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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 66, 20 March 1867, Page 2

A telegram from Wellington informs us that Cox the absconder from Auckland, is a defaulter to the extent of £12.000. He has victimised many poor people, whose savings were entrusted to his care. He visited the gaol, the other day to see his brother, who is under sentence of two years for perjury. It is supposed at Wellington that he left that place yesterday, in the Egmout, for Nelson. A warrant for his apprehension aud a description of his person has been sent after him tc-day. We are indebted to the courtesy of the officers of the Egmont, which arrived this morning, for copies of the Wellington Evening Post from the Bth to the 18th inclusive, and for copies of the New Zealand Advertiser of the 11th, 13th, 15th, and 18th instant. We have not seen the Independent, except a stray copy or so. goodness knows when. We hope nothing has happened amiss to our ancient friend. From the Wellington papers and passengers who have crossed the Straits, we learn that a series of south-east gales prevailed for more than a week past. When the Taranaki was off Tei'ctwiti, ou Saturday last, she encountered a fearful sea, as did also the Egmout. The Taranaki was pooped when entering the Heads, the sea smashing the greater portion 'of the wheel, aud staving in the after saloon skylight. The Egmont shipped large bodies of water, but escaped unhurt. The Lord Ashley was 72 hours coming from Napier, 53 of which she was hove-to. The sea knocked a hole in her larboard bow, and some of her railing was destroyed. The ketch Falcon, from Blenheim to Wellington, had a narroAV escape. She was struck bjr the sea and thrown on her beam ends, but was fortunately righted by another sea. A vessel loaded with cattle from Queensland was driven from her moorings at Evan's Bay. The barque Indus dragged her anchors ; and several vessels intending to sail on Monday, were kept close prisoners in Wellington harbor. The party who scut us the telegram from Wellington on the 15th inst., respecting the conspiracy in the goal, must have been mistaken as to the facts of the case. The Evening Post of the 16th reports the trial of the conspirators before the Visiting Justices. Their names are John Riley, James Young, and George Angell. From the evidence of.W. Hibbertfield a prisoner, it appeared it was intended to put poison into the turnkey's tea, and after that to open the gates with a skeleton key. If the poison failed they proposed to shoot the officers. Michael Read, gaol warder, discovered a bottle of aquafortis, which was traced to the prisoners. Riley admitted his guilt, but said the others were innocent. The Justices sentenced Riley as a ringleader, to receive 40 lashes, to be kept in solitary confinement for 14 days on bread and water, to be confined in the dark cell for 48 hours, aud to be kept in irons. Young was sentenced to the 6ame punishment as Riley, with the exception of the flogging ; and Angell was ordered to be kept in irons. The "cat" has been made for Riley. It consists of a number .of pieces of stout whip cord, ingeniously knotted at the ends, and attached to a wooden haudie about a foot loug. An experienced man has been engaged to perform the work properly. The Manawatu races came oft on the 14th, and were most successful.

Private letters receiving by the Panama mail state that Mr. Fox, late Premier of New Zealand, was, at last advices,- travelHug up the Nile, and intended shortly to proceed to Jerusalem. The Lord Bishop of Nelson, New Zealand, has been making a tour through the principal towns* of the county of Kent, for the purpose of lecturing upon the social and spiritual condition of the colony, and collecting funds for providing additional clergy. The races at Hawkes Bay have beeu very successful. The natives are quiet. Major-General Chute aud staff arrived at Wellington on Monday, from Auckland. Messrs. Duncan, Reynolds, Turnbull, Yogel, Sibbald, Miller, and Haggitt have been relumed as representatives of the city of Dunedin, in the Provincial Council of Otngo. The following are late mems.! from the Auckland papers, Mr. John Williamson is spoken of as likely to be a candidate for* the Superintendeucy. A Solicitor, named J. C. Cox, has absconded deeply in debt. A young man, named Thomas Asham, has accidently blown out his brains with a rifle. The first class militia has been called out at Tauranga, and ordered to start for the front. The Alice Cameron brings news from England, to the effect that Lord Derby's Ministry is expected to fall. A portion of the Arawas headed by the Messrs. Mair, attacked a body of Hauhaus at Te Taki, Tauranga, 4th March, one Hauhau was killed, and an Aravva wounded. His Excellency and suite left Dunedin on Saturday, in H.M.S. Brisk, for the Bluff. At Port Chalmers a large concourse greeted him with repeated cheers. The Wanganui Times of the 11th, has the following respecting the late supposed murders : — " News has been brought in here by some friendly natives that a white man was killed by the Maoris at Opunake. He was accompanied by a half-caste Maori, whom they made a prisoner. The murdered man, who was mounted, was made to dismount. WheD he perceived that the natives were loading their guns he ran into the water up to his waist. They shot him there. The description which the friendly natives give of the man answers to that of Father Eoland. I fear that he is the victim. I warned him of the danger. My predictions are too often true. Let us hope, however, that he is not the victim." The Chronicle suggests doubts as to the truth of the report of poor Roland's death. It says : — Although the scene' of this reported crime is no great distance fro'm-dpur doors, the public are up to this time without any reliable information as to who the victim is. At first Mr. Parris was named as the murdered man ; then the Rev. Mr. Roland, the Catholic priest of Taranaki. We are glad to say that, by the latest accounts from the front, it turns out to be neither one nor other of these gentlemen. It is now supposed to be a man who was lately a private in the 65th Regiment, and who might have become obnoxious to the natives ; but even this is uncertain, and it is possible the missing man may turn up. The Brighton Times of the 6th instant, contains the following mining news: — The intelligence which we have received during the week respecting the mining operations which are being carried on in this district, is of the most assuring and gratifying character, and so far as the workings of the Welshman's Terrace are concerned, the results are proving to be beyond the most sanguine expectations. On paying a visit to the terrace a fewdays ago, we ascertained that there are upwards of two hundred holes bottomed, varying in depth from 45 to 100 feet. The depth of washdirt averages from 3 to 6 feet, and in most instances is of a very rich description. On some of the claims as much as 50 and 60 notes have been realised by each man, and, taking the terrace throughout, from £20 to £30 is the average weekly wages. In conversation with an old and experienced Victorian digger, we were informed that the terrace workings are of the best description, and that on no diggings in the colony had there been so few "duffers" bottomed; The accounts which have reached us from the Belfast Terrace are also exceedingly encouraging. Some first-rate prospects were obtained last week, and as soon aa the fact became 1 known, there was a rush of a large number of diggers to the spot. We have conversed with several diggers who have been working at the terrace, and they are all of opinion that the diggings at that place will be the most extensive and durable of any in the .district.

