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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 284, 1 December 1868, Page 2

It is rumored that gold ia payable quantities has been discovered near Ben Nevis, iu the district of Waimea South, on the way between Quail-valley and the Tophouse, and Lhat 8 ounces, its pro! uee, were brought down to towu yesterday.

The Johu Bunyan, Allen, master, arrived late last night in the Bay, and came to her anchorage this morning about 10 o'clock. She has made a voyage of 101 days from home, having leftStKatherines Docks on the 20th of August, and experienced favorable weather throughout her voyage without any accidents whatever. She brings the following passengers:—Mr aud Mrs Wilson, Mrs Joseph Redwood, Messrs Flaherty, Lake, Giles (2), F. Akehurst, and H. Pike. A smart shock of an * earthquake was felt very generally yesterday afternoon at about 20 minutes to 4 o'clock, followed by another of less violent character, aud it is stated that several shocks were experienced on Sunday last. Mr Baigenfc, M.H.R., has invited his constituents in the Wairaeas to meet him at the Schoolroom, Springgrove, on Friday evening, when he will give an account of his stewardship during the last session of the Assembly. The 'announcement which appears in auother column, to the effect that Mr E. • Everett, the proprietor of the ill-fated Bank Hotel, has become the landlord of the extensive hostelry just erected on the site of the Masonic Hotel, will be welcomed by very many of our readers. The hotel was opened to-day, and a personal inspection of its internal arrangements convinces us that every pains have been taken to insure not only the comfort but also the luxurious accommodation of the guests who may patronise it, aud we cannot question that in such experienced hauds as those of its present enterprising proprietor the venture will obtain the success it merits. Duriug the squally weather which prevailed at Greyraouth last week, a number of waterspouts were observed to seaward travelling towards the shore. Fortunately none of these unusual visitors broke -over the town, but one is said to have broken at the Arahura, without doiug any damage. The following paragraph from the West Coast Times of the 26th ultimo shows that the earthquake-panic has pot yet subsided at Hokitika: — Tuesday was one of fciaxby's days, aud accordingly a number of weakmiudecl people, apprehensive no doubt of a tidal wave coming in and swallowing them up, betook themselves to the Ceme-tery-hill, where they remained amongst the pelting rain until it was morning. The weather was bad enough, but there was no sign of anything like an earthquakewave, aud the panic-stricken creatures who shivered on Cemetery-hill on Tuesday night had far better been in their beds. Mr J. Hamliu, native interpreter, aud son of the Rev. Mr Hamlin of Panniure, has died suddenly of disease of the heart. His death is greatly regretted in Auckland province, where he was well known and highly respected. "The Christchurch Star says that it is • currently reported that the Press is about to pass into the hauds of a joint-stock company limited. The Hon. John Hall and the Hon. Mr Stafford are spoken of as prominent' shareholders. It is stated in the Otago papers that from the beach workings at Kartigi, near Moeraki, a very fair sample of gold has been got for a considerable time past, One storekeeper In the neighborhood states that within the last live months he has purchased over £1500 worth of gold the produce of this beaelf, and it is well known that a large proportion of the gross yield finds its way further down the country. A Melbourne journal states that the following is given as a list of the fish which are to be found iu the Murray: — Herring, silvery white, shape of dace; cockerling, like bream in body, with head like cod — this fish sometimes reaches 11 or 12 pounds iu weight; perch; jew-fish, catfish, or eelfisb, found mostly in lagoons and anabranches; black-fish ; turtle; Murray cod, three species, different shapes ; bream two varieties, gold aud silver; lampreys, scarce; lobsters; prawns. In the lower river, iu the brackish water, several other kinds of fish are met with. The following description of the Chinese newspaper just established in Melbourne, is given by the Argus: — It is a sheet of white foolscap, upon which the Chinese characters have been well lithographed. Its name is the Fi-pao, literally rendered Flying Intelligencer, and .resembles as nearly as possible an English commercial paper, the reading matter and advertisements being, of course, compiled and edited for Chinese readers exclusively. No. 1 consists — we are informed — of a

