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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 213, 8 September 1868, Page 2

We understand that a telegram has been received from Wellington stating that bis Honor the Superintendent, viewing the manifest injustice sought to be inflicted on this province by. the present Ministry, through the proposed adjustment of the public accounts, aud slso the uncertainty as regards the territorial division of the colony, has determined on voting fpr. Mr Fox's motion, which will be brought forward tomorrow night. We may also add that it is highly probable that all the Nelson members will vole on the same side. Wellington telegrams appear in the columns of our contemporaries this morning, which state that defections were observable iu the ranks of the Ministry ; that Mr Stafford had held a meetin"- on Saturday last, at which several changes were discussed, and an opinion was current that the defeat of the Ministry on Mr Fox's motion to-morrow was probable. The banquet to Sir George Grey, on his departure for England, takes place this evening. The Mataura had arrived, bringing Australian news to the 28th uit. It is said that the Colonial Secretary, Mr Parkes, has publicly asserted that the Government of New South Wales is in possession of affidavits, proving that the attempt on the Duke of Edinburgh's life had been preconcerted, and that one man had been murdered to prevent its dis-

covery, a statement which those who are conversant with the existing state of political feeling in that colony, wili be inclined to receive with considerable reservation. The Australian Steam Navigation Company are about to lay on a steamer between Sydney and the Fijis. Rich fiuds of gold are reported on the Whipstick diggings, Sandhurst, Victoria. New copper lodes have been discovered at Goolwa, ueer Adelaide. Latest Melbourne quotations for flour are £17 to £18. Wheat in demand at Bs. The Anglican Synod for the provinces of Nelson and Marlborough was opened this morning, at 11 o'clock, with the Morning Service of the Church of Englaud, followed by Holy Communion. The clerical aud lay members of the Synod, were {.resent in considerable numbers but in consequence of tbe non-arrival of the Kev. 11. F. Butt, from Blenheim, his installation,, as Archdeacou of Marlborough Avas necessarily postponed. The opening address to the Synod was to be delivered by the Bishop at the Provincial Hall, at 3 o'clock this afternoon. We understand that the Church which the Catholics of Takaka, assisted by the contributions of their co-religionists in Nelson and the Waimea, have beeu engaged in erecting for some time past, will be opened for Divine Service on Sunday next. The church, which is a neat unpretentious building, is erected on ground given for the purpose by Mr Windle, of Takaka. The Mutual Improvement Class of the Young Men's Christian Association meets for the first time this evening at the Society's rooms in Bridge-street. The object of these exercises is to promote accurate judgment and ready expression of thought amongst those who take part iu tbem, as well as to cultivate original composition, and the system has been found to work admirably iu most of the collegiate establishments at home. The class is open to all members and subscribers, and we trust that the experiment may prove successful. The General Government Gazette ofthe 31st uit. announces that his Excellency the Governor has given his assent to the followiug Acts, passed by the Nelson Provincial Council # during the last session: — Leasing of Public Wharves Act, Cattle Slaughtering Act, Appropriation Act, Goldfields Licensing Act, Scab Act, and Cattle Tresspassing Act; also the Amuri Keserve Act, which had been reserved for the consent of the Governor. The weather on the West Coast seems to have improved lately, and the editor of . the West Coast Times waxes quite poetical on the subject as may be seen from the following: — The weather now is truly delightful, the days are sunny and warm, aud the nights, although cold and frosty, are fine aud brilliantly starlight. Nature, too, seems puttiug on her holiday dress to herald the approach of Spriug. The Wangauui Evening Herald says that the people of Patea are much ineensed at a most unwarrantable stretch of power ou the part of Colonel McDonnell. Mr Baillie, a settler at Patea, for some offence — writing to the newspapers, we believe — incurred the displeasure of the Colonel, who sent for him to come to the block-house. As Mr Baijlie had procured a substitute who was then acting, for him, he refused; a guard was sent for him, and, without eveu a court-martial, he was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. His hair was cut quite close, and other indignities inflicted upon him; he was liberated, after being in prison for a day and night. Mr Baillie had never been sworn iu, aud considered that as he had procured a substitute he had no right to serve. Mr Baillie is most respectably connected, aud his friends are going to, commence an action against Col. McDonnell in the Supierrie Court. The Assembly, it is hoped, will not in this case pass a bill of indemnity ; but, if they should, Judge Johnston has ruled that ho Colonial Act can over-ride the law of England. It is stated that Lieutenant-Colonel

