The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1871.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 274, 20 November 1871, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1871.

The Wizard Oil Peince.— We call attention to the advertisement announcing that Mr. Frank Weston will "dig down" and *-,' speak a piece" to-nighr, at the .Assembly Eoomc " The agouy begins at .8 o'clock;, acuje." SchoonW Waihopal— We are glad to hear that the Waihopai, belonging to Mr. J. S. Cross of Nelson, and said to have been wrecked in Palliser Bay, is now in N Wellington harbor, having sustained very little damage, her hull being uninjured. The anchor, chains, and sails are lost. College Spobts. — The idea has receutly been mooted of providing a Challenge Cup to be competed for by pupils at the Nelson College at the annual Christmas sports, and with this view a circular was addressed lo those who were likely to take an interest in the matter ioviting them to meet at the Masonic Hotel on Saturday last. The meeting thus convened was held at four o'clock, when resolutions to the following effect were passed :— " That it is desirable that a Challenge Cup be presented to the College, to be held for ona year by the pupil most distinguished in athletic sports, and that a subscription be set on foot to carry out that object. — That some permanent memorial, such as a medal or ring, suitably engraved, be every year presented to the winner of the same, the means for obtaiu- • ing to be provided by the pupils out of their ordinary prize fund. — That the Cup be awarded by marks given in the manner suggested by the resolution of the boys at* ' present at the College." The resolution referred to was embodied in a letter addressed by the pupils to those who were ■ interesting themselves in the matter, the suggestion offered being that the marks for ° the Cup should be awarded as follows :— Hurdle Race; Winner, 9 marks; 2nd, 7 nuvks ; 3rd, 5 marks ; v flat race, 9, ; 7, and 5 murks;. One hundred ■ yards, 7, ,5, and 3 marks; Jumping, 4, 3, and 2 marks. Jn order to increase competition, it was proposed that one mark should be given to any one who should run the w4w>re distance in a race, or take part' in a jumping match^ even though he might prove unsuccessful.^ The matter-has been warmly taken^up^^nd subscriptions are likely : .to be raised sufficient to ensure its 'being V-aiiSceMfiilly^^ftrj^df'.ont.'. 1 Some "su&h prize? >sptDat;;irrppofee| would ? tend , .y]Br^ : cbnisiideral>ly'.'to--lticr^aß,e.;tHe ! iaietest taken by the boys in athletic sports, and to/enable sti Nelson ' )Colleg> to occupy- as •'favorobte a position ; ampog 5 the -wb}ici ; i^meiital;eMrcieleß^ ; %: i:^ > : ;:;s^.

ball was given in the Spring Grove schoolroom by the Waimea Rifle Tolunteers on Friday evening, on which occasion the members of the Company appeared for the first time in their new uniform, consisting of a grey Kelson cloth tunic with scar let facings, and trousers of the same material with a scarlet stripe, and they certaiuly are to lie con gratu Wiled on the very creditable appearance they presented in their new dress, which has a very neat and serviceable look, and is in every- way preferable to the old scarlet coat which they have worn up .to the present time. The schoolroom, usually so plain and unpretending ia its appearance, never before looked so gay as on the evening _in question, the beams .and roof beingjrofusely decorated, with ferns, palms, and flowers, arranged in so tasteful a manner as to give rise to the suspicion that other and more delicate hands tban those of the Volunteers themselves had taken part in the work, while the walls were ornamented with pictures and §ayonet stars, and hung with crimson drapery andjlags, a conspicuous place among the latter beins assigned to a Union Jack, vjjon^y the Waioiea men from the No. 1 jjCity Rifles in a rifle match in 1868./At 9 o'clock _M«jor Morse, the officeycjpmmaodiug the district, accompanied Jff Mrs. Morse and party, entered the room, taie baud playing " Rule Britannia," and shirtly afterwards dancing commenced and \pas kept up with great spirit until the dresses of both the ladies and the volunteers, which had looked ?o bright by lamp light, began to lose their brilliancy in that, uncertain light when the lamps and the breaking day are struggling for the mastery, and then, for the first time, the idea seemed to suggest itself to both hosts aud guests that the time had arrived for breaking up one of the pleasantest and most successful parties ever given in the Waimea. The numbers of this Corps, we learn, are steadily on the increase, aud from what we saw that ni«ht we have uo hesitation in saying that the district possesses the wheiewithal to turn out as smart and soldierly a hody of men as is to be found in JNew Zealand. Patience, perseverance, and a steady attention to their drill will ensure to the Waimea Rifles a foremost place in our colonial volunteer force, and, if they are the men we take them to be, they vtrill allow no long time to elapse before they occupy that position.