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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 189, 12 August 1868, Page 2

The Mail from Europe, via Suez, is due to-day at the Bluff, the 7th being the appointed date for its departure from Melbourne. Up to the hour, however, of our going to press we had received no telegraphic intimation of its arrival.

We mentioned in our issue of yesterday that a new and promising lead had been discovered to the north of the Buller by a man named Richard Nicoll, from which he and his party have obtained a splendid prospect. It seems they intended to have made a tunnel 1300 feet long, but at a distance of 470 feet, they came upon a new lead of gold altogether, taking quite a different direction from the run of which they were in quest. The gold is described as being fine, and the washdirt 18 inches in thickness and of a most productive character. We have to acknowledge the receipt of the first number of the Otago Argus, a new accession to the ranks of the weekly journals pf this colony, which has just made its appearance ia Dunedin, and which appears in every respect commendable. The Argus issues from the office of the Evening

We understand that Dr Squires has received the appointment of Visiting Physician to the Nelson Hospital from the Hospital Committee.

The Government officials having iresolved tb present a token of their respect and esteem to the late Provincial Treasurer and Resident Magistrate, John. Poynter, Esq., on the occasion of his retirement from those offices, which he had held for

so many years, ,the presentation of a handsome silver cup, hearing a suitable inscription, artistically engraven by. Mr H. Drew of Trafalgar-Btreet r took place on Monday afternoon at the Government Buildings. The Provincial Solicitor, 11. Adams, Esq., as the senior member of the Executive present, made the presentation in appropriate ternis on behalf of himself and the other officers of the Government, to which Mr Poynter replied very feelingly, acknowledging the courtesy and consideration which he had ever experienced at the hands of those with whom his late official position had so long brought him in connection. Mr Poynter* s health was then drunk in bumpers of champagne, followed by that of Mr H. Adams; Mr Sbarp, the new Resident Magistrate, availing himself of the opportunity to propose ' success to the new firm of Poynter and Combe,' to which Dr Combe, who was present, having replied, the party separated.

A correspondent, writing under the signature of ' A Visitor to Motueka,' states that the report of three, cases of assault, &c, heard before the Motueka Bench on Friday last, which appeared in our yesterday's issue, was imperfect, inasmuch as it did not notify the singular fact tbat, although all three prisoners at once admitted the charge preferred against them, the Bench insisted on taking evidence. This, however, although directly in contravention of the prevailing 'usage in such cases, was not perhaps altogether a subject of regre.t, for it elicited an illustration of the peculiarly summary manner in which such offenders are dealt with at Motueka, previous to their appearance before the Bench, the man Hanaghan having been bound hand and foot and then beaten by the special constables, who jeered at him and thus provoked him to attempt an assault upon them whilst in this very formidable condition ! Our correspondent also brings under our notice another singular illustration of 'the manner in which justice is administered at Motueka from the case of a Maori, heard on Monday last before only one Justice of the Peace, (the Act rendering the presence of the Resident Magistrate indispensable in all cases in which Maoris are concerned) who was charged with committing an assault upon his wife, who refused to corroborate the charge, denying that any assault whatever had taken place, and alleging that the pair were on the best possible terms. The charge, however, was preferred by ber father, who owned that he did not see any assault committed . On this very satisfactory evidence the Maori was fined 10s. with costs, amounting to 145., the attendant constable observing to our correspondent, on his criticising th.e proceedings, and remarking that they were calculated to afford the Maori population a strange idea of British justice, 'the beaks did as they liked there T These same special constables, by the bye, judging from the large amount of costs in all these cases, would seem to be very expensive luxuries, however, indispensable they may be to the peace and dignity of ' The Happy Family.'

A paragraph in the Marlborough News of the Bth inst. states that the brilliant meteor seen here on Wednesday last, was also observed in Blenheim.

We do not know whether any of tbe Volunteers who recently left this place for the North Island were aware of the fact stated by the Independent, that any man who joins the Volunteers for active service and takes the oath is in some measure protected from the assaults of troublesome creditors. If the debts do not exceed £30, the impecunious debtor may glow with martial ardour, and as he marches to the Front may sing, not only of " , The„Crirl.l left behind Me/ but aW of th<2 '■« duns' he haß left to'niotifn : his departure.

The Postoffice authorities have given notice that, in consequence of the discontinuance of the branch mail steamer betweeu Melbourne and the Bluffafter the montli of September, the monthly summary of English intelligence via Suez, will be discontinued. The meaning of this notice is simply that the Government, acting upon their policy of retrenchment, have thrown over their share of the Suez contract at the expiratiou of it's term.

The numerous friends of the Nathan family in this city will be gratified to learn that a report which has lately been in circulation witli reference to the alleged serious illness of Little Mariou, is wholly destitute of At the date of our latest advices from Melbourne, the troupe were playing at the Theatre Royal, and the performances of the little prodigy are especially mentioned in the local journals.

