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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 246, 7 October 1876, Page 2

The Post writes in the following strong terms on the article in the Timatu Herald, for writing which Mr Wakefield had to make so humble an apology to tbe House the other night : " We say plainly tbat the use of such language in print with respecd to Mr Joyce evinces a degree of literary blackguardism on the part of Mr Wakefield which is perfectly disgraceful. Mr Wakefield knows perfectly well that he would not dare to use such language to any man before his face' aud it is surely most cowardly and conj temptible to use it anonymously in the columns of a newspaper. Strong lanj guage uttered in the heat of debate is I objectionable, but it is much worse to use the same terms coolly and deliberately in writing for a newspaper. The feeling of the House was unmistakeably expressed, and when the article had been declared a breach of privilege, the motion, foj? bringing up tbe printer and publisher of the paper to the bar of the House was carried with only one dissentient voice. The House would have been perfectly justified iv proceeding to extremities, and in inflicting sharp punishment upon the person responsible for this gross libel. Apparently, Mr Wakefield saw that his malice and folly had got the publisher and proprietor of tbe Herald into a serious difficulty, so he had the decency to come forward, avow the authorship, and take the responsibility upon his own shoulders, at the same time apolo-

gismg in the most abject wav for hia conduct. The House accepted the apology, and there the matter ends. Mr Wakefield stands self-confessed as having i Q this particular case made assertions and imputations for which there was no ground whatever, and has been placed in the humiliating position of having to eat his own words, to save himself from condign punishment. Surely, never was a hectoring, literary swaggerer made to abase himself more completely than Mr Edward Wakefield, the hon member for G-eraldine."

A letter on the advantages of New Zealand by Mr J. S McNeale, late third master of Nelson College, appeared in the London Globe of the 2nd of August. It is stated that when the General Government offered day work on the northern railway in Dunedin, at 5s a day, tools and tents found, only three applicants put in au appearance in tbe first two days.

The New Zealand Times does not appear to be prospering financially. The Argus of Saturday cays: — It is understood that a large parcel of New Zealand limes Company's shares (400) have been disposed of at a discount ol 66 per cent, on the amount paid up. The seller was one of the Directors of the Company, and has thus parted with hia own interest. Another Director is also stated to have sold out recently but the price has not transpired. The Bairnsdaie Courier meutions that one of Cobb's coach drivers, generally known as "Old Tom White," who is employed on the Baimadale and Sale (Victoria) line, has just received -information ot a legacy being left him of £40,000.

The Key. Henry Ward Beecher has engaged to lecture eighty nights nest season, in New York aud other places, for which he is to receive £10,000. The annual inspection of hackney carriage?, express-waggons, borough ssage coaches, and carts took place yesterday, when tbe licenses were renewed of 00 carte, 33 expresses, and 33 hackney cabs and borough stages. Several very dilapidated cabs were rejected altogether, and in the cases of some carts not provided with proper harness, the licence will not be granted until new harness is procured or the old properly raeuded— Posf.

The Rev H. Hassard in the course of a lecture delivered the other day ia Auckland, on the rise and progress of what are known as «* British Workman Public Houses," said:— " Public-houses ■without drink had now spread over a considerable area of the manufacturing districts of England, They seemed to have owed their origin to Mr aud Mrs Hyenas Smith, of Leeds, who practically set on foot tiie movement in that large manufacturing city in Yorkshire. They obtained possession of two houses in Fountain-street, which had been intended for a beer shop (having been first made as one house), fitted it up, and procured a person to manage it, and the immediate result was so encouraging as to induce them to continue their efforts in the same direction. There were now other similar establishment not only in Leeds itself, but in nearly all the manufacturing cities of Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool, Wrexham, liudderefield, aud it might be said that nearly every considerable (own in England possessed one of the "British Workman public-houses " — a publichouse without drink. These places were fitted up with every comfort, Tea, cofFae, bread, butter, and viands of various kinds were provided and tastefully served, and the greatest attention was bestowed upon cleanliness and comfort. Tbey were proiucing a marked effect upon tbe habits of tbe working people who attended them.