The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 291, 10 December 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1870.

Steamek Takanaki. — We are requested to call attention to the alteration in the date of the sailing of the Taranaki from here to Manukau. Instead of Wednesday next' as previously advertised, she will leave on Monday at midnight. College Sports. The annual sports will take place in the College ground on Tuesday and Wednesday next, when the competition will not be confined to College boys, bufc some will be open to old Collegians, and others to all comers. The prizes, a goodly array of which are to be seen at Mr. J, Hounsell's, will be dis- , tributed on Thursday. ■ j

Waimea South Steeplechase Meeting. — A meeting of the members of the Waimea South Jockey Club was held at Forest Inn, on Thursday eveniug, when it was decided that the meeting should take place on the 24th February, There will be two steeplechases, both handicaps, one of d 650 and the other of £30, in addition to which there are to be two hurdle races. j Excursion trips are advertised by the steamers Phoebe and Airedale at very low rates, when opportunities will be offered of visiting either the Northern or Southern ports of the colony. The Phoebe will sail for Auckland on or about Thursday nexf, taking saloon passengers there and back for £4, and the Airedale for the South on her arrival with the San Francisco mail, return tickets to any of the southern ports available until the 31st January, being issued at single fares. Yolu&teek Meeting. — A meeting of the Town Volunteers was held at the Nelson Hotel last night, when about 50 were present. Captain Pitt having taken the chair said that the members were invited to resolve upon what action should be takeu for the future with reference to volunteering. As at present carried on, it was little better than a farce, and they had been roundly taken to task at various times by the press for the very poor show they made on the parade ground where the musters certainly were most limited. | The General Government were now disposed to deal most liberally with the voluuteers, and therefore it behoved them either to put matters on an entirely I different footing or to break up the force at once. He for one should not hesitate in sending in his resignation unless some guarantee were afforded of a better state of things for the future. Captaiu Sharp followed in the same strain, and said that the officers of the various compauies had had an interview with Colonel Harriugton when he visited Nelson last week, and that he had then stated that unless some material improvement took! place between this lime and the 31st of t March, he should be compelled to recommend the Government to disband the force. At the same time he was anxious to see it kept up and would do all in his power to meet their views in whatever course they might choose to adopt. Captain Sharp then moved the following resolution, which was received with much applause and carried unanimously : — "Tint the members of the Artillery Company and No. 1 City Rifles agree to form one Rifle Company, the .officers pledging themselves to resign their commissions in order to allow of a | fresh election of officers as soon as Colonel Harrington's assurance could be obtained of members retaining the privilege of certificates of efficiency, the right to i compete for prizes, and the right to capitation allowance such as their present service in their own companies may have conferred on them."