The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1878.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 267, 18 November 1878, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1878.

The Darville Island copper mine was inspected on Friday last by a numerous party of gentlemen, who chartered the Lady Barkly for the purpose. Some of them were shareholders in the company, while others had no pecuniary interest in the concern, and from two of the latter we have obtained some particulars which will be acceptable to our readers. Little having been heard lately of the operations of this compauy, it might be supposed that they have been doing little to develop the mine, but this inference would be quite a mistake, for the work has been carried on with vigor, and, what is more, with excellent results. No less than seven shafts have been sunk to various depths along the line of reef, which runs N.E. and S.W.,the distance between the extreme ones being 800 yards. In this way the lode has been proved to run true, and capital ore has been got out at various points; in all, according to the Manager's estimate, fifty five tons of dressed ore are ready for shipment. Besides the seven shafts several drives have been put in, the main one being the tunnel, beginning a hundred feet below " Owen's shaft " on the side of the bill and goipg in a south-westerly direction. It is expected that it will require to be driven about 90 feet before it strikes the lode; of this distance 40 feefc has been done, and the remainder is being pushed on. The ground is not very hard, and the expense is consequently small, not more than six shillings per foot. Owen's shaft is being simultaneously sunk; its present depth is 70 feet, and it is yielding well. As a rule the green carbonate of copper is the first ore met with in sinking on this property, and lower down stiver grey ore of extreme richness. The carbonate is estimated to yield 30 per cent of copper, while the grey ore should yield at least 60 per cent, the former being thus three times, and the latter six times as good as the average copper ore of Cornwall and Devon. When we consider the richness of the ore in connection with its abundance, as already manifested, there cau remain no doubt as to the value of the Company's property , which they appear resolved to developevtith energy. We understand that the subscribing shares in the company were very partially taken up, but that tne Directors will not issue any more, as the ore now raised, and being raised,' together with small and infrequent calls will suffice for the further development of the mine. Aa a proof of what the returns will be when pumping appliances and other improvements are provided, we may mention that ore was being stoped out from the ground opening from the bottom of Ward's shaft at the rate of eight tons per fathom, when the influx of water arrested the work for the present. A tramway to tbe sea will also be needed; meanwhile the ore can be taken ! to Redwood's harbor over an excellent bridle track. It is intended to make a shipment to I Newcastle as soon as~ a hundred tons have been got out. The party ;were most hospitably entertained bv Huri, the native chief, i and his people. He is rery desirous of seeing the mineral resources of his domain utilised. These are far from being confined to the locality which he has assigned to the present company. Shortly before nice o'clock this morning the attention of passers-by at Patterson's corner was attracted by smoke oozing out between the shingles of the roof of a building used as a store and hayloft at the back of the shop. The alarm was at once given, and was very quickly followed by flames bursting out of the roof. The Fire Brigade and the tneinbeys o$ tbe

newly formed Salvage Corps were speedily on the spot, and the ground floor was quickly cleared of the stores it contained, consisting or aiigiir; . salt} p'oiatoes; &c; while a judiClous ap'plidatidri oi w'dier' sodn^ofc the fire under, the only damage done being tile biiriiing of a portion of the roof. The building was insured for £100 in the Royal. The goods were uninsured, and Mr Patterson has to thank the Salvage Corps and others who assisted in getting them out for being saved from considerable loss, as although they would not have been burnt, they must have been much damaged by water if not removed. As a matter of course " the origin of the fire is unknown." The value of the stores saved was at least £200, while the damage done to the building will not exceed £25 or £30, thanks to the services of the Fire Brigade. A requisition to «7. fl. Dodson,' Esq., requesting him to reconsider hia determination not to offer himself again as Mayor, and to allow himself to be nominated for the office, was put into circulation