The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 1875.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 80, 3 April 1875, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 1875.

I Gas Supply. — We are requested to state that, owing to last night's acciident, tbere will be uo gas to-night. Town Clebk.— -The City Council are advertising for a Town Clerk. Applications to be sent in by Tuesday, tbe 13th inst. Diocesan Synod. — The third session of the ninth Synod was opened yesterday afternoon at the Masonic Hall, and after sitting for some time adjourned until three p.m. on Monday. We must withhold further details until our next. j " I do not Like Thee, Mb. Sell." — An important discovery, so says our contemporary, has been made in the Motueka Valley of " a number of pieces of a solid, transparent, brittle substance," which, on being analysed prove to be " proto oxide of hydrogen." We congratulate Mr Sell, the lucky finder, upon his discovery, but would advise him not to lay out his spare cash in the purchase of land in the district. Let him procure a few tubs, fill them with water, and put them outside his door every frosty night during the ensuing winter, and he will obtain any quantity of the valuable commodity. The Wangandi Fire.— We find the following in the New Zealand Times of Saturday last : — "An inquiry into the circumstances in connection with the recent fire which originated in Anslow's premises, at Wanganui, was held on Thursday afternoon last. Five witnesses were examined, but the inquiry was adjourned till Friday next." Further information will be found in to-day's telegrams. Accident at the Gasworks. — A slight explosion occurred last evening, by which Mr George Garrett, and MiThomas Harris were injured. They were at the time cleaning out the " scrubber " from which the gas was was shut off, but in which a email quantity remained, and this, when the grating was lifted, communicated with

lh#j light -in |t.J»e labfcern jiley^ere using, causing an immediate#fxpjoJßion. Mr^Ha/ruJ, draped : with hurts; but Mr'Garrett was a 'good deal burut about the arms, face, and neck, and his clothes were set on fire. The two were taken at once to Dr Sealy's, who dressed their wounds. The occurrence was, wefund'ersta^, completely' accidental, and no' blame attaches io r anybody. City Council. — The usual meeting was held last night. Present all the members, Several letters were read, including the following one from Mr Younger:— ■■'■"-■ "City Council Office, Nelson, April 2, 1875. " Sir— l have the honor most respectfully to inform you that, on account of the precarious state of my health, I wish to be relieved of the duties of Manager of Gas and Waterworks. "I would also respectfully suggest that the duties of City Surveyor and Inspector of Hackney Carriages be combined, as heretofore. In addition to such dutiep, I could perform the office of Valuator of City Properties, as required by the Municipal Corporations Aci, and thereby save the Council some £100, the same duties having been performed by me for nearly ten years. " I hope this request will receive favorable consideration by your Worship and the Council. "I have the honor to be, Sir, " Your obedient servant, "Thomas Younger, " City Surveyor. " His Worship the Mayor." Just as the Council were about to discuss this letter, the gas relieved itself of its duties, and the meeting was adjourned until Monday evening. A fire under very peculiar circumstances occurred on the farm of Mr Norman Campbell, North Taieri, on the 26th, by which a quantity of fencing timber and farm implements were totally destroyed. Campbell estimates his loss as about £50, and was uninsured. It appears the thresh.ing mill of Kirk and Bathgate commenced threshing on the morning of the 26th, and at two iv the afternoon the horse used in carting grain bolted, and one of the wheels passed over a coat close to a stack on the ground, and almost immediately flames were Ben issuing from the stack. It is thought that in the coat there must have been a box of matches, which ignited, and the high wind cauEed the flames to spread rapidly. The attendance on the first day of the Dunediu races ;;Waß 6,500, on the second 4, ; 500, and on the third 3,500. Altogether the meeting was not a good one for the bookmaker"?, some of whom were remarkably har% hit, while very few made money. ''On the settling day the metallicans showed up well, every one being present," * and " parting " freely. Only one of them was unable to; meet his. liabilities in full but large numbers „ of- the public were cocspicuousjrbys tKeir absence. There was only one^cene throughout the evening, thatr being 'a 'disgraceful squabble between "a losing bookmaker and the"trainer of some horses. These two took a cab and" adjourned to the cricket; 'ground, whore a, bruial, fight took place, resulting in the betting man breaking one of his opponents [ribs. The amounts work by owners of horses were::— rDelaraaidTT^Q^S ; Copmbes, £200!; Nosworthy,"£2oo; Hutchinson, £177; -Barton, £12C>; ' White^ £100; GourTay,- £80; Goodman, £70; Cotton, £42; M'Kay, £35; s ßlatch,; £11 and the Master Rowe; ; SU\jer Cup; Keinan, £10 ; : total, £1996; '