The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 192, 16 October 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1866.

An indignant ratepayer writes to ask what is tin* use of a Board of Works that they allow tu> lamp.* on the Waimeti-rond he tween Hiifdy-strect and the hospital. He complains that ou dark nights the intervening part of the road and pathway is a diingerous path to travel on. Deep ditehe. rttn on each side into which several wortJiji citizens have fallen of late. One sprained lirs tinkle, and another received such a shock to his nervous system that he has not recovered his composure since. The writer expresses a very- wicked wish that some mem her of the Board may he well frightened oue of these dark niirhts and be induced to remedy the evil complained of.

Mr. 11. Baucke. a settler. at the Chatham Islands, has complained by petition to toe Government of the conduct of Mr. Shand, late Resident Magistrate there. The peti-tioner-says that Mr. Shand possessed himself of a liouse and ground without* paying Mv. Baucke ; that he staved off the execution of sv writ entrusted to him iu his official capacity for execution ; that he outlawed Mr. Baucke on the ground that the Resident Magistrate was plaintiff iu a suit against him ; mid committed other wrongs opposed to law and justice. The Public Petitions Committee have requested the Government to institute inquiries on the spot without delay.

The PoriJ of Nelson presents a pleasing appearance at present, from the number of vessels it contains. This morning we counted live barque.**, three ships, four brigs, and three steamers, besides a great number of small craft. This is au agreeable change to those who remetnbe:* the port a few years ago. The number appeal's to be on rhe increase, and this taken in connection with the gi'eat increase in the nuiiiber of houses during the lost six months,, is an indication that the place is fast outgrowing its former infantile proportions. The unauthorised expenditure oi 1 tlie year 1 865-6, amounts to £ 01, 1-10 9s. lOd. This includes balances for previous years, £120; general charges, £ -l-l. 172; provincial charges, about £16,84(5. iu the general charges there arc removal of seat of Government, £1212 ; interest*; on overdrawn accounts, £ J 9, 503: postages on public service £5260 ; postal charge by Imperial Government. £2447; expedition to Auckland islands, £1134; excess of votes, legislative, £1289; customs, £299; printing establishment, £1726; miscellaneous, £8777. In the provincial charges' ai'e tbe items new post oflice, Otago, £2;)09 ; postal ami judicial, Auckland, £1117 ; and postal. Canterbury, £3164.

A genera! meeting of members of the Nelson Volunteer Fire Brigade, will be held, at tbe Trafalgar Hotel, this evening.

Thomas Champney. William Brock, William Price, and Edward Murphy, the men who were .charged yesterday with stealing a rope from the Bonnie Lass, were brought, up ou remand this morning. Inspector Sliallcrass applied to the bench for the discbarge of Champney, Murphy, and Price, and requested that. Brock might bo detained. He said that the police bad not yet arrested Henry Oswald, who escaped froni their custody oji Sunday last. The Magistrate informed Champney, Murphy, and Price that they were discharged at. the request of the Inspector, and told Brock that lie was detained. The latter asked why he was detained, but no answer was given him. The Magistrate told Champney to be more (.ireful in future iu the choice of his companions. He said he would. We understand Oswald, is supposed to be the party who cut the rope frotta the vessel, aad presume from the discharge of throa of the accused that the police are satisfied of their innocence of the theft. The police were searching in all <iirections for Oswald yesterday, but nothing

has transpired of his whereabouts. As tho vessel was cut. trom her moorings, si charge more serious than of theft lies against somehody. In the case of Pike v. Wise, of vGreymoutb, claim £91 175., judgment was given for the amount claimed.

Telegraphic communication, which has been suspended since Weduesday last, wa. resumed to-day with' all the offices. Tho cause of •interruption has existed between Nelson and Picton, aud has happily been removed.

Several whales have been lately seen playing about in Wellington harbor, and on Sunday week one was harpooned by the crew of a whale-boat, wbich iiad been sent out by Messrs. Beth uue and Hunter, but the whale after a desperate straggle managed to escape. A more successful attempt was made the next day, and a fish of four tons was frilled. ,

Tlie Wellington Independent of the 13th. has the following in reference to t_e late Captain Bandall : — lt is scarcely necessary to dwell on the peculiar sadness of Captain Randall's death, following, as it did, so quickly after an occasion for rejoicing. The deceased gentleman wus uot ouly one of tho most ahle capt ins on the coast, hut wa3 held in the highest esteem hy all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. It was, we understand, intended to offer him the command of oue of the Panama steamers, hut it was ordained otherwise, and his friends now, instead of looking forward to his promotion, have only : to deplore his untimely death. Captain Randall brought out the Moipeth fiom England four years ago, for the Ihlnter River Steam Navigation Company of New South Wales; and- afterwards entered the service of the Intercolonial 'Company, and was placed in the command of the Otago, on Captain Smith leaving her to return to England. Captain Randall leaves behind him, besides the lady who was married to him so recently, a mother and sisters, who are now residing in Auckland.

From Okitiki we le. rn that tho- Roman—. Catholic chapel there has been burnt to the ground. The lire was supposed to be the work of an incendiary, in consequence of some ofthe inhabi units insisting upon giving a theatrical entertainment iu the chapel the . following morning.

Among the cases for hearing at tlie Court of Appeal, say. the Yv . E. Post, is one especially worthy of note. It is that of Pa rakaia, an aboriginal native, v. Featherston and other.-* — the •■others" being her Majesty the Queen, the Coimnis-sioner of Crown Lands, tbe Attorney-General, and everyone in authority anxious to complete the purchase of that much coveted piece of land on the West Coast known as tbe Manawatu block. Parakaia either has or professes to have somo hereditary-title to a portion of the block, and applies fo the Court for an injunction to stop the sale of the territory he alleges to belong to him. The Superintendent defends the action until the plaintiff proves his title, a task he is little likely to be able to do, as three iiibes already dispute each others righ't to the land, tmd Maori titles, like Irish pedigrees, are most difficult to trace. If Parakaia succeeds in showing himself to be the truo and lawful owner of anj' portion ofthe block an injunction stopping the eale of that portion must be made, but if on the Otlier hand his case ialis through, the last ohst'aele in the way of the completion of tho purchase is removed. The Canterbury Press has been in for tried that the Hon. John Hail, Postmaster-Gene-rai, will arrive ar. Christchurch on the 18th, aud that he- nitends to meet his constituents immediately. Some idea ofthe quantity of grain grown ou (he Tokomairiro Plain this year may be gathered from the fact that no less than 87,000 bushels have been threshed by Messra Smith and Gillies with .their steam machine. The local journals say there are either four or five other, steam mills in the neighborhood, and they have all been busily employed since the commencement of the season: A private in the Royal Artillery, saya 1 the W. E. Post,, whose naine is not mentioned to the police, has been committed at Wanganni to stand his trial at tho. next criminal sitting.

/ The D. S. Cross, states that on the 3rd [instant a soldier of the 14th Regiment was i tried by court-martial, at the camp, Otahuhu j for having, in the presence of his officers, ut- / fered a violent invective against Her Majesty f the Queen. Fie was sentenced to be drummed out of his regiment and imprisoned for five years. The rope having been plaeed round the offender's neck,. "The Rogue's March" was played, to the. tune of which he danced round the camp.