The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1876.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 188, 31 July 1876, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1876.

Tin understand that the General Government have placed £30 at the disposal of the telegraph staff in Nelson for the purchase of a rowing boat for their own special use. We hope to see them put in an appearance at the regatta. We remind our readers of the dramatic entertainment at the Oddfellows' Hall to-night, when "She stoops to conquer" will be repeated. The little orchestra will play selections between the acts, thus filling up the intervals and doing away with the tedium of waiting which is often found so wearisome on similar occasions. The tickets, we hear, are being disposed of rapidly. A meeting- of those interested in the purchase of the Nelson Cloth Factory will be held this evening at the Masonic Hotel, when the Committee appointed at tho last meeting will present their report. It is hoped that all who are desirous of seeing this factory at work once more will attend. Tu.k llev D. Dolamore will preach at the Richmond Baptist Church tomorrow evening, commencing at seven o'clock. The churchwardens oi Christ Church have been compelled to publish a notice warning trespassers off that portion of the Church Hill which is enclosed. The reason for the action they have taken is that a number of boys have . been in the habit of congregating there, defacing the walls of tbe building, picking out the bricks which form the foundation (no less than 200 havipg been carried away), smashing the windows (seventeen panes were broken on Saturday), aud writing obscene and filthy words on the fence and walls. Tbis being the way in which the boys of Nelspn amuse themselves, the assistance of tha police has had to bo called in. Many of our readers will regret to learn that Dr Lee, who has for some time past been in practice at Motueka, died suddenly yesterday morning. The i funeral was to take place to-day.

The Simonsen Opera Company, after a most successful season at Napier, will arrive here by the Ringarooma tomorrow morning, and give their first performance in the evening. ' The v excellence of their singing is testified to by the crowded houses before which they have performed night after night wherever they have beeu in New Zealand, while another attraction equally great is to be found in the splendid orchestra by which they are accompanied. The following paragraph which appeared ia the Evening Post prior to their arrival in Wellington will give some idea of the treat that is in store for lovers of music in Nelson: — " This company is by far the largest and most complete which as yet has visited New Zealand, numberiug. 60 performers. Of these Madame Fanny Simonsen, of course, stands at the head as ' absolute first lady.' . Madame Simonsen is already so well known in Wellington as a delightful singer that we need not enlarge on her charms ; her re-appear-ance in this city will be welcomed with genuine pleasure, and the same may be said of Miss Lambert, the principal contralto. Miss Fisher, the second soprano, ia a young and extremely promising singer, who has won great praise elsewhere, even in leading ■ parts, and tlie other ladies of the company are spoken of very highly by those who have heard them in the South. First among the gentlemen stands Signor Carmini Morley, an Italian tenore robusto, who came out with Madame Anna Bishop, and is reported to be a singer of exceptional power and finish. Mr Charles Florence, another 'first tenor,' has gained great favor in Dunedin and Christchurch, aud Mr Richardson waa very successful during several seasons as first baritone to the Lyster Company. The other gentlemen also bring high characters from elsewhere for ability, and the chorus is said to be as efficient as it is strong. The orchestra is a remarkably good one, including Mr Martin Simonsen himself as first violin ; Herrßickty, second violin; Messrs Hallaa and Stoneham as cornets, and other wellknown performers, numbering in all thirteen executants. There is a large and complete corps de ballet, twelve in number, including the celebrated Leopold family." A football match was played on Saturday afternoon between 15 old Collegians and a like number of the Town Club, which resulted in an easy victory for the former, who scored 24. to their opponents' B_r points. Wells kicked a goal for the town, and Tenuent for the old Collegians. The following, from the Wellington Argus of Friday, may prove of interest to our players: — "At a , meeting of the Football Committee held last night it was decided to entertain the Nelsonians at a dinner, and that the Committee should go round to merchants and others to raise sufficient funds to give a good substantial