NELSON

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1977, 31 October 1863, Page 3

NELSON

By the Pbcebe we have cur usual Nelson files to the 28th inst.

The schooner Mary arrived from the Buller diggings on the 22nd inst, bringing news that a nugget weighing upwards of 100 ounces had been discovered. The Examiner is however lather sceptical about the story. The session of the Provincial Conncil closed on the 16th inst.

An Act was passed for raising £70 000 by loan, of which £20,000 is for supplying the Town of Nelson with water, and for promo ting the working of the coal-fields.

The Examiner says of the gold fields : — " Our gold-fields are progressing as satisfactorily as could be expected in such inclement weather. We have this month made an export of 1,100 ounces by the Union Bank ; the Bank of New Zealand sending 1,000 last month, this makes uearly 9,000 ounces since Lst January. There are, at present, no means of ascertaining the quantity of gold received, and we can therefore only judge of it by the shipments. As the whole of this gold bus been obtained, in spite of very bad weather, by a mere handful of diggers, it goes far to confirm the opinion expressed by many parties, connected with the diggings, that they are as rich us any others known, and that only a large population is required to raise them into importance. It is not often an opportunity isafforded of ascertaining the earnings of any of the diggers, but, in a case of dispute betsveen two of them, it transpired before the Resident Magistrate, on the 22»d ultimo, that two men took out, in five weeks, (a considerable portion of which they were prevented by bad weather from working,) 83 ozs, and a nugget of 28 ozs, 11 dwts— in all, 111 ozs, 11 dwts.

A Fkmale Volunteer, — Shortly after the Phoobe left the wharf on Friday morning, it was stated that a girl belonging to Ne'son had been conveyed on boa.td in masculine guise, amongst the crowd of volunteers proceeding northward. The report is, we believe, true, though whether the intention is to become a colonial Florence Nightingale, or to emulate historical warlike females like Margaret Anjou or Joan of Arc, is not quite understood. It is no doubt a matter of taste only, but for ourselves we must confess to a preference for those fightiing ladies who " fight shy." — Colonist, 27th instant.