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Colonist, Volume III, Issue 285, 13 July 1860, Page 2

We have just received the Marlborough Press for June 30th. Six columns of it are devoted to a public meeting called to dis- | cuss the relative merits of Blenheim and Picton as the place for Government buildings, or rather that the erection of such , buildings should be deferred for a time, and the money spent in a more useful waysuch as bridges, roads, and ferries. The meeting was a most boisterous one, requiring all the firmness and good; temper or' the chairman in maintaining.order and kee;ping the speakers within the bounds of decorum. A petition to the Provincial Council to defer the erection of the buildings wound up the proceedings. The advertising columns are mostly filled with Government notices, and contains a very fierce epistle, signed John Godfrey, in which he calls the meeting a 'public bear garden;' and expresses a hope that their affairs will be brought into working order * notwithstanding the factious opposition from members, chairman, and mob, in and out of Council;' and winds up in favour of Picton, which he declares will be chosen in spite of 'lying statements,' and * wilful perversion of facts.' ; Baptist Chapel.—-We observe that the unfortunate differences amongst tha members of the Baptist persuasion which led to a portion of the congregation holding service at the Freemasons' Hall, whilst others continued under the ministration of Mr. Thomas, at the chapel belonging to that body, have been brought to a close! The Trustees haviag formally taken possession of the building, and placed it at the disposal of the members, the majority of these have accepted the services of the Rev. W. M. Biss (late of Auckland) as their pastor. Nelson Institute.-—A meeting of the members was held at the Institute last evening. Of the interest the subscribers in general take in the management of their own affairs, the nine persons who composed the meeting will afford a pretty fair criterion. Mr. Heppel proposed the first resolution :— " The subscription to the Institute shall be as follows :—First, life members paying £10 at one payment ; secondly, annual subscribers to the ReadingRoom, paying 10s. per annum ; thirdly, half-yearly subscribers to the Reading-room, paying ss. halfyearly ; fourthly, annual subscribers to the Library, paying 10s. per annum; fifthly, half-yearly subscribers to the Library, paying ss. half-yearly. All subscriptions to be paid in advance; yearly subscriptions on the first day of January, and half-yearly subscriptions on. the first day of January, and the first day of July in each year;" whiuh was carried unanimously. Mr. Wells proposed the second resolution :■— "Provided always, that the outgoing officers and committee shall be eligible for re-election without any fresh nomination;" ; which was likewise carried. Messrs. Hodgson, Rout, and Sharp were appointed auditors. In answer to a question from a subscriber the Chairman said that he supposed the new building would be ready in two or three months. Dun Mountain and Crotxelles.—Yesterday, a sale of ten shares in the Croixelles Company, and thirty-five in the Dun Mountain took place at Messrs. Nash and Scaife's warehouse, Bridgestreet. The Croixelles £10 shares fetched £4 15s. each, and the Dun Mountain £1 shares ss. each. Taranaki.—The Auckland Subscription List for the assistance or compensation of the sufferers from the native outbreak at Taranaki, already amounts to the munificent sum of £835 18s. 6d. Mr. Ollivier, of Canterbury, has written a long and angry letter to the Standard concerning the refusal of the Government or Council to vote any sum of money for that purpose. This has elicited a sharp reply from the editor of the Standard. District Court. —We call the attention of the public to an advertisement postponing the sitting of the District Court from the usual day to the 23rd instant, in consequence of the half-yearly sittings of the Supreme Court commencing again on Monday next. Soho Foundry.—We have pleasure in observing that Mr. C. Balme has made further additions and improvements in the establishment of the first foundry here, the spirited commencement of which we noticed a short time since. Yesterday, the furnace was in full blast, and casting operatians were in active progress the greater part of the day. The Comet. —The Illustrated News says that " The great comet of 1556 may be excepted about the end of August next. This is one of the most brilliant comets known; on its last appearance its tail extended over 100 degrees of arc;;,so that when the nucleus was in the zenith, -the extremity of the tail had not. yet arisen.. This is not only a great comet, but one of extreme brilliancy.'' From this description our present visitor cannot be the one mentioned:; we may therefore expect another in a very short time.