LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3309, 22 September 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Errata. — In yesterday's leader several errors escaped correction. Wo reprint in full the sentences in which they occur. "This ingenious Returning Officer, beginning with openly defying the law in regard to claims, seems to have become hardened in official iniquity a 9 the election proceeded. His affidavit is virtually to this effect. I knew it was time to close the poll but did not do it. I took the vote after a consultation with the representatives of the candidates, who advised me to break the law, which I accordingly did. I then further broke the law myself by asking the elector for whom he was going to vote, and finding this out in a manner entirely illegal and contrary the to whole spirit and intention of the Ballot Act, I was further guilty of a misdemeanor in aiding in divulging the same." "It is not a little strange, therefore, that ho remained silent for so many weeks, and that his memory only began to be inconveniently active after ife had received the stimulus of Sir David Monro's solicitor's letter." " They have shown that if a bad vote is given the, system of ballot voting which obtains in New Zealand effectually provides both for its discovery and for the rectification of the returns." State Despatches. — We have received printed copies of further despatches from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to his Excellency the Governor. They include a despatch, acknowledging receipt of a despatch from the Governor, and stating that, though no naval cadetship falls to New Zealand till 1874, the Secretary for the Colonies will consider any recommendation for a cadetship in 1872 ; a despatch enclosing an Order in Council regulating appeals from the Appellate Court in New Zealand ; a despatch acknowledging his Excellency's account of his visit to Otago ; a despatch forwarding correspondence with Mr Yogel on the subject of reinforcing the Australian squadron, aud stating it to be the intention of the Admiralty to reinforce the squadron ; and, finall} r , a lengthy despatch respecting differential duties in the colonies. Accident to the Lady Bird. — In our shipping columns will be found a narrative of the circumstances under which the iron schooner Lady Bird missed stays and struck Barrett's reef, as she was leaving Wellington harbor on Wednesday evening. This is the second vessel which has got upon the reefs within the past few daya, aud for a time the position of the Lady Bird was somewhat critical, but she finally floated off, and returned to harbor, where she is now beached. A survey was held upon the vessel yesterday by Captains M'lntyre and Halliday, and Mr. Seager, and they have reported that, for the purpose of a complete survey, it is neces.snry that she should be taken to the slip. We understand that the Lady Bird wus insured in the New Zealand Company's Office for £1000. Au official inquiry into the circumstances under which the accident took place will bo held to-day. TnE Legislative Council. — Though there have not been many notices of motion on the order paper of the Legislative Council during the past few days, the Council has been pretty busily engaged in forwarding numerous bills through various stages. Yesterday, for instance, the orders of the day included the second reading of the Otago Settlement Bill and the Wellington Wuate Lands Regulations Amendment Bill, the third reading of the Contractors Debts Bill, an adjourned debate on the Eeligious, &c, Trust Bill, the committal of two other bills, and the consideration, in connection with two more bills, of amendments by the House of Representatives. A number of select committees of the Council have also been j meeting daily. Parliamentary Sparring. —In the discussion on the Highway BoarJfl Bill last evening, Mr Bathgate took the liberty ot' dissenting from certain amendments proposed in the interests of the squatters in the clause relating to the rating of pastoral tenants for the making of roads in the neighborhood of their holdings. Mr Webster, who spoke after Mr Bathgate in ths interests of the runholders, succeeded very well, up to a certain point, in an attempt to be facetious at Mr Bath gate's expense, when he was very neatly caught in his own trap. The " fun" in the case rapidly evaporated, and the lines of risibility disappeared from members' faces when Mr Webster told the committee that he could expect nothing like justice from such hon members as Mr Bathgate, whose intellect was warped and wholly absorbed in prejudice and

