LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3182, 25 April 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Rail/HOADS. — The following is an extract from a letter from Dunedin : — " A portion of the Melbourne and Beechworth railway, measuring about 50 miles, has been contracted for at the price of £315,000, this is a trifle under £5500 per mile. It is narrow gauge, and a Biugle line. In 1858 railways in Victoria averaged over £30,000 per mile ; but there is no work in Europe Buperior, and every thing at that time was high priced ; yet at this time these railroads pay five per cent, interest on capital, and have long paid more than five per cent. Five years earlier a short road made and mncadamiaed from Melbourne to Toorak, about 2\ miles, cost no less than £11,000, but labour was then 20s a day, and much more for skilled men, and they worked as they pleased. Wooden railways can be made for £1500 per mile; they will do for cross roads. Let us once get 100 miles of railway in each island at a cost of £5000 per mile, or one million only, and the rest will follow rapidly. Branoh roads will grow spontaneously almost, as soon as short distanoea of the main lines are completed. Very few people estimate the rapid progress of colonies after the first difficulties of settlement are over. It took 200 years for Canada to do the work of 25 years here — thanks to gold. I was amused a few days ago by a despatch of General Cameron's — besides stating that 500 soldiers could not pass along a road kept, or rather threatened by 200 Maoris, and that the soldiors could not follow them into the bußh, he ventured the prediction that a certain part of the road, between Wanganui and Patea could not be opened in less than twenty years : a Cobb's coach now runs once a week. It. would bo amusing to collect absurd predictions of men in authority falsified by events."

Prize Fieingl — The firing for Mr Burrett's prize by tho Grammar School Cadetsoaine off on Saturday last at tho Adelaide butts, and some very excellent practice was made by the boys. The ranges were at 200, 300, and 400 yards, kneeling at tho first range and any position at the others. The prize was won by Sergeant Webb scoring 52 out of a possible 60. Other prizes were also competed for, Lieut. A. de B. Brandon having generously given the £2 which he won at the Thames for that purpose. Among the winners of these minor prizes were Private Goll scoring 50; Maxwell, 48; J. Bishop, 48 ; and Ensign Hackworth, 46. To those who know anything of target practice these figures speak for themselves, and it is clear that the Grammar School Cadet Company contains several really excellent marksmen. Mr Burrett has done a very liberal act in bestowing so handsome a prize to be competed for, and we are glad that the boys have proved that they are not undeserving such generous encouragement. The Amateub Chrystys will give their first performance at the Hull to-night. We have so frequently called attention to the general progress of this company in their reheai'sals that we feel we may well refrain from any remarks this morning, and leave them to answer for themselves to-night, hoping that thoy may amply bear out our anticipations If amatoura really knew the amount of practical good they have in their power to confer on a oommunity Buch as ours, which cannot yet bo considered an abiding place of the drama, it would prove a strong incentive to them to aim at excellence more than at temporary amusement.

The White Cloud Engine.— Wo direct the attention of our roaders to an interesting article from the " Mechanics' Magazine" (wbich we reprint in another column) on a new engine bearing the above name, and the invention of our former townsman, R. M. Marchunt, Esq.

Sale. — Many people wore attracted to the sale of Dr. Feathcrston's house and property yeflterday by Mr Smith, and, as might have been expected, there was no lack of purchasers, tho auctioneer being in bio happiest selling mood, and many being eager to secure bouio slight remembrance of so notable and old a citizen as Dr. Featherston. The minor articles of the household effects seemed on that account to realise better prices than could reasonably have been expected, while the more costly items went at very reasonable figures. The house, and the land on which ifc stands, were bought by Mr P. Laing for £220. Land Sale. — Mr J. H. Wallace sold at his Land Mart yesterday the following properties : —At Ohariu, 400 acres, at 13s per acre, to W. B. Rhodes, Esq ; the leasehold of Barnes' run for £115, to W. B. Rhodes, Eeq ; 1200 fjheep

at 3a 3d per liead ; 9 head of cattle for £20 ; 5 horses for £30 ; farming implements £25. An allotment in Frederick street, with cottage, £30, to James Sproul. An allotment in Frederick street w.th a lean-to, £20, to H. Kells. The other properties wero withdrawn at tho upset prices. The sale was well attended. Timber Tbade.— Tho timber trade of Havelock, Maryborough, is assuming large proportions. In six months 56 vessels have left the port with 1,478,850 feet of sawn timber.

Replanting- Cobn.— An intelligent and reliable neighbor of ours (soya tho St. Louis " Journal of Agriculture") who has been for many years muking experiments in corn, has discovered an importance and value in replanting corn which is quite novel and worthy of publication. We have always thought that replanting corn was of little consequence, but this gentleman says that it is of so much consequence, he replants whether it is needed or not— or rather he plants, two or three weeks after the corn is planted, a hill about every fifteenth row each way. If tho weathor becomes dry during the filling tinie r the silk and tassel both become dry and dead. In this condition, if it should become seasonable, the silk revives and renews its growth, but the tassel does not recover. Then, for want of pollen, the now silk is unable to fill the office for which it was designed. The pollen from tho replanted corn is then ready to supply the silk, and the filling is completed. He says nearly all the abortive ears so common in all corn crops are caused by want of pollen, and that he has known ears to double their size by their uecond filling

