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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 29, 5 February 1867, Page 2

The" Nelson Government having expressed a wish that Fox's River should be declared a port of entry, Mr. Seed, the Inspector of Customs has recently visited the place to ascertain its suitability as a port. The Brighton Times understands that Mr. Seed has formed a favorable opinion, and proposes makiug arrangements to enable importers to pay duty there. "Among the startliug events which have occurred in Hokitika during the last few idays must be numbered the opening of an establishment in Revell-street for supplying the inhabitants with fish. The coast of New Zealand is well known to abound with fish of most excellent quality, but judging from those which we saw yesterday at the Gridiron Oyster Saloon (next door to the Gridiron Hotel), we believe thafc none can excel those that are to be caught on the shores of Westland. Not only did we see kauwi, flounders, aud rock cod iu this new establishment, but also soles of a most delicious flavor, as we can personally testify. This was the first time we had ever heard that soles existed iu New Zealand ;so that it was no wonder we eyed the fish afc firsfc rather suspiciously, but it certainly looked like a sole, nnd when we partook of one fried, with a little auchovy sauce, our doubts were dispelled for ever. The inhabitants of Hokitika are indebted to the proprietor of the oyster saloon, and to Mr. Bush, of Ara- : hura, for this additiou to their articles of food, and as these persons have incurred great expense during the past few months iu clearing the fishing beds some miles up the beach for the baying of nets, we trust that they will be rewarded for their enterprise.The fish are brought into town from the Arahura every morning by the tramway, and are already beginning to be sold largely. VVe may add that the proprietors have applied to the General Government for protection of their beds on account of the mouey which they have expended on them. — Hokitika E. Star. The rush to the Weddin Mountain diggings still continues. Four thousand people are on the ground, and there are fresh arrivals every hour. There are thirty public-houses, two banks, a theatre, and stores of all descriptions are bein aerected. Every spare piece of ground is contested, and business sites are selliuo' at from £30 to £80 each. One hundred and eighty shafts have been bottomed on payable gold. The Wanganui Tines records for tha first time a complaint against the weather in thafc district, and can never remember such a continued heavy drenchiug rain as poured down duriug last week. Our contemporary adds that the remnant of the harvest not gathered in is totally destroyed, and the hay has suffersd severely. The Wade Presbyterian Church, iu the Province of Auckland, was opened on the 22nd uit., and the. ceremony was interrupted by the awfully sudden death of Mr. Robert Brunton, an old settler, who immediately after addressing the meeting fell down dead in a fit at the feet of his wife and family. The Aucklund Gas Company, at a general meeting held ou the 28th uit., declared an interim dividend for the half year of oa per share, which is equivalent to a dividend of 10 per cent upon the operations of the year.

A man named James Bloomfiekl, convicted at Auckland ou the 3rd September of burglary, escaped from Mount Eden Stockade on Sunday week last, by dressing himself in the clothes of Mr. Tuekwell, the Governor, and had not been recaptured when the Wellington left Auckland xtffthe 29th uit. ; We learu from the West Coast Times r that the population of the Waimea district I is steadily on the increase, many truant / miners having returned from the Buller \ diggings. The Canterbury Times says: — By the arrival of the barque Crishna the society will be placed in possession of some tench, • frogs, several birds, and a few aquatic plants, from Hobart Town, kindl}' brought' by Captain Thompson without: charge to the society. They are all in excellent order, and seem little worse for their sea voyage, extending to twelve days. Mr. Travers announces his intention of offering himself as a candidate for the representation of Christchurch iu the General Assembly. In the New Zealand Gazette, dated Jan. 12, William Thomas Locke Travers, Esq, is appointed Revising officer under the Buildiug and land societies Act, 1836, fcr the province of Canterbury. Sir. George Brodie, one of the members for the Goldfields, does not intend becomiug a candidate for a seat in the Ojng'J Provincial Council about to be /elected. / At a picnic recently, says the Bendigo / Independent, a young lady, attended by a / young gentleman, wandered away from j their party to take a quiel stroll together. f Engrossed with each other — whispering sott nothings, &c, — forgetting all, by t 11 forgot — the time flew unheeded hy, aud their walk had extended to some distance, when all at ouce ' love's young dream ' was rudely dispelled, and romance became stem reality ; a huge specimen of the bovine race was advancing towards them, manifesting considerable displeasure at the lady's white dress and parasol. The la 'y sank terrified nt her lover's feet, who, like a true gallant, bravely stood his ground, and gesticulated wildly at the assailant. But the animal did not care a bit for being 'squared' at, a la Tom Sayers, nor was he dismaved in the least at the queer sounds aud shouts which emanated from the gentleman, lmt came on steadily with a dangerous look in his wicked eyes. What was to be done ? There was neither stick nor stone at hand ; besides, to leave the gentle being at his feet at the mercy of the beast for a single moment was impossible. AH at once it fished across his mind that he had a bottle of gingerbeer or sodawater in bis pocket, which ho had had the forethought to place there in case the lady should require it. He was about to throw it at the animal's head, when, as luck would have it, the cork flew with a sharp bang, hitting the bullock rb'ht on the nose, and the contents of the bottle, being well up, flew fizzing and spattering into his face and eyes. Astonished and bewildered at his reception, the ' animal turned tail and 'made tracks' into : -. tbe bush in the greatest terror, the young gentleman accelerating the speed of the bullock's retreat by attacking him in the rear with the empty bottle, bis aim with * which was so true that the shot took \ effect, and the gallant was left master of J ,.,th.e. field. ■ '"' The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of a new cathedral, to be styled the the Cathedral of Moray, was performed at Inverness, bythe Archbishop of Canterbury. Archdeacon Crawford, of Castlemaine, inthe diocese of Melbourne, has laid tbe foundation of twenty-four churches during the past six years. The voluntary contributions of the diocese to the church within eleven years amount to half a million of money. Kossuth is now in Turin, where he intends to fix bis permanent residence. On the Boston and Worcester Railway, in the Uuited States, ministers of religion are allowed to travel at half-price. The Chroniqueur Suisse states that a Protestant minister named Mathys, who died recently at Stanz (Uuderwaldeu), has left an autobiography, written in 21 languages. A banquet has been given to Mr. Passmore Edwards at the Albion, London, "who, after being compelled, some y<-ars since, to avail himself of a release from his debts, has, by his self-denying labors and economy, recently paid the whole of hia creditors, or their representatives, in full" Mr. Edwards was' formerly a wellknown lecturer on temperance, etc.