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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 88, 14 April 1874, Page 2

The Acclimatisation Society of Otago have received a very large and valuable parcel of forest-tree seeds from California. One of the vessels of the A.S.N. Company has been placed on the line between Auckland, Sydney, and the Endeavor River. Tbe Melbourne Argus of March 25 says:— Mr W. C. Yuille reports having sold, on account of Mr G. W. Petty, the estate of Maribyrnong, with the entire horses, brood mares, &c, belonging to tbis celebrated stud farm, to Mr Charles B. Fisher, for the sum of £40,000. This is how they manage things in Queensland. A letter was recently published in the Brisbane Courier, by which it appeared tnat an expedition was recently made to the Palmer diggings, for the purpose of exploring a new road. The party numbered 110 persons, and consisted of a Commissioner, several surveyors and n detachment of police. Tne letter was in reality a diary, and it contained the following items of intelligence. On the 3rd of November the party arrived at Normandy River, "started a mob of blacks shot four, and hunted them." On the 6th, the blacks surprised us at daybreak all were armed. They got close to the camp before anyone heard them. Great consternation; shot several. They ran into the water holes for safety, where they were shot. Travelled then unmolested till we reached Kennedy River." Whilst proceeding up tbe Kennedy the party camped, and *' had an encounter with the blacks. Shot several." Anything more cold-blooded than the proceedings of the party, composed to an extent of government officials can scarcely be conceived of. It has long been a matter of notoriety that on some of the out-stations in Queensland the blacks are shot down on Sundays and holidays just as though they were wild animals; but it is a novel to find government officials engaging in the inhuman sport.— Independent.

A seafaring man who was recently married in tho West of England, gives tho following description of his brioV and her apparel:--" My wife is just br handsome a craft bb ever left the mil.inery dry dock; is clippfr built, and with a figure not often seen in small crafts. Her length of keel is 5 feet 8 inches; displacement, 27 cubic feet of air; of light draught, which adds to her speed in a ball-room ; full in the waist; spars trim. At the time we were spliced, she was newly rigged fore and aft, with standing rigging of lace and flowers, mainsail part silk, with fore -stay sail of Valenciennes. Her frame was of the best of steel with whulehone slaunchione. The rigging is intended for fair weather cruising. She has also a set of storm-sails for rough weather, and is rigging out a small set of canvas for light squalls, which are likely to ocour in this latitude sooner or later. lam told in running dowu the street beforo tho wind she can turn round in her own length if a handsomer craft passes her."—European Aail. Spermaceti Ointment. —This is a cooling and healing ointment for wounds. Take a quarter of an ounce of white wax, and half an ounce of spermaceti; put them in a small bnsin with two ouDce3 of almond oil. Place the basin by the side of the fire till the wax and spermaceti are dissolved. When cold, the ointment is ready for use.

Tho San Francisco Chronicle announces that the " wickedest man " of that city has come to an untimely end. This lamented gehtleman, it seems, kept tbe Bull Run Saloon in Pacific-street, which has long been known as the most notorious den oh the Barbnry coast. He vvas known by the name of Ned Allen, and was famous in the records of crime in many places. His saloon in Pacific-street was tbe resort of tbe lowest kind of thieves and cut-throats, arid mi it sailors and soldiers were robbed of their last penny without pity or remorse. The hideous noises and drunken revelry of the guesta who frequented Mr Allen's hospitable home, made the place "a synonym for all that is low and-yile." From its doors poor drunken wretches Were cast into the streets after they had been fleeced of all -possessed, and frequently Mr Allen himself made charges against his victims to get rid of them. On the night of the Ist December, the "Bull Run" was filled as usual with a drunken crowd of men and women. Allen bad just successfully robbed a long shoreman, and Mgave treat" all round in the exuberance of his spirits. As he was scraping into the till the money of his victim, three men. appeared at the door and Calmly surveyed tbe scene. AJlen walked quietly towards them from behind the bar, "in an inoffensive, gentlemanly mariner." Within the door of the Bull's Run is a large green screen ; the three men stood just inside the door, partly hidden by the screen. Allen stepped up to them and invited them to enter, at the same time saying that he did " not want his door blocked." Two of the men came inside the screen, but the third remained hidden from view, and, as Allen approached him, drew a dagger or sword and stabbed him just below the heart. Allen turned quickly round, walked to the bar without a word, and fell down dead. It is supposed that he made a direct for tbe bar in order to get a pistol. At all events he was too late, for the murderer escaped — and . tbe " wickedest man in San Francisco," unavenged, had passed away for ever I 'Possibly some one one almost as wicked will be found to take his place at the Bull's Run, but in the meantime bis death seems to have created quite a void.. Who ever- heard of a census being taken of the fly population ? Some ingenious man, apparently fond of statistics, has estimated the number of the . fly . population at 9,878.518,697,241,087,617,700. We {Times) fancy that a large proportion of these insects find their residence in Fiji.