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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 206, 1 November 1866, Page 2

Yesterday the Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Works opened the tenders •which had been sent in, for work at corner of Vanguard and Gloucester streets. The work ■was the filling up of a footpath there. Tenders were received as follows : — Bray £8 155., Devaney £8, J. Bradcock £7, Spencer for Lock £26 10s. The tender of Bradcock was accepted. There was a large attendance of the Band of Hope, at the Temperance Hall, last evening. From 600 to 700 children wore present, Mr. Crisp in the chair. The Itev. Mr. Davis delivered an address on temperance ; and the magic lantern was shown, to the great delight of the juvenile spectators.

The chairman announced that the children would be treated to tea and cake, on the Prince of Wales' birthday, on which occasion they would walk through the towu in procession, to the music of the drum and fife band. The band is composed of from 15 to 20 youngsters, whom Mr Speed hopes to make tolerably good musicians. A good drum and fife band would be a great acquisition to the town. We hope the band now in training will discourse good music on the 9th inst. The advisability of establishing Courts of Arbitration in this colony was considered during the late session of Parliament by a Select Committee, and from the report made by them we (Independent) glean some valuable information. It would appear that the system of arbitration has been for many years in operation, with marked success, iu France, the northern States of Europe, and in parts of South America. In Norway particularly this plan has worked well. There is a court there called the Parish Court of Mutual Agreemeut, presided over by a layman, and in which only laymen are allowed to practise. Every case is first investigated there before any attempt is made to have it investigated by the higher tribunals, and in most instances is finally settled; but even if it is not, the subsequent pi'oceedings are much simplified, as in the higher courts no new matter is admitted into the case. After giving information as to the working of Courts of Conciliation and Arbitration in other parts, the Committee suggested that the Government should consider the subject during the recess, with the view of carrying ont the principle of arbitration in this colony by way of experiment in one or two localities, The Hokitika E. Star says — We believe that the police authorities have a difficult task before them in reference to Sullivan, for there is such a deeply-rooted detestation to the scoundrel amongst all classes that sum- . mary justice is not at all unlikely to be dealt out to him if permitted to be publicly seen. As we heard stated yesterday, both the "square heads" aud the " crooke'd heads," i.e., the honest and dishonest portion of the population, all have an equal "down" on him the first named through horror of his crimes, the latter from his turning Queen's evidence in reference to them. It will require all the care possible to protect the prisoner-witness aud to prevent wild justice being brought into play. As to the value of such evidence as he may give, the bench will have to decide. The Otago Police Gazette of Ist ult. announces that the sum of £3 has been paid to Sergeant Benjamin Britton (]No. 192), Waitahuna Police, from the Reward Fund, in acknowledgment of the tact and zeal displayed by him in the arrest of Johu Conroy, alias Con Murphy, who has received cumulative sentences amounting to two years for stealing from a dray, and stealing from dwellings. The M. Express says that a section of 150 acres of swampy land at the Bush, belonging to Mr. Attwood, receutly sold to Messrs. Hathaway and Bush for £1100, showing the value of laud in the vicinity of Blenheim. Major Richardson has been appointed to act on behalf of the colony, with Commissary General Jones, in adjusting the accounts with the Imperial Government, in place of Dr. Knight, who was originally appointed. The G. R. Argus has the following account of the Pakihi diggings, which are, we presume, identical with those we have already referred to on the Buller: — The Pakihi is all the talk amougst diggers just now, and considerable excitement has been occasioned by rumored accounts of good success at these new diggings. During the ia?t few days the North Beach has presented a scene of life and activity, reminding one of the palmy days of the diggings between the flagstaff and Point Elizabeth — longstrings of miners swagladen plodding along on the shingle, bound for a walk of about 50 miles to the Pakihi. Whilst we are without direct information from the new diggings, we have learnt a few particulars which we believe may be generally considered as near the truth. The diggings are chiefly on an extensive flat; the stripping is from 9 inches to a foot; and there are 18 inches to 2 feet of washdirt. There is both shallow and deep ground, and the prospects

