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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 198, 21 August 1874, Page 2

An extraordinary proposition emanates from Hokitika, or from the gentleman who is discharging the duties of Deputy-Superintendent in Westland. The idea of constructing a railway between the Province and Canterbury by Browning's Pass ia apparently abandoned, but instead of accepting tbe alternative route oi the Amuri, Mr -Tabart and others favor a railwjy southward to Martin's Bay, and thence to eaatern Otago. The idea is a magnificent one, undoubtedly; but what about/ the physical difficulties? To say nothing of the gradients between Martin's Bay and the Lakes, there are rivers innumerable to be crossed — so numerous tbat tha line could be little else than ao [elongated bridge. — JV. Z. Times v A suggestive story from the reefa is told by a correspondent of the Rockhampton Bulletin, Queensland. A mining manager (who shall be nameless, but hia address is the Northern Territory) visited the Howley, and having expressed his admiration of a huge piece oi quartz which waa shown to him, and hia opinion, eagerly expected, by a number of choice*.Bfisfcita who had assembled to hear the v - gre*al mining authority's oracnlar delivery. Taking the stone io his hand, he twisted and turned it round and round, held it to the light, carefully examining it for gold, whicb, however, he failed to discover/. Giving a preliminary hem! tbua spake he — M Well, I can't aee any gold j but it's as nice a specimen of gold-bearing quartz as ever I saw in my life." "Can't aee any gold?" retorted one of the bystanders in the secret. " Why, man, wet it with your tongue, and then you will see the gold fast enough." He did ao. Half an hour afterwards a man waa seen galloping away from tbe Howley as though 10,0Q0 fiends were at hia heela. The piece of quartz he had so carefully examined and expressed his deliberate opinion aa beiog "as nice a piece of gold-bearing quartz aa ever he saw," turned out to be — only a lump of mak salt. Writing of the passion flower, L'Arbre Benifc aays ; — Thia curious flower was first discovered in the Brazils, and its wondera were soon proclaimed to Christian kingdoms aa representing the paasion of our Lord, whence ita present appellation. The leaves were aaid exactly to resemble the spear that pierced onr Saviour's aide, the corda that bound His hands, and the whips that acourged Him. The ten petals are the twelve apostlea, Judaa having betrayed and Peter deserted. The pillar in the centre wevs tha croaa or tree; tha stamens, the hammers, the stylea, the naila; the iuner circle about thb central pillar, the crown of thorns* and the radiations the glory; the white in; the flower the emblem of parity, and blue the type of Heaven. In the paasiflora alata drops of blood are seen on the cross or tree. The flower keepa open three days, and then disappears, denoting tho Resurrection. The House waa edified yesterday, in Committee on the Nelaon Waste Lands Act, by the spectacle of the Superintendent aqd iho Provincial SecretaFy of that Proy^ci taking yiewa ol a dir9ut"jr

oppoaice ; o_^ B oi-etof clauses. p n tbatrelalingab the losing ; of mineral lands the % that the regulations re^uif ed great attention, because the practice was to ? apply for large areas of land under lease, and then to "shepherd" merely until thenght men came along, who were / obliged to arrange with them. Mr/ burtis denied that such was thecase. Mr O Conor said he knew it to be a tact if the Superintendent did not. Oo the clause relating to the management of the forests there was an equally wide divergence of opinion. Several of the members from the Province took part in tbe debate, affording evidence that the Executive and the Provincial Council of Nelaon moat together form a very happy family.— _V. Z. Times.