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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 181, 3 August 1868, Page 2

A report was current in town on Saturday niaht to the effect that a party of Maoris had entered Mr Sutcliffe's store at Motueka, and demanded arms and ammunition in peremptory terms, and that, on his refusal to comply with their wishes, he had been maltreated, and the store forcibly entered. A large number of persons were assembled this morning at the wharf awaiting the arrival of the Lady Barkly with intelligence confirmatory of this statement, but were doomed to be disappointed. We learn from Mr Buchholz and other passengers by the steamer that there is not the slightest foundation for this report. A number of Maoris from the Wellington district havo been on their periodical visit to their kinsmen at Motueka, but they conducted, themselves in their usual orderly manner, and there is no reason to believe that their visit had any object hostile to the Pakeha. The news which reached us by telegram, from Havelock, on Saturday g last, is of a different tenor; the Maoris who have landed in the Pelorus being from the North Island, and their object being avowedly to collect arms and ammunition, and, we believe, recruits also, for the prosecution of the war in the North Island. It will be remembered that a similar course was adopted at the commencement of the last war, and the fact may be taken as an earnest of their intention to make a vigorous stand on this occasion. We took occasion some time since to allude to the disgusting inscriptions on public edifices which meet the eye in various parts of the city, and to express a hope that the perpetrators might be de-

tected and subjected to condign punishment. We regret to learn that this abominable practice is gaining ground, instances baving been brought under our

notice which show that not even the interiors of buildings dedicated to religious worship are secure from the intrusion of these miscreants. We are glad to learn, however, that a clue has been obtained, which will, indubitably, subject the offender,on a repetition of the nuisance, to detection and its consequences. Complaints have also-reachedjuß that some mischievous urchins have lately amused themselves by smearing cobblers' wax on the seats on tbe Church Hill, to the serious injury of the dresses of Jhose persons for whose accommodation they have been placed there. Immediate and efiectual castigation would probably be the best preventive in this case, and we heartily trust that, if detected, such measures will be adopted towards the offenders, without ' benefit of

clergy.'

The Lady Barkly will leave for Motueka, Collingwood, &c, to-morrow, at 6 p.m., instead of 9 a.m.

A public meeting in connection with the Nelson Auxiliary Branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society, is announced to take place at the Temperance Hall this evening, the Right Rev. Bishop Suter in the chair.

Times, we are told, are bad, and trade is said to be dull, but our good citizen? seem nevertheless determined not to allow these absurdly paltry considerations to interfere with their legitimate amusements. We are informed that the Committee of the Assemblies held weekly at the Harmonic Practice Room intend giving a ball on Thursday next, to the subscribers and their friends at- the Provincial Hall. The Foresters' Anniversary Ball, in aid of the Widow and Orphans' Fund, is also fixed to come off at the same place on Tuesday the Ilth inst and we hear that the committee are using their best endeavors to render it a success. And though last, by no means least, the Hospital Ball is still in prospetto, the exact date of which cannot be settled until the probable time of the promised visit of the Governor and Lady Bowen to Nelson can be ascertained.

Visitors to our Museum may have observed several specimens of sulphur brought from that singular volcanic island off the East Cape, known as White's Island. It appears that the claim of two halfcastes to a Crown grant for this island has lately been heard before the Native Lands Court at Whakatane. The claim was established, and ere long a Crown grant will probably be issued. Then it may be found possible and profitable to utilise the vast sulphur deposits with which the island abounds, or rather of which it may be said to consist. Within the last few years several attempts have been made to lease it from the Crown for the purpose of working the sulphur. Of course, nothing could be done until the question of ownership was decided. Now that this has been done, the owners may find White's Island to be a valuable property.

The first annual meeting of the Nelson Financial Reform League will be held on Tuesday evening next at the Provincial Hall, for the presentation of the Report, and to decide on the future action of this body. The meeting will be open to the public.

A despatch has been received by his Excellency the Governor from his Grace the Secretary for the Colonies, stating that the services of H.M. 18th Regiment, the only regiment now remaining in Hew Zealand, will be required in the Australian colonies, for, the purpose of relieving one of the regiments now stationed there. The opportunity will be taken of the presence of the Himalaya, transport ship, in the Australian seas for effecting the

transfer of the 18th regiment to New South Wales, which may be expected to take place about the end of September. Mr J. H. Cook's electro-biological entertainment at the Temperance-hall on Saturday night, the admission to which was gratuitous, was very numerously attended, and the experiments made during the evening were very successful, allthe ♦subjects' being more or less under the influence of the operator. We need hardly add that the entertainment afforded the most unbounded delight and amusement to the spectators, the experiments being of such a nature as to convince the most sceptical. Mr Cook announces another entertainment for Thursday evening next atthe same place, at reduced prices of admission, and our readers will also perceive from an advertisement in another column, that Mr B. Crisp, with his usual considetion for the amusement of the juveniles, has arranged for an entertainment, the admission being at a very moderate figure, on Saturday next. We understand that Mr Cook is prepared to give phrenological delineations of character at the residences of persons desirous of availing themselves of the opportunity.