The Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1871.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 70, 23 March 1871, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1871.

Prior to our receiving the full telegrams by the Suez mail yesterday, a message reached us to the effect that (he IJajigitoto, thepJviug off Hokitika, had sigualted to the shW the single word "Peace," and we were in hopes that the welcome news would bo funy borue out by the detailed intelligence of which she was the bearer, but it now appears that it only had reference to the armistice, the particulars of which had already been conveyed to us by the San Francisco mail, and we are rather disposed, from the general tenor of the six days' later news to hand by way of Suez, to doubt whether the end of the war is as near at hand as we had hoped. In'the interval that had elapsed between the date of the latest telegrams by way of San FrauciiCO, and that of the news received yesterday, the peace negocintions appear to have made very little, if any, progress, and it looks rather ominous when we find .that Bismarck has been compelled to reiterate his ultimatum in a. most peromptoiy manner, accompanying it with the threat that if it is not acceded to, the war will he continued. From "thisf^ve may reasonably infer that the French are still holding out .against the terms offered to them as the price of peace, and that, unless they are absolutely driven into acceptiug them by sheer inability to carry on the Avar, they will still continue the deadly struggle. The temper of the nation must by this time be roused to an extent that ein not be easily understood by those who, like ourselves, are living at a distance from the theatre of war, and wo can form but a XQvy slight idea of the bitter hatred to their conquerors that must iuspire every Frenchman, and as this feeling ol animosity is of course participated in by the rulers of the nation, it, must to a large extent influence them in the decision at which they will ultimately arrivewith regard to Count Bismarck's proposals. It will be observed that, although we are in receipt of advices to the 20th of February, no mention whatever is made of the entry of the Prussian troops into Paris, which was to have taken place ou the 19th of that month, so that we may be certain that the original intention was not carried out, as so important an event would have taken the foremost place in the telegraphic summary. This too would lead us to conclude that matters are not progressing so smoothly as was anticipated. Anxious as we are to hear of pence being proclaimed, we cannot bring ourselves to believe that the dark cloud of Avar, which has for nearly eight mouths lowered over the ill-fated French nation, is entirely cleared away. Broken it certainly is, and, through the rift, gleams of sunshine are to be seen, but we must wait yet another month before Aye can feel assured that it has altogether disappeared.

Provincial Council. — We understand that the ntext session of the Council will commence on the 25th of April. Industrial Commission. — This Commission has now been sitting daily for some time past and has collected a mass of interesting and useful information to be laid before the Council at its next session. Latest Telegrams. — Advices from England say that an Iron Sand Company for Taranaki can be formed. — The prize firing, North versus South Island was won by the former by one point. The presentation of the prizes will take place at Auckland to-morrow. — Mr. Naughtou, late Commissioner of Police, died suddenly at Auckland on Tuesday.- — The Caledonian declared a dividend of £12 for the week. — The ship Whirlwind, from Hong Kong, has arrived at Dunedin with 435 Chinese. — Examiner. A public meeting was held at Riwaka on Monday last, to"; take steps to remedy the filling up of the channel leading to the boathouse and jetty in that district. The following resolutions were passed :■ — " That this meeting hears with the greatest concern of the probability of the entrance to the jetty and storehouse being speedily silted up through the action of the Motueka River, and are of opinion that prompt measures are necessary to avert a great injury to the district." " That this meeting is of opinion that it *•. necessary and desirable that a memorial bt-prepared aud forwarded to the SuperinteuVent, praying that his Honor may be plea^d to instruct the Provincial Engineer to visi\the district at an early period, with a vk w 0 f reportiug on the course to be pursued *, owar( ] 8 keeping the entrance to the jetty\ c i ear# » & memorial was accordingly pr^ are d } and is in course of signature.

The Country. — We never remember to havo seen the Waimea looking so attractive at this period of the year as is the case at present. Owing to the warm rains that have fallen so plentifully during the last fortnight, the meadows are beautifully fresh and green, and give every promise of an abundauce of iead cluriug the winter. Even the driest and stoniest portions of the plain, which usually present so parched nn appearauce in the fall of the year, have put on a green coat that is quite worthy of the spring instead of the end of autumn, while, on the moister lauds iv the neighborhood of Appieby^ uhe cattle are revelling in the richest 'of fLsture. As a rule His plough is but 'seldom at work in the Waimeas until after the month of March, owing to the hardened stale of the soil which the summer sun has baked to such an extent that the ploughshare will make no impression, but this year the farmers are already at work turning over their stubble fields in preparation for the scorning seed time, the ground \havjng received a thorough soakiug. Ai Swke the paddocks present a most peculiar appearance, being studded all over with thousands of mushrooms, whose white heads offer /a strong contrast to the rich green grass that surrounds them. To both graziers and agriculturists the present season has proved as favorable a one as they could possibly wish for, and, no doubt, the early ploughing that the land will receive will be productive of excellent results iv the next year's crops. Although the aggregate amount of rain that has fallen is unusually large for this 'time of the year, it has been so gradual that we have no such disasters to record from floods in the rivers or creeks as have been experienced in the neighboring provinces of Welliugton and Canterbury.