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Colonial.

NELSON.

By the Spray we have Nelson papers to the 25th ulfc. They contain no very interesting intelligence except of the progress of the gold ftgmngs ; and even on that subject the news j 3 not important. The accounts are, however, xaove favorable than any hitherto received. OP general news, we observe reports of several crimes suspected and proved, headed by one of murder, that of Mrs. jPratt, lately reported in our columns, for which her husband was arrested on the verdict against him of the jury on the inquest. Captain Small, of the schooner | Comet, was fined £100 before the Resident i Magistrate on the 11th November, on the pro- ! senution of the Collector of Customs at the port I of Nelson, for neglecting to state on the manifest of his vessel the contents of a case of merchandise, in which it turned out that some o-uns were included. It appears from the report of the evidence that only the clerk who copied the manifest was in fault; The foundation stone of a new Wesleyan chapel in Nelson was laid with some ceremony and amid a large attendance on the 17th of November. The directors of the Croixelles Copper Mining Company presented their annual report to the shareholders on the 14th ult. The works were closed for a time, partly in consequence of the scarcity of labour caused by the diggings, and partly to await the arrival of an experienced mining engineer from England, together with pumping machinery. The Tasmanian Maid steamer was in constant work, and benefiting both her owners and the public. THE NELSON BISHOFBIC. We understand, from private sources of information, that the nomination of the Rev. Mr. Hobhouse as Bishop of this province has been concurred in and fully accepted by the authorities at home. As in the case of the Canterbury bishopric, a formal resignation of so much of Dr. Selvvyn's diocese as is intended to constitute the new see will be requisite; and we believe there is some idea of forming New Zealand into a separate ecclesiastical province, with its own Archbishop, corresponding directly with the mother church and independent of Australia. On receiving news of our present Bishop's assent to these arrangements and the corresponding changes they involve, which assent had not reached England at the date of our letters, Mr. Hobhouse would be appointed, and leave as soon after Easter as possible for his new sphere of duty. He is a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, and Vicar of St. Peter's-in-the-East parish, in that city. He is.spoken of as a man of very gentle and unaffected manners, and as loved, respected, and even venerated by all who know him. The change to him will be great: from the old time-honoured University, where he would be almost daily in.contact with the Slite of English society—Britain's nobles, orators, and statesmen; her most distinguished in learning, literature, art, science, and action; which, losing Wellington, has Derby for her head, and Russell, Palmerston, Gladstone, D'lsraeli, with Buckland/Sedgwick, Bunsen, Thackeray, Macaulay, for her members—to arrive at our little settlement, with, as compared with the great world he leaves, its infinitesimally small politics and affairs. But, as his chief concern will be that in which all men are equally interested, high and low, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, he will even here find ample room for his best exertions and his heartiest sympathies; and although the members of the Church of England alone will look up to him as their head, the coming of every ■good man amongst us with large opportunities j for usefulness must be matter of rejoicing to all. —^Examiner, Nov. 21.

Diggers from Melbourne. —The barque General Wool, Captain Tonner, arrived here from Melbourne on the morning of Thursday, the 19th inst., having on board 12 first-class passengers, and 65 in the steerage. She has experienced some rather heavy weather, as may be known when we state that on the evening of Tuesday, the gale broke away the foreyard, although the sail was double-reefed, and the yard lowered down to the cap. Notwithstanding this very rough weather, the General Wool has made the run from land to land in 7^ days. The news she brings is unimportant; in fact, there is not a single incident of domestic news that requires mention. An account of her cargo will be found under the head shipping intelligence. From information we have received, we believe the whole of the steerage passengers are men who have passed some time at the Australian diggings; so that now there can be no question that the various gold-fields which have been discovered in and around our immediate neighbourhood will have a fair trial and thorough test of their efficiency. May they yield all that the most sanguine expect, is our most fervent wish; for then we shall show how energetically Nelson can exert herself when supported by so all-powerful an agent as a rich gold-field, although at the same time we hope that the numbers who would m such a case, without doubt, flock here, will not find us totally unprepared for so large an addition to our population.— lbid, The Carpet Bag.—The old game of ' ringing the changes' has been successfully practised in Nelson. On Saturday last, a person who represented himself to be a digger, arrived b J the irtwmer from Massacre Bay, carrying a carpet bag, which, with himself, he deposited at one of the hotels near the centre of the town. The landlord! nothing loth, took charge of his guest's carpet bag, which had a'most comfortably weighty feel, and which he was told con-