treat. The team to play (against Nelson has not yet been chosen, but will probably be selected from the following members: — Messrs Werry, A. Campbell, G. Campbell, Webb, J. Bishop, A. Bishop, ;Irvine, Nixon, Thompson, Fitzgerald, Shepherd, Boscowan, Black, James, Lynch, Pollen, Hicksou, Smith, Burns, Park, Wilkins, and Mackay." Mr J. C. R, Ischerwood, who for some time past has been recognized as an accomplished amateur violinist, and who played in the Simonsen orchestra during the late opera season in the " Empire City," has resigned his position in the Bills Office, Wellington, in order to accompany the Simonsen Opera Troupe throughout their tour round New Zealand. Our Maori friends, says the Wairarapa Standard, are pitiless even to horses. The other day it leaked out from a native that a valuable hack had been hung up iv the bush with vines for some weeks. The Maoris were waiting for a reward to jbe offered for the missing animal, and let the poor brute be hung up in agony day after day and week after week for the sake of the few shillings which they calculated on obtaining for discovering ifc. When pakehas miss a horse they should advertise a reward for it at once, otherwise they are in danger of losing it among the guileless natives of Papaivai. The Post of Saturday gives the following account of the Parliamentary proceedings of the previous afternoon: — During the afternoon sitting, Major Atkinson intimated that the Premier was ill, and that, though the Government were prepared to go on with the debate, they would prefer that he should be present. To the proposed postponement Sir George Grey objected, saying that the subject was thoroughly well known, and would probably provoke no discussion. It was almost a necessary consequence of a ball that some illness should happen to somebody, but that was no reason for postponing what could be at once settled. Mr Macandrew thought the Ministry's proposition a reasonable one, and that its decision should be left to Mr Whitaker ; and that gentleman got to his feet to state his intentions, but Mr Stout, who had also risen, con- j tended that it was his right to speak. It was at that time after half-pa3t five o'clock, the fixed hour for adjournment, and, as Mr Macandrew had only spoken by leave of the House, tho speaker could not interfere. Mr Stout persisted, and amid calls of " adjourn," the House adjourned till half-past seven, when Mr Whitaker intimated that he assented to the suggestion of the Government, and the debate was adjourned till half-past seven on Tuesday evening,

A pupil at the Wellington College has died from typhoid fever. i The Otago Guardian says: — Ploughing operations are being steadily prosecuted on the A, and N. Z. Land Company's stations at Mataura. We learn that it is contemplated to have thirtyfive double furrow ploughs shortly at work, by which means upwards of 100 acres per day will be turned up. An exciting contest (says a Poverty Bay contemporary) between three fine bull whales took place near the Mahia Peninsula on the 4th instant, a lady whale being the casui. belli. One of them managed to have his under jaw broken in the encounter, and on the following day he was washed ashore at Whangawai, dead from the effect of the injuries received in the battle. The natives at once seized, cut up and tried down their prize, but he proved to be in very poor condition, and the yield of oil is expected to be very trifling. - A late settler at Jackson's Bay write 8 •to a Wellington contemporary regarding a speech recently delivered by the Hon Captain Eraser in the Legislative Council regarding the special settlement referred to, and from his letter we make the following extract:-— But it is not alone in pity to the deluded Italians that Captain Eraser should call the attention of the Government for being banished or imprisoned to this Desert of New Zealand, because there are among the 300 settlers, others like myself, hailing from the British Isles, but not so fortunate as I have been, to get away, and would make sacrifice of time and labor thrown away upon an isolation, fitted only for Kiwi (Maori hen), and on a sunny day for the basking of the seal upon the beach. The Melbourne Herald has been pitching into the Echo. The latter retorts in this fashion:-—" The Herald's statements are utterly, entirely, deliberately, maliciously, and abominably untrue, and they are in complete keeping with the general tone of that miserable compound of stale news, stolen paragraphs, indecent advertisements, bad grammar, wet printer's ink, aud dirty brown paper, which is known to the obscure denizens of Little Bourke-street and Sbmeo-lane as the Melbourne Herald" It is said that Mr Edward Wakefield considers himself eminently fitted for the office of Agent-General, and