Local Intelligence.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIV, Issue 69, 24 November 1855, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

Designs for the Nelson College. — The Board of Trustees of the Nelson Trust Funds have awarded to Mr. Clarke, of Motueka, the first prize for a design for the College, which -it is proposed to build out of these Funds, and to Mr. Beauchamp the second prize. There were altogether eleven designs submitted to the Board, and as the whole are to be exhibited during the next fortnight, the public will have an opportunity of forming an opinion of the merits of each. We trust that no time will now be lost by the Board in going earnestly to work to get the necessary buildings erected.

Odd Fellowship. — The members of the Order of Odd Fellows, in Nelson, are taking steps to bring before the Legislature of the colony, at its next meeting, the propriety of legalizing their Order in this colony, and placing it upon the same footing which it has been allowed to stand by the Legislature at home. For the purpose of attaining this object, a committee, appointed by the Travellers' Rest Lodge, at Richmond, consisting of C. P. Kearns, P.P.G.M., D. Hammond, P.D.G.M., J. 11. Taylor, P.G., 11. Rnffel, N.G., R. Robinson, V.G., and Brothers Snape and Steers, met at the Plough Inn, on Wednesday evening last, to confer with Mr. Travers and Mr. Elliott, the representatives from the Waimea districts to the House of Representatives, on the steps which it might be necessary to take to carry the wishes of the society into effect. Mr. Travers suggested that the best mode of proceeding would be to seek to induce the Government, as soon as a new one should be formed, to pass a general Act applicable alike to all Benefit Societies, similar to the Benefit Societies Act in England, which might be made to extend to the Order of Odd Fellows the protection which they sought. Mr. Travera and Mr. Elliott both promised to give their best services in inducing the Governmant to adopt the course named, and urged upon the committee the propriety- of communicating with all the lodges in New Zealand, and to get them to urge the question upon their representatives throughout the colony. Exploration. — We are glad to find that the Local Government is taking steps to get a further exploration of the country between Blind Bay and the Pelorus, with a view of determining the best road by which the Pelorus, Kaituna, Queen Charlotte's Sound, Waitohi, and Wair.au may be connected with the town of Nelson. As the native title will, in a few weeks, be extinguished to the whole of the land in these districts which had not bocn previously alienated, when surveys will be begun, and in a little time many thousands of acres of excellent land open for sale and settlement, it becomes a matter of the first importance that a good horse-track at least should be opened, so that the whole of the districts enumerated may be reached with facility. - Mr. Skeet has undertaken to ascertain the practicability of a route from the Happy Valley to the Pelorus, and another gentleman has undertaken, we believe, to try whether a road cannot be got over the Mokatap range fro~ *ue Dun Mounttin. We are glad also to find thst a tender

has been accepted for opening a communication with Canterbury by Mr. Weld's route to Tarndale, and which will be open for travellers by the end of the summer.