Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 260, 2 November 1874, Page 2

Madame Arabella Goddard. — There is likely to be an overflowing audience at the Provincial Haii tomorrow evening when, Madame Arabella Goddard will make her first appearance in New Zealand. Of the principal performer, who possesses so world wide a reputation, it is needless to say anything, but in addition to her playing we may add that one of the chief attractions will be tbe performances on tbe Violin of Herr Doehler, who is said to be one of tbe most exquisite players that ever visited the southern hemisphere. We would call attention to the very liberal programme which includes both classical and popular music in great variety. Richmond Cattle Fair.— Tbe next quarterly fair will be held at Richmond on Wednesday the 2nd December, and not tbe 4th inst. as advertised on Saturday. Rifle Competition. — The eighth competition for the company's silver Champion Medal took place this morning at tbe Maitai butts, when it was won by Color-Sergeant Burn, who now becomes the final owner of it, be having won it four times. Tbe ranges were 200yds, position standing, target 6x4 feet; 400 and 500yds, position any, target 6x6 feet; five shots at each range. Tbe following are tbe scores : —

The writer of •« The Week" wial.es to correct no error into which be tia i fallen. He remarked upon tho undesirability of importing •■ organ grinders " among tbe emigrants from England, having been informed that Nelaou was indebted to such a source for (hose of tbe craft who are now here, whereas tbey were passengers from another province. Tbe sense of enjoyment with which tbe soul-stirring strains of these delightful instruments is listened to will for the future be unalloyed by tbe u flection that tbe producers of them were imported at the expense of tbe colony. Tbe formation of the Westport Railway ia complete.! aa far as the swamp on the south side of the Orawaiti, ard tbe work is being carried ou hy a party of men who are camped on the bank of the latter stream. From the Oiawaii.i to Sergeant's Hill, (he bush has bei u felled nod cleared. The cutting at the hill is being rapidly pushed forwar.J. Quite a little township has grown up at Sergeant's Bill, and tbe work of formation and cutting ia being carri< d on by a party of men on the other side. A correspondent, writing from Dunedin to a contemporary, says : — A dreadful business-like meeting of the "leading ladies" of the city was held the other day, to initiate a "Servants Home" movement on somewhat model

principles ; next day the " respectable servants" of Otago intimated their desire, per advertisement, to start a model school for the training of mistresses, so you w/ill observe how reciprocal are tbe sentimeats of employers and employed. The Marlborough Express says :— " From what has reached as, it appears doubtful whether tbe immigrants now on their way to Marlborough are of the most desirable character for this locality. Bred on a small rocky islet, their pursuits are for the most part fishing and bird-nesting, and it is doubtful whether there is any land for either agricultural or pastoral pursuits in the Fair Isle. If this be tbe case, it would have been more fitting to have shipped these people to tbe sea-board, rather than the plains. A correspondent of the Wanganui Chronicle writes :— The appearance of tbe planet Venus during tbe day has caused considerable apprehension among the more superstitious of tbe natives, who ascribe to this phenomenon the late severe weather which has prevailed. Many anticipate a prolonged season of heavy gales and Mighty storms of hail, and impute atl kinds of supernatural powers of evil doing to this planet. Its unusual position has caused much uneasiness, . and the reputed wise men among the white population have been frequently consulted of late as to tbe causes of the onwonted astronomical phenomenon. The failure of the crops, tbe awful severity of the weather, and tbe position of Venus have together exercised a more depressing influence upon the natives generally than one acquainted with their peculiar characteristics of creed, superstition, aod reasoning inherent in the native mind, could possibly conceive or comprehend. Tbe weather blockade is still traintain ed at the Lyell. Tbe Argus of October 24th apologises to its subscribers for' its non-appearance as follows :—" We were compelled to omit our last Wednesday's publication as our supply of paper has completely run out. A new stock has been lying at Westport for the last month, and there it will remain unless the weather is such as to enable the boats to make another trip. If the storekeepers will kindly assist us with the loan of some butter paper wo shall be able to give two iesnes next week, but without their assistance thia cannot be done. We would assure our subscribers that it is through no fault of ours that the present irregularity has occurred." If tbe above state of affairs continues, our contemporary will be compelled to borrow tbe butter as well as the paper. Late reports from the Saramea show that the mining population there still continues steadily at work, aod realise steadily profitable results. The bad weather so long prevailing baa left its mark there as elsewhere. The crop of peaches,* of which there was an abundant promise, has been destroyed by the heavy storms, and sown crops generally are backward. A somewhat Berjous encroachment of the sea has been observable lately all along tbe Karamea bight, so much so that land hitherto considered available for agriculture has now lost its value for such purpose — Westport Times. An adjourned meeting of the members. ,of the Church of England : was held at Reeftoo on Monday evening, evening. Mr Bayfield was in the chair. The canvassers reported having obtained, after a partial canvass in Reeftoo, subscriptions to the amount ot£&2s 13s ; and other £90 had been promised, making a total of £415 13s. A building committee was appointed, and it was resolved to erect a church which would admit of easy enlargement, at a cost , not exceeding £600. Tbe following extract from the Argus hes an old familiar ring about it:— Some correspondence respecting ihe recent tour of the Governor in Gippa Land was presented to both Houses of Parliament yesterday. The correspondence comprises a communication from Sir George Bowen to tbe Secretary of State for the Colonies, respecting the tour and the reply thereto. Sir "Geo. Bowen describes the province, from its mountainous and picturesque character as the Wales or Highlands of Victoria, and mentions that he is (he first Go? vernor who has riden through it and crossed its highest ranges. He also forwarded copies of the report on tbe physical character and resources of Gipps Land, prepared by the SurveyorGeneral and tbe Secretary of Mines, and the more popular account oi the tour which was published in tbe Argus, with a request that copies might be transmitted to tbe Royal Geographical and Geological Societies of London. Tbe Secretary of State for the Colonies, iu bis reply, mentions that be has perused these documents with much interest, and that, as requested, copies have been forwarded to the societies named. ; A Chinese doctor, of the name of Lo Kwoi Sang writes to tbe Argus that he knows the cause, and also the cure, of diptheria, and is prepared to prove it in the presence of all tbe medical men. He adds that there are eighteen varieties of the disease. It cahoot be stamped out, but can very easily be cured when it is known to exist. But it must he taken at the first stage. Diphtheria is not confined Jo the, land j it is frequently taken at sea. It reigns in tbe highest, tbe lowest, and the loneliest spots. Cleanliness is =no preventive; filthinesa is no encouragement. There is no country in the world exempt from it. Neither is there any \ ocean, river, lake, or sea exempt. \

