The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 98, 25 April 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 1874.

Christ Church, Nelson. — The Lord Bishop will preach in this church to-morrow morning, aud the Rev. E. A. Cross will also assist in tho evening service. Nelson Races. — A special meeting of the Jockey Club will be held this evening, for tho purpose of making finai atrangements for the ensuing meeting. Entertainments— The Clausßekel Company and Mr Chapman pave their final entet tanments in Nelson iaat niyhf, (he one nt iho Masouic, end the other at the Oddfellow's Hall. H. J. L. Augabde quotes William Tell Bhares at Is. per share. Business done this dny. Tnic Weather. — After a summer attended with n long drought, we ore now enjoying the season, the days of which nro peculiarly bright, warm, and enjoyable. Spring flowers in many instances adorn the garden borders, and fruit trees innumerable are in full blossom, a premature beauty, for which doubtless they will uliimat lv suffer. "Twa Hours at Hamk." — Under this title Mr Kennedy advertises an entertainment for Monday evening nex*, at which he wil! bs assisted by severs! members of his family. The programme, we believe, consists principally of Scotch songs, aud the performance is said (o be a very pleasing one. Death from Accident.— We reported a few days ago tbat a serious accident had occurred to a man named Savoge, who fell from the wharf and sustained severe injuries. He was taken to his house at Wakefield, and appeared to be recovering, but last night ho wns token suddenly worse, and died ot ten o'clock. Ad inquest will be held on Monday. Good Templars. — At a full meeting of the Lodge last night tho following officers were elected. They will be duly installed next Friday evening : — Bro. J. T. Smith, W.C.T.; Bro. J. S. Jones, W.V.T.; Bro. A. Wiikie, W.S.; Bro. A. G. Belts, W F.S.j Bro. W. Adams, W.T.; Bro. J. Campbell, W.C; Bro. W. B Girling, W.M ; Bro. W. T. Sherwood, W.D.M.; Bro. J. Bradcock, W.I.G. ; Bro. H. Newport, W.0.G.; Sister J. Haynes, W.R.U.S.; Sister E. Brent, W.LH.S.; Sister N. Haynes, W.A.S. A subscription list was opened for the widow of a deceased brother in Wellington, and a considerable sum collected in the room. The list will be kept open for a week, Mb. Bbuwner's Funeral.* —The very large attendance at Mr Brunner's funeral yesterday testified to the high respect in which he was held in the province in which he has resided for the last thirty-three years. Over a score of carriages, each one full of real mourners, and a cumber of horse-»-Q followed his remains to the grave, nor must wo omit to mention a large number of Maoris who attended the church service, and accompanied tbe hearse out of town. On Monday we propose to give a short sketch of Mr Brunner's life in Nelson. This should have appeared before, but it has takes some little time to obtain and "compile the necessary information. New Zealand Flax. — If is just possible that a very important future , might be' in' store for New Zealand flax, by its application to a purpose which would leave a fair profit, and points to other purposes to which the plant might be practically applied. A company has lately been formed at Home, with the object of manufacturing- telegraph cables. It is understood that the ground- work of their operations is; the alleged power of Munila hemp to resist decomposition or destruction by the influence of sea water. The coble, it is said, has simply to be covered with gutta-percha, snd the gutta-percha with Manila hemp — a process which should save the most costly port in the expenditure in material in the shape of iron sheathing. We understand tbat the Commissioner of Telegraphs in this Colony bns directed that experiments should be tried with New Zealand flax, with a view of ascertaining how, ns compared with Manila hemp, it' is v capable of resisting destruction, in salt > water.: li; has no doubt . frequently been proved that exposure to water , has the efiect of rotten iug the New Zealand flax, but it is staled that this is caused, not by wetting tnerely, but l by frequently wetting and' drying; it is possible that constant exposure to sea-

