LOcal Intelligence.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVIII, Issue 63, 6 August 1859, Page 2

LOcal Intelligence.

New Government Buildings. — By an advertisement which appears in another part of this paper it will be Been that the foundation stone of the new Council Chamber and government offices will be laid by his Honour the Superintendent on Friday the 26th instant. We presume the occasion will be observed as a general holiday.

Waitohi. — We have received information of an outrage recently committed by some intoxicated natives at Waitohi, but as an investigation into the matter will immediately take place, we refrain from giving the particulars until the result is known.

The Gold I'ield3. — By a proclamation in the General Government Gazette of July 25, we find that her Majesty has been pleased to assent to the following acts passed in the last session of tho General Assembly, viz :—": — " An Act for granting a Duty upon Gold," and "An Act to make provision for tho Management of Gold Fields in the Colony of New Zealand." The management of the Nelson Gold Fields is therefore taken from the Provincial authorities and placed in the hands of the General Government. By the first mentioned act an export duty of two shillings and sixpence per ounce is imposed on all gold sent ont of the colony, and from this duty the province which produces the gold will derive the principal benefit. Apropos of this matter we learn that there is about 1,200 ounces to be forwarded by the mail steamer to Sydney ; and had the news about the allowance of the act arrived only a few days later, this large quantity would just have escaped the duty. A reduction of one shilling per ounce in the price of gold has however been made for some months by the gold buyers, in anticipation of this act coming into force. Flax. — In addition to the leaf of dressed flax from Mr. M'Glashan's mill which was recently noticed ,in this journal, we have been favoured with a sample from Mr. E. Wastney's manufactory at Wakapuaka^ and this latter specimen also appears to be got up in a very creditable manner, and will, it is to behoped, befound a profitablcarticle of export. We learn that in addition to the flax dressing operations which are being pursued on a considerable scale at theWakapuaka factory, the proprietor of the establishment intends next week to have a large quantity of the flax cenverted into rope, which he hopes to be able to produce for sale at a much cheaper price than this article has hitherto realized.

Colonists at Cotjbt. — Her Majesty held a levee at St. James's Palace, on the 11th May, when, among numerous presentations, the following gentlemen had the honour of kissing hand3 :— The honourable Sir C. Clifford, Speaker of the House of Representatives, New Zealand ; Mr. E. W. Stafford, Colonial Secretary and Premier of New Zealand ; both presentations by the Earl of Carnarvon. — New Zelander, July 20.

Native Affaiks. — A notice in the Government Gazette of July 27, announces that her Majesty has been pleased to withhold her assent to the following Act passed by the General Assembly of New Zealand, viz.: — " An Act to enable the Native tribes of New Zealand to have their territorial rights ascertained, and to authorize the issue in certain cases of Crown Grants to Natives."

Acts of the Genebal Assembly.— ln addition to those elsewhere alluded to, the following Acts of the General Assembly have been assented to by her Majesty, and have come into operation within the colony : — An Act to provide for the establishment of New Provinces in New Zealand ; An Act to bring into operation, within the Colony of New Zealand, certain Provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854 ; An Act to enable the Provincial Councils to pass Laws for diverting Public Roads and Watercourses, and for disposing of the Land over which the same passed ; An Act to alter the Sums granted to her Majesty by the Constitution Act for Civil and Judicial Services ; An Act to amend the Law defining and settling the Rights of Holders of Land Orders and Land Scrip ; An Act to regulate the Local Affairs of Native Districts ; and An Act to make better Provision for tho Administration of Justice in Native Districts.

Testimonial to Mb. W. Hough. — The following list of subscriptions towards a testimonial to Mr. William Hough, of this town, for la's services in aiding the development of the Nelson Gold*fields has been forwarded to us by Mr. C. Sewell, with a request that it might be published. We readily comply with the request : —

1 Subscription List. £ s. d. Alfred Fell (paid) . . . 5 0 0 Curtis Brothers (paid) . . 3 3 0 Nicholson and Ridings (paid) . 5 0 0 Thomas Renwick (paid) . . 6 6 0 Morrison and Sclanders (paid) 6 5 0 W. Wilson (paid) . . . 3 3 0 John Poynter (paid) . . 3 3 0 Dr. Monro (paid) . . . 1 10 0 0. and J. Elliott (paid) . . 3 3 0 Charles Harley (paid) . . 3 3 0 John Symons (paid) . . 110 James P. Black (paid) . . 110 D. Moore (paid) . . . 110 T. C. B. (paid) . . . 110 Maxwell Bury (paid) . . 110 J. D. Greenwood (paid) . . 110 N. T. Lockhart (paid) . . 110 J. R. Dodson (paid) . . 110 E. Buxton . . . . 110 E. W. Stafford . . . 3 3 0 R. K. Newcome (paid) . . 110 William Cresswell (paid) . 0 5 0 E. Cresswell (paid) . . 0 5 0 James B. Wemyss (paid) . 22 0 Thomas Fagan (paid) . . 0 5 0 John Jones (paid) . . . 0 5 0 G-eorge Baker (paid) . . 0 5 0 R. Burn (paid) . . . 0 5 0 Joseph Webb (paid) . . 010 0 Jonas (paid) . . . . 2 2 0 Robert Powell (paid) . . 110 J. Nancarrow (paid) . . 0 10 6 James S. Cross (paid) . . 10 0 Edward Stanton . . . 0 5 0 W. Robinson, Wairau West . 2 2 0 E. Baigent (paid) . . . 010 0 Mrs. Smith (paid) . . . 0 5 0 Thos. Smith (paid) . . . 0 5 0 Alex. Ken 1 (paid) . . . 110 A. Aitken (paid) . . . 010 6 W. R. Waters (paid) . . 0 5 0 Thomas Anslow (paid) . . 0 50C. King (paid) . . . 0 2 6 J. Goodman (paid) . . 0 2 6 H. Hargreaves . . . 12 0 Geo. Batchelor (paid) . . 0 5 0 Mrs. W. Walker (paid) . . 0 5 0 Mrs. Taylor (paid) . . . 0 2 6 John Carter (paid) . . . 0 10 0 Thomas Askew (paid) . . 110 Mrs. Snow (paid) . . . 0 10 6 W. O. Cautley (paid) . . 1. 1 0 David Burns (paid) . . 0 5 0 H. L.N.Clark . . . 0 7 6 Wm. Thos. Locke Travers (paid) 110 Geo. H. Myers . . . 0 10 6 James Leggatt (p&id) . . 05 0 William Andrews (paid) . . 0 5 0 John Hume (paid) . . . 010 0 Wm. Robinson . . . 10 0 George Aiken (paid) • , 10 0 C. Lloyd (paid) . . . 0 2 6 Wm. Gibbs . . . . 010 6 Henry Adams (paid) . . 110 a Sewell . . . . 1 10 0 A Friend . . . . 0 5 0 Mrs.Etty . . . . 0 5 0 Samuel Kingdon . . . 110 A. Waimaa . . . . 0 5 0 J. Pratt (paid) . . . 0 2 6 Robert Coulman (paid) . . 06 0 Thomas Gt. Freeman . . 0 10 0 M. H. Smart (paid) . . 0 2 6 T. Clark (paid) . . . 0 5 0