PROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 269, 12 November 1872, Page 2

PROVINCIAL.

Wellington, November 12 The reduction in the charges *or Press telegrams will come into force in January. Westpobt, November 12. A committee has been appointed to collect nnd forward to the Christehunh Exhibition specimens of cal, gold, and oth r minerals. The idea was warmly received and heartily tak n up. • Auckland, November 12. Yesterday was observed* as a general holiday. There was a review and sham fight A shot in cauti 'usly fired by a volunt er wounded a boy in the knee-cap and carried away three of his fingers. ihe foundation stone of Newmarket Square was laid by the Mayor. Coiritmdore Sterling has been lost in the Waikato Bush for two days 1 ttt elton, November 12. Arrived .- Lady Joueiyn from London, with 233 immigrants, all well. CHRisTCHuacn, November 12. The Cattle Show on , Saturday wu& a great success '(here were 10,000 persons attended during the day. The following is the result of yesterday's races : — Handicap Hurdle Eacb, of 40 soys; entrance 3 soys; distance 2 mi.ts, over tight flights of hurdles. Mr McKay's b m Medora I Mr Maiony's br g Nigger ... ... ... ... ... 2 Mr Morphy's bgAlma ... ... ... ... ... 3 Lotteey Plate, of 50 soys. ad 'ed to a sweepstake of 5 soys each; 3 yr-old, 7ct KHbs; 4 yr old. 9st; 5. 6. and pged, 9st 3lbs'; distance, three-quarters of a mile. Mr Nosworthy's eh f Calumny, 3 yrs, 1 Mr Walter* bm blander, asjvd;. ..... ... 2 Mr Griffith-' eh m Ddlamation.~*4'yrs,' ... ... 3 Christchubch Plate of 150 soys, added to a;_, sweepstakes of 5 soys each; ntrance 5 -ovs. to ' go to the fund; the winner of the Canterbury Cup to carry 71bs extra. Maidens, a the time of starting, ' allowed 3lbs; 3 "yr-old, ; 7st 7lbß; 4-'> r old, 9>t; 5-yr-old, 9st {Mbs';' 6' and aged, 9st 1 libs.; distance two. miles. Mr Nos worthy '8 It mI. rline 3 yrs .. .. 1 Mr P. Campbell's b g Tambourini, 4 yrs . . 2 The Grand Stand Handicap of 100 soys, added to a sweepstake of 5 soys each. Distance .one,, mile.— Twenty-one subscribers/ "'' '" Mr Walters' b m Yatteriria, aged ... 1 :Mr Nosworthy's b m Malice, 5 years 2 Tire 'rfoWspLATiour HA^MO_-Eiofi 40 sdvsiwas won by Miss Flat.

A One-Day's rune meeting is to.be, held at Dunedin on 'NtWfaDeVs'O. r '• 1 -' v '- i Value of Petitions.-t-A petition from Manchester and S'alfdrd" was "presented to the-House of, Commons, Baid to have been signed by no fewer that 16,148 persons. Among those who:.Biened?it are mentioned the King of Italy, Prince Bismarck, and King Loujs-fPbill|p.pe.J y he the petition was,' that as* tlie petitioners did not like, s antoxicatio_j l Jiqaors.^hey^- were anxious nobody else should use them. The Globe says "we are not surprised that the King of Italy latid^ Priuce Bis» maick were anxious to oblige- the, people of Salfbr'a^nHsfiiAn^ Jm'ust ! confess we were a little Btartled to hear ithe Licensing Bill. , The right of petition, was once a privilegerrand is now .not altojgether useless B.tillritteir|£|ft of^Slgiiing - Should tb|^k%t^

A Chuech is now in course of erection at Beefton for the Wesleyansi Dunedin boasts of two hat-making establishments which produce black silks, pull-over, and felt hats of various kinds. It appears by an official statement of tha Internal Revenue Office of the United States that the number of distilleries at work "in that country is 215, and that their daily capacity is 217.682 gallons. Beckoning tbe whole voting population in round numbers at 5,000,000, this would be over a third of a pint of spirits a day for each male adult in the United States. This is nearly all whisky, for the proportion of other spirits distilled is comparatively small. Admitting that the women and male, youngsters under age are responsible for a small proportion of this consumption, as an off-set to those must be reckoned a vast number of men who never drink spirits. Nor is the amount exported to other countries considerable. At the ra'e of production as above stated 1,741,465 pints a day, a half-pint daily may be calculated on an average for every j moderate drinker and topn*. There is no doubt a great deal manufactured in small quantities and secretly, in a domestic way, in addition to this vast production of the tax- paying distilleries. Who will say,_ asks the Kew York. Herald proudly, after this exhibit, that the Americans are not a wbisky-drinking people ? v A Chinese Conjuror.— There is a heathen Chinee in New York to whose sensational feats, as they will probably be repeated before admiring Europe, we may retail the description. He opened his exhibition with tbe "Supper of Hades," in which he placed in his mouth with a foik the blazing cinders of sundry chemicals, which, being on tbe point of exhaustion, lost their heat and collapsed at the puff of the breath upon entering. He appeared to swallow them, and tbon drank a glass of red liquid. After this smoke and sparks issued from bis mouth. He then, in illustration of the "Magic' Bouquet," chewed cotton wool, and pulled from his mouth many yards of paper ribbon. Holding these in a bunch, ho drew from them artificial flowers, which he threw among the audience. Finally he polled from tbe bunch a brown gutta-percha j or indiarubber tube, seven feet long, and shaped like a candle. At the end of this a small taper was inserted as the tuhe arose, which kibdled fireworks, and the candle then retired in a blaze of spluttering glory. This was styled the " Pyrotechnic Column." The next feat was that of swallowing an egg. It was veritablyaccomplished, as might be seen by the working of the muscles in the man's throat as the egg subsided. A lighted candle was subsequently placed in the mouth to show that the egg did not lurk there. It, however, was but partially swallowed. A little muscular action of tbe throat, accompanied fpr effect by a pressure of the stomach, brought it again to view. It was taken in the hand and broken, that the flowing yolk might prove its nature. Ling Look's next and last performance was the insertion down his throat of a sword nearly three feet, long. It was narrow, straight, rounded at the point, and smooth at the corners. It was gradually and circumspectly pushed down into the stomach, and then withdrawn and wiped. When again inserted^ a cannonball, with a bole it, was placed upon' the projecting point of the handle, tobichjdrdve it to tbe same depth as before. 0p a third insertion, a small musket, with -a hole in the stock, was placed on the handle, and fired by means of a string attached to tbe trigger. It may be remarked, tbat during the latter operation, the sword descended to but little more than half its length.— English Paper. .. ,