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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 182, 24 July 1876, Page 4

i The smallest horae probably in the world was sold by auction on Saturday, (says the Star), ac O'Farrell & Sou's gale-yards, to Mr Neil M'NeilJuu., for £42 10a. Tbe horse, or rather pony, ia but 23 inches high, six years oid, and thoroughly broken both to saddle and harness. The equine dwarf was largely interviewed during the afternoon.

An M. H. R., following the waiting policy of sitting on a rail, waa chaffed by one of the whips, and asked to jump down aod take a side. "I'm better here," he said. "On the one side there's that horrid Piako Swamp, and on the other I be would swallowed in the shifting Grey quicksand." - A deep seusation lias beeu occasioned iv Western Australia by the conviction of Kenneth Brown of tho murder of his wife. Tho unhappy man was connected with the first families io the colony, and he married iv Victoria while on a visit there with racehorses. He wag three times placed on hia trial, and only on the last occasion could the jury be induced to agree. He was executed on the 10th June, and his body was delivered to his family for private burial. " No doubt of it," s-ys iEjles in the Australasian, " We have some very smart men amongst us. Let me repeat a conversation of last week, just after the day of fires. It might be of interest to the insurance companies : — "MacOiley: I want, to self yon 500 cases of brandy. Price will suit you; here is the bonded certificate. — Steadfast (looking nt certificate): What do you mean? This brandy is iv Shaw's bond — it was probably burnt yesterday. — MacOiiey : My dear fellow, how stupid you are. It ie because it ia in Shaw's that I offer it to you cheap. You have an open policy on goods in Shaw's — I haven't. — I'ou can recover from the Insurance Company — J can't. Can't you see your way now to give me the low price I ask. Steadfast (with enforced mildness): You infernal scoundrel; if you are not out of that door in three seconds, you will have an opportunity of wearing my fcoot pattern during the next fortnight.' Of course the article was not brandy, but there is no doubt that one gentlemau in Melbourne will read this with a cold shiver, when he apprehends the rißk of his name being disolosed. Accordion to the Melbourne Age, a writ for £20,000 damages has been served on the Postmaster-General and the Deputy Postmaster-General through Messrs Black and Rt'ggal, solicitors, on behalf of Meesre L. Stevenson & Sons, for the present detention of their letters. Mr G. E. Lowe, the head clerk of the firm, and Mr Laurence, a departmental manager, have also each caused to be served upon the same authorities writs for £5000 for the detention of their respective letters with those of the firm. These writs would have been iasued before but for the necessity of giving thirty days' notice of such intention to tbo defendants. The actions will be heard at the August sittings of the Supreme Court. A Melbourne correspondent of a Southern contemporary thus discourses of Sir George Boweu's new residence: —"Our Governor, Sir George Bowen, who, by-the-by, is fairly recovered from a severe shake he got a fortnight ago by a fall from horseback while kangaroo hunting, has taken possession of his vast house on the bill above Prince's Bridge. Lady Bowen arrived from England by the las. mail steamer with her family, and tho house haa bean got ready for their reception, and his Excellency had occupied it for a few days beforehand. I believe (he house is fouDd inconveniently large by the viceregal family, and that the distance from one room to another along those vast dreary corridors is too great altogether. Then it also forms a very severe tax on tho physical endurance of the servants who have to run along these long passages and up those large flights of stairs. Instesd of keeping the kitchens and servants' apartments as closo as possible to the domestic part of the house, they are separated by the large state rooms, and the distance they have to travel is thus made longer thau need be. Whether servants will ever be induced to remain there has yet to be seen, A Mr D. Goldie appears fco be the I popular caudidate for the Auckland ! seat rendered vacant by the resignation of Sir George Grey. Regarding his ! candidature and the selection of him by I Sir George Grey's Committee the Star i writes in a strain which is not calcuhited to impress outsiders who know \ nothing of Mr Goldie with any great idea of his ability, if, indeed, ifc does not | lead them to regard him as a poor weak creature wbo is to be elected for the sole reason that he is likely to do just what Sir George Grey bids him, and nothing more. Our conteu.po.ar. I says:—" They were not seeking a political leader, but a representative who was honest, fearless, and trustworthy, and whose unfailing support of Sir George Grey could be implicitly trusted. Others whom members of the Committee might have preferred before Mr Goldie, were solicited, bufc were precluded by business or other engagements from complying; and although blatherskites enough could be found to swear eternal fealty to Sir George Grey, or Old Nick himself, if thereby secured the mystical letters and attendant contingencies, the Committee preferred one whose support was known to be genuine."