The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 205, 31 August 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1870.

Oddfellows. — We are requested to remind tlie members of the Howard Lodge of Oddfellows, that owing to the Hall being engaged, the customary meeting will be held to-night at Mr. M'Gee's Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. Darrell. — The programme of Monday wa3 repeated at the Oddfellows' Hall last night, but to-night there is to be a complete change in tho principal parts, aud scenes will be acted from "Hamlet," the "Hunchback," and the "Love Chase," in addition to which Mr. Darrell will appear iu his favorite character of "The young girl of the day," and Mrs. Darrell will give some of her delightful recitations. Fawceti's Battery. — We are enabled to inform our readers that the long talked of Fawceti's battery is at last ou the ground, the feat of conveying it there having been accomplished by four horses aud 12 men. This is the first battery on the ground, and we trust the indefatigable exertions of Fawcett and party will meet with the reward they deserve. Individual enterprise has in this instance accomplished what public companies have looked upon as hopelessly impossible. Resident Magistrate's Court. — Mark Speer, a lad of 12 years of age, was charged with stealing a suit of clothes and a pair of boots, the property of Mr. W. Adams. It appeared that the lad had been taken into the service of the complainaut, aud, not having a decent suit of clothes, had been provided with these necessary articles by his master. On finding himself thus unusually decently arrayed, he bid farewell to his situation and decamped, taking his new garments with him, upon which he was arrested and brought into Court to answer for his crime. The Magistrate ordered the return of the boots, the remainder of the clothes not being demanded, and the culprit was dismissed with a caution, his Worship stating that if he were ever brought up again on a similar charge, he should order him to ' be whipped. Winter Evening Entertainments. — The entertaiument last night was highly succeesful iu every way, the house being well filled notwithstanding the many attractions that were offered iu various directions, and the audience, to judge from the numerous encores, being delighted with the manner in which the programme was carried out. The reading of "Enoch Ard^n," by Mr. Maclean, was given with an amouut of feeling and pathos that was highly appreciated by all present, while it is almost unnecessary to say that the immense humor thrown by Mr. Johnstone into his selection from "Pickwick," was such as to create the greatest merriment amongst his hearers. The music, both vocal and instrumental, was rendered with great spirit, and indeed, the whole entertainment was quite equal to any of those that had preceded it. Next week the Bishop of Nelson has kindly consented to give a lecture on Venice, when the whole of his beautiful dissolving views, of which he was only able to show one half at his last lecture, will be exhibited. The committee, acting upon the numerous suggestions that have been made to that effect, have decided upon giving the entertainment at the Provincial Hall, in order that ample accommodation may be afforded for the large audience that they are led to expect will assemble on that occasion. Doing the Bailiffs. — A case was recently heard in the Resident Magistrate's Court, iu which one Dougherty was the plaintiff and Duggan the defendant. Judg- I ment was given for the former, and iu default of payment a horse belonging to the defendant was seized by the bailiffs, A time arrived when the officer in charge was ou duty without having the warrant in his pocket, aud Duggan taking advantage of so opportune a moment re-pos-sessed himself of his steed and rode triumphantly away. But the law is not to be trifled with in this way, aud another

| bailiff was immediately despatched in hot 1 pursuit, aud succeeded in overtaking his quarry at Macfarlane's Accommodation House, in Motueka Valley. He seized the horse, locked it up for the night, and was about to return with it to town on the next morning, when he was assaulted by the said Duggan and a mate named M'Cafferty, the quadruped was rescued from the iron grasp of the law, as represented by the discomfited officer, and once more was compelled to bear off his master on his travels in the direction of the Buller. The bailiff at once returned to Nelson, and lodged an information against his assaulters, and police constables Levy and Knapp were sent off without delay to re-capture the horse and bring: it back to the tender- care of the bailiffs, and the two men who had defied the law to answer for their conduct before the Magistrate. The party have not yet returned but are expected shortly, and the trial of the case will no doubt one of these days furnish an interesting item in our Police report.

British Game Birds. — We take the following from a Melbourne paper : — Those who admire the art of the taxidermist, and more especially sportsmen, will find themselves well repaid by a visit to the hostelry of Mr. Grim wood, who has recently procured, at no trifling outlay, a valuable collection of stuffed British game birds. There are three cases in all. Among the feathered tribes represented there are pheasants, partridges, woodcocks, grouse, black game, snipe, quail, plover (in each instance of both sexes), besides wild-fowl of various kiud9, and a miscellaneous added assortment of coots, grebes, and other interesting birds more or less valuable in the eyes of either the lover of sport or the naturalist." It has frequently occurred to us that what has been done in Melbourne by a private person might very well be undertaken in Nelson by some public body, and as we understand that our Museum Committee has a considerable sura in hand, we would suggest that the money could be laid out in no better way than in obtaining a large and well-assorted collection of English singing and game birds, which would not only give the children growing up here au opportunity of becoraiug acquainted with the feathered tribes of the home couutry but would largely tend to advance the cause of acclimatisation, as the desire would soon be created to see such birds in New Zealand in their living state.