The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 156, 3 July 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1874.

Suez Mail— The English mail via Suez, which was only doe at Melbourne on Tuesday las*, arrived at tbe Bluff by the Albion yesterday afternoon. This is almost equal to the performances of the San Frauciaco mail service.

w Good Templars. — Members of the Oraer, and candidates for admission, are -reminded that there will be initiation at tbe lodge session this evening, at the Temperance Hall, at balf-past seven o'clock. A degree meeting will be held after the regular business is finished.

The Opera, — Undeterred by torrents of rain, and the unfortunate experience of " The Grand Duches. of Gerolstein," mnnygf&tlemen and more ladies flocked to last night's performance of the Rose of Castile. It is no small attraction to those who oan lay little claim to high musical cnltivation that most of the airs of Balfe's charming opera aro well-known. Whatever may be urged in favor of Wagner's " music of the future," most of us are fail to be content with the music of the past. The choruses began spiritedly and well, and even improved as they went on. And we must say of the leading tenor that his rendering of " X am a simple muleteer " fairly surprised us. Miss May's singing of the favorite rondo, « O, were I/he Queen of Spain," delighted many oFthose wbo bad heard the same thing done by singers of very high pretensions. The gem, of ths evening, however, to our mind, was ''The Convent Cell/? which, wa* deservedly and raptyrousl - ' We do pot §nvy tb" Hsiao to **•-" - encored. M- ~ -- m an who could .-is song wholly unmoved. -.-. Jttainford's voice, as Don Pedro, rang out " like a clarion " in tbe bold song, « Hark ! hark ! melhinks I hear." Mr Templeton acted as well as before, but, unfortunately, his memory was occasionally treacherous, and this somewhat marred the effect of his performance. Mr Vernon— the saints be praieedl— -stuck to bis text, ocd eschewed " gagging.'" To-night we have more Balfe—and the best of Balfe his '• Bohemian Girl/ ' We are therefore fully justified in expecting, what we havo not yet seen, a really crowded house. Howard Lodge op Oddfellows. — The half^arly fiinaocial meeting of the Howard Lodge wae held at the Masonic Hall on Wednesday eveniog last. The accounts und i balance sheet was then read and adopted showed a surplus of the Receipts over and above the disbursements, for the past six months of £101 4s 4d, of which amount the sum of £2 5s 4d belonged to the Management Fuod, and the balance of £98 19s to the Sick and Funeral Fund. Iho amount standing to the credit ok

the latter Fund hes thus been increased to the sum of £2,555 14a 4J to tbis date; and as come £2,300 thereof is invested at interest, the Lodge may reasonably be assured tbat tho capital of that Fund will continue to accumulate as heretofore. The officers appointed for the ensuing hulf-year are: — VV. Stewart, G.M.; Edward Adam 3, N.G ; A. K. Smart, V.G.; W. W. Squiivs, surgeon; Edward Moore, Permanent Secretary; aod B. Chisholm, Elective Secretary. Secretary Moore; N. G, Adams, and PP.6.M. Jennings were chosen delegates to aliend the next district meeting.

The Wealth of Nations Quartzmining Company, Inangahua, cleaned up for tho mouth on Friday. The amount of amalgam taken from the plates and boxes was 3630z, making a total for the month of 1369 0z of amalgam, yielding 390 czs ol retorted gold. At ihe meeting of the directors on Saturday night, in Greyraouth, a dividend of 2s 61 per scrip was declared. The present surface level still continues to yield a plentiful supply of stone to keep the batteries at full work.

The Lyell Argus is threatened with an action of libel at the instance ot Mr George Donne. The following telegram has been received by our contemporary from Mr Donne's solicitors :— " To Mr James Graham Niven, Lyell Argus, Lyell. Mr Donne instructs us to demand an apology for your * leader ' of the 30th May, and three guineas costs, or in default, to take proceedings. If you will apologise, we wil! forward a form, otherwise we must immediately proceed." To tbis Mr Niven forwarded the following reply : — "To Messrs Adams and Kingdon, solicitors, Nelson: — A reference to the * leader ' of May shows me that the person who is there alluded to, is described as «a notoriously honest and worthy man.* It is to be regretted that Mr Donne should consider such epithets libellous, but as he appears to do so, and to thiok that they apply to him, I shall have no possible objection to apologise fbr having in that manner accidentally offended him."