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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 74, 15 March 1876, Page 2

It will be learnt with satisfaction that the site for the State "Prison at Moturoa has not only been purchased, but that the money has been paid to the owners for it ; also that the plans for the prison are in a forward state and will shortly be ready. It is further stated that the building will be a fine looking edifice. — Taranaki Herald. The N. Z. Times relates the following as having occurred not a hundred miles from Wellington :— " Young Buttercup, a gushing sentimental young man, used to visit a barmaid, pretty but practical. Buttercup was very often there, and so deep was his admiration that he was seldom heard to speak to the object of his attentions, but contented himself with gazing into the depths of her hazel orbs. Sometimes this solace was denied him, as when the adored one would go to draw drinks for another. Then he would dwell, on her chignon and silently weep. One day, when Buttercup had been more than usually dismal, his loved one said, " Now look here, Butter " (pet name;, " You've been looking at me long enough to take a life-size portrait. Do you mean it? If so, I'll throw you Yankee grab." Buttercup was overcome. He threw the dice, won the throw, and lost? his liberty for ever, •

There is proof (says the Wellington'' Argus) of the Australian cable having more than local advantages. Ships on the look-out for freight" do not now, as'they did twb,yeara ago, clear out fdr.dv foreign port on " spec." The captain' of the Ned White telegraphed to his owners in New York that there was no freight offering here, and to-day he received a telegram, dated "New York, March 6," directing him to proceed to Manilla, there to load a cargo of sugar for New York direct. Captains of the old school, who had to "go seeking " for cargo in the India and China ports, may well marvel at the telegraphic wonders of the present day. The Otago Daily Times says that the use of those horsehair absurdities iu the. shape of wigs, which usually disfigure the heads of Judge and barristers of the Supreme Court, is dispensed with ill the proceedings of the ViceAdmiralty Court, in connection with the Tairoa case. So far as appearances are concerned the change is a vast improvement, and with regard to general comfort there can be no doubt the advantage is equally great. It is to be hoped the precedent established in this case will be followed in future; for while something might be said in favor of gowns and bands, we do not think auyone would feel inclined to argue in favor of the ugly wigs. It is difficult, says the Taranaki Budget, to guess what the attraction is, but it is nevertheless a fact that Thames miners are making their way to this province by every steamer which comes from the north. It may be on account of the late stir caused by the Casey quartz crushing, or it may be that a few have had hints of the whereabouts of likely ground. A rumor has aga n been set going that the natives are in possession of ground in this province that will pay for working, if only fair terms can be made and permission granted. Mr H. H. Hall, the principal agent for the Pacific Mail Company, telegrrphed to the local agents, Messrs Turnbull and Co., that he was a passenger by this month's mail steamer to San Francisco, and intended joining the Granada at Kandavau. This apparently points to some alterations in the arrangements for the service, and possibly is the outcome of Sir Julius Vogel's recent conference with the Sydney Government. — Post. A few days ago we {Post) gave an account of the opening of a cask of meat preserved by a German analytical chemist. Now we have another tale to tell. At the end of last week a quantity of immigrants' stores were sold by order, of the captain of the ship Hurunui, and among them were a number of tins of meat preserved in Wellington by Mr Gear, the butcher. His meat had been sent to England and when the tins were sold here and opened by the person who purchased chem, the contents were found to be perfectly good. It will thus appear that Mr Gear's process of preserving is better than that of the German chemist. Some people (writes the " Intelligent Vagrant,") think it a fine thing to be a stationmaster. That was what Mr Mr Topshaw thought until he got a billet on one of the Government railways. At the end of the first month his salary was send to him thus — One month's salary, £12 13s 4d. Deduct fines, £12. Balance, 13s 4d. He has since retired. The Post of Monday says: — Some fishermen this morning on hauling in their nets found that their [capture included upwards of 60 young sharks, varying in size from three or four feet long to smaller dimensions. The harbor at the present time ia swarming with sharks, and great caution should be observed in bathing or boating. Anyone falling overboard just now would stand a poor chance of escape from these ravenous monsters, some of which are said to have been seen 17 or IS feet long during the last few days. As the Granada was passing out of Wellington Heads an alarm of fire was given to test : and display the efficiency of the arrangements on board. The alarm bell had scarcely rung when every man was in his proper place. The water buckets were cleared, the fire hose was playing, the boats in readiness to be lowered, certain officers kept back the passengers from rushing to destruction, and the entire system was ready for practical application in a j marvellously short time, the movements being directed by the captain by whistle. The order and promptitude displayed reflected the greatest possible credit on all concerned. The men Young, Reidal, and Paul (says the Times) are still in the hospital, but it is anticipated they will be discharged in a few days. The dreadful cut on Young's shoulder has bad the effect of leaving his arm apparently useless, the muscles having been so much injured. The galvanic battery has been brought into operation to seo if strength can be imparted to the limb, and to a certain extent success has attended the experiment, and the use of the battery will be continued. Paul walks about the yard, but during the warm weather necessarily has to keep himself in the shade. Reidal is still confined to his bed — at any rate to his ward — but he is in good spirits, and quite out of danger. The hospital officials are to be congratulated, on the wouderful feat they have performed, in having, so far aa human power was concerned, broughfrall three again into the land of the living, for assuredly no one who saw the mangled bodies brought into town on the 26th December, ever, supposed they would see the New Tear,

A. •*!■ ■> f. \ :A\Wellinglqn paper says: — The lull which has been visible in the building trade during the last few months seems to have passed over, for. much business N ia now visible. In all parts of the town new buildings are going up, and alterations and enlargements of premisPß are being effected, and the hnnds of the architects are kept tolerably busy, so that there need be but little fear that carpenters' work will drop off for some time. There does not appear t,o be any fearfulness to invest, and it is pretty plain that were labor even more abundant than it is more capital could be profitable employed.