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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 98, 29 April 1867, Page 2

We learn that afire took place at Westport on Friday morning, at Mr. Eeuben Waite's Hotel, which at one time threatened the destruction of the entire building. Fortunately, there was no wind at the time, and the fire, which broke out about 4 a.m., was confined to the back part of the premises, which were totally destroyed. The damage is estimated at not more than £100. . We perceive that both the Canterbury Times and the Waikouaiti Herald are publishing weekly the autobiography of Burgess, the Mauugatapu murderer, as published by our contemporaries at the time of the trial. It appears that intelligence was received by the last mail that the Queen has refused her assent to the addresses of the two Houses of Parliament in South Australia, praying for the removal of Judge Boothby. This result might, we think, have been anticipated ; had there been any proof of malversation, of corruption of office, or of absolute failure of judgment on the part of the judge, and not merely of iufirmity of temper, a different response might have been looked for. The Canterbury Press, referring to the tunnel on the railway in process of formation between Christchurch and Lyttelton, g a y S : _» The official report of progress at the tunnel up to March 31 shows that of the estimated length of 2838 yards 2795 yards had been driven. As there remained only forty-three yards at the endof last month, we may fairly hope that both ends of the driving may meet by the middle of May at the latest." The Argus of the 14th iust., announces the death of Dr. Burnstall, who had arrived by the last mail from Grail c, from the bite of a cobra di capello, which he had brought with him from Ceylon. It seems that he was exhibiting the reptile, •with which he was accustomed to play, to some» friends, when it suddenly bit him on the hand. Kemedies were shortly afterwards applied, and he was removed to the Hospital, where he shortly afterwards expired in great agony. The London Correspondent of the Argus writing on February 26, says : — It is stated that arrangements bave been made for establishing a coaling depot at the island of Oparo, or Eapa, in the Pacific Ocean, as a reserve in the event at any time of a steamer running short of fuel. As ten voyages have been completed between Panama, New Zealand, and Sy dney, which were more or less experimental, and they have each been performed within a few hours of the contract time, and without the vessels touching at any intermediate port between Wellington and Panama, it is assumed that the circumstances that might necessitate a steamer taking in a supplemental supply at Oparo would be entirely exceptional. The island is situated in lat. 29 deg. 40 mm. S., and. long. 144 deg. W., iv the direct track of the vessels. It possesses an excellent harbor, and is inhabited by about 500 friendly natives. We extract the following from the London corespondence ' of the Melbourne Argus for Febrnary, which will be interesting at the present epoch in our financial history : — During the present plethora of money, there is a perfect scramble on the part of some of the minor colonies to get possession of a portion of the large balances lying idle at the banks. The Province of Wellington, on the 30th January, applied ' for the' modest sum of £50,000, and, was handsomely offered £182,500. .The required amount was

