The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 42, 18 February 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1874.

Suez Mail. — The Otago is to leave Wellington at ten o'clock to-night, and will arrive here to-morrow morning, ahd< sail again by the same tide. H. J; L. Augabdb quotes City of , London shares at 225; National Insurance, 21s 6d to 225. Business' done this day. Calcutta Sweep. — A. sweepstake, in connection with the principal event at to-morrow's meeting, will take place at the Masonic Hotel, this evening, at 8 o'clock. The Executive. — Messrs Greenfield and Pitt, the Provincial Secretary and Solicitor, intend starting overland for the West Coast; on Saturday, next, apd will be joined by his Honor the Superintendent at Westport, where a meeting of the Executive Council will bo hold. This is a step in the right direction, and we are very glad to find that the members' of the Provincial Government have determined upon making themselves personally ac? quainted with the" wants of the Gold- . fields. The election for the 'Marlborough Superintendent takes place to-morrow, and it will, no doubt, be a relief to the inhabitants of that province when* it is" over,' as the local papers have for the last fortnight or three weeks been filled witn articles, letters, aad squibs in favor of either Mr Seymour and Captain Baillie, who are the. two. candidates for the office. Tbis, the first election of the Superintendent by the people, has certainly beena , spirited one, and has. given rise to much tall writing oil both sides. Campion Belief Fund. — A capital entertainment in aid of this fund waß given last night by the Nelson Artizans' Association to a house that was literally crammed. The dramatic part of the entertainment consisted of the amusing little comedy; entitled ;' f >Romance under Difficulties," and the laughable Ethiopian farce v Playing a trick," in both of which the characters were very fairly sustained by members of the Society. Tha Artillery Band was in attendance and proved a 7 valuable" acquisition, several songs, both serious and comic, were exceedingly well sung, and valuable assistance in the musical department was rendered by Mr and the Misses Augarde. The performance on the whole passed off most satisfactory, and those who so kindly took part in it will have ths ..pleasure j-of knowing that they have materially assisted in swelling the amount now being raised for the widow and children of the unfortunate Michael Campion. Stoke Wesleyan Sabbath School. —A,;. most successful anniversary in connection with this school has just been held. Sermons were preached on Sunday last to good congregations by the Revs W. J. Williams, and J. J. Lewis. On Tuesday there was a large gathering at the tea and public meeting, held in the schoolroom., The Rev. T. Buddie ocoupied 'ther? chair at the meeting. K A report, read by the School secretary (Mr John Doidge, jun.), showed the institution, to be in a prospering state — the average attendance being about 50. „ Addresses, delivered by tbe Revs T. ABuddle, W. Cannell, and other friends, together with recitations, rendered in a creditable manner by several of the ' school .children, interspered with cheerful

singingA conducted Aby Mr B. Eyles, make the meeting a most int||esti|g and; enjoyable one. • rAThe following telegram forwarded by Jjis Excellency -the- Governor to his "jpTdnor "*il%e- r Superintendent, has been published by the Hokitika ' Evening Star':— "Akaron, Feb. 12, 1874— T0 Superintendent, Hokitika. — Owiug to rcon^inued^N.-Wr winds. I-did not get 'fuller •••tha^TDusky. Inlet, and time pressing left ifc on Monday for Wellington, by East Coast; I cannot therefore visit Westland again at present. — James Fergusson." 7' 'We ,('. Grey River Argus') are glad to learn tbat everything bas been amicably arranged between the lessees of thejßrunner Mine and the, coal miners. "Work will be resumed this morning, and the barges supplied, as usual. It appears tbat it was qtiite ' a misapprehension respecting danger in the working of the mine, no* change of any kind having been made in the mode of. working. A suggestion for a change was indeed made, but directly the question of danger was raised, the lessees gave orders tbat no change should be made until the arrival of their new mining manager from New South Wales. Mr Dent having been appointed inspector under the conditions of the lease, visitted the mine yesterday, and the workings will be carried on under his superintendence until the arrival of Mr Elliott-., the now mining manager, who comes from Newcastle with a high reputation. He is expected by the Albion next week. A movement is on foot throughout the ; Nelson South-west Goldfields for the purpose of collecting funds to erect a memorial to the late T. A. Sneyd Kynnersley. In order that the residents of the Grey River Valley .with which place the name of Mr Kynnersley, as its first Commissioner, is so intimately associated, should have an opportunity of assisting in such a very laudable object, a semi-public meeting of the residents of Ahaura took place on Thursday, 12th inst, to take the matter into . consideration. The question of the shape the memorial should take was discussed — whether a mural tablet or .stained glass window in one of the churches, a column or obelisk in the cemetery at Nelson over the grave, or a similar monument elsewhere would be the best, but eventually this part of tbe project was left to be decided by acommittee appointed from among the general body of the subscribers. The Inangahua ' Herald ' announces that a company with capital of £20,000 has been formed, the shareholders being chiefly residents of Wellington and Nelson, for tbe purpose of inveeting in the reefs in this district. Reports are now .being prepared submitting particulars .of the various miaing companies and the most suitable ones to invest in. Agents have been appointed in Reefton, and we believe that the speculation will be a profitable one, provided its operations are confined to mines that are proved beyond a doubt. A curious relic of the war which was 'carried on in Wanganui from 1845 to 1847, was discovered a few doys ago (says the' Chronicle'). The workmen employed in excavating the foundations fori the New Tutaeheka bridge, found a . congreve rocket imbedded in the mud at the bottom of the stream. The missile was doubtless discharged at the Maori pa, which then stood on what is now Mr Field's orchard, but falling into thO stream had remained unex- ' ploded and unknown till now. H.M.S. Blanche arrived at Wellington on Tuesday, having left Fiji on the 7th ultimo, and the Navigator Islands on the 25th. She replaces the Dido on the New Zealand station in consequence of the accident to the latter ship, which compelled her to go to Sydney for re- -. pairs. The state of affairs in Fiji was unaltered when the Blanche left. Tbe white population of Fiji and the colored population of the adjacent islands all were.strongjy in favor of annexation, which only was opposed by Messrß Wood, Thurston, and Co. These gentlemen offered every possible obstacle to an interview between King Cakombau and Commodore Goodenough which ultimately was brought about by stratagem. The King then went on board the Pearl in state, and was received with all due honors. During his visit, the ship's diver was sent down, that his Majesty might see the operation. It was very nearly proving a fatal one, for in coming up the glass eye-piece accidentally struck against the foot of the ladder, and was smashed. The water of course poured in at once, and.it was only by the utmost exertions tbat the unlucky diver was extricated, and baled out in time to save his life. The King took the greatest interest in the scene, and on the man being pronounced safe, presented him with his photograph and £5, to the extreme delight of the gallant tar, who is now preparing a specimen of nautical ingenuity to present to his Majesty in acknowledgment. — ' Post.' We have been afforded an opportunity, says a Hawke's Bay contemporary, of examining a quantity of potted pigeon and tui prepared by Maoris, after their own elaborate and peouliar fashion, and which is worthy of description. The birds are denuded of their feathers aud thoroughly cleaned; they are then carefully baked, in order to extract the oil, and closely baked in a species of basket woven for the purpose, the fat being poured over them. Secured in this manner from atmospheric influences, they are said; to keep for years, and form a highly esteemed artiole of food amongst the Maoris.