The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 111, 10 May 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1872.

The Hon. Julius Yogel passed through Nelson yesterday in the steamer Taranaki, on his way from Auckland to Wellington. Oddfellows' Hall. — Messrs. Bromley and O'Brien, assisted by a number of gentlemen amateurs, will give one of their amusing entertainments at the above Hall this eveniog. Meeting of Ratepayers. — The meeting of ratepayers called to take into consideration the desirability of purchasing the plant of the Dun Mountain Company will be held in the Temperance Hall this j evening at half-past seven. | The Telegraph. — The erection of the i telegraph posts between Motueka and i Nelson was completed on Wednesday last, [ but, owing to the delay of the Colonial j Architect in calling for tenders for the erection of the office at Motueka, it will be nearly two months before the line is in operation. Mails via Suez and San Francisco. — We are requested to state that the Wellington will leave Nelson on Tuesday next with the usual CaHfornian Mails. The Albion is appointed to wait at Nelson till the arrival of the Wellington, for the purpose of receiving Suez Mails from the Southern ports for the outward mail from Melbourne on the 22nd instant, — the mails therefore, both by Suez and California will leave Nelson on Tuesday next. Prosecution under the Volunteer Act. — Captain C. A. Hnmfrey, the adjutant of tbe district, sued H. J. Bradley in the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday last for the five incurred by him for absence from the monthly parade. The record book was produced in which defendant's name appeared on the muster roll. Defendant stated that he had never been sworn in, but the Justices decided that as he was in possession of Government arms and accoutrements and had been in the habit of attending parades, he must be considered to be a volunteer, and, consequently, fined him 2s. 6d. and costs 9s. A Painful Eumor was prevalent in town this morning to the effect that Mr. W. C, Hodgson had attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself. On enquiry, we find the following to be the facts : — For some time, Mr. Hodgson has been in an uncertain state of health, which last night culminated in delirium, he having been hysterical and wandering several times. In the rooming, between, eight and nine o'clock, Mrs. Hodgson left him in bed for the purpose of getting his breakfast, and on returning, after a short absence, she found binvbleedingfrom a wound in the right side of the head. On her entering the room, he remarked "I have 'shot myself,;^ was'lmpfe^^ and could not help it." A small -revolver, 1 that he had been in the habit of keeping in his room

