THE COLONIST. Published Daily-Mornings. Nelson, Monday, May 18, 1895. SUMMARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8246, 13 May 1895, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Daily-Mornings. Nelson, Monday, May 18, 1895. SUMMARY NOTES.

At the time our last Summary notes were penned a severe storm was raging over a large portion of New Zealand, and though in this looality the storm was of short duration, other piaffes were less fotiunate, and loss of life was recorded. One vessel is reported as missing, and the ketch Reliance, whioh eventually made this port, had a very narrow esoape. In the Wellington distriot considerable injury was done to the railways, which remained blooked for several days, and the Volunteer encampments were qnite a failure owing to the continued rains. The Wellington Volunteers, who proceeded to the camp at Feilding, reached home again after marching for mi'ea through water, and the Nelson men, who went thither, arrived back four days later than they had bargained for. During the past month signs have not been wanting that the time is approaching when Parliament will assemble. On behalf of the Opposition, Captain Buesell and Mr George Hutohison have been addressing meetings in various parts of the Colony, and some of the Ministers have also made public utterances, but political speeches have been eclipsed by the interest whioh had been felt in tbe visit to England of tbe Colonial Treasurer. The success whioh has attended the floating of the loan to provide means for advancing on mortgage to farmers has generally been deemed gratifying. On the eve of bis departure from New Zealand > Mr Ward said he had in his poßßesaion information which rendered it advisable that either himself or another responsible Minfctar should be in England for the purpose of doing something calculated to do a great deal of good to the country, and be said that while at Home it would be bis doty to frustrate the devices of the enemies of the Government. That he has successfully shown that the position of the Colony is such as to merit confidence b.BS been made apparent. He hus, dearly, brought New Zealand into mote prominent notice, and one result of his journey will be >n increase of British investments in this country. A North Island contemporary recently remarked : " The great demand for New Zealand mining stock at Home since Mr Ward's arrival in the Old Country is significant." The truth of the matter is the credit of the Colony has Buffered greatly by the persistent and malignant attaoks of the Conservative Press upon the finanoial control of the Colony, and the presence of a Minister in England to reassure British investors was absolutely necessary.' 1 Judicious investments will be of widespread advantage ; enterprises that create a larger local demand for products from the coil will benefit the Bettler, and the more there are to bear the necessary taxation for tbe maintenance of colonial and local institutions the less tbe individual burden must be. It will be well, however, if those in responsible positions in the Colony are watchful to prevent unsound investments being falsely represented, for the good name of New Zealand, and the oredit cf its Minister should be upheld by every legitimate means. The mining industry in the Colony appears to be on the ascendatit. During laßt quarter 67,2030zb of gold, of the value of £267,585, were exported, as againßt 65,8370zb, of th value of £265,679, during the corresponding' quarter of last year. Altogether New Zealand has exported gold to the value of twenty and a-balf millions sterling. In the twentyeight days prior to tbe 4th May, tbe Waihi mine, at the Thame?, produced £7540 worth of bullion, being at the rate of £3 83 lOd per ton of stone treated. This brought the total yield of tbe mine in question op to £269,641 . to the Nelßon Provincial Distriot, too, the seeking for gold ib meeting with larger success. Over £3000 was paid away in dividends (or last month in the Beefton distriot, and dredging for gold is, with improved appliances, becoming more profitable. Dredging on the Buller is bringing reward to enterprising inventors, and coming still nearer Nelson, a dredge on the Aorere river brought to account sixty ounces of gold in ten days. The last mentioned result is certain to lead to othsr dredges being set to work in the Collingwood distriot.

