The Evening Post. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 46, 1 April 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1865.

H.MS.S. Esk, with his Excellency Sir George Grey on board, arrived in harbour this morning, from Wanganui. It is said his Excellency's visit will be but of short duration. There is no news of any importance whatever from the seat of war. A** We are now in a position to prove that the < people of Wellington are not the lazy, apathetic, wont-go-ahead class that some delight to represent them. The most striking illustration of our prosperity and gradual progrw •

will be found in the increase of our Customs' revenue during the past quarter. For the quarter ending 31st December, 1864, the ' gross receipts were £9865 9s fid ; for the quarter ending yesterday they were £12,898 8s lid, thus showing an increase in the j Customs' revenue of £3032 19s sd, for three months alone, or an increase at the rate of £12,129 17s 8d per annum. The custom receipts of any place is a sure sign of progress or retrogression, and, with the above facts before us, we can surely lay some little claim to progression. Tuesday next will be the last day for receiving applications for publican's license. The Rev. Mr. Taylor, who arrived by the Tararua, yesterday evening, delivered a sermon at the Wesleyan chapel, in Mannersstreet. The place was crowded to excess, and many people who could not gain admittance were obliged to go home disappointed. The Rev. gentleman is on his way, via Australia, to America, and perhaps a Wellington audience may never have the pleasure of listening to him again. We learn from the Canterbury papers that the present Superintendent is about to resign, and that public are invited to sign a requisition to Mr. Rolleston, requesting him to allow himself to be nominated as Mr.Bealey's successor. The barque Rachel, from London, arrived at Lyttelton on the 26th, after a passage of 105 days. It is said that during the voyage the cargo has been pillaged by the crew, and five sailors are in custody. The Dunstan correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, writing on the 23rd instant, states th it the rush to the Grey and Okitiki has considerably abated. He says :— " The outlying gullies continue to yield exceedingly/ well, the places of those who have left having been filled up by new comers and parties from the river." The amount of gold, according to the Lyttelton Times, which passed into the hands of the banks from the West Canterbury Gold Field, during the first week of March, was 3000 oz. On the 22nd of the month between 3000 and 4000 oz. were expected in Nelson through the same channels. Of course a large amount remained in the hands of diggers. The price of gold was £3 15s the ounce. From the Otago Times Commercial, March 29 — " The amount of business done to-day has been very moderate, and not much in excess of actual requirements for town trade. Shipments to the West Coast are being made to some extent, but still with much caution. Flour remains unaltered j the probability, however that further arrivals of Chilian may j take place, tends to restrict operaii ins. In j teas an active demand for common qualities j continues, and lots have mostly been cleared j out of importers' hands. Spirits are a little more lively ; transactions have taken place in j Martell's and Hennessy's brandies, in good sized parcels, at recent quotations." Mr. Leonard Harper, son of the Bishop, of Christchurch, has been admitted a member of the Bar of New Zealand. On the subject of the late disaster to the Elizabeth Curie, the " Southland News" of Saturday publishes the following letter from " a correspondent personally known" to the editor :—": — " Port William, Stewart's Island, I March 20th, 1865.— Sir— I send you an ac- ' count of the Elizabeth Curie, now lying at ' anchor as above. As you know, we left In- | vercargillJetty on the 17th instant, and on j the same day, when attempting to round the West Cape, we experienced a severe westerly wind and made for our present anchorage, which we reached about seven o'clock that evening. We sailed thence at four o'clock next morning with light winds from the eastward, and at noon spoke the Jane Lockhart, 16 days out from Sydney. We encountered during the day heavy gales from the northward until the Solanders bore S. E. by S. distant about eight miles. At four o'clock p.m. we tacked to the N., the wind increasing up to nine o'clock p.m. of the next day, we bore away for this anchorage. The night was very dark, and the gale still increasing from W.N.W., with a fearful sea on. Atone in the morning we shipped a heavy sea over the quarter, which swept two passengers overboard, who had been previously ordered by the captain to go below, Their names, I believe, were Pennefather and Bullen. At this time the gale was a perfect hurricane, and it was impossible to render any assistance. At three o'clock on the same morning we rounded the north point of Stewart's Island ar.d got into smooth water. If the

Elizabeth Curie had not been a good sea boat, we must all have been lost. In three hours afterwards we came to anchor at Port William. The next day was spent by the sailors in getting in water, and by a good many of the passengers on shore pic-nic-ing. We are now waiting for an easterly wind to make another start, and this I hope we will soon have." A game of shuttlecock with the Land Bill is now going on. The Upper House Bent it down to the Lower with numerous amendments more or less destructive of the principles of the bill. Every one of importance has been rejected, and, with his respectful compliments, the Speaker transmits the measure back to whence it came. The honorable gentlemen have taken a week to think over it. Mr. Fellows wanted a fortnight liia real drift being that something might turn up in the interval which would oust the Government and the bill together. It depends on the temper of the Assembly, in respect to the prorosal of the Government to append the tariff to the Appropriation Bill, whether the Land Bill passes or not. The obstructives will shelve it if they dare. :—: — Melbourne Leader. We see, by an advertisement elsewhere, that Messrs. Towers and Co. will open the Odd Fellows' Hall, under the name of the Theatre Royal, on Monday, 10th April, for a season of three months. The company is strong and talented. The stage of the Odd Fellows' Hall is undergoing extensive alterations to meet the requirements of the company. Mr. and Miss Dunn were passengers by the s.s. Tararua, yesterday, from the south. ____________