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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 69, 22 March 1871, Page 2

FiijE at Hokitika. — A t\leg\attf\has been received from Hokitika, s&atlugnhat Finlay a"nd Haworth's mill and house was burnt to the grouud yesterday morning at 4 o'clock. The premises were uninsured. San Francisco Mail. — As the oripinal contract, for the conveyance of mails between New Zealand aud Honolulu, terminated with the sailing of the last boar, some doubts have been expressed as to whether there would be another mail despatched by that routenextmonth,but we are requested to state that the, Postmaster was instructed by telegraph this morning to advertise the outgoing mail as usual for the 4th of next month. A notice to that effect will be found elsewhere. The Doran's Rkef Battery. — The following is a detailed description of the battery for the Doran's Company which has just been turned out from Mr. Moutray's foundry and a portion': of which was despatched to Wangapeka yesterday. The shaft and centres, (the latter being four feet iv diameter) for the water wheel, weigh 25 cwt. The tooth-wheel, 20 feet in diameter v is in 12 segments and weighs 35 cwt. The stamper-box weighs 23 cwt, and the 5 stampers with shanks aud discs turned and screwed weigh each 6 cwt. There are five cambs with steel faces, also five shoes and dies of best white iron. The weight of the battery complete is 7i- tous. The whole 'machinery has been constructed quite as cheaply as it cou]S (have been obtained in Melhourue, \ and it has been pronounced by '" all competent judges who have seen it to be quite equal to any battery of Australian manufacture. The greatest credit is due to Mr. Moutray for thus having clearly showti that, if Nelson is ever to become an important quartz-miuing district, the capitabwhich it has hitherto been thought necessary, to send out of the province for the purchase of machinery, may be retained within our boundaries, aud we can but hope most earnestly that an increased demand for batteries may speedily arise, and that when they are required Mr. Moutray may be called upon to supply them.