The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 321, 29 September 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1874.

Diocesan SYNOD.-^The "Synod is summoned to meet on the 14th October, but we understand that the meeting will be a purely "format 1 6ne[°aSi_ tba. there will be another session early in 1875. ; „.-:<

Habboe-Masteb.— -At a meeting of the Executive : held yesterday, it waa decided to rescind the resolution pre? viously agreed to with regard to depriving the portof Nelson ofthe services of Mr Cross as Harbor master and pilot. He will therefore continue to hold office, and the Melbourne steamers wbicb, it was threatened, should pass by this port iothe event of his dismissal, will still pay us their periodical visits.

Refokm League. — A meeting of the Leasure, w«s held L last night when tbe promised discussion on the abolition of Provincialism was opened 'by Mr Stephenson, who, in a carefully-pre-pared speech, declared himself to be a strong opponent of the '* weary farce " of Provincialism. On the motion of Mr Gibson, the Vice-President, the debate was adjourned until Monday next. Takaka. — A largely attended meeting was held at the. Takaka Courthouse on the 21st instant^ to consider certain propositions made to the General Government by Mr Gibbs, M.H.R., for applying part of the Middle Island railway; fund ito laying down a tramway at Takaka which had been acceeded to. The following resolutions were unanimously agreed to :—•'(!.) "This meeting agrees with the urgent necessity existing fof'the construction of a tramway from the port of Waitapu aod following along the main road as far, as Gorge Creek, East Takaka." (2) " Tbat it is expedient that the Uoad Board of Takaka should undertake the construction of the tramway to.be laid down with the funds apportioned to the district, out of the Middle Island railway fund." (3.) " That the expenses of the survey, as estimate of the work be paid by tbe Road Board ont of the rates of the district:" , Mr Gibbs then addressed the meeting in reference to the late session and received a : vote of confidence.

Notwithstanding the extensive accommodation at the "great racing Btable" Mr Redwood finds it quite in^ adequate to meet the wants of his rapidly increasing blood stock. He purposes erecting another large stable upwards of 90 feet long, together with crushing mill, and chaff houße, of tbe dimensions of 80 feet by 20 feet. Whatever else Marlborough can boast of, sbe certainly possesses the largest and beat stock of racing bloods in the Southern Hemisphere.— Express. The Greymonth Evening Star thus descants on the subject of one Mr Fox's speeches:— « We do not know what Mr Fox s idea of a sensational speech is. He was accused by the Wellington journals of intending to make such ao oration, and indignantly repudiated tbe imputation in the following words-— 'Nothing would induce him to make a sensational speech. If h e were to give a brief history of certain public houses ur Wellington, or in any of our New Zealand villages, and describe the events connected with them for one year—a sketch of ruined homes, of broken-down colonists, destitute widows, children turned into the streets as city arabs, and the thousand evils which flowed out of every 1 one of these institutions, whicb by law were permitted to exist— and if ha were to place in contrast with these l the' unlimited wealth of those great millionwre brewers, dwtillera, and: importers,

whose, families indulge- in, all the luxuries of life, riding ih golden coaches, conveyed to their graves ial golden •hearses, and buried in golden colli na* AWelt, if tlie fore&oinfc ia not '^n_^o|m^^^%icH^E^t9Vbear v^ Fox when he is inclined to draw the /long bow for effect. By the way, in confidence, we should like to know where the graves of tbe golden-coffined J)r%wers-ra|e. „ The , diggings in these b% fepqd \" } \ ;

