CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 93, 18 April 1878, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor op the 'Evening Mail.' Sir— lt is with great regret that lam compelled lo ask you again for a small space in your paper. I thought my last letter would have the desired effect, but it still appears that the whole town has got (or is daily getting) infested with those daring young scamps, otherwise larrikins, with whom I have been pested ever since I came here, not only by boys but girls also. Today I was proceeding to work in Brook-street Valley at 7.30 a.m. when a crowd of this class was standing in the road, and directly I had passed them a few yards a volley of stones came at me, accompanied with language the most disgraceful. I took no notice, but on returning this evening I was again annoyed, and at a certain house in the Valley there stood no less than fourteen boys and girls who hooted at me as though I were some criminal, and, worse still, within their parents' sight and hearing. There is no doubt that Nelson will have the name of insufficient police, which will prevent strangers stopping in this really pretty city. I shortly leave the place, as I find there is no protection here, and I also know several who intended remaining here, but are now leaving in disgust. Nelson will have a nice name from people leaving here for other parts of the colony. Can nothing be done, and are the larrikins here to govern the police or the police the larrikins? I enclose my address and would be glad to Bee anybody who would join with me in putting down this nuisance, as it appear* the police will not. Your insertion of this second letter will perhaps lead to. a few specials being put on to parade the outskirts both day and night, because, if not, some queer goings on may be expected. I am, &c, Disgusted. Nelson, April 17, 1878.

, The grape .brandy distillery in Santa Cruz County, California, owned by George M. Jarvis; lias befen seized by Internal Revenue officep. together Witli all the stock on hand, irihehinery, and 250 acres of land, valued at 20,000d015., on a charge of false returns made by the proprietor or the establishment. Some sensation was created in Wellington on Monday by the entry of a fine cpa'ch and fiye crowded at every available point with Maoris from Porirua, come in to, see the Circus. They cheered lustily as they were driven through the streets in this grand style. The Maoris are intensely interested in the show, but particularly in the wild beasts; arid above all in. the elephants, which they pronounce "Kapai Horse— two tail." During the late sitting of the District Court at Hokitika his Honor Judge Westou remarked on the excessive commission charged by trustees in insolvent estates. In big estates trustees actually went rouud to creditors soliciting votes for the appointment. This was one way of getting a thoroughly good dividend at the expense of other creditors. This ought to be put a stop to. In all cases coming before him he would, if possible, reduce the commission, which was actually in many cases 8 and 10 per cent. This was nothing but extortion. The Hobart Town Mercury has discovered a centenarian in the person of Mr James ColemstUj who resides in the township of franklin. He is a native of Wiltshire, and is said to be in His 101 st year. He has lived in Tasmania 51 years. He has a large family of. children, step-children, and grandchildren, for he has four times ventured on the matrimonial sea. It is further stated that the father of Coleman was also a century man, and one of his own sous who live with him is nearly eighty years of age. The old man is tenderly cared for by his grandson aud his wife. The following is from "Snyder" in the Poverty Bay Standard-.— "l am quite sure that newspapers do minister to many unwholesome appetites craving for savory scandals and publish news which it would be much better had never seen the light. Print a column of any elegantly written essay and a column of dreadful murder, and I know which will be picked out and read first. I prefer a murder to an essay any time myself. But I do like more than either, a good divorce case. For the finest original essay that ever was printed in a newspaper there will be no extra demand for copies. For a good murder the proprietor would order a few more quires than the regular number to be printed off; but for a divorce case he would double the issue. If it was an out and out divorcer he would treble it. A wonderful snake story is related by the Smythesdale correspondent of the Ballarat Star. A short distance from the Halfway House, on the road from Smythesdale to Carngham, there is a shaft from 10ft to 12ft deep, which contains two extraordinarysized snakes, one being represented as 12ft in length, and the other about 10ft. Several persons have seen them, and on Sunday afternoon a party started from Smythesdale to reconnoitre them. On inquiring why not destroy them with a charge of shot, the reply is that the size of the reptiles would make them a welcome addition, if taken alive, to the Acclimatisation Society's itock of such noxious reptiles. Many are the suggestions made as to the safest course to adopt to capture them alive, but as yet no person has essayed the task. Making every allowance for the exaggerated statement as to the length of the serpents, there can be no doubt that there are two snakes of unusual size in a state of captivity as narrated, and their chief sustenance appears to be frogs and flies. A commercial traveller has been victimising the people of Geelong. The local paper says that for 6ome time back he has been urging hotelkeeper3 to buy port wine of the Piamond brand, worth about 40b per dozen. He has been selling the wine for 30s per dozen, and allowing 5 per cent discount for cash, alleging that he had purchased the liquor at a sale of stock in an insolvent estate. A publican in Malop-street, who hag lately started in business, discovered, soon after making the bargain with the traveller, and paying for the wine, that the liquor he had purchased was colonialwine, and not of the very best description. This discovery led to others of a similar character. One of the victimised publicans found the traveller, who is well known in Geelong, just as ha was about to enter a public-house In Mercerstreet. • The swindle was explained, denounced, and threats of imprisonment made, the result being the return of the money paid for the wine. The own correspondent at Rome of the London Daily Telegraph writes to that journal under date, Feb. 8, ai follows .