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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 183, 2 August 1879, Page 2

In his speech last week Mr Macandrew defended Mr Luckie's appointment, stating that he consented to it on account of a series of articles which appeared la the A/ew Zealand herald, which showed an excellent appreciation of the business of life insurance. A curious rumour (says the Post) Is In circulation to-day, to the effect that there was a probability of Sir W. Fitzherbert resigning the Speakership of the Legislative Council, and going Home as special agent for the negotiation of the new Fire Million Loan. It is further rumoured that, if this comes about, the vacant Speakership of the Legislative Council would be conferred upon Mr Rolleston, this, of course, being contingent on the advent of his party to power. The Sydney correspondent of the Post telegraphs t- A large number of men are out of work here, the difficulty of obtaining employment being intensified by the immigration of unemployed labourers and artizans from Victoria. In order to alleviate the distresa, the Government have resolved to expend at once a portion of the £7,000,600 voted for public works. The following telegram from Shanghai has been received by the Press Agency :— The tea season has now begun. The London Castle, one of the largest of the tea steamers, having more than eight million pounds of tea aboard, grounded in coming down, and is still ashore. The expense of getting her off will be enormous, probably not less than £8000. Prices are somewhat lower than in previous years, and the quality is said to be good. The season is said to be good for foreign tea men. First indications are that the first crop will be 10 per cent larger, and second crop 25 per cent smaller than last year. Total exports to date are 5,167,757 chest 3 against 10,617,166 chests in 1878. The Press Agency correspondent telegraphs from China :— Piracy, abont which little has been heard of in China for some years, is becoming rife. A small sailing vessel was attacked a few days ago and plundered, and a European quarter-master belonging to a Chinese revenue cruiser, which had captured a pirate junk, was murdered while left in charge of the latter.— A. brutal murder has been committed in Shanghai. A countryman from a northern province was enticed into a tea-house, and had his legs completely severed from his body. — River pirates are also getting numerous about here. Some nights ago they attacked an opium shop in the foreign settlement, secured a large amount of booty, and got off before an alarm was raised. Two of them were, however, apprehended a few days after, and have been sent to be dealt with by the native authorities. They will, no doubt, be beheaded. At one of the schools at Cornwall, England, the inspector asked the children if they could quote any text of Scripture which forbade a man having two wives. One of the children sagely quoted in reply the text, " No man can serve two masters." A Catholic priest in New London, Conn., announces that the names and offences of all members of his church who appear in the police court of that city will hereafter be publicly announced in the church.