The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 212, 7 September 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1868.

We believe that we are divulging no secret in stating that the final arrangements were concluded on Saturday last, by which an agreement has been effected betweeu certain parties in this city and the Maoris to whom the proprietorship of D'Urvilie's Island exclusively belongs, for the lease, for 21 years, of an area of two miles, situated at the extremity of Port Hardy, ami in the immediate vicinity of Mr Pritchard's run. It is stated that quartz reefs, perfectly corresponding in character with those which have proved so highly auriferous on the Thames gold-field, and with which they have been compared, exist on the island, together with indications of the existence of alum, petroleum, as well as of copper and other valuable minerals. We understand that Mr C. Elliott left by the Airedale last night for Wellington, in order to obtain the sanction of the Government to this arrangement, of which we shall doubtless be able to report more fully. The lease for the current year of the Motueka Government Wharf was put up i to public auction at Motueka on Saturday last by the Provincial Secretary. There were only three bidders, betwixt whom a very brisk competition was carried on, the lease being ultimately knocked down for I £235 to Mr Tasinan Scott. Saturday's Provincial Government Gazette contains notifications of insolvency by Joseph Watkins, farmer, of Quail Valley, and by Adam Porter, of Westport, and also of the assignment of his property by Joseph Edwards, innkeeper of Nelson, to Joseph Reed Dodson, brewer, and John Edwards, carpenter, both of Nelson. Telegraphic communication which had been suspended to-day, was resumed shortly before our going to press. The Notices of Motions to be made at the ensuing Session of the Anglican Synod, which will be opened to-morrow, are 20 in number, of which 18 stand in the name of the Rev. C. H. J. Halcombe. The President of the Synod has been requested by the Primate to bring under its consideration the following points : — l. The appoiatment of a successor to the Bishop of Lichfield in the Primacy, and the determining of the mode of election. 2. The confirmation, by General Synod of Bishop Jenner's appointment as Bishop of Dunedin. 3. The re-adjustment of boundaries of See, and especially on the West Coast. The University Scholarships Bill, introduced into the General Assembly last I week proposes to institute six scholarships of £250 per annum — at an English University ; tenable for three years ; two to be open annually. Mr Macandrew moved as an amendment that there should be 15 scholarships of £100 each, available for a Colonial University. Mr Stafford approved of both propositions, saying they were not antagonistic. The debate was ultimately adjourned. Two most important motions were made in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, August 25, by Mr Dignan, in committee upon the Distillation Act, who proposed the reduction of the differential duty on spirits from Bs. to ss. Mr Bunny i proposed that the difference should be one-half, or some fixed proportion. The committee did not decide, and the subject remains under the consideration of the Government. Mr Haughtoq placed, on the order paper for August 28 the following notice of motion : — * That it is desirable that the electoral franchise should be extended to

all subjects of her Majesty in the colony who shall be of full age, and able to fill up their own applications to be placed upon the electoral roll.' The court of inquiry into the loss of the Taranaki has, as we have already stated, terminated its sittings. The court was of opinion that the loss of the vessel was attributable to the fact of an unusually strong eddy having forced her towards the south head of the entrance to Tory Channel, and that the officers and crew were exonerated from blame. Sir George Grey left Kawau, which, as we have already stated, has been leased to Captain Holt, without going to Auckland.. It appears that it was his intention to go to Auckland by H.M.S.S. Rosario, on her return trip from the Bay of Islands. The Rosario went into the Kawau on Tuesday morning, but Sir George Grey altered his mind, for the vessel came to Auckland without him. Captain Holt, however, came up to town to arraDge that the Wellington should call at the Kawau and take Sir George down to Wellington, and this arrangement was carried out. The Wellington Independent says : — The General Government have determined to dispose of the Lowry Bay Estate, and the proceeds will be applied to build a more suitable Government House than that iG which Vice-Royalty is now cribbed, cabined, and confined, and the Evening Post states that rumours of a most exaggerated character are floating about that another vice-regal establishment is likely to be constituted in New Zealand, its seat to be at Auckland, and its splendour to devolve upon one whose love of pomp is a matter of notoriety. The Welliugton races are to take place on the Hutt Racecourse on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 26th and 27th January, 1869. The Wellington correspondent of the Oamaru Times tells a tale concerning the Chatham Islaud prisoners, which seems almost too good to be true — that they have anuouuced their intention of bringing actions against the Government for wrongful detention at the Chathams. There never was a warrant for their deteution executed, and a nice question arises as to the legality of the act. Mr J. M. P. Lavin of Mohaka, Hawke's Bay, writes to the Hawke's Bay Herald that a fine brown buck has made his appearance at Mohaka. It is not known where he came from, as no deer have been turned out in Hawke's Bay. Poverty Bay has been proclaimed a militia district, and the militia called out for active service. Captain Biggs has been gazetted Major. In consequence orders had been given that no persons eligible for service should leave Poverty Bay after Monday last, on which day the enrolling of the militia would commence. Many persons have therefore quitted Poverty Bay with their wives and families, of whom upwards of 30 arrived in Auckland by the Tawera. The intelligence received by the Airedale with reference to the Thames goldfields continues be to most satisfactory. The local correspondent . of the Southern Cross, under date of the 29th ult., says: — The Sacramento Claim, Alabama Creek, peg and peg with the Alabama, struck a new leader yesterday, containing some very good gold. They came across, it whilst putting in a chamber, preparatory to sinking, to meet a lower level. The John Bull Claim, Tinker's Gully, up Tararu Creek, has struck some splendid gold. The Btone, lam told, is very rich, and thickly impregnated with gold. The claim is close to the celebrated Prospector's. The Auckland Weekly Express of the same date states that the increasing value I of the claims has been very manifest of j late. As instances, it mentions that on the Karaka Creek, since the Blooming Star, Pretty Jane, and Star of Onehunga, have struck good leaders, shares in claims in this vicinity have risen more than cent, per cent. In the Auckland, which is situated between the Star s>i Onehunga and the Sunnyside, shareholders are now asking as much as £400 for a full share, where some short time ago much less than half that sum would have been readily taken. . It is stated that Mr Lowther Broad, lately a Warden and R.M. in Otago, and brother of the' Warden at Brighton/ has been appointed to. a similar 'post at the Thames Goldfields, , , The Upper- Thames correspondent of the Southern Cross, under date of the 24th nit., mentions that Mr Schaefer, the ] German traveller, passed through this

