CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 222, 17 September 1872, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

, , Q v „ , •** Wo arc desirous, of affording every reasonable facilitf for the dlucusßiori of public subjects; but It must be underatood that .we are in no way responsible for tlic opinions expressed by correspondents, ; , . . To the Emton of the NelsonEvjenikg Maii,. : SiR.-r-Being a subscriber to, the St. Mary's School A'rtr Union that 'was supposed to have been held iri May ■ last, I do ; not think it; altogether fair to,vard.B,the original, subscribers to, havei continued issuing tickets after that date.as ,they had full privilege.tojssue 'an 'unlimited number up to the end of that month. A* ttie' a'am'e' time. Ido not wishltCtb -be suppoked'that 15 subscribed to it : •withjany. thoughts; of fgain- and wishing to ,he«r someone else's opinion, ' \'l- \ t ; K -> •,!,». : . ; . , - , lamV^c.',^ '.',,'.'.-■ , • ■■■■■ ,\h'(i. ■.:) ,"!:-.--. .., "'••■■ '''jg-DBSOaiBBK'.' September 13, 1872. - • > ■' For remainder -of news' see fourth page.' '>■'■ ■. • ■ *'• * ' < j

TwdiVam'pip!^ from Oamaru and Kokanui have been sent tOiMictbriarand/ amongst others, are being subjected to analysis, as to their fitness for ' use in building the he w vice-regal residence in Melbourne. The Fiji correspondent of the Southern Cross says:-—'? Unquestionably in Fiji the unprincipled canaille are the only people who are securing monetary wealth, since integrity and righteous principles are at a fearful discount, 5 •! and wickedness of the worst type is at a premium." The same ... writer says that " the. roll of Magistrates contains' the names of many persons who have suffered shorter or longer terms, of imprisonment in one or more of her Britannic Majesty's gaols." The shares in the Shipping Company are being rapidly taken up. About three .. thousand have as yet been applied for. When it is considered that the merchants and shippers who are interesting themselves in the formation of the company can guarantee both homeward and outward freights, it is self evident that the company must succeed. For many years past Shaw Saville &Co.'s monopoly has yielded them a profit of at least 25 per cent., and it is only reasonable to look for increased returns now when larger quantities of freight and thousands of immigrants are being poured into the country. If the Shipping Company becomes an established fact, the whole of the sums received as profits will be expended in the colony, if not in the Province of Wellington itself, instead of assisting to swell, as at. present, the exaggerated profits of an English chartering firm. As an investment, the Shipping Company is certain to be remunerative, and it especially commends itself to the attention of small capitalists, to the thrifty artisan, and to the well-io-do small tradesman. We expect to hear shortly that the requisite amount of capital has been subscribed, that instructions for the purchase of ships have been forwarded home, and that the foundation of a large and prosperous colonial mercantile marine has been laid. — Post. A Criminal Career! — The Masterton correspondent of the Wairm apa Standard thu3 relates some of the incidents in the life of a Bwindler, and the punishments he obtained for his numerous offences. They confirm the truth of the old adage that "Honesty is the best policy ": — Many of the settlers will remember the smart jockeylooking young man known ,by the name of W. S. Langston, but in Canterbury as Charles Madden, where he underwent two years imprisonment for perjury. After his release he practised his art on the West Coast, until it became too warm for him. He then removed to Wanganui, when he practised on two young farmers and took them in to an amount of from £400 to £500, and also a poor widow for £60. He then came to Wellington, and with the aid of another party swindled Mr. Masters. After defrauding Mr. J. Bell, on the Porirua Road, his tailor, a draper, and several publicans, besides cheating his lawyer, he managed to get j the steward of the Ahuriri eteamer to pay his passage, which he promised to recoup before landing at Otago, but contrived to slip off without doing so. After a little practice upon the unwary, he took to horse stealing, having eight valuable cart horses at Oamaru for sale; but the police were on his track, and he was committed for trial, and sentenced, to seven years, to work on the roads, where he is now rusticating. At the end of his term, it is to be hoped he will alter bis mode of life. He is said to be ttie' son of a Mr. Langton, formerly of Risdon Ferry, on the Derwent, V.D.L. ' It it said that the firm of Brogden and Sons are about undertaking some large contracts in Holland. One is the reclamation of the Wiericger Lake, situated at the northern part of. the Zuyder Zee, between ; the Island of Wieringer and the town of Medemblik. The- reclamation Will comprise 48,000 acres, leaving, after deducting .for roads, dykes, and bridges, 44,000 acres of land available for cultivation. Another is a projected railway to establish the union of the Northern and Southern State railways in the Netherlands by a line through the provinces of North 'Brabant and Guelderland, which junction line is to forma link of a great international chain, connecting thernorthwest of . France, : West : Belgium, East Netherlands, and .North-west Germanyi It^j ia 'aisOjproposed t |to connect with England by a line of daily steamers, between EUssingaeißnd Harwich: From what is :■ ., saidvin^EttglisE will;3ooii^becbmß a favorite, with .travellers j bVtweenj^England . and.' Germany, s as: the tfbyl water <b 6; rpugh, ■■';.' and it will Ihorten'vi^ London and Berlin fourteen fhours.i &&.*.?* ; \Ger^i^;jga^^ // ; ;3?rench'^

of that colony, the J^gus sayis:-^Etaresi have now become ao ;pleh,tif|ii^tbat itjs proposed to iatro.cluce into *nn Amen&ing Game and Fisheries Act a provision for issuing coursing licences under certain conditions. There is a difference of opinion on the subject, however, and*as a mea-" sure which was^ introduced by the : Government has been objected to on other grounds— chiefly that it will deprive the fishermen and duck-shooters of their means of* livelihood— legislation on the subject has been postponed for the present. Notwithstanding the efforts to put down the practice, the illegal coursing of hares goes on, and several persons have late!y been fined for destroying these animals. The advantages of acclimatisation are every day becoming better understood and appreciated, and we notice, amongst other signs of progress, the establishment at Castiemaine of a society with objects similar to those so long and preserveringly promoted by the parent institution." Sale of Imperial Jewels. — Messrp. Christie, Manson, and Woodß put up at auction at their rooms in King-street, St. James,' a lot of valuable jewels, which, though advertised only as the property of a distinguished personage; were generally understood to be the property of the Empress Eugenic. A great deal of excitement was manifested. There were no less than 123 lots in the catalogue. The first article which attracted attention, a marquise ring, with a pink- diamond surrounded by brilliants, formerly the property of the Empress Josephine. This was followed by a pendent of emeralds, pearls and brilliants, which wag knocked down for 605 guineas. A fine pendent, with a large square emerald in the centre, fetched 620 guineas. Two fine emeralds and three targe brilliants mounted as a bracelet, were sold for 810 guineas, and a cross formed of eleven large brilliants also fetched 855 guineas. A watch fetched £1660; v brooch, formed as an anchor, and a companion brooch, £2150; a tiars, formed of a band of brilliants, 710 guineas; a bracelet, £1105; a brilliant tiara, formed as a group of leaves, £970; a pearl necklace, composed of forty-one large pearls, £2400; a brooch, with a fine emerald, and one with a square, emerald, 5000 guineas, a brooch, with emerald centre, £8525; a tiara, £2625: three brilliant pendents, 2600 guineas; a bracelet, £2250; a pair of long earings, brilliants, £8255. The whole realised 1 upwards of £50,000.