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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 6, 7 January 1870, Page 2

Nelson, Westport and Cobden Railway. —The Auglo-Australian in the European Mail remarks : —I am sorry to learn that the English Company for the formation of a railway in New Zealand from Nelson to Westport. and Cob-len, have met with an unforseen obstacle to their enterprise, and it seems they will not be able to proceed with it till after the next session of the Colonial Parliament in consequence of the unfortunate wording of the Act constituting their charter. It is anticipated here, however, that the difficulty which at present stands \ in the way of their procuring the necessary capital will be ere long removed. The Act in question insists upon an average speed for the trains of 16 miles an hour, and this, considering the sharpness of the curves required by the nature of the couniry, is stated to be out of the question. The Government have advertised for tenders for the supply of a large quantity of woollen goods to be manufactured in New Zealand, for the use of the Coustabulary. Twenty-five per cent;ig-i of the quantity ordered is to he delivered to the colonial storekeeper, at Wellington, withiu 18 months ftom the date of the tender being accepted ; the remainder to he delivered at the same place and in similar quantities every six mouths until the'contract ts completed. Ahauka Races. —These races came off duriug Christmas week, and appear to hive afforded great sport. Deception, a mare lately belonging to Mr. F. Bluudell, of Waimea West, had been purchased by Mr. Harris, for the express purpose of contesting these races, but she appears to have been most unsuccessful having been beaten by Mr. Arkell's Kohler in the three events for which she ran, namely, the Trial Stakes of 20 soys., Ahaura Plate of 60 soys., and Ahaura Cup of 40 soys. Another Fatal Accident in Steeplechasing. —There appears to be some fatality connected with steeplechasiug in New Zealand, the reason probably being that the jockeys engaged > here have mot received the training in i this peculiar description of racing that is , necessary to secure a cool head and firm i seat. At the Hokitika races on the 29th ult. Morris Cab.il, a native of Wellington, 3 was killed by the horse he was riding t stumbling at one of his leaps and falling heavily on his rider fracturing his skull.

This is the third death occasioned by accidents at steeplechasing that hag occurred within twelve months, and it is a question whether the authorities should not interfere to prevent so dangerous a sport being included in a race programme. Mb Tyler's houae at Westport was so threatened by the encroachment of the sea that it had to be removed. xl crushing of the Moonlight Quartz Company hits proved sufficiently good to induce the Directors to send to Melbourne for an additional eight-head of stampers. .On the 29th December, Mr. Hamilton Cumming, a wellknovvn storekeeper, at Ro-s, was drowned when attempting to cross the Totara river. A Sperm Whale, measuring 48 feet in length, has been driven ashore between the Little Wanganui and Karame.i rivers last week, but when first discovered was too far advanced in decomposition to be turned to account. A Nugget worth £400 has lately been raffltd at Westporf. There were six prizes, the winner of the first having the option of taking the nugget and paying the other prizes, or atic^ptius; £150 as his prize. The lucky winner of the first prize was Richard Hazel, and of the second, £100, Mr. Motfat, chief, officer of the p.s. Lytellton. A miner named James Rooke was killed in a fight a Redman's, in the Totara district, on Christmas Eve. He was very quarrelsome, and struck a man naoied Mitchell twice. This annoyed Mitchell, and he and Rooke squared up to each other. Several blows were exchanged, when Mitchell struck Rooke on the forehead, and the latter falling on a log fractured his skull. The P. N. Z. and A. R. M. Company's steamer Mataura has been purchased by the Turkish Government, and re-chris-tened th« Babel. Her old commauder, Captain Bird, retains charge of her. Australian Wines are fast coming into public favor in England, particularly the products of the Auldana Vineyards of South Australia, which have a pleasant bouquet aud tempting flavor. Mr. F. Richardson of Otago consider* that the making of wine from the tutu berry should become a regular colonial industry. He looks upon the tutu as " the grape of the country." Mr. N. Levin left Wellington for England by the last trip of the Tararua. The Christmas decorations of churches appear to be elaborately carried out in Wellington. Speaking of St. Paul's Cathedral the Post says, that on eutering the church, the eye first fell on 'the chancel, which had rouud it in colored letters on a white ground, " Peace on earth, good will towards men ;" and below this a beautiful cross-work, also on a white ground, with evergreens studded with geraniums. In front of the communion rails, rising to a height of about seven or eight feet was a screen in the old Gothic style, but covered with evergreens and flowers. The chandeliers were also ornamented with wreath of leaves and geraniums, while on each were four bouquets of beautiful flowers, tastefully drooping down. The pillars of the Church were wreathed with loaves and geraniums, and from the top of each pillar on the groined roof ran the feathery leaves of uative ferns and raupo. The sconces in the walls were also decorated with bouquets. The reading desk was bordered with green leaves and yellow flowers, aud in the centre was a large scarlet cross. Although the effect of the decoration was beautiful, they gave that subdued tint of blended colors to the whole building, that our senses teach is so appropriate in a place for Divine Worship, and nothing was overdone or gaudy. The design of the whole was admirable. We understand that twenty-five ladies, have in this work shown their skill and taste, and they certainly have not worked in vain. From the lust Auckland papers to hand it would appear that the receut accounts of Te Kooti being reinforced do not rest upon any reliable foundation. It is believed that the only source from which Te Kooti conld be reinforced is from the body of Uriweraß who sometime ago deserted his standard, and of whom Rewi undertook to take charge. A new article of merchandise has been discovered at the Fijis. The bush is found to abound with bulei or india rubber tree, the sap of which is obtained by the natives by stripping off the leaves.

