AUSTRALIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 622, 20 May 1870, Page 2

AUSTRALIA.

(From the Argus, May 3 to May 9 inclusive.') From returns published in last night's Government Gazette we learn that from the Ist of January up to the 2Pth of March last there were cent for from the United Kingdom, under the assisted immigration regulation?, 1241 persons, of whom 670 were natives of England and Wales, 117 were natives of Scotland, and 454 natives of Ireland. The number of persons who arrived in the colony by sea daring the month of March was 2,982, and the number of those who departed 2,579, showing a balance . in favour of the colony of 403. It is stated in the South Australian Register of the 2nd May that a very feasible project for surveying a telegraph route overland has been brought under the consideration of the Government of that colony. Messrs Mackinlay and Daly, two of the agents who intend proceeding to Port Darwin on behalf of orderholders, would be willing to return' overland were very moderate inducement given them to do so. Should the suggestion be adopted, and executed with such despatch as its importance deserves, Messrs Mackinlay and Daly might be back in Adelaide soon after the receipt of the answer from the English company as to the cable. Assuming that they start early .in May, seven months would suffice" for the round journey ; consequently they could return before arrangements here were completed for commencing the construction of the line. Tlie survey would offer a subsequent advantage in accelerating the progress of the work^ With a defined route to traverse, the, eonstr ucttngr^pwijr •-■■ couldp u§h on at the rate of five miles a day. Some interesting exhibits are on view at the temporary offices of the Australasian Sugar Company (Limited), at Neave's buildings, corner of Swatißton and Collins streets. -These principally consist of a number of sugar canes 18 months old. of the Bourbon variety, and grown at Mr Longworth's plantation on the Manning River. The longest of these canes — which are all nearly of a length— is 15ft 3jn, with a girth of 7|in. Fome shorter samples, one measuring 7-Jin in girth', and of the ribbon variety, were grown by Mr Wright, of the Nambucca River ; they are only seven months old. Other excellent samples of Chinese and Tahitian varieties of cane from other districts in New South Wales, are also to be Eeen. The merits of the Australian cane may be tested by trying some samples of sugir made on the Manning Hirer, which is of apparently fine quality. A recent issue of a Sydney newspaper — the i Town and Country Journal — describes the ''■ cane grown by Dr Neild at Port Macquarie >as yielding three tons to the acre, or about i twice as mach as the best Mauritius canes.

