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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 729, 25 October 1869, Page 3

iiite and confirmatory of the specimens alleged to have been .brought from thence i 8 received, there is little likelihood of the country being proclaimed a gold-field. — Evening Post, October 20. We learn from private sources that the party formed in Napier to prospect the Kaimanawa country, has taken the field The party (Tiffen's) had got as far as Mr Lyon's [Lowry's?] woolshed, 40 miles, from the scene of intended operations Two men, formerly in Mr L.'s employment as shepherd?, are actua ly on the ground, but as yet no news of their having discovered anything has been received. The Wanganui people are all on the alert exploring roads, and parties of those who are out prospecting are daily ex >eoted to send down specimens. It really is time that we began to bestir ourselves in the matter, and try at least if we could not open a road by way of Wairarapa. There are several places about the head of the Manawatu and elsewhere where cold is known to exist in greater or lesser quantities, and perhaps while exploring tha way to Kaimanawa other discoveries may be made.—Evening Post, October 20,

In the Provincial Council of Canterbury X)X\ the 14th imt Mr Peacock asked if the Provincial Secretary had asked, or intended to ask, the General Government for a portion of the Maori prisoners to work upon the Lyttelton breakwater ? Mr Jollio said that if the General Government would be responsible for the safe custody of the prisoners, it would be an advantage to the Province, but, as that was uncertain, it was doubtful whether the Provincial Government would ask that the Maori prisoners should be so employed. Mr. M'Eay, the Immigration Officer at Christchurcb, charged with embezzling Government money, has been committed for trial. It i* notified in the New Zealand Ga zette that the native title has been extin gnishod over the Mmnwatu Rangitikei block of land, estimated to contain 2i0,000 acres. In accordance with the decision of the Native Lands Court, 6,200 acres are excluded from the above block. At a meeting held in Christchurcb on the 14th inst., attended by the most influential residents in the Province, it waresolved to hold a Provincial Exhibition of Works of Art in that city about the middle of January, 1870. His Honor the Superintendent was requested to act as President. The Eight Rev. the Primate of New Zealand, his Honor Mr Justice Gresson, and the Mayor of Christchurcb for time being, wi'l be vice-presidents and ex officio members of committee. The Chatham Island Lilt.—There are now on sale at Mr tf aid's, Victoriastreet, several very fine specimens of tlv Chatham Island lily (myosoridium nobile), which have been introduced into this pro vinee by Mr Danvers. Probably few of our readers have any knowledge of this species of forget •me not, and wo believe Mr G. B. O'.ven is the only other possessor of it ia Auckland, having received a bulb .some niue years ago direct from the Chat ham Islands. These beautiful plants are found in the gullies of the Chatham Islands, and even there are not very ablinxant. We are informed that shoots can only be cut once in five years. The flower of t his plant grows in a thick solid bunch ; it is blue in color, closely resembling the English forget-me not. The leaves are large and handsome, and bear the appearance of having been made of wax. They are very beautifully corrugated, and of a deep green color. We may mention for the convenience of those who may wish to .ornament their gardens with this rare lily, •that the bulb requires to be planted in coil composed of an equal mixture of beach sand and garden sod, which must always be kept moist j where the ground is liable to crack it must be broken up and manured. The plant under favorable circumstances may be expected to flower in six weeks or two months at the latest. The first bulb introduced into England not long since was sold for £lo.—Southern Cross, 9th October. Gold Found at Patea—We have inspected some sand containing gold, which was brought from Patea by the mailman the other day. There can be no doubt about the valuable metal being in the specimens we saw, and if it can only be found in quantity, there will be brighter days for Patea in a very short time. Mr J. Hirst writing on the Bth from Patea says:—"There is some excitement here as to the existence of gold in this district A person has pledged himself to the committee, that he will produce satisfactory proofs of its presence at Patea. Up to the time of doting the mail, he had not made his appearance, but perhaps by the next mail 1 may have some good new* for you respecting this matter." The sand containing this gold was sent in a letter to Mr Harris Ford, by a chief named Patoe, who wrote in Maori on the paper that enclosed it,—"To you Ford—see the gold 1 send you found at Patea." From inspection we should evidently say that the sand had come from the bed of a river and should imagine that where that cane from, there mubt be more gold to be found.-Taranaki Herald, Oct. 16. Horrible Accident. — An accident occurred lately at Porangahau, whereby I. li. Roberts lost his life. He was riding a spirited horse and got thrown, one foot sticking in the stirrup, he was dragged some distance, the horse kicking him, smashed his head all to pieces and boat his ribs entirely in. He was alterwards found the horse still dragging him, but his body totally disfigured. He was for Borne time working on Mr BidwiU'a station, and also at Huangaroa.—Wairarapa Mergury, Oct. 6.

