Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 3, 4 January 1868, Page 2

The mail for Europe via Panama, hy the Taranaki, will close at noon on Monday next. The election of seven trustees under the Kelson Trust Fund, to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of the late trustees through effluxion of time, took place on Thursday at tho Court House, the Returning Officer, .7. Poynter, Esq., presiding. All the retiring trustees were again nominated and were elected without opposition, including the following gentlemen: — the Hon. Sir David Monro, Messrs O. Curtis, N. Edward*!-, W. Wells, W. Adams, D. Sinclair, and J. Sharp. In reply to a question from Mr H. Jackson, as to the present condition of tbe Funds, Mr N. Edwards stated that the total amount to the credit of the Fund on the 31st Dec. 1867, was £9616, of which sum £1650 had been lent but at interest and £4700 without interest, including £1503 on account of the eteam fund, £3200 on

that of the Reserve Fund. There was £3263 cash in hand when the accounts were made up on the Ist December ; of this sum, however, £1500 has been lent since the beginning of the year, at good interest and on good security. A portion of the stenm fuud, £25 a month, was devoted as n subsidy to the Lady Barkly. £450 had been lent to Mr. Stock some time ago, ou account of the Steam Fund, and for the general advancement of stenm interests, and as security for this sum the Trustees hold current acceptances from Mr Stock; £2000 had also been lent some years since to the College, without interest. In reply to a question from Mr Luckie, Mr Edwards also stated that the loss to the fund on the steamer Nelson was £4500, and Dr Irvine having inquired whether the Trustees would be disposed to invest any portion of the fund in the construction of a dock or slip, Mr Edwards replied that the Government having guaranteed certain interest to any company undertaking this work, he thought that the guarantee given hy the Act of Council to such a company would form a sufficient security to the Trustees for the sum advanced. Some discussion ensued in reference to the loan to the College, and a vote of thanks having been passed to the Returning Officer, the meeting separated. The election of four Governors of Nelsou College took place yesterday throughout the Provinces of Nelson and Marlborough. The following are the only returns as yet received, and as those from Waimea-west, Upper and Lower Moutere, Motueka, Motupipi, Collingwood, Picton, and Takaka, have yet to come in, the position of the candidates may yet undergo a material alteration. The Wakefield returns, received yesterday eveuiug, show a blank, no votes having been recorded in that district. We give the numbers polled for each candidate at the places named : —

•The returns from Blenheim were received by telegram yesterday, and are therefore not legally recognisa 5 le, until properly ratified by the Returning Officer at that place. We understand that telegraphic communication is entirely suspended, owing, doubtless, to the high winds which have prevailed during the last few days. We are informed that a man has been despatched to Havelock in order to ascertain the precise nature of the injuries sustained by the line, and to effect repairs, and it is possible that communication with the various stations may be resumed tomorrow. We learn that the office of Chief Inspector of Scab, lately held by Mr Charles Canning, who is leaving for England in the Cissy, has been conferred upon Mr Frank .Nairn, who, it will be remembered, formerly held the office. A large vessel, supposed to be the Queen Bee, which sailed from London on the 29th September, was coming up the bay when we went to press. We alluded, in our issue of Thursday last, to the death of a man named Oliver, a resident in the upper part of Toi-toi Valley, who was understood to have met his death by falling from a dray on the Waimea-road, where he was found at a late hour on Saturday night, lying on the wayside. He was conveyed to his residence, where he was attended by Dr Cusack, but the injuries he had sustained were so great that he expired on Tuesday last, having, it is stated alleged as the cause of the accident, a sudden dizziness, under the influence of which he fell backwards from a dray. It appears that no notice was given to the proper authotities of his death under these circumstances, and the body was buried on Thursday last at the new Cemetery, no inquest havirig been held upon it. The case having beejn brought uuder the cognizance of the Coroner, Dr. Squires, that officer has very properly insisted that an inquest shall be held on the body, which was therefore to be exhumed this afternoon at half-pa6t 2 o'clock, when the jury were conveyed to tbe cemetery for the purpose. Although we believe that no suspicious are entertained that the deceased had met with any foul play, it is obvious that the Coroner 'ie only perform icg his duty, however

