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Marlborough Express, Volume XIII, Issue 1010, 23 March 1878, Page 5

We are informed that the raft of timber that came ashore south of Tflaxbourne some weeks ago is still there, awaiting a claimant.

We learn that a challenge has been sent by the Blenheim Volunteers to the Spring Creek Company for a match to come off next Saturday Bangea 400, 500, and 600, 15 men a side.

Cyrus Goui/ter, Esq. has been appointed by the Governor to be auditor of the accounts of the Education Board of Marlborough.

We are requested to state that Mr Bae has received the cash for the Blenheim prizes in Lynch's Sweep on the Dunedin Cup amounting to £27 12s, which awaits the convenience of winners. '

The Mr Hamer, agent for the Bank of New Zealand at Boss, who has got into trouble over his trust there, is we' believe a young man named Hamer, who some few years ago was in Blenheim.

A shop will be found missing this morning from "the corner," where it was last night. It has been bodily shifted to a site in Alfred-street by its owner, Mr Scott, confectioner, who has just removed into his new and handsome shop near Collie's Bridge.

There is something wrong somewhere when people in Blenheim find it worth while to import their bread from Renwick. Such, however is the fact, and the baker finds it worth his while to bring it. What are our local bakers about to stand it?

News was received here yesterday that a splendid find of specimens had taken place this week at Blackwood's Bay, the next bay lower down the. Sound than the Golden Point. Our informant is quite reliable, although there is nothing in the Picton paper respecting it;

"Good gold has been struck on the terrace behind Wilson's Beach, Wakamarina," was the message xeceived by us two days agoFurther enquiries elicited that several shafts have been sunk on the terrace in question, which it was expected would be bottomed within the last day or two.

It may be useful to once more remind those readers who have not yet registered their claims to be placed on the Electoral Roll, that they can have forms f gratis'-at our office, that the time for receiving them is limited to 31st March, and that the Registration Officer for Blenheim and Picton districts is Mr Oyrus Goulter, Blenheim,

We notice that Dr Deane, the successor to Dr Willaims, has arrived with his family and all his household gods. • He announces elsewhere that he will be prepared to commence practice on Monday next. Dr Reid, late of the Grainsbbrongh, has concluded arrangements for settling at Picton, where there was a great want for a medical man.

We gather from'a return jugt published that there are 452 native aborigines in Marlborough f6r whose use reserves to the amount of 21,414 acres 2 roods 8 perches have been created, or about one-fifth the whole reserves in the Middle Island. Nelson and Marlborough topether contain 892 natives and 97,979 acres of reserves for their use. It would only be fair if this laud was charged with a trifling impost towards the making and maintenance of the roads, which are as free to aborigines as Europeans. .

Speaking of the Soldenes' performance in Wellington, the Times says of one of the players : — "Mr Campbell played with much taste,- and as a shepherd looked particularly handsome !" W.e imagine that if the critic had. had a little experience over here, say a season among the hack ranges, he would have changed his opinion. It would fcwiden Mr Campbell's sphere of knowledge also if he took a turn. There are shepherds and stage shepherds and there is no comparison between the two.

Golden Point.— We are informed by a Pictori correspondent that the story of the jumping of the claim at Golden Point is incorrect. McDermot and party, finding that the auriferous reefs dipped into the sea, asked permission from the local director to sink a sfjaft and erect an engine on the Company's leased ground, offering to give to the Company all the quartz met with in driving through their claim. This the local director had not the power to accept. The matter is referred to 'the Board of Directors in Wellington.

We hear that a day or two ago some ducks belonging to Captain Dalton on being killed were found to. have perceptible pieces of gold in their inaides. As these ducks had been kept up it followed on enquiry that they had been fed on gravel fetched from the Wairau river, from a site somewhere near Vickerman's Ford. The man who brought the gravel has furnished himself with a tin-dish and forming a small rush on his own account has taken his departure for the gravel bed with the object of ascertaining whether it will pay to spend a little time in the development of a new gold field on the North bank of Wairau.

As will be seen by the following, necessity,,, the motheEjOf invention, has evolved something from one "of the wind and rain beaten brains of Wellington. We wish them much and long enjoyment of the "storm" hat, and regret that it had not been invented long ago. We hope that it will prove strong enough to resist flying pebbles and brickbats. As some of the people here are often forced to visit the Empire City, and not being acclimatised to the Wellington weather, nor possessing a relish for aerirl paving stones, we would strongly recommend a shipment, of the "storm " hat. The Argus gravely informs us that — " Mr C. Hill, hatter, has commenced the manufacture of a new species of 'bell-topper.' called the 'storm' hat. It is made of cloth instead of silk or felt, and is guaranteed to stand all sorts of weather."

Upon the law affecting t marriage between persons of different religious persuasions, "M. W." writes to the Auckland Star as follows : — " Fifteen years ago I was married to my present husband at the Roman Catholic church ; I being a member of that church, and my husband a Protestant. Is this ceremony not binding, and is not the marriage legal ? During the past three years I have had to submit to all kinds of insults from my husband, who is continually telling me I am no wife, and that our marriage is all a farce. Please give a reply to this as early as possible, as i am most anxious to know my position, and that of my children." The Editor replies in a footnote : — " Our correspondent may make her mind perfectly easy. The marriage law of New Zealand takes no cognizanSfe of religious distinctions, A registrars certificate having been legally obtained, a clergyman of any denomination may marry persons of of different religions, and;the marriage is quite legal."

