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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 278, 24 November 1874, Page 2

A supplementary mail via Suez will be despatched by tbe Albion at eight o'clock on Friday morning. In an article intended to be complimentary to its late Editor, the Colonist tbis morning calls Mr Luckie "the agile conger of the Gross." Save ns from our friends. The Provincial Secretary returned to town last night from the West Coast. Volunteebs.—-The monthly inspection of the city corps was held last nigbt, when about 150 were present. The various movements were gone through in a moat creditable manner. Bishop Redwood.— We made a mistake yesterday ia slating that Bishop Redwood would probably visit Nelson in tbe course of . ew days. He is espected in a few weeks. Horticultural Show. —All exhibits must be in tbe Provincial Hall on Thursday next by 10 ara., except cut flowers, which will be received up to half-past ten. The show, we are glad to learn, promises fo be very successful, although, as it bas turned out, it is a little too late in the season. Had it been about ten days earlier, thero would have been a far larger display of flowers. It will be well to remember this in making arrangements for the spriog show next year. Calib-oiinian Minstrels. — The members of this company assisted by Mr. Oakey as ace. mpanyist, Mr. Maolaren, the well-known local comedian, and Mrs Woodroffe R.A.M., will

jive a farewell entertainment at tho Dddfellowa' Hall to-morrow evening. Dn this occasion the "nigger" will give place to the white man, and the Christy ballads and choruses will be _ung by performers with uucolored faces. Mr Charles Sutton will appear in his popular dance and song, " How is that foot of mine," and Mr Rockefeller will again delight his audience with his performances on the banjo. The whole is to conclude with a most laughable farce, entitled " The Siamese Twins." Lately a libel action was tried at Wellington — Steel v. Hutchinson, and Keogh v. Hutchinson. Mr Hutchinson i& tbe proprietor of an evening paper published -at 'Wellington under the title of the Tribune, Messrs Steel aod Keogh are actors, having some pretensions to histrionic merit. Both were criticised very severely, end in laogqage unnecess -rily rongh, in the columns of the Tribune. An action . for damages was brought, and the jury assessed them at £20 for each of tbe two gentemen HM led. We do not say the award for injured feelings and reputation was excessive. If they were entitled to anything, assuredly £20 was not teo mucb. But when we learn that the costs of this double action, which fell upon the proprietors of the Tribune, amounted to £592, then something like a shudder passes through us; and we cannot help quoting the strictures passed by the editor of the Wanganui Herald : — " The functions of tbe jury appeared primarily to be, not to agseas the damages which should be awarded for the libel, but to give the lawyers a preposterous sum for bringing the matter to Court, The amount awarded as reparation ia £40, and the costs of. ob-. taining this justice emount to some hundreds. This ia a sample of nineteenth century civilisation, and the beautiful justice of the law."— Herald. The Palmer diggings would appear to be a most unsafe venture, notwithstanding the glowing reports that come to hand mail by mail. The {ground is extremely patchy and unsafe in the extreme, judging from the telegram which appears elsewhere. Same miners have obtained a pound weight of gold per day for three days, but wbat their luck wbb after that it is impossible to trace, while the best claims only iast a month. Others have, made from 15 to 40 ozs. in the week, — and then ; well, what then is not recorded. The majority have made tucker bf the most wretched description, obtainable only at famine pricep, while fever and dysenlfy are prevailing epidemic?., :T_e prospects are very cheering certainly, aod not such as the deluded out., who were swihdle'd out of the passages perOomet sailing from Dunedin a fortnight since need envy.