Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1878.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIIL, Issue 214, 18 October 1878, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1878.

We are glad to learn from our Wellington files that Mr Macandrew's Bill providing for the construction of railways in Otago not likely to pass this session, so that the shutting out of Nelsou from all participation in the railway system of this Island will not be an accomplished fact. Tho N. Z. Times of Wednesday says -.—There have been several rumors current during the past few days in the lobbies of the House in consequence of caucuses held on Monday. The Nelson and Marlborough members as a body decided to oppose the Railway Constrrction Bill. The Government cared little for their objections; but a more formidable danger soon presented itself, in the shape of a determination by all members of the House not absolutely bound hand and foot to the Government, to decline handing over to the Minister for Public Works more than six millions of money, with the power to dispose of it as he pleased. The truth is, the Government won a division over the Tapanui job, but lost their reputation, and so it came about that this decision of independent members re the Railway Construction Bill was arrived at, and it troubled Ministers greatly. A Cabinet meeting was hold, and the report of the whips that the " noes" were against the Bill was handed in. Ministers at once arranged that the " try on " must not be persevered in for fear of another adverse division, and therefore, when the formal meeting of the independent members was held, Mr Oliver was commissioned to intimate that though the Government thought the Railway Construction Bill a good Bill as it stood, yet if it did not suit — well, it could be changed. Hon.. members thought it ought to be changed, and to pin Ministers waited upon them and got a formal declaration than au annual appropriation of the sum required from year to year should be proposed in the House. Thus the difficulty is over, and the Government may reasonably consider their seats safe for the present. The attention of the Catholics of the district is directed to an advertisement which appears elsewhere relative to next Sunday's services. A match between the Normanby and Star Cricket Clubs will take place in the Botanical Reserve to morrow, and judging from the practice which has been iudulged in of late we anticipate Jthat there will be a very close contest between the rival teams. Wickets will be pitched at 10*30 a.m., and the following will comprise the Normanby team :— Messrs. Baigent, Barnett, Cresswell, Curtis, Gilpin, A. Greenfield, F. Greenfield. C. Halliday. H. Halliday, C. Hodgson, and Walker. We have not received the names of the Star eleven, but have no doubt they will ali be good men. The Circus troupe arrived by the Taiaroa last night and lauded this morning, and drove up from the port in procession with all their horses and ponies, some of the latter of which are really little beauties. Very little time was lost in erecting the enormous marque in which the performance is to take place, and by noon the whole of the roof was up. The company is the largest of the kind that ever visited Nelson, and comprises some of the most taleuted performers in the Australian colonies. Hundreds of people in town are looking forward to to-night's performance which promises to be very largely patronised. Among others present will be the members of the Eire Brigade in full uniform, tickets having been presented to them by the Insurance Companies. We obs.erve by advertisement that Messrs. Sharp and Pickering will sell by public auctiou to-morrow ap coop at their rooms Trafalgar Street, that delightfully situated •residence at the Pprt known as " Cottage " commanding 3, full view of the entrance to Nelson Harbor, also that valuable piece of lapd in Collfngvvood Street opposite Cbristeburak Parsonage well adapted for building sites. Mr. D. M. Luckie was presented with a farewell address and a purse of sovereigns last Tuesday on the occasion of his departure from Auckland for Wellington. Mr. Barton, M.H.R., is to reply in tbe House to-night to the statements contained in the letter recently addressed by Judge Richmond to the Colonial Secretary. In the recent floods in Canterbury a large number of sheep and cattle were drowned, /jind 250 acres of land were washed away from Kaiapoi Island. Many farmers in the district are said to fee heavy losers.