The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 208, 2 September 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1868.

The Mail for Europe, Stc, via Panama, by the Airedale, will probably close on Saturday evening next. It will be seen from an advertisement in another column, that the Union Bank will be closed to-morrow, at 1 o'clock, the late Mr Poynter having been Local Director of that institution. The following civil case was heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning ; — J. A. Langford v. F. Cundy. Action to recover £4 195., the amount of an 1.0.U., given and admitted by the defendant. Judgment for the plaintiff, in the amount claimed, with 13s. costs. The following cases were adjourned until the 9th instant : — Clements v. Tingle; Tingle v. Hodgson ; and Allen v. Barker. We have been requested to state that the meeting of the Committee of the Acclimatisation Society, called for Thursday next, wili take place on Friday, in consequence of the former day having been fixed for the late Mr Poynter 's funeral. Saturday's Provincial Government Gazette notifies the appointment by the Superintendent of Messrs J. S. Cross, Harbor Master, and J. P. Lowe, Second Pilot, as Inspectors of Boats for this port, under the new Harbor and Quarantine Regulations, and publishes the license fees to be paid by watermen, &c, plying for hire, and also the fares to be charged in this harbor. The appointment of Robert Bain, Esq., as Mining Surveyor for the districts of Charleston and Brighton is also notified, and declarations of insolvency by James Lendrum, brewer, of Westport, and Eugene Desaunais, farmer, of Quail Valley, Nelson. Amongst the papers lately laid on the table of the House of Representatives is the ' Fourth Aunual Report on the Telegraph Department, New Zealand,' brought up by the Hon. John Hall, Commissioner of Telegraphs, and written by the General Manager, Mr. Lemon. The following passage from the Report shows the financial results of the department : — The total receipts of the ;. telegraph department from all sources is £11,652 3s. 7d., and the total value of business done, including guarantees and other receipts, is £18,324 3s. lOd., which, after deducting tbe cost of maintenance of stations and lines, (£14,896 ss. Id.) leaves a balance to the credit of the department of £3427 18s 9d. The interruption resulting from the extensive]damage done to the lines in the months of August and February has lessened the cash receipts this year by at least £100, and added fully £1500 tp the cost of maintenance. We are asked what object is sought to be obtained by the acclimatisation of the Angora goats just brought to Nelson from Melbourne by Mr Huddleston ? A very satisfactory reply to this enquiry may be found in a pamphlet published at Capetown, which narrates the experiences of Mr. Berley, a settler at the Cape, where the experiment seems to have been very successful. Last year 400 bales of Angora goat hair were exported from that cpiony, and, for best quality, realised Is. 9d. per lb. The Grey River Argus states that the Rev. Father Hickie, who lately visited Nelson for the purpose of collecting subscriptions in aid of the Catholic University in Ireland, has realised no less a sum than £1000 for this object during his brief sojourn on the West Coast. *

By the Panama Star and Herald we learn that leave has been given to Mr Adderly to bring in a Bill to make provision for tbe appointment of the Legislative Council of New Zealand, and to remove doubts in respect to past appointments. Mr Vogel has obtained leave to introduce a Bill into the House of Representatives to protect newspaper publishers from actions for libel for reports of public meetings. The law is now in a dreadful • jumble, owing to Chief Justice Cockburn's liberal views ou the subject, utterly conflicting with the decision of former judges. Mr Vogel's Bill is a copy of the American Act on the subject, and consists of one short clause. We are informed on good authority that although tbe departure of Lysters Opera Company from Australia has put an end to the anticipations formed of the probable repetition of their visit to this colony, it is by no means unlikely that another and j equally effective opera company may fill j the void caused by their departure. The ' Australasian states that Madame Parepa, j the well-known and popular prima donna, with- a large and talented company, who have been performing with much success in New York and San Francisco, are about to make a visit to Australia and New Zealand. A writer in Land and Water, of June 13th, whilst advocating the encouragement of interchanges of specimens both of the animal and vegetable kingdoms between England and South Britain, (as he styles New Zealand), suggests that it would be well to prevent the extermination of some species which, like the bustard at home, would seem likely to be in a fair way to become lost in New Zealand. He alludes especially to the Kakapo, or owl-parrot (strigops habrophtilus) which has almost disappeared from the Northern, and is fast failing in .the Middle Island of this colony, and which is said to be the only known bird having large wings which does not use them in flight. The writer, remarking that laws are made for the protectiou of antipodal sparrows, asks why measures are not taken to preserve this rare and beautiful species, the very existence of which is threatened by sheer carelessness, and suggests that the subject might well claim the attention of the various Acclimatisation Societies of New Zealand. We learn from a reply made by the Premier to a question put to him in the House of Representatives the other night, by Mr Curtis, that the Commissioners appointed to investigate the conduct of Mr Commissioner Kynnersley during the recent disturbances at Westport and Addison's Flat, have reported upon the matter entrusted to them. Mr Stafford said that he had perused the report, and he was pleased to state that it entirely exonerated Mr Kynnersley, from any blame in the matter ; and the action taken by that gentleman at the time, showed a coolness of decision and good judgment under the circumstances. Mr Stafford complimented Mr Kynnersley at whose desire the Commission was appointed, and agreed with the Commissioners' report, which said that the course taken by that gentleman assisted materially in checking what otherwise might have proved a serious disturbance, and was the means of establishing a better feeling among all classes in those districts, as well as saving a large expense to the Government. The report, he added, spoke somewhat rebukingly of the unofficial terms in which Mr Kynnersley's reports to the Government on the subject were couched, and with which opinion the Government also were agreed; but beyond that, he had to inform i the House that the result of the commission showed no blsme attachable to Mr Kynnersley, and he had given instructions \ to communicate with that gentleman in accordance therewith. The Wellington correspondent of the Grey River Argus thus comments on recent proceedings in the House of Representatives: — Speaking without prejudice, I may say that the business of the country appears to be the last thing that a great many of the hon. members think of. Absolutely nothing has been done as yet towards the disposing of any real public