district. He told the natives that he was grandson or nephew of the Queen, which they found out to be untrue ; they are therefore displeased with him. The AuckLaud Choral Society gave a successful concert on Tuesday evening, the 25th ult. The programme consisted of Handel's Dettingen Te Deum, and Weber's Mass in E flat. The Southeru Cross states that since the resignation by Mr Mackay of the office of Civil Commissioner, there has been an idea abroad that it was possible he might be got to reconsider his decision, and withdraw his resignation, but adds that this is very improbable, Mr Mackay haviug engaged extensively in business, at Shortliiud. as un ageut, and having announced to both Europeans and Maoris that his connection with the Government ceases entirely on the Ist of September. A sale of British birds took place lasfc week on accouutof the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. The birds put up for sale were — 50 blackbirds and thrushes, 10 starlings, 38 greenfinches and chaffinches, 6 bronze pigeous, 7 Java sparrows, 5 skylarks, 2 Barbary partridges; and they were sold on condition that they were turned out by the purchasers, and in their own districts, if so suitable to them, as to induce the birds to remain there. 20 greenfinches were sold at Is. 3d.-'- each; 25 blackbirds at 2s. 6d. each; 25 thrushes, 3s. 3d., each; 6 bronze-winged pigeons, 4s. 3d. each; and 5 skylarks, 4s. 9d. each. Starlings were about 3s. 3d. each; chaffinches, 2s. 6d. each; Java sparrows, 9d. each. The fine screw steamer Hero arrived at Auckland on the 30th ult., from Sydney and Melbourne, and is to ply between Sydney and Auckland for three or four months as an experiment. The owners, Messrs Bright Brothers, have been induced to try this speculation by the increasing amount of freight received from Sydney at Auckland, and by the improving state of the exports from the latter port, caused by the Thames goldfields. The Bishop ot Lichfield has been compelled, to renounce his intention of paying a visit to the Bay of Islands, whither he was to have gone last week in the Southern Cross missionary schooner, by press of church business in Auckland. It is said that his Lordship intends to return to England by the October mail via Suez. The Auckland Weekly Herald mentions a curious fact, in connection with the appearance of the late tidal wave, which is worthy of notice. In Wellington it was expected for days before, it came, and its coming was looked upon with dread, as the forerunner of some great disaster, yet, strange to say, no one could tell why it was expected, or on what date its occurrence was prognosticated. It was said that the prophecy originated with Dr. Hector, but he denies it. So strong was the belief that some great natural phenomena was about to occur, that one individual, we are informed, insured his goods against loss by it, and very many packed up their goods in anticipation ot some, they knew not what, disturbing occurrence. Even the very children, it is said, were full of it. The Ida Valley Company (Otago) have struck a rich leader. 203 tons of stone have yielded 115 ounces gold. Petroleum has been discovered in Bluff harbor. A correspondent of the Otago Daily Times states ' for the information of those interested in astronomical pursuits, that a spot of rather unusual size may now be seen on the sun's disc. It is irregular in form, being broken in upon on one side by a deep gulf which terminates in an acute apex near the middle of the faecula. Several smaller faeculae lie near it, and the whole is surrounded by a penumbra of remarkable breadth. A glass of the most ordinary power will be sufficient to detect it. An exhibition has lately been given in Melbourne by a Mr J. Bryan of the.effects of Indian oil as a styptic, with very satisfactory results. The jugulars of three fowls were cut through and the oil applied ; one of the fowls commenced to pick up grain in a few minutes afterwards, apparently little the worse for its wound, and the others are expected to recover. The Army and Navy Gazette says, • The . 50th foot,. ,at Sydney and Hobart Town, are to- be brought home, and relieved by the 2nd battalion 18th Royal Irilh from New Zealand, but the period of their return is uncertain, as it depends upon the action of the New Zealand Government,'