The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 139, 12 June 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1879.

In Wellington it appears that sufficient time and money have been found to proceed with the surveys of the railway extension authorised by Parliament in its last session, and we learn from our telegrams tbat tenders are to be invited at once for the WellingtonFoxton line, in order, no doubt, that the ccntracts may be duly entered into before the vote lapses with the expiration of the financial year on the 30th instant. A little more energy on the part of the authorities, backed up by a determination to get the surveys completed in time would have secured for Nelson her rights in the extension of the great trunk line for which the money was appropriated, but the masterly inactivity which has characterised everything connected with the Nelson railway from the day in which it was doomed by Sir Julius Yogel "to be proceeded with leisurely," has again been only too apparent, and the consequence is that the authorised ten miles extension, which would have ensured the carrying on of the line into the Builer Valley and thence to the West Coast, has fallen through, despite all the pledges only made to be broken, and the promises never purposed to be fulfilled, so freely given by Mr Macandrew, the Minister for Public Works, by whom it seems that neither pledge nor promise is considered binding, and who probably only laughed in his sleeve at those whose importunities he was able to get rid of in so easy a way as simply telling them that he would do that which, at the time, he never intended should be done. Those poor lawyers, from whom there went up such a plaintive wail the other day on account of their fancied inability to squeeze as much as they would like out of their clients, have been trying their hand in Wellington to a pretty good tune. The bill of costs in the case of Dogherty (a schoolmaster who claimed and obtained damages jor wrongful dismissal) v. the Education Board will be found in our telegraphic column, and will prove instructive to those of our readers who may he contemplating au indulgence in tha luxury of going to law. Familiarity with the rushing and screaming of the train as it rattles through the Waimea Plains has, as might have expected, bred contempt for it among the cattle and horses along the line of route, which at one time used to tear madly about the paddocks whenever tbe strange monster approached them, but now scarcely deign to raise their heads from the ground and bestow upon it a passing glance. But there are other animals besides cattle and horses that treat the engine with disdain. Yesterday afternoon as the train fr.-m Neison was drawing up at the Stoke station, it was suddenly brought to a dead stop, while at the same moment the whistle gave an angry scream. On the cause being inquired into it was found that a little dot of a girl, about four or five years of age, had deliberately laid herself down on the line a few yards in front of the engine, and, placing her ear on the rail, was amusing herself by listening to the sound caused by the train. Her telephonic researches were cut short by some one snatching her up from her perilous position, but the little mite only laughed pleasantly and seemed to enjoy the fun amazingly. An entertainment in aid of the funds of the Richmond Fire Brigade will take place in the Spring Grove school-room to-morrow evening. The following telegrams with reference to the trunk line of railway have passed between Mr Caples, the chairman of the Inangahua County Council, and Dr. Henry, M.H.R., the member for the district :— " To J. Henry, M.H.R. ; Reefton, May 30, 2*53 p.m.— Can we rely on your support and that of the inhabitants of Charleston to assist this County in a monster petition to be presented to the House of Representatives that the railway line surveyed through the Upper Buller, Lyell, Inangahua Valley, Reefton, and Ahaura be the one adopted to connect Foxhill with Brunnerton and Amberley live. This line is of more importance to your constituents than Cannibal Gorge or Arauri route. Please reply.— P. Q. Caples, County Chairman."— (Reply) : " Charleston, June 2. To P. Q. Caples, County Chairman- Survey Westport and Reefton line will be commenced immediately. One of my arguments when arguing it waa that from about Christy's it would form part of main trunk Nelson-Lyell-Reef ton live, therefore lam certainly with you, so I am confident with all the County.— J. Henry." The Charleston Herald urges tbe people of tbe Buller County to cooperate with the residents in Reefton and the Lyell in obtaining this railway.

A few days ago Warder Woods, at the Pentridge Stockade, while searching for articles of contraband at a spot where a gang of prisoners are at work during the day, discovered concealed underground a swag, containing 175 flga of tobacco. This article j of luxury, so highly prized by prisoners, was made up iv separate parcels with the names ! ot the prisoners for whom they were intended, but the names fictitious, were giving information about discharged comrades, and topics of the day. A careful official examination, says the Central News, of the Zulu muskets and rifles taken at Ekowe has been made by Colonel Pearson, who has found them to be chiefly the condemned Government weapons of Line regiments belonging to the standing armies of America, England, Germany, France, and other civilised nations. The inspection showed that there is a regular trade in obsolete rifles, nearly all the condemned weapons being sent out and sold to savage nations. Amongst the few private muskets were weapons marked from Manchester, the United States, Potsdam, Dantzig, Mutzig, and Telle. The oldest date on any weapon was 1835. There were no rifles from Birmingham makers, but plenty of Tower muskets.