taken at £106 per 8 per cent, debenture. This success emboldened the Bank of New Zealand, as agent for the Province of Canterbury, to come forward for £300,000, in 6 per cent. Government debentures. But the attempted negotiation proved a humiliating failure. On examining the tenders on the 12th February, it was discovered that the biddings were merely for £47,550, of which only £3,900 were at and above the minimum of 92 per cent. It "was announced that subscriptions would continue to be received at that price up to the 15th February, but the result of this extension of time was very unsatisfactory. Commenting on this rather puzzling rebuff, the Times remarked : — " This apparently abortive result seems to show the impolicy ox the course pursued by the small local governments of the colony in pressing their loans individually on the London market, instead of conducting all their financial arrangements, so far as loans in this country are concerned, through and under the sanction of the General Government of New Zealand. That colony has not authorised any loans since 1863, whatever amounts remain to be put forth being part of the sum then voted by the General Assembly, and the present quotation of its debentures is 103 ; but in the meanwhile we have had a Wellington 8 per cent, loan, an Otago 6 per cent, loan, aud now a Canterbury 6 per cent, loan, all offered at prices which, although quite high enough, or perhaps too high, looking st the purely limited character of the security, are far below those of the regular New Zealand bouds, and, of course, tend to depreciate the issues of the colony, especially among that portion of the public who are not aware of the existing distinctions. The sooner the system is brought to an end the better, since, if it be encouraged, there will be similar applications whenever money is abundant here from every little colonial district or municipality that may feel the temptation of speculative borrowing." The Daily News, iv attempting to account for the failure, said : — "ln view of the continued demand for colonial Government securities in the London market, it would appear that the temporarily unsatisfactory character of these results is chiefly attributable to the unpopularity of the system, vow so generally adopted on such occasions, of making the public bid, as it were, in the dark. Many capitalists do not understand this mode of transacting business, as is indicated by the extravagantly high or unduly low prices which are in some instances sent in." The Panama Star and Herald of the 26fch February, remarking on the delay in the arrival of the 'steamer at the Atlantic side of the Isthmus, says :— " The Eoyal Mail steamer with the British mails for the Pacific is, at the time we write, some three days behind time, and, if she is not in Aspinwall this morning, both the Central and South American steamers will be again obliged to proceed to sea without the mails and passengers from Europe. The Australian steamer Mataura is also thrown sadly behind time by this detention, that vessel being ready for sea ever since the 23rd instant. The steamers of the Royal Mail Company appear to be peculiary unfortunate for mouths past, ia never arriving on their regular day, and we must confess that we consider the occasional excuse of quarantine at Jamaica, no excuse whatever, because they," in the first place, arrive greatly behind time at that port, and in the second place, if they run the risk of being quarantined, they should not touch there at all. We trust something will be done to avoid the loss and annoyances occasioned by these detentions in future. The ships of all the other lines connected with this Isthmus, even the Australian steamers on their long voyages, manage to make schedule time, and it is discreditable in the highest degree, to the largest, wealthiest, and oldest company of the whole, that their vessels should be the only ones at fault, and that too so frequently. We can assure the Directors in London, that any appearance of neglect of the interest of the mercantile community on the Pacific, if persistently followed, will, before long, be found to act in the most damaging manner against the Company itself, and in such a way too, as to be beyond remedy, in view of the many other modes of transportation at present existing across the Atlantic. The Company's business cannot be better managed on this Isthmus, than it is at present ; but, if a bungling, red tape system, is to be for ever pursued at head-quarters in London, and no at-

tempts made there to remedy evils or avoid temporary obstacles, dissatisfaction must exist, uo matter how competently the agencies may be managed." The Melbourne Age, referring to the effect of the protective tariff in causing a demand for labor, says : — It is a fact that in all directions there are more openings for skilled workman and workwoman than there are people to fill the vacancies. The demand for trained operatives is already in excess of the supply. Turning to the advertising columns of a metropolitan daily journal, we find, upon one day this week, sixty -six advertisements addressed to and by tradesmen . Four of these are from persons seeking work, and sixty-two from employers needing workmen. The four advertisers out of employment are a gardener, a cordial maker, a carpenter and a buttonhole maker. The operatives wanted are for an immense varieties of employments, but chiefly for tailors, tailoresses, shirtmakers, straw-sewers, and bootmakers. Iv some cases as many as fifty employees are sought for in a single advertisement, and in othera the demand is for an indefinite number. Holloway's Ointment and Pills. — Throat Affections. — At all seasons complaints of the throat are common, therefore the means of cure should he generally known. The simple sore throat, hoarseness, relaxed uvola, quinsy, and diptheria, may be treated most successfully by fomenting the neck and chest with warm water, and afterwards diligently rubbing in Holloway's Ointment. Moderate aperient doses of his Pills should form part of this easy treatment. Both Ointment and Pills are adapted to people of all ages and every condition, the operations of both are so gentle, soothing, and purifying ; while the mildness of their effect will not shock the feeblest constitution of either adult or child. The instructions wrapped round each pot and box are so brief and intelligible that any nursery attendant can understand them. 2307