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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 42, 19 February 1870, Page 3

Thames GoldeiSxds. — The yield of the Long Drive for the fortnight endiug Saturday, 12th instant, was no less thau 1830ozs. oi retorted gold *, that of the Golden Crown, for the same period, was 408ozs. from 85 tons of stone. Specimens from tbe Excelsior have turned out 22ozs of gold from 851bs. of stone. The Melbourne Argus, speaking of the policy pursued towards New Zealaud by the English Government, says : — " The Imperial authorities who refused assistance, and ' chopped logic' instead, when they had already heard tbat torch and tomahawk were busy on the frontier of the helpless colony, are now, the trouble being over, honoring the same colony with empty compliments ! The Fly ing Squadron is paying the islands a visit, and the list of ports at which the royal ships were to touch has been considerably extended for the gratification of the inhabitants. The visitors will be received as they ought to be. No fear of that. Admiral Horuby is not Earl Granville ; his good flag-ship is not the Colonial Office ; and that proud old banner fluttering at the peak is welcome to the emigrant's eye and dear to •his memory. But what a mockery it seems on the part of the Imperial Government to send us a squadron of battle-ships when war is over, after withholding the service of their sailors on this station and of their soldiers in this garrison when war was at our doors ! And all the blank cartridge which will doubtless be fired away for our amusement — will it not remind us that when the safety of life and property was the object on hund, aud not -amusemeut, we asked for the means of defence, and could not get them? The battaliou of regulars is recalled ; but if the garrison is to go, why not also the Governor ? If we can dispense with Imperial assistance, surely we can dispense with Imperial interference ? The above sentiments we are not framing in Melbourne ; these are not the words of people at a distance from the community aggrievd. They are the sentiments aud words current in men's mouths at the present moment in •New Zealand.