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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 22, 26 January 1870, Page 2

. 1 A Thames paper understands that Mr. i St. John Branigan, Chief of the Armed! Constabulary Force," is taking a look round the Thames, so as to make himself ac-' quainted with the topographical features, of the country, in case of the services of the corps being required in the district.

Volunteers for the Front. — The Thames Advertiser says: — "Several volunteers, accompanied by their officers, gallantly offered their services yesterday to the Hou. the Native Minister as volunteers for the front, aud arrangements were at once entered into with Captains Barnett, M'Carroll, and Finnerty, to enlist the services of as many men as were willing to proceed to Tauranga without delay. These gentlemen were at once informed that nil the Thames Volunteers would be paid the capitation allowance, aud a loan of £250 to wipe off the debt oa the Volunteer Hall would be solicited from the Government on their behalf, which there was very little doubt would be forthcoming. The appeal was liberally responded to, nearly fifty men offering their services during the afternoon. Capt. M'Carroll, Lieut. Casely, Sergeants Fitzgerald and Ambrose, and 21 rank and file of No. 1 Company H.R.V., together with 40 Volunteer Militia men, are ordered to parade before 6 o'clock this (Saturday) morniug, when they will receive amunition and a blanket each, and leave for Auckland per p.?. -Royal Alfred. They will be conveyed from thence to Tauranga in the Colouial Government steamer Sturt. The men are enlisted for any period and for active service, to proceed wherever ordered by the Government. The annexation of the Fiji Islands to Australia is urged by the Melbourne Age. Independent of their beauty and fertility, their increasing importance, and the advantages they offer to settlers, their acquisition is insisted on as a sort of necessity, to prevent their occupation, by a foreign power. The petition to the American Government to assume the protectorate of the group dwelt principally on the advantages of Fiji as a naval station, and those advantages the Americans are not slow to perceive. The Age considers that, besides the danger which might accrue from the presence of a foreign naval power in such close proximity, the islands should j properly belong to Australia, and their passing into other hands would be a misfortune; the inhabitants, too, it is asserted, preferring A ustralian to American rule. The Cromwell Argus says: — "The heat, both day and night, for the last week, has been inteuse — The thermometer standing iv cool shade at 95 degrees, and in the sun at from 120 to 130 degrees." The Cromwell Guardian says: — "We have received by the last mail a letter from Dunedin respecting the plumbago discovery lately reported in our columns. The writer, a gentleman of considerable influence, says : — ' I have specimens of the mineral from Westmoreland (England), and Greenland. There is an inferior quality, the basis of the black lead for grates. Of this kind there is a large supply at Nelson. I recommend. that a good sample be sent down — say 251b5., and I will ship it to London, to be tested by the Plumbago Crucible Company." Acting upon this suggestion, 251bs. of the mineral will be forwarded to Dunedin in the course of next week. The Lyttelton Times says : — A ball in honour of the visit of the Flying Squadron was given last night in the New Town Hall. Notwithstanding the short time at disposal for preparations, it was a most successful assembly, doing infinite credit to the energy of its promoters. Upwards of three hundred ladies and gentlemen, iucluding Admiral Hornby and about seventy officers of the Squadron, were present, the excellent string band of the flagship occupying the orchestra. Opportunity not being afforded to decorate the hall in a manner worthy of the occasion the stewards judiciously preferred dispensing with artificial adornments altogether. The hall was consequently ,in its ordinary state. The improvements recently carried out by its proprietors have" given it a neat and pleasing Appearance, which is far superior to imperfect decorations. Admiral Hornby opened the ball at a little beforeten o'clock with Mrs. Rolleston, his Honor, the Superintendent dancing with Mrs J. C. Wilson. The enjoyment was general, and it may; be fairly stated that a more genuine success could not have been attained. : V 7 Extreme Heat in Victoria'. — From the Victorian papers we learn that the month of December was extremely oppressive. Oh Monday, the '20th the heat is reported to be— -"a scorching wind blew during the greater part of the day; the thermometer stood at 99deg. ia the shade,

and 127deg. in the sun, but it was currently reported in town last night that the heat at the new townhall was as much as 150deg. in the sun, and that at the Observatory/ which is situated on an eminence only very partially covered with tree?, the thermometer reached 152deg. in the sun.