Mr Ashcroft, the General Manager of the Wellington Railway, has adopted an ingeni--OUB plan for ensuring that any "shaky" Spots on the line should be properly reported by the linemen, whose duty it is to patrol the permanent waV and report anything which . requires rectification. The engine dnvets are now provided with a number of arrows, painted red, and throw out one of these whenever they come to any part of the line nn"- IC !i ** n their opinion requires attention. 1 he linemen are told to pick up these arrows and report the condition of the spot where they were found. For every arrow that they fail to return to the office they are fined 2s 6d. Aa may be imagined thia tends very materially to increase their vigilance, and an additional safeguard is thereby offered to the public. — Post. It is said that Barnum on one occasion offered Madame Patti an engagement at Boston. "But," said the Diva, "they have already hissed me , I shall not sing there again." « I don't wish you to," replied the Yankee. I intend to advertise you there largely, and on the eve of your appearance you will elope," « Elope ?'" " Yes, in the newspapers. Then I shall take you to New Orleans, where your appearance will create a furore. Nothing makes a prima donna so popular as an elopement." " And what am Ito have ?" " Two thousand dollars and a third of the profits." The bargaiu was concluded, and Madame appeared at New Orleans with enormous success. Columhua Avenue. — Miserable street mucker to Snodkins, the belt of whose ulster was dragging : " I say, old hoss, if you don't tighten up your bellyband you'll lose your blanket." (And Snodkins had lo keep on looking pleasant as if he hadn't heard it ) Howard Paul aaya :— I took an aged Hebrew to the opera to witness Lei Huguenots. Suddenly my friend burst into a guffaw, as if an idea had struck him. " Why do you laugh?" I gently inquired. "Laugh? The hetht game I ever thaw. A bloomin' lot o' Protethantha an' Catholicths a killin' of each other to music written by a Jew. Ha *ha !" A ahort-aighted man went to an optician's to change his glasses, which were not strong enough. After he had got the right ones he asked : " What number must I wear after these cease to he strong enough ?" This one, said the optician, showing him another pair. " And after that ?" "This." "And after that ?" "After that ? After that ? You'll need a dog and a string." Those who have the temerity to describe free trade as a "colossal blunder" will perhaps, appreciate the fact that Russian railway companies are paying to Russian steelmakers over £36 per ton for Bessemer tires, which can be bought in England for £9. The inscriptions to be placed upon the pedestal of Cleopatra's Needle have now been finally decided upon, and at the personal suggeation of tbe Queen, it has been resolved to add the names of the men who lost their lives in the attempt to rescue the crew of the Cleopatra during the storm in the Bay of Biscay in October, 1877. Owing to the severity of the weather, the forests of the Bernese Jura are infested by droves of wild boars, sometimes so numerous as to defy attack. Bands of wolvea hover about the farms at night, and hundreds of hungry chamois have descended from the mountains and are wandering about the valleys in search of food. The Freeman's Journal says that transf uaion of milk into the blood of a patient dying from exhaustion waa performed recently at the Provident Infirmary, Dublin. Although apparently having only a few moments to live when the operation waa undertaken, the patient haa aince recovered. About a pint of milk was taken from a cow lent for the occasion, and was directly injected into tho vein. It may not be generally underatood, either in England or in America (writes " Atlas," in the World) what is General Grant's " little game," in playing the part of globetrotter, instead of staying at home and interesting himself in the affairs of the great Republic, of which he is so distinguished a citizen. The General himself would no doubt be silent as a tomb if anyone were to ask him for such an explanation ; but the ex-Presidentess ia not quiet so reticent. She and her husband were at Agra in February, where the General ate a big dinner and uttered a small speech, and where hia good lady rather let the cat out of the hag. « The General," ahe said, "is travelling abroad so as to be out of the way in a natural manner. He is going to run for President again at the next election; and if he were at home, there are any amount of burning queationa on which he would either be forced to commit himself or look plaguy awkward. By travelling around he keepa himself nice and free, and will go back to the ' White House quite untrammelled by any pledges." Thia ia smart of U.S.G., but he should have kept it dark from the wife of his bosom. America is just now an El Dorado for actors. We hear Booth, Sothern.and Boucicault get £100 a night. Owens is said to bo the wealthiest actor in the profession, and ia estimated to be worth £400,000. Adelaide Neilson ia reported in America to be worth £100,000 and she has played for £200 a night. Jefferson geta from £600 to £1000 a week. Lotta is worth £50,000. Edwin Booth refused an engagement of 100 nights at Booth's theatre at £200 a night. Fanny Davenport is good for £200 a week. , Misa Louisa Ryraer, a young lady still in her teens, has carried off a chesa prize; of the Birkbeck Literary aud Scientific Institution, London, from many masculine competitors. According to the official report, more than £6,000,000, are paid annually by the United Statea for imported fibrea— flax, hemp, and jute— and thia, too, notwithstanding the fact that in no country in the world can these fibrea be grown ao well and cheaply. With reference to the late trout 'fishing season the Lyttelton Times says: — A comparison of the diaries of twelve well-known lovers of the gentle art in Christchurch (who do not desire their names published) gives the following numbers of their respective takes