The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 237, 6 October 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1877.

The Customs receipts for the week ending this day amounted to the large sum of £831 14s sd. Divine service will be conducted to-morrow in the Presbyterian Church by the Rev D. Bruce, of Auckland, whose ability in the pulpit is well known in Nelson. With to-day'3 issue is published our usual monthly supplement, which, besides other interesting matter to farmers, contains two contributed articles on hopg and sheep breeding. Members are notified that the annual meeting of the Nelson Horticultural Society will be held at the Masonic Hotel on Monday at 3 p.m. A gentleman f rom the Waimeas informs us that the very reprehensible practice prevails throughout that district of shooting grey ducks off the nest. During the breeding ssason these birds are very tame, and in consequence sportsmen who under ordinary circumitances would find it a difficult task to hit a haystack are able to bring home well filled bags. We can only direct the attention of rangers to this fact, and trust that an example will speedily tend to check a practice that deserves the censure of all true sportsmen. Thh discharging of the cargo of the barque Novelty attracted a large crowd to the Fire Brigade Hall at the Port last evening, the room being crammed. While the work was going on some vocal and instrumental music was discoursed by some ladies and gentlemen. This went a long way towards alleviating the monotony consequent upon the slow and tedious work of landing the cargo. There was also a sale of work, and altogether the result of the night's doings must havo been satisfactory to those who had taken so much trouble in making the necessary arrangements. At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before R. Pollock and H. C. Daniell, Esqs., J.J.P., Frederick Mills, a lad of eleven years of age, was charged with stealing oranges from the garden of H. Adams, Esq. The accused is a runner of the Colonist, and prosecutor had noticed for some time past that the delivery of a copy of the tri-weekiy paper was attended by a noticeable diminution in the fruit of one orange tree. A watch was therefore kept, and in consequence the accused was taken this morning with an orange in his pocket, while oue or two more were on tha ground. Although Mr Adams has lost nearly 100 oranges since he first noticed this mysterious disappjarance. he pleaded as energetically for the young culprit as if " retained for the defence," and stated that his sole reason for bringing the charge was to prevent future depredations. The Bench, upon the sedulous solicitation of the prosecutor, took a lenient view of the offence, and handed over the prisoner to be dealt with by the " Home authorities."