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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 242, 12 October 1877, Page 2

The banks of the Tidal Creek at Greymouth are being planted with blue gums aud willows, by authority of the Borough Council.

It is said that the recent election of a member of the County Council of Westland to represent the Okarito Riding, cost a little over £90.

The New Zealand Institute has now a membership of 25 honorary and 1030 ordinary members, the last comprised in seven affiliated Societies. The Canterbury Philosophical Institute, which is one of them, has a membership of only 95, while tiie Auckland, Wellington and Otago affiliated societies have a membership of 285 224, and 231 respectively.

The Auckland Star, of the 2nd, says:— "Several days ago a fishing oarty, wliilo working close to . Rangitoto, observed on the rocks just above high-water mark theskeleton of what appeared to have been a man. Closer examination shewed this to be correct, and although the skeleton was not complete, the skull, thigh bones, ribs, and a portion of the vertebra* were easily distinguished. The police were communicated with and yesterday Serveaut Martin, of the Water Police, was despatched to Ranfcitoto in the Customs' launch. He returned last evening, bringing with him the remains, which had been found on the spot iudicated. There were no means by which the bones could be identified, but they arc supposed to be the remains of one of the unfortunate men who lost their lives while ou a yachting cruise, in the heavy gale wHch visited Auckland several years ago."

The following neat appeal for Editor's perquisites is taken from the Northern Advocate:—" When Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil, it also arouses us from the winter of our discontent to the grave dutiesand responsibilities of journalism which at this season of the year especially devolve upon us. However, we hope we shall be found equal to the emergency. Wc are iu the place that it is expected of us to spc-k the truth, and speak the truth, we will impugn it whoso listeth. This is rather tall talk, dear reader, but briefly we desire to inetmate, in the most delicate manner in the world, that wc arc prepared to dofull justice to early specimens of green peas, cauliflowers, asparagus, spinach, and youthful potatoes,' salad in variety, likewise the innocent sucking pig- and the precocious duckling. These exhibits should be forwarded to our office for honouriible mention without delay. Be in' time! be in time! We are inspired with a feeling of patriotism, and determined to do our duty even at the expense of our liver. If our name is only recorded in the next edition of Fox's Book of Martyrs we shall feel that we have not altogether laboured in vain." ,

In reference to the Attorney General's opinion as to the illegality of County Councillors receiving payment for travelling expenses, the West Coast Times says of Westland County Councillors that they have been paying each other in the most liberal way, and wants to know if they propose to refund these sums.

Says the special telegraphist for the Christchurch Press :~" Mr Kennedy, since the report of the Disqualification Committee, which would make any man of sensitive honor at once resign a seat, which he only holds through a technical legal flaw, has thrown off the mask of trading under the name of the Brunner Coal Company (Limited), and now boldly trades as M. Kennedy and Co., the Government contract of course included."

A man recently knocked down an elephant, a lion, aud rhinoceros. Ho was an auctioneer. It would not do to have a general Municipal electiou very often in Wellington. The "little bill" presented to the City Council for expenses of the booths amouuted to £42; of this amount £16 was set down as liquors supplied at one booth. The poll clerks, scrutineers, and returning officer must have mude some good running to consume £16 worth of liquor in the time. They worked hard, and yet the ratepayers grumble. The Wanganui Herald of the 6th instant says:— Between the hours of eight and nine Mount Tongariro was observed from town to be in fuller eruption thau hag been the case for some time past. Tho glow was plainly discernible, brightly lighting up the sky over the volcano, causing a very haudsome effect, especially from the elevations from which the mountain itself could be seen. The extreme brightness was not observed to last for longer than an hour, nearly all the light dying out from the sky about midnight. Colonel Whitmore must be a liberalminded legislator. He opposed the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill, styling it a cowardly onesided measure, and as a further and heavier charge in the indictment agaiust it, said that because it was advocated by Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright he would on that ground alone give it his heartiest opppsition. A difference of opinion we can respect, but when such a difference is based upon the ground that two of the greatest living Englishman are on the other side it is difficult to know whether we should pity the bigotry or condemn the unreasoning prejudice. If Mr. Gladstone or Mr Bright should ever happen to hear of the gallant Colonel and his sentiments they will wonder at tha manner of argument adopted in our Upper Chamber.— Wanganui Herald.

A correspondent writes to the Brisbane Courier-.— 1 ' Charles Day, of Egerton, . was challenged to make thirty six horse shoes within an hour. He accepted the challenge, the stakes being £2 a side. Day commenced work, and made, fullered, stamped, and pritchelled thirty-six hack shoes, in rather less than forty minutes. He won the match, therefore, with twenty miuutes to spare." Sixty-nine births and twenty-three deaths were .registered afc Wellington during September, and eighteen marriage certificates were issued.

The Massachusetts papers aro discussing the question, ' May Cousins Marry?' We should hope so. We dout' see why a cousin hasn't as good a right to marry as a brother or an uncle, or a son, or a sister.