preface ; a portion of the Rev Mr Young's Chinese report ) an epitome of the last mail news ; an account of the late South American earthquakes ; and other intelligence. The price is 6d per copy. A native shrub better adapted than the mulberry for feeding silk-worms, ia said to have just been discovered on Philip Island and the adjacent mainland of Victoria. A greater quantity of silk is produced by worms fed upon this plant than upon any other. Three ladies, who were prosecuted at Sandhurst by the Attorney-General of Victoria for raffling articles at a bazaar, have been acquitted. The goldfields of Victoria have seldom presented better encouragement for capital and enterprise. Even the decadence of the once famous alluvial mines of Ballarat is .not a matter of unalloyed regret, since it has diverted money aud men from less to more profitable undertakings, at Daylesford, Castlemaine, luglewood, Sandhurst, and elsewhere — indeed, it would be difficult to fiod any portion of the colony where the notoriously smart men of Ballarat have uot put in an appearance. New rushes are continually being heard of from districts hitherto untried ; and one of the latest, the Berlin rush, near Kingower, has developed an, apparently iuexhaustible nest of nuggets. Tha window of the Bank of New South Wales* Inglewood, recently presented a spectacle worth seeing — 1021 oz 12 dwfc in Berlin nuggets, one weighing 225 oz and another 175 oz. Several other nuggets were subsequently added, weighing 480 oz, one piece alone weighing 286 oz. Let it be observed that all these nuggets were obtained in the same district, in the short space of five weeks, without either washing or crushing, aud of course independent of the gold procurable when these processes are carried out. It is stated in the Ai'gus that Mr George Robertson, of Melbourne and Sydney, expects to receive, perhaps by the next mail from England, copies of The Cruise of H.M.S. Galatea in 1867-8. It is to be edited by the Rev. John Miluer, F.R.G.S., the chaplains of the vessels and illustrated with numerous chromolithographs and graphotypes from sketches by Mr Brierly. The work is to be iu one volume, and the price is not to exceed 16s. There will no doubt be a large demand for the work. The Coleraine Albion has reliable authority for statiiig that the black cricketers will not return to the colony this season, but that it is the intention of their protectors to winter them in the south of France, and to give them another season in the old country. It is said that they were at the last dates overwhelmed with applications from country clubs desirous of trying conclusions with them. It is stated in the Sydney papers that the Peninsular and Oriental steamer Geelong was taken out of the Water view Bay Dry Dock, at Sydney, on the 13th November, and the Pnuama and New Zealand Company's steamer Rukaia taken in. Tha two vessels were side by side at the dock enhance, affording a fair illustration of the docking capabilities of the port where despatch is necessary. At the Wollongong (N.S,W.) policecourt, on the 9th instant, 5 persons were committed to take their trial at the quarter sessions for ' tinkettliug' a newly-married couple. According to the evidence they amused themselves for upwards of two hours in close proximity to the house, occupied by a widow, the mother of the bride, where the wedding was held, and kept up a continued noise with tin dishes, horns, and a bell. Mrs Charles Meredi ih, ,of Tasmania, has been honored by a very gracious letter, in acknowledgment of an album containing landscape sketches, by herself, illustrative of his Soyal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to Tasmania and Sydney, which Mrs Meredith forwarded to the Queen through tha care of his Excellency Colonel Gore Browne. The Duke of Buckingham's letterconveys 'her Majesty's best thanks to Mrs Meredith for the "very interesting sketches, as well : as for the books, which she has so kindly sent for her Majesty's acceptance. Her Majesty has looked over the sketches with much interest, and, though somewhat contrary to rule, will not refuse to accept what has been offered in so. kind a spirit.' 'Is pig-iron petrified pork or congealed bacon?' asked a would-be wit of a member of an eminent manufacturing firm. 'If you smelt it, you'd find out,' was the reply.