obtained have varied from a few grains to % dwt. to the dish. For supplies the miners will have to depend on the Buller, a track from which place has recently been cut. A new landing-place, accessible to small coasting craft, has been discovered a little to the northward of the spot visited by the p.s. Woodpecker, but it is only safe to enter in very fine weather. Without a suitable steamer, such as the little Woodpecker, it is hardly likely that any considerable quantity of stores can be forwarded from Grey mouth. Should the Pakihi diggings turn out as favorably as many persons predict they will, they will afford room for hundreds of men, the area of country bearing the same character as the ground now being worked being very extensive. •""""The Dunstau Times reports the discovery ; of a number of Maori relics, in the shape of i greenstone chisels aud tomahawks. They ! were found in excavating the foundation of ■ anour mill, proving that the Maoris formerly lived in the Lake District. ~~ The G. R. Argus congratulates its readers on the success which has followed the attempt to establish a steam tug at the port. It will remove any ground the owuers of the ocean steamers now have for slighting the port. Andrew Jarvey, one of the sons of the late notorious Captain Jarvey, was recently ■charged at Hokitika with stealing from the vessel in which he was a cabin boy. He was dismissed with a caution. The W. C. Times reports a robbery of 100 ozs. of gold at the Scandinavian rush, where a large number of the thieving fraternity have established themselves. The hospital at Greymouth, says the Argus, is full there being 20 patients in the building 1 , and there is accommodation for 24 only. The quantity of gold shipped from the Grey district has been 260,315 ozs. during the present month the quantity has been 17,072 oz. The G. B. Argus says it is satisfactory to know that, thanks to the indefatigable vigilance of the police under Mr. Inspector James, and probably also to the fact that a number of known suspects have left the district, very few cases of crime have occurred in Greymouth lately, and the town 13 unusually orderly. Mr. and Mrs. Constable have arrived at Hokitika, the latter being well known as Miss Joe} 1 " Gougenheim, whose reputation as a clever acti'ess is wide spread in the colonies. The Star describes the ceremony, which took place a few days ago, of laying the first rail of the Hokitika and Greymouth Tramway, saying, it is unnecessary for us to make any lengthened comment on the advantages to "Hokitika that will arise out of the successful prosecution of this scheme, as we feel sure "they are recognised by every resident on the coast. Artesian well boring is attended by marked success in Eastern Canterbury, as may be seen from the following extract taken from the Press : — On Thursday last the boring of an artesian well was completed by Mr. C. Fairweather, at the Cheltenham boardiughouse, near Kaiapoi. Water was met with throughout the sinking from 30 feet from the surface to 94 feet, at which latter depth the real spring was tapped, and now the well has a capital overflow of over six feet above ground. The last cylinder of the wharf-extension at Wellington was driven home on the 20th inst., and the fact was announced by hoisting a flag on the large sheer-legs above it. The accommodation for shipping will be greatly increased by this addition, and the end of the wharf now runs into such deep water that the Panama steamers will be able to come alongside the outer T. The G. R. Argus states that a few> days a°"O a number of merchants and others assembled at the Albion Hotel, to give a complimentary farewell supper to Mr. J. Packer Martin, late agent of the Union Bank of Australia at Greymoutb, who is proceeding to Hokitika. A purse of sovereigns was presented to Mr. Martin, and the unanimous good wishes of the company assembled were conveyed to him in appropriate speeches. Mr. Martin has been agent of the Union

