LOCAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 74, 31 March 1869, Page 2

LOCAL NEWS.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Before J. Sharp, Esq., KM. This Day. Hugh M'Cormick who was yesterday fined ss. for being druuk and incapable was again charged with the same offence and fined £1 and costs or in default 48 hours' imprisonment. Water Rates. Hibble v. Cotton, Bs. The same v. Jelly man £1 4s. The same v. M'Caw, 12s In each of these cases judgment was given for the plaintiff for the amount claimed and costs 9s. JoJin Johnson v. J. G. Gore. Dr Combe appeared for plaintiff. Claim for £10 ISs 7d. Debt admitted. Judgment for plaintiff for amount claimed, payable half in one month and the balance in two, and costs £2. Waters v. Schioass. Claim for £23 amount of promissory note due 28th October 1868. Defendant did not appear. Judgment for plaintiff for amount claimed with interest from 28th October and costs £1 13s The following cases were adjourned : — Burn v. Harkness. The same v. Snow. Pike v. Carter, The fame v. Ken*. Hodgson v. Travers. The Duke of Edinburgh. — We understand that a telegram was received yesterday afternoon by His Honor the Superintendent, stating that the Prince might be expected to arrive in Nelson on Tuesday, 13th April, and that he would remain here until the 16th. Nelson Races. — We yesterday published the names of the horses entered for the Duke of Edinburgh Plate. The handicappers performed their duties yesterday afternoon, when the horses were weighted as follows : — Mr Redwood's bk g Blackboy, aged, 9s t 121bs; Mr Stafford's eh g Magenta, 5 yrs, 9st 8lbs; Mr Sellou's br g Robin Hood, 4 yrs, Bst 21bs; Mr Redwood's eh f Peeress, 3 yrs, 7st 121bs ; Mr Redwood's oh f Misfortune, 3 yrs, 7st 71bs; Mr Stafford's b f Lacenfeed, 3 yrs, 7at 7ibs. '

Nelson School Society. — The 25th Anniversary of this Society was celebrated yesterday, by a tea party in the Bridge

Street Schoolroom, and a public meeting in the Provincial Hall, when the chair was taken by Mr Justice Richmond, who delivered a most able and interesting address to the parents, teachers, and senior children, leaving the "little kuiekerbockers *' to those who were to follow bim. The meeting was also addressed by the Rev. R. J. Thorpe, Messrs. I. M. Hill, and W. Haddow. Several pieces were recited and hymns sung by the children during the evening. The following report was read by the Secretary: — Twenty-five years have passed since this society entered upou its labors, and as we look through the vista of the part, whether it be upon the larger amount of scriptural instruction the scholars have received, upon the good which has fallen to the teachers while occupied in distributing the bread of life in their classes, the unity that has existed among us, or upon the number of conversions resulting from our labors, we have especially to bless the Lord who has done such great things for us whereof we are glad. We thank the Lord also for the present prosperous condition of our schools and desire that he will still be with us and vouchsafe unto us patience, humility, and perfect knowledge of his will and a burning love for the salvation of the young. Unable to carry out our work without divine aid, we commit our future into the hands of Him who has hitherto been manifestly with us. Like most colonial institutions we have had various successes and nonsuccesses, owing to the many and rapid changes incident to a new country, but we are thankful for our measure of prosperity. We were the first on the ground and so had the pleasure of establishing the first Sabbath schools in this province, and although the work has long been heartily entered upon by other Christians we wish their labors may be also crowned with success. Our various schools continue in a flourishing condition, especially so, those of Hope and Upper Wakefield. and it is due to our superintendents and teachers to say of them " Well dove good and faithful servants." For their encouragement we would remind them of that precious promise of our Lord " Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life." Your committee have to iuforni you that as we need a new schoolroom we shall devote all surplus moneys which come to hand towards that necessary object, and that the collection ot Sunday last will be set aside for the same purpose. While doing this we have to inform you that the work of colporteurage, to which we last year gave money aid, is still kept up, the work having fallen into the hands of a hearty chrisiian man who has gone forth iv, the name of the Lord and who is trusting solely in His ability to supply the required funds. Mr Jebson, the person alluded to, has lately visited Takaka anJ Motupipi and is now engaged at Oollingwood. Finally, taking up the words of Scripture we say, " Brethren pray for us" and thus uphold our hands for we have many discouragements to contend against in our labours. The language of our heart is "had not the Lord been on our side," " but our help is in the name of the Lord." We do not forget you in our prayers, and now commend you and ourselves, together with every child entrusted to us, unto the Lord Jesus Christ, who still says, " Suffer little childreu to come unto me." A statement of the accounts was then read, which showed a balance in hand of £60 9s. S.^d. the receipts for the year being*£Bo 4s. 4|d. and the expenditure £19 14s. Bd.

