The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1573.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 309, 26 December 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1573.

Mr Curtis is gazetted as Super in ten dent. Provincial Council.— The ' Gazette' just published contains a proclamation summoning the Council to meet on Tuesday the 27th January. The resignation of W. H. Pilliet Esq., of his appointment as Resident Magistrate, has been accepted. Rifle Match.— -Ten of the City Rifles started early this morning for the Waimea West butts, where a match will be fired between the town men and the ; ' Waimea Company. Auckland Races. — The Auckland race meeting commences to-day and is exciting considerable interest among sportsmen, as there are several valuable prizes to be contended for by many of the best horses in New Zealand. There ie to be another new issue of postage stamps on the Ist January next. The following will be the designs and colors: — One penny, Queen's head on oval ground, printed in mauve; twopence, ■ Queen's head in dotted circle, printed in crimßon lake ; threepence, Queen's head . in circle, printed in sepia brown ; fourpence, Queen's head on square ground, printed in Indian red ; sispence, Queen's head in circle and hexagon, printed in blue , one shilling, Queen's head on oval ground, printed in green. Boxing Day.— From an early hour this morning vehicles of all description 7 bave been starting for the country with -.._ heavy loads of pleasure seekers, picnics being decidedly the order of the day in the absence of the usual regatta. Mr Holder's large coach left town about eight o'clock with a full freight for Mr Campbell's annual picnic at Spring Grove in connection with the Sunday Schools, and since then traps very far from empty have • been running io tbe direction of the Rocks, while Wakapuaka is, we hear, to be invaded by more than one large gathering. The Kennedy started for the Croixellea at half-past nine, and, with the lovely weather with which we are favored, there is every probability of the holiday being a most pleasant one for all who are able to enjoy it. Christmas Day.— Yesterday was ob- _ served as a close holiday except in one or .. two instances in tbe country districts, where farmers had their hay out aud did not feel sufficient confidence in t,!><3 weather to risk the possible loss of their crops. Tbe churches were well attended, jand in some instances the decorations of ■the various buildings were beautiful in the axtreme. At Christ Church especially more thai* ordinary pains appeared to have been bestowed upon the ornamentations, one of the principal features being that tbe old established system of using dark and heavy evergreens for decorating was almost entirely dispeueed with flowers, toi-toi, and tbe graceful lycopoVdium forming an excellent substitute.

Illuminated texts, floral designs, crosses and monograms were tastefully arranged iv all parts of the building, and the general effect was most charming, the interior of the tower, the reading desk and massive stone font having received special attention at tho hands of the numerous j volunteers who rendered williog as- ( sistance on the occasion. We bad not the opportunity of visiting the ■ other churches, but we hear that All Saints and St Mary's were aleo decorated . with exquisite teste. At tbe Wesleyan i Church there was an early morniog service i which was well attended. In the after- ' noon there were numerous family picnics, und as the weathtr was exceedingly fiup, , though somewhat warm, tbe holiday was thoroughly enjoyed. A good trade is done between Welltng- ' ton and Otago in horse-flesh. The s.s, , Taranaki shipped twenty-live animals on her^last trip irom Wellington to Dunedin. The immigrants by the Hovding to Napier have presented a silver teapot to i the first mate. He was very much liked on the voyage, and the captain was thoroughly unpopular.

