NELSON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 629, 17 November 1858, Page 4

NELSON.

We have papers to the 10th instant,

Oor Gold FiBLDs.~We Bre glad to find that the prospects of our diggings are again looking up. The encouraging reports from our correspondents at the Aorere, and especially the announcement of the finding of a large nugget, will no doubt be read with interest, and will perchatiee induce many to " try their luck." About 160 ounces came over by the steamer on Thuro-

day evening; and these sort of facts are most '. convincing' proofs that the diggers' are " doing well." Another interesting fact is, that, up to the Ist October last, there haß passed through the Nelsora Custom House for exportation 16,743 ozs. 4 dwts. 5 grs. of gold, of the value of about .£82,878. This is, of course, exclusive of what has been taken away without being entered at the Customs, so that,the above amount may be almost doubled; and when-the number of men by whom this gold has been-raised is considered, the average earnings of the diggers will, we venture to say, be found quite equal to those of any other gold field in the world.— Examiner Nov. 6. :: The New Government .BuiLDjNas.-^-We are happy to announce .that the, long string of red tape which surrounds the proposed new government buildings is being gradually unwound; and that, in answer to the advertisement, designs have been sent in by Messrs. Bury,' Handyside, Beauchamp, and Jacobson. As we understand that these designs will be submitted to public inspection shortly, we shall not, by any remark of ours, prejudice the public opinion.— Ibid. Nelson Coal Company.—-Weunderstand that the share list, is rapidly filling, and that only about 500 shares remain to be. taken, in order to make up the 3000 required by, the resolution of' the shareholders. The provisional directors met yesterday, and. we learn thjtt; they reeved to commence .operations forthwith, themsWves becoming responsible for the required number of" shares being taken. Mr. M.f Bury'has been'appointed secretary, and ; that gentleman will in future receive the names of shareholders, and otherwise attend to the business of the company. " We are sorry to find that the letter of '• A Wellwisher," published in our last'has created a bad impression, and .has been deemed by some to prefer a charge of incompetency on the present working manager of the mine, But. the manner in which Mr. Marsdeti has conducted the* operations at the mine hitherto, will, to' those who have visited the spot, be the best answer to the enquiry as to whether there" is any one in the province who is competent to commence and conduct operations. And the provisional directors will no doubt expend the small sum at their command in operations that will have more of a practical than a theoretical character.—i&wf. Oun Gold Fields.—We; find that under thishead we made a slight mistake in pur figures of Saturday last respecting • the value of gold exported through the Nelson Custom House up to the Ist of Oct., 1858, What we should havestated was, that the amount of gold entered outwards at the Nelson' Customs up to the abovedate wa5'16,743 ounces, which, at £3 13s. 4d. per ounce (a very low calculation), amounts to £64,181. But as the Actual value of bur exports, especially in gold and wool, are very much largerthan the amount entered outwards, and as a considerable quantity of gold has been sent to' otherports for exportation and taken away in privatehands, fifty per cent, may be fairly added to theabove amount, making the known produce of the value of £96,271. We have been favoured by a. gentleman who has devoted much time to the subject, with an estimate of the average earningsof the diggers; by which it appears that theproduce of the digging have-averaged 1,500 ozs. per month during the year 1858, and that the population on the diggings during the sameperiod may be averaged at 350. Reckoning the gold at £3 13s. 6d. an ounce, this, would give the sum of twelve shillings per day as the averageearnings of each digger. We.have not heard a more favourable average on any other diggings; in the world.— lbid. The steamer Lord Worsley, Captain Johnson,, may be expected here from Auckland in about eight days, and she then proceeds to Sydney direct; the steamer Lord Ashley may be expected from Sydney direct about the 20th of the month; and thus Nelson is to be made the chief" port of arrival and departure of the. mail stea>mers. , The White Swan continues on the sameroute as before, until the arrival of the, othersteamers from England.-e-/Airf,Nov. 10. Wellington.—We deeply regret to have torecord the death of Mr. J. Bowler, who wagaccidentally killed last evening. The deceased was proceeding homewards towards Porirua, walking by the side of his cart, when the horseshied, and'knocking him down, the cart passed over his body, and inflicted fatal injuries.—lndependent, Nov. 13. Instructions have been received from the War Office, dated 23rd May, directing Henry- Connell, Esq., Assistant Commissary General* toiproceed to New Zealand to join the staff on that statiop. Mr. Connell sailed in the Breadalbane, for Atickand, last month, but his name was omitted by some error, in the list of passengers.—/6/rf. JSatdkday Half-holiday.—A request, made by the mercantile clerks of this city, to the merchants to close their establishments at an early hour on Saturdays, has been most cordially responded to, and we have great pleasure in announcing that the majority of them have determined to close at 2 p.m; this day.— lbid. ;