The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY,APRIL 11,1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 87, 11 April 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1872.

English Mail. — We have been advised by telegram from Wellington that the s.s. Wellington, with the English Mail via San Francisco on board, is to go through South, without calliDg at Nelson. Ploughing Match. — The Stoke Farmers' Club advertises a ploughing match, at which liberal prizes will be offered for competition, to take place at Mr. Martin's farm at Stoke, on Tuesday next. It is to be hoped that the efforts of the Club in this direction will be appreciated by the ploughmen of the district, and that a large number of competitors will be on the ground. The Wanganui Suicide. — Some little light is thrown upon the recent double case of drowning in Wanganui by the New South Wales Police Gazette, of the 2lst February. It announced that Richard Crossing, late storekeeper at the Mudgee, aod Bella Crossing, were strongly suspected of being concerned in ihe murder of an illegitimate child, the offspring of Bella Crossing, while at Mudgee. Tbe notice also gives descriptions of the persons, says warrants have been issued, and the body not yet found. Oddpellowship. — We remind those who wish to witness a holiday keeping in the country that to-morrow is to be — to quote the words of the advertisement — a gala day at Richmond, when the Oddfellows from various parts will assemble to celebrate the raising of their standard in this prrvince. A procession, sports for the juveniles, a tea party, a public meeting, and, to crown all, a ball in the evening, together constitute a programme that should have the effect of causing a goodly assemblage to be in attendance at tbe scene of the promised festivities.

Conceet. — The concert to be given in aid of the All Saints' Church Organ Fund to-morrow evening promises to be a great success. The programme, which will be seen in our advertising columns, is a most liberal and judiciously selected one, while the weeks of constaut practice that have been devoted to its preparation are sufficient to ensure its being carried out in a most satisfactory manner. Add to this the laudable purpose for which it has been got up, and there can be little doubt that the great desideratum of the promoters, namely, a large attendance, will be fully atfainod. Alarm of Fire, — About, half-past seven last evening the Bridge-street firebell rung out the alarm, the cause being the taking fire of a small building near Mr. Moutray's foundry, to which the flames had been communicated by the furnace, in which a fierce fire was burning at the time. A small hose was- at once brought to bear and the flames were immediately extinguished, whereupon the clanging of the bell ceased. A minute later, however, a happy ti'ought appeared to strike the Engine House bell, which burst out into a spasmodic clatter that had the effect of reviving the excitement which had subsided upon the cessation of the first alarm, and people began to think (hat after all there really was work in hand for the brigade. The rinsing of the first bell was perfectly justifiable, but why the second should have been sounded a full minute after the other had ceased to ring, thus showing that all danger was over, it is difficult to say. Colonial Prize Firing. — The firing for the championship of New Zealand was brought to a close on Monday last. The ten highest scores were as fellows : — Wales, Otago, 320, champion ; Carter, Wellington, 314 ; Hoskins, Auckland, 306 ; Taylor, Ofago, 301 ; Muir, Otago, 300 ; Gray, Wellington, 298 ; Cowie, Otajro, 297 ; Kelly, Constabulary, 296 ; Philpotts, Maryborough, 290; Humphreys, Taranaki, 290. Wales was warmly cheered aod congratulated on his splendid shooting. — A match between the North and South Islands on Tuesday was won by the latter by 19 points. The scores were as follows : — South Island : Cowie, 64; Buchanan, 64; Muir, 61; Biatoh, 60; Wales. 58; Taylor, 55; Wilson, 52; Philpoits, 47; lnnes,46; Brown, 43. Total, 550. North Island : Humphreys, 63; Churton, 58; Carter, 56; Duncan, 54; Gray, 54; Kelly, 52; M'Dnuald, 51; Hoskins, 51 ; Fenton, 49 ; Partiogton, 48. Total, 531. The Two Months' Mails. — We take the following from the- Evening Post of 9th inst.:—" The following will probably be found to be the arrangements made respecsing the distribution of the San Francisco mail brought by the Nevada: — If by the time of the arrival of the Wellington at Auckland, which should be tomorrow, the Luna has not left wiih the mails, she will start South wiih them, only stopping in Auckland long enough to coal. In this case she will also gather up the outward mails; but if the Luna has started with the Southern mails when the Wellington arrives in Auckland, then the Taranaki will do the woik of collecting the outward mails. In either case, however, sufficient time will be given betweeu the delivery of the inward end the closing of the outward mail to allow of all letters being answered. We are rerequested by the agents of the San Francisco steamers to state that, the injury to the Nevada's machiuery is slight, and that it will be repaired in ample time for her to leave Aucklaud for San Francisco on her due date, viz., the 18th iust. Mr. Gully's Pictures. — The Australasian thus speaks of four pictures of Mr. Gully's painting now on view at the Exhibition of the Victorian Academy of Arts in Melbourne : — Four water-color paintings, drawn by Mr. John Gully, of New Zealand, have been added to the Exhibition of the Victorian Academy of Arts within the last few days, and two of them may take rank with the best productions of his fertile pencil. The first; in merit is a view of Cape Farewell, the northern extremity of the Province of Nelson, seen under the influence of one of those violent storms which sweep through Cook's Straits from the west, filling the sky with gloom and turbulence, and lashing the sea into foam and fury. Through a rift in the laboring clouds and driving showers, a stray gleam of watery sunshine falla with a saddened lustre upon one of the white cliffs of the rugged headland, and on the crest of a wave which is lifting the fragment of a wreck into momentary prominence. A small fishing craft; is driving before the gale, and a lone seabird flits across the boiling waters, but beyond these objects there is nothing to lessen the feeling of solitude which breathes from the picture, which is poetically conceived and powerfully executed. Its atmospheric effects are superior to any with which Mr. Gully has familiarised us in his former works. In striking contrast to the stern gloom and sullen grandeur of this scene are the sunny

serenity, the balmy brightness, and the rich verdure of th« landscape representing a distmt view of Tasmau's Bay, with the snowy ranges beyond, seen from the head of a henutiful gorge, with a foreground of diversified foliaue charmingly treated. In the view of Roto Id, after suuset, the sky is handled with striking skill, but the artist has failed to iovest the mountain range at the extremity of the lake with that evanescent plum-bloom which such eminences assume under certain conditions of the atmosphere, but which appears to be almost, if not altogether, incapable of being transferred to canvas or cardboard. The picture of the Awatere G-orge possesses some good points; as for example, the artist's successful representation of the hot haze which broods over such a landscape, and some of the matters of detail ; but the glare becomes almost painful to the eye after long looking at the picture, and you turn with a sensi? of relief to the cool freshness and English leafiness and moisture of Mrs. Parsons' Cornish valley, hanging close by.