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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 225, 18 September 1873, Page 2

Suez Mail. — We notice, that, as usua the interests of Nelson in the matter of the conveyance of mails are to be completely overlooked. Tho Aihambra was to leave Melbourne for Hokitika on Tuesday last, and is advertised to eai! from Nelson on the 23rd, on which day it is notified (hat the outware Suez mail will close. But we observe from the Wellington papers thai she is not to proceed southward from that port until the 29th, the consequence being that the Nelson correspondence will lie there for four or five days. If there is to be a regular subs'dised mail service, what is there to prevent- its commencing at Nelson instead of Wellington, thus giving to our merchants and other business people the advantage of the four days that are now wasted in Wellington. Nelson Exhibition. — Ac a meeting of tho Management Committee held last evening, it was resolved that the Secretary write to the Wardens on the Goldfield_ inviting their aid in collecting specimens of minerals &c., from ih;*ir respective districts in time to be forwarded to the Exhibition. We have no doubt that their hearty co-operation may be relied upou, and that they will recognise the great importance to the province of n large and comprehensive display of her minerals, as in all piobability there were will be a greut number of visitors from other parts of the colony as wtll as from Australia, the month of November being about the time that Messrs McMeckan & Co usual iy despatch their excursion steamers from Melbourne to New Zealand. This, combined with the fact that our minerals have already excited considerable attention amongst Victorian capitalist?, leads us to hope that we may see many visitors from Austral;!-:, and it will be to our interest to get together as large a number of exhibits as possible. \' c understnd the Secretary will communicate with the principal Australian journals, directing attention to the Exhibition generally, but more particularly to the anticipated collection of valuable mineral?. Id ia with great pleasure we hear that Messrs N. Edwards and Co have kindly t.fftrad to carry exhibits from the West Coast, to Kelson and return tho same in their steamers free of charge. The whitebait season may be said to have f»irly set in at Greynjouth, "a large shoal having been caught in the Grey iiver on Saturday last, and retailed through the town at fourpence to sixpence per pint. Lieut. Hoskins, the champion shot, has leen making some splendid shooting at the Thames. At the 400, 500, and 600 ranges, without sighting shots — twenty one shots ga,ve eev^nty-one points. lie again commenced, but only fired five shots nt each range, svith a total of filly points. The writer of "Parliamentary Gossip," in a recent number of the Wellington Indeptudant, thus [refers to our late Governor, S'.r George Frrgusson Bowen: — "Any oiih who looks candidly at the fact of Sir George Boweu's New Zealand career will be forced to admit that all his actions were guided by one principle exclusively — the principle, namely, of adopting that course which would be most acceptable to the authorities in Dovvningslreet, and they will feel perfectly assured that no presents of bows an 1 airows — no paraphernalia for private theatricals — no liveries, whatever their glories of plush and bullous — no cradles even, however soothing their undulations miuht 08 on the agitated spirits of his offspring — would have led him aside from it by ts much as one hair's breadth." Tho Auckland papers make B*d eomplnin's of the arrangements for the re-ep-tion of immigrants. The rations supplied to those lately arrived by tho ship Berar have been stopped, causing grs-at distress. Says the Herald: — " On arrival, they are made to herd together like cattle. No steps are taken to protect the singln girls, and no endeavor is made by tho Guvern-m-nt to provitie the im:u with employment. As en instance of the incompetency of the immigration department, we might mention, amongst other extravagances, that since the arrival of the last hatch of immigrants, cut firewood has been supplied them on the premises by Metsrs Archard and Co at an extra cost, while there are still forty men remaining idle, who might he employed not only in cutting their own firewood, but also iv fetching it from the vessel's side."