The public meeting, called by the Committee of the Nelson Financial Reform League, and adjourned from the 4th inst., is to take place this evening at the Temperance Hall, when several resolutions, bearing on the present political coudition of the colony, will be submitted to the meeting. As this is one of the rare opportunities afforded to the electors of expressing their dissatisfaction with the existing evils in pur political arrangements, and of raising their voice in favor of reform, we trust that they will show by their attendance that they have the subject at heart.*

The drawing for Mr W. Davis's Art Union took place yesterday evening at the Harmonic Society's Room, in the presence of 50 or 60 subscribers. 100 chances had been taken up, and the nine prizes of six-guinea pictures fell to Dr. Squires, and Messrs. M. Sinclair, Poynter, W. C. Hodgson, Fearon, H. C. Wilson, Hadfield, Levick, and H. Bush. The proceedings appeared to give every satisfaction to those present.

The Foresters' Ball came off last night, atHhe Provincial Hall, and was attended by about 100 guests, dancing being kept up with great spirit until nearly 5 o'clock this morning. The refreshments were supplied by JR^r Johns, of Trafalgar-street, the wines being furnished by Mr W. Lane, of Bridge-street, and both gave very general satisfaction, the arrange-, ments altogether proving that the committee had done their utmost to secure the success of the object which the ball was intended to subserve.

We lately noticed two or three instances of second crops which had made their appearance during the present winter in some of the gardens of this city. The Sydney Morning Herald states that. Mr Clarke, of Redfern-street, in that city, has several trees which have , borne three crops „ of apples in the last 12 months. The trees were from seed which came from America with the last cargo of ice which arrived from that region.

It will be seen from an announcement in another column that Mr J. H. Cook proposes to form a class . of pupils in phrenology and mesmerism, at the Temperance Hall, to commence on Thursday next (to-morrow).

The jury on the inquest held at Wanganui on the late fire afc that place, by which the new Presbyterian church was entirely destroyed, returned a verdict to the effect that the fire originated from some undefined cause, and was the result of accident rather than design. They also particularly exonerated the contractor, Mr Lamont, from ahy. blame. Our readers will have observed that amongst the sufferers by this fire, was Mr Rawson, who was thus forthe third time burnt. out of .the premises occupied by him, the same calamity having befallen him at Taranaki and at Nelson.

The Westport Evening Star say's J that tiie arrival on Thursday last of the steamer

Wallaby at that port from Wanganui, was most welcome. For a number of days the stock of fresh meat in the market had been nearly, if not altogether, limited to one sort — pork, and pork which made no assumption to the distinction of being dairyfed. The Wallaby, however, brought cattle and sheep, and the latter were deprived of their lives, skinned, and dressed with a degree of swiftness which is occasionally compared to 'shelling peas.' In fact, the Wallaby seemed scarcely to have blown off her steam when numbers of her live stock were dead and dangling in the different butchers' shops.

The Marlborough Press of the 6th inst. eays: — Owing to the dull and depressed state of the country, laborers of every class are very plentiful and we hear that wages are likely to come down in the Wairau, and 'that it is the intention of the wool-growers to make a reduction of something like 30 or 40 per cent, on the shearers' charges this season. It is stated by the Marlborough Press that a letter has been received by the Waikawa natives in that province from the Ngaetau tribe in Canterbury stating that a large number of that tribe intend, about the month of January next, coming to the Wairau and to Waikawa to see their friends, and to hold a tangi over the remains of tbe late Ropoama te One, the late chief of Waikawa. They also intend to bring forward a claim they profess to have upon tbe Marlborough Government for compensation, they, the Ngaetau natives, never having received any of the purchase money for the land sold in this district. We understand that the Government of Canterbury have lately given the Ngaetau natives a block of land near Kaiapoi as compensation ; and haviDg succeeded there, we suppose they intend trying what they can do with the Marlborough Government, it being their intention to apply for some of the land remaining unsold. The late visit of the North Island Maoris to Havelock is supposed to have had some conneciiou with this ciaim, some land near or at that township, together with the Devils' Island, at the mouth of the Pelorus Sound, being included in their claim.

The man Ritson, who shot at James Kinsella, the market inspector in Melbourne, was committed for trial on the 20th uit. The Argus says: — 'While in the watchhouse, before be was removed to gaol, he expressed a wish to make a statement to the sergeant in charge, who, after cautioning him, took it down as follows: 'I committed this act of shooting Kinsella for the two following reasons, viz. — first, because the prosecutor had grossly insulted me, as stated by Constable Rivers on the examination ; second, because lam tbe. man who on the evening of the Protestant Hall outrage fired the fatal shot which sent that unfortunate youth — the boy Cros3—- to his last account, and wishing to expiate the same, I resolved to commit a second act of the same nature, under cover of which I might suffer for both (the first still remaining a secret). But as the second attempt proved abortive, I felt it necessary to expose the whole affair, which I now do and affix my signature to the same. Signed by me, James Ritson.*

A Sydney telegram which appears in the Argus of the 28th uit. states that Californian papers of May 28th had been received in that city, which report that the Fenians in America were preparing for another raid on Canada, more formidable than the last. The Government had taken measures to suppress it. The volunteers were arming. — There has been a great revolution in Pay ti. The foreign residents were attacked, and several shot. A British war steamer has been despatched from Jamaica, to protect foreigners. — A Chinese embassy has arrived at New York.— -A National Republican Convention unanimously nominated General Grant for President, and Mr Colfax for Vice President, on the sth of May, by ballot. The extreme Radicals state that President Johnson's conviction on the second clause of the articles of impeachment is certain. — The internal disturbances in Mexico are not yet over.