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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 183, 5 August 1868, Page 2

The Taranaki, which will convey the Panama Mail to Wellington, not having arrived, no hour can be definitely fixed for the closing of the Mail at the Postofiice, but we are informed that it will certainly not close before 10 o'clock to-morrow morning, and may possibly be later.

No further intelligence has reached us with reference to the Maoris from the North Island, whose arrival at fche Pelorus

:' ; s#d .'caused considerable alarm amongst the settlers there. It seems probable, however, that their fears were unfounded, as it is stated, on the authority of Mr W. Hough, who is generally ' au courant' to the movements of the natives in this neighborhood, that they belorig to the Ngatiawa tribe, oij^ oif whose chiefs, an Old man named #0£ o_ama,0 _ama, has resided for *Q&{\y years past at Waikawa, in the Wairau, and has just died, aud the members of his tribe living in the Wellington district have come over, according to their custom, to hold a * tangi' over the remains of the old chieftain.

The annual meeting of the Nelson Financial Reform League, announced to take place last night at the Provincial Hall, was adjourned until Tuesday evening next the attendance, owing probably to the very inclement state of the weather, being far from numerous, aud it being deemed expedient to await the result of the debate now proceeding on Mr Fox's motion in the House of Representatives.

The election of an Assistant Clerk to the Board of Works takes place this afternoon at 4 o'clock, when a special meeting of the Board will be held, in order to receive and decide upon applications for the ofiice.

The Government Gazette of Friday last contains the report on the Mount Rochfort Coalfields, aud on the best means of bringing the coal to market, made by Mr H. Wrigg, CE. at the request of the Government, on his late visit to the West Coast in. company with Mr Morrison. The report is of a very interesting character, and will amply repay perusal.

We are informed that a meeting of the School of Arts, held on Monday night, at the Central Schoolroom, it was determined to form a club for the practice of athletic exercises, to which boys attending the various town schools will be eligible, and which will include cricket, boating, and other sports, under proper superintendence.

The barque Constance, which has arrived at Auckland from London, reports the gratifying intelligence that she had spoken with H.M.S. Galatea, on the 17th of May last and that then 'All were well on board.' The Galatea Was then in latitude 29.6 S., and longitude 23.34 W., and was therefore speeding towards the island of Ascension, having weathered the storms and other dangers of that dreary Cape Horn. The Prince had therefore reached England, in all human probability, early in July.

In transmitting the Divorce Bill home for her Majesty's assent, it was accompanied by the following memorandum from Mr Stafford : — 'This bill contains similar provisions to the laws now in force in England on the same subject, and is a close copy of the Divorce Act in force in Victoria; but Ministers deem it right to direct attention to the fact that strong doubts have been expressed as to the position in which persons married in England would be placed if they should, after emigrating to 3Sew Zealand, be professedly divoi*ced under the presumed authority of the bill now transmitted, and should afterwards return to England ; it being contended that in such a case such persons might be held to be, in England, legally man and wife, notwithstanding the presumed divorce in New Zealand, Consequently, legislation by the Imperial Parliament would appear to be required with a view to the determination of doubts with respect to a question of such great importance.' As our readers are aware, the Act was assented to, but it is only now, hy the following extract from a despatch written by the Duke of Buckingham, that we learn what had been said about the difficulty raised by Mr Stafford: — ' The Law Officers of the Crown, to whom the subject was referred, are of opinion that the law as regards the status in this country of British subjects who have been married here and divorced out of England, on their return tp this country, is in many respects in an unsatisfactory state, but they consider that a sentence of divorce under the Act now

confirmed^ upon grounds identically the same as those recognised in this country, would be held to be valid here.'

Amongst the bills recently introduced into the General Assembly, is one brought in by Dr Pollen, the representative of the Government in the Legislative Couucil,. which is ot considerable importance, it is intituled 'A Bill for regulatiug the sale aud making of bread, and for preventing the adulteration of flour.'