How Much do we Owe ? — The great question now under discussion at Wellington is "How much is the public debt of New Zealand ? " No one outside the two Parliaments has the smallest ide*, and those inside differ. Mr Sewell (who ought to know) says fifteen million six hundred thousand. The Hon. Mr Bonar (generally accurate) says twenty millions. The Hod. Mr Holmes (who is always prepared to verify any statement he makes) puts down the public debt at sixteen millions. Mr Yogel (who is always wrong; in bis figures) rays eleven million nine hundrpd thousand. Dr Pollen differs from Mr Yogel, and makes the colonial debt thirteen million seven hundred thousand. Now here are five leading legislators, who ought to know the amount of our public debt, and who we presume should possess all facilities for comparing data, differing as to the actual amount of our colonial liabilities by the enormous cum of ei^ht millions one hundred thousand pounds. If, as Mr Sewell says, the colony's indebtedness is over fifteen million, or as Mr Holmes states sixteen millions, or as Mr Bonar says twenty million, then where are Mr Vogel's calculations ? Such a dispute as to what we really do owe will not look very creditable on the London Stock Exchange when the news finds its way there, nor will it strengthen Mr Vogel's position when he goes forth intent upon raising more millions. — Herald. The Dunedin Guardian says it is quite clear that Dr Monckton has acquired a most valuable estate in the Auckland group. There are about one hundred thousand acres of open land which could carry stock. The timber is valuable ; but as the land has not been explored the facility for ssnding it to market is unknown. The group is two hundred miles from the Bluff, and will become a favorite resort of pleasure seekers. We wish the worthy doctor every success. Dr Hooker, who landed from H.M.S. Erebus in 1840, says :— " Possessing no mountains rising to the limits of perpetual snow, and few rocks or precipices, the whole land seemed covered with vegetation. A low forest skirts all the shores, succeeded by a broad belt of brushwood, above which, by the summits of the hills, extend grassy slopes. On a closer inspection of the forest, it is found to be composed of a dense thicket of stag-headed trees (rata?) so gnarled and s'unted by the violence of the gales as to afford an excellent shelter for a luxuriant undergrowth of bright green feathering ferns and several gay flowering herbs." Mr M'Cormack, surgeon of the Erebus, describing its natural productions, says that the birds are all of the New Zealand species. The pigs, introduced by Captain Bristow, had increased ; the albatross breeds in considerable numbers. There is natural pasturage for sheep and cattle, which fattened without any care during the occupation of the islands by Mr Enderby and the Maoris. Several plants are found in the Auckland group which are not met with in New Zealand. One of these the Arabia Polaris is a favorite with domestic animals, on which they thrive amazingly. It is a very beautiful plant. Wild dogs roam over the islands. Rose island is stocked with rabbits. Excellent sport may be had at all times, as seafowl and seals abound. The fish are abundant, and of excellent quality. "Snyder" writing on the Auckland fire, says : — There was a horror in connection with that midnight conflagration which I must relate, should the relating of it cause my hair to Btand on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine. The fire had half expended itself when, after having advised all I saw to give their utmost aid in subduing the flames, and not heed the damaging of their clothes so much as a little bit, I strolled quietly up a side streetwhere I saw lying cheek by jowl in a conf fused mass a number of dead bodies o, men and worr.en. Thtse, I concluded, were those who had fallen a living sacrifice to the flumes. There was a young and lovely female lying beside a hoaryheaded man. She had the pallor of death indelibly stamped upon her cheeks, 'while the man, on whose shoulders her beautiful tresses had become entangled, was of rubicund countenance. There were upwards of seventy bodies of dead men which I counted, most of them in the prime of life, and some of remarkable appearance. Then, horror-stricken, I sought out a piliceman, and enquired of him if medical aid had been called on to ascertain whether life was extinct in every case, and when it was likely an inquest would be held on the bodies. It was then, and at that instant only, I gleaned the fact that what my gaze had been rivetted on were not the bo lies of lest human lives, but were the wax figures hurriedly removed from the exhibition of waxworks which had been opened to public view on the night of the conflagration. The constable told me, in reply to some confused questions I put to him, that if I wasn't at once able to find my way back to my lodgings, he thought he knew of a one-room, stonefloored, brick-built tenement which would suit ma all to pieces. I don't recollect, what passed afterwords. For remainder of news see fourth page.