THE Nelson Evening Mail.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 41, 17 February 1874, Page 2

THE Nelson Evening Mail.

Public Holiday. — In compliance with the request of a number of the business people of the towD, Thursday next, the day of the. Wakefield Steeplechase, has been proclaimed a public holiday. Suez MAiL.-^-We understand that arrangements have been made for despatching a supplementary mail by the 'Otago, which, we learn from private sources, will leave Lyttelton for Wellington this afternoon, and will probably arrive here by 'the Thursday morning's tide. Campion Relief Fund. — We remind^purreaders; of, the entertainment to be given by the Artizans' Association this evening, in aid of the above fund. The Artillery Band and Mr and the Misses Augarde 'will assist in the musical portion of the performance. Cricket. — The return match between the Union and Wakefield clubs, will-be ployed ;at Wakefield pn Saturday the 21st inst. The wickets will be pitched at 10 a.m. The Nelson team will leave town by Mr Newton's van at 7.30 a.m. We understand that our local cricketers are making great efforts to send over a good team to play the annual match with Wellington. The n,ames of the eleven are not yet definitely fixed upon, but everything will shortly be arranged, and the team will probably leave Nelson on the 11th of March. Caledonian Society. — The annual meeting of "the Caledonian Society of Nelson was held last night, at the Trafalgar Hotel*. ; The Directory' Report and the Balance Sheet were unanimously adopted; the latter showed a balance in hand ?of £62 4s 26. The total receipts for the year were £218 :l 4s 6d. The, following gentlemen were appointed directors for the ensuing year, viz :— Sir D. Monro, Hon. X, ,;Renwick,- Messrs £, P. Black, C, L. Maclean, J. C. Moutray, A. Robertson, D. Chisholra, D. Burns, J. Hamilton, ; Wv Wylie, i.B. Disher; ' A. H. Brind, W. Stavert, D. M 'Donald, and A. Sclanders. iv : The Scintillations of A SATE^LiTE. —Elsewhere we publish a letter from Mr H. J. L. Augarde, which is : quit!) as long as, and a trifle more amusing than, the communications with which we are occasionally-favored from the same quarter. Nature is not only bountiful with her gifts but discrimina- ; ting injfche distribution . of them, . r For the dwellers in the arid districts of, Africa she provides camels capable of enduring a Jong and .trying period of toil and privation in the burning deserts; for those who inhabit the pplar regions, wild beasts whose thickly furred coats serve as warm coverings for human beings, who, but for such protection, would perish with the cold; while with a ready perception of the wants of residents in the dry and somewhat matter-of-fact atmosphere of Nelson, she has discovered that something is wanted to amuse and make them laughjj.ahd so she has- located in their midst — an Augarde. That he is well adapted for the requirements, which, if our theory be correct, he was sent here to fulfil, is amply proved by , his letter, for a more fruitful /fund/ -of amusement for newspaper readers than that afforded by the spirited effusion to which we, give publiCfttionj tc-day it is difficult to conceive. The more frequently it is read, the oftener will something fresh be discovered to raise a smile. Now, it is the ecstatic laudations bestowed upon " our>guiding star," a celestial phenomenon which, a little later on, becomes more mundane in its attributes And assumes the shape of " a man possessing a liberal brain " ; then, it iB the suggestion that it was the duty of one who was present as a newspaper reporter to give "some able and logical ideas " to the Premier; and,, lastly, there is a charming hotchpotch treating upon a variety of subjects, including the absence of men who are prepared to "put down £5000 to open up a gold, coal, and iron mine," the construction of two wharves by private enterprise, and the importation of a steam hammer. What on earth all this has to do with Mr Vogel's speech or, our "criticisms upon it, which appear to have given such dire offence to our wordy correspondent, we are at a loss

ib understand. One little mercy," however, we Lave to be thankful for. Mr Augarele had got hold of " a thing he could write for ever on," but he. has had the moderation to limitvhis remiifks to half a column. For this act of thoughtfulnesß we ore duly grateful, and rb a reward for his consideration for the feelings of our readers we promise him that we will]., - despatch a copy of to-day's issue to his^ " guiding star " who, we hope, will not feel ashamed of the flickering- satellite he has found in the person of H. J. L. Augarde. ;