business, and those members who really are anxious to get on with the proper work of the session are becoming disgusted. It has become the fashion now for the House to adjourn on almost any excuse that will obviate au evening sitting. It may be quite right in an aesthetic sense to suspend the deliberations of a house of legislature, so as to allow some of its members to do homage to science, in the form of listening to a fulsome address from Sir G. F. Bowen; but as the act may be said to cost the colony fully £60 or £70, 1 question if the taxpayers of New Zealand will approve of such costly courtesies. Last night again, because Mr J. E. FitzGerald, commonly called 'the orator of New Zealand,' had to deliver a lecture in the Museum, on 'Art,' there was uo evening sitting of the House. When it is borne iu mind that hon. members have holiday from Friday night to Tuesday afternoou, these extra indulgences certainly appear to be uncalled for and improper. The Ahaura correspondent of the Grey River Argus of the 29th ultimo, states that about 100 meu are now on the ground, of whom say two-thirds are on gold, none of whomare doing anything extraordinary, but the most part making wages. Several prospecting parties are out higher up the Amuri track, and as a great extent of likely country exists, there is little doubt that fresh payable ground will be found, though probably not of great extent, but rather small rushes, which will repay a limited number of diggers. From the Saltwater aud New River district, very good news comes to hand from the Eightmile Terrace this week. Another shaft about 50 feet deep has been bottomed on payable gold. The population continues to be daily increasing by fresh arrivals, and already every available man from the neighboring diggings has made his way thither. The Marlborough Express and the Marlborough News of the 29th ult., contain *in memoriam ' articles upon the lamented death of Mr Henry Godfrey, both bearing feeling and sorrowful testimony to his public and private worth. The Express concludes its obituary notice in these words : — Of a cheerful and even temper ; a kind and affectionate husband and father.; a generous and indulgent master ; a considerate and obliging neighbor and friend, entirely free from ostentation, no one could be more -loved or respected — no one more missed — or more deeply mourned. A Wellington telegram in the Marlborough Express states that Dr Hector read a paper at the meeting of the Philosophical Society, held on Tuesday week, upon the recent tidal phenomena. He stated that there had been a convulsion of unusual magnitude to the eastward, which caused the late earthquake and tidal waves. The population of Victoria on the 30th of June is stated by the Registrar-General to have been 670,148, showing an increase on the quarter of 5,578. It appears that a foreigner styling himself Count von Alien, who arrived at Sydney a few months ago, and was at once received into the best society in that city, has been victimising the good folk there to tbe tune of £5000. By advices received by the last mail it has been proved that he is an impostor, and that the documents on which he had raised large advances were entirely worthless. He obtained £600 from the Swedish consul, and also various amounts from the banks and private business firms, on the strength of his representations that his credentials were genuine* Before the arrival of this unwelcome news he had proceeded on his voyage in his yacht, which is named Hamlet's Ghost, and which is splendidly fitted up, with the usual complement of officers, &c, and as it was ascertained that he intended to honor Queensland with a visit, telegraphic instruction orders were forwarded. to that Government from Sydney, authorising his arrest. A telegram, however, states that he had touched at Bowen, but had almost immediately sailed in his yacht for parts unknown, thus leaving his Sydney dupes to mourn over their own credulity, which, it might have been anticipated, had already received a very sufficient lesson when, a fevr years ago, they allowed another foreigner, appropriately styling himself Miranda, to fleece them to the amount of £20,000. The affair is another illustration of the saying, that the man who understands humau weaknessses, and is not slow to make use of them, has a fortune within his grasp at any time.