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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 90, 15 April 1878, Page 2

The subjoined remarks, from the Grey River Argus of April 4th, harmonize singularly with certain rumours of conjectures which are afloat at the present time in Wellington regarding the supposed designs of the Ministry. Having referred to the late division of the railway department, our contemparary says :— " We learn also that steps are being prepared for the division or duplication of some other branches of the public service, and we don't like the look of it. If the proposed and contemplated arrangements were simply to promote the efEciency of the departments it would perhaps he right enough, but we have an uncomfortable feeling that the alterations are indicative of another constitutional change in the direction of the policy darkly hinted at by Mr Macandrew at Dunedin a short time ago— the restoration in a ' modified ' — or rather we should say extended form— of the system of Provincial Governments, with the difference that instead of nine the colony is to be divided into two provinces only one for the North Island and the other for the South, with a federal union. Until the shadow upon the wall becomes a little darker and more distinct it would be premature to discuss the authenticity of the original, but that something of the kind we have men tioned would exactly suit the views of Sir G. Grey and Mr Maeandrew there is no doubt whatever, and it is quite on the cards that they are quietly and unostentatiously preparing the way. And they are both Buch wary ingenious characters that it is just as well for the public to watch their moves very critically."

The Post of Thursday says:— Of late some ugly rumors of defalcations by an honorary official of the Star Boating Club have been Whispered about town. The defaulter occupies a good position in the Civil Service, and he has been a very active member of the club. A short time ago suspicions were aroused that all was not quite right with the finances of the club, and we understand that the suspected official then admitted,- in : a letter to the committee, that he had appropriated to his own use over £100 of the funds of the club. Up to a certain date the books had been kept with the greatest regularity, but the defaulter found himself in difficulties owing to his excessive drinking habits, and in an evil moment he was led to take what was not his own to relieve himself from temporary embarrassment. A special meeting of the Star Club was held last night to consider the matter, when about seventy members were present. The Press were not admitted, but we understand that after a warm discussion it was resolved to give the defaulting member an opportunity to repay the money, failing which criminal proceedings are threatened. It is a question whether the law could reach the offender, as we believe that the Star Club would have no ocus standi in a court of law. Under any circumstances, however, the exposure will be a severe punishment to the official in question, besides which he will inevitably lose his position in the Civil Service.

Here is a hint that might be utilised by those engaged in clearing timber from their land :— Electricity has been applied to a novel use in the East Indies. A platinum wire connected with the poles of a battery is stretched around a tree, and, becoming redhot, is gently see-sawed until it burns its way through. : It is thought that a tree can be cut down without any waste of timber in about fifteen minutes that would require two hours to fell in the ordinary way. During the autumn and winter the London Btreets haye been ringing with M'Dermott's

"War Song," a composition which just suits the spirit of the times. This is the chorus— We don't want to fight ; but, By Jingo, if we do, We've got; the ships, the plucltj the men, And we've got the money too j We've thrashed the Bear ijefbre; boysj Arid; whilst; we're; Britons trtiej T.be Russians shall hot haVy Con- — -scan ti no— —pie !

The Christchurch Press says Mr Stapleton, of that city, has neiirly two hundred canaries (principally Norwich; in hi3 aviary. Many of the birds have a beautiful pfiiniage, red hiLtitlg with' the yellow and buff, and they have won about one hundred and fifty prizes for their owner. Many of them have been imported from the .best aviaries in England. , An event took place in the inenigerie tent (says the Cliristchurch Press) which would have furnished oiir sporting writers with mittfcer for a most interesting description of a wolf cbase. It appears that by some meaus the coyote got loose, and with the cunning characteristic of the animal, waited until Professor Johnston had gone to some other part of the circus., He then slunk out and commenced to make a general tb'uii round on a Voyage of discovery. Some of the gentlemen unattached to the animal tending staff are reputed to have made the quickest time on record in getting outside the tent into the street. However, after a little dodging and chasing around by the staff of officials, whose gorgeous livery has been so much admired, the coyote was safely lassoed and so fastened in his dwelling place as to prevent- the possibility, of any repetition of his wandering abroad.

A number of gentlemen resident in Wellington have decided to promote a new Insurance Company^ which is to have its headquarters in Wellington. The title of the new company is to be " The Colonial Insurance Company of New Zealand," and the capital will be £2,000,000 in 200,000 shares of £10 each,

The trustees of the Scotch Church (says the Wellington Times) have offered £4000 for a quarter of an acre of land on the Terrace, now occupied by Mr Crompton's sawmill premises, and the offer has been declined. This furnishes another iustance of the high price now ruling for city properties in Wellington.