We learn from Dunedin that the graving dock at Port Chn 1 mers was to be coo£ menced on the 18th ult., his Honor the Superintendent turning the first sod, with some pomp and ceremony. Mr Birch has been re-elected Mayor of Dunedin, without opposition. The Carandinis have had very fair houses at the Princess Theatre during their series df concerts.

The deadlock in Victoria having been unexpectedly terminated by Sir Charles Darling's restoration to his original statusin connection with the Colonial Office,, which will render him eligible for the service pension to which he is entitled iv February next, the Victorian Treasury has been once more unlocked, and public payments resumed, a Ways and Means Bill for £1,950,000 having passed both Houses of Parliament and received the Governor's assent.

We regret to learn that Mr George Loder, the wellknown musician and orchestral {conductor, died on the 15th ult., in the Hospital, at Adelaide, having survived his wife only a few months.

At the conclusion of the service at the Wesleyan Church, Greymouth, on Sunday evening, the 26th ult., the Rev. Mr Shaw gave an explanation ofthe financial position of the Church, aod stated that there yet remained a debt of £100 on the building, which has been paid by two bills, signed by several members of the congregation. These bills were now nearly falling due, and some provision must be made to meet them at maturity. For this purpose he proposed to institute a series of lectures, and had communicated with several gentlemen in Hokitika for the purpose of inducing them to assist in the movement. He purposed inaugurating the series by giving two lectures himself.

We give below a summary of a series of accidents that occurred in Tasmani., and other news : — ' On that sectiou of the Patersonia road, Launceston, for which Mr Blyth is contractor, a fine young man, named John Eowell, son of Mr Rowell, of Young Town, was crushed to death by a log roiling over him. — A soldier named William Trickett, hung himself in the Hobart Town barracks. — A child named Emma Randall, 12 years old, was lost in the bush, at Oatlands, for 12 days, eight of which she was without food. A dog with her caught a wallaby, which she, finding some matches in a deserted hut, cooked and ate. The dog died of starvation, and she, after sleeping in hollow logs every night, found her way back to the hut where she had lived, to find it deserted by the person in charge of her. The police, who were looking out for her, found her there. — Mr George Pritchard, a barrister, and an old colonist, died on the 30th June, at Hobart Town. — The tenders for the construction of the Launceston and Deloraiue Railway, were to have been opened on. the 1 5th July. — A great public meeting held at Hobart Town on the 30th June, to advocate a national railway policy for Tasmania, and the construction of a main trunk line of railway to connect Hobart Town and Launceston, was one of the most earnest demonstrations of the kind which has ever been held in the colony.

A short time ago an English merchant, named Gower, died at Marseilles, bequeathing his collection of pictures and works of art to Liverpool on condition that a suitable building was prepared for their reception. The town council took the precaution to send a deputation to see the collection before accepting it, and at the meeting of the town council on May 13, the deputation reported that the entire collection was not worth removal to Liverpool. The 400 pictures were not worth on an average £5 each, and the bronzes, said to be of aucieut manufacture, were found to be of the coarsest common make, without even an attempt to give them the appearance of age. The bequest was there*? fore declined.

Lord Wharncliffe has been sent a threatening letter by Broadhead, of Sheffield outrages notoriety, in consequence of his lordship having, at a late meeting, pro-

nounced him to be 'a cowardly scoundvel.' In reply to the threat, Lord Wharncliffe has gone further, and declares Broadhead to be 'a sneaking assassin.' The Prince of Wales has presented a handsome pair of Eucharistic candlesticks for use in theparish church ol'Sandringham, Norfolk. A prisoner in Taunton gaol, whose term of imprisonment expires in a short time, has just been left a legacy of £16,000. Professor Blackie is of opinion that he is not worthy the name of a man who would not stand his chance of being shot for the sake of science. The Government of North Germany has abolished imprisonment for debt. Four acres of apparently solid ground in Hamilton county, Florida, recently sunk to the depth of 50 feet, the pit thus formed beiug gradually filled with water.