j A Maori has died from drink at Wairarapa, supplied by an accommodation houae. The Government has since cancelled the ' license of fhe house. There is to be published in Wellington, , on January 1, 1874, the ' Educational L Gazette,' and monthly record of literary scientific intelligence. L Charge against a Ship's Doctor. — The doctor of the Chile recently arrived at Auckland bas been charged with cruelty ■ to one of the passengers. The following evidence was given in the case last Satur- ( day, on which day the case was adjourned \ until the following Tuesday :— - Join) j Boswell deposed that he was a passenger ' on board the Chile. He recollected the \ 2nd of October when Mrs Vesey was put in irou 3. He saw her put in irons. He I first saw the chief officer and the doctor • wrestling with Mrs Vesey. The doctor 4 was thrown on his back. The woman ' was afterwards down. They put the j handcuffs on her. She was lying there 1 for nearly a quarter of an hour. She knocked her head up and down against the deck, and her legs were exposed in a most disgraceful manner. She was kick- ' ing her legs about. They got her up and ' walked her to the capstan. When witness first. saw the party the doctor walked up s and laid hold of tho woman. As she was passing Mrs Wail Ehe made a rush on her. i Mrs Vesey had the handcuffs on then. J Could not say whether Mrs Wall gave her > any provocation at that time. The manner i in which she was fastened to the capstan j was by passing a second pair of handcuffs between her wrists and then fastening the second handcuffs to the capstan. Her hands and arms were raised over her head. • It was about half-past nine when the handcuffs were put on her. She waß fastened there all that day. Saw her there shortly before eight o'clock p.ra. Her clothes were very much disordered by her kicking about. A single woman went to adjust her dress, but ehe was ordered off by the mate, who said they t would attend to that. The doctor felt her pulse several times. The captain was ■ away on the poop near the wheel, Crossj examined by Mr Hesketh : The saloon L passengers could see this. The scene happened near the female emigrants' closet. After they had put the handcuffs on her the doctor and mate stood laughing at her. She was bumping her head up , and down. Mr Hesketh: And she lay ( there a quarter of an hour? Yes. Bumping her head up and down? Yes. And , they did not try to prevent it? No. And they stood laughing there for a quarter of ! an hour? Yes. On your oath? On my oath. Quarter of an hour. The woman , became insensible. Do you swear to that? , I swear she did not know what she was , doing. It was. principally at the capstan that ehe knocked herself about so. Mr - Hesketh: Do you swear that everybody could see her, that you aud others saw and did not prevent it? Nobody durst speak a word for fear of being put in irons. The day was very hot. Patrick Carr deposed that he was an emigrant on board tbe Chile, and remembered a quarrel between the women about a mess towel. Remembered Mra Vesey struggling with the doctor. The doctor and chief mate put handcuffs on her, and fastened her to the capstan head. The doctor stood near "in jibe" at what be had done, or, as witness thought, in triumph over her. Her husband thought to interfere, but he was told he would be pu t in irons if he did so. The woman was swinging by the weight of her body. Her heels were against the deck. The capstan was three or four feet high. This witness confirmed the testimony of the previous witness in all essential particulars. The Norfolk Island correspondent of the • Auckland Herald ' writes : — The day before yesterday we placed in our temporary chapel a large and handsome brass to the memory of our Bishop. Its dimensions are (roughly) lour feet by two feet, and it bears aD inscription written by Bishop Abraham, a moßt fit person for the task. Indeed, I believe the brass is his gift. Uunerneath a cross with palm branches are these words : — "In the memory of John Coleridge Patteson, D.D., eldest son of Sir John Patteson, Knight, Judge of the Queen's Bench. Born, April I, 1827. Consecrated tbe first Bishop of Melanesia February 24, 1861. Murdered by natives of Nukapu, in the South Pacific Ocean, on the eve of St. Matthew's Day. September 20, 1870. In childhood and in youth, he was chiefly distinguished among his fellows by a rare purity, integrity, aud simplicity oi character. His natural powers of mind and body had been slowly metured by culture, and not without patient, self-discipline. Wlitm in tbe prime of early manhood he dedicated himself to life long Missionary labor, leaving hia Devonshire home without hope of return. At first he served under the

Bishop of New Zealand, carrying the Gospel to shores theretofore untrodden by Europeans, and educating native youths entrusted to his charge, uuder a collegiate system conducted by himself, iv the laith of Christ and iv the industrial of civilisation. When he afterwards undertook tbe vast dioceee of Melanesia, be seemed to be endowed with new gifts and energies, watching over bis infant church with pastoral care, acquiring a matchless knowledge of native tongues, and yearly navigating his mission ship through perilous seae. to seek converts among wild races softened by his influence, and bear home fresh scholars to his native college on Norfolk Island, where he renewed the studies aad interests of his English life. In those Apostolical voyages and ministration, carried on with unflagging -seal for more than sixteen years — without rest, without regret, without earthly reward — he displayed a calm resolution in presence of danger, an instinctive judgment in overcoming difficulty, a tender compassion for tbe sick and suffering, and a liberal catholicity oi spirit and sympathy, which not only won for him the deep reverence and affection of his spiritual brethren and children, but made bis name beloved thoughout the isles of the South Pacific, until he fell by the hand of one who knew not what he did, in the midst of his career and at tho poet of duty, continuing the faithful soldier aud servant of Christ unto bis life's end."