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Wellington Independent, Volume XXVII, Issue 3692, 31 December 1872, Page 2

A better piece of news could not be received these thirsty days than that the waterworks plant for Wellington is on its way. The Breclun Castle, a vessel of 1000 tons, chartered from Glasgow to Wellington, was to have left the former port on the 30th November last with the long expected plant for the waterworks on board. Her appearance may therefore be expected about the end of February. If any necessary preliminary should still remain to be done, it would be as well to put it in hand at once, and thus economise as much time as possible. From whatever cause, enough has been lost already. The Directors of the Caledonian Society met last night at the New Zealandev Hotel. Mr George Crawford occupied the chair. The final arrangements regarding the entrance money and other necessary matters were made, and a sub-committee appointed to look after the- different events. Mr J. Martin and Mr A. Young were added to the list of directors. We understand that the stewards of sports held on the cricket ground on Boxing Day decided that the 500 yards race, in which a protest was entered by Bishop against Grimstone, should be run j over again. Bishop has decided not to run and consequently the race goes to Grimstone. At South Featherston, on Saturday last, a fire broke out at Captain Donald's place, by which two stacks of hay were destroyed. The place was unoccupied. Mr Yule's attention having been attracted by the smoke, he ran to the spot accompanied by a man in his employ, and after a good deal of labor, they succeeded in confining, the fire to the stack, though at one time it seemed doubtful whether the house could be saved, one part of it being in flames. The house was formerly the residence of Mr Donald.' The same fear was also entertained regarding the barn, but everything but the two stacks were saved, the damage to the house being but slight. This is the third fire of a similar nature which has taken place in the Wairarapa this season. Messrs M'Dowell & Co., have been appointed agents in Wellington for Messrs O'Reilly, Dunne -and Co., of College Green, Dublin, the most celebrated manufacturers of poplins in the world. The first consignment of goods from O 'Beilly , Dunne and Co,— the first indeed which has crossed the equator, will arrive in Wellington in February. Frequent reference to the thermometer was made yesterday to ascertain if the' range attained was sufficient to account for the uncomfortable experiences caused by the excessive heat. The highest range was at noon and again at four o'clock in the afternoon, the quicksilver running up to 128, and 130inthesunrespectively. The greatest range in the shade was 98. The thermometer" has registered a liigher degree of heat in the sun's rays during the present summer, but the close and unpleasantly hot atmosphere of yesterday was attributable to the absence of even a breath of wind throughout the day. - A soiree is to be given in the Odd Fellows' Hall to-morrow evening, which is expected to be as enjoyable as those affairs usually are, and as good music, dancing, and an excellent spread can make them. Private advices recived from England say great objection is urg^d against small shipments of wool to the European market. Such lots do not reach their full value, as the large buyers, who do not number many, have the article at much their own price. It is strongly recommended to the producers to hold small lots over until a fair shipment can be made. Referring to the frequency of fires in flax-mills, the "Colonist" says: — "One hint is necessary considering the many instances that are reported of flax-mills being burned. This is due, we presume, mainly to neglect. There is first the heating of the bearings in the machinery, which should be well and regularly oiled, and carefully enclosed ; secondly there is a danger of the green refuse from the stripping machine becoming damp and gathering heat of itself, like damp hay ; and thirdly, there is a prevalent danger arising from the tocacco-smokmg habits of workmen. From these three, principally from the first and last, we are of opinion that these frequent fires arise. Care and good management will prevent such accidents." The reporter for the " Nelson Mail" recently went to a church bazaar, and, though a bachelor, was introduced to the doll department. Writing his reminiscences of the dolls, he says : — One of these, more attractive in its appearance than the others, was, upon my expressing admiration of its placid features as it rested there in a dreamy attitude, taken hold of by one of the stallkeepers, who appeared to understand its anatomy, and on a judicious pinch being applied to a sensitive part of its body, it languidly opened its eyes, and uttered in the sweetest of tones the word "Papa!" Never having been so accosted before, I hurriedly left the spot, for my experience of bazaars led me to the conclusion that if once a little one was heard applying to me so endearing a term, I should immediately be required to make large purchases of tiny frocks, embroidered petticoats, and fancy pinafores, not to mention other garments of a more mysterious nature with which the next stall — the proprietors of which had loaded it with materials of a nature highly useful to parents of large families— abounded. The "Nelson Examiner" says : — We understand that Dr Hector, who has lately paid a visit to the Collingwood coal mine, was greatly pleased with the mineral prospects of the district, and more particularly with the fine iron stone which exists there in abundance in close proximity to the coal. The Coal Company are pushing on their drive, which is to cut the coal at a low level, with all convenient speed, and Dr Hector expressed himself generally satisfied with the progress of the work. The "Age" concludes a leading article on the subject of Intercolonial Reciprocity as follows : — " We have been discusing the question of Intercolonial Reciprocity with successive Secretaries of State, and it is time for the controversy to be brought to an end. That Mr Yogel thinks so too is evident from the production of this memorandum on the eve of the assembly of another conference of delegates. Doubtless it is his intention to recommend some action in the matter, and the proposal came most appropriately from New Zealand, from the fact that she alone possesses the rights which should be the prerogative of the whole group of Colonies."

