The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 249, 20 October 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1868.

The latest intelligence which we have received from the Front informs us that on the 7th insfc. Tito Kowaru had encamped at Otia, between two and three miles on this side of the Patea River, and his camp could be seen with the naked eye from Patea. One of the Armstrong guns brought up from Wellington was fired at the rebel camp, but with no better success than causing some fright amongst the natives. It is stated in the Wellington papers that Kemp, the leading chief at the Wereroa redoubt, which may now be called the Front, had summoned Governor Hunia, who witli a strong force, was then at Manawatu, to take part in a plan of operation against Tito Kowaru. Hunia and most of his men had arrived at Wanganui and were to push on for Nukumaru to-day. To enable Hunia and Kemp to carry out their plans it is necessary that the redoubt which the Wanganui natives have erected at Wereroa, should be held by Europeans during their ansence. For this purpose it is expected that some of the first and second-class militia will besent out, but nothing definite will be decided on till Col. Haul tain returns from Patea. i Tito Kowaru and his men are now to a j certainty far at this side of the Patea river, with the two strongholds Putahi andOkotuku to take refuge in case of need. From either of those places he could send out marauding parties, and keep the whole of the Waitotara in a state of alarm until he could be driven out. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yes- ' terday James Stephenson, master of the schooner Elizabeth, was charged by the Harbormaster, under the provisions of the Marine Act 1867, with lightering a vessel in the port of Nelson, not having a license issued in accordance with the provisions of the Harbor Regulations now in force in this colony. Mr Pitt appeared for the defendant, and argued the case at considerable length, arguing that the regula- i tions in question had nothing whatever to j do with registered vessels, and that had j such been the case, it would be the duty | of the Harbormaster to proceed in like ! form against the Lady Barkly, the Ken- I nedy, and all other steamers trading from this port. His Worship observed that it was a case of great importance, that he had taken much paius to look it up, and | that he was of opinion that vessels such as the Lady Barkly, &c, which were coasters trading from one port to another in this province, did not come under the regula- ! tions referred to, unless they were used j for similar purposes as the vessel against which the information had been laid, viz., lightering cargo in this harbor. Considering that the Elizabeth came within the intention of the Regulations, he would impose a nomiual fine of ss, and expressed a wish that Mr Pitt might refer the case to the decision of a higher court. We learn that 400 of the trout ova imported from Tasmania by the Southland Acclimatisation Society have been successfully hatched. It would appear from this statement that the Southland experiment has not resulted so fortunately as our own, the same number of ova, 800 or more, having been imported to both provinces, and at least 700 having been hatched in the ponds in our Government Domain, where they may now be seen disporting themselves, and displaying the greatest vigor and activity. It appears that the earthquake of Monday morning created considerable alarm at Wellington, but was unattended by any serious injury to property. Several distinct shocks were felt here during last night,one which occurred at a few minutes before 4 a.m. being especially sharp.- It seems probable, judging from past experience, that shocks of more or less violence may be expected for some days to come, i similar effects having been observed for a fortnight after the recurrence of the last great earthquake. in January, 1855. .

A lecture will be delivered by Mr J. Daviß,at the Baptist Chapel, Bridge-street, to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, on 'The Voice of Israel from the Rocks of Sinai.' The lecture will be ilustrated by diagrams, &c, descriptive of the various interesting discoveries lately made in the Holy Land. The Rev. R. I;. Vickers announces a lecture on the ' Formation of Character,' to be delivered in the Wesleyan Church at Richmond, to-morrow eveuing, the 21st nstant. The subject is, we need hardly remark, one of paramount interest as regards the education of tho risiug generation, and will doubtless be treated with the lecturer's accustomed ability. In our notice of the earthquake, which appeared in our issue of yesterday, we referred to the fissure visible in the new building now in course of erection in Trafalgar-street for Mr T. Milner, as having been caused by that convulsion. The architect, Mr Scotland, however assures us that this fissure made its appearance some days previous to that event, and is attributable to the connection of the building with another erected some time previously, a contingency stated to be common enough under such circumstances. The attractive programme for the joint benefit of Mis Annie Mertou aud Mr John Black at the Oddfellows' Hall this Eveniug wili, we trust, have the effect of insuring a bumper house, for owing to various circumstances to which we need not more particularly advert, these talented artistes have not met with the success to which they are unquestionably entitled. In addition to the selections from the Honeymoon, and the Widows' Stratagem, Mr Black and Miss Merton will give several Scotch and English sougs, Mr Newton reciting Tennyson's Charge of the Six Hundred, with by desire, the favorite duet of the Ballad Singers. Intelligence reached Nelson by the last mail that the case of Forbes v. Clinton, involving the succession to the estate o Fettercairn, in Kincardineshire, had beeu decided by the Court of Session, Edinburgh. In 1866, the last baronet, Sir John Stuart Foi bes, died, leaving an only child, married to Lord Clinton, who claimed the estate as heir of entail. Her right was challenged by Sir William Stuart Forbes, eldest sou of Mr Charles Forbes, who was next brother of the late Sir John. Sir William S. Forbes pleaded that by the entail of 1811 heirs male of his grandfather were entitled to succeed in perference to heirs female or heirs whatsoever. Lady Clinton, on the other haud, pleaded that the succession opened, on her father's death without heirs male, to the heirs whatsoever of his body, and that being such heir she was entitled to succeed. The Lord Ordinary (Jerviswoode) sustained the claim of the pursuer, Sir William S. Forbes; Lady Clinton reclaimed, and the case has been argued before the seven judges. Their lordships unanimously reversed the interlocutor of the Lord Ordinary, aud decided in favor of Lady Clinton. An appeal will probably be made to the House of Lords against this decision. The following is given by the Thames Advertiser as a translation of the proclamation which is stated to have been issued by the Maori King, announcing a rising of the Natives in the present month, a copy of which is said to have reached the hands of the Government: — This proclamation is from Tokangamutu, and is sent round to all the pooti in the land of Canaan. This is my instruction to the pooti. My friends: — The telegraph of the Atua has descended to me, and this is my word to all the pooti living at . Don't occupy your thoughts with TitoKowaru's doings. Leave him alone to do his work ; it is a work which has been given him by the Lord to do. Though he should eat men, leave him alonej it is his own thought. My word, to you is, don't interfere — leave him to do his work. Rather do you attend to the former word — in the first proclamation. This word: The year is a soft year, a good year ; the lily is out. Leave down the weapon. The word of our Lord's telegram is, that men should be chosen out of each pooti as posts for the door ; that when the month arrives, aud the foot is firmly planted down that is the time. This is the word of the wise: listen to it! October is the month in which the whole island will arise, and there will be no end.— From me, Tawhiao King. This proclamation was read to a large meeting held on the 30th ult. at Pakowhai, in the Hawke's Bay district, at which about 200 natives, with the