for some years was found by h|s side, with I whrfch the wound — only a slight one we are glad to say — was inflicted. Dr. Squires, who was at once sent for, informs j us that on his arrival at the house he found Mr. Hodgson evidently calmed and relieved by the loss of blood, aud that he repeated the statement made to his wife that he had committed the deed when under the influence of some power that. he i felt unable to resist. j The Thanksgiving Day. — Yesterday was observed as a strict holiday in. the town, and thanksgiving services were held 'id all the churches and places of worship. At Christ Church, where there was a large congregation, the service was intoned by the Bishop of Nelson, the lessons were read by the Eev. T. L. Tudor, and an excellent and appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev. B. J, Thorpe, who took for his taxt the opening sentence of the special service for the day : — " I exhort that, first of all, supplications, prayers, and intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all tbat are in authority ; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." After tbe sermon, the j National Aothein was sung. The offertory, which will be devoted to the Hospital Convalescent Fund amounted to £13 6s. At the Wesleyan Church there was a numerous congregation to whom an i effective address was delivered by the Rev. W. J. Watkin who took his text from the 38th chapter of Isaiah. During the service. Jackson's Te Deum aud the National Anthem were sung. At the Temperance Hall the Christian Brethren held a meeting for prayer. A special service was held at St. Mary's where the sermou was preached by the Rev. A. M. Gariu. Here too a Te Deum was sung, and the service wss brought to a close with the National Anthem. At the Presbyterian Church there was an evening service, when the Rev. P. Calder preached from the text " Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death." A special thanksgiving service was held in the morning at the Synagogue. Tbe afternoon, which was beautifully fine, brought out a number of picnic parties, and on "The Rocks," the favorite resort of the Nelson public on a holiday, there must have been several hundreds of persons between the hours of three and four. Last Week's Yield from the Caledonian Mine, was 932 ounces of retorted gold. Native Affairs. — An Alexandra telegram to the Auckland Herald of Monday last, says : — A messenger has just been started for Auckland with an invitation from the King to Governor Bowen and the Defence Minister to attend :i meeting to be held at Alexandra, at which Tawhiao and all the Hauhau chiefs \ will be present. | Under the heading of the " The Maoris and tbe Bridge." the Wanganui Herald relates the following : — A rather amusing incident occurred this morning on the bridge. Many of the up-river natives had never crossed it, and entirely ridiculed the statement made by the Wanganuis, that part of the bridge moved round. A long controversy at the pah had been the result of the statement, and, to settle the affair, about forty or fifty came down and went on the bridge. Their desire was soon made kaown to the Collector, and he readily agreed to initiate them into the mysteries of the turntable. All being in readiness, the natives stepped ou to the span, the machinery was set in motion, and slowly and steadily the pakehas' bridge moved round. A good num ber had gathered near the end, but drew back with mute astonishment and some terror at finding themselves, as it were, thus cut off from terra firma. When the turn had been completely made, their feelings found vent in three hearty cheers for the bridge. The return of the span was eagerly watched, and with a sigh of relief the stepped over the rubicon into the hands of tbe Collector, who further relieved them of ' one cop ' for his trouble.' Sale of Shorthorns in Cumberland. —-On a recent occasion the entire herd of shorthorn cattle of Mr. T. H. Parker, Warwick Hall, near Carlisle, was brought to the hammer. There was a large attendance of breeders of stock belonging to the two northern counties. Five of the cattle had been served by Farnley Duke and Fawsley Baronet, second, the latter a grand old bull, aud displaying the genealogy of Sir Charles Knightley's Chrysalis. A roan cow, nearly eight years old, by Kildonan, realised 42 guineas. Effy Deans, a white cow, by Edgar, a Royal winner, sold for 62 guineas. Sweetheart, third, a rich roan, calved in October, 1868, by Sir Walter Gwynne, realised 82 guineas. A roan heifer, by Gallant Duke, was bought for 45 guineas. Sweetheart, fourth, a calf not five months old, by 17th Duke of Oxford was purchased for 105 guineas. The bulls brought from 21 guineas to 46 guineas each. Oxford Down ewes sold at from £4 to £7 each. — Times #

The Insurance Companies in Auckland have agreed tv pay their share of the reward of £500 promised on the conviction of the person who set fire to the Music Hall. A would-be Absconder, named George Price was arrested in Auckland just as ho was going on board the Nevada. He is charged with obtaining money under false pretences, and witb fraudulent scrip transactions. Owing to the insecurity of the Auckland Gaol, the Government has arranged to remove the long sentence prisoners to Dunedin Gaol, at a price per annum to be agreed upon between the Provincial Governments. At the Ovens a man named Carl Ebel, charged with an attempt to murder a whole family by administering poison in a cask of wine conveyed by him to a neighbor's house for use at a birthday feast, was found guilty, and sentenced to death. Another Suicide is believed, to have been committed at Wanganui, a telegram from which place, dated April 30, says : — A Maori's cap and socks have been found on the bridge. The owner was last seen by the collector late last night, and is supposed to have committed suicide. Auckland Share Market. — The following quotations are dated May 3 : — Messrs. Wnrd nnd Gellion report — Mavket closed brisk last evening. Buyers Caledonian £20, £22; large parcels exchanged. This morning declined, sellers £20. Moanatairi,' 975. 6d, 965.; All Nations, 775. 6d.; Central Italy, 325. 6d.; Alburnia, 925. 6d., 905.; Inverness, 155., 12s. 6d.; Italian, 10s. 6d., lis.; Eed Queens, ss. 6d.. 6a. - , The Wanganui Herald has been informed upon reliable authority that the native owners of an extensive block of land from the Tangarakau steream, extending up to Tongaporotu — about 25,000 acres — have expressed their , intention of having it surveyed, preparatory to passing it through the Lands Court. Te Waka, the principal chief, was present at the late meeting at Putiki. In the police court, the other day, a musician was, fined 20dol. for pelting a womau with tomatoes. . We hope this will have the effect of breaking up this disagreeable custom, for which there is no justification in a city paved with cobblestones. — San Francisco Netos- Letter.