THE NELSON EXAMINER.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XV, Issue 2, 5 April 1856, Page 2

THE NELSON EXAMINER.

Saturday, April 5, 185 G.

JournaU become more necessary as men become more equa and individualism more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they serve only to lecure liberty: they maintain civilization. DR ToCttDEVILLB. Of Democracy in America, vol. v., p. 230.

Considerable interest has been excited within the last few days by rumours of gold discoveries at Massacre Bay ; and although the stories circulated have greatly exaggerated facts, they are not altogether without foundation. The real circumstances, we believe, are, that gold was found in small quantities about three months since, in the beds of some small streams between the Takaka and Aorere rivers, by two young men living in the neighbourhood, who have been engaged in gold digging in Australia, if not in California as well, and the fact was communicated to the Local Government at the time ; but, as Mr. M 'Lean's arrival was then expected daily, to finally extinguish the native title to all the land in the province, and as there was a dispute between the settlers ami the natives in the very neighbourhood where the gold was found, the Government requested the parties who had made the discovery to remain silent respecting it until the natives had been finally settled with for the land. This having been done, the search for gold in the district is now being prosecuted, but we are not yet informed with whßt success. A party of old diggers started from Nelson for the spot a few days ago, with the requisite tools, and we may therefore expect shortly to hear a report of their proceedings.

We wish to remind persons whose names are not on the Electoral Roll that they must send in their claims to be registered as electors of the province during the present month. Occupiers of tenements of the annual value of £10 in the town or £5 in the country, as well as leaseholders and landowners, are entitled to become electors of the province, and should send in their claims to the constable of the district in which they reside, or to the Resident Magistrate in Nelson, to have their name 3, put upon the roll.

By the arrival of the Gil Bias from Wellington, we are placed in possession of later English news, extending to the 7th December, brought by the R.M.S. Marco Polo. The intelligence from the seat of war is interesting and of a general character. Prince Gortschakoff no longer shows any disposition to seek in the field the engagement for which he asked and obtained the Czar's permission : it is now too late to retreat, and his only alternative is that of remaining where he is, so long as he can feed his troops and defend his position. The old rumours of an attack have lately revived, and should it prove a failure, the main body of the Russians would evacuate the Crimea. In addition to this, there is a report that there was a dearth of stores for the winter, in consequence of the destruction by fire of one of the principal commissariat depots. The fire was attributed, in the Russian camp, to incendiaries in the pay of the allies. Though the report of an attack is not credited, the apprehended dearth in the Russian camp, is pretty certain, as the difficulties of transporting adequate supplies are insufferable; the difficulty of obtaining supplies has been lately much increased by the activity of our naval force in the Sea of Azoff ; a flotilla, under the orders of Captain Osborne, having lately destroyed enormous quantities of grain and forage. The loss of these stores to the Russians may be estimated from the fact, that they were packed in six tiers, and extended two miles along the coast ; Captain Osborne having likewise destroyed innumerable boats and fisheries along the north coast of the Sea of Azoff. The destruction of the fisheries is almost as great a calamity as the loss of stores, as fish is one of the principal articles upon which the soldiers subsist. Additional extracts of an interesting nature will be found in the columns of this present is&u^.