■ principal chiefs, were present, but a determination was expressed to stick to the Europeans, and the most unwavering loyalty was expressed towards the Queen and the Government. A debate took place iu the House of Representatives on the 15th inst. on a motion by ' an Otago member, Mr C. O'Neill, that the next sessiou of the Assembly should be held at Christchurch. This geutlemau weu.t on to say that the Wellingtonwere suchastomake it a sufficient reason for such removal. Already, he added, a member of the House had died of a low fever, and the defective drainage of the town made it the dirtiest in New Zealand. Mr Barff seconded the motion, and Mr Kerr moved as an amendment that Nelson be substituted instead of Cliristchurch. He argued, and Mr T. M-Farlane supported him in his remarks, that Nelson was bound sooner or later to become the seat of Government. Mr Stafford strongly opposed the motion, and said that however disinclined he had been at the proposal to remove the seat of Government from Auckland, to Wellington, the expense which another removal would incur was greater than the country could afford. Mr Bunny followed in the Premier's footsteps, and asserted with considerable force that ail towns in the colony were pretty much alike as far as drainage was concerned. There were other causes, he significantly remarked, besides bad smells which sometimes made members feel unwell and seedy. Mr Fox, as well as Mr Hall, opposed the motion, which was supported by Major Heaphy, and the word 'Nelson' having beensubstitutedfor 'Christchurch,' the amended resolution was put, and negatived on the following division: — Ayes, 12 ; Noes, 22. The motion was therefore lost. A Wellington telegram which appeared in our columns a short time ago stated that Dr Featherston, the Superintendent of that Province, proposed to make very considerable changes in theProviucial Government there. It would appear that he contemplates something very much like remodelling it, so far as relates to all matters of expenditure. Ruthless retrenchment is to be the order of the day. Honoraria and . salaries to officials are to become things of the past, and everything is to be done for love and pure patriotism. It is evidently necessary that some change should take place and reductions be effected, for the estimated revenue during the last halfyear has fallen off by no less a sum than £23,442. The offices of the Inspector of sheep are to be removed, nud the Engineer department will be almost immediately abolished. It is also said that various changes will also take place in the Survey department, with a view to effect important reductions. It is stated that information of a reliable nature has reached the Government at Wellington, to the effect that the cannibal chief Tito Kowaru, exceeding in villainy anything yet heard in New Zealand since the very first days of its colonisation, has forwarded to the inland tribes of this island some potted meat, made of the .flesh of our poor fellowcountrymen who fell in the late disaster at the Front. The purport of this horrible practice, it is scarcely necessary to remark, is to inflame the ferocity of the natives of the interior, from whom this scoundrel expects assistance. Some small kegs of this horrible food have found their way, it is stated, to the Waikato district, and had beeu seen amongst the tribes located near Lake Taupo. Madeira wine, once so popular in England and iu India, has long become a drink of the past. The grape disease destroyed the famous viueyards of the island, and the peasantry, thrown out of work, emigrated to the West Indies, whence a few of them returning, substituted the cultivation of the sugar-cane for that of the grape. But Messrs Cossart, .Gorton, and Co., dating from Fuuchal, announce that the vines of Madeira are recovering from the plague by which they have been smitten; that the vintage of 1867 amounted to 2300 pipes, of which 1600 were of prime quality ; and that the yield of the present year promises to surpass that of 1867. So cheered are the Maderians by their prospects that in mauy parts of the island they are rooting up the sugar-canes and replanting vines. When an Irish priest rebuked one of his parishioners for drunkenness, he told him that 'whenever he entered an ale--5 house to drink, his guardian angel stood weeping at the door.' ' And if he had 6d he'd be in himself,' was Pat's reply.