Providing due caution is exorcised, there are excellent prospects for those who invest capital in mining ventures, and there is a prospect of New Zealand timber being turned to better aooount. In the past there has been Eerious waste of a valuable commodity, but with the opening of a foreign market for wood blocks and the making of wood pulp prospects are brightening. In view of this, too, capital may profitably be employed in tbe panting of suitable trees in places convenient of acoesa, for wiib rapid growth returns would not be very distant in New Zealand. A native difficulty of no very great conse quenoe has taken place within the month. Certain Uriwera natives having stopped the work of survey, a force of police and of toe Permanent Artilleryjwas despatched to the Boene of the trouble. It transpired, however, that the Maoris misunderstood the objeot in view, and thinking that their lands were being dealt with againßt their wishes, obstructed the surveyors. Upon explanation being made, the trigonometrical survey of the country was permitted to proceed, and the difficulty terminated. Towaedb the end of last month it wbb reported from New South Wales (hat a new disease had broken out amongst the sheep in the Braidwood district, and within the last few days cattle Bhipped at Queensland, and intended for the London market, while on board the steamer Perthshire, whioh called at a New Zealand port, were found to be Buffering from pleuro pneumonia, or rather two beasts were, it has been said that it was not a widespread outbreak. The vessel was practically quarantined during her stay at Port Lyttelton, so that there might be no danger of oontagion, but the incident sbows two things, one being that it is highly neoasBary to take every precaution to prevent diseases baing introduced into this country, tbe other that inspection at the port referred to is effective. * Since the publication of our last Summer? both the Motueka and Nelson Horticultural Societies have held their Aotumn Showe. At eaoh Show there was a fine display of fruit, and tbe chrysanthemums exhibited in Nalssn were remarkable for their excellence. Some exceptionally good seedlings, locally raised, were shown, and Mr S. Bolton haß obtained awards in Wellington as well as in Nelson, while Mrs Merriok was suooeßsfnl both here and at Christchuroh. Messrs Bolton Bros., who won the Challenge Cup in Nelson, also took first award at Greymouth, bo tbat Nelson growers have met with much suocess. A woke that must add to the attractiveness of Ne'son, and will give greater facilities to country residents for reaohing the Port— the Books road — is now so far nearing completion that it is possible to drive from town to the Waimeas on a level grade. At the Port, too, improvements have recently been made by deepening the water adjacent to the Bail" way and Albion wharves, the dredge employed on the work having raised some 12,000 tons of stuff. Thb good work that is being done by the Nelson School of Music wife recently demonstrated at a conoert whereat thT pupils of the School were the performers, and, thanks to the Bey. E. O. leaao, a Technical Institute has been established, and the uaefulneEß of. this Institute we hope to see extended in tbe near future.

Tbbbh is now a prospeot of Nelsen shortly possessing an Art Gallery, Mrs Suter having expressed a desire to carry oat a^wish of the

late BUbxp Suter t mt eucli a i'Ulec? vAi' t be estib i^ed. With ins vie v, .Le arty alluded to has intimatsd ber willingness to give a cen<ral pice, of knil, a3 well s wo ks of art, and bfr deeire ie thttt a bucu of money that was subscribed to yrcs.m a testimonial to the late Biphop m»y be devoted to budding an Art Gallery Such generosity liaß naturally oalkd forth a fee!i.i.j of gratitude, and it may confidently be expected th»t rr any will assist in making an Art collection. Thb prospering afsaoiations tV.t h »v* f r soim t ; rae putt been in hand with a vii w to the discovery of a p3\ able coal seam on ihe Ennerglyn property, olose to the Waterworks reserve, are meetirg with increasing success ; and in the New Plymouth district the boring for petroleum baa resulted in a small flow of c-il, whioh flow it may be hoped will increase. Tbe Colony is at present suffering frcm the low prices whion the bulk of its prodnots realise, but there is a hope that tbe recently reported advances in the London market of wheat and barley may be the preoaraora of higher values generally, and with a turn for the better the advancement of New Zealand ie a certainty. It is with considerable satisfaction we are abla to express confidence that a D*iry Factory will shortly be established in the Waimbßß. By the Bottlers of the looility working together and producing butter or oheese-of a uniform quality, they will lessen the risk of prices being unduly lowered, as the product of a factory can be placed on outside markets, or sold locally, as may be found desirable, with the result tut larger returns may be hoped for. With a facto y successfully established it m&y ba expect d that farming in the locality will become m^re profitable, and there is a propect that more land wil be brought into use.