AERIYED.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 19, 22 January 1872, Page 2

AERIYED.

Wellington.— Jan. 21: Taranaki from Picton, at 8.45 a.m. ; Claud Hamilton, from Nelson, at 4 p.m. Westport. — Jan. 21: Charles Edward, from Nelson, at 2 p.m.

St. Mary's Schools. — Tho prizes will be distributed at St. Mary's Girls' School to-morrow evening at 6 o'clock. The Opera Company opened at Dunedin on Friday night in II Trovatore to a capital audience. During 1871 there were 111 new artesian wells sunk in Christen urcb, making a total in the city of 629. Mr. William M'Catv Nelson, of Blenheim, has been appointed a Crown Solicitor for (he Nelson Judicial District. Napier. — A telegram from Napier dnted 19th icst. says that a plot was discovered to burn down the gaol on the previous night. One of the accomplices informed the gaoler of it, and so enabled him to frustrate tho design, and arrest the j incendiary in the attempt.. Mr. LiGnxnA.Ni>'s Letter. — Wo have no desire io be constantly harping upon this unpleasant subject, and once having called attention to the errors it contained, we had intended to let the whole matter drop until Mr. Lightbancl had had an opportunity of replying. We must, however, Cill attention to an article we republish to-day from the Wellington Independent, from which it will be seen that the mischievous effects of his letter are already showing themselves. To the article itself we shall reply to-morrow. Trotting Match. — A match for £ 20 a side came off to-day between a mare belonging to Messrs. Steveneou and M'Grlasban, and another, the property of Mr. Bird. The course selected was from the Bridge Hotel to a spot about half-a--mile this side of tho Richmond corner. On rising the bank a short time after leaving the Bridge Hotel, Mr. Bird's mare broke, and had to be turned round, and twice ate' wards the sime penalty was exacted, M'Glashau's, in the meautime, keeping on at, a steady trot, which landed her au easy winner. The distance, which was about five miles, was accomplished in eighteen minutes. Accident to Mr. Thomas Mackay. — We regret to learn that news has been received from Westport to the effect that Mr. Thomas Mackay who left here a short time a^o in company with, Dr. Hector, Mr. Collins, and others, on an overland j visit to the West Coast, has met with a serious accident. It appears that the party had reached Westport in safety, but that on starting from tbeuce for Mount Rochfort, Mr. Mackay 's horse shied and threw his rider, who broke his thigh in the fall. He was at once conveyed to Westport Hospital where he now lies under the care of Dr. Thorpe. The Drought in Canterbury. — Reports are to hand from all parts of the Province of Canterbury as to the injurious effect the drought is having upon tho late crops. The early crops have also been ripened in many instances before thoroughly filling out, and the yield generally speaking will be very light compared with what the promise of the young crops led farmers to expect. Caterpillars are also said to have done some damage in the Southbridge district. Rain would be very welcome to -the late crops, but to the early oues it would be somewhat otherwise, whilst it would also interfere with harvesting operations, which are now becoming very general. — Post. Grass Fire in Marlhorougii. — We learn with much regret that extensive fires are raging in the Southern districts of this province, the glare of which was plainly visible on board the Falcon, off Wellington Heads. The fires commenced at Starborougb, Awatere, on Monday last, and the injury done fco several runs must be enormous. We are informed by persons who arrived last evening, that the Cape Run is entirely burnt out, and in fact the whole district between Templeton's and the sea as far as Flaxbourue. At Starborough the homestead was in great danger, and during Thursday evening a staff of twenty-five men were engaged in cutting off the turf and blazing the ground to stop the conflagration. Our informant says that dead sheep were lying in all directions, unable to escape from the terrible heat, and large mobs have been literally roasted alive. Unless checked by speedy raiu, it is impossible to say where the ruin will stop; as it is, the feed over very many thousands of acrea is entirely burnt off.: — Express, Jan. 20. The Fijis.— Fiji papers have been received to 9th December. /They report that whilst Mr. March, the British consul, was officially visiting the schooner Peri, v Government employe, named Gougb, presented a revolver at his head and

threatened to shoot him. An indiguation meeting was held by a number of the residents on shore, and the outrage was considered au insult to the British flag. The consul advised that no action should be taken until a man-of-war arrived — Au iron ship, name unknown, has been wrecked on Pleasant Island, in the South Seas. — The Parliament has been prorogued to tho end of May, after refusing to pass a bill for compelling foreigners to take the oath of allegiance to the king and constitution. A Valuable Bale of Wool. — The Bristol Mercury, at 21st October, has the following: — The wool imported by Messrs. Miles, merchants, Bristol, from New Zeuland is very frequently sold to German houses. A recent cargo was so disposed nf, and the wool sent off to tho purchaser. Messrs. Miles, however, received a few days ago a letter from the German manufacturer, stating that iv unpacking the wool he fouurl in the centre of one of the bales a cheque for £50, a £20 note, some gold and silver, and a purse, which were forwarded to Messrs. Miles, who are now endeavoring to find the party from whom the wool was purchased in New Zealand. How the purse containing the cheque and note — the latter upon a good New Zealand bank — came to bo in the pack it is difficult to say ; whether it was secreted, or fell out of tho pocket of one of the packers. No doubt, however, some further light will be tiiiowu ori the circumstances when Messrs. Miles hear from their correspondents in New Zealand. Female Labor Market in Victoria — The following- account of the female labor market in Ballarat appears iv one of the local papers: — "Girls froth about fifteen years up to womanhood can occasionally get piaces as servants at Ss. and 4s. per week and found; but even these places are like angels' visits — few and far between. I am aware that mere is paid to some servants, but their number is small compared with those getting the sum I have named, and those getting none at all. Young women working as tailoresses get from 3s. up to 10s. per week, workiug ten hours and a-half per day, to prepare themselves for which they have to serve as apprentices for one or two years, receiving uo reward at all for their labour. Girls wishing to learn trades at any of our large establishments must serve three years with little or uo remuneration, and when their time is out, other . apprentices are taken on in their places, I and unless some of the regular hands are discharged to make room for them, they have to walk about idle, or rake out a miserable subsistence some other way — often by disgracing themselves and all connected with them. Girls with sewing machines, creditable workers, may walk Ballarat from one end to the other, inquiring at every shop, for days or for weeks at a stretch, and not get euough work to buy a single meal ; and they may sit in their homes with large ! bills ia their windows, announcing the fact, ' machine sewing is done here,' until their hearts ache, without their doers being darkened by the presence of patrons. The fact is plain. There is not sufficient work, even if the girls would do it for nothing. The consequence is, they have to live in comparative idleness; while the fathers are often at their wits'end to know where to find bread to put into their mouths."