The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1873.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 13, 15 January 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1873.

Imperial Fire Insurance Office. — A change in the agency of this well-known office has taken place in Nelson, Mr Percy having resigned, and Mr A. W. Scaife being appointed in his stead. Baptist Church. — A lecture will be delivered this evening, at the Baptist Chapel, in Bridge-street, on the "Lord's Supper and Transubstantiation," in connection with the " Bennett Judgment." St. Mary's Schools. — The twentythird anniversary of these schools will be celebrated at the Catholic Station to-mor-row afternoon and evening. There will be a tea party at 4 p.m., the distribution of the prizes will take place at sis, and the magic lantern wili be exhibited at eight o'clock. Yesterday's Storm. — A considerable amount of damage was done by the gale of yesterday to the hop gardens and orchards, in the former of which a great many plants were blown down and knocked about so as to seriously injure them. Apples and pears, „we hear, are lying on the ground in all exposed situations in lamentable profusion. Nelson and Marlborough Road. — We have been requested to call attention to the highly dangerous state of the bridges between here and Havelock. That which crosses the Tinlioe is in a most perilous condition, being quite rotten, and having a list down stream, the lower side of it being quite four inches lower than the ;upper. The Heringa bridge too is positively unsafe, while that over the Pelorus is but little better. Unless some steps are speedily taken either to repair or renew these bridges some terrible accident must inevitably occur one of these days. Wellington Races. — The; following is the programme of the races to he held : in Wellington next month :— -Maiden Plate, £40, for three-year olds, mile and a quarter. .Jockey Club Plate,- £25; Indies' Purse, mile and a quarter. Wellington iPlate, £40; three-years-olds, Bst. 7lbs.j four years, 9st. 7lbs.; five years, 9st.; 121b5.; six and aged, lOst. 41bs. Second" dayryHurdle Race, £30. Hutt Park'

Stakes, £50, same weights as Wellington Plate, two miles. Publicans' Purse, £25. Consolation Stakes, £20. f Fatal Accident.-t-Aii accident occurred in the Wakamarina Riyier on Monday last, whereby a miner named Edward Berger lost his life. It appears that he and his mate, Robinson, lived on one side of the river in the gorge, their claim being on the opposite side, and that they were iv the habit of crossing on a rough bridge composed of two saplings laid from bank to bank, the river at that particular spot being not mor3 than 20 feet wide. On the evening in question they were returning home from their work, when the bridge broke, and both were precipitated into the stream. Berger was at the time of the accident only a couple of feet from the shore, and was never seen again, and it is supposed tbat he was struck and stunned. Robinson was in the middle of the bridge, but he fortunately contrived to lay hold of one of the saplings, and was washed ashore. A Family Gathering.— At Waimea West, on the 2nd inst., Mr and Mrs Mark Newth, two of Nelson's oldest settlers, celebrated the 48th anniversary of their wedding day by a family gathering, consisting of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, numbering in all fifty-seven, five being unavoidably absent, or the party would have reached the respectable total of sixty-two. The day was a fine one, and was spent very happily by all present, and great and heartfelt joy was expressed by the good old couple as tbey looked round the dinner table, which of course had to be specially erected for the purpose, and saw so goodly a number of their descendants surrounding them. The aged patriarch, in thanking God for all his mercies vouchsafed to him, delivered a most solemn and impressive address, which will long be remembered by many of those who listened to him. Mr Newth came out to the colony in the year 1842 under Captain Wakefield, as the New Zealand Company's foreman of the preliminary expedition. — Communicated. The Exports from Dunedin during 1872 amounted to £1,770,642, showing an increase of £375,471 over the exportß of the previous year. A Settler at the Taieri, Otago, while in a fit of insanity, attempted to drown himself, but his two dogs held him above the water till he was rescued from his perilous plight. The amount to be run for at the March Dunedin race meeting will be £1100. It is the intention of the Jockey Club to institute a Derby for 1874, and a large yearly handicap, on the same principle as the Melbourne Cup. The Customs Revenue collected at Auckland during 1872 amounted to £148,401— an increase of £23,652 14s 2d over that of 1871. During last year 404,870 ozs. gold, worth £220404 19s sd, were exported from this province. The Education Rate in Auckland. — The collectors appointed to receive this rate bave declined to act. on account of the strong hostile feeling so generally manifested against it, although it amounts to only 20s, a year for each householder. A monster meeting is projected by the opponents of the r ate.