The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 183, 4 August 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1877.

In consequence of a pressure of other matter, "The Week" is unavoidably held over uutil Monday. Thk Customs receipts at the Port of Nelson for the week ending to-day were £381 8s 3d. Special trains are to be run on Monday next, being a holiday, leaving the termini at hours which are stated in the advertisement that -appears elsewhere. Thic following is the text of a petition now being signed in Nelson, which will be forwarded to the Genera! Assembly by the earliest opportunity.— We, the undersigned, householders and parents of children in the provincial district of Nelson, humbly request:—(l.) That sub-section 3 of clause 85 in the new Education Bill submitted to your Honorable House, may be modified by adding the words underlined to the paragraph referred to. That at the discretion of the School Committee of each district " The school (may) be opened every morning with the reading of the Lord's Prayer and a portion of the Holy Scriptures" without note or comment either by the teacher or any other person present at the time. (2.) Your petitioners have good reason to believe that the clause thus modified would confer the advantages, or privileges, contended for by a particular sect of persons, in those localities where they are in a majority, and would equally please their opponents iv those districts where opposite opinions prevail. (3.) That a similar clause to that proposed has been in operation in the Nelson provincial district for some years with the happiest effect, confining the discontent to local districts, and. enabling the householders of the district to annually rectify any cause of discontent that may arise. (4.) The clause as it now stands is calculated to offend large sections of the people, consisting of Catholics, Secularists, and Jews, whereas by the modifications proposed all could work in harmony. And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.

Val Vose, the ventriloquist, and Baby Benson aye travelling in South Africa. The j former had a long run at Cape Town.