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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 124, 25 May 1878, Page 2

The Chronicle says that the Government are pushing on rapidly with the preparation of the important measures wich they intend to bring before Parliament next session. These, of course, include bills providing for manhood suffrage, increased representation, and a change in tfao incidence of taxation. The Government that if there is no factious opposition offered the session will not last more than two months. The following is Dr. Hector's report on some specimens of stone from the Phooenix gold mine, Collingwood : " The quartz, with pyrites from the pyrites reef, received in a ground state, yields to simple amalgamation gold at the rate of 19dwts, I2grs. par ton. The remainder of the pyrites, when thoroughly exhausted, yields gold at the rate of 3ozs. 4dwts. sgrs. per ton, or a total yield of 4ozs, 3d«ts. ISgrs. per ton." The iMiflectln coTrespandent of the New Zealti'cter wi'itds: —An aetion for breach of promise of marriage Will O'ome before the Supreme Court here in a tew weeks, and from, what I can hear the details will prove of a most interesting nature. The names of the parties to the action have been freely mentioned during the last day or two, but at the present time it would perhaps be unwise to publish thfcoi. The plaintiff is a barmaid, aud the defendant is a Vefy yoiiftg man, the son of a gentleman who is said to hate just resigned an important and lucrative position iu the Civil Service. The young lady used to dispense liquid refreshments in exchange for small coins of the realm in the upper bar of a well-known hotel in Princess-street at the time that the defendant first saw her, and, after dissipating ajconsiderable portion of his means in the purchase of bad sherry, plucked up courage to pop the question. He was accepted, the wedding day fixed, and the house furnished. But, alas! the young j couple were not destined to eater the abode | of bliss, for an angry papa in the person of the above-mentioned Civil Servant appeared upon the scene, and insisted upon his son breaking off the" match. The young lady, who was in a grief stricken condition, retired into the country ±or a short time, but her energies being revived, she assessed the value of her shattered affections at £2000, and determined to sue foe that amount in a court of law. The love letters are said to be unique specimens of that interesting branch of literature, and" to team with extravagant expressions of soul-devouring passion. The Sydney Evening News states that during the stay in the port of the Japanese man-of-war Tsukuba, some of the officers paid a visit to the Model Public school at Fort-stieet. Mr W. H. Johnson, the headmaster, afforded them every facility, and conducted them through every department. Their observations appeared to be of a critical character, as they spent several hours in inspecting everything worthy of notice. One of them, at least, spoke fluent English, and all the signatures in the visitors' book would do credit to any English penman, They expressed pleasure at the rapid and correct answering in many of the ' classes, and the expression of countenance at an incorrect answer indicated visibly that their observations were not merely passive. They stated that the style of teaching is not knew to them, as, during the last few years, Japan has adopted the British system in their schools, and the English language is taught by them; and that at the University of Jeddo there is a professor of English language and literature. They gave cordial invitations to the teachers and others to visit the ship, and promised a treat in the shape of seeing some valuable Japanese curiosities, which they stated were not very numerous, but real. They remarked the students of the Training School at military drill, under Lieut, Mulholland, and requested an explanation of its object. The frankness and cordiality of these distinguished visitors forms a pleasing contrrst to the jealously of intercourse which existed among , their country formerly. This shyness, dating from the Treaty of Commerce in 1858, has slowly but surely disappeared.