Local Intelligence.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1803, 11 December 1862, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

N. Z. Flax — Mr Wm. Mason, of Lambton Quay, showed us a specimen yesterday of dressed flax, prepared by a process of his own invention. It is dressed fit for market by simply soaking and wringing— without the aid of any machinery whatever. In what solution the leaf is soaked, of coiuse we do not know, but the cleansing it in the manner Mr. Mason does, is certainly a vast improvement on anything heretofore done towards producing that great export, which will some day or other, spring into existence. Survey Department. — The Gazette notifies the appointment of Mr Henry Jackson to a distiict surveyorship. Mr Jacksou is, we believe, a son of the Hutt settler of that name, and is recently from India. Important to Butchers and Graziers. — The long-continued drought in various parts of New South Wales and Queensland has caused a fearful amount of mortality amongst the cattle, and has, in some district?, -almost annihilated vegetation. The Picton correspondent of the ' Sydney Herald' says: — The long-continued drought has dried up all appearance of vegetation, and as for sustenance for cattle, theno is literally none left. The que? tion, what is to be done with the cattle ? has now assumed a very serious aspect indeed. If something is not done, and that speedily, very few will have any stock left in a short time. The cattle are now so weak that wheu they lay down, they are seldom able to get up without help ; and day by day thoso to which help is of service are gettiug- fewer and fewer. It is heartrending to see whole herds dying off. Seveial parties who have the means, are sending their cattle away, in the hope of saving some of them ; others less favorably situated", have nothing left but to wait for the worst. As for the wheat crop, there can be none ;and, if no change takes place, it will be impossible to put in maize. Taken altogether, the prospects of the farmers are gloomy in the extreme. Unacknowledged Extracts. — In looking over over our Hawke's Bay papers received yesterday, wj observe that the Times of Nov. 20tb, reprints an article headed" Huis" which appeared iv this journal a short time ago, without tbe slightest acknowledgment. YVe are glad to see ourselves quoted, but will thank our contempotary in > his future extracts to indicate the souice irom which they are derived. Military Appointments. — The extract, which follows, from the Hawkes' Bay Herald, of the 22nd ulto, informs us that Major Whitmore, the Military Secretary to the Commander of the Forces, is about to be appoiuted to the Civil Commissionership of the Ahuriri district ; Colonel Russell beiug about to pay England a visit. The appointment of military gentlemen to various offices in connection with the Native service, is not one which is viewed with favor

by the Colonists. From the short period most of them have been in New Zealand, they are necessarily totally unacquainted with native character or language—a most important draw- ( back. Were there not Colonists qualified for 1 the appointmeuls it would be a different matter; 1 but all the while there is no lack of men who fcave been settled iv the Colony . for years, thoroughly conversant with the Natives, and it seems passing strange that they should be- set aside. The Hawlies Bay Herald says — "It has been rumoured for some time, and the report is believed to be on good foundation, that the office of Civil Commissioner for this district bas been offered to and accepted by Major Whitmore. Should tbis prove to be the case, the new Commissioner will probably enter upon his duties in the course of next month — Colonel RusselJ, it is generally understood having arranged to proceed to England by the Asterope." Another Remedy.— To the innumerable so-called remedies to cure blight in apple trees a correspondent of the Hawkes' Bag Herald , adds another. He says—" it is well known that the aphis, or leaf-louse, is both oviparous and viviparous. The female deposits her eggs in autumn in the crevices or rents ofthe bark ; .in spring those eggs are hatched ; the youug ones so produced are of the female kind. *In about three weeks each female brings forth a number, and so they multiply all the summer. Iv atftumn the males are produced ; after copuk*^ tion the insects lay eggs and die. As it may be of value to koow how to check, if not altogether, to destroy them, the- following I have used successfully : — Take spirits of turpentine (any quantity you may deem sufficient), add four times as much whale oil, and mix both well together. Iv summer the insects should be brushed off and destroyed, then the mixture laid 'on with a stiff brush, so that it may penetrate into, the crevices or rents ofthe baric, where the iusects^ were located. In winter, when the insect is dead, it may be the easiest way of