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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 2, 4 January 1869, Page 2

From enquiries we have made, we learn that until the arrival of the Tararua at Wellington, nothing definite can be stated as to the despatch of a mail via Panama this month. Immediately on the Tararua's arrival the Secretary will telegraph to the Postmaster tbe arrangements that have been made. Should the telegram arrive before we go to press, we shall be able to give our readers positive information on the subject. Another smart shock of earthquake was experienced in Nelson yesterday morning at 25 minutes past 10. Beyond creating uneasiness and alarm, we have not heard ot any harm haviug been done. There was another but much slighter shock this morning at 4 o'clock. It is gratifying to learn that notwithstanding the great depression that has prevailed during the past year, throughout the colonies generally, the Customs revenue of thp port of Nelson for that period showed a decrease of only £3000. Owing to the extremely unpropitious state of the weather on Saturday evening last, the lecture on Alexander the Great, announced by Mr Severne, was postponed until this evening at 8 o'clock. A great fire took place at Wanganui on Wednesday night. The Rutland Hotel and eight other houses have been destroyed. The damage done is estimated at £9500, of which £5200 is covered by the various Insurance Companies. By the steamer Murray which arrived this morning, we have received files of the Westport Times and Grey River Argus. These papers are principally taken up with reports of Christmas sports, of local interest only. At Westport the last phase assumed by the 'Emancipation from Nelson ' scheme is a proposal to invite Mr Stafford to represent that town in the General Assembly. We have received a copy of the Provincial Gazette published on the 31st ult. Its contents are — Protection for five years to D. M'Leod for a wharf to be erected at Westport. Leases to be granted for goldmining; and an application to register the Collingwood Coalmining Company. A match between the married and single men of Wakapuaka was played on New j Year's Dayton; ground adjoining the Black j Horee, which resulted in the married men beating their opponents in one innings by 25. The following h-' the total of the score:— -Married, Ist innings, 92. Single, Ist innings, 35; 2nd do., 32; total 67.

_______—___■■__■ __.______■_____ ___J3 i [ The following with reference to the conduct of the Maori war is from the last Australasian to hand: — A gentleman has come from New Zealand to procure Victorian recruits to go and fight the Maorisi Unfortunately, the New Zealand Government, which seems to mull everything it takes in baud, has sent away its plenipotentiary without credentials*, and has communicated in no way with the authorities in this colony. The consequence is* that Captain Stack, the agent in question* is prevented from beating his recruiting drum, as he is unable to offer any guarantees that the wives and families of those he may succeed in spiriting away will not be left utterly unprovided for* as was the case on a former similar occasion. There are doubtless hundreds of ablebodied fellows on the goldfields of Victoria who would be glad to go and stamp out the Maori rebellion) could they feel any confidence in the ability of the New Zealand Government to keep thetn from being assailed by other enemies more deadly than the Hauhaus. The former Victorian contingents had bitter cause of complaint against the local authorities* although the management of the war was then in far abler hands than it now appears to be. Men to fight must feed* There would be no lack of fighters in New Zealand itself," without sending to Victoria for them, were there any assurance that a force, when collected, would not be starved before they came in sight of the rebels. We read the other day of a patty of over a hundred brave fellows being kept for a whole day without food on the ship transporting them to the scene of the rebellion* and then marched off into the bush clamoring loudly ior sustenance. What would be the use of 200 men from Victoria if they were to be treated in a similar way? The utter incompetency of the present New Zealand Government has almost passed into a proverb, and even after the arrival of his credentials, Captain Stack will find it difficult to persuade any Victorians to place their lives and liberties at the mercy of such a blundering authority. In speakingof mining waterworks in Call* fornia, the Thames Miner's Guide says:— The Middle Yuba Canal Company's total expenditure was £120,000, and the works are capable of supplying 38 cub'c feet of water per second, or about 1,500 miner's inchesj the miner's inch being the quantity of water that will flow through an opening 1 inch square, under a mean head of 6 inches or 9£ gallons a minute. The Eureka Canal is constructed partly of earth and partly of wooden fluming. The maiu flume is 5 feat 8 inches wide and 3 feet deep, and it discharges 96£ cubic feet or 82 gallons of water per second. The ' two largest aqueducts in California* the Magenta and the National, are on this line of canal. The Magenta is 1,400 feet in length, and its greatest height is 126 feet, while the National is 1,800 feet long* and its greatest height 65 feet. The total length of all the ditches belonging to the Eureka Canal Company is about . 200 miles, and the cost of constructing them was about £200,000. The charge for water is from .13 to 40 cents per miner's inch, per working day of 10 hours, but the average charge may be estimated at 16 cents or Bd. '} One of the most calmly philosophical speeches I ever heard, I heard the other day from the mouth of an urchin. The, scene was a play-field attached to a _.iai.pß,_ r ' respectable academical establishment. Boys were busy cricketing, and engaged in other sports. Espying one solitajry* little fellow stretched outon' the gras^ ia listless abandonment of aHcphtrpl^oyerhis limbs, 'Find the weather too ..Varna for exertion?' I remarked. * No,', he said, 'but when I bore, myself doing i^&i^g^-play-time seems so much longer;' j.TC^ai?^. not yet recovered from the stupendous depth of this answer.— Once a Week,