News of the Day.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 60, 19 May 1868, Page 2

News of the Day.

CUSTOMS REVENUE. The Gazette, of the 7th. instant, gives tho following return of the Customs revenue raised in all the provinces, for (he quarter ended the 31st of March last, and for the corresponding quarter last year : —

It will be seen from the above, that there has been a falling olf of Customs revenue on the quarter in every province except Nelson, and that the total deererse on the quarter amounts to no less than £25,910. Prorogation of Parliament.— A Gazelle, of the 15th of May, further prorogues Parliament from the 28th of May to the 23rd oi June. Japanese Jugglers. — The Japanese gavo their first performance last evening, at the Odd-Fellows' Hall, to a very crowded house. The* entertainment commenced v.ith a lecture, explanatory of Japanese customs, which was followed by music and singing by three Japanese ladies. Next was exhibited the marvellous top-spinning, of which we have heard so much, and a variety o( other tricks, which "we have not time to describe in detail. As the company leave for Hokitika to-morrow, we would recommend our venders to poy this really unique performance a visit to-night, as it will be tho only opportunity they will have of witnessing it.

Royal Humane Society's Medal.— A bronzo medal has been awarded by the Royal Humane Society to Captain A. Bevcridgo, for saving thirteen persons from being drowned at Constant Bay, on tho 1-lth of April, 1867. The medal has been forwarded to his Honour the Superintendent to cause it to bo presented to Captain Bevcridgc. Export or Gold.— The Gazelle of May 7th gives a return of the export of gold, tho produce of tho difl'ercnt provinces in New Zealand, for the quarter ending March 31, 1868 :—

