The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 225, 23 September 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1870.

Football. — The closing match of the season wiii be played in the Botanical Gardens to-morrow afternoon. Diocesan Synod. — The opening service of thesynod was held at Christ Church this morning, after which the members adjourned until 4. o'clock when the Bishop delivered his address. The Gourlay Family are to give one of their highly attractive entertainments at the Assembly Room this evening ; and we see by advertisement, that they are going to have a Midday performance to-morrow, for the benefit of Schools and Families. Artizans' Society. —It is hardly necessary to inform our readers, very many of whom are no doubt looking forward with much pleasure to this evening's entertainment, that the Artizans are to perform at the Oddfellows' Hall, when a well-selected programme will be brought to a close by the merry farce of " Watching and Catching." The 'Wangapeka, — We learn that Doran's reef has been struck in No. 1 North Claim (from the Prospectors) in a Drive put into the hill by that party ; aud also in a claim South of Doran's, about a quarter of a mile off, with good prospects. — The erection of the machinery in Fawcetts' is being briskly proceeded with, and it is expected will be finished in about three weeks time. Habmonic Society.— The next quarterly concert is to take place on the 13th of next month. As the annual subscription has been reduced to one guinea, and it has been resolved to discontinue the issue of tickets at half-a-crown each, many persons may be desirous of joining the society, and we are requested to state that this may be done by giving in their names to the Secretary on or before Thursday next, preparatory to the ballot which takes place ou the 6th of October. Perseverance Company. — We regret to learn that a mistake has occurred in tho weight of the gold received by the Lady Barkly yesterday, and that the amount is only 1320z5. instead of 180ozs. as published yesterday, the quantity of quartz crushed being 250 tons. We are iv formed by a gentleman who has lately visited the mine that the No 3 drive, from which the next stone will be crushed is to all appearance rich in the extreme, a dishful of stuff that was taken from it and crushed a few days ago yielding an ounce of gold. Our Volunteers and their Colors. — No little consternation was created this morning by the appearance on the flag staff at the Government Buildings of the two volunteer companies' flags hoisted half-mast high. The general impression was that the demise of the Nelson Volunteer corps was thus notified to the public, aud although regret at so lamentable an occurence was not expressed with that loudness or frequency that we shoucl have expected, yet it w T as felt that it was impossible to look with unmoved complacency ou the sudden subsidence of a movement tbat was at oue time so popular, so full of vigor, aud so promising of a bright future. It was, therefore, wiih a sigh of relief that we heard there was uo cause for real alarm on this head, and that the dismal appearance of the bunting was not owing to auy want of vitality in the volunteers, but simply to a hitch in the rope which prevented the colors from being either hauled up or lowered. Nelson Fire Brigade. — At half-past six yesterday evening the members of the brigade mustered atthe engine-house where they formed in procession, and, headed by the volunteer band, marched round the , town until 7 o'clock, when the savoury smell that issued from Mr. Disher's long room announced that dinner was ready. Here the procession fell out, aud the members of tbe Brigade with their guests, among whom were the members of the Executive, the chairman of the Board of Works, and the representatives of the press, making in all a party of about 50, soon fell to at the various substantials and delicacies with which the tables were

crowded, the band meantime playing in the court yard. After the appetites were appeased, the cloth was removed, and his Honor the Superintendent, who was in the chair, produced a somewhat formidable list of toasts, the whole of which, eighteeu in number, were duly disposed of before the party broke up, and elicited some capital speeches from the proposers and responders. In addition to the speeches some excellent songs were sung by the musical portion of the party, Master Johnnie Gourlay rendering most valuable assistance towards this part of the evening's amusement. The last toast of the evening was that of "The host," and was drunk with an amount of enthusiasm that was fully warranted by the very excellent dinner he had provided, and the general attention displayed by him in providing for the comfort of his guests. Thus broke up the fourth anniversary diuner of that most valuable volunteer body, the Nelson Fire Brigade. The following extract from the New Zealand Herald will be interesting to many of our readers, to whom the Mr. Maling referred to is very well known : — Captain G. Mair being at Te Teko, heard that Tanirau, the cause of the Opepe massacre, was at Patere, determined to take him prisoner, the native however by some means or other became aware of this fact, and at once made off iv the direction of Waikato. Tliis coming to Captain Mair's ears he forthwith despatched au orderly to Mr. Maling at Kaikeriria with instructions to intercept him if possible. The orderly reached Mr. Maling at half-past 9 p.m., who with his usual promptness and energy started off at once, accompauied hy Mr. Maunsell. They reached Heruwiroi the next morning at 11 a.m., and found the Hauhau they were in search of on tbe poiDt of proceeding on his journey towards the Waikato, having slept at Heruwiroi that night. The native on being told the pakeha's errand, being well armed, wanted to show fight, but Mr. Maling cooly drew his reAolver and told him to come on, and the native, I presume, thinking that discretion was the better part of valor, gave in. He was brought to Kaiteriria, and thence to Alaketu, where he was released. Mr. Maling deserves a few words. He has been fighting all through the campaign as a volunteer. He fights to revenge his father's death, who was killed 3 months before he was born, at the Wairau massacre. He is said to be remarkably cool and daring under flre, and that the greater the danger the cooler he is. It is supposed that more than a dozen natives have fallen by his hand alone. One man told me that during the time he belonged to the scouts who were iv charge of Mr. Maling, he saw seven natives receive their death blow from him.

We ( Wanganui Herald) have received information from our correspondent at Wairoa, that Captain Hawes and the Wairoa Eifles have been, by order of the Government, on an expedition into the country inland of Wairoa. They marched for three days to the lakes in the rear of the Okutuku, but did not see any signs of natives. Captain Hawes reports that it is a very difficult country to go through, the scenery being most magnificent. Some very excellent practice was obtained on the way back with the Enfield rifle, at some pigeons, shewing a few first-class marksmen in the Wairoas. Te Kooti. — The spring is slowly advancing, aud the season usually chosen by our friends the insurgent Maoris for enacting their devilries is at hand; consequently we are not surprised to learn that Te Kooti has turued up at Waikare Moana, which, probably, he contemplates making his base of operations. Recent accounts put his force down at 20 at the outside, but the telegram published by us yesterday states that there are still 100 Uriweras who have not surrendered, and who, it is to be presumed, will, as before, cast in their lot with Kooti, Waikare Moana was the place from which the last expedition of the Stafford Ministry was recalled, when there was a fairer prospect of utterly crushing the arch rebel than there has been before or since, aud the en- ' ormous sums expended in that expedition were consequently thrown away. Is fate going now to ordain it so that Kooti will have to be met on the same ground, that the sunken punts will have to be raised, and the same course of action pursued by the present Ministry, which they condemned so bitterly while followed by his predecessors ? — Post