The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 191, 13 August 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1874.

A Split in the Camp.— A telegram received just as we were going to press informs us that Mr O'Rorke has resigned his seat in the Ministry. Bein" an Auckland member, this step is no doubt connected with the scheme for tbe abolition of the North Island provinces. Mr M'Lean, the contractor for the Westport railway works, ia advertising for 400 men at twelve shillings a day. Bankruptcy.*— The Gazette ol this morning announces the bankruptcy of Charles Allen, accountant. Inspection Pa bade.-- The City Companies of Volunteers will assemble at tbe Drill Shed, for the monthly inspection parade, at seven o'clock tbis evening. From the telegrams we publish today it would appear tbat the Government are determined to atanJ or fall upon the reßolutious to be introduced to-night re the abolition of the North Island provinces. No doubt heads have been counted, and Mr Yogel is pretty sure of what tbe reault will be. If, however, he should be mistaken, it ia evident that he intends to appeal to the country. Probably be would have no objection to an immediate dissolution, confident, as he is, tbat he is just now in th© very zenith of his popularity. Should be be able to satisfy the House! with regard to tbe form of local government that he means to substitute for the existing provincial institutions, there can be little doubt tbat the provinces throughout the colony are doomed to annihilation. No subject more interesting to the countiy at large has ever claimed the attention of the. New Zealand Parliament than tbat. which is to be introduced to-night. Football.— The usual practice well be held on Saturday next, when it is hoped there will be a full muster of players, as the Wellington men are expected over in a fortoigbt to play the annual interprovincial match. It is proposed to play the return match of Artillery v.' All Comers on the following Saturday, so as to keep the Nelson players in good practice. ... Telegraphic —Masters of vessels can now telegraph to the hsrborraaster at any New Zealand port asking information as to the slate of the weather, aod receive a reply for sixpence. This is a convenience that will no doubt be taken advantage of vei*y largely. Chambers of Commerce, or any other public body, can, by appointing their owa agents at the several ports, send and receive shipping telegrams at press ra tes.on the understanding tbat the information is for publio and not for private use. Erratum.— -Our attention has been directed to a printer's error which occurred in the report of the Motueka Scab Commission. . : The. words in italics were omitted from the first sentence, which should have appeared ac follows:—" Tbat as the Scab Act appears (o require from the Inspector a personal inspection of the sheep (andindeed it seems to your Commissioners most unadvisable that a clean certificate should be given without such an inspection immediately before the issuing thereof)," &c. - Mr. Graham L Greenwood, formerly Clerk of tbe Court at the Ahaura, ha_ been appointed Clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Court at Wanganui. j The state of political parties in tbe , House is -thus commented upon by the Wellington correspondent "of the Wanganui Chronicle-.— There is really very tittle to be said with reference to the present " political situation." Now tbat Mr Stafford has, absolutely ceased to act as the leader of the Opposition no one else bas succeeded to tbe position, Practically, Mr Gillies usually rises when there is anything speoial to be

said on the Opposition stle of the House, but he ia not tbe formally recognised leader of a party. Connected with affairs political, it is noteworthy tbat the feeling ia very general amongst the best men in tbe House of all parties, tbat o period of reaction and depression after its high preeaure careers of borrowing and spending, is not only in store for the colony, but near at hand. I do not in the least doubt the soundness of the vi w. When wool goes down and money goes up, then the reaction spoken of will begin to set in. In the course of tbe discussion on the State Foreat9 Bill, Mr Yogel remarked tbat he proposed that there should be two nurseries established in each island, in the most suitable places, without reference to provincial boundaries. It would be the duties of the superintendents of these nurseries to distribute seeds as widely as po.3ible ; but he did not wish to interfere with private enterprise ; he bad no wish to see the industry of a useful body of men— the nurserymen — paralysed, and would prefer tbat the managers of tbe forests should - deal with the trade and public boards rather than with private individuals, la the selection of persons to form tbe management of those forests, there should be the largest amount of discretion. We (Marlborough Express) learn that appropriations have been made by the General Government for the expenditure of £27,000 on the Rai Valley Tramway, of which half is to be spentthis year, aod the remainder next year. The works will be executed uuder the ! direction of tbe Colonial Engineer. Captain Shilling, of the cutter Dido, haa favored the Marlborough Times with an account of a curious fish that was seen by himself and crew duriug one of his recent trips. He describes the fi.h as being from 18 to 20 : feet long, with an elongated shovel-nosed shaped head and very large eye?,' the body black on the bark and yellowish about the belly. It had something like the flippers of a seal, only larger, situated about four or five feet from the head, and two tails, each about six feet loog. When it came above the water it made a snorting noise, but it seemed to be very tame, and kept coming alongside the vessel, looking up at the crew intently. It would then stand up some five feet or so out of the water. The fish remained close to the cutter about a quarter of an hour and then glided away towards Cook's Strnif. The Southern Cross sates that a letter has been received by Mr W. F. Bucklaod from Melbourne, which announces that .it is the intention of eleven cricketers from that place to make a tour through New Zealand, commencing with Auckland, playing twenty-two of each province. We believe they intend starting about the end of the present year. The Auckland cricketers already have called a meeting to elect a committee to m_ke the necessary arrangements. Our cricketers should follow the example. The Provincial Council of Taranaki bas determined to do . away with the publication of a Provincial Government Gazette, using tbe ordinary press as the medium for making its official announcements. The Hokitika Evening Star, commenting thereon, saya.: — "This is about the most sensible thing we have beard of for some time, as Gazette* bave little or no circulation, and in nine cases out of ten the notices contained therein are not seen by- those tfiey most concern.