Bank ever since the earliest days of the Grey diggings, and has earned the respect and esteem of all with whom he has been connected. His successor is, we understand, Mr. Worth, formerly of Queenstown, Otago. The following notice appears in the Canterbury Provincial Government Gazette in reference to the quarantine ground: — No cattle shall be driven or removed from the said quarantine ground into any other portion of the Province of Canterbury, and any person driving or removing, or causing to be driven or removed, or assisting in driving or removing any cattle from the said quarantine ground into any other portion of the Province of Canterbury, shall be liable to a penalty of £50 for every head of cattle so imported, driven, or removed. The following is from the Hokitika Star : — One of those lamentable occurrences for which the West Coast has become so unhappily notorious took place at the Arahura lately. It appears that an Italian aud his bride, who had been that day married, were returning to the Waimea, whither they were escorted by a countryman of the bridegroom's, named Paul, and a female friend of the bride's. The two latter started for Hokitika the same night, and although on arriving at the Arahura that river was found very much swollen and the current running at a terrible speed, they nevertheless essayed the passage of the river. On reaching mid-stream both were swept from their horses, and strange to relate the female, owing if; must be presumed to the buoyant properties of her skirts and crinoline, succeeded in reaching the opposite bank in safety, but in a very exhausted condition. Her companion, Paul, disappeared almost .immediately, but news has reached town that the body has been recovered at a spot about half-a-mile beyond the Ballarat Hotel. Both horses were recovered* It is suggested by the New Zealand Herald, that to prevent the spread of incendiarism, a viligance committee should be appointed. Our contemporary remarks that there is no safeguard against the evil unless the inhabitants themselves take the matter in hand, divide the city and suburbs iuto districts, and form vigilance committees in each district, appointing patrols as a public safeguard. The evil has reached to so serious a length that active measures need to be at once initiated if the public safety is to be preserved. The native owners of the Taupake block, 13,500 acres in extent, and situated between the Waitakerei and Kaipara, having obtained a certificate from the Court under the Native Land Act, 1865, have had the block surveyed iuto sections from 50 acres to 500 acres each, and have 1 placed it in Mr. Samuel Cochrane's hands for sale by public auction. We (W. C. Times) learn that an affair of a very unpleasant character took place in the Cafe de Paris. Mr. Carey, of the firm of Messrs. Carey and Gillies, stated that the passengers by the Panama line of steamers complained of being starved. Mr. John White, the agent of the company replied that he did not credit the statement, and if made, that it was untrue. After a lapse of a few hours Mr. Carey meeting Mr. White in the Cafe, demanded if Mr. White would repeat his assertion, and Mr. White replied that if Mr. Carey would repeat his assertion, he, Mr. White would repeat it until morning. Mr. Carey thereupon assaulted Mr. White, and we understand that the latter gentleman has instituted proceedings in the Supreme Court for the assault. We are not surprised that Mr. White should exhibit some indignation at the charge made against the company he represents, for it is very well known to ourselves, as well as to all travellers by this company's steamers, that the victualling department is conducted in the most liberal spirit. The Age cites as a proof of the rapidity with which the country of the Far North is being taken up, that Mr Augustus Parker has brought down from the place where Burke and Wills perished, . a draft of fat cattle probably never excelled for condition and size, some of them being computed to weigh 1300 lbs, and looking as fresh as if they travelled but a short distance.

We (Argus)' had the pleasure of inspecting at Mr Hines's interesting fine arts collection, Collins street, two large water-color drawings by Mr Gully, of New Zealand, .which, are about to be deposited in the picture-gallery of the Intercolonial Exhibition. One of these drawings represents a storm on the dividing range between Nelson and Marlborough ; tLe other "the Western tier, Middle Island." Both are truly magnificent works of art, the former being especially remarkable for its bold and effective treatment. They have been finished with extreme care and concientiousness, and at a first glance appear to have all the force and distinctness of oil paintings. The Melbourne papers contain accounts of a great flood which took place on the sth ult... and inundated a large portion of the suburbs. It was not so high by three feet as the flood of 1863, but it destroyed a large amount of property. The gale set in at Adelaide on the night of the 3rd to the 4th, and reached Melbourne on the afternoon' of the 4th. The land on the banks of the Yarra was entirely covered. The water was two feet in depth in the warehouses in Flinders-laue, and the people had to be conveyed in boats. The Melbourne gasworks were suspended. It is stated that the quantity of rain that fell was less than two inches, and as this is not a very extraordinary quantity, some means must be devised to find an outlet for the storm waters, to prevent the destruction to property which these periodical floods cause.