Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 46, 25 February 1867, Page 2

We take the following from the Brighton Times of the 13th instant : — Divine service was conducted on Sunday last at the Court-house, by the Rev. W. Lewis, the rev. gentlemen delivering an excellent discourse in the evening from Paul's exhortation to the Corinthians, " So run that ye may obtain." The Courthouse was crowded both morning and evening, and the Word of Life listened to with the most eager and devout attention. We regret that Mr Lewis is about to leave the town for Nelson, en route the Buller and Pakihi, to-day, as his ministrations have proved to be of the most valuable benefit to many of his hearers, and we hope that he will speedily be permitted to visit, us again. Upwards of £30, we are informed have been subscribed by residents of almost every creed towards paying Mr. Lewis's expenses, and we have only to add that the wish of the inhabitants is that he or some other clergyman may shortly be permanently stationed amongst them.

The Wanganui Times says that the price of land in the Patea is entirely ruled by the rank of the owner, and that while an officer can sell at £2 to £2 10s an acre, the non-commissioned officers and men are not nearly so fortunate, sergeants' land selling at 24s 6d per acre ; corporals', at 22s 6d ; and privates at 19s.

In reply to the memorial from some of the residents in Wanganui, the Secretary to the Postmaster-General's Department has written to say that Wanganui will be one of the first places in which a Postoffice Savings' Bank will be established, and that at an early date.

His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston opened the Criminal Sessions at Napier on the sth instant. There were only four cases for trial, and of these two were against the same prisoner.

It is satisfactory to know that there are colonists plucky enough to take themselves and their property into the centre of this island, and pass close to the scene of the last reported disturbance without fear of molestation. We (New Zealand Advertiser) learn from the Hawke's Bay Herald of the sth inst. that Mr. Bucklaud, after his departure en route for Waikato, returned upon receiving a message which was sent out after him, with the important intelligence received from Tauranga. Mr Bucklaud, however, proceeded on his way, simply iutending, as a precautionary step, upon reaching a certain stage of his journey to send forward some of his party of natives to ascertain the state of the Waikato country. In all, 600 head of cattle leave the district for Waikato — 300 for Mr. Buckland, and 300 for Mr. Firth.

The treasurer of the Kapanga Gold Mining Company has received 418 ozs. of gold from Coromandel, the proceeds of one month's crushing. Commenting on the fact, the New Zealand Herald says : — The steady returns from the Kapanga mine, and the handsome interest which it pays its shareholders, must surely go a long way to prove that Coromandel is a gold-field in its infancy only. If the people of Auckland would only display a little more energy, they might derive some benefit from what is really within their reach — a payable gold-field.

A Mr. Chadwick, writing to the Daily Southern Cross concerning the late outbreak at Tauranga, says that the block of land on which the fighting has taken place is part of the confiscated block of 50,000 acres. He was present at the time the bouudary was defined by Sir George Grey, together with his Honor the Superintendent. The Maoris attacked have always objected to the confiscation or sale of any of the land, and always stated they would oppose the settlement of that district. They never surrendered, but always stayed in the bush.

We (New Zealand Herald) have received several accounts from eye-witnesses of the recent fight at Tauranga, and all accord the highest praise to the courage of the raw as well as the veteran combatants. Colonel Harrington is reported to have heen cool and resolute, the bullets whizzing round him in every direction, ever and anon repeating, "Be cool, men, be cool, and fire low." It was Eaid by many that he was made a mark by the enemy, and some say by a few rascally " whites," who are supposed to be with the Maoris. As for Captain Frazer, it is said the spirit of Clan Frazer was in the ascendant, that lighting with trousers becoming inconvenient, he girded up his loins with, some say, a Maori mat, and, sword in hand, rushed into the melee. As for Captain Skeet, he also behaved with distinguished courage at the head of his engineers and surveyors. Taking the men and the occasion, every man did his duty well ; and we hope to hear that the Maori has found the Pakeha his equal in physical strength, and his superior in pluck and daring. We learn from the Evening Post that the balance-sheet of the Wellington Savings' Bank for the quarter ended 31st December, 1866, shows that debentures bearing interest at 6 per cent, the mortgage on freehold property, and other items amount to £6,151 6s. 9d., and the balance in favour of the bank is stated to be £1,131 7s. 4d. On the 30th of last September the number of deposit accounts ■were 286, and during the December quarter the. names of 38 new depositors were added to the list.

At tine first annual meeting of the Wanganui Land, Building, and Investment Society, a profit of £310 6s. 6d. on the year's transactions was announced, being equivalent to 13 per cent, on the shares paid up.

The West Coast Times has a report of a case in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Eyan and Cullen v. Bank of New South Wales — Mr. Rees appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Reid for the defendant. It appeared that some time back the Bank of New South Wales advanced the plaintiffs a sum of money to purchase gold with on their behalf. Gold was purchased to the value of £130, which was stolen from plaintiffs' store — £100 only of that amount was the property of the bank, the balance (30) the property of the plaintiffs. On hearing of the robbery Mr. Preshaw, the manager of the Bank of New South Wales, gave orders that the private account of Messrs. Eyan and Cullen be debited with that sum. Their account was accordingly debited to the amount of £97 25., the balance at that time. The plaintiff subsequently gave a cheque for £100, which was returned marked "N.S.F." It was argued by the counsel for the defendants that the robbery was owing in a great measure to the carelessuess of the plaintiffs. This the Resident Magistrate refused to take into consideration in this case, and, holding that Mr. Preshaw was not justified in. interfering with the plaintiffs' private account, gave judgment for £97 2s. and costs. The Melbourne Argus of 28th January, says : — It is welL known that colonial chemists and druggists are in the habit of receiving by every mail the circulars of certain houses in Hamburg, offering essences, a few drops of which, it is stated, will immediately produce brandy, gin, or rum, of "the most perfect flavour." That such essences do find their way to this colony there is little doubt, and not only does illicit distillation cheat the revenue, but it assists, by means of these foreign poisons, to sow the seeds of insanity, with all its accompanying horrors, in the stomachs and brains of habitual dram drinkers. The ironclad to be built for the use of the colony of Victoria will be a most formidable vessel. She will be a turret-ship, fitted with twin screws, and having two keels. Her sides will be plated with eight inch iron, her deck with three inch, and her turrets with ten inch. She will be armed with four six-hundred pound guns, and she will have sufficient speed to enable her to act as a ram. We learn from our Melbourne files, that it is intended to keep the Exhibition open until the end of the present mouth. Although the attendance has slightly fallen off, it is still very large, and up to the 24th nit. 211,458 persons had visited the building. The Prussian Government, at all times chary about giving information respecting the gun, have done all they can to keep the mixture of the detonating powder a secret. It is supposed to consist of 52| per cent, chlorate of potash, 29| antimony, and 18 of sulphur.