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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 104, 6 May 1867, Page 3

Amongst the cargo of the Fairy Belle, we have noticed some valuable machinery made by Marshall Sons and Co>, of Gainsborough, and imported by Mr. Manning, of Dunedin, whose success in introducing similar articles in Otago has induced him to give this province an opportunity of developing its resources by such aids. There are now to be seen in the yard of Mr. Thomas R, Fisher's stores, three splendid portable steam engiues, of eight, twelve, and fourteen horsepower respectively. The two larger are fitted with two cylinders, and all have extra large fire-boxes for consuming wood or coals. There is also a combined finishing and dressing threshing-machine, fitted "with all the roost recent improvements, and exactly similar to one made by the same firm, which took the highest prize ever awarded for such articles in England, and -which was pronounced by the Judges at the last Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Show, when awarding to it the first prize, to i c " specially good, superior to, and better adapted to the country than any other." These machines are well worthy of the attention of the agriculturalist of the province, and also of miners, as the steam engines are applicable to sawing, pumping, or for working machinery in quartz-mining. /'The nomination of a member to serve /' in the Provincial Council for the electoral district of Waimea South, takes place today, at Wakefield. We believe that only two candidates, Messrs. White aud Silcock, are in the field. The election takes V place on Thursday next. v The Government Gazette of Thursday last • contains a proclamation from his Honor the Superintendent, removing the restrictions upon the killing of pheasants in the districts of Motueka, Pangatotara, and Lower Moutere, during the mouth of June next.

The West Coast Times of the 29th ult. says that Mr. Bradshaw's office as agent of the Government at the gold-fields of Otago has been guaranteed to him for a period of four years, or during the continuance in office of Mr. Macandrew, as Superintendent of Otago, and that he takes with him a secretary, in the person of Mr. Felix Wakofield, lately a resident of Nelson.

The West Coast Times of the 29 nit— says: — This months exportation of gold promises to be somewhat above the average, nearly every steamer which left Melbourne and Sydney having taken away a greater or lesser quantity of the staple article. The last shipment by the s. s. Egmout is one of the heaviest that ever left the coast on a single bottom, and may be accepted as a proof of what the West Coast goldfields are yet capable of producing. The total quantity shipped at Hokitika and Greymouth was 24,040 ounces. Of this amount Hokitika contributed 14,704 ounces, viz., Bank of New Zealand 5,000 ozs, and Uuion Bank, 2,700 ozs. Greymouth's share was 7,309, whilst 2,000 ozs, the produce of the Buller goldfields, was shipped at Nelson.

The Wellington Evening Post of the 30th ult., has the following telegram from Duuedin, of the same day: — Authoritative accounts were received to-day of the existence of much excitement at Teviot, on the management of the gold-fields. Bradshaw has been refused a passage across the Molyneux. First, he endeavored to get over in the punt, but was Dot allowed on board ; next he tried a private boat, with equal unsuccess.

A Taranaki Iron Sand Company has been formed in London. The substance of the prospectus is as follows: — Capital of the Company, £100,000 (with power to increase by special resolution). A first issue of 5000 at £10 per share. One pound deposit oq application and two pounds on allotment. No calls to exceed £2 per share, nor at Jess iutervals than three months. The bankers are Messrs Barclay, Bevan and Co., 54 Lombard street; and the Bank of New Zealand. The direction contains some well-known and influential names, amongst which are the well-known and influential names of John Morrison, Esq., Government Agent for the colony, and Walter Saville, Esq., of the firm of Shaw, Saville, and Co.

The Melbourne correspondent of the Geelong Advertiser says : — The experience of the officers of the Curagoa in Sydney has been marked by some peculiarities. The good-natured but extraordinary lady who presides at Government House, in inviting the officers of the Curagoa on a recent occasion — by way, I presume, of intimating that it would be a downright jolly affair — intimated that those who could not dance need not come. The officers very respectfully sent their compliments 1o Lady Young, and regretted exceedingly that they were precluded from accepting her invitation, as none of the officers of the Curagoa could dance. At a subsequent party, her ladyship thought she would heal this little breach, and invited all the officers of the Curacoa who couldn't dance. The reply brought greater confusion to her ladyship than before — it was that, feeling the humiliation of being obliged to decline her ladyship's former invitation, the officers of the Curagoa had since learned to dance, and therefore could not come. The Mayor of Southampton has published in a widely circulated handbill the results of a curious experiment, undertaken with a view to test the honesty of the shopkeepers. A quart loaf was purchase on one day from each of the 88 bakers' shops in the town, aud the following results were obtained : — 32 of the loaves were of full weight — indeed, four of them gave loz. and one of them 2oz. overweight. On the other hand, 56 of the loaves were under weight, 14 to the exteut of from i to l|oz. ; 20, 2oz. ;4, 2ioz. ; 6, 3oz. ;o, 3|oz. ; 1, 3foz. ; 5, 4oz. To this statement the Mayor adds an extract from the Act of Parliament in regard to false weights aud measures ; but he would have done better to publish the names and addresses of the delinquents. What does a baker who defrauds his customers of 3 or 4oz. on each loaf care about a fine of £2. or £3. ? A Glasgow paper announces the appreheusion in that city of a local debtor having large liabilities. He had been lodging in a hotel there, and was found in the disguise of female attire, with a Paisley shawl, a velvet bonnet and veil, and a brooch, with no want of crinoline.

HORRIBLE EXECUTION OF A WOMAN,

The woman James, convicted at the last Court of Grand Sessions of murder, and sentenced to death, recently paid the extreme penalty of the law, in accordance with the sentence. At eight o'clock, the tolling of the gaol bell gave the signal that the tragedy was about to commence. The procession started from the cell. The culprit was preceded by the hangman, followed by the gaol chaplain — the Rev. EL W. Laborde, rural dean, who read the service for the burial of the dead — and by the officers of the gaol. She walked with steady and unfaltering steps to the foot of the gallows. On ascending, she had some difficulty, from the length of the shroud with -which she was covered, ill reaching the top. She fell on her knees immediately over the drop. The funeral service being ended, she asked to be permitted to sing. The chaplain consented, and in a firm but melodious voice she very touchingly sang the "Magnificat," and concluded it with " Gloria Patri," The rural dean then bade her farewell, and drew back. She also quicfclj drew back, but the movement could scarcely have been perceived, for the order was given, the drop fell, and the culprit was seen standing unharmed on the platform — her eyes from the beginning were very imperfectly bandaged. Looking down, she drew back further from the trap, and her arms being free, she removed the piece of muslin with which her eyes were covered. From this time she appeared to dread the trap, having seen the danger, and she could not be induced to go forward. The l?vovost Marshal then summoned the turnkeys, who, with the hangman, were constrained to use force to get her on to the trap-door. The instinct of self-perservation seemed to nerve her with stoength, and a scuffle ensued on the platform of the gallows for ten minutes, when she was ultimately tripped up, and she fell heavily ou one of the side beams of the gallows, and rolled on the scaffold, where she lay motionless. She was then pushed over on the trapdoor, which was pulled, and she fell through head foremost. She never made a struggle or movemnt after she was thrown down, and many persons suppose that life was extinct before she fell through the drop. The body was exposed to view for one hour before it was taken down and privately buried in the gaol yard. — St, Vincent Witness.