In noticing the arrival of Bailey and Cooper's circus at Wellington, the Post of Thursday says:— The arrival of the Wakatipu, with Bailey and Cooper's great Circus and Meuagerie on board, attracted an immense crowd to the wharf at half-past eleven a.m. to-day. From the foretopmast depended a most gigantic set of tackle, with stupendous ropes and pulleys, obviously intended for hoisting ashore the elephants and "such small deer." Much anxiety was expressed as to where the giraffe possibly could be stowed, it being deemed impossible that an animal of his altitude — variously estimated by bystanders at from 35 feet to 40 feet — could be lodged between decks, but a shrewd observer solved the mystery by pointing out that he could easily be placed immediately beneath the funnel, up which his twenty feet or so of neck might ascend without inconvenience. This explanation was accepted, and the Wakatipu's big red funnel was regarded henceforward as the temporary abode of Nature's tallest production. At midday some hundreds of children thronged the wharf, many carrying their luncheons with them, others altogether forgetting the noontide meal in their eagerness to behold for the first time the animated marvels of which they had heard and read so much. The various caravans as they passed along the streets also were attended by hosts of admiring spectators.

A Hokitika correspondent writes to a Greyinouth paper as follows:— The trial of Ryan, for the murder of Daniels, just concluded at Hokitika, attracted great interest, the Court House being crowded from the opening to the close of the case. Very strong comment was made on the fact that the Crown had engaged, along with the services of the Crown Prosecutor, two other counsel to conduct the case against the prisoner. All these barristers received large fees, and a £10 note only was allowed for Ryan's defence, which, we may remark, was very ably conducted by Mr Purkiss, the only remaining available lawyer after the Crown had completed their remarkable arrangements. Up to the time of the Judge's charge the opinion universally prevailed that the accused would be discharged, but, when the summing up was concluded— and it was very much agaiust the prisoner — opinions up to this time in favor of the innocence of the accused began to waver, and many felt that there was at least a good case against him. The jury was locked up for 12£ hours, and during the first few of these hours the Court House was crammed with an anxious and eager throng, waiting patiently for the verdict. The most unconcerned and the most cool man in the building at this time, and indeed all along, was Ryan. He is a tall and respectable looking individual, and his manner throughout struck moat persons as being at least the manner of an innocent person. The jury were equally divided, six being for " guilty," and six for a verdict of acquittal.

Some time ago an old curiosity came to light in Mverini (New South Wales). It consists (says the Pastoral Tiwes) of a will, the last testament of one of Mr Fallon's ancestors, and was niade in favor of that gentleman's elder brother. It was dated fully 100 years ago. The treasures it represents were in Jamaica, and cousists of two pieces of land, a number of slaves, one mule, and a blunderbuss. This land was valuable, because it could be worked by the cheap labor of the slaves ; the slaves were valuable because they could work the land ; the blunderbuss was indispensable to the good order and success of the whole estab • lishmeut. Since the day when every chain fell off, and every slave went free, this property may have somewhat deteriorated in value, but even at the present time it is considered by colonial journals to be a lucky windfall, estimated in valua at £80,000. ! In the course of a speech on the war vpte in the House of Commons, Mr Gladstone said:— "l really must say that the arguments on the other side are very cleverly summed up in an anonymous letter that $as been sent to me. It consists of a parody upon the verses of Tennyson in the wellknown ode on the battle of Balaclava. The poet, whoever he is, sums up in these verses the arguments for the present proposition, and he heads it ' Tennyson to the Rescue!' The verses are as follows: —

Ring out the battle cry, Vote us our war supply, This we must have or die, Vote the six millions. Yours not to reason why, Ours not to make reply, Ours but to say, " You lie," Vote the six millions. (Great laughter.) I think that gives a very fair and very spirited summary of what has been said in support of the vote."

The death of the singular young lady known in Melbourne as the boy-git 1 is announced. Her name was Mis3 Kate Johnson, and she was known as the " boy-girl " from the fact that she paraded Collins-street in a costume more nearly approaching male than female attire. This eccentric conduct was said to have been the result of a wager of £1000 with a wealthy squatter that she would not appear daily in this dress "on the block " for a certain period, and judging by the time she was seen there attired as a boy, she had nerve enough to dare public opinion and win her wager. Her pareats, who purchased Ijhe

ex-vice-regal residence at Toorak, are Very wealthy, and her sister is married to a Melbourne musical celebrity. The death of this clever . though eccentric young person will occasion regret amongst a large circle of fashidiiabieS in the Victorian metropolis, to whom her virtues as well as her singularities werfe well kndwn: the tonnage ioad'ing on the berth at London, February 14,- for India, China, and the Cape of Good Hope, amounted to 57,963 tons, and for Australia and New Zealand to 45,290 tons; There has been no marked change in the general freight market} sailing ships, however, ate how getting scarce to load general cargoes in London for long voyages, and the same may be said from the coal ports. Homeward freights, on the other hand, continue dull.-