DUN MOUNTAIN RAILWAY.

A meeting of ratepayers took place last evening in the Temperance Hall, for the purpose of taking into consideration tho desirability of purchasing the plant of the Dun Mountain Railway. About 140 persons were present, and Mr. D. M. Luckie was called upon to occupy the chair. The Chaieiian read the advertisement calling the meeting, and the following letter from Messrs. Morrison, Sclanders, and Co., to the Nelson Board of Works :—: — " To the Kelson Boaed of Wobes. "Gentlemen —We beg respectfully to draw your attention to the intended sale of the Dun Mountain Company's property on the 15th of May next. " As agents for the Company, we venture to do this, as it has been suggested to us by many of the citizens that it was in many respects a property which the Board might probably feel inclined to purchase for public purposes. We can only say that the reserve now put upon it is very low. " We beg respectfully to remind you of the near approach of the meeting of the Provincial Council, when you might wish to take some action. "Some information with regard to the sale you will find in public advertisements in the newspapers, but all other particulars which you may require we shall be happy to supply you with. " We are, gentlemen, " Yours respectfully, "MOEEISON SCLANDEES, AND Co. •< Nelson, April 27,1872." Tho Chaieman stated that the Board of Works not being a corporate body, could not hold heritable property, and the purchase if made would have to be vested in the Government. After a considerable amount of discussion, the following resolution was proposed by Mr. Lev.ESTAir, and seconded by Mr. Field :—: — " That this meeting does not see any reason to recommend the Government to purchase the plant of the Dun Mountain Railway." No amendment being proposed, the Chairman put the resolution to the meeting, which was carried with only two dissentient voices. A vote of thanks was given to the Chairman, and the meeting separated.

The Mails. — The non-arrival of the Nebraska now three weeks overdue, threatens to derange the whole postal service of the colony, as she Bhould be ready to start with the homeward mail on Thursday next ; and if any accident has befallen her, there will be no steamer to convey the mail to Honolulu. To prevent so serious a break in our correspondence with England, Government have arranged to delay the Albion at Nelson, until Tuesday, so that the mail may be sent by way of Suez, should the Nebraska not turn up in the meantime. Tho Wellington 18 engaged to collect thu mails in the South, and will bring them on here for the Albion, or convey them to Manukau, as circumstances may require. Natiye Intelligence. — The following important intelligence was telegraphed from Waikato to Auckland, on Saturday last : — " A messenger has just started for Auckland with an invitation from thu King to Governor Bowen and the Defence Minister to attend a meeting to be held at Alexandra, at which Tawhiao and all the Hauhau chiefs will be present." Weece op the Ocean Bied. — A whaleboat, under the charge of Captain Levi, waa despatched by the Provincial Government, on Thursday morning, to search the bhores of Stephens and D'Urville Island, to ascertain whether the crew of the above-mv>ed Bchooner, whose wreck is elsewhere reoorded, found a refuge there. Captain Whitwell, of the Charles Edward, lately saw smoke on D'Urville's, on a part not inhabited. The boat and crew got a lift in tho Taranaki as far as the French Pasß.

A Lucky Public Functionaey. — The Sydney sporting correspondent of a Melbourne paper, thus speaks of the late Randwiek meeting, when Hamlet won the Legar, and Prophet the Cup :—: — " Now that Eandwick is over and full reports have come to hand, we know all about it. Favourites generally had a bad time of it, and consequently the ring must have come off best. However, there are some large winners, a wellknown sporting Esculapius having landed a good stake over the Prophet in the Cup, and a high functionary from New Zealand who has had a particularly good time of it since he came to Melbourne, having done ditto over both Leger and Cup. If this gentleman is as 'cute in political financing as he is in betting, then the New Zealanders will do well to keep him at the head of their Treasury, for, not content with pulling off several « Hamlets ' and • Prophets,' and backing both separately, he actually backed the three crack three-year-olds each to get places in the Cup, and as two of them did so, he was rewarded for his pluck.'*

PAINFUL Occubeence. — An event occurred yesterday morning, which, created a painful sensation in town. Mr. W. 0. Hodgson, a gentleman highly esteemed and respected, whose health is of a precarious nature, while suffering from an attack of illness which disturbed his reason, attempted suicide by discharging a pocket revolver which he kept in his bed-room at his head, but fortunately without doing himself any serious injury, the ball only inflicting an external wound. Mr. Hodgson had been delirious and hysterical during tho night, and in the absence of Mra. Hodgson, vrho left him for a brief interval to procure his breakfast, got out of bed and possessed himself of the revolver, with which he wounded himself as stated. Dr. Squires, who was immediately sent for, found on hi 3 arrival thut the loss ol a little blood had calmed the patient, and we trust to hear of his speedy recovery. Up to a late hour lust evening he was progressing very favourably.