water would not be attended with the same irjurious effects, The matter is one of vast importance, for if it could only be shown that New Zealand flax is suitable for the purpose, the industry of its manufacture might be immensely develoyed. We would suggest to those who take an interest in fbix and its manufacture that it is desirable to try exper iments with the plant in its various conditions and stages of preparation. There is abundance of sea water around New Zealand for the immersion of flax, and for carrying out. tho experiments of its durability. It would be further desirable that correct records may be kept of any experiments that may be made.—- Itidepcndevt. The following sensational incident is from the Maryborough Chronicle, Victoria, of tbe 28th ultimo: — A singular and painful accident occurred at Clifton station last week. Mr Nichols, the proprietor, was engaged in drafting cattle, aided by a half-caste boy, a shrewd and lively young fellow, who had lived with the family for some years. A number of cattle had been cut out of the yard and the boy was closing the gate, when a b'lllock unawares came behind him nnd caught him with one of its horns under the nTmpit. The horn, which bad a sharp upturned point, was driven un.ler tho ribs, and with tbe boy hoisted in this way the bullock galloped several times round the yard, making infuriated attempts to get rid of the incumbrance. With a tremendous jerk at last the poor fellow was tossed frcm the horn, and making a complete somersault, alighted on tbe bullock's back, when almost instinctively he threw himself bestride the animal, which kept on its mad career around the yard. Mr Nichols, seeing no other chance of rescue, kept calling out to the boy to slide off, and teeing a favorable opportunity when near the fence where Mr Nichols stood, he did so, and before the wild creature could charge them, Mr Nichols pulled him under tbe fence, and thus saved his life. For three days the poor fellow Jay iu a very precarious condition. Tho battering and loss of blood had been grea*, and it was feared the lungs were injured. But when Mr Nichols left the station a change had taken pluce, and he was on a fair way to recovery.

The Ashantee War. — The London coriespondent of the Australasian wiites: — The European captives released by tbe kiog had reported that in every house slaves were busy making slugs out of stone. Tho correspondent of the Daily News states some interesting facts, on the authority of oue of the prisonerrs". — "It appears that immediately the Ashantee army was allowed to disperse, the people were iu such terror at our anticipated pursuit, long before they had heard we bad crossed the Prah, that they packed up all tbey could carry with them, and went in flocks to the interior. Hence the chiefs appeared to be almost alone in Coomassie. Meeting after meeting had token place in the King's palace, at which the chiefs and kings staited up in 0 violent state of excitement, and professed to be able and willing to kill everybody who. opposed them, and then sunk down again, conscious that they could do nothing." The eame authority estimates that their losses from all causes in the campaign were two-thirds of the whole army, " This was believed among the Aehantees, and corresponded with the number of chiefs who had died." The whole people are represented "as utterly eick of all the barbarities of Ashantee rule, and it is believed that if we enter Coomassie, and leave any mark of our being there the effect would be an exodus of vast numbers into the Protectorate." The priests were. alarmed, and omens succeeded to omens in a suspicious manner. As a remarkable coincidence, or more probably by design, the great fetish tree— undp»* which all the hnmah sacrifices have been madn for o<»n«rfttinna— .. fell the same day bb Sir , Garmt Wblselej's first letter arrived iu the capital. " To test the prospects of the invasion , two men had knives run through their cheeks, and were tied up in tbe woods to die. The priests said that if the men died soon it would be well for Ashantee. If they took long to die all would go ill. They lived, or were kept alive, the one for five days the other for nine." Other accounts inform us tbat the Ashantee army was dismissed the day after, it returned to Coomassie, and that 279 coffins, supposed to contain remains of deceased captains and other important personages were carried to the king. The great difficulty in the advance of our own troops has been tho want of transport, but this had been overcome at last, and there are now 10,000 carriers on tbe road. The organisation of transport had been committed to Colonel Coliey. "He redeemed alt grievances, chiefly due to the carelessness of native guides, saw that the men had proper food, and intervals ot rest. Then he surrounded with West Indian sentries the villages to which deserters resorted, and thus made escape impossible." Strange storh 8 are told of the desertions of tbe Dative tribes of our " Protectorate," and the feeling was general that ; the Ashaotees are greatly in 'advance of them in courage and *civilisation. Contempt for our cowardly and lazy " allies " has made our soldierrs more tolerant of tho Ashantee barbarism. As regards the indemnity and the pecuniary resources of the king, one of the captives says that " two horses could no( carry the , gold ornaments possessed by him and his nobles."