CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 176, 7 August 1874, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of ths Evesing Mail." Sib— Your contemporary is perpetually reminding the public that he is for ever giviug all the information and news which can possibly interest the Province, excluding politics and including voluminous sensational extracts frora American newspapers. Something did happen, according to your telegrams of last night, which might hive been supposed to interest the people of this Province. In the annual Educational Tournament, College, with less tban half the numbers of nny of its competitors — with the staff numerically the weakest — beat all the other Provinces, great and small. In your contemporary's issue I find no mention of this — not even the telegram. Whether the Governors and masters of the College feel aggrieved by the silence of our representative organ I have no means of knowing, but I think the public may possibly complain — or at least th it portion of it which depends upon the Colonist lor its in-. foi mation — that they do not get ia those columns quite all the local news which might be interesting to them.— l am, &c, A Quondam Candidate. Nelson, Angust 6, 1874. P.S.— When Mr. Luckie conducted the Colonist, he always expressed that unfeijmed pleasure in tbe success of the Nelson boys, which, sppearing where it was certain to meet the eyes of so many friends, is perhaps one of the best incentives to exertions. The number of steam-engines on the Auckland Goldflelds for mining pur. poses is thus giwen:— At the Thames, 45 engines, 1283 horse-power; at Coromandel, 8 engines, 220 horsepower; total, 53 engines, 1503 horsepower. At a recent meeting of the Canterbury Acclimatization Society, it was stated by the Secretary tbat considerable correspondence had taken place upon the subject of obtaining swallows' eggs, and that a shipment was expected to arrive shortly. In the Taranaki Herald of July 22nd appears a column and a half report of a soiree to which the first ship-load of immigrants ex Waikato, frora London, were invited. Another notice says :— Five single girls were engaged at wages varying from 7s to 12s psr week; and eight or ten married couples took situations in tbe country districts, at wages averaging from 23s to 25s per week, with house, garden and fuel found tbem. The single men, who are for the most part under twenty years of age, did not go off bo quickly, as they considered the wages offered were too small ; but several engagements were effected at from £30 to £40 per annum, with board and lodgings. Many of these styled themselves farm laborers; but it was found that, out of twentynine, not more than four or five were capable of ploughing, reaping, mowing, and shearing. Several strong lads, , from twelve to fifteen years of age.

found employment in the country, at from 83 to lOs per week, wish board. The remainder of the bands not engaged by the settlers, will be employed by tbo Government, at 5s per day, on bush roads. Spurious coins are in circulation at the Thames Goldfield. One of these, which a publican had taken io course of business, whs lately tested and exposed. The imitation is perfect, and but for Ihe dull appearance of the meta! and a very slight defect in the ring, tbe greatest difficulty would be experienced in delecting the spurious make. The great pedestrian feat now being accomplished in tbe marquee next the Princess Theatre attracted many persons during Saturday and yesterday, says a late Otago exchange. Mr and Mrs Wiltshire continue to present an indomitable appearance. At 12 last night the former had accomplished 77 mileß, and the latter 75 half-miles. Thirty laps constitute the mile. Increased sitting accommodation has been provided. for the convenience of visitors. Mr Wiltshire notifies his willingness to arrange a match with " Young Austin M on the following conditions: — After he bas walked 200 miles, Austin to join and walk with bim, and the first who gives in forfeits either £100. £200, or £300. If this challenge be accepted, the match will prove very exciting. Referring to the recent scalding of a native at Rotorua, tbe correspondent of the Bay of Plenty Times writes:—The native Maori Matia, through having a good constitution, and the inner skin not being destroyed, has thoroughly recovered, and was able to resume bis journey the other afternoon. The native cures for scalds appear to be very effective, especially in cases where fever does not supervene. They apply to the wound a thin coating of slimy mud, which they obtain from certain portions of the lake. The bandage is removed every morning, and wheu the patient is washed with lukewarm water a fresh coat is supplied, spread on a piece of calico, aud is continued until the new skin is formed." A person signing himself " H.Hollis," writes to the Daylesford Mercury to say that he ia prepared „ to swear that the Tichborne claimant is not Arthur Orton. Hollis writes that he knew Orton well, and that he often visited and dined with him at his (Holiis's) private residence, in Elizabeth Street, Hobart Town. He goes on to say: — " We were both engaged at the same office, wrote together, atteaded law courts together — indeed, we were more than companions iv office *, we were as closely bound iv friendship as two erratic mortals cquid possibly be. And here it may be a's jvell to state that the general public look upon Orton as a low, vulgar, Wapping butcher, forgetting that it is quite possible for a butcher to be one of Nature's nobility. Orton, in youth, received a highly respectable education. At one period of his life be held the post of editor to a highly influential religious journal in England. In Hobart Town I knew him as a gentleman." An American exchange writing upon the liquor traffic* says : — That to drink to excess is inju|ious, no one will deny. Carried to the i extreme of creating drunkenness, it| admits of little or no excuse. But in dealing with the question, we cannot understand why reason should be ignored altogether, and impulse, excitement, or enthusiasm, that looks at the question only in one direction, should bs substituted. Drunkenness is bad enough Jbut that wild, unreasoning fever o» impulse which seeks to make men sober against their will, is not much less an intoxication. However unreasoning are those who indulge to excess, scarcely less so are they wbo, without the least reference to, or respect for, consequences, except one, would, at a blow, and at once, destroy the liquor traffic and all its connections with the other business of the country. Had the manufacture bf spirituous liquors never been begun, it is possible tbat the community and the world had been better off. But it is quite another question when you come to consider its sudden and forcible annihilation. Au important and interesting discussion took place tbe other day at the Engineering Association of New South Wales, with respect to the relative value of iron and stone for public wharfs. Tbe weight of opinion (says the Herald) was undoubtedly in favor of the use of colonial material. Iron was condemned as more expensive and less durable, and it was pointed out that id England, where iron ia relatively cheaper, wharves are almost universally made of brick, stone, or timber. London newspapers give further illustration of what temperance by Act of Parliament really amonnts to. The Commissioners of Inland Revenue, in presenting their annual report, remarked upon the larger figures it contained as follows: — " We believe that such an extraordinary increase, purely from natural growth of revenue, as that shown above, has never before been recorded In the accounts of our department. It is derived almost entirely from spirits and beer. The excise duties on spirits show an increase during the year of £1,474,647." Publicans, it would appear, sell more under the new Licensing Act than under the old one; or there is more British gin aold by the grocers; or perhaps it may be, as Punch suggests, the consumers, " limited as to time for tipppling, are thereby incited to make the most of their time."