The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 309, 15 September 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1874.

San Fbancisco Mail. — The Macgregor with the English mail arrived at Auckland this morning. We really shall be very sorry when this service ! ceases, for something out of the ordinary is always occurring in connection with it. Now, the steamer is a week ' after her time, giving rise to much exciting speculation as to the probable date of her arrival; then, she is signalled, to the great astonishment of everybody, a day before she is due, bat, it turns out has hurried on without the mail; and in the present instance she has performed the unusual feat, of arriving with the mails only four days after her time, but the captain refuses to give up the bags until he has received the subsidy. What shall we do without ! this monthly source of amusement? H.M.S. Blanche.— We call attention to a suggestion made by a correspondent in to-day's issue for entertaining the sailors of the Blanche. We shall be very glad to see his idea carried into execution, and will do all all in our power to further the end he has in view. Ball Pbactice.— We have heard a great number of persons express a desire to see some ball practice now that a man-of-war is lying in the harbor, and Captain Simpson would be conferring a fswor on the public if he were to permit an hour or two to be devoted to it. Possibly, too, our Artillery corps might be admitted on board at the time. They would, doubtless, readily avail themselves of such an opportunity of taking a lesson in gunnery. Buller Road.-— lt will be seen by advertisement that tenders are invited for the construction of a dray road from the Grip to the Owen. This work, when completed, will open up through communication from Nelson to Matakitaki. It is understood that, while in Wellington, members of the Greymouth deputation interested themselves in more than merely waiting upon the Minister for Public Works, and that they made satisfactory arrangements for the procuring of steam colliers suitable for the trade, as soon as these can be constructed in England. Orders for several steam colliers, it is said, have been sent by the Alhambra, aud anticipatory telegrams will probably be sent home as soon as that vessel has arrived in Mcl bourne. ~Times, The Resident Magistrate at Wanganci has lately spoken severely oft the

character of some of the immigrants that arrive in the colony. A Woodlark immigrant of the name of Gain summoned Wirihana Ilonia for wages doe to his wife, but it appeared that the plaintiff had only been married about a week, and therefore could not recover. The Magistrate, in dismissing the case, is reported by the Herald to have said :— *A great many of (he immigrants who came out to this colony imagine that tbey have arrived in a land of savages. Here we see our i own race disgraced by acts that the natives would not commit. Half the crime during the last three months has been committed by people emigrating from the home country. Whatever they might have done at home, they had a fresh career and fresh chance open to them here, and should make the beßt of it. One of the new arrivals from England, says the New Zealand Times, appears to have brought wiih him not only a "new industry," but the machinery and the capital to commence business at once. He is a shoe- black, and the first of the fraternity to settle here. He may be seen squatted at a convenient corner on Lambton Quay, with stand and brushes, after the pure London type, and offering to the raudded passenger to "Brush your boots, sir," for the modest fee of threepence. He should do a roaring trade here, for the streets in wet weather are certainly muddy enough in all conscience to promote the dirtying of boots. Hitherto the stranger appears to have found his chief patrons among the Maoris, to whom to be operated upon in the shoe-black's manner must be quite a new sensation. Blondin the Great, " the hero of Niagara," does things on a large scale. He is now in Sydney, where he is to appear in the outer Domain. He was to show for the first time on the 29th ultimo, and for his performances " a most monstrous " tent bad been erected, capable of holding from 18,000 to 20,000 people. " This tent, which M. Blondin has brought with him," says the Herald, "is said to be the largest in existence — far excelling in size the celebrated tent in which Mr Barnum's menagerie was exhibited. The Theatre itself will be 250 feet in length, by 200 broad, with fides of canvas 60 feet high, and of course open at the top. An outer enclosure surrounds the tent, 100 feet long by 300 feet broad. The sides of the tent will be sustained by strong poles, let into the ground, and secured by numerous guys. The masta which support the rope on which the performer goes through his evolutions will be about the same height as the tent, and the rope will be steadied by guys, fastened to stakes firmly driven into the ground." At the Waitemata nomination, Mr Staines, an elector, asked Mr Von der Heyde if he voted against the clause introduced to regulate the hours of barmaids? Mr Von der Heyde said: I voted against it, because I believe that barmaids, just as well as anyone else, know when their work is done. — Mr Staines: Does not the Legislature interfere with factories? — Mr Von der Heyde: I have no doubt that the young women engaged in factories, &c, would work after hours if they were paid for it. Ido not think it is a question for Legislative interference. There are domestic servants who receive 15s per week, and frequently work from six to twelve. Barmaids receive from 30s to £2 per week, and work from eleven to eleven, and if they chose to continue to do so, I do not see why we should interfere. The Charleston Herald of Wednesday last says: — After a lengthened connection with this district, during which he has earned the respect and good will of the whole population, Mr Alfred Greenwood takes bis final departure en route to England. We feel sure all our readers will join with us in wishing Mr Greenwood a pleasant and quick voyage. The same journal also reports that a presentation of a Bible and an address was made on Sunday last, to Mr Alfred Greenwood, by the teachers and scholars of St. Mark's Sunday School, the same being some acknowledgment of the valuable services rendered by that gentleman to the institution. This act of gratitude on the part of his young and affectionate friends, coming as it does on the eve of his departure for England, will, we feel sure, be highly appreciated by that gentleman.