The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1871.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 187, 9 August 1871, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1871.

Artizans' Association. — A special meeting of this Society will be held 'this evening for the transaction of business of importance. A discussion will take place on "The advantages of machinery to the country at large." Farewell Tea Party to Captain Peek. — A tea party, to whie!) about 180 sat down, was given to Captain Peek, of the Beth Shan, at the Temperance Hall, last night, and was followed hy a public meeting, the Rev. D. Dolamore in the chair. The proceedings opened with prayer, after which Mr. Hodder addressed tbe meeting, dwellin? on the great advantages of Christian unity, and expressing the pleasure he experienced in seeing so large an attendance, including as it did members of all denominations. The Revs. W. J. Watkin, and W. M. Biss, and' MV-ssrs. Daniell and Wagg followed in tbe same strain, and remarked upon the principal object of the meeting, which was to bid farewell toa most energetic and faithful Christian who had recently done so much for the cause of Christ in this town. His visit to Nelsou would, they were sure, be long remembered here, and they trusted that the good seed he had sown would take root and hear fruit. Captain Peek, in returning thanks, said that both he and his crew would always entertain the most. pleasiDg recollections of their visit to Nelson, where they had met with a reception that was most gratifying to them. lie desired, too, to offer his thanks to those ministers who bad received him in so kindly and Christian a spirit, and had thrown open their various places of worship to him, and he hoped that the words he had been permitted to speak there might be productive of good results to those who had heard them. Several bj-mns were nung during the meeting, which was brought to a close by prayer, and the benediction, pronounced by the Rev. W. J. Watkin. Hokitika Hospital. — Ifc is stated that over £200 will be banded over to the Hokitika Hospital Committee as the result of a recent entertainment given at the Knuieri. " New Lights." — A new religious sect has arisen in the neighbourhood of Ararat, Victoria, under tbe appeelation of "New Lights." It is doubtful about their brilliancy. Tidal Wate. — During last week an immense tidal roller rushed up the Hokitika river for about a mile, swamping the passenger boats at the ferry slairs. On entering the river tbe wave is said to have been six feet high. The name of Dr. Dunn, Maybrougb, was recently, at a dinner there, coupled with the toast of " The Parliament." The doctor declined to reply, on the ground that having done nothing dishonorable, he should not have been included in the toast. It is perhaps not generally known that the value of gold shipped away from New Zealand sioce the goldfields were first discovered, amounted, ou the 31st of March last, to the prodigious sum of £22,242,460. Mr. Pownall, a gentleman who has had large experience in the manufacture of flax, more especially in connection with the Manawatu Flax Mills, challenges any person in tbe sum of £5,000, to produce a better machine than the one be has invented and completed. Westland County Council. — The business before the Council at Hokitika does not appear to be of the greatest importance, judging from tbe following paragraph, which appeared in the West Coast Times of the 3rd of August :— " The County Council met last evening at the usual hour, but there was not much business done, owing no doubt to the attraction of Mrs. Hilton's Concert at the Town Hall." ......... The Natives at Tauranga are, it appears, great gamblers. A correspondent of tbe Southern Cross says :— - " Some few years back nothing but religion occupied their minds; afterwards '".war, .with, all its; excitement and reverses; but more recently cards has been tbe all-absorbing ,