The Taranaki's Cakg-o.—The Wellington correspondent of the Wairarapa Mercury, ur.der date 12th October, says: — The sale of the damaged goods recovered from the T.aranaki has been going on day after day, and very liberal prices have been realized ; in some cases, almost as much as if the goods had not been 13 months under water, while iu other cases decided bargains have been going. Nothing can be more.uninviting than the look of most of the things, unless, indeed, it be the smeil which arises from the mud with which chey are covered, and the bilge-water with which they are soaked Inside, however, the goods arc not so bad, and many of the articles of drapery only require soaking in fresh water to be as good as ever. The passengers baggage is being given up on liberal terms to the owners who like to claim it. One gentleman on Saturday got his box containing a quantity of sovereigns, silver, and bank notes, which latter, strange to say, were uninjured. Half the cash had of course to be given up to the salvor*. The hull of the wreck is being ecraped and painted. It has been inspected by the officers of the Blanche and declared to be quite sound.

Death oe a Valuable Southern Cross says that the celebrated studhorse Potentate, for many years a winner at Nelson and the South, has been shot, in consequence ot injuries received by the kick of another horse. The Pioneer Steel W rks, Tabanaki. —The Taranaki News of the 16th, speaking of the Pioneer Steel works, says : Considerable alterations have been made, both in the furnace and the machinery for driving the fan, since the last experiment was made. The furnace has been raised Beveral feet, and is now 30 feet in height inside without including the iron chimney. Better arrangements have been made for getting at the tuyers (or blast holes), and they are now so fixed that i heir size can be readily altered if necessary. The power of the waterwheel has been increased by lowering it and working it as an overshot wheel, and the gearing is nearly completed which is to replace the belts hitherto used for driving the fan. If a sufficient supply of charcoal is in hand to keep the furnace going ior a week or ten days it is probable that smelting will recommer.ee in the course of next week, bui we believe thy operations will be strictly private unti 1 a thoroughly successful run has been obtained, in order that the persons working the furnace may not be in any way obstructed.

.Awfully Sudden Death.—The Evening Post, 19th October, meutions a case of awfully sudden death which occurrod at Wellington that morning. A man named Hughes, apparently in his usual nealth, was walking along in front of the watermen's "gridiron," when he suddenly dropped, and on being picked up wa found to be quite dead. He was carried into the Pier Hotel, and efforts at resuscitation made, but he never showed a sign of life after he fell. Had a bullet passed through his brain, death could not have been more instantaneous. Heart disease was the cause of death.

The Superintency of Nelson.—The nomination of candidates for the office of Superintendent of Nelson took place in the Provincial Hall on Thursday, the 7th October, at noon. There were four candidates—Messrs Curtis. Akersten, Gibbs, and Horn. The proceedings extended to great length, the candidates having made very full addresses to the electors. When this was over, the show of hands was taken, with the following result : —Curtis, 95 ; Akerston, 24; Gibbs, 9 ; Horn, 7. The Returning Officer declared the show of hands to bo in favor of Mr Curtis, on which the cheering was tremendous. Mr Horn demanded a poll. Mr Curtis proposed a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, and the meeting dispersed.

Melancholy Death by Poisoning in Auckland. —We take the following from the New Zealand Herald, 18th Oct. : " Mr Edward Johnson, c f the firm of Powley and Johnson, Queen-street, met with a most lamentable death yesterday. It would seem that the unfortunate man was suffering from an ailment that necessitated both inward and outward application. Inadvertently, Mr Johnson during the night preceding his death drank the lotion instead of the medicine. At daylight in the morning he discovered the mistake he had made, and immediately sent for two medical men, who were, unfortunately, unable to alleviate his Bufferings; he died at 6.30 p.m." Au inquest was held on the 18th hist., when the following verdiet was returned :—" That deceased came by his death by accidentally taking a lotion, containing corrosive sublimate, internally." The jury added a rider censuring deceased's widow for inattention.

Mr. W. Septon Moorhouse, who went to Auckland with the view of practising his profession there, returned yesterday in the Airedale en route for Canterbury. Mr Moorhouse does not apparently find Auckland a promising field for lawyers, which is rather a good sign of its prosperity.— —Evening Post, October 20. Our next EuhopeanMail.—The Evening Post, Oct. 20, says that it is not generally known that the next European Mail from Melbourne will be the last that will be brought down under the present contract. After that date the mails will be left to hap-hazard to come as best they can, in consequence of the Assembly refusing to vote further mail subsidies. Thatcher., accompanied by Small, the well-known comic vocalist, has arrived in Wellington, from the INorth. He has formed a small concert company, and will give a series of entertainments. Mr Talbot, an actor of repute in England and Aus tralia, has also arrived in the Empiije City.