NELSON.

Marlborough Press, Volume I, Issue 20, 19 May 1860, Page 2

NELSON.

[from odr own correspondent.] Our two papers are pretty well filled this week with “ Summaries for European Mail.” In the Council a vote of censure was endeavoured to be carried on the Government on the appointment of second pilot to this port. It was foiled, however, and a vote of commendation substituted, and carried by ten to six. The office, therefore, is not, as in the case of the headsman of old, to be hereditary, but to be given to the best man. The probable expenditure for the present year is estimated to be £45,722 11s. 5d.; or, by another statement, £49,488 11s. 2d. A list of volunteers in the different districts has been published. The city of Nelson cuts a sorry appearance. How is this ? Their dress is to be grey colour, with scarlet facings, with the Winchester tunic and cap. The number in No. 1, City Company, is 77 (Nos. 2 and 3 reserved) ) No. 4, Wakapuaka, 48; No. 5, Motueka, 96 ; No. 6, Waimea-east, 78; No. 7, Waimea-south, 76: No. 8, Waimea-west, 49. There has been a case of horse stealing tried in the Police Court. The culprit is a native. The horse was the property of Mr. Webby, who valued it at £IOO. It was traced to Motueka, where it was sold for £ls ! The prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment, with hard labour. The other case was for a breach of articles by a seaman, who had engaged to serve on board the Martha, but was not forthcoming when wanted. One month with hard labour. The notorious Mrs. Abbott has got three months through inability to find sureties “ to keep the peace towards her husband.” It is gratifying to see that you are about to start a Building Society in Marlborough. Success to the undertaking. Every assistance that can be rendered it will be cheerfully given by the very successful society established here. Our Savings Bank deposits amounted to £371 7s. 6d. on Saturday last.

A memorial has been framed for presentation to the House of Representatives and Legislative Council on the rejected Compensation : Bill. This bill was passed by the Council here, after a careful investigation of every claim by a committee, who took a deal of pains in the matter. The committee consisted of Messrs. Domett, Kingdon, and Thompson, who spent much time in the matter. A violent article appeared in one of our papers, wherein the writer fell foul of “ purchase,” “ consolidation,” “re-selection,” and “compensation,” “ original land purchasers,” &c., &c.; and denounced compensation under Fox as a “bullying scramble,” not a judicial adjudication ;” and wound up by quoting Lord John Russell’s opinion concerning the “three-hundred pounders,” as they are termed by this hot writer.

Our Government, on the outbreak at Taranaki, removed the powder from the Boulder-bank to the windmill for a time. A place is being made in the hill near Saltwater Bridge. It will be eighteen feet long, nine feet high, and six feet wide. The Victorian war steam-ship Victoria came down here from Taranaki, where she had landed 150 troops from Hobart Town, to coal. A poor fellow was nearly drowned through the breaking of a ringbolt of the boat in hoisting. He was carried up the harbour by a flood tide. The gallant Lieut. Woods jumped overboard, but, through heavy clothes and boots, was obliged to make for shore. Trewhellar, Kidson, and Morrison took Mr. Poynter’s. boat, and rescued the man close to the new wharf. It was nearly an hour before animation was restored. This shows the necessity of never giving up hopes of saving life under such circumstances, as has been done in several instances. It has been known that life lias been restored, by proper methods, after it has appeared extinct for hours. Lieut. Woods sent a letter of thanks to the “unknown few” who assisted in I‘estoring the seaman. By the Auckland papers there seems to be no fear of natives in that province, and orders have been sent to Taranaki that the “ war is to be carried on vigorously.” We never get the slightest communication from any of our numerous gold-fields—-.Aorere, Anatoki, or Tadmore. From private sources ire hear pretty good accounts of the latter; but they are decidedly summer diggings. Our cheery friend of the Takaka, through some imaginary cause, keeps “ a mute, inglorious silence of late.” No correspondence has appeared in either of the papers here of late, which is rather surprising, considering that the Council is sitting, the volunteers are drilling, the militiamen about to be called out, the ditches about are dirty, there are holes in the roads, the town clock does not keep time, new licenses are granted to publichouses, West Coast coal has been pronounced better than any other. All these things surely ought to give an impetus to the cacoethes scribendi of the writers unattached.

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