The Railway. — We learn that the extension" will take the following route, if, when Mr Mackay the land purchaser for the Government comes in a few days, he is able to purchase the land at all reasonably. Crossing the river about where the punt is working, the proposed line leads along a. short street, over Mr H. Jellyman'a section, late Kitchen's, Dodson's paddock, cross Johnson street, Godfrey's, Budge's, pass in the rear of the cottages fronting Grove Road, front of Dr Williams' house, cross Nelson street, Sail's and Fell's sections, to eastern side of Sinclair ttreet, where the station will probably be. Along this line there is not a single house in the way and it is also very short. A correspondent whose authenticity is indisputable wrote us from Wellington this week saying, "I have spoken to Mr Macandrew on the subject (of the railway) who expressed his determination to push on the Extension until it reaches the. town." There appears to be some misconception as to the estimated cost of the new Opawa Railway Bridge ; some persons valuing it at £4000 and others £2000. We learn that the estimated cost, if erected where originally projected, is £10,000, while at the point lower down it will only be £4009. There is another feature in the matter. If the old route be followed the line will have to cross" at least nine streets, hot including those in Newtown, better j known as. Bomfords paddock ; while on the new. route there will be only three. Of course at every crossing there will be some kind.'of difficulty or hindrance to traffic. „

THAi? S"ew Zealand continues to maintain her position as one of the largest wool producing countries in the' world, is shown by a return which has just been received in town from London/ The return gives the total number of balea of wool exported from this colony as about 350;«06;fpr the year 1877, and the New Zealand Loaia aod Mercantile Agency Company exported 34,027 bales, or about onr-tenth of the whole. This is not bad, considering that the total number of exporters is 76. The company referred to, during the period named, exported upwards &of 20,000 bales more than any other body. The total number of bales exported, by the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company from the whole of the Australian colonies during the year 1877 was 48,165, and it stands third on the Hst of Australian exporters. This proves clearly enough that the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency does a large share of the wool exporting business of the colonies, and the shareholders of the company should reap large profits from their venture. — Argus.

Each year since the pissing of the Act there has been a difficulty experienced by the Clerks of Road Boards and Municipalities in complying with the law relative to the registra-' tion of ratepayers, as to the proper form which would be acceptpd by the Registration Officer. This year Mr Goulter informs us that he will receive lists of ratepayers for registration, with the. following headings : — Christian name and surname; place of abode ; nature of qualification; place where property situate or description of same ; amount of assessment. Once more we would caution all those who are entitled to, have their names placed on the roll, or who have changed their place of abode, to make a fresh claim during the next week. They can do :so ,oq application at our office. After 2 p.m. on Saturday next they will h&fe.towait another year. Every man who has any political creed, or cares anything about hiß "political privileges should consider whether he is on the the roll or entitled to be. Presently he will regret any neglect.

The Governmeut Buildings are making perceptible progress towards completion. The caudal appendages have been fixed to the lions and unicorns this week, and many jokes are extant about them. One friend of ours burst yesterday with the following : — " If an earthquake occurred and you ran out of tne front door, whether would you that the lion fell on you or the unicorn ?" Of course we felt somewhat puzzled for a second, and decided on the unicorn if it must be one of the two. Some spikes have been fixed on the balls which ornament the top of the buildings, which do not improve its appearance, and the statues are now going up to fill the niches below the clock. By the. way, when these statues were in process of construction we enquired what they were intended to represent, and were informed that they were "Justice" and "Patience" respectively. There was an air of appropriateness about the first, but how the second came in we could not guess. Yesterday, however, a light broke upon our benighted understanding, and remembering the long period that our railway has been on the way we perceived that it was intended to place on record the long-suffering patience of the people of the Wairau in regard to the Picton line.

Genteel society in Wellington will be on the look out, as their papers announce that the Earl of Lewes, is now on his way from Napier to Wellington by the overiand route.

It has been calculated (says the Hokitika Star) that the River Clutha discharges into the foceaa 1,600,000 cubic feet water per minute, being a larger quantity than the Nile, and- sixteen times that of the Thames. It is at present navigable 59 miles from its mouth, and presents no engineering difficulties to prevent navigation to its source, within 55 miles of the West Coast.

Floods. — The Wmr&r&ipa, Register of the 1 lth instant says:— "There weresome heavy floods in the rivers on Sunday morning. The Tauherenikau was bank high in both channels, while the Waiohine sent a large body of water through Grey town, crossing the street near the Rising Sun Hotel, and washing a small portion of the footpath away. At the northern end of the town it ran through a number of houses. It is said to be the highest flood that has occurred for three years. The Waingawa ran over both ends of the bridge, but like the others did no damage. The Ruamahunga and Waipoua were also very high."