The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 85, 11 April 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1867.

By the Nelson which arrived last evening from the West Coast, we have authentic intelligence respecting a new rush which set in a few miles north of the Buller a shore time since. The name of tiie river is, we believe, the Orowaiti, which owes its mime to a somewhat amusiug circumstance. It appears that when Dr. Hector was exploring there this name puzzled him,' as being a tolerably good Maori scholar, he could not trace the derivation of the word. Several persons learned in the native language were consulted in vain, dictionaries were ransacked, and an Auckland savant was at length appealed to. It turned out at length, that the natives true to their instinct for mimicking English sounds as in the case of picopo, for bishop, Kawana, for Governor, and hickapenny, for sixpence, called the river from Old Waite, primitive settler aud one who has left foot prints on the sands of the West Coast. To this place the milling population have been flocking from all the places on the coast for a week or two past, and eye witnesses confidently state that the rush is assuming considerable proportions. Of course all the papers on the coast speak cautiously of the new diggings, aud adopt the sermouisiug strain that is usual when their readers show a disposition to make tracks for other goldfields. It is a great fact, nevertheless, that the gold-mining is rapidly extending on the ground north of the Buller, and that ere long we may expect to fiud a permareut gold-field being explored in the neighborhood. To suppose that the gold is confined to a particular spot iv a vast couutry where the auriferous indications are everywhere almost the same, may suit those who are trading on the iudustry of a population assumed to be permanent ; but it will not be believed by the cosmopolitan digger who makes the world the field for his exertions. As the Dew rush has taken place in our own province,we may naturally besupposed to take some interest in its progress and results. The Provincial Government will soon have enough to do to open up tracks, spau rivers, create provisional Governments, aud legislate in local matters for the nomadic and indomitable race who are tending this way with their useful discoveries. The Superintendent must be wide awake, the Provincial Engineer must sleep with one eye open, and the Council must take time by the forelock, to furnish all possible facilities to those who, while seeking to enrich themselves, are adding to the resources of the province iv particular, and increasing the importance of the colony generally. We almost fear that the expen-

diture demanded of the Government will be almost more than they can furnish, hut a strong effort must be made to meet the exigencies of the occasion, and we doubt not all will be done that human sagacity cau devise or energy attempt. The report of. Mr. Groom the recent explorer of the Karamea district, was laid before our readers yesterday, and doubtless read with that interest its importance could not fail to create. To open up the Karamea district by furnishing means of communication with Nelson, and every spot where gold may be fairly assumed to exist, will no doubt be considered by the Provincial Government its immediate and paramount duty. In fact tlie means of supplying the mining population with provisions on reasonable terms, is the great problem lo be solved, the secret of our commercial prosperity, aud no effort must be .pared to achieve the necessary result. Misfortunes, they say, never come alone, and prosperity frequently comes in showers. We think the tide of prosperity will yet set in and it will be the part of a vigilant Government to take it at the flood and lead us on to fortune. We are fully aware of the large expectations entertained by srome persons, that the country will be ultimately opened, by a railway or tramway, but under the most favorable circums'ances, a long time will elapse before this can be accomplished. There is no reason to doubt that the rivers and gullies north of the Buller are as rich in the mineral treasure as those south of it, and it is the opinion of the best judges, that the Mokiuui, the Waimangaroa, the Karamea, and other rivers will be the centres of vast and highly remunerative gold-fields. There is also a large quantity of land available for pastoral and agricultural purposes, with an exhaustless supply of coal scattered broadcast over the province. Whilst waiting for capitalists to step in and improve the golden opportunity, the mining population will develop the material resources of the country themselves, if they are assisted in surmountiuii the difficulties of com municat ion which nature has created, as if to stimulate human iudustry and enterprise, to avail themselves of its undiscovered riches. The prosperity of Nelson must depend to a great extent on its means of trading with fiese numerous gold-fields which cannot fail to spring up and manifest various degrees of development; and we trust the Provincial Government, will, notwithstanding the railway, which the sooner it is made the better we shall be pleased, co-operate with the miners in developing our mineral resources, by opening up the country in every possible way, and transforming the wealth producers from being mere migratory spendthrifts, into a settled community because satisfied with hearths and homes. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, to-day Marian Robertson, charged with drunken and indecent conduct, by constables Murphy, and White, was fined iv the sum of 10s. and costs. William Banks waa sentenced to 28 days imprisonment in Nelson gaol, for deserting from the Fairy Belle. We are indebted lo the officers of the Airedale, which arrived this morniug, for the following exchanges : — New Zealand Advertiser, April 10 ; Wellington Evening Post, April 6 and S; Taranaki Herald, March 30 ; New Zealaud Weekly Herald, March 30. The Band of Hope met last night, in full force, in the Temperance Hall. The children were addressed by the Eev. J. Davis ancl Mr. B. Crisp. They were told to be at the Hall next Monday, by 9 o'clock in the morning, in order to rehearse the part they would have to take in the proceedings of the day. The children were requested to bring their parents with them, as the tea was . "intended, for all comers as well as the temperance members. A statement that would alarm persons of weak digestion was made with the utmost nonchalance by the worthy President, which was, that "he had got