Among the athletic sports advertised to take place in Melbourne on Boxing Day was a bicycle steeplechase over ten obstacles and a water jump. A boiler explosion took place on Nov. 3, on hoard H. M. G-unboat Thistle, at • Sheernees. Ten engineers and stokers were killed, and eight others severely scaMed. A Dutchman is forming a company in the United States, with a capital of a million dolhrs, for introducing Chinamen into the States. Large numbers have already found employment there, and he undertakes to send over 100,000 yearly. Commodore Vanderbilt recently took a draught from a phial of bed-bug poison, but was reclaimed from an untimely end. A New York journal says : — " The poison was not for big bugs like the Commodore." , Marine Velocipedes.— A passage between Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais has been made in four hours and three-quarters on two of these podoscapb.es, or marine bicycles. The currents were against the voyagers, but they landed almost dry. A Truth. — A poor woman said sorrowfully, " Our grocery bill every month for my husband, myself, and three children, is less than the beer bill of my husband." Think of it ! A man spending more every month for beer, than is required for the groceries of the whole family ! A New Religious Test. — A clergyman went to an hotel to order a dinner for a number of clerical friends. "May I ask, sir," demanded the waiter, gravely, '■' whether the party is High Church or Low Church ?" "Now, what on earth,' cried the clergyman, "do my friends opinions matter to you ?" " A great deal, sir," rejoined the waiter. '' If High Church, I must provide more wine; if LowChurch, more wiitles." — CasseVs Magazine. Instrumental Music for the Presbyterian Church.— The London Scotsman Rays: — "We are glad to notice that Mr. Lewis has announced his intention of introducing in the London Presbytery of the English Presbyterian Church an overture to the Synod in favour of granting permission to congregations to adopt instrumental music when two-thirds of the members are in favour of its use." An experiment lately made of shipping fresh meat to England from Buenos Ayjes, has proved unsuccessful. Eighty carcases which were shipped had to be thrown overboard thirty days after the vessel left port, the meat having become putrid. There are good reasons for believing, however, that if the deeperseated fibres, as well as the superficial, are thoroughly frozen, meat may be transported from South America to England and be as free from any taint of putrefaction as when it was first killed. A petition of the unemployed in England is in course of signature to the Queen praying that increased facilities may be afforded those who are willing to work to go to those parts of her Majesty's dominion where labor is required, and protesting again .t the policy of endangering the union between the Mother Country and the Colonies, on the ground that the latter are the birthright of the nation, affording an outlet for its surplus population ; and that as they were acquired and settled by British energy, they ought to be transmitted intact by her Majesty to her heirs. A wonderful Gymnast. — One John Gpulding, the Champion English Pedestrian has been performing wonderful feats in America. He undertook to perform within the space of thirty minutes the following : to walk, fair heel and toe, half a mile ; walk backwards half a mile ; roll a carriage wheel half a mile ; run forward half a mile ; pick up 15 apples placed three feet apart on the floor, bringing each one singly in his hand to a basket at the starting point; leap five hurdles ; pick up with his mouth 15 eggs, placed like the apples, three feet apart, bringing each one singly to a bucket of water at the starting point, without. breaking the eggs or touching them with his hands, and also without touching the floor with his knees; leap five hurdles with an egg in his mouth ; hop 25 yards on one leg ; and finish his task by throwing over his head, from the back and with the use of only one hand, 20 weights of 561bs. each. To this we have only to add that the illustrious John Goulding achieved his multifarious task in 26 minutes, 30 seconds.