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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 7, 9 January 1867, Page 3

The homeward Suez mail, by the Airedale, closes to-morrow at 5 p.m. Letters must be marked " via Suez," or they -will remain until next Panama mail. News has reached Wanganui that the body of the late Mr. Gr. Fisk, who was drowned from the s.s. Range tira on the 15th ultimo, was found at Opanako on the 22nd, and buried there on the 23rd. We learn from the Marlboro' Express that the well-known Wairau horse, Sportsman, has been purchased by Mr. John Robinson, who is training him for the Wellington races. Mr. P. R. M'Rae is also training a young horse for the same meeting. The Wanganui Caledonian Gathering passed off most successfully, and was very largely attended by the residents in the district and the excursionists from Wellington who visited the ground on both days of the sports. At an inquest held at Wellington, on the body of Mr. M'Millan, the jury returned an immediate verdict to the effect that deceased had committed suicide when in a temporary fit of insanity, brought on by excessive drinking. We (E. Post) understand that the ship Electra, the first on the berth for London, has now on board 1,800 bales of wool, and that her full complement is 2,600 bales so she will probably be unable to sail until after the 20th inst. The Olago Daily. Times of the sth inst. says -.—Staples continue nearly at last quoted prices, increased shipments of several articles . having been counteracted by an extra first cost, and by the rather improved demand which in some instances is apparent. In flour, operations continue so limited as to keep the market at nominal quotations, though there is no disposition on the part of. the holders to give away to any extent, for the purpose of making ! sales. In teas, business is done at sus- [ tamed values. The demand continues i fair, particularly for good descriptions,

although it is known that shipments of new teas are near at hand. On the last day in the old year, the dwellinghouse of Mr. Reynolds, father of Mr. Reynolds, M.R.H., of Dunedin, was destroyed by fire. Mr. Reynolds, who is upwards of 80 years of age, was with difficulty rescued from the flames by Mrs. Reynolds, but not before he had sustained such injuries as resulted in his death. The ship Winterthur left Auckland for London on the 27th uit., with a cargo of wool, oil, and kauri gum, valued at £35,000. At a meeting of the shareholders of the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company recently held in Auckland, the proposed amalgamation of that company with the Panama Company was freely discussed, and generally disapproved of. The caterpillar, we see by the Auckland papers, is making great havoc with the grain crops about Otahuhu, Mangarei, and Wairoa. Oats, wheat, and barley have had to be cut green for hay, and some farmers are reported to have lost some hundreds of pounds. The W. E. Post, January 7th, learns by way of Auckland that his Excellency Sir George Grey spent Christmas Day at Taupo with the natives, between whom and himself every cordiality appeared to exist. Sir George was to strike overland for Wanganui, which place he will probably have reached by now. Aa official, inquiry, as soon as possible, will be held at Auckland on the wrecks of the s.s. Pioneer and barque Cambodia, wrecked on the Manukau bar. The Provincial Council of Southland is appointed to meet on the 14th inst. The Times says that the session will be a highly important one. We (E. Post) understand that a meeting of the creditors of a person but a few weeks in business in Wellington is about being held ; and, if such be the case, it will be absolutely necessary that a most inquisitorial examination of the alleged insolvent's affairs should take place, so that honest men may not in this instance, as in many others of late in Wellington, be victimised by designing and fraudulent knaves. We (E. Post) regret to learn that Capt. M'Donnell's wound threatens to. disable him for life. During the past week several pieces of bone have been extracted, which proves that the fracture is more extensive than had been at first supposed. He is obliged to keep more to his bed again. Advices, says the W. E. Post, were received in Napier by the last mail from England via Panama, to the effect that emigration on a large scale was about to take place to the Province of Hawke's Bay. The ship selected was the Montmorency, to sail on the 22nd November. The immigrants, the number of whom is not officially known, but which the agents estimate at 250, were to be selected by Miss Rye. There are nearly eleven hundred Masonic lodges under the control of the Grand Lodge of England ; of this number some one hundred and seventy are in London, or within 'ten miles of the Freemasons' Hall in Great Queen-street ; over five hundred and sixty are scattered over other parts of England and Wales. Rutlandshire has none. Bedfordshire but three, while Lancashire has nearly one hundred. There are others in the Channel Islands, India, (there are ten in Calcutta,) Cape of Good Hope, West Indies, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand. The lst, 6th, 12th, Mth, 31st, and 89th Regiments of Foot have lodges attached to their respective corps. In addition to these, there are nearly one thousand Royal Arch chapters under the same jurisdiction. In the above numbers are not, of course, included lodges in Scotland or Ireland ; each of which countries has its own grand lodge. In rqumi numbers, there are about one million \nd a quarter of Free and Accepted Masons scattered upon the face of the globe! ' Of this number some 150,000 are Scotch, 50,000 Irish. There are about 600,000 on the continent of Europe; half- that number in the United States ; and 50,000 in other parts of the world. In England there are about two or three thousand persons initiated each year ; and Papal allocutions and feminine denunciations notwithstanding, the Masonic body is said to be increasing everywhere. It is probable that King George of Hanover will soon repair t© England.

Not long ago a hawk was seen by Mr. P. Robertson, of Bacchus Marsh,* Victoria, to dart from a considerable elevation to the road near the Djerriwarri Creek. As the bird did not ascend, Mr. Robertson went to the spot to ascertain the cause, and to his astonishment. saw a large snake coiled around the legs and body of the hawk, but the bird had a firm hold of the snake's head. The hawk could only jump about, but could not rise. At last, by a peculiar shake, the bird freed himself and flew to a tree. Mr. Robertson then examined the snake, and found the neck broken. This is the second snake the ' same person has seen this season on the same spot. A somewhat important discovery (says the Melbourne Argus) has recently been made at the Currawong Copper Mines, in New South Wales. It seems that a considerable layer of what appeared 6and of a peculiar kind was passed through, and considered of no value. After a time however, as the supposed sand was found to be heavy, and to contain numerous shining particles of some mineral, samples were sent round to Melbourne for examination, and were entrusted to Mr. Paterson, of the Bank of Australasia, for assay. He discovered that the mineral was an oxide of lead, giving 68 per cent, of metal. Lead has never been found in this form in such quantity as to make the deposit valuable to commerce. Lead is much wanted for local industries. It has been imported extensively, and we trust the Currawong Company may soon be able to supply the demand from the vein or deposit they possess. A young lady (we copy from the Reader) was put into a train on the point of starting, when a gentleman rushed up and got in. At this, her friends who were seeing her off were rather annoyed, but thought it did not much signify. Shortly after the train had Btarted the gentleman jumped up and exclaimed, "This carriage is to heavy , it must be lightened," and straightway his carpet bag disappeared out of the window. He sits still a few minutes, when he begins again, aud this time his coat and waistcoat follow his bag. After a little while he said, "Let us pray for the Duke of Glo'ster." Down they go on their knees, the poor girl only 17, too frightened to do anything but obey. When that was done they prayed for the Duke of York, -and then for another — in fact, through a whole string of dukes ; they then sit down, the young lady frightened out of her senses . After a few minutes he begins again : "It won't do; I cant stand it; the rain is too heavy, either you or I must get out; I don't want to, bo you must go." Thefgirl in despair, says, "But we have not prayed for the Duke of Northumberland." " ah ! no more we have." Down they go again on their knees, when, luckily, the train stopped at a station, and the young lady called the guard, when it was discovered tht the gentleman was a lunatic escaped from Hanwell.