ignorance. Tho Chairman immediately called Mr Webster to order, and insisted that the offensive words should be withdrawn. Mv Webster made a clumsy retractation, when Mr Batbgate stated that he required no apology ; he had made up bis mind that whatever other hon members might do, he had determined not to indulge in personalities in the House, mentioning at the same time that there were certain persons whoso blame he accepted as the highest praise. "But," said Mr Bathgato, " when I see a class of men asking for privileges which they deny to others, then I denounce such legislation as class legislation." Mr Bunny administered a sharp rebuke to Mr Webster by hoping that such language would not be permitted. Although he himself diff :red with Mr Bathgate that was no reason why that gentleman should not express himself upon the clause. He hoped such language as had been employed would not be permitted to be made use of in that House. Harbor Works at New Plymouth. —In the House yesterday, Mr CarriDgton gave notice of his intention to move that the House should vote £45,000 for the purpose of constructing harbor works at New Plymouth. The Gold Duty.— Another attempt is to be made to reduce the amount of the gold duty. Mr Collins has given notice of his intention to move for the reduction of the amount to 2s per ounce. Palmerston. — The following extract is taken from the letter of our own correspondent :— " The unfortunate Dane who had his leg cut off by the falling of a tree last Saturday, I am sorry to say, is not doing so well as could bo wished. Dr Spratt, deeming it prudent to have further advice, j sent for Mr Batten Smith of Foxton, the nearest local practitioner. On his arrival, a consultation was held ; and Mr Smith concurred with Dr Spratt, that in order to save the man's life an amputation above the knee joint was necessary, as mortification had appeared in the leg bone. The operation was successfully performed this morning, and, according to tho latest accounts, he is doing well." The Barque Tell— Official In(Juiby. — Yesterday au inquiry into the recent accident to the barque Tell was held at the Custom-house by the Collector, Mr J. Hackworth. The evidence of a number of persons was taken, and the inquiry was adjourned until to»day, when, if it is concluded, the inquiry into the accident to the Lady Bird will be proceeded with. The Member foe Motueka. — Mr Charles Parker took his seat yesterday afternoon as member for Motueka. A Cokeection. — A simple yet important error occurred in our report of Mr Smythies' speech in yesterday's issue. The quotation from Mr Justice Johnston's judgment should conclude with the words " the law ought to be changed," while the misplaced apostrophes carry the judgment down to tho words "on purpose to annul it." The Artillery Volunteers. — The Artillery Volunteers, it will be seen, are to be present at the opening of tho Hutt Bridge, when they are to fire a salute to celebrate the event which will, no doubt, be a source of attraction to many Welliugtonians to-morrow. The Battery will assemble at the drill shed at 10.15 a.m. The Museum will not be open to the public on Saturday evening, tho 23rd instant, as the annual meeting of the New Zealand Institute takes place on that date, to which members only are admitted. The annual address to the members of the Institute will, on that occasion, be delivered by his Exsellency the Governor. Iron Ore Furnaces. — An invention which may be of considerable importance in connection with the enterprise of utilising the Taranaki sand, is being shown in the International Exhibition in London Mr C. W. Siemens exhibits a model of his regenerative gas furnaces for producing cast steel from iron ore directly. Perhaps it is as well to explain what a regenerator is, so that readers may not imagine that it is a theological term. It is simply a chamber under a furnace for storing up the heat which is usually wasted by being allowed to escape up the chimney. They are made of fire brick, and in this case are four — two being employed in receiving and storing up the heat, which remains in the waste gases after leaving the furnace, and the other two giving up the heat, which they have previously received, to the gas coming from the produce and to the air required for burning it. The results are, that tho gases which usually escape up the chimney are generally not above 300 Fahr., while by means of tho regenerators the furnace can be heated to an indefinite extent. Besides this accumulation of heat in a gaseous jorm, the fuel is freed from all its earty impurities. Mr Siemens claims by his process that a just equalisation of quality can be obtained, to the econoinisation of labor and fuel. Taxing Absentees. — The question of taxing absentees has again cropped up in the Victorian Parliament, Mr Zeal urging that there was a good precedent in the practice adopted in the mother cjuutry. For example, if a person in the colony invested a sum of money in English fuuds, he would have to pay an income tux to the Imperial Government before he could draw the proceeds ; and the Barne with the colonial shareholders of the English banks in the colouy. Mr Duffy confesses that he, with, no doubt, many others, has been desirous of finding some method of reaching the absentees with large incomes; but ho had not been able to find a precedent for legislation in any country. Commercial Colonists. — One of the younger sons of Viscount Canterbury, the Hon John Manners Sutton, left the colonies by the Great Britain a few days since, with the intention, it is rumored, of following tho example of many other junior