Motueka. — A concert in aid of the Church funds was held on Monday evening last, at the lustitnte, Motueka, and proved a great success, both with regard to the performance and the pecuniary results. The room was crowded to excess, and a large number of persons were obliged to be excluded. An excellent programme had been arranged, and was done ample justice to by those to whom the different parts had been entrusted, as was proved by the encores with which many of the songs were greeted. The choruses were exceedingly well rendered, and two comic songs, which did not appear on the programme, were sung by two gentlemen amateurs, who fairly "brought down the house."

Mottje;ka Races. — In the advertisement announcing these races, the public generally were invited to attend, and as an inducement to do so were told that there would be " lots of fun." This part of the programme was, we understand, carried out to the letter, for all who were there agree

that a pleasanter day could not possibly have been spent. The races, if not of a first-class order, possessed the great desideratum of "lots of fun," and everybody present seemed bent on enjoying themselves. The Nelson Volunteer Band enlivened the scene with its martial strains, and no accident occurred to mar the enjoyment of the day ; what more could the most exacting of mortals wish for or expect ? Not having received a programme, we are unable to give a complete report of all the races that were run, and what information we have become possessed of has been picked up piece-meal, so that we shall be compelled to make use of a mercantile phrase and affix to our report the mystical letters E. & O. E. The first event was a hurdle race over ten flights of hurdles, and was won by Mr. Worthington's Toby, beating Mr. E. M'Rae's Subaltern, Mr. Hunter's Roger, and another, whose name we have not been able to learn. The next was another hurdle race, and was restricted to local horses, none of which being known to fame, our enquiries as to their names, or even that of the winner have been unsuccessful. A flat race of 1£ miles was won by Mr. F. H. Blundell's black mare Deception, who also carried off the next race which consisted of mile heats, in the second ot which, a dispute arose on the question of its being a false start, and the stewards decided that it must be run again, which was done without altering the result. Several scratch races took place and kept the large assemblage of persons amused until late in the day, when the Nelson portion of those present had to make a move towards the wharf whence the Lady Barkly started, crowded with passengers, at 9 o'clock, arriving here a little after eleven.

School Examination-. — The children attending the Provincial School, Upper Moutere, were examined on Monday the 22nd March, by W. C. Hodgson, Esq., Inspector of Schools. Out of 78 children on the books, 62 were present "who went through their several exercises in a most creditable manner. The following is the result of the competitive examinations: — Ist class, Ist prize, Frederick Kelling, 2nd prize, Annie Cook ; 2nd class, Ist prize, Frederick Listus, 2nd prize, Christian Dencker ; 3rd class, Ist prize, Emma Beuka, 2nd prize, Henry Rose ; 4th clas?, Ist prize, Charlotte Kelling, 2nd prize, Alexander Drummoud ; sth class, Sophia Rose ; 6th class, Ist prize, Adolphus Dencker, 2nd prize, Eliza Hoffman.

The Grey River Argus of the Bth inst. relates the following : — An amusing scene took place on Friday last, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Camp Town, Nelsou Creek. It appears that a notorious and well-kuovvn character on the Coast, named Denis Quinlin, had been brought up and found guilty of having committed an assault, for which he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. On hearing his sentence, Quinlin at once "bolted" from the Court, and gained the outside before the astonished guardians of the peace, who had care of his person, recovered, their surprise at his audacity. They then roused themselves, gave chase, and one of them, a sergeant, succeeded in throwing his stick between the legs of the runaway, and tipped him up. Having, however, the advantage of distance, Quinlin recovered himself before either of his pursuers could reach him; and putting on a stroug spurt for the timber, closely followed by the constable, an active maD, who rapidly gained on his man. Another slip, however, took place, for just as the constable was making sure of a re-capture, lie found himself sprawling on the ground, having been caught by a clothes line under the chin, which in his eagerness he had not seen. Of course, this contretemp enabled Quinlin to made good his escape. We believe he has not yefc been re-captured, but his being at large will not be for long, as we understand that the sergeant and his subordinate are in hot pursuit. The racehorse Presto, belonging to Mr Delamain, Canterbury, was killed while returning from the. Oamru races the other day. It i 3 stated that while crossing the Waitaki, Presto, who had reached the shingle spit in the middle of the river, began to play up, and one of his hind legs sank in the shingle, and in his frantic efforts to release himself it was broken above the hock. The animal was at once mercifully dispatched.- -Grey T.iver Argus. Hokitika is again iv trouble. The bar has taken another freak, and is again almost all closed up, notwithstanding every effort that has been made to keep it in the straight path. Yesterday, •when the Charieu Edward and Murray left, there

were only five feet of water on the bar, which was then rapidly silting up, and for some days past, six vessels have been waiting to be towed in. Our own bar, we are glad to say, notwithstanding the lowness of the water in the river, was perhaps never in better condition, and workable at almost all times of the tide.— Greymoulh Star.