Untitled

Inangahua Times, 19 January 1880, Page 2

The Justsin-Time Company have about 80 or 90 tons of stone in the paddocks, and will be in readiness for crushing by about the last week of the present month. The reef looks remarkably good, a great improvement in the show of gold having taken place within tbe last ten days. The stone is being taken ont between the Boatman's Creek and Walhalla levels. The Welcome Company will start crushing at the Fiery Cross battery either to-night or to-morrow morning. The County Council complain of the great dilatorness shown by the present Govern* ment in tbe payment of subsidies. Many of the payments are already being over-due, and as a consequence of this the Council is kept behind in its engagements with contractors, Whatever may bate' been the sins of the Grey Goyferiinient it must at least be admitted that 'iti: treatment of this County was both prompt and considerate. Both Greymouth and Hokitika are now considering the advisability of holding races on St. Patrick's Day. The feeling on the subject in Reeiton, so far as we are aware, is to have one or two days atheletic sports here on the date referred to, and hold back for a good race meeting next summer. We last night received the following telegram from the Lyell:—" Lyell, 18th Januaiy. Notice to miners in Reefton. The men have struck in the United Alpine against tbe reduction of wages.— Joseph Gbaham." A subscription has been set on foot in the Inangahua for the collection of funds for the relief of the distressed in Ireland. A similar step has, we believe, been taken in all the principal cities of the colony. We have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt from the Government of a free raih way pass, to be used for "reporting purposes only." We have heard of the man who was e_st upon tv uninhabited island without a shilling in his pocket, and we cannot help feeling that we are placed in muoh the same predicament. As the nearest railway is fifty miles distant from us, our present disposition is to negotiate, if possible, the pass for a ticket in Tonk's sweep. Mr Warden Price has undergone a second operation for the improvement of his eyesight, and it is said, there is every hope of its proving successful. Mr Price is at present at Invercargill, and will return to Inangahua in the course of a week or two.

The Hokitika Star says t— The expedition to Lake Mahinapua met with a mishap, which was, however, of small moment, yet it was the cause that the continuous searoh had to be given up. The consequence was an early return of the explorers. The diving dress appears not to have improved in disuse, for it gave way, and the water found its way into it, and wisely, operations were suspeadgd. The party began their operations in about six feet of water, brought up a quantity of mullock and deposit from the bottom. This stuff was tested, and the result showed gold, by computation, to the extent ofldwttothe small load. Tbe diving dress was brought to town and repaired, and the party was in high glee, and content with what they had already achieved. They made again a start early this morning, nnd having all the apparatus fixed yesterday. They are enabled to make an egrly start, and continue uninterruptedly the

whole day. This will enable them to sink a kind of shaft or a pot-hole in the bottom of the Lake, and divulge to them what is to be found below the surface mullock. Their action is praiseworthy, and we wish them every success.

A recent Gazette (says « Atlas, ' in the World) contained an entry that is memorable because of its uniqueness. For the first time in our * island story ' has a British commander found himself called on fa acknowledge the servioes in the face of an enemy of a newspaper correspondent. Litera gcripta manet, and the Gazette had to print what General Ty tier wrote; but it is understood in India tbat the officer in question was visited with the displeasure of his superiors because of his unwelcome innovation, and was, indeed, called upon to oaucel the portion of his despatch which commended Mr Forbes' cool purposeful conduct under fire. General Tytler, having a will of his own, and having named Mr Forb< s on the pressure of officers of his column who witnessed and admired Mr Forbes' timely good set vices, declined to strike out the passage. It is, of course, quite needless to observe that the gallant general's recommendation will be utterly barren of effect. Our authorities wisely regard it as a gross impertinence on the part of one not a soldier to be guilty of any service on campaign, no matter whether that service consists in saving human life or in conveying important intelligence under tbe most hazardous conditions.

* The Manchester Guardian's London correspondent writes t— Allusion has been made in several oFthe London newspapers to the reported discovery at Cabul of some corres» pondenoe between Shere Aii and the Russian agents and officials in Central Asia. I believe their references are perfectly accurate. The correspondence referred to is said to go as far back as 1873, the year when Lord Norlbbrook would haye given Shere AH more definite assurances as to the nature of our alliance, had not the Duke of Argyle's telegram prevented him. It is further noted that the corresdence directly implicates Prinoe Gortschakoff, who has hitherto excused much of Russia's ambitious projects in Central Asia by attributing them to headstrong and irresponsible generals. The Prime Minister is being urged to publish this correspondence, but he pro» fesses to have no desire to wound tbe susceptibilities of the St. Petersburg Government. It ia sufficient for him to know that the Russian Chancellor is aware of General Roberts's discovery. Bee-keeping is understood to be a failure —comparatively at least — in Australia, from ■ the absence of any necessity for the storing up of honey against an inolement season. Bees cannot or will not work all the year round. They must have a season of rest, and this they cannot have where winters are mild, and flowers never, or hardly ever, cease from blooming. A better measure of success, however, may be expected from the keeping of bees in * the upland regions of Victoria, New Zealand, and Tasmania. I throw out the suggestion as being at least worthy of trial. A mistake has been made in making the bees comfortable. Where they are kept on the plains the hives should obviously have a southern aspect and should not be sheltered except from the heat, A confirmation of this theory is to be found iv the fact that beekeeping is nowhere so successful as in Switzerland, where honey is so abundant that it is never absent from the breakfast table, There is an association of Friends of the Bee in the Alpine Republic, whioh has instituted an annual course of instruction in the science and method of bee-keeping, the lecturers shift* ing about from district to district, wherever honey is likely to become an important article of trade. If this task is undertaken here, it must devolve on individuals • and perhaps these few lines will serve to enlist the co operation of volunteers in districts where their labours are likely to be rewarded with success.