LAST NIGHT'S NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Cambridge, Last Night.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1324, 23 December 1880, Page 3

LAST NIGHT'S NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Cambridge, Last Night.

At 'a meeting of the Piako Council, held to-day to consider the propriety of bringing the Counties Act into force, the proceedings were kept strictly private, and the result has not transpired.

Preserved Potatoes. — If New Zealand, writes the Sau Francisco correspondent of the Otaffo Daily Tunes, cannot complete with the United States in many of its products, there are somethings in which it can and should compete. The following extract from the Scot Francinco Commercial Nein> is to the point. It tells its own tale. Why not go in for an export of preserved potatoes to England, as California has done? Your labour is quite as cheap, and you can grow equally good potatoes. Let some of your enterprising capitalists try. The machinery may be bought, I have no doubt. The Commercial JVcK-vsays — " Recently an important industry has sprung up in this State in the way of preserving potatoes for a foreign market. A machine has been invented for pressing and preserving potatoes in such a manner that they may be dried and kept for any number of yeaus in any climate. No oxidisation or fermentation takes place in the process, and after the potatoes go through the entire process they retain to a great extent their natural tasta and original freshness. Shipments made to Engla> d during the past year by Falkner Bell and Co., have attracted attention, and the demand for Calif ornian preserved potatoes in that country already exceeds the supply. The first shipment to Liverpool brought the sum of 160dols. per ton over all expenses of shipment. Last year about 20 tons were shipped from San Francisco, which brought 45 English shillings per hundredweight, or at the rate of 3dols. per sack for green potatoes. At Arcata, Humboldt County, a strong company has been organised to preserve potatoes by this new process. Ven,tura has an in working order, and will handle a large quantity of potatoes this fall. San Francisco merchants and capitalists evince a lively interest in the enterprise, and are watching results closely. The testimony of English merchants is to the effect that the products are superior, and in active demand."