The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 199, 24 August 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1870.

Dokan's Reef. — From a telegram received from Wellington, we learn that the amalgam from 2-5-cwt. stove from this reef, which was crushed in Nelson, has, on being tested by Dr. Hector, yielded gold at the rate of 2ozs. Gdwts. per ton. Mn. and Mrs. George Darrell. — We learn that Mr. and Mrs. Darrell (formerly Mrs. Robert Heir), who are uuiversally allowed to be the best readers and actors in New Zealand, propose giving a few nights' entertainment in Nelson, commencing on Mouday evening next. Inquest at Upper Moutere. — Much indignation has been felt in this district with Mr. Horoemaa for insisting upon holding an inquest on the body of a still-born child, for although no medical man was io attendance, the woman's mother was present and there were no grounds whatever for supposing that the child had been born alive. People are much annoyed, and wonder why they should be called upon to submit to so arbitrary an act. — Communicated. Winter Evening Entertainments. — Undeterred by the pouring rain, a capital audience assembled last night ou the occasion of the fourth of this series of highly popular entertainments. The chair having been taken by Captain Rough, Judge Richmond proceeded to read some well-selected extracts from Carlyle's "Past and Present," and when we say that he was listened to for over an hour with unflagging interest and attention, some idea may be formed of the able and expressive manner in which he performed the difficult task he had undertaken. The musical portion of the entertaiumeut was well carried out andshowedsigusof careful preparation. No little surprise and admiration were expressed at the performance of two Lilliputian pianists, the son and daughter of Mr. Walcot, the choir master at Christ Church, who played with considerable skill and expression the pianoforte accompaniment in one of the pieces performed by the orchestra. Of Mr. Johnstoue's reading from " Pickwick " we shall say no more than that it was rich, racy, and humorous in the extreme, and the announcement irom the chair that he would read the conclusion of the Rochester ball scene next Tuesday was received with the loudest applause. By an advertisement which appears elsewhere it will be seen that Mr. Maclean has also consented to give another reading at the next entertainment, to be followed by the usual instrumental and vocal music. We are requested to state that there will be a practice at the Harmonic Hall to-morrow evening at 7 o'clock. Railway toFoxhill. — We, in Nelson, are so accustomed to have our interests entirely overlooked by the General Government of the colony, that it is doubtful whether of the two, surprise or satisfaction, is uppermost at the intelligence lately received from Wellington, to the effect that the Government are prepared at once to guarantee interest to a company willing to undertake the construction of a railway from Nelson to Foxhill. The benefits that would accrue to the districts more immediately affected by the proposed line, are so great, that it is almost impossible to over-estimate them. The timber trade alone, which at present is languishing for the want of more easy and inexpensive means of transit to the town and port, would receive an impetus that must tell upon the whole of the surrounding country, while the saving that would be effected by the farmers if they were able to send their grain and other produce to market by rail, would be such as to render agriculture a far more profitable occupation than it now is, and would consequently raise the value of property in the Waimeas considerably. Nor is it the farmers and others in the immediate vici-

uity of the town alone who would benefit by the irou road, but the miners in. the Wangapeka, Matakitaki, and Upper Buller districts would also reap immense advantages in the shape of increased facilities for the conveyance of provisions and machinery, accompanied by a corresponding reduction in their expeuses. The Road Board, relieved of the tax upon its resources at preseut necessitated by the keeping in repair of the truuk live, would have funds at its disposal to lay out upon the branch roads, and communication with the outlyiug districts of Pigeon Valley, Dovedale, and Motueka Valley would be rendered more easy and iuexpensive, and we should soon find small holdings that are now devoted to depasturing a few cattle and sheep brought under cultivatiou, thus increasing to a large extent the producing power of the province. There are at the present moment many blocks of excellent land in the above mentioned districts, as well as in Eighty-eight and Quail Valleys which have already been farmed, but whose proprietors have been compelled to cease their operations simply on account of the difficulties in the way of conveying their produce to a certain market, but those would soon be once more brought under the plough, and their present dreary and unfruitful appearance would be exchanged for the far more cheering an 1 profitable sight of waving I cornfields and snug-looking, prosperous homesteads. Such a change would be peculiarly acceptable in Nelsou at the present time, and we shall look forward with much anxiety to the result of the 'aoverumeut negociatious, and it is hardly necessary to say that their success will be hailed with the utmost satisfaction by the struggling farmers of the Waimeas aud the hardly pressed storekeepers of the town, for the turning of the first sod of the railway will, i we feel convinced, be the commencement of a new era of prosperity for the province generally. Concrete Buildings. — We have jusfc received the followiug communication from a subscriber in Upper Moutere : — I have just seen the New Schoolhouse iv Nieudorf, in Wildboar Valley, iv this district, the first building in this country made with concrete bricks. The bricks are made by a very simple machine, a Yankee invention, made at Chicago. Mr. Baker, the builder, who is well known iv Nelson, made a brick for me especially, and a very simple process it was ; he placed some rubble-stuff, gravel, saud, auJ lime, in an iron box, pushed au iron lid over it, turned a whell, thereby causing a pressure frorai beneath, and the thing was done j he' raised the bottom of the box level with the top, aud with two iron plates removed the brick, to be dried in the sun. I saw and handled several bricks, and they resembled stove very much in appearauce, and seemed to keep their angles and edges equally as well as burnt bricks. The walls of the building are made double, five inches in thickness, with a space between of about one inch and a half; bouud together with pieces of hoop-iron at a short distance apart. These were the outer walls ; the partitions were made of a single brick thick. The house has the appearance of being built with small square stones ; it looked very solid, strong, and compact. Litne-raortar of course was use! to join the bricks, which being of the same material will unite together better than anything else. I should say there was not the least chance of the house tumbling down, except by the action of an extraordinary earthquake. I think this style of building is superior to wood in many respects, especially in ! towns ; it is more durable ; it looks better ; it would not easily take fire ; and your next-door neighbour wouid not hear all you say. la fact, if I wanted a decent house built, I should prefer the concrete brick to anything else, at least, judging by the look of this one. The bricks are ten inches by five. Picton Railway. — We learn that an influential deputation, headed by Messrs. Eyes and Kenuy, the members for Marlborough, waited ou the Geueral Governmeut last week, with a view of inducing it to commence the construction of the railway between Picton aud Blenheim with as little delay as possible. Its origin was a report that ifc was contemplated to spend £1.00,000 in the Middle Island ou Public Works during the current financial year. It proved, however, that the report, which had been circulated by Mr. Stafford, was inaccurate. Mr. Yogel placed the matter in quite a different light to that stated ; and consequently the deputation I

