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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 273, 18 November 1874, Page 2

Wksl-yan Conference. — A tea meeting at six, and a public meeting at seven, will be held at the "Wesleyan Church this evening. City Cadets -r-A meeting of the members of this company will be held at the Drill Shed this evening at 7 o'clock. The Tararua arrived at Hokitika this morning, but up to the time of our going to press her telegrams had not reached us. She will sail for Wellington to-morrow afternoon. At the firing of the City Artillery Company to-day for the choice of representatives at the Colonial prize firing, the two highest scores were, Band Sergeant Harling 80, Captain Pitt 75. The Californian Minstrels gave an excellent performance last nigbt to a full house. The first part, which consisted of solos with choruses, was remarkably good, there being some very sweet and some very powerful voices in the company, among whom we were glad to see our old friend Mr Amery once more. The "Bells" with which this part concluded was exceedingly pretty, and from itß novelty found great favor with the audience. The "corner men,'' Messrs Kelly and Sutton, were quite equal to the occasion, and kept the house in a roar with their antics and jokes. The second part Cf-tatnericed with selections by the very efficient little '' orchestra, which were followed by the duet " The Moon bas raised,'" which was sung with great sweetnsas and expression by Messrs Mayor and Amery. Mr Rockefeller's performance on the banjo was really wonderful, and those who have not heard him can have no conception of the music that is to be extracted from that instrument, the " chimes " especially being really beautiful. Mr Amery sang the well known descriptive eong " Tbe Desert," in a manner that created an undeniable demand for a repetition. Mr Harry Kelly was delightful as the "Watermelon Man," and he and Mr Sutton acquitted themselves admirably in the double soogs and dances. The remainder of the performance consisted of some ridiculous "nigger" farces, which, extravagant though they be, always give rise to loud and incessant laughter. There will be another entertainment tbis evening, with a complete change of programme, and those who desire to have a couple of hours amusement cannot do better than attend. Statisticr.— The last number of the Government Gazette contains several pages of statistics for the quarter ending 30th September. From these we make a few extracts of local interest. The value of imports into Nelson during that period was £71,796, against £68,413 in the previous quarter, and to Westport £8018 against £12,529. The exports were, Nelson £9999, against £6945 ; Westport £34,341, against £35,909. It should be remembered, however that a very large amount of the exports and imports of this province pass through Greymouth, The number and amount of money order and savings bank transactions in the province, in which there are four offices open, were: — Money orders issued 506, representing £1944; ditto paid 829, of the value of £3361. In the Savings Banks there were 78 accounts opened, and 51 closed; 377 deposits representing £4,020, and 188 withdrawals, equal to £3421. The total excess of deposits over withdrawals throughout the colony was £29,018. The total value of exports from tbe colony during the quarter was £668,788, against £800,597 in the corresponding quarter of 1873, and the total value of imports £2,280,543, against £1,473,261 io the corresponding quarter of last year. A northern eon tern porary states that tbe manufacture of bags from New Zealand hemp bas aow been commenced at Northern Wairoa. The material is found to be admirably adapted for the ; purpose, and those who are now work-

ing it ap into the humble form of bags are disposed to think tbat it will be well suited for other textile. fabrics of a rough kind. The Southern Gross draws attention to the fact that there will be a novelty in Auckland province on the arrival of * the Mai quis of Normanby. Three New Zealand Governors will be in Auckland province at one time, perhaps in Auckland city. An ex-Governor, who has ' reigned two terms in the colony, and is 1 now a resident in the province; a Go- - vernor who is about to lay down the ■ sceptre, and depart; and a third, who is about to take it up. Our contemporary doubts if any otber British colony ever J had such an experience. | The Otago Daily Times has reaeo* (o believe that Sir George Grey is now 1 preparing a naw Constitution Act, also . a number of papers in proof of the fact '_ that the Middle Island landed estate ' belongs to tbe colony by purchase, and that a large sum of money is lawfully | owing to the North Island by the General Government. Sir George has ' intimated to hia friends that he will * not be unwilling to aocept a seat in the House of Representatives when an opportunity arises. "Tahite," tbe theatrical correspon- \ dent of the Australasian, pays the fol- \ lowing tribute to a Nelson artist : — J "At St. Georges-hall our old friends > tbe Carandiui family, including oor ' f specially welcome friend Cotterell, who ' is now one of the family, having lately | become the husbnod of Mies Isabella Car and mi, are back again. Their J ballad singing is the btst of its kind, and it is given with the quality of expression so well that every song sung is a liitle history in itself, and k suggests a whole drama lo those who 1 are not quite wanting in imagination. 1 And Cotterell is not only as good as ever, but better than ever. He is not i merely clever, he is wonderfully gifted. 1 His characters are not .k'tches, 'they J are finished portraits, but they differ from the average of portraits in being i all life-like; they are cabinet pictures, r highly elaborated, but in no degree t spoiled by elaboration. You may study . each one separately, and never grow tired of studying if. If all characters r in all plays were as truthfully repref sented as Mr Cotterell represents his 3 characters acting would be tbe most complete of all tbe fine arts." j An exchange says that "so great are' the improvements at present going on j at Auckland — in the shape of erecting t brick buildings— that it is thought tbe . town of Auckland of 1874 will not be . known in 1875. Building-, too, are r going up in every direction out of the , city. The city improvements end j other public works that are going on r make the trade very brisk there at j present." , Messrs He6se and Rummel, of Mell bourne, bave introduced a wopl-claaaify--3 ing apparatus, which seems likely to prove of great value to wool brokers I and others. The instrument is fitted . wilh a powerful magnifying glass, in t the field of wh'ch is placed a scale with , divisions of one-tenth of a milmetre. , A strand of wool whose fioenees is to , be tested is placed on this scale, and k by means of the microscopes its exact j thickness or fineness may be ascertained. , The large French and German manu. , facturers use these instruments in t chousing their wools, and the wool f broker or shipper in this colony, by j resorting to the same appliance, could . determine beforehand the exact classiSr cation which his wool will receive in , tbe European market, as the scale I agrees with the numbers ot the best wool. Messrs Hesse and Rummel 5 import tbe microscopes, and make the . micrometers and scales themselves. , The cost of the instra ment is from £20 , to £30 each, which does not seem an I extravagant price for a wool merchant to pay in view of the advantage to be gained. ' (For remainder of News see fourth page.)