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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 154, 27 June 1873, Page 2

Steamer Tabarua. — We learn from our telegrams that the Tararua does not leave Port Chalmers for the northern ports until to-morrow, and can therefore be scarcely looked for here before Wednesday. Emigration. — If we may judge by the advertising columns of the Tiverton (Devonshire) Gazette, emigration agents cannot look to meet with much success iu the South of England, labor apparently being fery scarce in those parts. In the paper before us no less than thirty-nine farm laborers, carters, and general servants are advertised for, houses and gardens being in most instances provided, and in some cases " potato ground and liberal wages" being offered as further inducements. A number of sections in the towns and suburbs of Milnthorpe, Golden Bay, and HampdeD, Matakitaki, were this morning offered for eale by auction at the Landoffice, but there were no purchasers. This was not unexpected, the sections being put up merely as a matter of form, the regulations requiring that lands that are for sale at fixed prices shall be put up to auction every three years. Several sections have been purchased privately since the last auction. Dr. Cabr.' — -A contemporary thus notices an old acquaintance: — "Dr. Carr, well known in this city, is travelling in the South Island of New Zealand, and occasionally pops up in one or other of the more populous settlements. The worthy doctor is as variable in his mental; as his physical wanderings. He is now at Hokitika, and next week may be at Lyttelton or Dunedin. He has passed through theology, psychology, laxology, ; and metaphysics ; he has dabbled in mesmerism, electro-biology, and is now a teetotaller. We learn that he is about to venture on the boundary between two worlds, and try his hand at spiritism." Contemplated Murder of Mr. McLean at Kawhia. — A correspondent telegraphs from Alexandra. to the Auck-* land 'Herald' as follows: — "I have just learned that Mr McLean was nearly being murdered at Kawhia when he went in with the Luna and anchored; on the south side of the harbor. Fortunately he ordered the anchor to be weighed, and went over to tbe north side. There were 200 armed natives waiting on the south side. Maniha (Ngatimahutu) of Kawhia, says that if Mr. McLean dares -to return in the Luna to Kawhia he will be murdered." On the subject of the lodger franchise the Westport Times remarks:— "Petitions are in course of signature at Wellington and elsewhere, praying that equal franchise may be given to lodgers in houses, as to householders, in the* exorcise of the right to vote at elections of members of tbe Provincial Council, and of the House of Representatives, and hence also, at the election of Provincial Superintendents. The petitioners r represent -a . clasß* i*of colonists well qualified in every respect to intelligently esercise the right sought to be obtained, and, itiWQuld be well if the agitation extended to every town throughout the colony." A Circumstance came to our knowledge yesterday „in reference to.- the behavior of one of the seamen of the ship Edinburgh Castle, which is : ■ worth I repetition. This vessel left for Newcastle last week. It may be remembered that she did not appear to be a popular /.ship, judging from, the frequency with, which her name was before" the Court.''" - ' A few days previous to; the: vessel's departure, one of the men knocked the captain down on the wharf, and, before that, one, if not two, of the able seamen and an apprentice had deserted. On the morning that the ship 'was to sail, one of- the harids went to the captain/ and, making some complaint, said he wanted to* go ashore . to see a magistrate. The captain told- him this was impossible, as .the vessel was just about to sail. Upon this the fellow jumped overboard, r arid commenced swimming ashore, but & boat was spon sent in pursuit of him, and notwithstanding that he dived /») number of times to evade capture, it was of no avail, for he was dragged into the boat, put on board, and was, shortly afterwards on his way to Newcastle, despite his protestations. — N.Z. Herald, Sir James Fergusspn's daughters have recently proved themselves to be heroines. The Robe correspondent of an Adelaide paper, in a recent communication says : — In my last it quite escaped my memory to note the following instance of ready courage and sisterly love in those of tender years. On Tnursday, April 24, while Charles, the son of Sir James Fer-