gagpSSS 34 S;Ssn^o°ob-e^^: wlp ? ai> St, yle ' and after Partaking of his breakfast on the Monday mornin- his S amounted to between £5 and £10.Nh? host ■gave him two or three hints about going to sel his gold which he promised to do. In the course of an hour, however, it was found that the vagabond had 'sloped,' and he has never been seen since by the landlord. The carpet baowhich was kindly left behind, on being openS the next morning was found to contain, to the intense disgust of Boniface, only two or three dirty shirts and a very neat brickbat.— lbid -Nov. 14. '

Robbeey.—On the evening of Friday last a robbery was committed at a house situate not many miles from the centre of the town A cash box containing £20 was the bait that tickled the fingers of the successful thief The ' police, we believe, are in possession of some trace by which the delinquent will be discovered. It behoves the wh:le of the inhabitants of kelson to look sharply after their movable property now that so many strangers are arriving among us; -not that we would suggest dis° honesty against our visitors, onlv in mixed assemblages some dishonest men will generally be found: and of this at least we are certain, that small crimes are becoming more abundant now that we have so great a moving unsettled population.—lbid. Remarkable Fatality.— In connection with the melancholy death by drowning of Capt. Ayers, which was recently recorded in this journal, we may mention that amongst the unfortunate passengers that were drowned in the Catherine Adamson, off Sydney Heads, was Mr. Leathes, a gentleman who had formerly served under Capt. Ayers as mate of the China, and who was on his way to Nelson in order to join Capt. Ayres in an extensive undertaking connected with pastoral pursuits. So that, within a few short weeks of each other they both found a grave in that element over which they had travelled so many miles together.— lbid, Pheasants.—A number of young pheasants have been seen lately by several parties on the Motueka and Moutere plains. The parent birds were brought out in 1854 by E. H. Dash wood, Esq., and escaped from their confinement. Their numbers will doubtless increase, and the lovers of sport may in a few years indulge in a day's pheasant shooting.— Rid. THE GOLD FIELDS. (Fromthe Examiner.)" ■ -•'- Takaka Valley, October 31. I have little to communicate save any amount of fearful weather which has been retarding, as usual, the operations of the diggers and settlers in this district. However, lam happy to inform you that we have had his Honor the Superintendent investigating the bickerings and misgivings of the Maories and Europeans, at his Court of Inquiry, held at the Takaka Inn yesterday afternoon. The meeting was well attended by both parties, and after a patient investigation, which occupied over two hours, the various points of dispute were explained to the Maories by Mr. Jenkins, the Government Interpreter, and settled, to the entire satisfaction of all parties. I believe now that everything in the shape of claims, &c, both European and Native, are amicably adjusted ; so that there is a possibility of things jogging on in a peaceable and lucrative manner to all concerned.

I must say that there is much ciedit and praise due to his Honor for the attention, alacrity, and assiduity he has given to this important subject, and which has tended to raise him in the estimation of the diggers and settlers in this locality not a little.

Takaka Valley, November 2, 1857.

Since writing you my last, I have to inform you that many of the natives are coming down the river seriously indisposed and completely knocked up—some upon stretchers, and others leaning upon the arms of their friends. We are looking forward to fine weather every day, when I hope to give you a more cheering account of things in general. I am happy to say that the fossickers and mica diggers have " cut it," and the staunch men of the pick and shovei are as confident as ever. Mason, the native, brought down 20 ozs., the produce of four men for six days of bad weather. Many of the. Wellington and Manawatu natives are hoarding their gold, believing that they will get £3 15s. at Wellington for it, so that wo see but little of their gleanings but that which they spend to supply their immediate wants; at all events everything looks tolerably well, and augurs better for the future. The party that Mr. Thos. Askew supplied with provisions are doing pretty well; and ' Skeet's party, up. the Upper Takaka, have found gold, but 1 cannot give you any information upon that score for the present. Mr. Kealey met them " humping" their toms, they having found a good prospect, so that they are now upon their " own hook." P.S. —It will be as well to intimate that it is advisable for our friends to remain at home for a month at least, without they feel inclined to have an experimental touch of rheumatism and lumbago, the snowy water coming away from the mountains just now being cold, fearfully cold, and in any quantity. . . Slate River, Nov. 6th, 1857. The sunmier appears to have set in at last;