The Province of Nelson closely approaches Westland in its gold export, and is far ahead of Otago. Electoral Disthict or Avon. — Mr. W. Reeves, proprietor of the Lytlellon Times, who sat for the Avon district in the last session of the Assembly, has retired from Parliament, and Mr. Rolleston, a candidate for the Superintendency of Canterbury, is likely, it is said, to bo Mr. Reeves' successor. Election tor Westlaxd South.— At the timo of the recent election for a member for the new district of Westland South, for some reason we havo not seen explained, no polling took place at Okarita, the southernmost part of the district. The poll, as originally taken, gave Mr. Button a majority of 28 over Mr. Barff, but a special poll has since been taken at Okarita, which gave Mr. 33arfF 62 votes, while his opponent only received 11, so that on the gross poll Mr. Barff has a majority of 23. There is a probability of the validity of this special poll at Okarita being questioned. The Champion Ripleitak.— The Daily Times informs us, that a subscription has been started by some of the ladies in Dunedin, to be devoted to tho purchase of a prize to be given to the Champion representative at the Rifle contest, in token of their approbation of the skill displayed by the Otago men. As it is desired that the subscription shall bo as general as possible, it has been limited to sums varying from one to five shillings. Lists will lie at tho Banks and several of the principal shops in tho town, and ladies wishing to subscribe are requested to do so immediately. Nahrow Escape feoji Fiee in Westport. — We learn from the Wesiport Times, that on Priday week last, at about nine o'clock in the evening, Trimble's Nelson Hotel, and with it no doubt a largo portion of Gladstone-street, was in serious danger of destruction. It seems that a candle had been placed on a chair at the top of the stair-landing, and by some mcaus the draught blew the ilanie against a blind which ignited, and set the lining and paper of the house in a blaze. Fortunately it was almost immediately discovered, and a host of willing hands lent valuable and prompt assistance before the fire had spread. By this timely aid the paper, &c, was torn down and all danger quickly at an end, without any more damage done than a window blind, and a little canvas and paper consumed. Digging Prospects at the Buller. — Tho diggings on the Caledonian terrace, at the Buller, appear to be in a prosperous condition. The correspondent of the local journal Btates that tho claims all along the lead and on both eides of the creek are rich, and from £10 to £30 per week per man is obtained. The G-erman Terrace is good too, and in full work, every available piece of good ground being taken up, one party are using hydraulic power. Freemasonry at GBEYiiouTii.— We learn from the Argus, that " The installation of the oflicers of the first Greymouth Lodge of Freemasons will take place on Tuesday, the 26th instant, at high noon, at the Lodge Room, at the Albion Hotel. The ceremony will be followed by a banquet, which will take place at nine o'clock p.m., on tho same day." Fighting at Whakatane.— News has been received from Auckland, in Wellington, to the Bth instant. The Herald gives the following particulars of some recent fighting on the East Coast : — " By the arrival of the schooner Jane from Tauranga, wo havo intelligence of an engagement having taken place between the Queen's natives and the Hau'-haus, at Whakatane. The news was received hi Tauranga early on the morning of the 30th ultimo, and tho Jane sailed the same day for Aucklandi The report is, that a large body of Hau-haus were fired upon by some of the Ngatiatia tribe (Queen's natives), and two of them were killed, and others wouuded. Subsequently the Hau-haus succeeded in capturing four of the Ngatiauas, and it is supposed they have been killed. The Volunteers stationed at Whakatane have gone out in search of the Hau-haus, but it is very doubtful whether they will succeed in overtaking them." Leasing of Native Land. — The Auckland Herald informs us that, after considerable negotiations with the native owners, the following lands have been leased in the Taupo country :—": — " A run of 30,000 acres to Captain Holt, of Wellington ; a run, comprising some 100,000 acres, to Mr. St. George; and one of 60,000 acres to Messrs. Tetley, and U. C. Young, of Canterbury. Several extensive runs, in addition to these, were also negotiated. The largest was one of 150,000 acres, situate at Patetere and Paeroa, which has been obtained for the Hon. Mi\ Tetley. Another run of 100,000 acres, at Kaingaroa, has been leased to the Hon. Mr. Seymoxir; whilst a third, of 90,000 acres, at Maketu, has been leased to Mr. J. C. Chayton, of Marlborough. Various other runs are in course of negotiation. Altogether, some half-million acres have been leased, comprising an area of about 520 square miles, or equal to a block nearly twenty-three miles square." The Queensland Diggings. — The Queenslander, of the 251h April, says :—": — " The question of relief to able-bodied and destitute persons, came rather suddenly upon the Municipal Couucil of Maryborough last week, as we learn from the local papers just to hand. Sixty-two ' starved-out diggers' presented a petition for relief to that worshipful body at their meeting on the 16th instant. The petition set forth that the petitioners had been ' deluded and misguided' by the different reports which had appeared in the papers, and had come to that part of tho colony ior the purpose of earning an honest livelihood, but after spending what little means they had on arrival, they found nothing before them but starvation. The Municipal Council suspeuded their Standing Orders at once, to consider the petition, and having decided, without much trouble, that there were no Corporation funds available, either to find employment for these men, or afford them relief in any way, they full back naturally enough upon ' the Government.'" The Grey River Argus, a few days ago, published the following extracts from a letter received by a clergyman at Greymouth, from Queensland :—": — " lam very sorry to say that 1 have not much news to send you, and what little I have to send is of the worst description. I must inform you that, for the last three months and a-lmlf, thi-re has not been one foot of new ground opened for mining purposes on Gympie Creek, or within forty miles of the same locality of Gympie, which is called Nashville. There are prospeclingparties out in every direction, but not one of Ihem can get a prospect far or near; and I am sure if nothing new breaks out very soon, that there will be many hundreds here in a state of starvation, and that before many Avecks are past. There lias never been anything but the gully that was first opened ; all that has been found since is three or four quartz leaders, some of them having got gold in them and some not, but I have not seen one that I should call a qunvlz reef. Although they are getting some very rich finds in some of the quartz-leaders on Gympie (which you may say is all the diggings), none are getting gold, without it is a few of the old claims that are not yet quite worked out, but these are very few, for they have all been worked over twice, and in some cases three times. I could hardly give a worse account of any place than I could of this place at the present time. — Youre, &c, Waiter Bembett."

Quarter ending Murcli ISOS. Auckland . 27,2-19 New Plymouth 1,912 "Wellington . 19,1-M. Ilawtc's Bay . 5,973 Mm-lborough . 1,097 Nelson . . 21,891 Westknd . 28,277 Canterbury . 25,92-i Otago ! . s'i,doi Southland . 7/189 Chatham Islands 13 Quarter ending March ISG7. 32,605 3,328 23,015 6,834 1,952 16,921 35,123 32,537 55/153 9,315 100 Total . . £19-1,273 £220,183