half a ton of stuff ready, and they had to eat .it." Strange to say, none of the juveniles fainted, but a great number assured the considerate purveyor of good things, that he would have.no reason to complain of their want of appetite, and that for once they would eat both sides of their mouth. The juvenile loyalty displayed was most exemplary. The Mataura arrived at Wellington this morning, a few minutes after 11 o'clock, with the Patiama mail. We understand the deteutiou was caused by a deficiency of coal. We have been expecting our usual telegram of English news all the day,' but it had not. arrived at our usual time of going to press. Should it come this evening we will issue an extra. The 1.0.0.F.,M.U., Lodge of OddFellows had their annual dinner at the Crown Hotel, Montreal-street, Christchurcb, on the 4th instant, as we learn from the Times. Brother N.G. Parkius presided, aud Brothers N.G. Elviues and N.G. Bailee were vice-presidents. The dinner was an excellent one, and about BO sal down to it. We take the following from the Grey River Argus: — The attractious of the Nelson gold-fields are considerably increased by tho fact that the Government of that province promptly follows in the footsteps of the miners, and does its duty in furthering the development of the resources of the country. It is no wonder, therefore, that new discoveries ou the Nelson side of the boundary always secure a large accession of population, and this population becomes more or less fixed. If a new rush brings together a larger population than can find immediate employment the hand of the Government is at once ready to direct the superabundant labour into a new channel. Those who cannot satisfy themselves in one locality are encouraged to push their researches into others, knowing that in the event of their proving successful, the fostering care of the authorities will assist them. We (Hokitika Evening Star) are informed that the United Extended Company, Kauieri, had a trial vashiug of 1£ loads of washdirt, and obtained tlie handsome return of 6| ounces of gold. The great difficulty this company has bad to conteud with is now quite overcome, and a large number of miners (we believe 43) are now employed. Should tbe result of their future labor prove as satisfactory as tlie trial, tbose having capital invested in tlie mine may reasonably look forward to regular dividends, and success beyond their most, sanguine expectations. We (Grey Argus) have again the painful task of reporting another fatal mining accident at Nelson Creek, Upper Grey. A man named William Huuter, one of a party engaged, in bringing iv a large water-race, was working on a cutting through a rock about .50 feet high, when a large mass, weighing about 200 tons, suddenly gave way, and hurled him across the creek, crushing him in a frightful manner. One of his mates named Allen was also carried down and severely injured about the legs, but he is now recovering. An inquest was held on the body of the unfortunate victim, when a verdict of accidental death was returned. The Hokitika Fire Brigade have received from Melbourne, by the Alhatnbra, 400 feet of vulcanised india-rubber hose, with patent American couplings, which arc fastened together by means of a bite instead of a screw, and enables the joinings to be made in a very few seconds. Notifications of the registration, under the Joint Stock Companies Act, of the Hokitika and Hau-hau Tramway Co., and the Ross and Hokitika Tramway Co. have been made in the NNcrw r Zealand Gazette of the 2oth ult. The Melbourne Argus has the following ou intercolonial law: — During the stay in Melbourne of the gentlemen who came to represent the several colonies at the Postal Conference, they held a meeting to consider the state of the law with respect to the arrest in one colony of persons guilty of offences iv any other.' The Imperial Act at present iv force only extends to cases of treason and felony, and consequently offenders guilty of wife desertion and minor otfeuces cannot be arrested as soon as they pass the borders of the colony in which their transgression of the law has been committed. After some consultation, it was mutually agreed that a despatch should be forwarded by each Colonial Government to the Imperial authorities, requesting that a short Act should be passed extendiug the provisions of the measure referred to misdemeanors.