A vindictive outrage occurred a week or two since on the Fish River, New

South Wales, when a shepherd hoy was found tied in the bush, and his sheep, belouging to Mr. Harris, driven off, and some thirty of them killed or mutilated. At Cockatoo (Carisbrook district), Victoria, the other day, an immense quautity of thistle down was carried up by a whirlwind, which having subsided, the white down in falling presented the singular appearance of a heavy fall of snow during bright sunshine. Tbis year (says the Geeloug Advertiser) has been somewhat remarkable for the many strange visitors which we have had belonging to the insect tribe. Flying ants, caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers have made their appearance en masse ; and Avoca lately presented a strange sight, owing to the presence of a cloud of moths. A few days ago moths were being caught in many houses in town, two ot which, remarkable for their dimensions, were taken prisoners by Mr. Tough, the sailmaker, in Moorabool-street. Their color is brown, and their bodies are fully three inches in length, the wings being in proportion, and each has a horny substance on the top ol the head.

From the following remarks, which appeared in. the Otago Daily Times of the 22nd ult., it seems likely tbat his Excellency will soon return to Wellington : — "As his Excellency the Governor has been advised to make a more rapid tour through the interior of the province tban was originally designed ; and as such an alteration might give rise to an erroneous impression with regard to the tranquility of the Northern Island, we have been authorised to state that his Excellency's movements have been regulated by a desire to be present at the seat of Government, where questions connected with the removal of the troops, :*nd their replacement by colonial forces where necessary, require attention."

A gentleman going in extreme haste (says the Queensland Courier of the 27th ult.) for a doctor to attend a dying friend, yesterday morning, was stopped by a policeman, and despite his urgent remonstrances and appeals to the constable to go with him to the doctor if he would not allow him to go' without his company, was taken to the lock-up, and there confined for about an hour, until he was recognised by another coustable and liberated. His friend was dead when he got back to the house. No charge whatever was lodged or made against the young mau arrested by the constable ; and none could be, except that he was running through the streets in the small hours of the morning on au "errand of life aud death."

It is noticed that a vineyard at Ceres, Victoria, the land around which had all been ploughed, lias escaped the grasshopper pest by which so many orchards and vineyards in the western districts have been ravaged.

The Hobart Town Mercury says : — We are gratified to learn from the resideuts on the Plenty river that for three or four miles above Redlands, brown trout of considerable size are frequently seen in numbers. The success of the experiment as regards those fish is now beyond all question, and iv a very short time we may hope to have them swarming in ali the rivers of Tasmania.

The Yass Courier (New South Wales paper) says: — A proclamation, dated the Bth ult, absolutely prohibits the introduction of sheep from the colony of Victoria into New South Wales otherwise than by sea, for the period of six months from the date of tbe proclamation.

The prospects of lead-mining in the Yass district appear promising. Some very fine specimens of ore have lately been found at Waroo by an American named Youngson, who expects to be able to strike tbe lode, and proposes, if he succeedsin doing so, to erect asmel ting furnace. At the Woolgarlo lead-mines smelting has just commenced ; splendid samples of ore have been obtained. Firebricks of firstclass quality for the smelting furnace were made on the ground.