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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 118, 18 May 1878, Page 2

The Customs redclpts for the week ending this day were £548 2s Id. Odr sportsmen are not having a very good time of it this season, pheasants being exceedingly scarce as a yule. Quail ar« reported to b<j pratty plentiful, o,i\d a good many hares hay« been shot. The best brig we have heard ot was made by a gentleman near Stoke, who took home 11 hares and a brace of pheasants as his day's, work. The scarcity ol pheasants doeS not appear to be confined to Nelson. In a Napier paper we find the following: — The phe.asants seem to have an eyo to self-preservation at Petane, and to have taken themselves off to places I unknown to sportsmen; There were five guns out in that district yesterdaj r , but only one bird was bagged. An interesting lecture descriptive of recent travels on the European Continent was delivered iv the Wesleyan Church last night by the Rev S: Ironside. Valuable assistance was rendered by the members of the choir, who sung some exceedingly pretty pieces at interval?. Last Thursday 'evening the members of the Wakefield Choral Society, and about forty of their f riendßj entertained at a complimentary farewell meeting Mr D. Price, their late conductor, who is leaving the district for Ilampden. The class had determined to offer some recognition of the many services rendered by that gentleman during his short st»y in Wakefield, and this occasion was selected as the opportunity to pre»ent a handsome silver watch and chain; Mr J, Thomas was requested to introduce the business of the evening, and in doing so complimented Mr Price upon his successful efforts made in various directions, mentioning more particularly the large hall in which they were assembled. Hq then called upon Mis 3 L. Langford to make the presentation, she being one of the first members of his class. This she did in a very kind and impressive manner. Mr Price ackuowledgod the present and compliments, expressing hi« gratitaile to all concerned, and his regret at the necessity for leaving such a friendly circle, and expressed a hope that the parting- about to take place would not be altogether final, but in any case he should always look back with pleasure and gratitude upon the time spent amongst his valued friends in Wakefield. The watch bore the follawiug inscription— "Presented to D. Price by the Wakefield Choral Society's class as a mork of esteem, May, 1878." The rest of the evening was devoted to dancing, singing, games, and a little riufcing — Communicated. The stewards of the Coursing Club notify that no dogs will be allowed on the ground except those engaged in running. The Suez mail arived at Albany on Tueaday last. Messrs Sharp & Pickering sold the privileges at the forthcoming races on the Queen's Birthday at the following prices :— Gate, grand stand, and saddliug paddock, £48; bur below stand, £7 10s ; licensed victualler's booth, £6 5s ; refreshment booth £2 7s 6d ; oyster stand, 255; skittles and other games, £2 10s. Tuts following telegraphic items from Sydney are from the Poxt :— -.The Torre* Strait mall steamer brought a large number of Chinese for New Zealand. — The famine iv Chitto continues to a moat appalling extent, tturaau Siesb is being soil openly in the butcfiers' shops. — In a terrific cyclone on the coast," eight thousand Chinese lost their lives by drowniug and otherwise. — The barque Alexandra from Sydney to Newcastle has been burnt at sea Eighty horses were lost. Tfee crew had barely five minutes in which to make their escape, owing to the suddeness with which the fre broke out. It i« supposed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion. — A brother of Captain Robinson has been murdered by the natives at Port Darwin. In another attempt to massacre the settlers eighteen natives ' were killed. I