The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 43, 19 February 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1879.

I Whilst crossing the Maitai by the Nilestreet bridge this morning Mr H. Wimsett observed a large black shag rise from the water with a fish in its beak, startled by the appearance of Mr Wimsett and hia companions, the bird dropped the fish, which

proved to be a trout fully seventeen inches in length. There is ho doubt the fish when caught was alive, although when picked up it was \4uite dead, trie height from which it f&tl being sufficient to kill it. Sportsmen will at once see the necessity of waging war with these voracious birds, as if allowed to make their morning meal <5f su ch a luxury as young trout, they will do much towards thinning their numbers. The Wesleyan Sunday school tea meeting wiil be held this evening, after which there will be a public meeting. Attention is directed to all advertisement which appears in another column {convening a meeting to-morrow evening in the Ilsrdystreet Wesleyau schoolroom for tile purpose Of reconstituting the Sol-fa singing class. An address will be delivered by the Rev Mr Baviu, who has consented, at the pressing request of many lovers of music, to take charge of the class, aud we understand that over thirty have already signified their intention of becoming members. The meeting is open to all, and will commence at '.half-past seven. It is hoped the t-ifort will prove successful, and that a large number will avail themselves of an opportunity of becoming acquainted with what is recognised generally *as the most efficient method of learning music. At a meeting of the Committee of the Nelson Agricultural Association held at the Institute, Richmond) on Monday last, Mr Kclliug iu the chair, it was decided 1 to hold the autumn shotf of live stock, farming implements, farm produce, &c, in the beginning of April, at the Cattle Fair Ground, Richmond. Turku must be a goodly number of persons in Nelson and its neighborhood who understand French and German, and who have one or both languages taught to their children at school or College. All such must have experienced the want of a body of literature on which to employ, aud by which -to perfect their knowledge of foreign laugtlages, and for lack of which their acquirements avail little for pleasure or profit. It is probably not known to the general public that a Society exists here — the Nelson Foreign Book Club— having for its object to supply this very desideratum, and that it has carried it out with moderate success during the last four years. Works by the most celebrated writers in France and Germany, with a sprinkling of Italian ones, are added ffoni time to time, and the ,9Upply of periodical literature is well cared for, the " Revue des deux Mondes " and the leading German review, " ltundschan," being received monthly. Recently the most popular of German illustrated papers, " Hober Lard und Mear," has been added. We wish all success to this attempt to improve the mental culture of our townsmen, and refer those of our readers who wish for further information to Mr Hunter Brown, the Treasurer, or Dr Irvine, the Secretary, of the Foreign Book Club.