Thb Melbourne Cup. — * Augur " writes in tbe Australasian of October 24 :—«« Trainers were delighted to see a change in the weather on Monday n| ght. JChe rain 4hat fell came just in the nick of time, as the ground was becoming harder and harder, several good horses exhibiting the effcts of the adamantine style of the training course. I was out very early, and bad only time to partake of the customary libation when Mr Tail's horses put in an appearance. They were soon followed by Mr Tait himself, and then Henderson's and Cutts' horses followed. The New Z^alanders, as usual, at once cantered on tbe tan to take the stiffness out of their joints. Subsequently Lnrline, accompanied by Calumny, walked on to tbe turf gallop inside tbe course proper, where tbe two mares cantered twice round tbe hurdles, Calumny pulling off after the second round, while Lurline went another mile: and a half at a strong pace* s going something in her old style, but still not so freely as when she first ■ commenced work at Flemington. Rory ' tj'More and Papapa also did good work round the hurdles." The saire authority, in reference to the great racp, says :— "I shall confine myself to Goldsbrougb, Break of Day, Lapidiat, Speculation, and Horatio, and believiog; the firstnamed to be one of the best animals we have ever seen, I shall once more plump for Goldsbrougb, as I did when be ran for tbe Hawkeabury Handicap and the ; Metropolitan."— Lurline, we notice, is quoted at 100 to 7; Papapa is not mentioned in the betting. A four-inch wire rope, intended for the suspension bridge over the Grey ;River at Brunnertoo, has been landed from tbe schooner Florence at Wellington, and also a large quantity of rails for the Brunner line. , Tbe Lyell Argus of the 24th says that another successful crushing lias been obtained by Messrs Carroll aod Cairns fyom their claim, the Little Wonder. On Wednesday last the gold was smelted; at the Bank- of New Zealand, when a result was ascertained of ibdnt,4|W of ! gold to the ton of quartz. Ninety-three J tons of stone was tbe quantity of quariz crushed. ; Not iong ago an officer of the London School Board was crossing Coventgarden Market at a late hour, when be found a little fellow making ilia bed for the nigbt in a fruit basket. "Would yjou not like to go to school, and -be Well cared for?" asked the oflicial. "No" replied the urchin. "But do yoii kuow that I am one of the people : ?ho are. authorised to take up little Boys whom I find as T findyouTand t;ake them to school ?" "I know you ajre, old chap, if you find them in the Streets ; but this here is not a street, |t is private property j aod if you interferes with my liberty, the Duke of Bedford will be down upon you. I knows the hact as well as'yoa^rii

Name 200yds 4ooyds 500yds Tl. Sergt J. A. Burn 34232 33333 44342 46 Corpl D. Burna 33434 32233 33424 46 Prt J. Johnston 02034 23443 03432 37 Co'pl Crosaman 32223 34243 30042 37 Prt Sunley ... 20432 32222 03333 34 Lieut D. Born 2v202 22332 22423 33 Pvt Aiken ... 02233 2b324 24402 33 Pvt C. Mac'ean 34430 40220 02200 2« Corpl Godfrey 33020 32333 20000 24 PvtEscourt ... 02333 23220 retired 20