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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 269, 13 November 1868, Page 2

We are informed that intelligence was received to-day from Collingwood to the effect that three miners, who for some time past have been employed in prospecting the country in that neighborhood, came into the township a day or two ago for the purpose of purchasing stores, with six ounces of coarse nuggetty gold, and their subsequent movements having elicited no small curiosity, the scene of their operations has been discovered, and a considerable number of persons have left the township for the purpose of ascertaining further particulars, which we hope to be able to lay before our readers to-mor-row. Much excitement prevails in Col-

lingwood and the neighborhood, the miners being very sanguine of success. A deputation waited on the Superintendent this morning at 11 o'clock, for the purpose of requesting his Honor to call a public meeting at an early date, with a view to elicit public opinion with reference to the present state of affairs in the North Island. Hi_ Honor recieved the deputation very courteously, and fixed Monday evening for the meeting, , which will be held at the Provincial Hall. In consequence of the Assizes commencing on Monday next, the nomination for the vacancy in the representation of the city in the Provincial Council, created by the retirement of Mr A. Pitt, which had been originally fixed for that day, will take place on the following Thursday. We believe that it is understood that Dr Irvine will alone solicit the • sweet voices' of the city electors on this occasion. We are requested to s^ate that a performance on the large « Church Harmonium,* by Alexandre of Paris — imported by Mr J. H. Levien, and formerly used in the temporary Roman Catholic Cathedral at Sydney — with & view to an exhibition of its powers, will, by the kind permission of his Honor the Superintendent, take place at half-past 3 o'clock precisely to-morrow afternoon in the Provincial Hall. The attendance of musical amateurs, or of any persons interested in such matters is desired. The concert given last night by the Harmonic Society at the Provincial Hall was well attended, and the performance passed off satisfactorily enough. The first part of the programme consisted of Mozart's Mass, No. 12, the various movements of which are so generally known, and which, although somewhat mercilessly curtailed, were given very fairly by the members of the Society, Mrs Scaife accompanying with her accustomed skill and judgment. The second part was of a miscellaneous character, consisting, with the exception of Virgiuia Gabriel's The Forsaken, sung very pleasantly, and a new and pretty Christy Minstrel song with chorus, « The birds will come again,' given by the. Conductor, Mr Walcot, with all his accustomed sweetness (both of which were encored), of part songs, &c, which had been heard before at the concerts of the Society. Among these a Tyrolese Yolk-lied by Kucken, for four voices, fully merited the encore awarded to it. The most notable feature however of this part of the concert was the first appearance of the members of the ci-devant Orchestral Society, numbering some 15 instrumentalists, who played Mendelssohn's magnificent March of the War Priests, in Athalie, and two sets of valses in very creditable style, due allowance being made for the fact that barely three months have elapsed since the organisation of the little orchestra, and thata very nice and critical attention to accent or light and shade could hardly be expected under the circumstances. The audience certainly seemed desirous of affording every encouragement to their efforts, and rewarded them with two of the most hearty and enthusiastic encores imaginable, the desirability of sach an accession to the ranks of the Society being acknowledged on all hands. We are anxious to correct an error which occurred in our notice of the consecration of All Saints Church on Wednesday last. Mr John Scott was the contractor for the building, and not Mr Henry, as was erroneously stated. We may mention, in reference to this subject, that, although the accommodation for the congregation thatat presentexists in the church will only seat about 350 persons, this number can be considerably augmented by a closer arrangement of the seats, which would thereby afford sufficient space for nearly 500 persons. The excursion which the steamer Moutoa is announced to make to-morrow afternoon to the Rabbit Island will afford another pleasant opportunity to those who may desire to obtain a short change of air and scene at an exceedingly moderate cost. The Resident Magistrate's Court Act Amendment Act passed last session is now in force. It gives the Magistrate before whom the case is heard, the power of rehearing the case at the instance of the creditor who has obtained a judgment in the regular course; and wherever it can be proved that a person against whom judgment has been originally given is in a position to pay the,amount due, and will not, or that he has incurred the debt in a fraudulent manner, and under cireum-

stances tlia||2-UBt show that he never would pay- ijfc^' the Magistrate shall have power to imprison him. No less than 34,103 packages of green fruit were imported into the colony during the year 1867, of the value of 3-30,000, The importation of apples, oranges* and pine apples has much increased during the present year, owing to the reduction in price, and probably £50,000 will be the value of the imports under this head for the year 1868. A trial of a new flax-dressing machine invented by a MrM'Dougall> and improved by Mr C. Cummings, was made last week at Wellington at the Lion Foundry, in the presence of several.of the leading merchants of that city. The machine is a small one* and three of them could be driven by a five-horse- power engine; its action is to cut the flax into thin fibres, and take away much of the resinous matter from it; the stuff is then washed in water and bleached* when it is ready for manufacture. The result of the trial seems to have given general satisfaction. At a meeting of the Wellington Town Board, held last week, the new assessment of the city was submitted by Mr Wallace, who stated that there had been a great depreciation in the value of property at Te Aro, namely, £28,550; and the increase in the value of properties in the Lambtonward was £25,631, and in the Thorndonward £6947; showing a net increase in the assessment of £4028. A Dunedin telegram published in the Post gives the following Australian items! — Miss St> Denis, the actress, has committed suicide. The Taylor scandal has been revived. One lady denies, on oath* the charges brought against her. The Ballarat Agricultural Show was a great success; 10,000 persons present. Extensive frauds discovered in Customs, Mel* bourne, by means of false invoices. The new Ministry has been formed at Sydney — Robertson, Premier; Josephson, Solicitor; Eager, Treasurer, Sir Willliam Manning being Attorney General, without a seat in the Cabinet. Mr Fuller, Mayor of Adelaide, is forming a Ministry. A number of vessels, laden with flour, have arrived at Melbourne and Sydney* Flour, in large quantities, is being exported to England. Private letters, quoted by the Tuapeka Times, state that Lord Stanley intends to visit tliese colonies next summer. Mr Forsyth's native flax manufactory at Tokoraariroj in Otago, is said to be turning out an excellent article in the shape of matting, which compares favorably with that from cocoanut fibre. By the aid of Judson's simple dyes some of the finer mats are stained in varied and beautiful patterns* The local demand is so great that there is actually several months' work on hand at the present time. Might not a similar industry be introduced in this province, adding to the matting branch the weaving of floursacks, wool packs, &c? It is stated that about 90 Chinese were j landed at Hokitika on the 6th instant from the Rangitoto. These celestials have been brought there as it were to order, having been sent for by a small number of their countrymen who landed there some months since, and who appear to be doing so well that they have induced more of their com* patriots to enjoy the fat of the land. Although disagreeable neighbors, they are a most industrious race, and will probably succeed in ferreting out a good deal of gold which has passed unobserved by the European miner. After having refreshed themselves with ' welly good ' pork and fish, they proceeded to the diggings, one portion to the Hauhau and another to the Waimea district. It is said that anew daily paper is about to be started at Dunedin, with Mr Vogel for an editor. It is to be called The Sun. The Kaikoura Herald says that it is rumored that the firm of Miles and Co., of Christchurch, intend starting a -branch of their business there and with a view of establishing permanent communication, plying one of their steamers from Lyttelton to Kaikoura regularly. James Rogers, who, our readers will recollect, was the person who (struck the late Mr Frasi, from the eftect of which blow he is said to have died, has been brought up before Major Keddell and Lowther Broad, Esq., at the Thames Police Court, on the charge of manslaughter. Evidence similar to that taken at the inquest was given, and the prisoner was committed for trial, bail being accepted, himself in £200, and two sureties of £100 each.