The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 224, 24 September 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1877.

The anniversary Masonic dinner takes place afc the Hall this evening. A slight earthquake shock was felt ou Saturday afternoon about half-past four. The conquering chess match between Nelson and Richmond was played at tho lattter place ou Saturday afternoon wheu the Town Club proved victorious by one game, winning hve out of nine. Fok some time past mysterious advertisements have appeared occasionally in the papers stating that the barque Novelty was to discharge her cargo on a given day in the Provincial Hail. The work of unloading is to commence aud be completed to-morrow evening, aud for the enlightenment of those who have not yet beeu let into the secret, we may state that her cargo consists of 500 packages, which are to be sold at one aud two shillings each for the benefit of the building fund of St. Peter's Church, Wakapuaka. The vessel, which has beeu built by Messrs Freeman Brothers, is barque rigged

and measures 18 feet in length overall. She will be gaily decked with bunting, and tickets obtainable in the Hall will entitle the purchaser to the package beariug the number to that corresponding on his ticket. An inquest will be held to-morrow at Happy Valley on the fire which occurred there last Monday. A jury will be takeu out from Nelson for the occasion. We understand that, after paying all claims, the Queen Bee Relief Committee will have in hand a balance of nearly £260 What's to be done with it? This is the question that is troubling the Committee just now. The Wesleyan Parsonage had a narrow escape from being destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon. Considerable annoyauce having been occasioned by an escape of gas, the servant was engaged in stopping a leak, which she had discovered ia the pipe in the meter cupboard, with soap, aud iv order to do it effectually she struck a match to enable her to see more clearly where the hole was. Of course there was an instantaneous explosion, causing great alarm to, though fortunately inflicting no injury upon, the servant, aod settiug fire to the wall of the room. The flames, however, were speedily extinguished by means of a shower of water through the garden hose, and no serious damage was done. A man was at once sent for from the gasworks, and he speedily stopped the leak. This should act aa a warning never to use a lighted match in seeking to discover a hole iv a pipe through which gas is escaping. Despite the unpropitious state of tha weather yesterday afternoon a number of people visited H.M.S. Sappho. There was divine service on board in the morning conducted by Captain Digby, but for tha above reason it was held 'tween decks. The Sappho on this trip is minus two officers, Mr Ashton, paymaster, having gone home as an invalid, and Sub-Liaut. Kemp having proceeded to England for promotion. The monthly inspection of the Naval Brigade took place on Saturday afternoon, when the members proceeded across to Haul-ashore Island in the pilot boat for the purpose of haviug some shot and shell practice. A target had been anchored about a mile from the bank in a northerly direction, but the anchor not being heavy enough it commenced to drag directly the flood tide set in, and did not bring up until it reached one of the sandbanks in the vicinity of the Rabbit Island. The "infants " had consequently to be wheeled round before they could be brought to bear upon the target, and even then an accurate sight could uot be obtained on account of the bauk at this part of the island being some feet above the level of the platforms of the guvs. As it would have been dangerous to use either round shot or shell, the guns were loaded with grape shot, three rounds of which were fired. The firing was under the able superintendence of Sergeant-Major Mowatt, who has been sent across from Wellington by the Government to instruct the Artillery and Naval Brigade in big gun drill. We may look for some exciting news from the seat of war before many days have passed. A telegram dated Bombay, Sept. 20, which appears elsewhere, informs us that a Turkish army of 30,000 men is advancing to the relief of Osman Pasha, and is already half way between Sophia and Plevna, or within forty miles of tha beleagured town where it should have arrived ere this. According to Russian accounts the Turks have successfully repulsed the Roumanians, although it is not stated where the engagement took place. Intelligence was received in Dunedin last week of the death iv London, on the 4th instant, of Dr. Buchanan, formerly of that city. The deceased gentleman was for some years a member of the Legislative Council, and out of respect for his memory that body adjourned on Monday afternoon. A Mr Sperry, of Dunedin, having met with an accident, owing to carelessness on the part of the Corporation's servants, by which his leg was broken, commenced an action for damages, but the matter has been compromised by the Mayor, with the authority of the City Council, paying him £750 as compensation. The snowstorm which passed over Nelson last week appears to have been general throughout the island. The Otago Daily Times of Tuesday last says :— On Sunday night and early ou Monday morning Dunedin was visited by one of the heaviest falls of snow that has been experienced here for many years. At daybreak on Monday the hills around Dunedin were completely covered wifch a white mantle, ancl snow au inch or two deep lay on the streets in places until nearly mid-day. The severe weather will prove destructive to the lambs, aud many of the squatters aud farmers will be heavy losers. Macbeth puzzled the doctor, when that practitioner reported to him that his lady was despondent and out of sorts, by asking him "Canst thou minister to a mind diseased?" a conundrum which the medical attendant was unable to solve. If the Scottish usurper were now alive to ask the same question, we should answer it in the affirmative. Cheerfulness, sound sleep and perfect digestion are always attainable by using Udolpho Wolfjs's Schiedam Aromatic Schnapps.— Advt.