LOCAL, AND GENERAL NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 2382, 17 March 1874, Page 2

LOCAL, AND GENERAL NEWS

Pkosvecting Deep Levels. —Mr Vowel has promised Government assistance to a considerable amount to the mining companies at the Thames in prospecting deep levels on that goldtield.

R.M. Court. — One drunkard was mulcted in the sum of 10s with the usual alternative of 48 hours' imprisoment at this Court yesterday. Michael Burke, convicted of stealing several articles of clothing and beddint the property of Mr J. W. Jackson, toll- keeper, was sentenced to four months' imprisonment.

Meteor. — On Monday morning, the 2nd inst., at 3,45, a brilliant meteor was seen at Dunedin. It traversed the southern sky, its path being nearly at right angles to the horizon. Ita colour was a pale blue, casting a shadow nearly as strong as the sun at noon ; it lasted about three seconds, and left a long luminous train behind, which was about six seconds in disappearing. In size, the meteor was apparently somewhat less than the moon.

Billiards. — A quickly-played game of billiards is recorded in ' Bell'd Lift; ' of the 27th September. M. Ardian Izar, the celebrated French champion handstroke player, gave a gentleman amateur (playing with cue) 150 points in a game of 200 up. M. Izar commenced the gatre with a misa ; the gentleman amateur failed to score, when M. Izar went in, and ran out with a break of 278 points in two minut*s ana a-half .

Hops versus Type. — A match &fc bowls has beeu arranged between a discipl e of John Oaxton and a well known manufacturer of she-oak, ycelpt beer, for £5 aside, to come off to-night at the Bowling Saloon.

Dkep Sinking. — Shaft down a quarter of a mi'e ! This, says the 'Australasian.' is the latest from the Magdala mine, in the cheerfully named district of Pleasant Creek. The enterprising shareholders iutend sinking till they strike gold — or fire. This faith entitles them to a rich reward.

Alexandra Troop —The six days' parade of the Alexandra Troop commenced yesterday. The parade was held afc One Tree Hill, a large muster being present. Major Noiike put the men through some very useful explanatory drill. The remainder of the drills will be held on Mr Higgie's farm, on the No. 3 line, where targets and hurdles are erected for the purpose of training the men and horses to skirmishing across country This is a new feature in the drill here, and no doubt will tend to make the men more efficient as cavalry in a rough country.

The Provincial Auditorship. — One of the mischievous results of the action of the General Government in the matter of the Provincial Auditorship is that the Provincial officers in Wanganui, as in. other;, parts of the Province, have not W«en paid their last month's salaries, and are beginning to entertain lugubrious views as to the likelihood of their getting anything until the Assembly meets, when the dispute will como before that body. Tradespeople and others, to whom the Provincial Government are indebted, are in an equally unpleasant fix ; and ask why, because the General Government cho;ses to quarrel with the Provincial, they should be madu to suffer.

Threshing Prices in the South. — The ' VVaikouaiti Herald ' says — In consequence of an intimation that the owners of threshing machines intend to charge 6d per bushel, or I^<l over last year's rates, the farmers of the Teruuka and Waihi districts, South Canterbury, at public meetings convened respectively, passed the following resolution . — " That the prices for threshing be fixed at 4£d per bushel over 1,000, and under 3,000 bushels ; above the latter quantity, as per special agreement; also, quantities under 1,000 bushels a.a per agreement ; tailings, half-price." One speaker stated that round Tetnnka alone there must be 500,000 bnshela to be threshed, and showed that the difference between the old rates and those demanded now upon that quantity, represented between £3,000 and £4,000. The meetings agreed that unless their terms were assented to they would provide machines for themselves.

fcANDwiCH Islands. — Rather exciting news from the Sandwich Islands was brought by she s.s. ' Tartar,' into which the maiis of the stranded ' Macgregor ' had been shipped. According to the 'N. Z, Herald,' intense excitement prevailed at Honolulu on the day the ' Macgregor ' left. A most atrocious and nmrdeions attack had beun made by the natives on the Legislative Chamber. JE very thing inside was broken to pieces and thrown about in the wildest confusion. The records of the Chamber were mutilated or destroyed. The disorder, outrage, and violence is said to be indescribaole. Many members of the Chamber were wounded, several of them, it is feared, mortally. fcsonie of the members sought refuge above the ceiling of the building until they were relieved and conveyed to a place of safety by the men and officers of one British and two American men-of-war, which were at the time stationed in the harbour. Fortunately the relief came in time to save the complete destruction of the building, as the natives were in the act of setting tire to it. Had the natives beeu able to effect their purpose, the whole of the members and officials inside the Chamber would have fallen a sacrifice to the flames, or have been butchered in attempting to escape. The scene was one not likely soon to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. Crowds of natives, inflamed with passion, were seen dragging out members and others who had . supported the election of the King. Those unable to resist being hauled bodily outside the Chamber, and trodden on and severely beaten in the streets. Carriages and everything to be got at were smashed to pieces by the infuriated natives. It was "running a muck," which carried terror in all directions. The natives wanted Queen Emma, and would have none other to rule over them. The affray commenced at twc, o'clock in the afternoon, and lasted until six o'clock, at which time the ' Macgregor ' left.

Fungus. — The fungus question is being discussed by several of the companies. Tins is what the 'New Zealand Herald' says on the subject — The attention of the Cuatoma authorities has been called of late years to the export of fungus, from this colony to China, and inquiries have been instituted as to its destination, use, and value. We have been furnished by Mr Hill, Collector of Customs at this port, with copies of correspondence on the subject from which we extract the following pardon lars The demand arose in New Plymouth with a Chinese dealer, Chow Ching, who advertised for and first purchased the material ; the merchants and traders of the place on inquiring of their correspondents in Sydney and other ports where Chinese merchants are established; finding that the article was in demand in any quantity in China, entered iuto the trade in competition with Mr Chow Ching, and bought of both settlers and the Maoris. Further than this little more is known of it by them as an article of commerce. The price paid in Taanakihas been 2d to 3d per lb ; the quantity exported up to the Ist of March, has been 145 bales, each containing 450 lbs, in all about 55,250 lbs. Twelve months ago the Hon W. Fox wrote to the Colonial Secretary, Hongkong, asking as to the uses to which the fungus is applied, and as to its marketable value in China. Thu folio vying reply has lately been received, dated Hong Kong 11th June 1873— " In reply to your letter regarding the accompanying specimen of a kind of fungus on which you desxre a report, I have the honor to inform you that this fungus is much prized by the Chinese community as a medicine, administered in the shape of a decoction to purify the blood. It is also used on fast-days. A mixture of vermicelli, |beancurd, and this fungus is boiled- and eaten instead of animal food. The sample which accompanied your letter is a very good one. The ordinary price of the article is from seventeen to twenty taels per pecul, wholesale, and one mace five candereens to two mace per catty, retail — that is to saj about 10^d per lb. I mayadd that a superior kind of the same fungus is produced in the Chinese provinces of Sze Chimn and Ynn ]Sau which is s -Id at the rate of thirty dollars per pecul (133 lbs) — I have f <fec, Cecil Clement Smith, acting Colonial Secretary."