CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 141, 12 June 1878, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To THE EdITOK OF THE ' EVENING Mail' Sir— Whether the Jam Presernrig Company will be a success or not I will not take upon myself to predict, but I was surprised on reading Mr J. Smith's letter in last eVening's Mail, in which he says he gives 4d per pound for fruit, and cannot get half what be requires at that price. It is the first time I have been made aware that such a price could be obtained, and I think the fault of Mr Smith's short supply lies more in the fact of the public not knowing that such prices are given, than in the dearth of fruit. I remember some years ago selling .£3O worth out of my small orchard when 2d per pound was the price, but since then I have only heard of £d and Id per pound, and I have, therefore, allowed my surplus fruit to drop off the trees ever since. There is little doubt that if fair prices were offered, the time would not be far distant wheu as many tons would be produced as there are now gallons sold. Tours, &c , W. White. Brightwater, June 12, 1878.

The late Lord Leifcrim did not ' go in for popularity(saya "Atlas "in the World). A few years ago he advertised for some one to fill Up the vacancy in his Donegal agency. Three hundred applicants wrote to him, and in answer to one of them he said that he wished to appoint a military gentleman used to shooting natives in Australia and New Zealand, as lie wanted a wholesome lesson given to the tenants on his estate. But few persons have any idea of the wealth of railway property in the United Kingdom. Perhaps they may faintly realise that amount on being told, that the' nominal capital of all the railways of the United Kingdom at the end of the last year was no less than £688,000,000 sterling, being at the rate of £39,000 per mile of railway opened. Altogether at the present time there are 17,000 miles of railway, though it is only fair to add that upwards of £38,000,000 of capital returns no dividend, while £54,000,000 gives less than five per cent, and only £5,000,0' 0 more than ten. We hear a great dfial about the extravagance of dress iv the present time, but it ia simplicity itself as compared' with the costly robes worn in Frauce during the reign of the Navarrese Henri. Four skirts were worn over each other. A chronicler of the period thusdeacribes one dress : " The first skirt was of white satin, embroidered with gold aad crimson silk; the second -, green aud gold • the third, pink, embroidered in silver , aud the fourth, golden yellowy embroidered in many brilliant colours." Two very fine greyhounds (say the Wellington Chronicle) were walked through the town this morning well wrapped in cloths, and guarded by keeoefS. Upon enquiry it appeared that are", from the celebrated kennal of Mr A. H, Gardiner, of Sydney, and are en route for Canterbury, per Wakatipu j the owner, being Mr Jerome, a gentleman being Well-known in coursing circles. The arrivals are in charge of Mr Justice Spooner, an English trainer, and look tery well after their rough voyage, although the cold wind this morning caused them to shiver, after the warm temperature of Sydney. We have no doubt the dogs will give a godd account of themselves on the Canterbury courses. " iEgles" writes in the Australasian ;— One of New Zealand's richest merchants— a gentleman who creditably accumulated wealth from a humble beginning — lately went to England with his wife. Unfortuuately for themselves their originally narrow views have not expanded with enlarged means; During the off season they observed a very fine country mansion advertised "to be' let furnished for six months at an almost nominal rental. Unable to resist a bargain, they closed. A New Zealand friend calling upon them shortly afterwards, found them dining in the kitchen. It transpired that after examining their new regidence they discovered that to live in keeping with it, and if they occupied the whole house, they must engage a large staff of servants; so they met the difficulty by themselves occupying the servants' quarters. * * * * It . is not in thoroughbreds or greyhounds only that "blood tells." The lady and gentleman above alluded to were shopping in London. Amongst other purchases was a child's hat for one of the little girls. Whilst engaged the little one for whom the hat was intended wandered out of the shop and disappeared for a time. There was a long and unsuccessful search by the sorrowing parents, who were at last silent and despondent. Their grief was broken in upon by their little boy remarking in a consolatory way, " Mother, wasn't it a good thing Maggie hadn't the new hat on 1" The Charleston Herald thus relates a misadventure met with by the late Provincial Secretary of Nelson:— Last week while proceeding to the Earamea model settlement, beachwise and on foot, Mr Eugene Joseph O'Conor met with an accident which for ita dangerous nature, and the novelty of rescue has no parallel. As he and aMr Dolphin were travelling together along the rocky shore chatting and innocently speculating on the future of the settlement, and oblivious of any impending danger, the dread-Storm-King sent a deputation of his vengeance-breatbing-brand, on white-cappers to salute the founder of the settlement, and no sooner had they struck the beach and saluted, than they grabbed up like a shuttle cock the body of Eqgene, and for upwards of an hour played tricks (equal to Hennicke) with him, now dashing him high up against ' the rocks only to be withdrawn from his exalted position by the next mountain wave. This all continuing with unabated energy during the time above stated and in view of his companion was a most gigantic terrible spectacle under harassing circumstances which every moment heightened into the belief that the evil hour had come, until finally his gravity, through want of buoyancy, left him like a segregated string of sea-weed, half way between high and low water, when with the instinct of a noble nature, his companion Mr Dolphin took in the situation rushed in and drew out the half killed, half frightened, and wholly drowned body of Mr O'Conor from the ravages of the angry deep. A little attention, much washing, and the admistration of mild stimulants, soon restored him sufficiently to his way rejoicing that things were not worse. It is, with pleasure we are called upon to say that beyond a few. scratches on the face and a slight curvature of the spinal column, no great injury is sustained. Although not being a subject to. treat lightly yet we cannot avoid indulging our appetite for amusing ridicule, in saying that Mr O'Conor owes his rescue from death to a happy ichtbyological coincidence: — A serene and placid looking dolphin dragging from the grasp of the angry Sea King the elongated- of a mighty saurian."