Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1878.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 279, 2 December 1878, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1878.

At a "banquet" given to Mr Sheehaa at New Plymouth the other night that gentleman took occasion to allude in very high termsof praise to the chief Bewi, who, he said, was "no common man." He then went on to ! inform his hearers that Eewi had not yet tendered his allegiance to the Queen but that nothing would afford him greater pleasure to go home and do so in person Now it is qv ; .te possible that if such a step were taken, and Kewi were sent homa for the purpose, the country would gain far more than the cost of the mission by the influence it would produce on the Native mind; nevertheless we cannot close our eyea to the fact that Mr Eewi is playing his cards remarkably well. A cheap trip; to England, being made much of when there, and the eclat tacit it would give him among his fellow; coantrymen on his return, would no donbt be very much enjoyed and appreciated by the astute old chief, who Mr Sheehan' seems to have very accurately described ac "no common man However, .if we can get mor,e than our moneys worth by indulging the old gentleman's vanity and desires it may be advisable for the Government to act upon the little hint he appears to have so delicately thrown out. There was another tremendous downpour of rain last night commencing ab' out seven o'clock, and lasting till after daylight this morning. The Maitai was higher than it has been for years, and the lower part of the town in the vicinity of Waimea and St Vincent streets was flooded. Shortly before five o'clock the water was pocring into the Postboy Hotel and other houses ' in the ' neighborhood, and about the same time the I Waimea-atreet culvert proved insufficient to meet the demands made upon it, and the large iron door of the man-hole, near Patterson's corner, weighing between three and four cwt, was lifted off, and the water spread in every direction, completely inundating the low land between Hardy and Bridge-streets Messrs Mputray and iouisson's back premises were covered with water to a depth varying from one to three feet and Mrs Betts' cowshed Was -partially inundated. A fine patch of oats in Bridge-street belonging to Mr Crewdson was. entirely destroyed, the water at one time being fully three feet deep on it. This afternooa communication was opened by means of a ditch between the flooded land and the sewer, and the water was bdDg run off. A few landslips are reported, bat not of a serious nature. One or two occurred oa the railway, but they were cleared away in time for the morning train to pass. A man named Hoilis was, we hear, nearly drowned in attempting to cross the Brook-street stream this morning, but we have not been able to ascertain the particulars. A large amount of damage will be done to the hay crops, many of which have been cut for more. than a week. By^ay of consoling those who were beginning to think that we had had nearly enough roiq, we

refer them to one of Captain Edwin's cheer- ' ful predictions which appears elsewhere. \-. WEJremind our readers of the complimentary "benefit to be given to Mr Giover 't6 : morrow night by the amateurs of Nelson in recognition of the valuable services he N has v . so frequently rendered when amateur entertainments have been got up to relieve disi tress or to provide funds for charitable and ' other purpose. The entertainment will cotuJtise the pretty little drama "The Irish iuiigrant, a musical interlude, in which many Well known (amateurs will take part, and will* conclude" with the amusing farce, "The Area Belle," oue of the principal characters in which will be represented by it gentleman 1 who takes a {float active interest in all matters connected with the drattia in Nelson. The Volunteers, who are ordered ; to parade at the Drill Shed, will march thence to the Theatre, and the curtain will rise punctually at 8 o'clock. The Customs revenue at the Port of Nelson for the week ending Saturday was £969 3s 7d, and for the month of November, less refund of beer tax £59 03 7d, it atilounted to £3dlo is lid, rilade up of the following items:— Spirits, £H&£ is Sdj Cigars, £67; Tobacco, £313 15s; Wine, £65 3s odj Beer, £88 15s ill- Tea. £186 6s 6d; Coffee, £37 2s; Sugar, £264 14s 2d; Gooas »J Weight, £263 9s 6d; Ad Valorem, £653 9s ~ld{ Other Duties, £236 13a; Gold, £60 4s 8d; OtherReceipts, £135 Gs fid. • Messrs Hodder & Co. have imported by the barque Edwin Fox to the order of Messrs Holdaway Brothers an agricultural locomotive or traction engine, manufactured by Axching and Porter, of Rochdale, It is fitted with all the latest improvements, and with a burden of from ten to fifteen tons can travel at the rate of between four aud five miles ant hour, the consumption of fuel being very small, . The great advantage of a traction engine in this district where tfao farms are not of great extent will be apparent to al!. On an averege the threshing machine can do all that is required on the Waimea farms in two, or at the most, three days, so that there is necessarily a good deal of shifting, but the use of the farm horses, to move the engine will be obviated, and a considerable amount of time saved by this engine, as the threshing machine; tank, and other appliances can be attached to it and moved with little trouble.' There is, we understand, only one other such engine in the colony, and we wish the Messrs Holdaway Brothers every success in their plucky and praiseworthy speculation. Tufc followiug special telegrams dated London, Nov. 27, appear in the Fast.— The Khyberese have risen against the Ameer of Afghanistan.— Jellalabad has been abandoned by the Afghans, who are in full retreafe to Cabul.—Tbe Ameer of Afghanistan has released Yakoub Khan, but stili continues disinclined to come to terms with England.— The Russian mission to the Ameer has returned to Herat.— The situation is becoming more and more critical, and the danger of war between Russia and England is increasing.— England has demanded from Russia an explanation of General Kauff man's address and presentation to the Ameer of Afghanistan, and of Russian action in reference to the Afghan difficulty. We are counselled by the wise not to put trust in princes ; but we are also counselled that the sick need the physican. They are now so many, and all of so conflicting a tendency, that the sick are unhappy, but too often bewildered, and in despair, apt to abandon all efforts to regain the lost health. The trustworthy friend is n,ow at 'band. The most marvellous cures have been effected by « Gollah's Gbeat Indian Cdkss." Sick people, try them.