Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 162, 10 July 1874, Page 2

When the Duke of Edinburgh visited the country seat of a pastoral magnate in Victoria, they say that the towels with which he wiped his Royal hands were treasured up as family heir-looms. There is a kindjof hero-worship even

more contemptible than this. Some nincompoop in England has forwarded to a brother simpleton in New Zealand ' ; a veritable bit of oakum," taken from the heap which the impostor Orton was at lateat dates engaged in nicking.— Australasian . TheiV. £. Times says :—Considerable agitation seems to have been excited at the several miniog centres in the Grey Valley, by the proposition or resolution on the part of the Nelson Executive to carry out certain reductions by the abolition of the local wardeuship and other offices. Meetings were held, interviews appointed, aod a series of committees formed, for the purpose of having the action of the Executive rescinded, or their intentions modified. By a telegram from a member of what is called the Central Committee, which was formed at Ahaura, we are informed that the «* changes by the Esecutive in the Grey Valley will bo numerous. The Clerk to the Court has had notice, and a constable > to do his work.". It is added by our' correspondent—"lf the clerk be removed, the^jjtings of the District Court here will hl^to be abolished. These changes were no^mooted h* the Provincial Council, and our repws&itatives have protested. £1400 was received here last Friday" — our informant, we presume, referring to the amount of revenue received in the district. It is not improbable that some of the questions raised by the contemplated reduction of which the residents complain may be brought before the General Assembly. There are several involved in the connection between the duties of Warden and Resident Magistrate, in the method in which the salaries of such officers are fixed and paid, and in one matter referred to, of a provincial officer discharging duties associated with the work of the District Court. The gauge of 500 miles of the grand Irunk railway of Canada was lately altered in a day and a half from sft. 6in. to 4ft. B£io. Mr E. P. Hannaford, engineer of tho Hue, marked out the work, and had under his charge 1,510 men. We learn from a Christchurch contemporary that steps are being taken with a view to united action by the various fire brigades in the colony for obtaining exemption from service on juries. The Christchurch and Dunedin Brigades have already joined issue, and it is anticipated that little difficulty will be experienced in securing the cooperation of those in the other provinces. The following is the text of a petition now being signed by the members of the Christohurch Brigade:— "To the honorable members of the Houae of Representatives in Parliament assembled. — The petition of the undersigned, members of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, humbly sheweth that your petitioners are members of a voluntary fire brigade at Christchurch; that your petitioners, in tbe performance of their duties, are called upon at ali hours of the night and day to attend fires, and to work thereat for long, periods of time; that serving as juryman materially interferes with the performance of their duties as firemen, besides entailing a larger sacrifice of their time on behalf of the public service than they can afford. Your petitioners therefore pray that your honorable i

» House will be pleased; to pass A^Adl^i ; relieving thera from acting as jtiryn^ftl while on active service as firemen, anp? to grant suchVpther relief as to youf^ honorable, House shall seem fit, andli your petitioners will ever prayS Similar petitions will be signed by aIISI other brigades joining in the move-V" meut. y : \[