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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 40, 18 February 1868, Page 2

The Provincial Government Gazette, published yesterday evening, contains a notification of the reservation of certain Crown Lands iv the town of Westport, for educational purposes, for a hospital, and also for two cemeteries, and also notices of declarations of insolvency by the following individuals: — Samuel Payne, late of Mokihinui, storekeeper, now a confinee for debtj Owen Meighan, late of Addison's Flat, boardinghouse keeper, also a confiuee for dubt; Robert Alcorn, William and James M'Farland, all of Westport, trading as Alcorn and Co.; and by Bernard Rogers, of Brighton, publican. The Gazette also contains assignments of their estates on behalf of their creditors, made by Stephen S. Brent, of Westport, timber merchant ; by Henry Harrison, of Mokihinui, storekeeper, aad by W. Ferris, o

Westport, storekeeper. In the insolvent estate of Samuel Samper, of Westport, notice is given that thg creditors have accepted a proposal made by the bankrupt for taking the estate out of bankruptcy and a meeting ofthe creditors of Joseph Moss aud Reuben Harris, of Brighton, commission agents, to wind up the estate, is appointed to take place on the 2ud March, at the Courthouse, Hokitika. The firing by the Motueka Cadets for the colonial prizes took place yesterday, aud considering that the wind was high and the weather very unpropitious for the shooting, the scores obtained by the youngsters were very fair. We give the five highest scores : — Lieutenant J. Lockett, 25 ; Private F. Horneraau, 24 j Private G. Campbell, 24; Sergeant D. Roper, 22 ; aud Sergeant E. Jennings, 21. This, therefore, concludes the com.etitive firing by the various Volunteer Companies of the province. The Waimea Rifle Company, with the Nelson and Wakapuaka Artillery Companies, will not be represented at the graud contest at Wellington, which it is intended shall take place in the presence of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, since the regulations laid down in the Government Gazette define that the highest score of all shall be the representative of the province, and after that, for every 20 members who score 42 marks, one extra representative shall be scut to Wellington. Ac, however, only about 25 members of the various companies have scored 42 and upwards, the province has only entitled itself to oue extra representative, which will, of course, be the next highest scorer, and Messrs J. A. Moore and H. Drew having tied for 63, will, therefore, be the representatives of the adult companies. As regards the Cadet Companies, they will send the highest scorers in each company, namely, W. Adams (No. 1), Hugh Gully (No. 2), Alex. M'Gee (Artillery), and Lieutenant J. Lockett (Motueka Company). An important judgment was delivered in Banco, on Friday last, by his Honor Mr. Justice Richmond, in two appeal cases, Klein, appellant, and Harrison, appellaut, versus Clayton, the respondent in both cases. The appeal was from a decision of the Resident Magistrate at Hokitika, in reference to a rate levied at that place, under Ordinances of the Provincial Council of Canterbury, which have since been repealed by the ' Hokitika Municipal Corporation Ordinance, 1867.' In both cases the judgments below was reversed. The Wellington Reception Committee held a meeting on Tuesday last, at which it was intimated that provision had been made for fireworks, flags, a night demonstration, a ball and supper, marine displays, open-air sports, an entertainment to the sailors of the Royal Navy, and a host of other arrangements too numerous to mention. We learn by telegram that the cricket match which took place yesterday, between the Picton and Blenheim clubs, terminated in the victory of the former. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Bowen will be entertained at a ball and supper, by the inhabitants of Wellington, ou Thursday evening next. The case of Kennard v. the Wellington Provincial Government, with refereuce to the Wharf dispute, wiil be tried next month at Wellington. We understand that the contractor's agent has used every effort, but unsuccessfully, to have the caso tried at Christchurch. The Westport Times of tke 10th inßt. has the following with reference to the numerous insolvencies which have lately been announced at that township :— Thera are in Westport and neighborhood a considerable number of persona who have invested all their worldly means in local speculations. The distriot is at present

passing, through a commercial crisis which "was brought about by the presence of a greater number of storekeepers and hotelkeepers than were required, and not through the poverty of our mines. Our goldmines are rich, our coal beds inexhaustible, and we have abundance of excellent agricultural land. With these resources the district cannot remain at a standstill. It must advance, and that rapidly. Besides, the temporary crisis through which we are now passing scarcely deserves the name. Most of those declared insolvent are in a position to pay the greater portion, if not all their just debts. Their embarrassment was caused through the miners not being able to meet their engagements, and tbe miners in turn were prevented from obtaining gold by the inclement wealher which has prevailed for the past four or five months. Notwithstanding all this, we find that the North Western Gold-field, with a population of nearly 8000 souls, produces more gold than any other district in the colony proportionate to its population. According to re cent returns published in the-Generai Government Gazette, we find that tbe weekly export of gold from the Buller is 2*355 ounces, representing in round numbers £9420 per month. The Westport Times states thafc on Tuesday morniag.a rush took place to Poverty Terrace, situated at the crossing at the Orawaiti River, about halfway between the beach and the Caledonian Lead. Three or four parties have been prospecting this neighborhood for some time, and on Saturday Charley Maequarie and party struck gold yielding between two and three grains to the shovel. There is from 18 inches to two feet of washdirt. The Canterbury Times states thafc the postal scheme agreed on by the late conference at Melbourne, having been unfavorably reported on by the Secretary of the General Post-office in London, will not receive the support of the Treasury and Colonial Government concerned. Regarding the probability of a change, from Panama to San Francisco, of the port of arrival and departure for the Panama steamers to and from New Zealand, it is satisfactory to learn that by tbe new postal treaty entered into by Great Britain and tbe United States, the transit rate of correspondence to and from England is reduced to a cent and a-half per single letter, and to six cents per lb. for newspapers, bookpackets. and patterns. This would cover the whole charge from San Francisco to New York. Of course any chauge in this direction will depend mainly on the completion of the Union Pacific railroad. But the facilities offered by this route, as far as can be judged at present, deserve careful consideration in any future arrangements. Sergeant Brass, of No 6. Company, has made the highest score — 65 — in the competitive firing of tbe Canterbury Volunteers. This score has never before been equalled in that province. The competitive firing of the Blenheim Cadets has taken place, when Private J. Tait made the highest score — 27. The Blenheim Volunteers fire on the 30th inst. The following paragraph from the Canterbury Press, points to the steady development of what will, we are assured, ere long become an important branch of New Zealand industry : — The orders for New Zealand flax, rope are increasing so much that it is scarcely possible to supply them, though a great number of hands are at pieseut employed. Messrs Jenkins, Jones and Co. have determined on enlarging and adding to their preseut plant of machinery to fulfil their numerous and extensive orders. The concluding words of a Mormon obituary notice are very pathetic: 'He leaves 13 Widows and 54 children to mdbrn his loss.'