Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 398, 23 August 1869, Page 2

Local and General.

«-^4Tootball. — A spirited and hardly contested game was played on Saturday between A to. L and M to Z. The result was indecisive, as neither side succeeded in securing a goal. Lyttelton Bobough Council. — His Worship the Mayor and the assessors, Messrs Rouse and Ellisdon, held a Court of Revision at the Council Chambers on Friday. There were no objections lodged. The only business transacted being the signing of the roll. Fire at Eyketon. —On Friday night a stable at Eyreton, belonging to Mr Vincent (who also has a farm at Rangiora), caught fire and was totally destroyed with its contents, comprising harness, horse feed, &c. Three horses, valued at £40 each, also perished in the flames. The Law: of New Zealand Relating to Mining.— Under the above title, Mr M. B. Hart, junr., has reprinted certain Acts of the New Zealand Legislature. These are prefaced by Observations on the law of mining on private property. The volume will be of service to those who are interested in the subject with which it deals. Gold Prospecting. — The prospectors sent by the Lyttelton Prospecting Company to Purau have returned. The foreman, who is an experienced quartz miner, gives it as his opinion that gold will not be struck. Although a fortnight at work, they could not get the colour. Messrs Walker and Hawkins' men, after bottoming and driving into a reef, have knocked off working. There is still one party at work. They have bottomed a hole at 40 feet, and are driving into a likely reef.

The Land Sales to-day amounted to 103 acres, as follows: — Banks Peninsula, 30 acres; Oxford district, 48 do ; Ashburton district, 25 do. Association. — The committee met at White's Hotel on Saturday afternoon, for the purpose of distributing the prizes won at the recent show. There was no award made of the Association's cup, value £5. The following cups were presented : — Mr Win. Wilson's gold medal, to Mr Thomas Williams; Mr L. G. Cole's silver cup, to Mr R. Boswell ; Mr Gilchrist's silver medal, to Mr G. Donaldson ; silver cup by six members of the Association, to Mr Thomas Williams; and Mr George Gould's silver medal, to Mr J. Hepworth. Heathcote Vallet School. — A most successful entertainment took place on Friday evening last, in the Heathcote Valley schools, the object being to raise funds in aid of building a teacher's residence in connection with the schools. There was a very large attendance, several visitors coming from Christchurch and Port to take part in the entertainment. The school-room was tastefully decorated with flags and flowers ; at one end of the room a platform had been erected for the performers; trays had kindly been furnished, and tables loaded by Mesdames Duncan, Smith, Farland, Gilbert, Mitchell, Dunlop, Dale, and Martindale. After ample justice had been done to the good things provided, the tables were removed, and the evening's entertainment commenced. The chair was taken by Mr W. Montgomery, who expressed the pleasure he felt at being present. A capital programme was gone through, song after song being received with applause, and many being eacored. The singers were Mrs U. Macpherson, Messrs U. Macpberson, Pavitt, Crosbie, Carder, Martin, . Nock. Messrs. Thomson and Grange gave some excellent readings,and were highly applauded. The chairman proposed a vote of thanks to all who had taken part in the programme, and also to those who had so generously provided tea, which was carried by acclamation. Halswell. — The fourth monthly entertainment took place on Friday the 20tU inst. It consisted chiefly of vocal and instrumental music, interspersed with a few readings. The band of the Royal Irish C.R.V. gave some very excellent pieces, the manner in which they were produced, plainly showing the care taken by Mr Baldwin (bandmaster) in the training, and the co-operation he re ceives from the members of the band. Mr Morgon, of Templeton, sang some very good songs. Among others, " The Pilot," and " The Canadian Boat Song," were much appreciated. Lieutenant Morton, R.1., gave " Kitty Tyrrel" and " Widow Malone," in a way which left nothing to be desired. Messrs Corrick and Smith sang several capital songs to accompaniment of the piano. The " Slave Chase " and •' Jessie's Dream " were much applauded. The gems of the evening, however, were the singing and playing of three lady amateurs who had kindly offered their assistance. * The Wishing Gate," the " Old Songs," and a duet . on the piano, brought down rounds of applause, and were deservedly encored. Mr Jacobson gave two very good readings from " Artemus Ward, His Travels," with a considerable amount of humour. Mr Elwin gave the " Dead Drummer" and "Sairey Gamp." Mr W. G. Brittan, junior, occupied the chair, and instead of the usual interval, made an excellent speech, setting forth the object and the intention of these entertainments. Mr Elwin also said a tew words to the parents, asking them to support his efforts as a means of elevating the minds of the children, and giving them more ideas of things as they are in the world. Though great success has attended these entertainments, the funds have only been as yet applied to the pressing wants of the school. Repairs, &c, have been effected, without which the work could hardly have gone on. It is hoped, now- that some energetic efforts will be made to supplement the amount raised monthly by subscriptions, as in future the proceeds will go towards paying old debts. Thb Manufacture of Pins. — The following is from the Engineer: — About the middle of last century the liyland family introduced into Birmingham the two new industries of wire-drawing and pin making, which at that period were regarded as twin handicrafts. After a steady development of five-and-twenty years the pin trade was transferred to an ancestor of the present eminent firm of Thomas Phipson and Son. A few years since every schoolboy's manual contained a sketch of the operation of pin-making as a remarkable instance of the division of labour. A siugle pin had to undergo the manipulation of not less than fourteen pairs of hands before it wa9 ready for the cushion in my lady's boudoir. ' This forcible illustration no longer applies. Pin-making, like other industries, has been mbject to the scientific progress and improvement of the age, and the process is now comparatively simple. An American engineer, named Wright, patented in 1824 a pin machine, which, during the revolution of a single wheel produced a perfect pin. Mr Thomas Phipson thus describes Wright's machine, which, having undergone many improvements, is now in operation at the factory of the former here : — The principal shaft gives motion in its rotation to several sliders, levers, and wheels, which work the principal parts of the machine. A slider pushes forward pincers, which draw wire from a reel , at every rotation of the shaft, and advance such a length of wire as will produce one pin. ■ A die cut off this length by the -descent iof its upper " chap," and the latter then opens a carrier which takes on the wire to ; the pointing apparatus. Here it is received by a holder which turns round while a beveledged file wheel, rapidly revolving, gives to the wire its rough point. It proceeds immediately by a second carrier to a second and finer file-wheel, by which the pointing is finished. A third carrier transfers the pin to the first heading die, and by the advance of a

steel punch one end of the pin wire is forced into a recess, whereby the head is partiallj produced. A fourth carrier removes the pin to a second die where the heading is completed. When the heading bar retires a forked lever draws the pin from the die and drops it into n receptacle below. It is then ready to be " whitened " and " stuck." The whitening is performed in a copper vessel placed on a fire, in which the pins* are boiled in water along with grains of metallic tin and a little bitartrate of potash. When the boiling has continued for about one hour the pins and tin grains are removed, thoroughly washed, dried, and polished in bran. Various kinds of apparatus are employed for sticking the pins into sheets of fluted paper, and also for folding the paper for the wrappers.