nor indeed, was there any appreciable general febrile action. But some days previously, it was remembered afterwards, she demonstrated so far premonitory symptoms as to be less lively and active than was her wont. From the 5th up to the close of the 10th the disease progressed so slowly, in so far as the throat affection, as apparently to be kept in check by the means employed, though occasionally she complained to her nurses of a feeling of pain in the gastric region as well as throat. Early on the morning of the 11th she began to evince great restlessness, but without marked reference of pain to any particular part, though every now and again she desired the region of the stomach and legs to be gently hand-rubbed. This morning was the last time from the commencement that the caustic solution was applied to the pharynx, when a considerable portion of very tough matter covered the sponge. Henceforward no lymph deposit was to be observed on any part of the pharyngeal apparatus, still it was manifest that though there was no such formation, and no particular heat of skin, or even dryness thereof, or that the pulse ever beat higher than a hundred and eight, and rarely so high, the disease though somewhat obscure was neither overcome nor in abeyance. This was made manifest on the morning of the 14th by vomiting up at successive times small quantities of a coffee ground looking fluid, which at first gave uneasiness to the attendants, they supposing that these ejectments were the strong beef tea which, to save disturbing the stomach, for some previous days had been exhibited in the form of enema. Her bowels were at no time confined, but about two hours before death she passed a copious slaty-coloured stool, and about the same time there issued a considerable bleeding from the nose.

P. WILSON.
Colonial Surgeon, Taranaki.

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

£4,000 REWARD.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Auckland, 13th September, 1861.

THE Government of New Zealand is prepared, subject to the undermentioned conditions, to give rewards to the amount of £4,000 for the discovery of efficient means for rendering the Flax, and other fibrous plants of New Zealand, available as articles of export, viz.:-

£2,000

To the person who shall, by some process of his own invention, first produce from the Phormium Tenax, or other fibrous plants indigenous to New Zealand, forty tons of Merchandise.

£1,000

To any person, other than the person entitled to the first reward, who shall, by some process of his own invention, next produce from the Phormium Tenax, or other fibrous plant indigenous to New Zealand, forty tons of Merchandise.

£1,000

Viz.:- £200 to any person, not exceeding five in all, other than those entitled to the first and second rewards, who shall, by any process, whether of his own invention or not, produce from the Phormium Tenax, or other fibrous plant, indigenous to New Zealand, twenty tons of Merchandise.

Every claim for the above rewards must be preferred before the 1st January, 1864. The Merchandise must be saleable as an article of Export from the Colony of New Zealand, and have been produced at a cost not exceeding 75 per cent. of its value at the Port of Entry from which it is exported; and the process used must be fully made known, with a view to the discovery being at once made available to the public.

His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand will from time to time appoint Commissions, to consist of not less than three persons, to act at such places as circumstances may require, and each claim for reward will be referred to such Commission as may be considered the most convenient for its proper investigation. The acts of the majority will be deemed the acts of the Commission.

Each Commission shall be at liberty to adopt such means as it may deem most fit for determining the value and costs of production of the Merchandise, for ascertaining the process employed, and for fully investigating in all respects and reporting upon the validity of any claim.

Every competitor wishing to have flax inspected must apply to the Collector of Customs at the nearest Port, who shall forthwith give notice to the Commissioners acting for the particular locality, who shall forthwith appoint some convenient time and place for the inspection, and communicate the same in writing to the competitor. Any competitor may exhibit to the Commissioners any quantity of flax not less than five tons at a time.

For each quantity inspected and approved by the Commissioners they shall give the competitor a certificate signed by a majority of them, a duplicate of which must be forthwith deposited at the Collector’s Office, at the nearest Custom House.

When the total quantity shall have been inspected by instalments and more than one certificate is given to a claimant, then each certificate after the first shall