THE RAILWAY LOAN.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 804, 27 May 1865, Page 2

THE RAILWAY LOAN.

Lettebs have been received from Mr. Selfe stating that the balance of the £50,000 worth of debentures for last year, of which about £36,000 still remained unsold at the departure of the last mail, has been disposed of a&an average rate of a little under 90 per cent., and that he had had an offer for the whole of the 50,000 for this year, at 90. If this is accepted, it will pay off the whole advance of the Union Bank and leave a credit to the Province of about £70,000. Our xeaders are aware that only £50,000 of the Lyttelton and Christchurch railway loan can be "placed on Ihe market each year. But as the-next instalment may be disposed of; in London in January neit, any fear of I

financial disaster, owing to the freah engagements contracted by the Province are entirely dissipated. The sale of these debentures at a rate 15 per cent, higher than the price at which the securities of neigh ouring Provinces have been recently disposed of, andinthefaceofacall for £400,0000n General Government debentures bearing 8 per cent, interest—whilst ours bear only 6 per cent. — is a most encouraging evidence of the im- ! proving state of the money market, and of the stability of the credit of Canterbury.

Telegbams pboji the South. —We have received telegrams from Dunedin and the Bluff up to 5.30 p.m. yesterday. The only news they contain is of the arrival of the Jessie Gilbert at the Bluff with immigrants, all well. Business remains quiet.

SrrTESGfI IK CHA3IBEB3. —The following cases were heard in Chambers yesterday before his Honor Mr. Justice Gresson: — In re John Malkam Carter, deceased —Mr. Leonard Harper obtained the usual order authorising the registration of probate instead of original will. Leo and another v. Porter—Mr. Wynn Williams obtained an order to enter up judgment by default for the sum of £511 18s 4d. Peacock v. O'Neil — Mr. Wynn Williams obtained leave to enter up judgment for possession of tho premises mentioned in the writ. His Honor granted an order for the examination of Mr. Joshua Cuff, with a view to his admission as a solicitor of the Supreme Court. In re C. Oswald, a debtor —Mr. Slater obtained leave for the consideration of deed of arrangement to stand over until Friday next. In re C. Oswald (No. 2.) —Mr. Cowlishaw upon the affidavit of Mr. Seager, the receiver, obtained a rule nisi calling upon the debtor to show cause why his order of protection should not be discharged. Bule nisi re Slater. The Court was occupied for nearly three hours in hearing arguments in support of and opposition to the rule nisi obtained by Mr. Wynn Williams in the estate of H. D. Manning. As Mr. Slater had paid the amount received into the hands of the trustee, Mr. Williams con3en ted to the rule being discharged. His Honor ordered the costs to be paid by Mr. Slater.

Billiard Match.—A billiard match for £20 a-side, 300 up, was played on Thursday afternoon, at the White Hart Hotel, between Mr. E. W. Nicholson and Mr. B. La'Mert. Some good play was made on both Bides, but Mr. Nicholson had the best of the game from the beginning, and won easily by 114 points; the time occupied being one hour and forty minutes. The match had excited considerable interest and there was a good attendance.

Monster Pumpkik.—There was exhibited yesterday, hi the shop of Messrs. Steward and Tetley, High street, a pumpkin of the enormous weight of 1041bs. This monster vegetable was grown in the Windmill road, and is nearly egg-shaped, measuring in circumference the long way, 5 feet, 9 inches, and in its smallest part, 4 feet 7 inches.

Latest fbom Hokitika.—By the steamer New Zealand we have received a letter from a correspondent at Hokitika, from which we subjoin the following extracts. The letter is dated, May 15:—There is nothing new to report unless that a large township is going up five miles from here up the Hokitika river. I should have gone there to-day, but it was too wet. It is stated that it will soon be as large as this place, and if this place goes on as it has daring the last few weeks it will leave Christchurch in the shade. Gold has been obtained there in payable quantities, and deep sinking is spoken of as having been discovered. Provisions are getting cheaper every day; the 41b loaf was Bold as low as Is., at present it is Is. 6d ; fresh meat from 9d. to Is. per lb. Hotels and other buildings are going up here in a style not to be equalled (in some cases) in Christchurch. The weather has been very changeable this last three weeks, hardly a day without rain, but as winter is near at hand some good dry weather is looked for, that being the dry season here. The gold escort return for the last seven weeks has been 84,000 ozs. Dr. Haast has returned from a trip to the Three and Six-mile, and speaks in the highest terms of the auriferous nature of the ground ; he says that the Canterbury goldfields are only in their infancy. He is now. on a trip to the south. Since writing the above I have heard from a party just returned from the Five-mile that it is as rich as the Six-mile, with a larger extent of ground.

Pbdtcess' Theatbe. —Mr. Tom Taylor's beautiful play of "Plot and Passion" was performed last night; we have only space to say that it was well acted and very favorably received. Miss Cooper, as Madame de Fontanges, took a difficult part with great success; Mr. Dale was a very good representative of Fouche, and Mr. Richardson, as the Marquis de Cevennes, had to sustain one of those flighty amusing characters in which he always excels. Mr. Harding took the part of De Neuville, the lover, and played it with energy and spirit. But the leading character in the play is that of the Secretary Desmarets, and that could not have been in better hands than Mr. Hall's. Except an occasional tendency to overdo the part, and so diminish the effect by making it grotesque, his acting was always good, and at times exceedingly powerfid. The play is to be repeated to-night, and that pretty little comedy, " Sweethearts and Wives," forms the afterpiece. Mr. Hall could hardly have selected a better bill, and if the weather will give him a chance we have no doubt get a capital house.