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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 114, 15 May 1868, Page 2

We understand that a deputation from the Eailway Committee, consisting of the following members of the Provincial Council: —Messrs Parker, Wastney, F. Kelling, Doune, and Macmahon, waited yesterday on his Honor the Superintendent, for the purpose of eliciting some further information as to the intentions of the Government with reference to the proposed railway to the West Coast. The committee having taken the evidence of Mr Wrigg, and all other available information, considered it desirable to glean as much as possible from his Honor, previous to bringing up their report; and in fact to settle the question whether we are to have a railroad or not, by ascertaining the real views of the Government on the subject. His Honor received the deputation iv his usual courteous and affable manner and we are told,- introduced the subject himself, replying most readily to every question propounded to him aud after half au hour's very agreeable conversation, the deputation withdrew, just as wise, or nearly so, as they were before their interview with his Honor, the only new fact elicited being that Mr Morrison, the Colonial Agent, is expected to arrive here in about three weeks' time, when he will go over the proposed line, and make his report on the subject to the Government. A public tea meeting took place in the Council Chamber, Blenheim, on Tuesday evening, the sth iust., for the purpose of welcoming the Right Rev. Bishop Suter, his Lordship having been prevented reaching Blenheim on the occasion of his last visit to that part of his diocese, by reason of the floods. The Rev. H. F. Butt took the chair, and about 130 persons partook oi tea, the company being still further augmented in the course of the evening. The Bishop addressed the meeting at considerable length and especially on the proposed enlargement of tbe Church.^ A man named Loghien was brought up this morniug at the Resident Magistrate's Court, charged with committing a violent assault yesterday evening upon the driver of the Dun Mountain Bus, and was sentenced to 2 months' imprisonment with hard labor. The monthly meeting of the Fire Brigade takes place this evening at 7 o'clock at the Brigade Room, Harley-street. We find from the West Coast Times that the Nelson steamer was stranded at Hokitika on Thursday week. It appears that she had just come up from the Buller, and took the' bar with the beacons fair in line. The captain says that they lead too far south,.. and that, in consequence, the vessel hung for a few seconds upon) the point of the South Spit, and being unable to recover the steerage way thus lost, she took a sheer across stream, and grounded hard and fast upon the extreme point of the North Spit, her bow being within 30 feet of the deep water of the river. Her engiues were at once reversed full speed, but

budge she would not, and also defied the power of the Challenge, for Captain Wilson, having observed the catastrophe, dropped his vessel down stream to the rescue with praiseworthy alacrity. The tug strove desperately to get her afloat; but without success, and only desisted when the tide, just ebbing, left the steamer's water line far above the water-level. The cargo was landed at low water, and it was hoped that she would float off on the following day. This, however, did not take place, and she was launched on Monday last. The Nelsonwas to have left Hokitika to-day, but the state of the bar there is such, that this was probably impracticable. We learn from the Grey River Argus of the 12th, that Mr. Ireland, Q.C., late Attorney-General of Victoria, had arrived at Hokitika last Friday, by the Tararua from Melbourne, especially retained for the defence of the prisoners under committal for ' rout ' and seditious libel. It is understood that Mr Travers has also been retained on the same side. The Supreme Court was to open its sittings on Wednesday last, and it was believed that the political trials would commence on the following morning. When is a bad loss not a bad loss? When it is made good.