The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 222, 18 September 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1868.

The annual meeting of the Nelson Volunteer Fire Brigade takes place at 7 o'clock this evening at the Brigade Room, Harley-street, for the election of officers for the current year, and for the transaction of other connected with the body. . We have received a letter signed Henry Neal, iu reference to a paragraph which appeared in our issue of yesterday, adverting to the alleged inhuman treatment of a horse in Bronti-street, on Wednesday last, by a carter named Gilson. Our correspondent states that he was an eyewitness of the whole affair ; that Gilson was employed in removing a load of goods from Brook Street Valley to Shelbourne Street ; he had delivered one load, and was bringing the second, (which he states to have been of very trifling weight), when the accident'occurred, not on the top of the hill near Trafalgar Street South, but on the level ground near Collingwoodstreet. The horse jibbed a great many times, and Gilson then took his whip aud struck the horse, who reared and fell on tbe broad of his back, one of the dray shafts by some accident running into his flank, and inflicting the wound from which the horse shortly afterwards died, and not from injuries produced by blows from Gilson's whip. Our correspondent ' states that he assisted to cut the harness in order to extricate the animal, and vouches for the truth of his statement. He also denies that any expostulations addressed to Gilson were unheeded by him, and makes the state of the road in Brontistreet the primary cause of the accident. We insert this explanation for the sake of fair play, and we heartily trust for the interests of humanity, that this version of the occurrence may prove to be true. Wellington telegrams state that a letter from Colonel M'Donnell had been presented to the House of Representatives, by order of the Governor, on Thursday evening, which had created much excitement, the letter accusing Messrs Fox and Travers of utter falsehood. The Speaker ruled that the letter could not be received, but Mr Stafford said that nevertheless the letter should be published in Hansard, — The same evening, as we have already stated, Mr Stafford made a powerful reply to Mr M'Lean's motion on the action of the Government in reference to defence and native affairs, and a division then ensued on the question whether tbe further consideration of Mr M'Lean's or Mr Fox's resolutions should take precedence. The Government insisted on the latter, which was carried by a majority of 38 to 31, and these numbers are said to represent the relative strength of the belligerent parties. Mr Stafford, after expressing the weariness which he experienced from the protracted nature of the contest, said that he should consider whether it was worth while sacrificing all that made life . dear, by a further continuance of the struggle, on which so much time had already beeu spent. Mr Wells, contrary to expectation, spoke in favor of the Government, Mr Ormond, the member for Clive, Hawke's Bay, speaking in opposition. We copy the following from a Westport letter, dated September 10: — I was surprised to sea the amount of work done since I was here (Waite's Pakihis) last. There are many acres of cement which would pay with proper machinery, and there would be employment for hundreds

of men for years, who have been driven away to Queensland and Auckland. Had there been a dray-road instead of a horsetrack through Waite's Pahihis, -which would have cost no more than £1 a chain, goods and machinery could be conveyed at a moderate rate, instead of 15s. "per cwt. as by packhorse, and thus tho capital tlie men took with them would have been spent in the country, and acres of cement lying waste, would be iu a fair way of being crushed, at remunerative profits. You cannot take up a piece the size of an egg without gold in it. There are several parties rnakiug a fair return by hand labor upon it. There are quartz reefs in Victoria which do not give such a show as this cement. It is easily crushed and on the surface, and not a tenth of the labor is required as in quartz-crushing. There are miles of it, and plenty of timber and water. A Westport telegram in the Grey River Argus of the 15th inst., which reached us this morning by the Nelso n , states that the Brighton rush is causing considerable excitement. Stocks there are reported to be low, aud additional police much wanted. A telegram was received from Mr Warden Broad, on Wednesday last, stating that three fresh claims had struck gold on the prospectors' spur near Brighton. There is great excitement in that neighborhood, and every section in Brighton is again occupied, though but a few weeks ago houses, sections, all literally went begging, and no one could be found to take them as a gift. The Westport Star says that the Auckland attraction does not seem to affect the Caledonian and Giles's districts in the slightest degree. The population there has considerably increased since the Auckland and Queensland rushes commenced, and, unless some extraordinary tidings come to hand, it is not likely to decrease for many months to come. Miners generally are well satisfied with their claims and prospects, and the large population are earning more than good wages. The Hokitika papers announce the death of Mr Archibald Bonar, nephew of Mr Bonar, M.H.R., a gentleman conspicuous for his generosity of disposition and kindhearteduess, which took place on Saturday evening last.