The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 4, 4 January 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1879.

. The following telegram was received by the Mayor last night from the Under Secretary for Public Works :— " Wellington, January 3, \ 679— T0 his Worship the Mayor, Nelson.—" In reply to your telegram I am to inform you that the Minister wrote you yesterday. The substance was that four or five miles would be advertised in February, and a section under the Amberley and Cook Strait vote had also been directed to be got ready.— John Kuowles, Under Secretary for Public Works." It ia satisfactory to find that a section extending a mile or two beyond Bell Grove is to be commenced shortly, and that preparations are being made fora further extension. It will, however, be necessary for the Committee to keep up the vigilance which they have hitherto exercised with so wholesome an effect, and to bring the matter again before the Government (if the second tenders are not called for before the end of March. We are informed by Mr Curtis that Mr Sharp's resignation, which had been left in his bands to be forwarded to the Speaker, was posted to Wellington this morning so that the writ may be expected to be issued shortly. The Customs receipts for the week ending this day were £795 7s lid. The Port Darwin line is down, and the cable between Singapore and Batavia is again broken, so that we shall have to wait some little time for farther European news. The Provincial Hall was crammed to overflowing again last night when Mr Varley delivered his farewell address which was listened to with the deepest interest by all who heard it. Mr Varley appears to be full of energy and to have his heart in the work he has taken in hand, as we learn from our telegrams today that he is to lecture in the Imperial Opera House in Wellington tomorrow night, prior to leaving for Christchurch on the following day. We have to acknowledge the receipt of the New Year's number of the Illustrated N.Z. Herald, ou the first page of which are likenesses from photographs of the members of the New Zealand Ministry. There are also likenesses of the Australian Eleven, a picture of the attack by the Kelly gang on the police, and portraits of the two Kellys. A supplement contains a colored engraving entitled the Australian stock rider. Messrs Sharp and Pickeriug wish us to state that iv consequence of the harvest operations, and acting in deference to a request from many of their constituents, their usual monthly sale of stock at the White Hart Hotel is postponed until the second Wednesday in February. The following services are advertised to take place to-morrow:— At 7 a in. an United Teachers prayer meeting in the Baptist schoolroom; at the usual morning service in the Wesleyan Church the sermon will be preached by Mr Gordon Forlong, and at the Congregational Church by the Rev. J. Beckenham, and at the evening service in this church the Lord's Supper will be commemorated; nt 3.15 p.m. there will be a children's service at Christ Church; at 6.30 Mr S. Fittall will preach at the Temperance Hall ; at the Wesleyan Church in the evening the Rev. R. Bavin will preach, and will afterwards hold the time honored covenant service, which is always celebrated on the evening of the first Sunday in the year; at 8 o'clock Mr Gordon ForloDg will deliver the first of a series of lectures under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association, the subject being "Fulfilled Prophecy." A cricket match has been played to-day in Victory Square between the Wakefield and Normanby Clubs. The Normanby men went it first and scored 58, of which H. Halliday, bowled Silcock, scored 20 At half past two the Wakefield Club had scored 42 with the loss of three wickets, namely Arnold, caught Curtia, 8; W. Eden, run out, 1 ; E. Fowler, bowled Wigzell, 3. S. Fowler, not out, had made 19, and T. Eden 7.