The Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, SEPTEMVER 14, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 308, 14 September 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, SEPTEM VE R 14, 1874.

paptaio Marshall, who, U may be remembered, was in charge of one of tbei squads during the colonial prize firing, afriveff by : the Wellington yesterday, having been sent here to take cb»rge o'ftbe Nelson Militia and Volunteer district. iJEtaolsr Cricket Club. — The annual general meeting of the members of ibis ciub will.be held at the Masonic Hotel to-morrow eveaing, at 8 o'clock. His Honor the Superintendent returned from Wellington by the steamer Wellington yesterday. A number of immigrants arrived herein the Wellington, and were this mqrnfng forwarded to the West Coast by i the Charles. Edward. Volckteeks. — A rifle contest will take place on Thursday, at the Muitai balls,: between the members of the City Rifles, aud a team from H.M.S. Blanche, tan. men aside> firing to commence at 12.30 p.m. Bb&rp. ffc^&ir; Jocsahr. Club. — A meeting «f &fte members of this club on baa bess

of importance will be held at seven o'clock this evening, at the Masonic Hotel. Richmond. — A public meeting in connection with Good Teroplarism will be held in the Agricultural Hall, Richmond, on Thursday evening next. Applications for Beats in the convey-: ances from town must be made on or before Wednesday evening. Resident Magistrate's Court.—William Greenleaf, a Beaman on board the steamer Wellington, was charged with disobedience to lawful orders. The offence consisted of continuing to play a concertina when ordered by the captain not to do so, there being a sick person on board to whom it was an annoyance. Sentenced to seven days' imprisonment, and to forfeit two days wages.— James Bowles pleaded guilty to stealing a gold watch chain, the property of W. R. Waters, and was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment with hard labor. Ram Show. — A meeting of the Agricultural Association was held at Richmond on Saturday night, when it was decided to hold the annual ram show on the 4tb November. The j shearing prizes will be the earns as last year, wifch the addition of one for 1 shearers under 20 years of age. Messrs i Marsden and M'Rae were authorised to collect subscriptions, and we trust that they will meet with success, as these shows are likely to prove very valuable assistants in the direction of improving the breed of sheep in the province. Spring Grove— Good Templars. — A farewell tea was given to Bro. Lewie, D.R.W.G.T,, on Wednesday evening last, by the members of the Good Hope Lodge. An excellent- tea was served by Bro. E. Newth, and about 60 persons were present,|inciuding a few of the members of Bro. Lewis's con- | gregation. Bro. Lewis has been apI pointed to visit the churches in these I islands of the denomination to which be belongs. Bro. J. Robertson, W.CT., occupied the chair, and addresses were given by Bro. Gowland, P.W.C.T., I Bro. Batt, W.C.T. of the Wakefield : lodge, Bro. Hildretb, Lodge Deputy, and Bro. F. Newth. Bro. Lewis replied in an able and eloquent speech, 1 pointing out the good that. had been 1 accomplished, and urging them to united efforts on behalf of the Order. He delivered a most telling reply to a few objections that had been urged against the Order. Spring Grove has lost an earnest Christian worker in Bro. Lewis. — Communicated* Footbaix. — A ma'cb, in which, if we may judge by the large number of spectators, an unusual amount of interest was taken, wa3 played on Saturday afternoon between fifteen officers and men of H.M.S. Blanche, and a like number of the Nelson Football Club. The local team was known to consist of some smart players, but when the naval brigade appeared on the ground and " peeled " for the contest, grave doubts were expressed whether the former would be able to bold their own against them, and many even bets were made on the result. The captain of the Blanche contingent having won the tOBS elected to play from the western goal, having both sun and wind at bis back, and at half* past three the game commenced, it being understood that the play was to continue until five p.m., nnd that nt " half-time" the goals should be changed. In a very few minutes it began to dawn upon the backers of the foreign team that they and their money would booo be parted, for, despite the plucky stand made by our visitors, and the amount of vigor with which they played, they were totally unable to get the ball away from the vicinity of their goal. An occasional exceptionally good kick would now and then send it flying fifty yards or so from the destination that evidently was ultimately in store for it, but no sooner had it touched the ground than it was back again, and the Blanche men had all their work cut out, not in driving it iuto their opponents' goal, but in keeping it out of their own. Scrimmages, in which hard knocks and exceedingly disagreeable kicks were plentiful, \sere ot frequent occurrence, and every now and then a mass of struggling humanity was to be seen, reminding one of a swarm of bees settling on the branch cf a tree, and if, on Buch occasions, the queen bee is exposed to treatment as rough as that received by the holder of a football in a scrimmage, should prefer to occupy tba position of one of the humblest of her followers to that of her majesty herself. In twenty minutes three "tries" had been secured by the Nelson men, who, but for their misdirected kicks would very speedily have scored a goal, but it was half an hour before the height of their ambition was attained. Then, however, Speed contrived in the middle of a hard fight to send the ball flying between the posts. After a short spell the combatant 8 were at it again, and for ten minutes the same goals were retained, but then, time being up, they were changed, and very shortly two more "tries" were secured to the Nelson team. Kicking, scrimmaging, and running with the ball were continued for twenty minutes longer, when Blundell got hold of the ball, make a fine rush through his opponents, and with a clever kick from about twenty yards from the goal sent it soaring between the pole?. There wub a few minutes more pJay without &oy further result when time was called and the Nelson men declared the victors. We most congratulate them on the discipline, skill, and activity they displayed , throughout the match, and, if the

opinions of those who. witnessed the play, and have seen the various clubs in the colony engaged in the game, are worth anything we can safely say that however backward Nelson may be at cricket, there is not. another province that can equal our local club at football. A coach and four was on the ground to convey our visitors to the Port, for which place they shortly afterwards started, accompanied -by their late opponents, after each side had vociferously cheered the other. It is to be regretted that the Wellingtonians did not pay us their promised visit, as our local club have lost an opportunity of giving them a hearty reception, and probably an unmistakeable beating.