painful it may be, in accordance with the provisions of the law, in insisting upon • the holding of an inquest under the peculiar circumstances under which the deceased met with his death. It will be in the recollection "of our readers that an unfortunate woman named Charlotte Dawson, not huig since the proprietress of an hotel iu Dunedin, and alleged to be a natural daughter of George IV., lately made a most desperate attempt to commit suicide at Westport whilst labouring under the effects of delirium tremens. The unhappy woman had recovered from the frightful wounds she had inflicted on herself, and it was proposed to send her lo her friends in Dunedin by the first steamer to that port. Previous to New Years Eve, however, it appears she had relapsed into her former dissipated habits, under the influence of •which she committed another desperate, and this time successful, attempt upon her life on that evening by cutting her throat. An inquest was held on the body on the following day, when a verdict was returned in accordance with these facts. The Phoebe left the Bluff at 10 a.m. on the 29th ult., for Hokitika. Upon rounding the West Cape she experienced a severe gale from the N.E., accompanied with heavy rain, which lasted tnl midnight of the 30th, and consequently she did not arrive off Hokitika until 11 p.m. ou the 31st. Transhipped passengers anel mails, and proceeded to Greymouth, arriving at 5.30 p.m. on the Ist inst. Strong northerly wind, with heavy rain, till noon on the 2nd, when the wind ehi; pped round to the S.W., with a tremendous sea running. Could not communicate with the shore. Left at 9.30 a.m. on the 3rd, and arrived here at 7 a.m. this morning. The Hokitika races came off on Monday last, and although the weather was both wet and cold, a considerable number of persons were present. The Trial Stakes of 40 sovs brought four horses to the post, Mr D Cameron's Mocking Bird beating Mr Smith's Regalia, Red Rosp, and Stella. The Town Plate of 100 sovs was contested by three horses, Mr Cameron's Mocking Bird beating Mr G. Harrison's Kohler", second, and Mr Trimble's Golden Cloud. The Packers' Purse of 30 sovs was won by Mr Mulliu's Butcher B >y, beating Archie and Maid of the Shannon. The Selling Race was won by Mr J. Day's Native, beating Regalia, second, and Red Rose. By the arrival of the Kennedy this morning, we learn that the damage sustained at Westport by the late gale has been very great. Fearful havoc has been committed amongst the vvhatves, the new Government wharf, in course of completion, having been swept away, aud Mr B'auchamp's wharf destroyed to within a few feet of his store. The bonded stores, lying immediately above the Government wharf, have been so damaged that their removal has become necessary, and all the vessels lying in the harbor had gone over to the lagoon for safety. The storm appears to have been one of unprecedented severity, nud Captain Wheeler, of the Phcebe, stages that he has never encountered such weather since he first went to sea. We are informed by Captain Clouston that the barometer has not remained so low for a very considerable time past. The phenomenon of snow in harvest, says the Hobarton Courier, is seldom witnessed here. On the 30th ult., however, a heavy 6quall passed over Mount Wellington at about 7 o'clock,, and on the clouds clearing, the mountain and adjacent bush were revealed covered "with snow. Such an extraordinary phenomenon is scarcely remembered by the ' oldest inhabitant.'

£ - •*' g ju fc b 5 « o 8 W cc W co S O Nelson 201 196 134 13S 116 127 Suburban N... 29 12 2> 14 14 22 Suburban 5... 5 16 12 1 15 0 Waimeaß.... 18 13 16 6 12 7 WaimeaS.... 24 24 16 16 0 6 Blenheim ... 54 45 34 5? 13 7 331 306 234 230 170 169