The new Public Hall has been definitely engaged for three months by Mr Hoskins, and will probably be opened on Monday, February 3rd, by the Volunteer Amateurs, assisted by Mr Hoskins, Miss Colville, and the ladies of the company. Sheridan Knowles's beautiful drama, "The Love Chase," is now in rehearsal. There lias been little or no rain at Nelson fer neaiiy three months past, and the crops are seriously affected. The Birch Hill estate and stock, in the Province of Nelson, have been sold for £20,000. According to the local paper, a parcel of Timaru wheat— some 175 quarters— has recently been sold in London at 665. Out of fifteen hundred £1 shares required to start a Roman Catholic journal in Dunedin only a third of the amount has been subscribed. The eight hours movement is extending in S r ictoria. From the " Warrnambool Examiner" we find that a league has been formed in that town for the purpose of securing the recognition of eight hours as a day's labor. In an uncultivated paddock at Tuapeka may be seen the true "Irish flax in bloom, and growing in great profusion, showing the adaptability of the soil and climate to this useful plant. How it came there no person can tell. A Southern correspondent enquires if Mr Hislop was ever known to be other than highly satisfied with teachers and taught in the various schools in the province, during his yearly examinations. At a meeting held recently in London for the purpose of raising funds for exploring the ruins of Palestine— the Archbishop of York in the chair — the following resolution was proposed by Mr Thomas Mooney, late of Melbourne : — "That an exploration of the ruins of humanity, enveloped in squalor, poverty, ignorance, vice, and crime, which cover at least onethird of the entire population of London, "ought to be preferentially undertaken," The resolution, we are told, created the utmost consternation amongst the episcopal and archseological element on the platform, and the chairman refused to put it to the meeting. Speaking of the various meetings reporters have to attend, and especially those of the Assembly or Municipal Councils, the "Sydney Morning Herald" says : — Those whose business it is to condense and give the debates have to enter the purgatory of reporters, to perform the ungrateful task o£ translating speeches and abridging platitudes within a sentence or two, and which, if left alone, would bo diffused over, columns. They have not only to repeat what ih said, but to put a meaning upon" that which is all but unintelligible. Mr.J. B. Barnett, a Hebrew scholar, writing in the "Jewish Chronicle," asserts that the prophet Jeremiah, with the remnant of the tribe of Judah, migrated to Ireland, and was no other than the celebrated Irish reformer and law-giver, 011 am Fola. The prophet brought with him the Lia Fail, or Stone of Destiny, which was subsequently conveyed by an Irish prince to Scotland for coronation purposes, and centuries afterwards removed to Westminster Abbey by King Edward 111., since which time all the Kings and Queens of England down to Victoria have been crowned upon it. This stone, Mr Barnett says, was that which was originally kept in the sanctuary of the first temple of Jerusalem, and was known as "Jacob's Stone," being none other than the stone directly apostrophised by King David as "the stone which the builders rejected," but which was destined for peculiar honors. The " Southland Times," in referring to certain timber which had been exported for use upon the railway works at the Hutt, and which it was stated would probably be condemned, says : — " "We have made inquiries into the matter. We find that the timber complained of is a shipment of several hundred totara posts, the statement being that they contained too much sapwood. Wo have reason to believe that this statement is correct, and that had there been any authorised person on the spot to examine the timber before shipment, the posts would not have been allowed to go forward. With regard to the sawn timber (red pine) which was shipped for rails on the same line of work, no complaint could be made. Shipments of inferior, and especially of sapwood timber, are calculated to do serious injury to a trade growing to such importance as that of the export timber trade, and the policy is very short sighted, to say nothing of the dishonesty of the practice. At the same time it ia desirable, both as a matter of protection to such as may be circumstanced as not to be able otherwise to protect themselves, as well as to obviate the loss and expense of rejection, to have the official guarantee of some duly authorised person at the port of shipment who should have power to rejec 1 ; such timber as does not fulfil stipulated conditions." The Rev John Geddie, one of the pioneer missionaries of the South Seas, died at Geelong lately. He was born at Banff, Scotland, but in his early days went with his parents to Nova Scotia, where he obtained his license as a minister when twenty-four years old. For eight years he officiated as an earnest preacher. His interest in missionary enterprise knew no bounds, and he was appointed to the new Hebrides by the British American Missionary Society, and in 1846, with his young wife, he landed at Aniteum. For many years they continued instructing the islanders, and risking their lives to propagate the truths of the Gospel. Mr Geddie also undertook to translate the Scriptures into two native languges, and about twelve or thirteen years since produced the translation of the New Testament, which was subsequently passed through the London press. In April last while piloting some of the missionaries over the islands, lie was struck with paralysis, from which he never properly rallied.