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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 221, 20 November 1866, Page 3

The Times complains that Okarita is without a church, or any apology for one, and apparently the inhabitants are perfectly listless as to any better way of spending the first day of the week than in making up their books, hanging about street corners, or boatiug in the lagoon. .

The' tunnel between Christchureh and Lyttelton continues to make steady progress. At the end of September there remained 271 yards to complete the work. At the average rate ot progress this would require about Jteven months to accomplish. Coal is now brought from Wangarei coal mines (Auckland province) to the port of Auckland. The schooner Elizabeth Mary arrived at Auckland the other day with 55 tons. The Hokitika river appears to be nearly as troublesome as the Waimakiriri. The West Coast Times of the 6th instant says : — The late floods in the river have made fearful havoc with the dam constructed at the head of the old channel, and unless steps are taken without delay to stay fuither damage, the Hokitika will be entirely diverted from its present course. Among the enterprises undertaken by the miners of Otago, the arduous one of turning the course of the Mauuherikia river, at No. 1 Black's diggings, has been completed. The bed of the stream is expected to prove very rich.

Archdeacon Harper has presented an organ to St". John's Church, Christchureh. The builder was Mr. G. M. Holdich, of London ; and the erection of the organ in the church was completed in a week.

The Evening Star says : — Hokitika was visited on Sunday afternoon, 4th iustant, at about 4.30 by a gentle but perceptible heaviug of the earth. 'We remember very well some two years ago a gentlemen in Wellington, when giving evidence before the seat of government commiosioners, expressed his opinion that earthquakes might be looked upon as solid aud substantial revenue, inasmuch as tlie last three or four visitations had added to the frontage of the harbor some miles of terra firma. We should like our swamps drained in tlrs off-hand manner free of expense, but would rather be without the friendly shakes so indigenous to Wellington.

An inquiry was held, at the Resident Magistrate's Office, Waitangi, on the Sth inst., to ascertain the cause of the wreck of the barque Lizzie Scott. It appears frorn the evidence ofthe mate, that Captain West was altogether out iu bis reckoniug. He expected to sight Pitt's Island on the night of the Srd November, aud was at that time in the middle island of the Chatham group. The Court came to the conclusion that the wreck was caused through a course having been steered from Wellington, which carried the vessel direct to tho Chatham Islauds, and through want of a proper look out having been kept. That such beiug the case, the Court (provisionally on the Governor's certificate) feels called upon to suspend the certificate of James (Vest, late master of the Lizzie Scott, for a period of three months.

The Christchureh Evening Mail says : — It is feared that tho loss occasioned by the late fire will be much greater than was anticipated, being considerably over £33,000. The various insurances are as follows : — Cookham House — Liverpool and London Company, £2500 ; Northern, £2500 ; Imperial, £2500 ; New Zealand Company, £2500 ; Londou and Lancashire, £2000 ; and North British, £2000 ; total, £14,000. Mr. Roach— stock £500, and premises £700, in the Royal. Mr. Treleaven was uninsured. Mr. Baylee insured iu the Phoenix Company for £500 ; and Mr. Campion of the Golden Fleece for £400 in the Victoria Company, the premises were also insured for £1600.

The following intelligence is from the latest Auckland dates : — The ' Twentieth Session of the Provincial Council •was opened on Monday the 12th instant. Rumors are still current of the movements amongst the natives of Kawhia. Isaac Robinson, Kelly's brother, has been committed for trial on the charge of being illegally at large, and of assaulting and robbing Mr. Lawson, who is

an old man, and very ill from the ill-treatment he received. On the 10th, the, rite of confirmation Was performed by the Bishop of New Zealand, when twenty young persons were coufirmed. On the same day the opening services of the Mount Albert Chapel were held. The Rev. J. Warren preached in the morning, and the Rev. John Wheweli in the evening. The ceremony of ordaining a minister iu the Wesleyan body was re cen tiy held iu High-street Chapel. John Smith was received into the ministry by the laying on of hands, after an examination in reference to his call to that office. The Revs. J. Buller, J. Harding, J. Whiteby, and Hobbs were the ordaining ministers. The Revs. A. .Reid, W. Watkin, and Buttle also took part in the service. The Rev. J. Buller delivered the address.