- — From the Oiservatore Romano I take some further details of the Pope's last hours : A general rise in the temperature of. the body and an accelerated pulse on Wednesday evening alarmed the physicians, and at three next morning a restorative was administered. The effect of this soon passed off, and at five there was great distress of breathing, accompanied by a sudden fall in the temperature. At half-past eight the pulse was feeble and frequent, while the air passages were loaded -with mucous secretion. Despite the distressing symptoms, his Holiness preserved his wonted serenity and intelligence. His sacristan, Monsignor Marinelli, then administered the viaticum, and at nine the Extreme Unction. At ten the pulse was barely perceptible. At this time the exposition of the Sacrament in the parish churches awakened tha alarm of the public, and there was a general rush to the Vatican. Meanwhile the malady made swift progress. The surface of the body became chill, and a livid : hue overspread the extremities. In another hour the respiratory distress was painful to. witness; but still his Holiness remained calm, and, taking a crucifix from under his pillow, he blessed with it the bystanders round his bed. It was now noon, and the physicians saw that the respiration bad become abdominal. The members of the Sacred College were all in the room, and assiduous at the bedside were Cardinal Bilio and Monsignor Marinelli. Amid the silence of the grave commenced the recommendation of the Holy Father's soul , and while the act of contrition was recited he roused himself and devoutly uttered the words "with your holy aid." At this point the breathing grew more labored, and the death-rattle distinctly audible. Still his Holiness retained his faculties entire, and was understood inperfectly to articulate his regret that he could not more plainly express himself. Cardinal Bilo, the Penitentiary Major, then asked him to bless the sacred College, and his Holiness lifted his right hand and blessed them. At twenty minutes to four the livid hue had extended from the lower limbs to the trunk. The eyes become over-clouded, and the deathstruggle set in. Amid the constant prayers of the cardinals, who relieved each other in breathing consolation into his ear, the deathrattle continued audible, till at half past five Cardinal Bilio began to recite the mystic offces, to which all present responded. At the commencement of the fourth office the death-rattle ceased. The kneeling cardinals rose to their feet, and the words of absolution, repeated in a loud voice, were accompanied by the ticking of tlje clock, as at . forty-seven minutes past five it marked the spirit's flight. Scarcely had the Cardinal Penitentiary pronounced the words " Requiem eeternain dona ci Domine, " when cardinals, prelates, pontifical guards, and attendants pressed forward to kiss once more j the hand which had so often been raised in benediction over them.

The following episode (say the New Zedland Hei aid of the Ilth inst.) occurred a few days since, and is a good illustration of the progress of education among the native people of New Zealand. A well-known and respected native iv Waikato was served with a writ, and h6 applied to a well kuown lawyer to aid. him iv defending the legal fiction, tigainsfc him. According to an Act of tbe General Assetably the testimony of natives must be takeii in their own language, read over to them in Maori, aud their assent obtained to the correctness of the statement taken down in writing. Ifc was necessary to do all this ia framing the [res■buisite affidavits containing the. material's of the def encej to be filed in the Supreme Court The Maoii defendant indicated his assent to the affidavits by the usual "kapai" (good). " Now," said the lawyer, " If you will call in a few days I will report, progress. You need not remain any longer." Kahore" (not at all), was the. Maori rejoinder, " " I want to hfear the ttansalation in English, for people not only make great blunders in writing and translating Maori, but very few English people can either write or sneak their own language correctly. Kahore*, read me ttie English." The lawyer read the English version to the Maori client, who said it was "very good."- We learn the additional fact that the Maori client is a dissenting clergyman in the Waikato, a master of one of the largest native schools in the district for teaching Euglish to natives, and that he is perfectly competent to give lessons to Engglish folks as well as to Maori boys and girls. The natives of New Zealand are likely totake a sketch of St. Paul's before it is "in ruing," or London Bridge be " broken down." _ A dentist in one of our large cities advertises that he inserts teeth cheaper thau auybodyelse. He might fiud a~bull dog that would do it much cheaper. An unsophisticated JNew England commercial traveller, on reading the sign " General Merchandise," on a store, walked in and asked if he could see the General. Foote expressed the belief thafc a certain miser would take the beam out of his own eye, if he could sell the timber. Somebody in a Buffalo paper advertises " Wanted, a young mau to take care of a span of horses of a religious turn of mind. ' What is the difference between a spendthrift and a feather bed?— One is hard up and the other soft down.