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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 129, 5 June 1867, Page 2

The performances at the Circus last Circus last night were patronised very extensively, the marquee being as crowded in every part as on Monday evening. The programme was, with but slight variation, identical with that which we noticed iu our issue of yesterday, and therefore calls for no special comment at our hands. The various performers acquitted themselves equally successfully, and received quite as much applause as ever. A very astonishing exhibition is to be seen at the entrance of the marquee, and ■which the assemblage present at the Circus performances are invited to inspect during the interval between the acts and at the conclusion of the programme. It iucludes an individual who is endowed with a wondrous facility of deglutition and digestion, since we are assured that his ordinary diet for the last twenty years has consisted of pebbles, a statement which he confirms by devouring a handful of the said stones, and who is also able to swal- - low a steel sword, some eighteen inches long, without in the slightest degree interfering with his internal arrangements. We are assured that, as far as it is possible to discover, there is no imposition in this performance, and we must leave the fact to our medicos for solution. The afternoon performance attheCircus was also numerously attended, a large number of families from the city and neighborhood being present, and the unmitigated delight displayed by the youngsters at the various feats was a thing pleasant indeed to behold. The company perform again this evening. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, this morning, the fullowing inebriates, Caroline Turner and James Siroms, were fined £1 each, with costs. John Porter } charged with indecent exposure of his person at the Mitre Hotel, was fined £2 with costs. The following civil case was also heard : — Thornton v. Locke. This was an action brought by the plaintiff for the recovery of £8 135., the price of various articles of saddlery supplied to the defendant, who admitted to owing £8 Bs. Judgment for the plaintiff" in the full amount, £8 13s, with costs. Although the Phoebe, by which the Nathan family were expected to arrive yesterday, has not yet made her appearance, there can be little doubt that she will be signalled before sunset this evening. The programme for to-morrow night, when these talented young people make their debut at the Odd-Fellows' Hall, is a varied one, including two farces, "Paddy

in India" and " The Colonial Servant" besides au interlude for singing and dancing, and a grotesque ballet, and we understand tbat much curiosity is already felt to witness the performances of these juvenile prodigies, to say nothing of the ■well known comicalities of Mr. John Small, which have always been highly appreciated in Nelson. The Christchurch papers give very full accounts of the incidents attending the construction and ' opening of the tunnel just completed between Lyttelton and Christchurch. The first stone was laid.at the -north eud on the 29th September, 1862, that at the south end being laid in April, 1864. In spite of the peculiar character of the work, . the health of the men has been generally very good. Accidents have been of rare occurrence, and of comparative unimportance, only two fatal cases having occurred, which were attributable to carelessness. The total length of the tunnel, as nearly as can be ascertained at the present moment, is in round numbers 2870 yards, or about 30 yards more than the contract measurement, and the cost, according to contract, is £195,000. According to the. design drawn in London, the tunnel would have entered Lyttelton at a slight curve. This part of the plan was altered, so as to give a straight run throughout. The Southern Cross gives the following rather dismal insight into the present financial condition of Auckland: — Turning to the abstract of revenue and expenditure for the December quarter of 1866, one perceives at a glance the fallacy of the estimates on which the public services for the financial year of 1866-67 were based. Yesterday we alluded to the statistics in general terms, .having only the Colonial Treasurer'snfjfuarterly statement of revenue before us ; by the fuller details, which the provincial accounts supply, we find our position strengthened. Thus, the estimate of Customs three-eights for the year 1867 was £58,300; the gross receipts at Auckland, on the December quarter, 1866, were £12,216, or at the rate per annum of £9556 less than the estimate for 1867. Aud every one knows that the Customs receipts at the ports of Auckland have fallen off steadily and very considerably since the beginning of October, 1866. Turning to the actual receipts for the past year, under the head of Customs, we find a glaring disproportion between the estimate for the year and the actual receipts. Thus, the estimate for 1866 was £61,800; the receipts were £56,895 15s. 4d. or as pear as may be, £5000 under the estimates. The provincial revenue last year amounted to £10,223 16s. 3d. The total receipts under this head for the past year amounted to £1559 13s. 2d. which does not promise a continuance of the large receipts stated above. A good story was told the Northern Argus lately by a gentleman who has had many opportunities of judging of the preseut moral feeling which pervades the mercantile community of Queensland, and perhaps some other colonies. He received a commisssion from an acquaintance to purchase iron for him to the value of £1400, to be paid within 14 days. On applying to the representative of an extensive dealer in this article, the first question put was, whether the intending purchaser was "a good mark." "Excellent," wa< the reply, "besides the payment may be considered as cash." The name was then mentioned. " A very good name, indeed," replied the seller, " but I would decliue haviug any transactions with that person. Are- you aware that some time ago he made a settlement with his creditors?" " Perfectly so," was the reply. He paid them 20s. in the pound, besides 5 per cent, interest." "That is exactly the reason why I refuse to deal . with him, as it shows his perfect inaptitude for business. Had he settled with them by paying a composition (the smaller the better,) I would have had faith in him, Jor then he would have had something left to begin the world with again j but to pay in full when he had the chance of getting off by making a composition, seems to me so . irrational that I would never . trust the man in any matter of business ; so I decliue to act on your order. The man is evidently unfit to take «are of him- . self." ■•.-■- ■ ;• . ; Sweetening one's coffee is generally the ' first stirring event of the day*. ."