clearing the trees. From large trees the smaller branches most affected may be cut off and burned, and in all the places where the insects have located during the summer, tbe mixtura should be applied with a stiff brush. One application will be sufficient." The same correspondent invents a new dish, in compensation for the loss sustained hy the destruction of the cabbage tribe. — " Now that our cabbages are so much destroyed by the blight, it may be worth knowing that the young leaves of horseradish, when boiled, form both a healthy and agreeable vegetable. A few plants in any obscure corner of the garden will supply a dish occasionally during the summer months." Address of Condolence to the jQueen. — A Provincial Government Gazette dated Saturday last, contains the following letter from the Colonial Secretary, enclosing the reply of Her Majesty to the address of condolence, forwarded by the Queen, by the Provincial Council in its last session. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 22nd Nov., JB62 4 Sir, — I have the honor to enclose you a copy of a despatch No. 92, of the 20th September last, from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor, in reply to an address of condolence with Her Majesty upon the death of His Royal Highness the Princo Consort, from the Provincial Council of Wellington. I have the^honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, Alfred Domett. His Honor, the" Superintendent of Wellington. (Enclosure.) Downing Street, 20th September, 1862, Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 61, of tha 20th of June, enclosing an address of condolence with' her Majesty upon the death of his Royal Highness the Prince Consort, from the Provincial Council of Wellington. 1 have laid this address before her Majesty, who was pleased to receive it very graciously, and de - sires you to express to the members of the Council her Majesty's sense of their attachment and sympathy as evinced by tho terms of that address. I have &c. (Signed) Newcastls. Governor, Sir George Grey, K.C.B. &c.. &c, djc. Gold in Canterbury.— The Lyttelton Times of the 26tli November has tbe following on this subject:— "ln the window of Messrs. Simpson and Marks, Christchurch, is exhibited a beautiful specimen of gold, weighing four ounces, and said to be fouud near Mount Cook. We called on Mr Simpson yesterday, and he told us how it came into his possession. On Saturday forenoon, a person, who gave his name as George Marshall, called at the shop and exhibited a piece of quartz in wbich was imbedded a mass of gold; be asked Mr Simpson to buy it if it were gold, about which he himself seemed to be in doubt. Mr Simpson, after conferring with his partner, agreed to purchase the gold if Marshall would beat the quartz out of it. At this time it presented somewhat the appearance of a tree, having a large mass of gold for the root with numerous beautiful branches. The man left, and in the afternoon called with tbe gold ;freed from quartz, and Mr Simpson bought it at his own price, being a sum much below its real value. From this circumstance Mr Simpson infers that Marshall was no digger, or he would have stood out for the proper price. The latter stated be had picked it up about twenty miles north of Mount Cook; that he did not suppose it was gold, but finding ie to be so, he should soon be in town again with more, foi in the place from whence he had brought that piece, there was more than all Christchurch could buy. Such is the story as it reached us ; we.can only say that the gold is of beautiful color; much lighter thau that found in Otago, and in- a richer mass thau any we have yet seen from here." American Petroleum. — The Otago Daily Times has ihe following commercial information relalivetp this product :— •" The last steamer from New : York brought a circular of the American Petroleum or Rock Oil Company, which has been organised with a nominal capital of £100,000. 'The company offer to deliver it in any quantities free on board at New Fork, and they state that- the Excise duty, equal to 5d sterling per gallon,, .recently imposed upon refined oil uuder the new system of Federal taxation, does not apply to exported oil, and that in no case is there any duty on the crude article. In addition to the.^ualities of this oil as an illuminator, giving a*m;uch whiter light than gas, as well as for purposes of lubricatiou and for the manufacture of dyesvi't is new found to yield a substance for turpeutibe, which, so far as it has been tested as a vehicle^for painting, is considered to work much/iupre freely than turpentine, and to combineihe properties of that spirit with some other p^tuliariljr^which give it fluency and softuess. The consumption ' of rock oil in the world is vaguely estimate*!; to have been 15 millions of gallons in 1860,v*20 ' millions in 1881, while for 1862 tbe quantity, it is thought, may range from 30 to 50 millions!';' -