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Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 225, 24 June 1865, Page 2

A fire in a private dwelling occurred on Wednesday afternoon. The building was the first hut erected here by Mr Bees, and fortunately stood near the creek, quite isolated from the town. There was little damage done except to a portion of the thacthed roof, which had caught fire in the first instance from the chimney. The Fire Brigade, with the engine, were quickly on the spot, but their services were not required when they arrived, as the fire was all but extinguished by a few individuals who rushed to the scene, at the first outburst. We have before us the prospectus of the Wakatip Copper Mining Company, which proposes to work the copper lode at Moke Creek and a lease of 80 acres of ground has been applied for. The liability is to be limited. The capital is 12,500?. in 1250 shares of 101. each, with power to increase the amount. The projectors part with their right in the lease for 250 paid-up shares, equal to 2500?. We do not know if this includes the original discoverers. Ten shillings is to be paid on application, ten shillings on allotment, and the calls are not to exceed 1/., nor at less intervals than a month, unless ordered by a special meeting of shareholders. Mr Bradshaw is Hon. Sec. pro tern.

An extensive fire occurred at Port Chalmers on Sunday evening last, destroying the premises of aMr Haddock, tinman; Messrs M'Lean and Co's store, and three other buildings. The estimated damage done is £4500, only £ISOO of which, it is stated by the * Daily Times,' is covered by insurance. No clue had been ob- r tained as to the origin of the fire.

The following reply has been received from Mr Clapcott, the member for the Wakatip, to whom the recent memorial was entrusted. It will be seen that both Governments are now pledged not to alter the road, but the time when the road is to be completed seems to be as indefinite as ever:—"J. S. Shepherd, Esq.— Sir,—l have the pleasure to inform you that since my la*t letter I have received a communication from the Provincial Secretary, of which the following is an extract:— * I have now the honor to acquaint you, for the information of the inhabitants of Queenstown and its vicinity, that no change is contemplated by the Government in the direction of the m in road from Dunedin via Frankton, and that the works will be commenced as soon as the Government are in a position to do so. May I request that you will be good enough to acquaint the memorialists accordingly.'—l remain, &c, H. Clapcott."

It will be seen on reference to our mining intelligence that the reefers at Skipper's cannot get up their machinery for want of a track. Just two years ago this Skipper's GuHy track was promised by a Government, some of the members of which form the present Ministry. Comment on this point is unnecessary, but the miners hold a firm opinion—and it is boldly asserted—that official influence is at work to gain the 15-acre lease, which cannot be better done than by retarding the efforts of individual parties.

We are compelled to hold over our Arrow correspondence and also a letter signed H. S., which will appear in our next.

The trial of Captain Jarvey, indicted for murder, has been postponed to next session of the Supreme Court, Dunedin, upon an application by Mr Howorth, on the ground that Dr Macadam, a material witness, was prevented from being present owing to the results of an accident on board the steamer in which he returned to Melbourne, after giving evidence at the former trial. Mr Smith (for prisoner) opposed the application. It was mentioned in the course of the argument that Dr Macadam's expenses for the last trial had not yet been paid by the General Government. It is reported that his Honor condemned the fact as a disgrace to the Colony.

Nine days' later news than the latest telegram from America by previous advices has been received. The intelligence that Richmond had at last succumbed to the Federals caused some excitement and rejoicing amongst the Northerners. The city, it seems, was taken after much severe fighting, and the Confederates were in full reireat Conference will probably settle the war, as the South was already arming the blacks.

A successful amateur performance has been given in aid of the Tuapeka Hospital, and from the local journal we learn with the following results :—" The Committee appointed to carry the arrangements for the performance in aid of the Hospital funds, which took place at Wetherstones, on the evening of Tuesday last> expect that a sum of nearly £7O will be realised from the entertainment. The last performance that was given in the same place, for a similar object, realised some £2O less.

The * Nelson Examiner' says: covery of a harbour about 100 miles south of Hokitika, is calculated to greatly promote the advancement of that part of the coast."

Mr Bathgate's letter has caused some excitement in Dunedin. The papers are full of corre* spondence on the subject The ' News Letter sums up thus:—" Mr Bathgate, the banker, has done rather a foolish thing, by writing a sensation letter to the • Daily Times,' having for its object the enlisting public sympathy in behalf of Thomas Whitehead, convicted of one of the most brutal murders ever committed. Mr Bathgate has embodied his views in a petition to his Excellency the Governor, which has been taken lound for the purpose of obtaining signatures. Public feeling is strongly against auy commutation of the death punishment in this case; and the jury's verdict and the judge's sentence are both alike supported by the universal opinion 'served him right.'" A writer signing himself "Proteus" is, however, the most practical correspondent of the lot. He says:—•• This painful case has arisen from the assumed loss of £6O. Although there is no proof that the prisoner lost any money at all, we will not lose time by arguing the point. He may or may not have lost it—that is not here or there. But supposing he had—why carry such a large sum of money about his person, liable to be stolen or lost ? Why not lodge it for safety in a bank ? These queries are answerable at once by the fact that unless so deposited for a given term no interest would be allowed. Now here is a crying evil in our banking arrangements. The miner knows he cannot add to his savings by placing it in a bank, and there, fore sees no inducement in allowing others to trade with his hard-wrought gains. Why not encourage deposits by allowing fair interest on them, be the period long or short ? This would encourage thrift on the miner's part. Afford him the comfort that his money was safe from risk, and in a place where he would get it somewhat increased in amount. Let Mr B. turn his energies in this direction, and then we would not be so likely to hear of robbery, leading to, resentment and other crimes."