Liquor Law Eefobm. — Under this heading the hon. Mr Fox contributes ah bccl_i6S_ir "article fo the "Niw Zealand Times. From a recent issue of tbat journal we take the following : —The word "Refreshments " has acquired a technical sense. a cup of tea of coffee; a luncheon of ■cold meat; .an, , ; oyster. ..supper j, - ices, lemonade, sandwiches, 'fruit, or the like, were as often understood as not by this. term. „ But, jjnyo-j^ witb hjjs taken tbe trouble to read ; the debates 1 on the Liquor which have occurred, during the last session of tbe Imperial Parliament (and which the London Times remarks occupied nearly half of the session),; will have observed that the term refreshment has got to be, appropriated, almost, if not exclusively, to the consumption of alcoholic liquors; as if nothing wotfld •** refresh " - man's fainting nature, whether at five in the morning,; five in the afternoon, or twelve at night, except some intoxicating beverage. Io the debates referred to, when an honorable member speaks 1 of "refreshment" he invariably means alcohol in some shape or other. When he argues that publichouses should be open at five in the morning, to enable the laboring man to get " refreshments" before going to his work,'he never means a decent breakfast, or a cup of hot coffee or chocolate, but beer, or gin, or other form of alcoholic drink. When the necessity of keeping the public-house open ior the bona fide traveller is urged, the b,f.1., is supposed never to refresh himself with any other thing than alcoholic liquors; it is the bar and not the kitchen which is to be kept open in order that he may obtain I the " refreshment" he needs. We protest against this monopoly of tbe word. It is op a par ywith. the phrase "licensed victualler," which is nsed to give dignity to tbe keeper of the shanty in Dead Man's _ Gully, equally with the landlord of a hotel in Cavendish Square; though the only victuals sold may be adulterated rum, or some other vile alcoholic compound. " Refreshments sold here by Jonathan Bung, licensed victualler." That means, as often as not, " bad spirits sold and no other victuals whatever." Why the.c bad spirits, which consign the victim to the gutter or the lock-up, should be called " refreshments " par excellence, and why Mr Jonathan Bung ehonld be styled a "victualler " par excellence, altogether baffles our apprehension.

Dundein Piggery, &c. — The following is explanatory of an important telegram that was recently wired over tbe country by the Press Agency: — A preliminary meeting was held at the the Univerral Hotel for the purpose of establishing a Marine Store and Piggery Company in Dunedin. Mr Hildreth occupied the chair, and about sixty persons were present. After some most amusing remarks had been made, Mr Pavletich stated that he was the promoter of the company. He had already spent about £50 for the proposed object and was willing to expend £100 more. If they went through tbe streets of Dunedin, they would see fin immense amount of praperty under their feet. If people noticed a large piece of coal on tbe road tbey were too proud to pick it up, but they would have no objection to stoop for a sixpence. If the company were started it would afford employment to numbers of poor people. There would then be no necessity for them to take advantage of Benevolent Institutions. If they brought old boots, old' hats, or anything of that kind tp the proposed company, thpy would receive money for them. He protested against persons spending their cash,, and trampling on the grace of God. He wished to keep a clean town like everybody, else. There was mire fortune in. the streets of Dunedin than they had in their pockets. He proposed to start the com pa Dy for the sake of poor people and would be willing to put the profits from bis own shares in tbe poor bos. Wbethpr tbey established tbe company with £10, £50, or £1 shares, they would be sure to make money by it. [A Voice: l" tire you a purchaser of fish bones, Mr Chairman? The Chairman replied that be was not ashamed of bis profession.] Mr Pavleticb explained that be had paid all the preliminary expenses, and if the Press did not publish bis speech, he would circulate bis ideas over the country by other means if it cost him £20. He -proposed tbe following resolution : — " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to establish a Marine Store and Piggery Company (Limited); tbe capital to be ! £2000, in 2000 shares at £1 each." j The waste products of a country were of immense value. In Yorkshire, tbe woollen waste alone was worth £3,000,000 a year.

Very odd excuses are put forward in ; courts of justice j bul this, fromj Chambers' Journal, surpasses all: — A; French? Republican,; condemned to death j for murdering his wife anl child without! extenuating circumstances, demurred' to the sentence, because capital punish- '■ ment bad been abolished in France for! political offences, and he had killed his' wife and child for no other reaioii but bee-use they were Legitimists.