New Sheep Disease. — The "Argus' correspondent writeß from Sydney : — The long wefc weather has disclosed a novel form of disease in sheep in some of the districts in the colony. In the second stomach and in the luri&s worms have been developed to an enormous extent. The remedy suggested is salt and sulphate of iron, the latter article being now manufactured in the colony, at the works of Messrs Elliott Brothers. Santionne is also recommended. Dr Cox, one, of the leading medictil men in the city, is of opinion that the insect is taken into the system with the food, and that the disease is akin to fluke, which has now been proved to be the second stage of an entoysa, which exists primarily in the body of the small land and swamp shells, but which mollusc requires to be taken into the sheep to be developed into a perfect dtato. Since the dry weather set in the disease has been perceptibly mitigated.. Teleguai'iiy. — The " Euronean Mail" says that on Thursday, Febru iry 16, at 9.8 p.m., a London establishment received a message which had boon sent, via Tehoran, from Kurruchee, India, on Friday morning at 1243 a.m. The message was therefore received via London the day before it was sent from India. The time actually occupied by the message in transmission was fifty minutes; the sun would require four hours and twenty-six minutes to do the same distance, and as the messngo was sont so soon after midnight the extraordinary effect is produced of its arriving the previous evening.

None but the Bbate, &c. — Rumor has it (remarks the " Geelong Advertiser") that in accordance with the old saying that "None but the Brave deserve the Fair," the gallant commander of tho Cerberus, whose clever management of the unwieldy monster which he has succeeded in navigating on her perilous voyage to our harbor, is now in everybody's mouth, is shortly to receive the due reward of bis gallantry and skill in the shape of the hand of one of the daughters of a leading and wealthy member of the Victorian Government. Tho leading and wealthy member of the Ministry referred to is, we believe, the Hon. the Treasurer.

Mabsupial Albinoes. — On Thursday last (says the " Wagga Wagga Express" of the sth instant), as Mr Barnett and a party of miners were out hunting in the neighborhood of the Little Wonder reef the dogs put up a kangaroo ol a pure white color. A long and exciting chaße ensued, the animal proving a regular flyer, but the dogs at last ran it down, and its capture alive was then easily effected. Its coat was singularly soft and furry, and in every part of the purest white, not a single dark or colored hair being visible on any part of the body. Aa ie tho case with white rabbits, its eyes wore of a bright pink color. The creature was purchased by Mr Clarke, of the Commercial Hotel, bufc sulked and fretted in the buggy as it was being conveyed to town, and on Sunday night died. The body was at once handed over to a professional taxidermist, by whom the skin has been preserved, and in a few days will be stuffed for the gratification of tho curious in natural history. Close to tho place where this animal was captured a kangaroo still more singularly colored — black and white — has been frequently seen by the minors, but though several attempts to capture it have been made, it has always succeeded in baffling

pursuit. • Caution. — Persons desirous of purchasing greenstone are cautioned by the " Lyttelton Times" that green glass has been offered, and in one or two instances purchased as greenstone, the imitation being very good.

Mohe Numerous than Creditable. — A man has been arrested in Auckland who is distinguished by the following list of cognomens :— James Hewson Moore, alias James Hewaon, alias George George Gibson, alias G-eorgo Edward Ringland, alias M'AUister, alias " Ginger Moore."

Shocking — A strange affair took pluce on February 18, at Stallingborough, in Licolnshire. A woman named Lcedham wa» en gaged in placing the dinner ou the table for her husband, a step-son named George, aged 41, and her eon, aged seven. George began to eat some pudding from a dish, and upon his step-mother requesting him to hare a plate, he suddenly stabbed her just below the breastbone. The wound was mortal, and the poor woman expired in a few minutes. Her murderer in the meantime rushed out of Ihe house, and threw himself into a pond, ond after a desperate struggle with a man who tried to save him, broke loose, and succeeded in drowning himself. The unfortunate man was suffering from tha effects of an accident, which produoed an uncontrollable irritability of temper. His victim had always behaved in the kindest manner to her step-son. Papbh Matesiali. — We. observe from the " Home News" that at the London office of tho " Argus" in Cornhill is a specimen of pulp made from the stems and leaves of muizo, grown on the banks of the Hunter Eiver. Tho sample has been submitted to several eminent paper- makers, who are unanimous in their expressions of approval of its usefulness and value. No largo paroel has yet arrived tor sale, but if it can be produced and shipped at a price similar to that obtainable for papermaking materials of a similar character, the demand for it in England would be practically unlimited.

Busir Ink. — A description of bush ink has been discovered by Mr I». J. Sinclair, Auckland, and is thus referred to in a letter by him to the " Southern Cross :" — " I send you a bottle of ink, made from the expressed juice of the kuratnu, a shrub of tho coprosma family, and one that I think, from its frequency in the bush, must be widely spread in this province. Tho ink (I am writing with it) is of a pretty lilac color, and I wish you would tako the trouble to show it to the Auckland booksellers, and ascertain thoir opinion as to its probable permanency. Tho plant grows from tho soalevel to nearly 2000 feet, and will bo plentiful in every district whore there is scrub and bush. One of the plants I have seen has a reddish-colored berry, but, in making this ink I have only used tho dark-colored berries. I think it should also bo shown to the Auckland dyers, as it might make a very useful vegetable dye."