late on Saturday afternoon, dtld to-day with 101 influential signatures attached to it was presented to him by a deputation representing many of the leading business firms in the town. Mr Dodson was at first disposed to adhere to hi3 original resolution, but it was pointed out to him in such a forcible manner that the requisition was in fact the expression of the well founded feeling of confidence reposed in him by so large a number of hia fellowcitizens that he eventnally consented. We would take the opportunity of reminding those who have thus induced Mr Dodson to come forward for re election that in the event of a contest it is only due to him that they should use their utmost endeavors to secure his return. So many an election has been lost in Nelson owing either to apathy or too great confidence that a reminder of this kind may not be altogether unnecessary. The annual tea meeting in connection with the Toi-toi Valley Sunday School will take place on Wednesday next, the 20th instant, and not ou the 28th as erroneously advertised. The prizes in Messrs. T. S. Wyniond and Co.'s Gift Drawing will be drawn for this evening, at half-past seven o'clock, in the Masonic Hall. A cricket match was played in the Botanical Reserve on Saturday afternoon between the Norman by and College Cricket Clubs, the understanding being that if not played outjby six o'clock the game was to be decided by the first inuings. The Normanbys went in first and scored 32, the College following with 33, the bowling and fielding on both sides being excellent. The Normanby men on going baqk to the wicket met with better luck, and with the loss of two wickets made over forty runs. Acting under the instructions of their captain the College team then gave up cricket and took to tomfoolery, greatly to the disgust of the other side, to whom, if only as being their seniors, greater courtesy was due. It showed bad taste on the part of the captain, and was anything but good training for the boys. The usual monthly meeting of the Permanent Building Society will be held this evening at the Temperance Hall. It will be seen by advertisement that Messrs Curtis and Sharp, the City members, purpose addressing their constituents at the Provincial Hall on Wednesday evening next. The members of the Naval Brigade, together with a few friends, started for Motueka yesterday morning in the Aurora, but when near the Bluffs an accident occurred, which compelled them to return to port without reaching their destination. Some remarkably fine specimens of copper ore, brought f rom "D'Urville's Island by Mr J. Hounsell, are now on view in his shop window. In the same place there can al so be seen two ingots of pure copper, weighing in all 6 lbs, the yield of the 36 lbs of stone from Mr Smith's mine, recently smelted at Moutray and Crosbie's foundry. At the annual examination of tha Waimea West Village School, on Thursday !4th inst, by Mr ft. Malcolm, the successful prize winners were declared to bat—First class, Ist prize John Livingston ; 2nd Lucy Corder; prize for proficiency, Louia Palmer. Second class, Ist prize Sarah Claridge; 2nd Robert Bell and Ellen Arnold equal; 3rd Hannah Morgan; prize for general proficiencyi Mary Anne Newth. Third class, Ist prize John Dron ; 2nd Gardner Hunter ; 3rd James Andrew; prize for general proficiency, Alex Morgan.- Fourth class, Ist prize Mary Powis; 2nd Wenfield Newth/, 3rd Conrad Palmer ; 4th Margaret Powis Mb. T. G. Scott gave an open air performance on Saturday night on a wire atretchad from the roof of Mr Pratt'a shop in Bridgsatreet to the Royal Hotel on the opposite side of the street. He walked forwards, hack wards, knelt now on one knee now on tha other, and performed ail sorts of feats in any of which a failure would probably have resulted iu a broken neck. After the performance the hat was sent round among the large crowd that had assembled, and if sixpences proved as plentiful as the cheers that greeted his performance he must hare done a pretty good night's work. Mr Scott is making arrangements for another exhibition when be will execute some difficult tricks which for want of proper means for straining the wire be was unable to perform on Saturday evening. In the palmy days of the Colony, when the new and opening goldfields presented such temptations to unguarded modes of living, many a hale and hearty fellow received the germs of sickuess and disease, which in after years spread their malign influence through the system, and lay their victim prostrate. Many such, hearing of the introduction of those iuvaluable medicines—" Ghollam's Great Indian Coses"— into New Zealand, availed themselves of the fact, took tbo medicines, and got cubed. See testimonials. These medicines are positively unfailing remedies. Sold by all Chemists.