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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 89, 18 June 1866, Page 3

Much excitement was caused in Nelson this morning by the information given by apparently accredited parties, that four persons were missing from the Deep Creek, aud that there was Avell grounded fear that they bad met Avith foul play. The names of the missing individuals are Felix Matthews, hotelkeeper, John Kempthorn, storekeeper, James Dudley, storekeeper, and James Purclius, miner; all of Deep Creek. They left Cauvas Toavu ou Tuesday last, on their way to Nelson. They Aye re preceded by four men, Aveli armed, and Avere seen at a place about tAvo miles this side Franklyn's. They have not been heard of since. It is stated by persons competent to form an opinion, that the four armed men who preceded the travellers were highly suspicious characters, and that one of them is well known to the police. Both parties have been traced to the place referred to, but nothing has been heard of them since. As soon as information of the missing travellers reached Nelson, the police authorities immediately took steps to trace them. Constables Bradcock, Martin, and Flett, were despatched to the spot this morniug. They had a pack-horse weli loaded with provisions, and will be able to give a good accouut of the- parties should they be fortunate enough to fall in with them. It is feared the worst construction must be put upon, the affair, although Aye are sure no means will be left unemployed by the Nelson police to discover the missing party, should nothing but an ordinary accident have occurred to them in bush travelling. "Two years ago," says the Wagga Wagga Express, "there were 300,000 scabby sheep iv NeAV South Wales. Since that time the Scab Act has been diligently enforced, and with such beneficial results that the disease has boav been almost eradicated, and it is anticipated that in a very short time the Avhole colony will be enabled to show a clean bill of health. In Victoria the same disease has, for the last 15 years, been treated after the peculiar fashion in vogue amongst our neighbors, and there are, at the present moment, Aye might almost say, millions of scabby sheep wi thin her borders." The Melbourne Age has the following: — South Australia has a maniacal judge who doubts the existence of everybody save himself. He insists that the colony has no constitution, no laws, no Parliament, AttorneyGeneral, and finally, that none of the judges are rightly appointed save himself. So high has his madness gone that he has quashed all the informations against persons presented

for trial, aud threatened to commit the Attor-ney-General for main tai ning that he Avas empowered to prosecute for the. Crown. The man is mad, and musfc be got rid of. But iv South Australia the Act of New South Wales, which in Victoria places the judges in case of misconduct uuder the Executive, is not in force ; and it is, therefore, necessary to call Parliament together forthwith, in order to procure Mr. Boothby's removal. Here he could at once be suspended by the Governor in Council — at least such is the decision of the Home Government in the controversy between our judges and the Attorney-General. The Queensland Daily Guardian, of the 21st uit. says: — "A sight as rare as it Avas agreeable Avas seen in Queen-street on Saturday, namely, four teams of bullocks, each team haviug a dray loaded with nine bales of cotton. The cotton Avas from Captain Towns's plantation on the Logan, and is consigned to Messrs. Alexander and Armour, to be shipped by them for Sydney, aud thence to England. We believe it AA r as originally intended to despatch this cotton by ttie Lochnagar, but that vessel had her complement of cargo without. The teams Avere driven by South Sea Islanders, dressed in white flannel suits and red caps, and the Avhole turn-out attracted much attention. A correspondent of the Southern Argus (South Australia)Avriting from Finn iss Vale, ou the 16th uit. states; — "A very interesting and unusual phenomenon was witnessed here yesterday, in the sbape of two Avaterspouts. The spout of the larger one appeared to vary from twelve to fifteen feet in diameter. The water was distinctly visible rushing up the spout and mingling with the clouds, which became visibly darker. About ten minutes after it started it broke, and fell with a crash into the sea. The sea at the junction of the spout Avas enveloped in a cloud of smokylooking foam, Avhich moved along at a quick rate. Altogether ib was a most interesting spectacle, neA-er before witnessed, I think, iv the gulf." The fishing trade between Port Albert and Melbourne has lately received a considerable impetus, and the regularity of the communication by the Cripps Lund Steam Company's vessels has contributed considerably thereto, enabling the fishermen to forward their " hauls" three times a Aveek to the metropolis. Arrangements have been made by the steamers to land a portion of tlie shipments at Queen sel iff, by Avhich route the Baliarat market will be supplied in about twenty-two hours from Port Albert. The Geelong Advertiser has the folloAving on acclimatization : — About throe weeks since a young stag, of a dart broAvu or black color, made its appearance iv the neighborhood of Wiuchelsea. After a few days grazing about the neighboring farms, it quietly fraternized Avith a mob of dairy cattle. It lias several times allowed itself to be driven into the stockyard of Mr. Thomas Clark, and although somewhat shy, it has the appearance of being semi-domesticated. When driven into a corner it skips over the stockyard fence as gracefully and easily as a swallow skims a housetop, but never leaves the place until the cattle are driven out, when he agaiu accompanies them to their several depasturing grounds. Ils horns or antlers are not sufficiently developed to enable the uninitiated to state its exact age, but it is supposed to be about three years old. 'Papa,' said a little boy to his father the other daycare not sailors very small men? 'No, my dear,' answered the father; 'what leads you to suppose that they are so small?' 'Because,' replied the little fellbAV. T read the other day of a sailor going to sleep in his watch.' Irish Pkoveubs. — Men of straw don't make the best bricks. It's a narrow bed that bas no turning. When money is sent flying out of the window, it's poverty that comes in at the door. The pig that pleases to live must live to please. One mau may steal a hedge, whereas anotlier daren't even as much as look at a horse. Short rents make long friends ; and it holds good equally Avith your landlord and your clothes. Mouey make sthe gentleman, the want of it the blackguard. When Avise men fall out, then rogues come by what is not their own.

