WELLINGTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 310, 17 December 1862, Page 5

WELLINGTON.

(prom our own correspondent.) December 11

Our Cricketers have returned from Auckland, but I regret to say have brought no laurels with them. They played at Nelson going up and coming down, losing each time by about 38 and 21 respectively. At Auckland they were beaten most unmercifully. Your Auckland correspondent, I dare say, has kindly recorded all about it, and so saved me the otherwise unpleasant task. Unfortunately for myself, I am not a handler of the willow, but I trust that the triple defeat will stimulate the game into greater acceptance with our young men, to whom manly out-door sports ought to be most attractive, and also be the means of securing for them a ground for practice, a good one being in the possession of the Government, and only wanting drainage. The tenders called for the sale of the £25,000 provincial loan the other day did not present themselves. No portion of the loan was taken up by either of the banks, nor by any of the mercantile firms. Re-ourse will be had, I suppose, to the home market.

The effort in favor of the Lancashire Relief Fund has been very successful. The meeting held on the 28th ultimo was altogether such as it should have been ; hearty, kindly speeches welling up from deeply sympathetic hearts. The proceedings were slightly marred by one of our Scotch ministers protesting against the Committee being supposed to patronise a theatrical entertainment, which had been offered by the professionals. This of course raised the ire of the friends of the drama, more especially as the reverend objector had designated the theatre a curse. Those who think there is no inconsistency in a minister preaching in a pulpit to-day and sitting in a box to-morrow, profess to be equally indignant ; while others who, whatever may be their likings for the drama par se, see in the performances as actually conducted in Wellington an unfit source of amusement for ministers to countenance, think that, under the peculiar circumstances Mr Moir showed no inconsiderable moral courage, in protesting against the supposition that all the ministers of the town were willing not only to work at, but to promote proceedings which they all deemed to be most inconsistent with their position and influence as ministers of the Gospel. It is much to be regretted that the expression should have been used, as I think it is generally admitted that it was at least out of place. L7OO was collected in the town in four days, and that amount goes home as a first instalment to-day. Additions are being made daily from the country, which will no doubt make a respectable remittance for next month.

Mr Coutts Crawford has been making discoveries wholly unexpected, and which he is sanguine enough to hope may lead to mines within a few miles of the town. In Pourua Harbor, indications of carboniferous rocks, point to the possibility of coal close by, and in the Belmont district, midway between Pourua and the Hutt, he has discovered what are probably the first Pakeozic fossils found in this Island. Within the last few days, cobalt antimony, and chrome have been found on the hills on the Hutt road. There is aDr Levy here just now, who appears to be travelling with scientific views on behalf of the French Government, and you may be sure that, with the characteristic politeness of his nation, he renders Mr Crawford all the assistance his feeble state of health will allow. That last sentence will, I have no doubt, forthwith produce a charming little billet of invitation for Dr Levy, from your Dr Hector.

At our Quarterly Council sittings on the Ist, the Judge mentioned that the Court of Appeal would meet at Christchurch next February (the 10th),in deference to the many pressing claims on the time of the Southern judges. It has been decided to hold the General Assembly in Wellington towards the close of the next year. That's a fact, and lest you should doubt it, I don't mind giving my authority, so sure am I of its correctness—no other than one of the ministers just arrived per Queen from Auckland. While I am convinced that it is the truth, yet it is an illustration of how totally persons may be led astray who only get hold of one parfc of a story. It is the. General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church I mean, and the in ministerial informant is v reverend and not a cabinet gentleman. Your Scotch ministers are holding a meeting here to-night detailing what had been done at the Conference just terminated at Auckland.

The Marlborough case was finally (?) argued on Wednesday, and the Judge is to give his decision on Monday. It was intimated by counsel on both sides that they were respectively prepared to appeal, and the Judge was thereupon desirous that the case should be brought before the Court of Appeal without his giving his judgment on the argument as already brought before him ; but as this was found impracticable His Honor said that if he was thoroughly convinced that he had the whole ease before him, and felt no doubt about the soundness of the conclusions to which he might come, he did not thimc he {should have been justified in allowing an appeal ; but he would at any rate give them permission to argue the point. He very rightly said an appeal would be a serious matter for the parties, for what with pleadings and rejoinder?, demurrers and issues, it is by no means difficult to estimate how the money will be made to go, for lawyers like nothing better than to have a Government chest to dig in—deep as they may go, they find gold all the way down and never come to'a bottom. Joking apart, it does strike one as a marvellous evil, that a province should be kept in a state like that in which Marlborough is, for month after month, while the law drags its slow length along. Instead of admiring the law's supremacy, majesty, and all the other fine phrases we so ofter hear about, such ruinous delay does very much to bring it into utter contempt, and make people wisely refiolve to have ac little to do with it as possible.

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ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

THE BUSH FIRE AT SAWYER'S BAY. (To the Editor of the Daily Times.) SiR,-Several of the sufferers by the bush fire in Sawyers Bay, to which you have alluded in your paper ot tins morning have applied to me for help The majority of the sufferers are laboring men who, in many i nstances, have lost their all. I think it one of those cases in which an appeal may be fairly made to a generous public, and if you, Sir, will kindly undertake to receive contributions iv Dunedin, I will see what can be done by the good people of the Port. I am, &c, Thos. A. Manspor]>, ii . r,, , Resident Magistrate. Port Chalmers, 15th Dec, 1862.

£ s d Mr £.,B.Robertson .. ... 10 0 Mr Henry Campbell ..... 5 0 Mr Elmer ... .;.. .. 5 0 Mr James (Jalbraith *.*. .! 10 0 Mr James Williams .... 2 6 Mr Alexander Fulleiton .. .. 5 0 . • . ■ £2 7 6 Amount previously acknowledged 2D 13 0 £26 0 6