The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 1873.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 11, 13 January 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 1873.

At the Christen urcb Exbibtion, all the flax prizes were taken by Canterbury ex-, bibits. Cook, of Nelson, was highly commended for mats. " Old Biggs" has lately favored us with a view of two beautiful glasses of houey that he bas just, taken, one of which weighs over 121ba. He is. anxious that bis friends should pay him a visit and inspect his array of little workers, who, he cays, prove that, notwithstanding the long drought, this has been the most favorable season for honey that has been known for some years past. Church of England Sunday Schools. ■ — The children attending the Sunday schools in the parishes of Christ Church and All Saints assembled yesterday afternoon in Christ Church to the number of nearly 400, when a special service was read by the Rev. R. J. Thorpe, and, after suitable hymns had been sung, au interesting and appropriate address was j delivered by his Lordship the Bishop of Nelson. We are glad to learn that Mr Percy Adams, who went home in the unfortunate Zealandia, has passed a very satisfactory matriculation examination at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, in October last, having came out first class in mathematics, and second class in classics. Thirty-six others went up for examination at the same time, Mr Adams being the youngest, and considering that he was six months on the voyage, and had only a fortnight for preparation in England, the result of his examination may be looked upon as most creditable to himself and to the Nelson College, at which he was educated. Neudorf, Uppek Moutere. — On the evening of Thursday, the 2nd inst., a public tea meeting was held in the Neudorf schoolroom, at which a large number of both children and adults were present. The preparations and general management were undertaken by a committee of eight gentlemen selected for the purpose at a public meeting, and great credit is due to them for the successful manner in which they performed their duties. After tea, the prizes gained by the children at the district school were distributed by the Rev. Mr Heine. The room was then cleared, and dancing commenced, which was kept up with great spirit until an early hour of the morning. The prize list has been forwarded to us for publication, but in so incomplete a state that we have thought it better to hold it over until the errors of omission have been rectified. Grass Fires. — We, Marlborough Express, learn that on Monday last a fire took place on Mowai*s Flat, Awatere, destroying all the herbage, but when our informant left it had not been ascertained whether any sheep were consumed or not. It is supposed to have arisen from the shepbard's camp fire. On the 27th ultimo the Shearing Reserve in the Upper Awatere took fire, and the public woolshed was consumed, containing' a wool-press belonging to Messrs Cross and Green, and 43 bales of wool, the property of Mr E. Green, which were awaiting conveyance to port. Thunderstorm at Blenheim. — This portion of the Wairau Plain was visited on Saturday evening last by a most terrific thunderstorm. It reached its height about 7 p.m., when the flashes of lightning followed each other with such rapidity that the atmosphere appeared filled at times with a sheet of flame continuing for several seconds, while the thunder cracked and rolled most ominously. , Indeed it is simply impossible to convey a very correct idea of the terrible thunder roars, bewildering lightning discharges, with an accompanying rainfall, which broke up the the drought of the last four months, but a severer thunder storm it has never been our lot to witness. Two discharges were more prominent than the rest, and it was doubtless one of these which struck the roof of a closet at Mr A. G. Fell's residence, demolishing the roof, and then ran down the joint of the door, fueed off the corners of the hinge (which may be seen at our, office), and made its way to earth, having split the door into small fragments in its course. The only other accident of which we have heard was reported by Mr H. Silvius, the telegraph lineman, who found seven postß ipjured, and two split to pieces. He also brought us a piece of the latter, which shows that the lightning struck on the top,- where there was a wire nail inserted, the cavity around which is blackened, and from it a straight bole about , one-eighth of an inch in diameter,, is cut throughout ' the -'-length of ' the pole down to the earth.; All theiplaces in both instances where the electric fluid/ came in contact with, iron are blackened, and smelt strongly of sulphur.— Marlborough Exjm*6^; January ? B. , " '