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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 70, 11 March 1876, Page 2

Speculating upon the possibility of Mr Eeynolds being a candidate for the Speakership of the House of Representatives, the Lyttelton Times says: — It is rumored that in retiring now from the Ministry, Mr Eeynolds believes il faut reculer pour mieux sauter, and that his leap is intended to be into the Speaker's chair. Should this rumor be correct, we earnestly trust that he will not be successful, even if the Government are so foolish as to nominate him for that high office. AVhatever may be our respect for the personal character of Mr Reynolds, we believe him to be utterly unfitted for such a post. A good Speaker of the House of Representatives requires a rare combination of high qualities— constitutional learning, Parliamentary knowledge, intellectual force, logical power, judicial ability, good address, delicate tact and personal dignity. Mr Reynolds has none of these qualities in combination, or even singly. His good nature, uncompensated by adequate knowledge and by higher mental faculties, would, be constantly imposed upon, and wouldlead both the House and himself into conflict and confusion. He is not adapted either by nature or by education to be a ruler of men. There appears to be a ereat demand for labor in New South Wales, according to the Sydney Morning Herald of February 19:—" The Earl of Dalhousie, an immigrant vessel, arrived at Sydney during the course of the week. Sbe brought out 321 immigrants, which were classified as 58 singlo women, 39 married couples, 105 single men, and 86 children. The immigrants have not been in port a week yet, and with the exception of a few, they have all either obtained employment or have been sent for by their friends. Our public and private works are nearly at a standstill for want of labor, and it has been stated upon undeniable authority that 10,000 men could readily udc! employment on our railways alone. There is work for all, and workmen are getting higher wages in New South Wales than they can obtain in England. Navvies ure particularly in request, and so muoh are tbey wanted that the Government have had to extend tho contract time for some of our railway contractors. Tbe Government purpose spending something like £2,ooo,ooo in constructing public works-r-public works that they would commence immediately if they could get men to construct them." In the Milan cemetery a pavilion has been put up for the cremation of bodies, which, being placed on an altar, are subjected to the action of 200 gasburners, giving a heat of 1000 deg?. Thus a body is consumed to ashes in one hour. On Jannary 15th, Chevalier Albert Keller was burnt, the preparations having been made by directions of hia will.

, ;> Mf. John Robinson, a. South A'uatraf]ihn:squatter, has built a mansion iv the -SousK-east district costing. £30,000. ■;j William' Simmons, publican, has surfenuered himself; as guilty of murder at 'Magpie Grujly, Nevr South Wales. A* train with military recruits ran oft the track at Odessa, Russia, a short time ago, plunged down an embankment, and was wrecked. The cars caught fire, and before all the men could be extricated many were burned to death. The total number killed was sixty-eight, aud fifty-four were injured, several fatally. The Bishop of Manchester is severe bn the newspaper press supposed to represent " the cloth," His lordship, preaching at Holmfirth, said he regarded those newspapers calling themselves religious as simply incendiaries, and if they had any influence he should almost despair, of a sober type of Christianity being maintained in the country. 1 A reliable (?) New York journal states :— " Civilisation is gradually penetrating to tbe remote regions of the earth. A faro bank has been established ot F ji, and the natives are fascinated with the game. A somewhat sad incident is mentioned in connection with the last game for the championship. A chief became deeply interested in the pam», the slakes of Which were human beings, fattened for the table. Luck seemed to go against the chief. First he put up his servants, and lost; then he bet his mother-in-law, and lost. He did not shed a tear over the disaster. Then he staked his unmarried sister, and his uncle William, and his aunt in the country, and his wife's cousin; and tho bank raked in all the chips. The infatuated chief then oflered his baby, and the owner of the bank had it packed down in hiß ice chest iv less than fifteen minutes. The chief thon bet all his children successively, nnd then having gambled away his wife, he staked himself on the last chance, and again bet on tbe wroug oard. When he bad time to think it over, the chief said he was convinced thafc gambling was vory wrong, and he Ihought it ought to be suppressed by the authorities. But before his friends got a bill passed ho was killed, and put in a cask to corn by the faro bank man. A succession of peculiarly succulent fi'QQ lunches made that establishment very attractive to Fijian epicures for Beveral months afterwards." : Condemning undue familiarity, the Philadelphia Leader incidentally relates the following : — " There is an anecdote of Washington never, so far as we have seeu, deemed of sufficient importance to find a place in formal biography or history, which' is in point. While President of the United States, he was one day the subject of conversation among some of his former companions in arms. His stately demeanor wns referred to ns enforcing respect. One of the gentlemen — not conspicuous for his dignity of carriage! — ridiculed the President's ' awe-inspiring presence.' He declared that he would not hesitate to clap the President on his back, and, under, tho banter of his companions, carried out hia boast. The look of of astonished hdiguation wbich Washington turned round upon him was an everlasting lesson to him on the subject of personal dignity. {For continuation qf News see fourth pagef)