In a late number of the Graphic is a sketch entitled " A Ride from Tauranga to llotomahaua," intended for the edification of English readers, and written by one -who signs himself G.S.M. The writer, whose acquaintance with New Zealand is apparently limited, is explanatory as well as descriptive. For instance, he informs us that the progress he made was much impeded by "a kind of creeper called souple-jack," and that he was everywhere saluted with the words " Ten-Arkuhi," which he believes to mean good-day. He is not at all impressed with Maoris as business men, though he admits that they are a fine, though lazy race, and says he " would rather do business with a Jew and a Scotchman rolled into one than a Maori," He sojourned on his travels for oue night at Ohinemutu, aud there was taken into a " warre," which is " the town pah of the natives." However, he came away fully impressed with the magnificence of the white and pink terraces of the Rotomahana, aud the wonders of the geysers, and is fully persuaded that some really remarkable cures in rheumatism and sciatica have been effected by the waters there.

The parliamentry correspondent of the Napier Telegraph writes :— lt is astonishing how well up our legislators are in the TurcoRussian struggle. You see, the country kindly provides them with iarges maps of the seat of war. Little flags of different colors mark the different array corps, and by noticing the little pin holes made by the flags, you can track the movement of the armies. A certain honorable member, hailing from the gold fields district has been a close student of the maps. Now, while no one else professed to know how the fate of the war was going, there was a deep-rooted and popular superstition that Mr B knew all about it if he would only tell. The other day your correspondent repaired to him, to resolve various doubts. The hon member for H — oracularly removed his briar-root from between his lips, and, waving it wildly about, exclaimed " Well, I guess if any man in this 'ere confounded building knows anything about the war, its this child. The Turks are all surrouuded by Russians, and the Russians are all surrounded by Turks. " That's what the maps says, anyway." I agree with Mr B .He just hit the nail on the head there.

From the Scientific American we gather that Mr Eli Hunt, of New York, has invented a novel means of propulsion for Steamships, which he believes will secure a speed of 30* miles per hour, besides increasing the steadiness of vessels. The following is a descripof the iuvention :— The boat, say, is to be 250ft loug, of 40ft beam, a distance of 100ft from stern, 32ft wide at stern, of 10ft depth of hold, and of 4ft draught. Propulsion is obtained by two screw wheels 15ft in diameter aud of 22ft pitch, with straight blades placed to dip within one foot of the bottom of the boat. These screws travel in opposite directions, and as their vanes aro long and elastic, it is believed that, despite their size, they will jar the vessel much less than an ordinary submerged screw. The inventor proposes to drive his propeller at 150 revolutions, which he claims with a pitch of 22ft would secure a speed of 37£ miles per hour ; 7 -J- miles are deducted for slip, leaving thirty miles per hour as the effective speed of the vessel.

Te Moananui, who has just died at the Thames, was a good speaker, and was often exceedingly apt in his illustrations. At a meeting at Ohiuemuri (says the New Zealand Hera'd) when the late Sir Donald M'Lcau was pressing the natives to conclude the business and sign the agreement, the natives wished to have another night to think over ihe matter. Tc Mainauui was speaking in this strain, when a gentle shower began to fall. _ "See," he said, " how the heavens are weeping because Ohinerauriis passiug away from us, its ancient owners. Don't ask us to do anything more to-night." And thereupou the Assembly broke up. At a sitting of the Native Lauds Court, at Corouiamiel, Te Moananui had got considerably too much, and iu that condition came into the Courtroom, and in some way had disturbed the proceedings, so that the Judge sharply reproved him. The Chief leant against the wall, and looking steadily at the Jud->-e said— "Why should you, a Government officer, find fault with me for drinking the Queen's liquor? You are maintained by its cousuniptidu, aud while you reprove me, you speak through the mouth of a bottle,'- 1

The Emperor of Chiua has issued an edict prohibiting, opium smoking throughout the country, particularly among officials, scholars and the soldiery. Professor Max Muller says:— "National education is national duty. To leave national education to chance, church, or charity is a national siu."

The King's and Queen's College of Phvsicians m Ireland have just grau ted diplomas in medicine and midwifery to three unmarried young women.

We gather from the Press the following account of the test trial between Newcastle coal and coal the produce of the Canterbury district: — On both days an average pressure of 60lb of steam was malutaiued, the stoking on the first day, when the Newcastle was used, being done by the engineer in the employment of Messrs Banks and M'Dougall, and ou the second day, with native coaC by an employee of the : Springfield Colliery Company. The weight of tho coal was carefully checked by Mr E. H. Banks, who afforded every facility for the conduct of the experiment. The weight of Newcastle coal used was 7cwt 2qr 171b, and as this coal is, at the present time, supplied in quantities for steam purposes at 47s 6d per tou, the cost for the day was 18s 2d. The weight native coal consumed was lOcwfc Iqr 171b, the manager of the Company stating that he is prepared to supply quantites at 20s per ton. The cost incurred for the day was therefore 10s 5d,. which gives the marked difference in favor of the native coal of '7s 9d. The sample of native coal was unquestionaly a remarkably good one, and may possibly have been specially selected for the trial, through we do not for one moment assert that this was actually the case. But then if it were so, there must be taken into consideration the fact that the firebars were too widely spaced to be favorable for the native coal, and the result of the experiment was far beyond what had been anticipated by its promoters. It may be reasonably assumed that those who are using steam power will now be anxious to give the colonial product a fair trial, seeing tliat the saving effected by its use must iu the course of time, even with less favorable results than those attending the recent trial, be very considerable.