during the last seaaon:— 49s, loo, 246, 201, 102, 99, 185, 99, 63, 71, 79, 82; total, 1825. The largest fish killed was 6_lbs, and the smallest gib. A large number of the fish weighed 3lbs and 4lbs, and also a great many 2 Jibs. The balance was nearly divided between 2lba and 1 .lbs. The trout were in the beat condition known during any season here, and gave plenty of sport. With the exception of a very few the whole of those noted were taked out of the Avon, and without makiug any apparent diminution, as -from preaent appearances the river seems aa full aa ever. It is believed, should all go well, that next season will provide Bport for a large number 'ot anglera, provided the Acclimatisation Society complies with the request made to them by the majority of license holders last seaaon, of placing a atringent reatriction on the uae of artificial and doctored bait. During an interview which a deputation had with the Waimate County Council, aome very hard thinga were aaid. With reference to the prevalence of fever in Waimate, a Mr Freeman remarked that the town was not properly looked after. « They had,' he said, at present at ■* Ned Kelly ' amongst them in the shape of a dire fever. He would like to know how the councillors would looh if Ned Kelly came into the hall with a brace of revolvers, one in each hand and menaced them. He for one could assure them that he would feel inclined to get into hia stocking feet. The epidemic was worse than any Ned Kelly.' | How to mark table linen-upset the gravy, j

It is atated that .£IOO,OOO ia spent yearly upon the teaching of music in the elementary schools of England. 7 At one of the stations ih Paris an old lady is taking a nap as the ticket office is opened. A traveller seeing her asleep approaches her. *' Madame, the train is about to leave." " Oh, that ia all the same to me." " Why ?" lam not going. 1 come here every evening after my dinner to see the faces people make who miss the train." Amusement ia a matter of taste. At Brisbane a Chinaman was brought up charged with the larceny of a letter contain ing. a cheque for £10.1. The letter was delivered to him in mistake, and he immediately cashed the Cheque, bolting with the proceeds. He was caught at tloctbampton while endeavouring to leave for Hongkong. A writer iv the Nineteenth Century has a good article on co-operative stores. He says we might as well demand the extinction of railways and the restoration of the old stage coaches as to ask for the abolition of co operative stores. The supper given at a grand ball lately in Paris, was laid out in enormous ailver trays held by a regiment of life-like figurea of negroes, each grinning mouth showing the whitest of teeth. Eight guesta stood round each tray. Sir Arthur Phayre, GL.C.M.G., X.C.5.1., has gone to the Cape from Mauritius' to assisi Sir Bartle Frere with his advice and experience in the present emergency, and will remain with him till affairs assume a more pacific aspect. At the Kumara Police Court lately, a police constable laid an information against himself for allowing hia chimney to catch fire. Thi3 rare example of a couscientous " bobby " was fined 10s and costs. The latest scientific thing is a cigar made of blue gum leaves, which ia said to be palliative, if not a certain cure for asthma and cheat aneurisms. They have been thoroughly tested in Netley Hospital. Another ingenious invention haa been recorded, and is the production of M. Senbeg. It ia called the Telectroscope. By means of this instrument it ia said that pictures imprinted on the reflection of a camera obscuracan be produced at a distance of many milea in much the aame way that sound ia carried along by a telephone. The following is from the Canadian Craftsman :— " In speaking to the first Masonic funeral that ever was solemnised in California, it is stated that the body was washed up the bay of San Francisco in 1849, and that upon 'the person of the deceased was found a silver mark of a Mason, on which was engraved the initials of his name. On further investigation, the most singular exhibition of Masonic emblems ever drawn upon the human skin was revealed. Beautifully dotted on hia left arm, in red and blue ink, appeared all the emblems of an Entered Apprentice. There were the Holy square and compass, the twenty-four inch gauge, and common gravel. There were also the Masonic pavement representing the ground floor of King Solomon's Temple, the indented teasel which surrounds it, and the blazing star in the centre. On the left arm, and artistically executed in the same indelible liquid, were the emblems pertaining to the Fellowcraffc Degrees, viz, the square, the level, and the plumb. There were also the five orders of architecture — the Tuscan, Doric, lonic, Corinthian, and Composite. On removing the garment from the body, the trowel presented itself, with all the other tools of operative Masonry Over his heart was the pot of incense. On' the other parts of hia body were the beehive, the Book of Conatitutions, guarded by a Tyler's sword, the sword pointing to a naked heart, the All seeing Eye, the anchor and ark, the hoar-glass, the scythe, forty-second problem of Euclid, the sun, moon, stars, aud comet, the three steps emblematic of youth, manhood, and age. Admirably executed was a weeping virgin reclining on a broken column, upon which lies the Book of Constitution. In her left hand she held the pot of incense, the Masonic emblem of the immortality of the aoui. Immediately beneath stood winged Time with hia; scythe by hia Bide, which cuta the brittle thread of life, and the hourglass at bia feet, which is ever reminding ua that our lives ' aire 'withering away, tbe withered and attenuated fingers of the destroyer placed among the long and gracefully flowing ringlets of, the mourner. From thia description we can see the grandeur of the conception. Probably never before was such a picture ever beheld, and possibly never will again. We are also told that tbe brother's name waa never known." -