met with but little success in their quests. We are glad, however, that they took this step so readily, as only good could result to the province by discussing its position and affairs with the Miuistry, in whose friendliness and good feeling towards Marlborough we have more faith than in any previous Government. — Express. Maelborougii Superintendents. — Mr. Eyes' little bill for making the Superintendent of Marlbourogh be elected by the people instead of by the Council, was opposed in committee by Sir David Munro, but the opposition was useless, as a motion for the Chairman to leave the chair was negatived by 28 to 12. The bill was then passed through all its remaining stages. The Fiji Times of July IGth, says : — " The Rev. Mr. Vickers, of Canterbury, New Zealaud, who, a few months ago, resigned his position in the Wesleyan miuistry, arrived last week iv the /Cleopatra, and on Sunday conducted the two Euglish services. His discourses were practical, full of well-sustained argument, and were listened to with evident delight and profit by two large congregations." The annexation of Southland to Otaga may be said to be an accomplished fact, the Bill having passed the Lower House, and being certain to pass the Upper. The Maoris. — In a periodical termed the Evangelist, noticed by the Qtago Times, there appears a paper "Ou the Dyiug Out of tiie New Zealand Natives." The letter, which is by the Rev. Mr. Wohlers, of Ruapuke, Southland, refers only to the natives in the south of New Zealand. Mr. Wohlers cousiders consumption as the principal cause of the dying out of the Maoris, and says that he believes that " the coming of the Europeans to New Zealand had little to do with ' the dying out of the natives, and if it had not been discovered till a ceutury hence it woull have been found uninhabited, with some traces that, at a not very remote date, it had been inhabited by savages." Otago University. — The wealthy province of Otago appears determined to take the lead in the matter of education, the Couucil in its last session having passed certain ordinances with reference to the establishment of a University, defiuiug and prescribing the powers of the Council and Senate to be appointed, and declaring that the University shall be established ou the principle that no religious test shall be administered to any person in order to entitle him to become a student. Land to the extent of 100,000 acres which is already producing an j aunual income of £1000, has been reserved, as an endowment to the University, and two professional chairs have been created, one for classics and one for mathematics and natural philosophy. The Synod of Otago and Southland have created a third chair for mental and moral philosophy,, and the Provincial Couucil has agreed to provide for a professor of mining and agriculture. It will thus be seen that provision has been made for the establishment of a University on a fairly liberal foundation. We may add that the fourprofessors will shortly be appointed from a large number of candidates. Great Floods in the Waikato. — ■ Our Hamilton correspondent's letter refers to the floods which have been caused in the Waikato by the recent heavy rains. In addition to this, however, I we have gathered some information from a gentleman who arrived in town from the Waikato on Thursday evening. We learn that at Armitage's, ou the other side of Rangiriri, the country adjacent to the river is inundated over an area of a mile I and a half. Quick's coaches still coatrive to get along, but only by dint of pluck aud skilful driving. The Bridge Hotel (Leonard's) at Rangiriri is partly submerged and is surrounded by a complete lake, the river haviug overflowed the low lands on its banks, extending up to the base of the hills. The settlers have been obliged to flee to the high ground, aud the only tenauts of the hotel when our informant passed were a number of fowls which were roostiug oa the ridge of the roof. Jenkin's mill, at the foot of Meremere hill, was also partially submerged, and surrounded by the inundation. The flax which had been spread out oa the wire-drying stage, w.as floating about in the water, snd there is no doubfc that a considerable amount of damage had been done by the flood. The heavy rain yesterday, if it prevailed iv the Upper Waikato, will have increased the volume of water in the Waikato river; and we fear that the | cattle and homesteads of the settlers will \suffer considerably. — Southern Cross.