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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 251, 3 November 1879, Page 2

Thic great sporting event of the year in the southern hemisphere—ths race' for the Melbourne Cup—takes place tomorrow, and as there has beeu a good dtal of speculation in tl.e way of sweeps, a considerable amount of interest is taken in the result. A resi ient in Nelson has, we nudcrstand. drawn Secundtis, the favorite, in Tonks £3000 sweep. There was a special chcrai service at All Sa'nts' Church on Saturday night in celehratiou of the anni vei sary of the church, which was opened ou All Saints' Day, 1569. The Key, T. S. Grace intoned the prayers, and there was a full attendance in the choir, and the sermon was pieached by the Bishop of Nelson. The church was* vtry tastefully decorated with flowers. Tub Key. I*. Calder delivered a nlost eloquent and deeply interesting lecture ou the life of Martin Luther last night, when the Presbyterian Church was crowded. The Independent Orderof Kechabites will bold their anniversary tea and public meeting in the Temperance Uall tomorrow evening. The members of the Tradesmen's Athletic Club will meet at the Masonic Hotel this evening to make the necessary arrangements for the sports on New Year's Day. The meeting of citizens for the purpose of discussing the desirability of dividing the town into wards will be held at the Provincial Hall this evening at 8 o'clock. It will be seen by an advertisement in another column tbat Dr. Irvine will give a lecture at Kichmond on Wednesday evening, on " The great Pyramid of Egypt and its teachings,' a highly curious subject which he has looked into closely. We understand that a special train will be put on for the occasion, leaving Nelson at 7.30 and returning after the lecture. The annual examination of the Hope and Ranzau schools took place on Thursday last, when Messrs Barnicoat and Reams examined the children at Hope, and Messrs Scaly and Malcolm at Ranzau. On the previous afternoon the elder children of both schools met in the Library to compete for an arithmetic prize gives by Mr Malcolm. Mr J. G. Harkness jun., conducted the examination. The prize was gained by Naomi Packer of Ranzau school. The weather in the early part of the day wa3 so wet that a postponement seemed imminent, but a favorable change took place in the afternoon which permitted the carrying out of the programme. The childrens' and adults' teas were held in tbe school room at Ranzau, both being fairly attended. A public meeting was afterwards held, Mr J. K. Hooper in the chair, when the prizes were distributed by the examiners. The day's amusements were brought to a close by a well attended ball. The following is the prize list:—Ranguu: First ClassNaomi Packer (resigned) 1, Alice Cowles (Ist prize) 2, Frederick Meyer (scoud prize) 3. Second Class: Edward Cowles 1, Alfred Cowles 2, Sarah Green 3, John Schroiier 4, George Primmer 5. Third Class : Ellen Lines 1, Charles Schroder 2. Fourth Class: Sarah Kearns 1, Martha Schroder 2. Fifth Class: Emily Kearns 1, Charlotte E. Cowles 2, Charles Fanselow 3, Herbert Green 4. A special prize for mapping given by the master, was awarded to Henry Springer, Alice Cowles receiving honorable mention. Mr Malcolm's arithmetic prize .- Naomi Packer, Ranzau. Hope :— First Class : Juliana Clissold 1. Second Class : Eliza Clissold 1, William Thorburn 2. Third Class : Alice Palmer 1, James Palmer 2. Fourth Class:—Fanny Kidd 1, Annie Palmer 2, Mary Reid 3, Fifth Class: Maria Stagg I, Janet Palmer 2. Sixth Class: Adeline Smith 1, George E. Thorburn 2. Mr. Canning has kindly thrown open his paddock at Richmond for the use of the Richmond Fire Brigade on Monday, Ist December next, being the proclaimed Bank holiday for St. Andrew'sday,andarequisition has been numerously signed by a number of business men to request his Worship the Mayor to proclaim that day a public holiday. It is proposed that the Volunteers and Town Fire Brigade should leave by an early train and a parade will take place in the forenoon, and sports during the day and a concert in the evening. A most pleasant day's amusement is anticipated, and the public ought to be greatly obliged to Mr Canning for his kindness in ngain allowing them a last opportunity of a day's enjoyment on his property previous to his departure for England. In the course of debute on the " Disqualification of Electors Bill " on Friday night, Mr Pitt pointed out some corrections that he thought should be made in Committee. He deemed that there was one great omission in the Bill, and that was giving no electoral privileges whatever to females. He could not see why females should not have a right to vote. They imposed taxation on them, but withheld all political privileges from them. They had already conferred votes on females in municipal matters, and he bad not heard of any evil results following. He would urge that these electoral rights should be conferred on spinsters and widows, and he argued their cause in a most eloquent manner He would not give married women these privileges unles3 they held separate property from their husbands. They had set the Mother Country an example in many social reforms, and he hoped tbat they would set one in this direction. He did not believe that he was alone in this respect, and believed that before long this reform would come about. In reference to the recent fire and loss of life at Dnnedin a telegram from thence says: Last night a fire broke out in the house of Michael O'Brien, a milkman, living in Great lung-street. Great excitement prevailed among the crowd on its being rumored that two children were supposed to have perished in the flames. The report unhappily proved to be true. The buildiug was soon gutted, and when the flames were subdued the brigade entered and found the bodies of the two children lying side by side in the place they had been left by the mother. The children must bave died from suffocation, as they were not burned very severely. The father and mother wero away from home looking for some cows, and a kerosene lamp was left burning on the table. From the rapidity with which the fire spread it is believed that it was caused by the bursting of the lamp. We take from tbe P<st the following London telegrams dated October 29 :—Owing to the defeat of General Lazarrff by the TekkeTurcomans, in Turkestan, the Russian Government have decided on sending an overwhelming force to Central Asia, with the object, it is believed, of chastising the Turcomans and occupying Merv. An army of 40,000 men is already on its way to Central Asia, with these objects. —A sharp engagement is reported as baying taken place be-

