PROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 30 January 1873, Page 2

PROVINCIAL.

Wellington, January 30. Afc a meeting of the directors of the Taranaki Ironsand Company held yesterday, it was resolved to register the Company, to issue a prospectus, and at once to proceed with the works. The polling for the City members of the Provincial Council takes place to-day. There are ten candidates for seven seats. The carters under contract to the City Council have asked for an advance of -2s, which the Council lias refused, hut agrees to release them from their contract and to call for fresh tenders. Pokt Chalmers, January 30. Arrived : Margaret Galbraith, from Glasgow. Sailed: Toldin, for Wellington, with tea. Hokitika, January 30. The Westland Register newspaper is about to change bands and he enlarged. Auckland. January 30. A regatta was held yesterday to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the colony. It was a great , success. The Hon. Mr Richardson, in answer to a deputation from the Thames asking that a railway may he constructed from thence to the Waikato, said that the policy of the Government was that one trunk line should run through the whole length of the colony. Arrived : Merlina from Fiji. CimisTCHintCH, January 30. A sub-Committee has been appointed by, the Flax Association to consider and report upon the expense, of holding an exhibition of flax-dressing machines. The Little River Boad Board has been ousted through an informality in. the election. '' '" ' ' 7 F I'J I. " ''. The . revenue is expected to exceed the estimate. , j ;, The Government are enforcing the taxes; Eighty-five per cent of the population are in favor of annexation to Great Britain.

FIXE has again broken out ia the Kaw&rau coal pit (Otago), which bad to be flooded to put out the flames. The Monte Christo claim at the Lyell promises , to yield as well as the famed Little Wonder. Splendid stone has been Btruck in a leader fifteen to eighteen inches wide, and thickening as it goes down. The Carandinis will pay the Coast a visit shortly, and are expected to arrive in Hokitika by the Tararua. Mr. Walter Sherwin, their agent, is now in Hokitika fbr tbe purpose of making arrangements on their behalf. Racehorses are beginning to arrive at Greymouth for the forthcoming races. The chesnut mare Defamation has been brought overland from Christchurch, and Mozzell and Lacenfeed are both in training. Mr Walters, with Yatterina and Slander, went down from Neleon by the last trip of the Charles Edward. The Alpine Company, at the Lyell, says tbe Westport Times, washed up on Saturday last, after having crushed 100 tons for the Little Wonder. The result, it is expected, will be 12oz. or 14oz. to the ton. The stone on the Alpine Company's claim is showing very rich, and tbe result of the next crushing may be eagerly looked for. The other day, a fall of snow took place on the main south road, Otago, two inches deep. It was confined, we are informed, -to the email valley lying on the Green Island-side of Look-out Point. It is remarkable that the fall did not extend beyond a distance of a little over half a mile, and tbratftfta roads and fields at both extremities presented their usual aspect. Fok the following prediction an Auckland contemporary is responsible : — "It is no stretch of the imagination when we state our belief tbat some of our .sterling politicians, some of our best road contractors, our most enterprising farmers, and the best developers of our resources, will, before half a decade passes away, be pointed out as men who once formed part of Brogden's navvies, or as men wbo came out under tbe Government immigration ■cbemeof 1872." Lately a farmer residing some nine miles from Christchurch, and wbo had engaged men to tie his crops, was astonished about seven o'clock in the morning by the sudden advent in front of his house of a Hansom cab; hastening put , with all speed under tbe impression that some serious accident had occurred, he was astonished to find that one of tbe newly engaged harvesters had taken this singular and somewhat expensive mode of going forth to his daily labor. Finding tbat his mates had not arrived according to promise, the new arrival declined to work by himself, \ and returned to town by tbe same conveyance in search of them. The young ladies of Lowell, Mass., have invented a new plan for securing husbands. They go out boating witb the man of tbeir choice, contrive to upset the , boat and then grab him and save his life. The victim in his first burst of gratitude and admiration generally makes the desired proposal to bis heroic preserver. At one of the so-called courts of Fiji, a number of native laborers were lately brought up on various trivial charges, viz., hiding food, refusing to carry a message, and so forth. In each case the punishment of the lash was awarded, and when the regular flagellator became weary,, his place was good-naturedly filled by the interpreter and the complainants ! And they say there is no slavery under the benign rule of Cakobau ! A Story is afloat which shows tbat his Fijjan Majesty, Cakobau 1., bas clear and distinct ideas on tbe subject of trade and barter. A few weeks back a gentleman from this colony on a visit, half of pleasure and balf of business, to Fiji, had occasion to require more shipping accommodation than was available. Urged on by some friend he requested an audience of the King, and asked for the loan of the royal yacht. His Majesty received the request very graciously, and even promised the boon asked for, but as the grateful visitor was retiring with a bow, his astute Majesty observed with, a look of indescribable knowingness, tbat gentlemen who went fishing were usually in the habit ©f taking care that they had an attractive bait on tbe hook. A more delicate way of hinting that the royal navy would not object to a subsidy has rarely ;been given.