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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 131, 5 June 1871, Page 4

Permissive Bill. — The preamble of the Permissive Bill to be brought into the Victorian . Parliament by Mr, Casey declares that " whereas the common sale of intoxicating liquors is a fruitful source of crime^ pauperism, disease, insanity, and premature death, and thereby greatly increases the burden of taxation upon all her Majesty's subjects in Victoria, be it enacted as follows, namely, that two-thirds of the recorded votes shall suffice to abolish the sale of intoxicating liquors in any city, town, borough, shire, or road district in the colony."

A movement is on foot amongst the workmen to raise the price of coal delivered at Newcastle to 10s per ton, so as to raise the profits of their employers. Coal is so abundant in that district, and so many mines are open, that the producing power is in excess of the demand. Competition has reduced the selling price to an unremunerative rate, and all efforts to bring about a combination among the proprietors have failed. Hitherto the miners have not suffered any reduction of their wages, although they say that some little additional tasks have been exacted from them without any extra pay. But they profess to be greatly alarmed lest their wages should be reduced. The low price of coal has continued for three years, and as fivesixths of the cost price consists of wages paid for labor, it is impossible for the most economical colliery manager to cheapen production wiihout touching them. They say that shareholders will not for ever be coutented with low dividends, and that sooner or later wages will he attacked. In order to ward off this evil they are meeting to consider whether they cannot compel proprietors to raise the pi ice of coals to 10s. Their method of procedure has not yet been disclosed, but it may be guessed at.

A correspondent of the Delhi Gazette describes a terrible scene which occurred the other day at Etawab, at the funeral ceremonies of a native. The corpse was takeu to the banks of tbe'Jumna to uudergo the usual ceremony of burning. It was laid on the sand, about fifteen yards from the water, while the men were preparing and stacking the wood. The wood was fired, so as to give some time for a good blaze, and the men moved off to have a smoke, when a huge crocodile rushed out of the water, seized the corpse, and doubled back, making a tremendous header into the river with the body between his jaws, leaving the followers and mourners in perfect bewilderment.