has intimated as muoh to tbe Government. The South Canterbury Times is responsible for suggesting the matter. Mr H. Bennett, is, we learn, about to cease to act as providore for the Union Company's vessels. The Company intend doing their own providoring, Mr Bennett was offered, but refused, an engagement as Superintendent. The Standard of May 20, says: Four of the rescued crew, and two of the passengers of the Strathraore have arrived in Liverpool by the steamer Chancellor, from Raogoou. The only lady passenger who survived the hardships of the island (Mrs Wordsworth) is one of the arrivals at Liverpool, whence she left yesterday for her home at Edinburgh. Ardong the crew is an apprentice named Carmichael, aged 15. tie alao left Liverpool yesterday *o join his friends at Banbury. To a witness in the Supreme Court at Dunedin, who would not spenk up, Mr Macassey, the barrister, remarked' as follows:*-" Listen," said he; " Those gentleman in the jury box are not particularly acute in their hearing. Now we want you to speak tbe Bame as if you were addressing your bullocks at Tokomairiro." A suppressed titter rippled round the Court, and the effect of tbe smiling faces had an electric influence on the witness, for his tongue became unhinged, his voice acquired its natural force, and no further urging to "speak out" was necessary. Had the witness fulfilled the injunction literally, possibly his Honor would have strongly objected to a specimen of colonial bullock-driving. Au English paper says:— For some time past, bricks have been sent from Japan to Amerioa; but owing to a duty of 20 per cent, the trade has been limited. Last week a cargo of bricks of Japanese manufactory was placed in the London market as an experiment, the result being that the cargo was immediately bought up, and large orders given for future supplies, by leading contractors and West End builders. The bricks, whioh can, according to pleasure, be made of any shape, Bize, or color, are said to be considerably harder than those of home production, whilst bricks for ornameutal, fancy patterns of every description are manufactured. Many are the stories of the juryroom and the various ways in which juries have arrived at verdiots. Tbere are few better than an incident related by the Hoo. Dr. Menzies in the Council the other day, in the course of the discussion which arose on the introduction of the new clause in the Juries Act Amendment Bill. When a similar Bill was under discussion in the House of Representatives, some two or three years ago, said Dr. Menzies, a then member of that Chamber gave an instance which had come under his experience, A jury had debated for some considerable time without being able to agree, some two or three holdiug out against the others. The foreman arose from his seat, and, advancing to one of the recalcitrant juryman, persuaded him, with his fist withiu nn inch of the juryman's nose to "consider the verdict." The juryman did so, and came to tbe same conclusion as had the foreman. This process was repeated with tbe other disagreeing jurymen, and a unanimous verdict was the re* suit,

A man advertises in an English paper that he will hot be responsible iqr.hia wife's.debtajshe retorts as follow*:—«I hereby^ive. notice that I do. not expect^my husband, William, Bacon, to pay my debts, as he cannot pay bis own; but I will thank him to return the sewing macbiue, which was my own property, and by which I helped to maintain him. Millicent Bacon, South Norma'ntori, May 22 1876" ' The French are amusing then a lvea over a little anecdote purporting to rome from London. It was when the Prince of Wales was at Malta, they say, that he received an invitation to be present at the concert of welcome to he given iv his honor at the Crystal Palace, and he replied by telegraph: — " With great pleasure ou condition that my brother Edinburgh does not play the violin." : Madame Arabella Goddard has^says the New York Herald) during the past three years, or, to speak more accurately, three years, one month and seventeen days, since her departure from England, appeared in public at 198 cencerte, and has travelled 45,000 miles. The nett profits of the tour amounted to 75,000 dols. gold. The largest receipts for a single concert were 3,100d015. gold, at Melbourne. The special vicissitudes of the lady's tour were the following: — Quarantined on arrival at Melbourne for. two weeks on account of small-post on, board ship; almost fatal illness, contracted in Ceylon; robbed of 200dola. at Madras, the money being afterwards recovered; shipwrecked on the north-east coast of Australia; great law-suit at ' Sydney, which was compromise!]. Madame Goddard. has left for Europe, and will shortly commence a starring tour there. (;For continuation of JNewt sse fourth page.