A second very important discovery of coal has been made in the eastern island of that valuable British possession, the Falkland Isles. The coal seems to be different to that found by Mr. Ramsay Cooke, E.N., 1863, being highly bituminous, and promises to be an excellent naming coal for steamers. These discoveries have very great importance in consideration of the advantageous situation of these fine islands as a naval and coaling station for steamers to and from the Pacific. The Admiralty has just published a notice -which slioavs that an equatorial current crosses the Atlantic on both sides of the equator from the coast of Africa to that of South America; that one branch of it descends towards Cape St. Rcquc; that the current near Fernando Noronha and the Roccas sets strongly to the AvestAvard; and that the wrecks Avhich have taken place at the Roccas are sufficient to prove the necessity of caution in the vicinity of the reef. Among the various legacies left by Meyerbeer there is a sum of 10,000 thalers set asid*3 for young musical students. Every second year a prize of 1000 thalers is to be given for the best musical piece composed by a German under twenty-eight years, Avithout distinction of rank or creed. The first competition is to take place next year. The Mexican Times gives the- following estimate of the population of the six largest towns of the new empire: — Mexico, 200,000; Puebla, 75,000; Guadalajara, 70,000; Guanajuato, 60,00 i; Queretare, 48,000; Matamoros, 41,000. Several passengers by the Albion complain in the W. C. Times of the 9th, that no food suitable for children, of which there Avere many, Avas to he had on board; and Avhilst lying off Hokitika this morning at ten o'clock, the master insisted upon all the steerage passengers, including the females and children, quitting the ship and going on board the tug steamer Challenge, although he Avell knew that the Challenge could not enter the river for six hours afterwards. It Avould seem that this movement was solely to get rid of the responsibility of provisioning the passengers in the meaiiAvhile. In the same pape of the llth this is contradicted by a Avriter signing himself " Vindex." He says that about half-past ten o'clock I was present on deck Avhen the chief officer asked Captain Kidney whether the passengers should be put on board the Challenge, and the captain answered that there was plenty of time; and it was not until half-past eleven when the passengers were transhipped. The captain of the Challenge believed at the time that he could cross the bar at about two o'clock. At lunch time Captain Kidney sent a boat expressly conveying meat and biscuits for the passengers on the Challenge ; and I think it Avas the duty of the parents to provide themselves with some food for their children, Avhich Captain Kidney would have most willingly given.