gussCti, aged ten years; was bathing i n .the -sea opposite the summer residence pf the family, he swam rather too far out, and returning towards the shore found the swell running too strongly for him to contend against. His sisters, Miss S. G. Fergusson, aged about 14 -years, and her younger sister Edith, happened to be on th9 beach at the time with their female attendant. The boy was seen struggling against the swell, and appeared to be getting exhausted. The domestic attendants cried out to run for a boat, but Miss, S. G- Fergusson, who is an expert swimmer, seeing plainly that dauger was imminent, without a moment's hesitation, tucking her clothes tightly about her, and fearlessly dashiug into the sea, followed by her sister Edith swam to her brother, and laying hold of his belt, helped him unto land safely, But for this timely assistance, there is no doubt the boy would have lost his life, as a boat could not have reached him in time to be of service. The sentence of 7 years' imprisonment with hard labour, and six days in each month to be spent in solitary confinement, was passed, by Mr Justice Fellows at the Ballarat Circuit Court, on the 24th April, on Joseph Gorry, who had been found guilty of perjury. The ex-Emperor's Napoleon's will, dated April, 1865, has been made public. It bequeaths to the Empress his property, which is expected to realise £60,000. He charges his son to preserve the relics, and study the deeds and correspondence of his uncle, and remember that the people's cause is the cause of France. Walter Savage Landor used to relate, tho following aneedote of one of our judges, , Being on circuit, two old men were brought before hfm as witnesses, and, according to custom, he began to ehat with them, among other things about their age, for the purpose of giving a moral lesson to the young barristers. •* Well, my good man," said he to the first witness, " how old may you be ? " " About eighty-seven, my lord." " I dare say, now you have lived -a very, sober life ?" '• Yes, my lord; I haven't been tipsy for tbe last sixty yearsi" " There," cried his lordship, turning to the gentlemen of the bar, "yoii see what a fine thing sobriety is. The witness looks as though he would live twenty years more." The barristers nodded assent. In his turn another witness came forward, who looked particularly hale and robust. "And, how old are you, friend," inquired the judge. " Ninetyfive, my lord," was the reply. "Ninetyfive! — I'll answer for it you have lived a sober iife-^-haven't you ? " Witness hung his head and answered, " I don't like to say' all afore these gentlemen." "Never mind; speak out." ''Well then, my lord, I haven't gone to bed sober for the last seventy years." At this his lordship looked rather blank, and the bar smiled. The judge then said, " We will proceed with the case, gentlemen." A Tough Mule Story. — There is a man out in Oregon who has a mule. A few days ago he was driving the animal across the prairie, when it suddenly stopped. The man left his wagon and attempted to induce that mule to move on, but without success. He beat it, he coaxed it, he threatened it, and he cursed it, but it refused to budge. He tied fire crackers to its tail and exploded them, but the mule turned his head in a languid sort of a way,' and calmly winked at the man. Then the man thought the mule had forgotten something and wauted to go back, so ha tried to turn him round; but the mule expressed a firm determination not to go home. The man became desperate, and thought he would build a fire under the mule; but as fast as he would kindle it, the mule, standing. firm apon three legs, reached over with its other leg and kicked the flames out. Then he tore his hair and. sworer^-the man : " did— -but he rushed to the wagon and got twelve pounds of gunpowder, and he dug a hole under fhat mule and built a mine. Then, he covered up the charge arid laid a slow match, and stood off a little piece while he lit it. There was a rumble, a roar, then a terrific explosion; and, amid the cloud of dust and - upheaved rocks, the mule was observed to fling his hind legs* in the air, and to support itself upon its fore feet in that position until the blast was over, when it quickly resumed its old attitude, and a general smile passed over its features as it perceived its master lying down groaning, and cursing the day on which he was born. It was of no use. The man went home. Eastern Extravagance. — The following cases illustrate the ways pf life out in the Levant:-— The fate Sultan, wishing to give the ladies of his harem an idea of the Crystal Palace, commissioned a firm of shipbuilders on the Thames to construct the iron frame "work of a huge domelike structure, ' It was, when completed, put up in England, and then taken to pieces for. conveyance to Constantinople, where it was re-erected and covered in with glass, and formed one of - the most conspicuous and pretty objects which met the traveller's gaze ongoing up the Bosphorus. The present Sultan, however, thought that it interfered with his view, and ordered it to be demolished, and the debris of a building which from first to last must have cost more than £100,000 has been sold for old scrap-iron ! The other story is still more strange. The Father of the Faithful some time since ordered a new and gorgeous Imperial residence to be built for himself. Art, money, and science were lavished on the structure, the sum total of the cost of which was almost fabulous.'* The day came when the Sultan was told that all was prepared for his reception in his new abode. His Majesty quitted his old and inconvenient palace with a light heart, and hastily repaired to the splendid and more modern one; but alas ! whether his impatience or ardour got the better of hU

-dignity is not related, But on crossing ib"-*,; threshold .- : he ;■■ stumblejl ; ; and fell. - y : -"Tii®/ omen was of too serious a characteiv to be lost on an Oriental mind. The Sultan retraced his ; steps, sent for an architect, and commanded. ---that the gorgeous and . magnificent edifice should be razed to the ground. The gentleman in question, in despair repaired to the Grand Vizier,'-who.-failed to obtain a revocation of the order, but as a dernier ressort proceeded to the English Embassador, who at once pointed For remaindtr of nfws see fouith page.

iy^f. ,611 y, y__ "*. t y . - "" " " v£_ oijt toihis Miijesty liowridieulouV'Such an yl'ac^would: make him appear- before the ' Civilised wpfld,^ This, with other arguf^men{s,>ay^d- the palace, but- the evil eye y* ''iif iuppos^d f « till Ho ' rest upon it, as)it y rema,ipß 'tebpty. , 4 «\* .-•