Some days ago Ave (D. S. Cross) stated that a frog had been sent to our offlee by a gentleman, who had fouud it at Coromandel. So far as we are aware, this is only the third instance ofthe frog having been found iii the

North Island — the other, instances having also been at Coromandel. When gold was first discovered at Coromandel, three frogs were found by some prospectors in a remote creek. The natives were astounded. They had never seen such an animal before ; they had no name for it, and in the want of that, tliey called the animal "'The Spirit of the Gold," connecting its appearance with the discovery of the precious metal. One of these frogs was given by Mr. C. 0. Davis to Dr. Hochstetter, but we are not aware that any scientific gentleman has given an explanation of the appearance. The first frogs were found while digging in the earth at a place where few, if any, Europeans had previously been, so that the supposition that spawu had been conveyed there accidentally by Europeans from abroad is not admissible. The frog now at our office is said to be somewhat larger, but is apparently of the same species as the frogs previously found at Coromandel.

The New Zealand Gazette ofthe 6th inst. contains the following notification of the allowances ordered by the Judges of the Supreme Court to be paid out ofthe proceeds of a debtor's estate by way of remuneration to trustees and sequestrators appointed under the Debtors and Creditors Act : — To sequestrators in respect of each estate, £2 2s. To sequestrators receiving the proceeds of property sold by them under order ofthe Court or a Judge, the same allowance as trustees iu like case, iu addition to the last mentioned fee. To trustees upon the net amount of their receipts on account ofthe estate, a percentage as follows: — On the first receipts up to £250 of 8 per cent. ; on their next receipts after the first £250 up to £500 of 6 per cent ; on their next receipts after the first £500 up to £1000 of 4 per cent. ; on their next receipts after the first £1000 up to £3000 of 2 per cent. ; on all further receipts after the first £3000 of 1 per cent. Provided that the percentage ou the proceeds of the sale of properly subject to any mortgage phall be calculated only on the surplus payable to the debtor's estate. Provided also that no percentage shall be allowed to trustees on the proceeds received by a sequestrator of property sold by him under order of the Court or a Judge. Two or more joint trustees or sequestrators shall be entitled only to a single allowance. Inspectors in Bankruptcy appointed to act as trustees or sequestrators shall be entitled to allowances at one-fourth of the above rates.

We (Independent) call the atteution ofthe directors of steam navigation companies to the following letter sent to us: — "Nelson, November 7," 1.866. Sir, — I take the liberty of inquiring by your permissiou, through the medium of your valuable paper, whether it is the intention of any ofthe steamship companies to' offer an inducement by 'cheap trip' to persons in the New Zealand provinces wishful to visit the Intercolonial Exhibition now being held at Melbourne ? If so, it is time some notice should be given of such intention. — Your obliged servant, W. Hendrie."

In the Supreme Court, Adelaide, on Sept. 29th, the judges decided that sailors' advance notes cannot be sued upon by persons to whom they are assigned.

The following particulars explain the cause ofthe present political crisis in Otago: — On the 10th inst., Mr. Billon Bell moved aa amendment upon the following clause, in the Superintendent's address: "The legislation of the General Assembly during its last session has been of a character which calls for your earnest deliberation, as it has a tendency, if persisted in, to place Provincial Governments in a position of dependence, which will interfere with the performance of tha important duties devolved upon them, which does not appear to have been contemplated under the provisions of tbe Constitution Act." The amendment was as follows : — "We regret that in the opinion of your Honor's Government, the legislation of the General Assembly during the lale session has a tendency to interfere with the responsible duties devolving upon us." The Housa divided upon it — ayes 15, noes 13.