Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 378, 30 July 1869, Page 2

Local and General.

— . « Magisterial. — There was no public busi" ness transacted at the Chriatchurch Magis* trate's Court this morning. The London Wool Market. — A Kc-uter's telegram from Galle, dated June 16, arid published in a Sydney paper of July 10, says that wool had recovered Id in London.

New Zealand Institute. — The first meeting of the second session of the NewZealand Institute was held at the Colonial Museum on Saturday evening last, July 24. The meeting was held in the Maori house. A large number of members and visitors were present, amongst whom were many members of both Houses of the Legislature, and many ladies. His Excellency Sir George Bowen, president, opened the session with an address. Suicide. — Yesterday evening, j a sailor named William Armitage, attempted to commit suicide in the harbour. It appears that he was sitting in the cabin of the ketch Struggler, when he suddenly rushed on deck and jumped overboard. A fisherman named James Snoswell heard th£« splash, and succeeded iv rescuing the manj Armitage was taken to the Canterbury Tiotel, and it being ascertained that he was labouring under delirium tremens, he was afterwards lodged in the Station-house. Legal. — His Honor sat in the Court Chambers this morning. Orders of adjudication were made in re Andrew Swanson, Charles Frederick Lee (on the behalf of Charlotte Lee), and Fredk. Buck ; creditors to meet on Monday, the 9th August, at 11, 2, and 3 o'clock respectively. Re A. C. Cottrell — His Honor allowed the cause shown, with costs. Re Henry Piper — His Honor made an order for the bankrupt's discharge from custody. Re Hugh Monaghan — The last examination was fixed for Monday, the 3rd December. K.VIAPOI WINTER ENTERTAINMENT COMmittjge. — The committee met on Wednesday last. Present — Dr Dudley, Messrs Ilewlings, Ellis, Feldwick, and Craig. The attendance on Tuesday last was stated at 1 72. A programme for Tuesday week was arranged. Several gentlemen had kindly volunteered their services as readers, more, iv fact, than the committee had room for. It was resolved that in future, gentlemen willing to give readiugs be requested to give the names of their subjects to the committee, in order to enable them to arrange their programme judiciously. Imperial Troops por New Zealand. — A Taranaki contemporary has the following. The military gentleman referred to is supposed to be Colonel Warre : — We have seen a letter dated 21st May, from a military gentleman in England, (who should be a good authority) in which he writes, " I am rejoiced to hear that the colony lias asked for troops, and that the Imperial Government has determined to allow the 1 8th Eoyal Irish to remain in the country." We hear also that the Imperial Parliament will be inclined to guarantee a moderate loan provided the money will be employed in making roads through the Northern Island. It will also be seen by our special correspondent's letter that a despatch lias been received from Earl Granville in answer to Mr Stafford's question, as regards the conditions on which the troops will be given, which shews that if a proper course had been pursued, Imperial aid would have been forthcoming. Doctor Johnson Outdone.— Most of us have been to Epsom on the Derby Day, and noticed the effect produced by the inevitable cur which runs across the course just before the race. If not, we have all read over and over again what the penny-a-liners say about it. But very few of us, we expect, have ever seen the incident done into " Johnson." Here it is as given by Mr Stevens the other day in his " constitutional changes " speech. "I was on a racecourse in England on a very important occasion, when the attendance was enormous ; speculation as it is called was immense ; and, Sir, at the critical moment, when the horses were coming round the corner, when fortunes hung on the result and mens' hearts were beating high with expectation, an insignificant little quadruped galloped along the course with its tail in the air, and with an incessant and harrowing bark, succeeded in attracting to himself the individual attention of the multitude 1" We .wonder whether 'the House laughed, or whether members are so used to the stilts that they failed to observe anything ridiculous about it. Why should honourable members so often leave the vernacular outsifte when they make their bows to Mr Speaker ? SJTeeling in England Towards New Zealand. — Major Atkinson, who was Defence Minister, in Mr Weld's Government, and who is now in England, has written a letter to the Taranaki settlers, which is published in the local journal. The Major says : — " Since my arrival here I have endeavoured as far as possible to ascertain how colonial questions generally, but more especially those relating to New Zealand, were looked upon by the English public. The results of my enquiries are, I regret to say, most unsatisfactory; for although I was prepared to find the " Salutary Neglect Policy " generally advocated, I was not prepared for the all but total indifference shown by all classes to all colonial questions, except those which might cause the expenditure of British monev\The great difficulties with which we are contending, and the enormous sacrifices we have made, and are making, are practically unknown and unacknowledged here. There are not, I believe, a dozen members of the House of Commons who know — or care to know— our real- position at the present time. Nor is it against indifference only that we have to contend ; forythjere is prevailing a very general feeling that we wish to be pro : tected by British troops and British money, upon land which we have either obtained by fraud from the Maoris, or wrongfully taken from them. I have said that I think we have but a poor chance of obtainiug help from England, I have however some hope, although it is but faint, that upon proper representation we might get some pecuniary assistance, if we can only get the English Government and people to believe in our honesty and truthfulness, which they certainly have not much faith in at present} The great difficulty in the way of our getting any help is that they don't believe in us here. Can we overcome this feeling ? I believe we can, but I fear it may take years

to do so. Our only plan is to follow on to the end in the manly course we have adopted, without faltering or without shrinking." I New Zealand Flax. — Our files from most of the Northern provinces indicate great activity in the matter of New Zealand flax. A Wellington paper says : — There is a great demand for the flax-dressing machines manufactured by Mr E. W. Mills, Lion Foundry. They are extremely simple in construction, and are found to answer admirably for the purposes required. One machine will turn out from two to three tons of dressed flax per week. We hear that nine of these machines have been sold, and that orders have been received for the manufacture of six more. Another Wellington paper has the following: — The following extract from ai letter from a gentleman on the West Coast will be read with interest:—" In the name of the prophet— Flax. Your friend 's ( mill is at work, and is turning out two tons a week; and, if the present prices last, lie will be a swell of the first water before long. I hear that Cummins, at Wanganui, got £38 16s for some of his that he sent home in the Asterope. The sooner we go in for flax in preference to wool the better. Getting a run used to be considered the high road to prosperity ; those who now want to walk in that direction should goin for the Manawatu swamps. Flax swamps will be all the rage ere long." The following is from a Wanganui contemporary : —It is well known that there are large areas of flax both on the Rangitikei and Waitotara side of Wanganui, sufficient to afford employment to twice the present population. All this is waiting to be turned to account. But there are hundreds of farms scarcely paying expenses, which might have their value enhanced threefold, by cultivating the growth of flax. The first experiment of the kind in the district has been made. Mr Finniraore has just finished planting 30 acres of flax on his farm. He has planted it in flat land, and in the area named, with three feet and nine feet respectively between each alternate row ; there ate 40,000 plants. The object of leaving the nine feet space is to allow a cart to pass between the rows. Some of the plants have been in the ground for ten days, and in that time have sent up young shoots from four to six inches in length. It is generally supposed that the flax will not be grown sufficiently for cutting before two years, but Mr Finnimore thinks that it may be cut without injury, and to pay, in a little over twelve months