members of the aristocracy, and engaging in commercial pursuits. By the same vessel Professor Horsley, probably the most scientific musician in Australia, sailed for England. Silver Coinage in the Colonies. — The present state of tho silver coinage has occupied the attention of the Victorian Parliament. Tho Imperial Government has consented to issue new silver in place of the old, upon condition of the freight from England, estimated at £500, being paid. An attempt was made to obtain a contribution from the banks, but those establishments declined to bear any share in tho cost. Under any circumstances a fresh supply of the circulating medium will have to be obtained, or retail traders will be put to great inconvenience. Changed Times. — As an instance of change in the value of property in mining districts, a Castlemaine paper says : — " The Commercial Hotel, to the value of which reference was made in our notice of the late Mr Bannister's tenancy of it, was built, we are informed, by Mr Aberdeen, at a cost of £27,000 to that gentleman. When the late Mr Bannister took ifc, he paid £5,500 for the good- will, taking it at a rental of £40 a week, and paying I £1,750 for the stock, &c. At that time all

meals were 4s each, stabling was 30s a night, and all drinks Is, gingerbeer included. The hotel was for many years the starting and arriving place for Cobb's coaches. Subsequently the place of trade changed, and the hotel fell into disuse, and, becoming dismantled, the materials were finally sold for what they would bring." The Missing Nelson Fishebhen. — A search party was sent out by the Government on Sunday, to discover if possible traces of the missing men ; but they have returned without finding anything beyond some further fragments of the boat. They carefully searched along. the shore from the Babbit Island to the Moutore Bluffs. The Mubdeb of Two Victorians at Tanna. — By way of New Caledonia, particulars have been received from Tanna, one of the New Hebrides, of the murder by the natives of two young men, Mr James Eraser Bell, and Mr William Aliaterßoss, who not long ago seetled in the island as cotton planters. Mr Bell was brother of Mr Henry Bell, and nephew of the late Mr W. M. Bell, of the firm of Messrs Bell and Buchanan of this city, and Mr Boss was nephew of Mr Monro, accountant, his other relatives resident at Geelong. Mr Bell was formerly a clerk in the National Bank, Melbourne. Abo.\t two years ago he joined Dr Dana, a relative of Captain JDana, police magiV trate, in the purchase of the steamer Gem, in which they proceeded to the New Hebrides, where Mr Bell established a cotton plantation. He afterwards came to Melbourne on account of sickness, and had just returned to Tanna a few days before he set out on his journey in the course of which he was murdered. It is impossible to guess the motives of his murderers, as he was a great favorite with I the natives, and never hesitated about trusting them unreservedly. He had fifty of them employed on his estate, and it would appear that the murderers belonged to a tribe to whom he was a stranger. Hints to Wool Expobtebs.— Mr D. Cooper, wool- broker, in a circular to woolgrowers, has the following remarks upon what he had noticed in the wool warehouses in London : — I saw much fine wool injured in appearance from having been stowed on board ship against greasy wool, the bales having the appearance of hot grease having been poured upon them, and the packs have to be allowed at 12 or 131ba tare, instead of 10 or 1 libs ; some of the best wool I saw in this condition and it must injure the sale, and cause loss to an innocent person, for the owner of clean wool is not necessarily the owner of the greasy wool, and this accounts for what otherwise I could not understand, as parties sending home clean wool have complained to me that 12 or 13bl& were deducted as tare in their account sales. I noticed much injury done to bales witb iron hoops, which stained the cases and rotted the material, so as to cause the stain to extend inside to the wool, especially if a little salt water happened to haye touched the bale. Some bales, stained in this way from iron rust and salt water, looked very bad, and the owner must have suffered much in pocket from the unmerchantable appearance of I the bales. These are subjects which the Chambers of Commerce in the various colonies, as well as the wool growers ought to take up. No bale should be j shipped with iron hoops round it, and greasy ought not to bo stowed against washed wool, especially those that are scoured and of fine quality. The P. and O. CoMPANY.—The last homeward P. and O. mail steamer takes with her the formal notice of the Government of Victoria that the contract with tho P. and O. Company for the conveyance of the European and Indian mails will not be continued after the expiry of the agreement, two years hence. All the other colonies had previously given notice similar in purport. The fact that all the colonies will be free from liability to the P. and O. Company, will facilitate cooperation in any new arrangement that may be deemed desirable.