tween a portion of the British army and a number of Ghilzais near Kelat. The Ghilzais were utterly routed, and a large number killed and wounded. Capt. fi trtorius-., who fought with great gallantry, received a dangerous wound, and is in a precarious condiiion. General Koberfs has been pro claimed Permanent British Administrator of Af hanistan — General Roberts is holding a rigid investigation into the circumstances of j the late mossacre, the Ameer and his minister being on their trial for complicity in the outtttge. The Inangahua Herald says:— After baying occupied the Resident Magistrate's Court three days the charge of .perjury against Mr E J. O'Conor was concluded on Tueaday night, when tbe presiding Magistrate Mr W. II Revell, decided fo send ihe case for trial. In doing so he referred to the voluminous character of the evidence, which occupied 87 pages. He stated that the evidence for the prosecution outweighed that for the defence; and such being the case, although he wis sure that no jury would convict, in his ruagisteral capacity he felt it is duty not to dismiss the information. It might be very likely that the case bad been one of mistaken identity. The accused wouid be committed for trial at the next I Pitting of the District Court, to be held in December. [ The Marlborough Express of Wednesday last says :— Most of the stations in the country districts have commenced shearing. At Flaxbourne 50,000 sheip have already boen shorn. By the London wool sales report, we perceive that Mr Dillon, of Leefield, was fortunate enough to have the wool which fetched the highest price, ls 7d per lb. Soma of the Vernon wool fetched from ls 3*d to ls Ud. In the House on Thursday night Mr Pitt asked the Colonial Secretary, Whether the Government will take such action as may be necessary for removing doubts which exist as to the sufficiency or otherwise of the scale of money contributions of the members of many of the Friendly Societies in this Colony, in order that such Societies may obtain tbe full benefits of registration under " The Friendly Societies Act, 1878 " The Premier agreed that the Act was in a most unsatisfactory condition, and when the annual report on Friendly Societies was received the subject would be carefully considered with a view to makiog the necessary amendments in the Act The numerous readers of the Melbourne leader will be sorry to learn that Alfred Telo, known as * Atticus,' the writer of, ' Under the Verandah ' in that journal, is dead. He was 50 years of age when he expired. It is said that a fearful gambling mania prevails in Melbourne over the coming races. The following remarkable notice of insolvency appears in the Melbourne T. leqraph:— " Lottie Melville, of No. 16, Victoria-parade, barmaid. Causes of insolvency : Being out of employment. Liabilities, £36 8s 4d ; assets, 10s ; deficiency, £35 18s 4d." A most remarkable item of news is that contained in a paragraph in a Melbourne newspaper which describes an illicit still, discovered in full working, in Pentridge Stockade. The prisoners in the principal penal establishments of Victoria seem to bave rosy times of it. We frequently hear of large quantities of tobacco being surreptitiously conveyed to the prisoners there, and now it seems, in addition to their smoke, they are able to enjoy their grog, and make it themselves under the very noses of their gaolers. A Melbourne telegram to the Fost of Thursday last says :— A great billiard handicap tournament, open to the world, held under the auspices of the champion, Cook was concluded yesterday. It was won by E. Perkins, late of the Occidental Hotel, Auckland ; Dean being second, and Lazar third. Only 65 ounces of gold was entered for export at the porfc of Picton during the September quarter, as compared with 404 ounces during the corresponding quarter of 1878. Forty-three horses have paid up the last instalment for the Melbourne Cup— the same number as last year— but the list will no doubt yet be considerably thinned. Secundus and Savanaka are the best favorites ; Le Loup is not so firm in the betting, but he will carry out a deal of money. Nellie continues flrm for the Derby. Entries for the other races are very numerous, exceeding last year. A great improvement bas been effected on the race-course, which is now very complete. It is stated that the confessions of Kate Webster, which were supplied to one paper to the exclusion of all others, were supplied directly or indirectly by Mr O'Brien, the solicitor for the prisoner. The night before the execution, Webster's last confession was offered for £100. The collections on Hospital Sunday in Melbourne and suburbs, fell below the previous year. At present the return gives a trifle over £3000 ; but the day was wet, and the general depression had not yet worn off. The highest individual collection was at a Scotch church, and the highest aggregate by the Church of England. The London Times publishes an account of an extraordinary tragedy wbich occurred in Prague. It reads as follows:— The people of Prague were thrown into a state of feverish excitement a few days ago by a report that an outrage of more tban ordinary violence and atrocity had been committed in open day in one of the thoroughfares of the city. A litt.e after midday two young men, brothers, named Woudra, entered the jewellery establishment of Joseph Report, shut the entrance door, barred it, drew out eixbarrelled revolvers, and proceeded to fire shot after shot. The report of the firing and the shrieks of the inmates quickly brought together a crowd, who forced open the door. A terrible scene met their eyes. A girl, the sister of the murderers, lay on the floor in her death agony. The wife of the proprietor, dripping with blood, held an infant in her arms, which she was trying to save from the murderous blows of one of the brothers. Report himself was covered witb blood, and striving to protect bis wife and child. In a corner of tbe shop another brother lay in a pool of blood. The police, after a struggle, succeeding in arresting and binding the murderers; but they bad great difficulty in saving them from the fury of the mob, who wanted to lynch them on the spot. The motive of the crime is believed to be mere revenge. Report had reported to the police that the sister, who with one of her brothers, was in his employment, had been ill-treated by the other two brothers. For this they had three days' imprisonment. They had just been discharged, and went straight to the shop to be revenged on their sister. The result of the outrage is, two persons murdered, and seven others more or less severely wounded.