The latest news from the Manning Hirer vdeserib's the growing canes as smiling over the floodi, which hare swept nearly all elße < smy. ■■■: '■-■ ■■■■ . ••■ ■■•■'■■••■• ■ ■ :■ ;•-. --• •■■ | The first sale of preserved meats from the . vEchuca Meat- Preserving Company (Limited) .took place atthestbrtsof rMesirs K. Gbldiboroughand Co.; Bourke and ''William streets, yesterday. About 1 50 persons attended, many of them being gentlemen largely interested in pastoral pursuits. The various preserved meats wereexbibited, and after partaking of lunch, At which the verdict was unanimous as to their excellence, the sale commenced;- The mode of preserving adopted by the Echuca company is similar to that, of 'the Melbourne Meatpreserving Company,- at the Saltwater River. This company . has only been in existence eight months, and though the prices realised at this sale are not so high as some sanguine persons might have expected, they are sufficiently encouraging to show that up-country establishments of . this description can be - made to yield a good profit on the original outlay; and should. the preserved meat sold this day open in London as well as the samples exhibited, no doubt a higher price wilt be obtained. The tallow from this establishment already commands the highest price in the market. Although the company has been so short a time in existence, an I only four months at work, no less than 6000 sheep per week are disposed of by preserving and boiling down. " , The preserved meat which was placed on board the ship Crusader by Mr Verdon for trial during the voyage to tin's colony has not fulfilled the expectations of those who believed in Professor Gamgee's process, or born© out the character claimed for it by the professor himself. An accident, however, which occurred on shipboard early' in the voyage has prevented any thoroughly definite opinion being formed of the meat sent on board for the use of the passenger*. This meat was in carcases,' which were put into a large safe on deck, but unfortunately, duriag « storm, the safe broke away, and was smashed, through which the carcases were thrown on the deck and deluged with the Bait water flowing about. The .meat was then removed to a good airy place.. A little of it was used; for the cabin, but it .proved to be ve»y insipid, and nearly the ' whole of the remainder wai thrown overfcoard before the ship reached the equator, being then thoroughly bald. The accident ; causing the washing of the nvat was con- ■' sidered by some persona on board to have •entirely prevented a fair trial, being given to the process. There are, however, a number of cases of the meat On board yet ;, but even with regard to this there is cause for regret, as it fa said to be packed in tallow, in wooden , and iron caees, in the same manner as the last was, which turned out utterly worthless — the c luse by many being ascribed to the fact of the hot tallow having spoiled the meat when it was poured upon it. We take the following relative to the durability of the jarrah timber, from the Perth Gazette of the 11th March last:— For some time the engineer of the Government of South Austral a, Mr Mais, has been endeavouring to introduce into that colony the use of screw iron pile*, for jetty and bridge purposes, alleging that jarrah piles, especially at Port Adelaide bridge,' suffered from the action of a sea worm. This opinion was, however, contested by other engineers, who asserted the freedom of jarrah wood from insect attacks, and that iron piles were more costly at first, and from oxidation, &c, di>i not last bo long. The Legislative Council then appointed a select committee to take evidence and report uron the matter, and that report was made public on the 26th February last, and so far as the jarrab timber is concerned we have every reason to .be satisfied with it. The ' committee ptr- ■ --- sonally examined for themselves the alleged damaged piles of the Port bridge, and report as follows :— " Your committee failed to disi cover any such evidence " of decay iv the jarrah jarrah piles, either from natural causes, from the action of salt water, or from the attack of the teredo or other marine insect, as to justify the conclusion that the bridge cannot be expected to last above anpther ten years. The stringy-bark and other timber which has been used , in the construction oi the bridge, and has been exposed to tbe action of salt water (especially about low water npark), has been completely destroyed, being riddled by the teredo and other marine insects —the jarrah jarrah remaining unscathed. It is true that in several place's, in shakes, and original defects in the timber, yrorma and insects have found lodgment and shelter, and that there are numerous holes which appear to have been made whilst tbe tree was growing, but no instance was discovered in which marine insects had bored into the timber, and tbe iiles were, generally speaking, found to be as sound as the day on which they were driven, whilst tbo exposed portion of the irou which has been used in the structure was destroyed." The introduction or extension of a new industry is always a matter for congratulation, and we are, therefore, pleased to observe that Mr A. Young, the proprietor of the Australian Maizena Works, Hawthorn-bridge, Richmond, has lately commenced the manufacture of oatmeal, in addition to that of the article which for years pnsf he has carried on with considerable success. By an addition to bis already extensive premises, and the purchase of suitable machinery,' lie has provide-) all the requisites for carrying on his new branch of business with a .comparatively small outlay, tlia total cost being about £500; Operations are not pushed oh at present to a very large extent, as the consumption ■of oatmeal is necessarily of a somewhat limited character, and as there are already several other mills in existence ; but Mr Young can with present appliances manufacture two tons a day without difficulty. The process of manufacture is i ot by any means a complicated one. The oats— which are purchased chiefly in the colony, though some are procured from New Zealand — are first placed, in quantities of about 40 bushels

at a time, in a drying kiln heated to a temperature of 90 deg. to 100 deg. Whilst there they are frequently turned over, the result being that the dust and other impurities which get mixed with the grain fall through the wire-battomei floor of the kiln. At the expiration of some hours, the grain is thoroughly dried, and is then placed in the trough of a shelling-machine, and the husks removed by the. friction of two stones, called the shelling stones. The groat?, as the grain is then termed, are ground fine, and the meal, passing through an improred description of sif tf r containing three separate sieve?, is thoroughly cleared from all impurities, and. then packed in bags for sale. The coarser portions of the meal are not, however, wasted. The ; eowen seeds, or the refuse which is separated from the pure oatmeal by the sifting or winnowing process, contains a considerable amount of nourishment, and in Scotland are used extensively as an article of food by the poorer classes; out here, however, it is chiefly used in feeding cows or pigs, which thrive well on it. The husks, which are removed by the shelling stones, a'so. possess some commercial value, being especially useful for I packing purposes, more particularly for ham and bacon. The present value of oatmeal ;is about £20 or £21 a ton, and as it can be | manufactured at a reasonably low cost, there is a considerable margin left for profit. The \ practical management of this portion of the business is entrusted to Mr A. Caratairs, an experienced miller, who for many years was employed in a similar capacity at Mr G. Bencraft's works in Flinders-lane. He and three men are sufficient to carry on the business. On Saturday afternoon a number of gentlemen were invited by Mr Young to inapeot the works, and to test the quality of the oatmeal manufactured. Those qualified to form an opinion on such a subject were unanimous iv pronouncing the oatmeal excellent. It was characterised as being dry, pure, acd unusually free from dust, husks, and other objectionable articles sometimes found in such meal. After aome oatmeal cakes, bannocks, and other Scotch delicacies had been despatched, Mr W. Lawrence, corn and produce factor, proposed Mr Young's health and success in his new undertaking. It may be mentioned that, in addition to the manufacture of the article above specified, Mr Young also produces starch, and baking and washing powders. He his recently discontinued the manufacture of the two latter articles, but is iv a position to resume whenever sufficient encouragement offers.