Monday.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 20, 11 September 1885, Page 9

Monday.

Fresh trouble is anticipated over the Bast and West Coast and Nelson railway. I (Wellington correspondent of the Daily Times) have it on excellent authority that the supporters of these lines have signed a round-robin to Ministers intimating that if the vote is not made a Ministerial question their support will be withdrawn. Some 20 members have signed this precious document. This action has been taken in consequence of a count of the vot»-s having revealed the fact that the proposed vote o€ £150,000 is certain to be rejected. The members who have signed intimate that their support has only been accorded to the Government because of their desire to have the line constructed, and if tbe utmost eff »rt«*re not made in thatdirection their support can na longer be, looked for. Frem the cheering and encouraging news from many of our goldmining centres (says the Dntutan Time*), that branch of industry has apparently made a new start. No greater possible fallacy can be indulged in than that the goldfields of Otago are worked out, and if the pretest excitement is but worked up, and local efforts made to assist in prospecting, we are as certain as possible that good result* will follow. We will not go outside of our own district to point oat highly probable spots and localities that we feel assured will pay for a systematic prospecting, as within limits there are enough to main* tain large and flourishing peoples. For a track of country bearing •very indication of wealth, and a country that has as yet been barely scratched, there is no equal to the eastern face of the Old Man Range, or again to the southern face of the Dunstan Range. At the foot ol both of these ranges no end of gold has been obtained, and, indeed,

some of the richest claims in the country are at the present time being worked, while every here and there along their faces at various altitudes gold-bearing reins of quartz exi< Again, there are the fiats lying back from the Molyneux on either bank between Alexandra and Chde. Spasmodic efforts from time to time have been made to test all the places indicated, but nothing of a systematic character has been a;tempted. With the symptoms of renewed life amongst the miners tbem«elves, and the greater interest displayed by the Legislature and the Government in the goldfields, as evidenced by the liberal offers of assistance towards prospecting, it behoves not alone our local governing bodies, but also our local business men, (o take up the question and initiate some scheme to uneaith some of the wealth that lies at our very doors and awaits but the gathering. A great railway demonstmtion in connection with the Nelson branch of the Railway League took place on Saturday afternoon, when it is estimated about 6000 persons were present, many having come in from the country. Kvery place of business was closed for two hours. The streets were decorated with flags, aud a band turned out, but there was no procession owing to want of time to organise, i, gg seft5 eftt £l t enthußiaßm prevailed, and the several speakers were cheered. The chief resolution expressei appreciation of the action of the Government and of those members of the House who are loyally supporting the construction of the East and West Coast and JHelson railway, and called upon every member of the Legislature having the welfare of the Colony at heart to support by every legitimate means the construction of the railway. A resolution expressing thanks for the loyal support received "from Canterbury and the West Coast was also carried with cheers. A sad boat accident resulting in the death by drowning of five children occurred in the Lower Harbour yesterday morning (says the Otago Daily Times.) While Captain James Fergusson and his six chidren, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Jackson and their two children, were on their way down the Harbour in a boat to vmit a relative, the boat unfortunately capsized, and four of Captain Fergusson s childr n and one of Mr. and Mrs. Jackson's were drowned Great sympathy is felt for the bereaved families. To Captain Fer- ; gusson the blow has been a very severe one, following closely on the death of his wife, and the unfortunate gentleman was in a rather critical condition when our despatch left the Port. Intellig«nce is to hand stating that on August 21 several Spanish vessels arrived at Dup, one of the Caroline group of islands, and made preparations to occupy the place. A German gunboat, however, made her appearance on August 24, and at once proceeded to land a body of troops, by whom the German flag was hoisted and the island proclaimed German territory, the Spaniards formally protesting against the same. On tbe receipt of the intelligence at Madrid, the greatest excitement en-ued. The mob proceeded to the German Embassy, where they forcibly pulled down the German flag and removed the arms of that country. A meeting was subsequently held under the presidency of Senor Sagasta, when it was resolved that if the Liberal party were recalled to power they would pledge themselves to break off relations with Germany and reconquer the island of Uup. e^lo^ KandolPh Churchill, in the course of an address delivered at bhemeld on Friday night, stated that the diSerences between Kussia and England in regard to the Afghan frontier question had arrived at a satisfactory settlement. He added that Earl Dufrerin and Colonel Ridgeway (bead of the Frontier Commission) are both of opiuion that the frontier as denned will give the Ameer possession of the Zulfikar Phss, and will fulfil the promises made by her Majesty s Government to the Ameer.