The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 16, 1878.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 170, 16 July 1878, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 16, 1878.

We are not at all sorry to learn from our telegrams to-day that a verdict has been returned against an Insurance Company that declined to meet an engagement into "which it had entered on the ground that a house upon which it held a policy, and which was burned down, was not worth the amount that it had been insured for. The system of insurance in New Zealand is a peculiar one and appears to be conducted upon the principle that the offices will take all they can get in the shape of premiums, and pay as little as possible when the accident against which they have iusured occurs. Snrely the proper time for ascertaining the value of a building is when application is made for its insurance. If the insurers neglect then to take what appears to be but a very ordinary precaution, it is their own look out, and, in the event of their suffering by their negligence, the unanimous verdict of the public will be— Served them right.

We are requested to state that intending tenderers for salving the hull and eargo of the ship Hyderabad can obtain copies bE the terms of contract from Mr Scaife, the hbtt secretary of the Underwriters' Association. A meeting of the- Artillery Cadet Coin- I pany is to be held at the Nelson Hotel this ; evening. Tub following team has been selected to play against Wellington in the Botanical Reserve on Saturday next :—Askew, Barnet.f Burnett, Cannoy, Clouston; .Curtis, Firth' H-iycock, C. Hodpsbb, 11. F. Hodgson, Jenhiugs, Kinfcswell, Stafford, Walker, Welis Emergency men, Thompson (2), Wither and lollock. At a meeting of the members of the Chufcli of England l\eld.in Wellington lftst week, his Rxcellenty tlie Marquis of Normanby in the cnair, it was decided to open a subscription list for the erection of a new residence for the Bishop of the diocese, and a Committee was formed for the purpose of obtainiug subscriptions. The next meeting of the Coursing Club will be held at Burke's Hill to-morrow morning, commencing at half -past nine, borne good sport is expec.ted. Thk new Odd-Fellows' Hall is to be opened by an amateur dramatic entertainment on Thursday next, the pieces selected for the occasion being " The Midnight Watch," and ''State Secrets," with a musical interlude. The performance promises to be an. exceedingly good one, a large inhouht or time and attention having been devoted to its preparation, and it will be rendered additionally attr ctive by the fact that the building in which it is to be given is by far the most theatre-like that has yet been erected in Nelson. It is a tine 'lofty, spacious hall, having a frontage to the street of 37 feet, and the walls being 23 feet high. The stage is 50 feet by 20 feet, the proscenium being a remarkably handsome piece of architecture, its Corinthian pillars, carved capitals, and gilded panels producing a most pleasing effect. To Mr Neville Thorntou the proprietors are largely indebted for the very artistic scenes which he has painted. These are eight m number,and whether representing landscape, street, or drawing room, they are equally effective, and their first exhibition to the public will, we feel sure, call forth an unmistakeable tribute of praise to Mr Thornton. The act drop scene, which represents an Italian lake, is a very beautiful piece of painting, as all will say when they see it for the first time on Thursday night. A side entrance to the old Hall enablesthe dressing rooms it contains to be used in connection with the new building, but should it ever be necessary, plenty of available space for this purpose can be found under the new stage. There is a neat little orchestra 20 feet by 6feet, to which access can be obtained from beueath the stage. The arrangements for entrance and exit to and from the body of the Hall are excellent. The front door is sft 6in in width, on each side are folding doors 4ft Gin wide, and there are two private entrances to the stage each 3 feet in width. On the south side there is yet another door leading to the gallery, which is to-be used as the dress circle, and will seat ucarly 200 people. It will thus be seen that undue crowding at the entrance will be done away with, while in the event of an alarm of fire, the means of exit are sufficient to guard against such accidents as have been but too common on such occasions in other parts of the world. The walls are handsomely papered, and the ceiling, which is slightly arched, is painted a delicate pink color. An interstice of three-quarters of an inch is left between each of the ceiling boards, the spaces being concealed by battens fastened on threequarters of an inch below them. Through these the hot air will escape into the large open space between the ceiling and the roof, a large ventilator at the east end allowing of its escape. The arrangements for seating the audience iu the dress circle will, we fear, be found somewhat inconvenient, the benches, which are 16 feet long, beiDg only open at one end instead of having a gangway, which would allow of people getting into them from the ends near the walls as well as from the centre passage. This, however, can easily be remedied if found necessary. The building, which was designed by Mr Robertson, has been built by Mr Moore, and by the time it is completed will have cost about £1500. The Odd-Fellows deserve the thanks of the community for having provided so very convenient and well finished a theatre. There is a stroDg feeling in Wellington that O'Connor, who was charged with an attempt to poison Mr Light, was found guilty upon insufficient evidence. No motive for the act was attempted to be assigned by the prosecution, and this, together with the fact that O'Connor had always borne a good character previously, is considered a good reason for the existence of such a doubt in the minds of the jury as should have caused them to acquit the prisoner. There is a talk of calling a public meeting of his sympathisers with a view of preparing a petition to the Governor praying for a further enquiry. A Napier telegram says:—The Hons J. N. Wilson and H. R. Russell were served today with a writ, at the instance of the celebrated chieftainess, Arihi te Nahu, who claims from each, as trustees in her estate, £2500, and interest thereon for nine years. This trust money was her share of the celebrated Heretaunga Block. Rabbits promise to become such a nuisance at Carnarvon, Rangitikei, that the settlers there, in order to nip it in the bud have determined to offer 23 per skin. Street preaching in Wanganui is a dangerous work. A preacher tried it last Sunday, and was put to rout after a stand-up fight and a disgraceful scene by a crowd of larrikins. The Wanganui larrikin is an "unspeakable " young ruffian.