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Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1279, 28 December 1869, Page 2

Entertainment.—The Nelson Artizan's Mutual Improvement Association announces ita ninth quarterly meeting, to take place on Friday evening next, at the Odd-fellows'. Hall. '. The programme, we- believe^ will be a very attractive one, and we have no doubt that; as on-all previous occasions, our friends will have a bumper house. Caledonian Gathering.—Our space permits only a brief reference to the program ,ne of games fixed to come off in the Botanical Gardens, on New Year's Day. Most Scotchmen,: however cosmopolitan they may become, are nevertheless sufficiently " tartan" toenjoy a demonstration that reminds them of Scotland's hills and dales; and as some considerable exertion, and not a little expense have been undertaken in getting up these games, it is to be hoped they will be well patronised, and that all who desire to afford a day's amusements to the inhabitants, whatever their nationality,.will aid the committee to meet the cost of the enjoyment. ■■ ' i ■ Osr Friday-:night,' iome careless or mischievous persona set on fire the gorse in Wellington-street, on the hill-top, behind the residence of Mrs. Scaife and others. The fire-bell was .rung,'and the flames, which' on both sides of a paddock made rapid progress towards the houses, were happily checked by a Sew energetic - persons, who beat them out by branches of trees. Why are gorse hedges permitted to remain un trimmed so near to wooden houses ? There ii a law against it. Boat Race. —A sailing match for three miles took place in the harbor yesterday afternoon. The boats, were, the Little Fred, the Rose, the Active, and the Why Not, all being undecked boats. A good start was effected, the coarse being from the Government wharf round the hulk baak'to the wharf. The Rose took the lead and maintained it half round the course, when the Little Fred overhauled her, and came in the winner about a hundred yards, tbe btheis gave up the race at the hulk.' * We hear that the owner' of the Rose has challenged the owner of the Little Fred to another trial between these two boftU on an curly day forftMtte.

Foart miners arrived from the West Coast; onSu^ynoj^ I In arrival of the Bnsluhinail^rirtelegruhed to Melbourne jw€Wt« tSeß^Urto/'Jeft. OL&fajr {of two hours woiad fcWvbwo^ Us the telegram*,. without r. -— ! ;Aodn>KfW.--Oii ThxmAhji^, %:r^n' piiwi, Thomas Bradihiw, in the employment of .Item*:' iHarley and. Sons, while ; dri]^ng •ucarJi'l^ad'eV^Wfiaj^ irotti Stpk« tij' town,' sofl^ne^' oa^i^rable"injury/1 Some Wysby throwing 1 BtonW Irightened the hot^p;: Which suddenly ran,.off, and Bradetytw fell^efbw tb> , Wheel* which passed over a part of his'^iKrulder'knd •ibs, breaking three of thtu.latter. .% was brought, ntd town and attended Dy Dr. Squires, and is liok }n i far better state than in. the circumstances could tiave,. >een looked fci-:-Another accident took" place on Saturday night on Ijhe Wakapuaka road. .Mr. B. . Lriderson; of Hapjrjr' Valley; t while'ridinfc home *v . hrown from* his horse, which stqmb.led in one blithe : lumerous'wabv-courses^jbat cross the, ptfiprSjn** Rood •oad, and the rider fell heavily to the ground breaking , its collarbone/ and sustaining other less important ' injuries. Dr. Yickerman was soon in attendance, aud under his,care Mr. Anderson is improving., 1 . *-" S Sinoulab Metkob.—A! beautiful meteor was observed on Sunday night on the Richmond road; not far from Stoke. About half-past nine, some persons driving home .saw a;brilliant undulating light that seemed to make the country much brighter than the brightest moonlight for the space of, at leasts five~ seconds.' During that time it seemed to grow from jt slight beginning, by tremulous undulations, uatil it reached its intensity, and then to" fade inversely as it began, and threw the previous darknest into greater gloom. The sky at the time was overcast by heavy thunderous-looking cloi.da. , Mb. Hbnby Hakdtsidb is gazetted as baring been appointed clerk of the Warden's Court on the Nelson South-west Q-oldfields.— Westport Time* ! Ebbatum.—ln some remarks of Mr. Domett during the Enquiry in .Tuesday's proceedings, while discussing with. Mr. Adams as to the meaning of the act, a sentence occurs in our report (page 4, end of ' 3rd paragraph) which ought to read as follows :— 1 "If you put such construction on the clause, you give no discretionary power at all, for if the Commissioner cannot withhold the land, -the Board cannot consider it, and the land must be sold." < '' The word in italics was by^-a typographical error omitted, and the omission wasnot detected till it was too late. The Hokitika Evening Star has twinkled its last. A MA.tf, named Alexander M'ConneJl, has been t ' killed through an accident'on the Karaka tramway at , the Thames. The truck ran off the line, and deceased was pitched out, alighting on his head. , , . The Westport timei's Wellington correspondent reports —" At lust a payable goldfieldMias, been, dis» covered in this Province. Some claims have been pegged off not far from this city, and some cool-headed men here are going into the matter heartily, aud are carefully ' keeping dark' the whereabouts ot the field." On December 22nd, one of Mr. Doane'a coal-boats whilst coming down the Grey river, struck a snag and swamped. A miner, only known by the ,name of Elisha, was drowned. ( ~ Accidents at Wanqakui.—A young boy, J son of Mr. Edmonds, carpenter, Wanganui, has .bees killed by a cart passing over Jiis. neck. The horse was; frightened1 by a ' thunderstorm. During the same storm, a horse belonging to Mr. Lomaz was killed by 1 the lightning—A ■ map named. Michael Campbell, a sawyer, who leaves a wife and family, has been drowned in the neighborhood of the same place, while bathing. ': Db. Oawk,'the'mesmerist-, seems never to be out of trouble. A resident in Wunganui, named William King, has just, brought an action. against; him for £18 75., for money paid arid damage sustained by the plaintiff through the improper, medical treatment of his wife by the defendant, , , , . . ! Shocking Coach Accident. —A fatal accident occurred to Cobb's coach on the evening of the 15th December,; whilst; attempting to cross the Kakanui ; river. The river at the time was greatly,swollen.>The> coach was smashed to pieces, and two passengers and two horses were drowned. The driver and remaining passengers escaped with great difficulty. The persons drowned were—a young,lady v ,(believed, to be a Miss Boss, formerly a teacher in Dunedi'i) and Mr. Patterson, CiE., who surveyed the Otago lines of railway., ,-.,. ■;• ;..• • \ Ji'??'<. ;f.-.'.■;.;.• ] POPTTLATIbN OP THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.—The editor of the Thames Advertiser, in reply to a correspondent, states that the population of the Thames may be estimated at between 15,000 and 20,000. Which ace the Best Paying' Quabtz. RijEpa.—■ The Ballarat correspondent of the Australasian says:—" Opinions are divided as to which are the best paying reefs; those varying from twelve to sixty feet thick, with an average yield of from seven to fifteen pennyweights per ton, or those'from six to thirty inches thick, yielding two and three ounces. It has been proved beyond doubt that quartz claims which have the advantages of supplies of timber and water at hand can make four pennyweights per^ton, at the very most pay all expenses, and that anything approaching to or exceeding ten penny weights to. the ton will leayea fine margin of profit for s dividends."