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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 6, 8 January 1869, Page 2

We have been informed, upon good authority, that H. li. H. the Duke of Edinburgh will visit New Zealand iu April aud May next, and that he will be prepared to pay a v isit to Nelson upon invitation by the proper authorities. I. is very ahnoying; when on going to the Post-office for replies to our letterSj to find in the list of letters detained for postage, one or more of those to which we were expecting answers. Insufficiently stamping letters may occur through want of information; or thoughtlessness, and in either case, the result is sometimes very serious. For the benefit of our numerous readers, who seldom think of consulting the list — the only means hitherto existing of making tbe addresses known — we have made' arrangements, by favor of Mr Dick, our obliging Postmaster, to publish occasionally a correct list of the addresses of such detained letters and the amount of postagef deficient. The Gourlay Family, whose Drawings room Entertainments have been very favorably noticed by the colonial press,arrived by the Kennedy. They will appear in one of their entertainments entitled 'Mrs M'Gregor's Levee,' of which the Sydney Morning Herald, iu a favorable notice says: — Humourous and mirlhprovoking as the 'levee' is throughout, it has, moreover, this very great recommendation — that there is nothing in the whole entertainment that borders upon coarseness — the whole affair being redolent of gentle satire and good-natured fun. The Westport Times in noticing their last eutertainment says: — If the pecuniary results of their sojourn in Westport have not equalled their expectation, the Gourlay Family will, at least, leave Westport with the moral satisfaction that fchey have given the best entertaiuments which have ever been given in this locality. The organization of a prospecting party at Charleston has not been hitherto attended with any result. The men who first weu tout have declined to take any further action. The Herald trusts that the Committee will yet think fit to equip ti second party, and, if necessary, extend the area in which they shall prosecute their researches. — Westport Times. We notice that Mr M'Leod has commenced the construction of the wharf which, with the leave of the Nelson Government, he purposes erecting afc the river end of Bright-street. The .wbarf is situated midway between the wrecks of wharves which form the only accomodation for shipping, with tbe exception of Stanley Wharf; and it is a work wbich we may well wish to see completed with expedition and efficiency. The situation is one in which any work constructed is likely to have to contend with the full . pressure of any flood that may occur, but Mr M'Leod seems to he beginning his work sufficiently well to enable it to resist any ordinary accident. — Westport Times. An accident happened in the river on Monday, by which two men were placed, in a position of considerable . peril. A waterman was rowing across the river wben he fouled a rope which had been ruu out from the steamer ' Wallaby. There was a strong stream running, and the boat was quickly capsized, precipitating both its occupants into the water. One of them fortunately reached the chain of the Wallaby, and mauaged to keep himself afloat. The other recovered his hold of she boat, and they were both rescued by-

occupants of another boat which happened to reach the spot shortly afterwards. — Westport Times. Another Custdms seizure, says the Australasian, has been made, and in this instance, as iu the last, the smuggled goods have come from Sydney. The ,'senibr landing-surveyor, Mr R. Down, 'from information received, proceeded ou board the s.s. Daudeuoug, which arrived here last week, from Syduey, aud ou 'examining three casks of eggs, discovered 'that below tlie first two or three layers the contents were composed entirely of tobacco. The goods were, of course, immediately seized, aud lodged in the Queen's "warehouse, *he quautily of the smuggled tobacco amounting to about 400 pounds. The eutries for three casks of eggs were •passed'by Messrs Spence Bros, and Co., 'of Flinders-lane, and in justice to that firm we are happy to state that no color of fraudulent intent has been discovered in their share of the transaction. A person \vl_o, within the last few days, left this port in the Alhambra for New Zealand, requested the firm to pass the necessary entries for three casks of eggs and 15 ■bags of onions, leaving at the same time the bill of lading and the payment for freight. Messrs Spence Bros, are, therefore, in no way connected with the attempted fraud.