It is rumored that the following gentlemen will contest the Superintendency: Major Richardson, Mr Dillon Bell, and Mr Vincent Pyke. The chances, so far as is known, are in favor of the former candidate, though the squatting and money interests will exert every influence on behalf of Mr Bell, while Mr Pyke will divide the goldfields interest with Major Richardson. We give these statements as mere public rumors, hut they are steadily repeated and are by no means without reason.

A public meeting took place at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, for the purpose of adopting measures for the relief of the sufferers by the late sad loss of the steamer City of Dunedin. His Honor the Superintendent took the chair, and a large number of our principal merchants and citizens were present. Messrs Jones & Co. headed the list with £IOO, and other contributions amounting to about £2OO were announced.

The 'News Letter' saysWThe i&n«rfarly licensing meeting was held in the Court-house on Tuesday, when several applications for transfers of licenses were refused, in consequence of the applicants having neglected to comply with that clause of the new Licensing Act, which requires that every applicant for a transfer of his license shall cause a notice of the same to be advertised in a newspaper published within the licensing district in which his premises are situated. Verily, u Sweet are the uses of advertisements !" as Mrs Partington once said, and as our blighted bonifaces will, no doubt, remember next time."

We condense the proceedings in the Canterbury Provincial Council on the subject of telegraphic communications with the West Coast. Mr Hall, after moving a vote of £SOOO for a telegraph to Hokittka, stated that an application had been made by the Superintendent to the General Government to make this line:—"Since a reply had been received from the General Government, to the effect, that although telegraphic communication with the West Coast would be a very desirable acquisition to Canterbury, and would indirectly benefit the whole colony, yet, at the same time, there were no available funds in their possession for the accomplishment of the project. This reply, of course, threw Canterbury on its own resources, and although he was aware that the scheme would press heavily upon it, yet the telegraphic communication was of too much importance, that it was worth while to encounter the outlay for the sake of the benefits sure to accrue from it. The isolation from the West Coast was a great evil, and one which they must do their best to overcome. Mr Sheath had estimated the expense at £6O per mile; but he (the speaker) hoped that it could be done for less. It would be put up in the cheapest possible way—no sort of timber at all available for the purpose would be rejected. If it only lasts two or three years, it would still be worth while to go to the expense of putting it up. It would be commenced in three different parts of the province—Hokitika, head of the Bealey, and Christchurch. The annual expenses would be (including the salaries of the manager, clerks, and boys), about £I3OO per anumn, and he was sure that in a very short time it would repay its outlay.

At the meeting of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association, held at Oamaru on the 10th inst, at which were present some seventeen squatters, the following little hit of bandinage was indulged in according to the report in the 1 Oamaru Times':—'• Moved by Mr E. Julius, seconded by Mr M'Master—*That his Honor J. Hyde Harris be re-elected President of the Association for the current year/ Amendatory of this motion, Mr Thomas Dick, Provincial Secretary; and Mr Horace Bastings, were severally proposed for the office; but the nomination of neither gentleman was seconded, although the mover urged the claims of both gentlemen upon the association, by very eloquent and eulogistic allusions to their past careers as statesmen. Mr Harris was therefore elected."

The great debate on nominated Superinten. dents has come off in the Canterbury Provincial Council Mr Moorhouse led the debate. The result was that a large majority declared in favor of the present system of Superintendents being elected by the people.

We learn from the * Nelson Examiner' that H.M. steamer Brisk—which, on the intelligence of the burning of the ship Fiery Star reaching Auckland, was despatched to the Chatham Is. lands to look after the boats of that ill-fated vessel, with their freight of eighty-six souls, who it was supposed would make for the Chathams as the nearest land—returned to Auckland on the 20th ultimo, with the melancholy intelligence that nothing had been heard of the boats at the Chathams. The only chance of any lives being saved of those who left the vessel and betook themselves to the boats, is the slender chance that they may have been picked up by some homeward ship.

We are informed by the ' Tuapeka Recorder' that a meeting of the committee intrusted with preliminary steps for the formation of a Mining Institute &c, took place in the, Camp Hotel, on the evening of Wednesday last, when it was resolved, that with the view of procuring funds necessary to make a start, a course of lectures should be delivered, the proceeds to be devoted for the beuefit of the Institute.