another colony m which the newspapers generally devote ?o much of their space to this, the most expensive kind of news. We find, for instance, that m Victoria, where the revenue of the Telegraph department amounted last year to £40,000, the Press contributed £2500, or one-sixteenth of tho whole revenue. While m New Zealand, with a population of one-third of that of Victoria, the newspapers paid during the same period for wire charges the sum of £2568 6s, or nearly one-eleventh of £28,121 10s, the total revenue of the Department for the year. There is no reason whatever to suppose that a diminution of revenue would follow a reduction m the rates for Press messages. The newspapers would continue to expend tho same amount on wire charges. The imposition of high rates for Press telegrams has simply had tho effect of depriving the public of a certain amount of telegraphic news. Earthquakes m New Zealand. — By the meteorological tables lately issued by Dr Bennett, tho Registrar-General, and laid before Parliament, we learn that during the year 1871 there were twenty-nine earthquakes recorded m the colony, and of these unwelcome disturbances Wellington is credited with no fewer than eleven — nearly one-half of the whole. Tho other places named iv this return are : — Taranaki, 1 ; Napier, 3 ; Nelson, 3 ; Christchurch, 2 ; Bcaley (m the Province of Canterbury), 2; Hokitika, 3; Dunedin, 2 ; Southland, 2. The circumstance of Wellington being bo particularly shaky compared with the rest of the colony may be accounted for by the fact, well known m nautical and scientific circles, that the town of Wellington is .situated upon the lip of a large volcanic crater at present covered by the waters of Cook. Straits. The soundings show a large circular basin considerably deeper than the surrouudiug parts of the Straits, and it is generally believed that it is from this unseen centre that the disturbances proceed. If so, it shows that volcanic action there, though coniparatively quiescent for some years past, has not ceased, aud the fearful thought cannot be kept from making itself felt at times, that a more than usually energetic upheaval may take place, as has frequently been experienced m other earthquake regions, and that the "Empire City" may become suddenly blotted out from the geography of -New Zealand. The yearly meteorological returns show that the underground powers by which it is supported are certainly of a very turbulent character. Auckland Grown and Manufactured Tobacco. — The Southern Gross of October 8, says: — "Wo have from time to time drawn attention m tho columns of this journal to the efforts made by Mr E W Gotch to grow the tobacco plant m thi3 province fit for manufacturing purpose?, and of a quality which would cause a demand for it m our colonial market. Mr Gotch had formerly been a successful cultivator of the tobacco plant m another colony. Coming to this province, the euterprising gentleman felt convinced that our soil and climate were eminently fitted for growing the tobacco of commerce, when communicating his views to Mr Hays, farmer, of Papakura, that gentleman at once placed five acreß of land at the disposal of Mr Gotch, who at once set about preparing the laud for the seed. The first experiment, owing to a most inclement Beason, was a failure. But m no way daunted, Mr Gotch said, "Better luck next time," and better luck came. The seed grew to healthy plants, and these being sot out at proper distances, carefully looked to aud tended, grew to a healthy maturity, when Mr Gotch next directed his attention to the drying and preparing the leaves, which m due course were ready for manufacture. The result has answered Mr Gotch's most sanguine expectations. Yesterday we received a packet of cigars of the grower's own manufacture. These we placed for trial m the hands of connoisseurs of the fragrant weed, requesting m return to be favored with an opinion as to their quality. Tho verdict pronounced is that the tobacco is excellent ; the flavor of the cigar is mild, being neither hot to the mouth, nor acrid to the taste, as inferior tobaccos generally are. They are superior to any cigars made from tobacco of Victorian or New South Wales growth. Lincoln Agricultural and Pastoral Association. — This exhibition (the first of its kind m the Lincoln district) came off on the sth Nov. .The Times speaking of it says I—Shortly1 — Shortly Btated, the exhibition as a whole was a very creditable one indeed, showing that the promoters of it had good justification for their spirited conduct, and giving promise of good'things m time to come. It is true that m the geuoral arrangements there was not that degree of completeness which could be desired, but when it is remembered that " On greatest actions greatest dangers feed," perfection can uot m reason be expected at the first attempt. Experience will no doubt have shown the direction m which improvement ia required, and judging from the zeal displayed m other agricultural matters by the promoters of the exhibition, it may be fairly assumed that the next . year will see many of tho faults existing yesterday ontirely removed. Hat-making at Dunedin. — Dunedin boasts of two liat-making establishments (Messrs Knott's aud Almao and Co's), which produce black silks, pull-over, and felt hats of various kinds. OrAflo Gold Export.— The number of ounces of gold exported from Otago since its first discovery ha 3 now " turned" the third million, the quantity exported up to the 30th September last being' 3,00^841 ozs., valued »fc £11,746,800. "

I DISCOVERY OF A MAKBLK QUARRY. — A ! discovery of a marble quarry has recently been made situate within a day's journey of Timaru. As certain arrangements are now pending between the fortunate discoverer and Government respecting the working of it we refrain from giving the locality till these are .settled. From specimens brought into town, the marble appears to be of first-rate quality, taking an excellent polish. A Reversal of Trade. — The Argus says : — " For a person resident m London to send to Melbourne for his boots, will bo regarded by most of our readers, we should imagine, us a somewhat startling circumstance. Nevertheless the phenomenon has occurred. Mr M'Guigan, of Collius-streot, showed us yesterday a letter from a former customer, a wellknown Sydney merchant now residing at home, containing an order for several pairs of boots. The writer added that he could get nothing m London so well made as the colonial article.