and_ the consequence is that all the diggers having claims are busy working them, and"very few were to be seen about this last week, except new comers : this gives the diggings an appearance of dullness, which 'does not exist. Most of the diggers are doing well on their claims, and new creeks containing gold are daily being found; but the richness of Slate Kiver has rather raised our expectations, and has caused disappointment to many who have found sufficient only for good wages, but who from reports had expected to make a "pile" quickly. l New chums come and go again in great numbers; they leave mostly from having formed exaggerated notions of the gold-diggings, and that the gold has only to be dug for; forgetting that it is necessary to find where- to dio- ; and that, though there may be plenty of gold in the country, it is quite possible to di^ within a few inches of it without finding it. Nevertheless, gold comes in more plentifully now the tine weather has set in, and every one appears in good spirits. \ k Half a claim on the Slate River was sold the other day for £400. On the whole our Diggings appear now to be thoroughly established, and although we hear and read long accounts of gold being found in other districts, we do not find a single fact that goes to "prove a degree of wealth in gold existing in any other place equal to the Aorere.

There was a slight misunderstanding occurred on the Ranges between some Maories and a party of white men respecting a claim, but which was very amicably settled by a little explanation. Indeed, the Regulations made by the diggers, answer exceedingly well, and have hitherto been carried out in a friendly and quiet manner, despite of the conflicting interests that have to be adjusted by them : the mutual protection which they afford to all seems to give great satisfaction.

The Superintendent was here this week, and took the very wise plan of judging for qimself by walking to the Quartz Ranges, and it is understood that he saw the, necessity of immediately opening a main road up the valley to the Quartz Ranges, as well as mending- and opening^ temporary roads to carry on with while the main road is in progress. This, if carried out, will be a great boon to these diggings, and will remove the principal difficulty to The proper development of our gold-fields. TAKAKA At the Takaka, now that the weather has improved, we are informed that the prospects are very promising; the diggers are in excellent spirits, and confidently expect a large yield of gold. There were brought from this district, on Tuesday evening, by Mr. Spittal, over 22 ozs., and by Mr. Kerr, the manager of the bank ( about 11 ozs. Both these specimens were of an 'unusually "fine "quality." """■■"■ Our Gold Fields.—Almost every week our population receives a considerable addition by immigrants from the other provinces of New Zealand, and from the Australian colonies, who come to try their fortune at the Nelson diggings. And it is a pleasing fact that while, on har trips from Nelson to Collingwood, the steamer generally takes a full complement of passengers, she has lately brought back very few diggers. The quantity of rain which has fallen, and the melting snow of the mountains, still keep the rivers so high that man3 r of the best claims cannot be worked, but it is to be hoped that the weather will soon become settled, so that all may have a chance of securing a share of that golden hoard, of the existence of which there has been shown such undoubted proof. Many diggers who had only looked at the place and had resolved to return to Melbourne last week, were so well pleased with the reports of some of their comrades who had been working on the Quartz Ranges, that they abandoned their intended departure, and have gone across the Bay once more. No news has been received from the Wangapeka lately, but we hear that several parties are at work there. In addition to these well-known places, prospecting expeditions have started, and others are pi-eparing to start shortly, to the Maitai, the Motueka, and the Moutere districts; and a party of diggers are encamped in one of the gullies branching out of Brook-street valley. We wish them all success, and trust that fine and settled weather will soon aid them in developing this rich mineral resoui-ce of our province.— Nov. 25.

Gold Purchases. —Within the last fortnight Mr. Coates, watchmaker, has purchased about £2200 worth of gold-dust. The principal quantity has been brought from the Slate River, and has rather a dark appearance, being encrusted with what looks like iron rust. The gold obtained from the Aorere, is much brighter than that which is got from the Slate River.—Colonist, Nov. 17.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18571216.2.14.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 534, 16 December 1857, Page 9 (Supplement)

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,649

Colonial. Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 534, 16 December 1857, Page 9 (Supplement)

Colonial. Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 534, 16 December 1857, Page 9 (Supplement)

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