subject. From a child of five years of age to tbe aged veteran of 80, they may be seen engaged in this vile and exciting practice; and it is no common circumstance to witness special night-parties playing till daybreak for a penny box of matches." Te Kooti. — We have heard so little of this scoundrel for some time past that the following extract from the Hawke's Bay Herald may be interesting : — " On tbe 16th inslant a Maori native from the Lake came to the Wairoa, who. had himself been forced to assist in crossing Te Kooti from one side of the Lake to the other. This was done about the 10th of the month. His party was then said to bave numbered iv all, wiih men, women, and, children, something under 40. He gave out that he was going to Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, which assertion was probably made only as a cloak to his true intentions." The Weather on the Coast. — The West Coast Times in its monthly summary gays : — We have been visited by some very terrific weather. Heavy storms and floods have interrupted communication, both by land and sea. The steam vessels trading round tbe coast have carried on their services in tbe face of great difficulties, and at times have been unable to perform them at all. Overland communication by the truck road to Christchurch has been interrupted, a great portion of tbe road being swept away by the floods. Altogether the season has been unpropitious. Sailing vessels bound for ports on ibe Coast have felt severely the effects of th* untoward weather, and in one instance a disaster, which fortunately was unattended with loss ol life, has occurred. Sericulture. — Mr. Batchelor, who has recently been on a visit to Wellington has certainly succeeded in instilling into the press of that proviuce a portion of his enthusiasm on tbe subject of sericulture. The Post says : — " Mr. Batchelor tells us that his experience leads him to believe that the climate of this Province is admirably suited to the growth of thekiud of mulberry tree required for the nourishment of the silkworm. His Honor tbe Superintendent is so impressed with the importance of sericulture being established in Wellington that,. after seeing what Mr. Batchelor has done and hearing his explanations, he has expressed bis willingness and desire to assist in every way iv his power any who will earnestly turn their attention to its introduction. We bave, therefore, the climate, the soil, the promised assistance of the Superintended, and the experience of Mr. Batchelor (who has learnt, tried, and succeeded), to guide us. Under these circumstances, it is to be hoped that some of our leading men will take the matter in hand. The Colonial Government has done much for Nelson in encouraging sericulture, nud there is no reason why we in Wellington should not ask and receive as much assistance as our sister Provinces have obtained. With every facility for the industry offered, and an unlimited demand for the produce, j there would seem to be no need of arguments in favor of a trial being made ; and we sincerely hope, in the interests of tbe Province, that before long some one will bave taken the matter up. A Government Gazette is now published in Levuka. It is adorned with the monarchical heading of " Cakobau Rex." A Dreadful Tragedy occurred at the village of Tintwistle, uear Glossop, Cheshire, on April 24. A woman named Gregory, the wife of James Gregory, a ganger employed on the Manchester Waterworks, murdered two of her children, and then committed suicide. Shortly before seven o'clock in the morning the husband was awakened by his wife, whom, to bis surprise, he found dressed in holiday attire, she having been confined a week previously. She told him it was time to go to work. About seven o'clock he left the house, his little boy aged 7, and tbe infant babe being in bed at the time, the other child being away for the night. He returned home about half-past eight o'clock, and found the front door locked, ami the back door also was fastened ; and, procuring a ladder, he entered the; house by means of tbe back chamber window. Here he found the little boy;- laid; on the floor in a pool of blood, with his head almost severed from his body. -He had, bled to death, and ihere were i. ; e)-ridences that he had struggled. for life and crawled about the floor. In the same room was found tbe infant child quite dead, and in the cellar was found - the; Mother,, also dead, suspended from a beam. The boy had first been murdered with a razor fetched from the room below, and then a. pail of water, had been ! taken upv stairs aud" the infant' placed iv it 1 / for its clothes bore the marks of the murderess's bloody fingers. For some time -past the woman has been in a desponding state, ■food it is said that! her recent illness /had/ •-deranged her brain.' 'A-'AAi lAM '"*•>'• j FUNfeRAL OF THB__V. FATHER COLOMB. •—The funeral of this gentleman, whose

drowning in Nelson Creek was recently reported, took place at Greymouth last week, a very large number of the citizens, by whom he was highly respected, following the body to the grave. The Rev. Father Cummius preached an eloquent sermon, in which he gave a biography of tbe late Father Colomb, which was most interesting. The deceased had for thirteen years labored most zealously in the east part of London under very great difficulties. During that time he had created congregations, established schools, and done an immeuse amount of good amongst the wretched poor of that district. After that he removed to Romford, where he pursue!, if a less active, not the less an apostolic career. His health failing be returned to France ; but tbe every-day life of a priest in a country where few difficulties presented themselves, did not suit his active temperament. He was of the Church militaut — he desired to overcome obstacles — to win souls, and he besought to be atattached to the New Zealand Missioc He came here, anl during his short sojourn amongst us had earned his reward. He had given new life to bis Church in this Colony; he had succeeded in vastly increasing the opportunities of celebrating the rites of tbe Catholic faitb, and in inducing amongst tbe desultory population of tbe goldfields a greater interest in religious matters. In that noble unselfish work, he had lost his life. The preacher dwelt upon the manifold qualifications of the deceased — his industry, bis fearlessness in tbe pursuit of his duty, and his zeal for the faith of his Church. The sermon was listened to with the deepest attention, and with it the funeral ceremony terminated.