The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1873.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 93, 18 April 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1873.

Supreme Court.— The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court will commence on Monday next, Mr Justice Richmond's return from Napier being expected by the Ladybird on Sunday. There are only three cases set down for trial, namely — Regina v. Mary Ann Woodman, for manslaughter ; the same v. Charles Ambler, for attempted suicide; the same v. Burkett, for cattle stealing. Nelson and Foxhill Railway. — Ifc -will be seen by advertisement that the Provincial Government invite all public bodies who intend to take part in the demonstration at the turning of the first sod of the railway to communicate with them without delay. The ceremony is one in which we hope the public generally will, unite, for the import of the work then to be formally commenced is by no means expressed in the unfortunate name that has been given to this line, which, there is now ; more reason than ever to hope, is but the first portion of the Grand .Middle Island Trunk Line.

Concert at Stoke. — The concert given at Stoke last evening went • off admirably, reflecting great credit on all concerned. The new hall was quite filled with a very respectable audience, who seemed interested in making it a pecuniary success by filling the front seats (some two-thirds of the whole), the only drawback to the entire satisfaction of the audience, appeared to bo the apparent shortness of the programme, containing only 19 pieces, several of which were encored, ancl occupied over two hours in the performance. This feeliDg shows how' thoroughly the whole concert was enjoyed, which we hope will be followed by many others. Nelson Football Club. — A meeting •of this club was held at the Fire Brigade Room last night, Mr E. Adams in tbe chair, when the following gentlemen were elected to act on the Committee for the ensuing year : — Messrs Adams, Otterson, Barnicoat, Roy, and R. Q. Tennent, the latter gentleman having been re-elected as secretary and treasurer. The opening game will be played at the Botanical GardeDs to-morrow afternoon afc 4 o'clock, when it is hoped there will be a good muster. A team will be sent this year to play the usual Interprovincinl match with Wellington, and as several of the best players have left the province since last season, those remaining will have to make up for their Joes by extra practice, if they do not intend to be beaten by the Wellinglonians. The Herald says the total number of persons in the province of Hawke's Bay who have sent in applications this year to have their names placed on the electoral roll reaches the remarkably high figure of 415. Of these about 30 are Maoris, and about 50 Scandinavians. The Auckland Star states that steps are being taken for the purchase by the Government of a very large block of land, about half a million of acres, in the districts of the Bay of Plenty and Poverty Bay. The greater portion of the land is of excellent quality, and will serve to locate a very large number of settlers. The Customs Revenue of Melbourne for 1872.— Tbe following figures show the commercial importance attained by the capital of Victoria : — The imports for the year represent a total of £13,689,629 8s sd, which sum includes 246,641^0zs of gold, worth £986,494 10s ; and gold specie valued at £255,035. The total value of the exports is £13,871,104 193 sd. Of this sum the general exports represent £13,409,635 19s sd, and include— Wool, Victorian, 53,237, 1951 b, value £4,260 801 ; and other, 5,4 11, 7821 h, value £390,864. Gold, Victorian, 1,160,5540z 19dwt, value £4,644,434; and other, 138,283 18-20oz, value £552.906; gold, specie, £668,191. Preserved provisions, Victorian, 11,007,1301 b, value £257,448; and other, 15,3261 b, value £407. The exports for drawback were of the declared value of £461,559, and the payments under this bead during the year have amounted to £29,084 5s ld. The value of goods laden on ships arriving in Victoria and transhipped to other colonies and countries was £1,292,656. The shipping entered inwards represents a total of 2,104 vessels, 666,336 tons, and 33,551 men. The shipping cleared outwards numbered in all 2,234 694,426 tons, and 35,353 men. The Customs revenue, amounting to £1,678,336 4s sd, comprises excise duties on Victorian spirits, £33,172 103 6d; wharfage and harbor rates, £93 4 178 18s; tonnage dues, £16,501 lis; and the ad valorem duties contributed £384,505 18s sd, to the highest yearly total since 1858. The pilotage receipts during the year were £16,885 10s 3d. If a toper and a gallon of whisky were left together, which would be drunk first? An amateur editor in Indianapolis has made a fortune by his pen. His father died of grief after reading one of his editorials, and left him 139,000 dollars. A Telegram from Spirit-land : John Knox's Public Apology. — It would seem that John Knox and Queen Mary are now good friends. The former has made bis appearance before a circle of Spiritualists — so we aro assured by one of their organs — and he came for the purpose of making a public apology and recantation. Speaking forcibly, but with the tone and expression of a man under acute mental suffering, he signalised his first return into " the material place" since his departure from it by acknowledging that his life had been a mistake. " Marie Stuart " — the Spiritualists, we observe, have their own way of spelling proper names — "and he had been contemporaries — she a y Catholic and he a, Protestant. She bad put ia practice religious toleration, and he had systematically persecuted, her with the most cruel and unrelenting intolerance." Such was the exordium of the Scottish Reformer's speech when he addresed the circle through whom he had elected to make I his apology to the world. He then went

on to say that though he had thought he was doing right at the time in thus persecuting the poor queen, he had bitterly repented of his conduct since ; he had ■made to her his private apology, and obtained her ready forgiveness, so that tbey are now on terms of the most perfect amity. As, however, the principles on which be acted while he was on earth still endured, and derived strength from the sanction of his name, the repentant Reformer couid not find peace until he had made his apology and recantation "with as much publicity as possible." He accordingly " gratefully availed himself " of the permission that was given him , tp communicate with the world ; arid, after telling his tale, he expressed a bope that the fact would be published. — Exchange.