M'Donnell will in a very short time, take the field again, with a view of destroying two native villages, with ralhar unpronouncahle names, situated in the heart of the bush, at some distauce from Te-Ngutu-o-te-Mauu, in whieb the hauuts of the Hau-haus were situated, and whence they used to sally forth upon their predatory excursions. Then, if attacked und routed from the stronghold to which they have retreated, they will find no shelter iu their former abodes. There seems to be various opinious as to the judiciousness of these tactics, but doubtless Colouel M'Donnell is able to judge of what best will meet the emergency of the moment. It is reported thai gold is being found within a day's walk of Duuediu. The story appears to be based upon the alleged sale of 100 ounces of gold to the Bank° of New Zealand, by three men who, while in town, bought some timber, and cut it for a sluicebox. The story is that the gold sold last week was nuggetty, and that the men's talk showed that the gold was within a day's walk of Dunedin, and near a hill, from the top of which the city can be seen. The Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times says in a recent letter: — The four Maori members are amongst the most attentive in the House. They look with stolid wonder at what is going on, and having no interpreter are to be pitied. Mr Richmond says he intends to seat them all together with an interpreter wheu he can make room, but meanwhile, they carry on the farce with becoming gravity. I asked Mete KiDgi the other day how he liked Parliament work, and whether it came up to his expectation. He replied that he was just like ihe figure head of a ship, which did nothing towards the sailing, but only looked and looked, and kept on looking straight before it. No definition of the position of the Natives in the Assembly will beat that, I am certaiu. It is really a shame to joke about them ; they are mere objects of compassion in their false and uncomfortable position ; but curiosity is excited to know how Mr Graham and Mr Cracroft Wilson will allude to any speeches they may make. The Eveuing Post says that a number of friends met last week to entertain Mr ' J. C. Boddiugton, who is leaving Welling- ! ton in a (ew days to assume tbe management of the Bank of New Zealand at Kaiapoi, Canterbury. The guest of the evening, who once resided in Nelson, is said by the Post to be deservedly popular, and that his removal will be much ielt by the Star Regatta Club and the Athenaeum, in whose behalf he has displayed indomitable energy. The Wellington Eveniug Post, in a leadiug article on the financial scheme just announced by the hon. John Hall, whilst referring to Marlborough, says that she kuew perfectly well the price she would have to pay for the dignity of taking her rank as a province, and she was willing to pay for it. Now that impecuniosity or bankruptcy is her normal condition, she had better go through the Court, and become once more a part of Nelson, from whicli she ought never to have separated. Mr Eyes, who used to be a strong supporter of Mr Fox, has now apparently become a supporter of Mr Stafford, aud can for the asking, cbtaiu from him this panacea for all the woes his province is subject to. The Evening Post expresses its regret that the enormous expense incurred by the Government in causing an inquiry to be made iuto the state of the various penal establishments in the colony, is not likely to be followed by any practical results. I The formation of a central penal depot is J objected to on the ground of economy. With tbat view most people will probably agree, but it is highly desirable that some- j thing should be done to create a system of | uniformity amongst the various prisons throughout the provinces, and. obviate the unsatisfactory state of those establishments. It must be borne in mind that the Judges, who from time to time strongly auimadverted upon the disgraceful arrangements made with regard to the i different gaol systems in force in different parts of the colony, were the prime movers iu the matter, aod tbat the Government only acted principally upon their suggestions. A Rhode Island newspaper prints the following among its marriage notices: — 'In Thompson, Ct., November 20th, Rufus Briggs, to Sarah L. Greeuleaf, of Arburn, Mass., after a loug and tedious courtship of over five years.'