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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 254, 6 November 1879, Page 2

The Naval Brigade concert given in the Port I'ublic Mail last night waß a great success, the Hall being well filled. The programme wa9 a choice one, and comprised a sailors' chorus, songs, glees, recitation, horn pipe, &c, all of which were gone through in a creditable manner, several of them beiDg encored. The whole was under the direction of Mr Pownall, who presided at the piauo with his usual ability. After the National Antheiu had been sung, the room was cleared, and at ten o'clock dancing commenced to the inspiriting strains of the Nelson String Band, who on that occasion made their appearance' for the first time under the leadership of Mr H. Leaper. and gave general satisfaction. Between twenty and thirty couples were present, and dancing was kept up with great spirit until an eariy hour this morning. In the early part of the evening Lieut. Simpson was presented with a handsome silver tea and coffee service, and magnificent album, both being suitably engraved, by the members of the Naval Brigade as a mark of their esteem aud respect for him. The Rev P. Calder cbaplaiu of the corps, in making the presentation, referred to the efficient state of the Brigade, which, he said, was mainly owing to the indefatigable exertions of Lieut. Simpson, who had also acted in the capacity of Secretary for a long time past. The recipient returned thanks to the donors for the flatter ing testimony of their opinion aad good-will and alluded to the efficiency of the Brigade] which, in its own particular branch, trom what he bad seen and heard, was second to none in the colony. While taking upon himself a small amount of credit for its preseut efficient state, he could not refrain from mentioning the name of the late Captain G ul ly as one who had ael ped in no small degree to bring the Brigade to the state it bad now attained. The Blue Jackets, who had been drawn up in line on the platform while the presentation was being made, then sang " For he's a jolly good fellow," and that part of the proceedings was brought to a close. At the Police Court this morning F. L Lawreuce was brought up before Messrs T Mackay and Teschemaker, J J.P., charged with attempting to commit suicide by taking acouite liniment. Mr Moore appeared for the accused who was discharged with a caution, the police not considering that the evidence was sufficiently clear to justify them in prewiqg the prosecution.

Betwees five and six o'clock yesterday afternoon a horse and buggy belonging to Dr Coliins were to be seen trave ling at a mad pace along 1 ardy-atreet towards the Maitai. A tab or two went in chase, and half an hour later these returned with bits of the bupgy, and a rider w»>o had also gone in pursuit was to be seen leading back the errant horse looking very woe begone and much ashamed of himself It appears that Dr Collins was visitiiig a patient in foi-Toi v alley leaving the trap in charge of the boy, who, seeing something *rong with the blinkers, went to set them right when the horse became frightened and galloped off towards town. Down the Valley and through Hardystreet hs travelled at John Gilpin speed, down the left bank of the Maitai, across the river and up the steep right bank, still along Hardy-street until arriving at Mr Hale's corner wheie a collision occurred with a corner post, and the poor terrified brute became relieved ot more than half the load he had been dragging, as the body of the buggy remained there, and he was left with nothing attached to him but the shafts, and front wheels. "Onward and upward" appeared to be his motto- past Mr Hnddleaton's corner he dashed with unfaltering stride and undiminished vigor, safely steered his course along the narrow way leading to Mr Richardson's paddock, and from the corner up the road by the river side until reaching the second gate; where he leaped or tumbled over the bank into the water, and, falling on his side and becoming entangled in the harness and shafts, would certainly have been drowned had not assistance been at hand, those who had followed him from town arriving just in time to rescue him from his perilous position. The marvel is that an unguided gallop of a couple of miles, the greater part of it through the heart of the town, should have resulted in nothing more serious than the smashing of the buggy and the few scratches and bruises which the horse carries about with him as a memento of his insane performance. Recollections of GuyFawkes and his celebrate l conspiracy probably had very little to do with the bonfires and fireworks of last night* but* even if they had, we should have fell di3 osed to forgive the hero of the " gunpowder treason and plot," as the old song says, on account of the very pretty effect produced by the blazing monuments to bis memory that illuminated the town last night. Bonfires were flaring on the Port hills, in the direction of tl-e Waimea Road, on the summit of the "Supar Loaf" in Brookstreet Valley, on the Maitai ranges, and on the Wakaf.uaka hills, while rockets, blue lights, and other fireworks were to be seen in every direction, lighting up the town basin and making it look almost as beautiful by night as at this season of the year it is in the sunlight. Ax instance of true honesty, when the temptation to act in the opposite direction was very strong, occurred in Nelson yesterday, and is worthy of record. Paulo Pootch, an Italian statuary, having sold some of his works to the value of £l, received a bank note in payment, which he shortly afterwards disco ve ted to be a £10 instead of a £1 note. He at once took it back to the person from whom he had received it, and who up to the time of its being returned was not aware of the mistake he had made. It was the more praiseworthy on the part of the man as he is in very poor circumstances, and has an invalid wife and four children to provide for. We trust that this little notice may have the effect of assisting him ia his humble line of business. Dr. Irvine kindly rendered a helping hand to the Richmond Institute last night by giving a lecture to a large and interested audience on " The Great Pyramid and its teachings." Fodng trout have been turned out by the Acclimatisation Society this season as follows: — In the Kiwaka River, 500 ; I'uraraahoi, (Golden Bay), 100; Wakapuak*. 150 ; Eighty Eight Valley stream, 100; Waiaroa, 1200; and 20>» will shortly be sent to the Motupiko. There have also been sent from the hatching ponds 800 to Marlborough, and 1500 are 10 be forwarded shortly to Taranaki These two last lota are purchased by the Societies in the districts named, the proceeds being handed over to Mr Ball, in payment for his services in taking the parent fiah from the Maitai, stripping them, and looking after the young fry. This annual meeting of the local members of the New Zealand Rifle Association was held last evening at the Masonic Hall, when the chair was occupied by Major Jones. The Secretary read a circular received from the Executive Committee, recommending the members of the Association to use their united efforts during the coming season in making the next meeting at Brightwater a success The following gentlemen were elected as the Local Committee for the ensuing year:— Captain9 Drake, Williams, and Malcolm, and Lieuts Adams and West. Tne resignat'on of Captain Bunny as Secretary was tendered and accepted, the Chairman remarking that it was the pressure of private business only which compelled Capt. Bunny to retire, and commenting ia warm terms on the painstaking way in which he had fulfilled the duties of the office. The meeting then unanimously elected Captain Drake as Local Secretary, and adjoarued till the 14th instant. The Dunedin Herald says .-—There are at present four Church of England Theological Colleges in New Zealand — one in Dunedin, one in Christchurcb, one in Nelson, and oue in Auckland. The Synod last evening resolved that steps should be taken in the approaching meeting of the General Synod towards the amalgamation of the Colleges aud the formation of one central College.

Liverpool papers print the story of one William James Mayor, a respectable citizen, who passed several years in penal servitude for burglary and an attempt to murder, of which he has been proved to be entirely guiltless. It was a case of mistaken identity, acd no redress for the injustice has ever been received. In a recent discussion at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in Glasgow, an opinion was expressed that before long engineers will be building crank shafts of 100 tons weight, with the result that a steamer will be enabled to leave Britain early in the week, and arrive in America at the end of it. New England has over 230 farmers' clubs, with 72,' 00 active members, and library book? to the number of 2!,OOo ; and in the United States there are nearly 2000 agricultural societies, with 58,000 volumes in their librnries, and access to 360 diS rent agriculural publications, all exerting a beneficial influence on the intelligence and future prospects of the tillers of the soil. Recent American papers report a case of cataract in the human e> e having been cured by the application of electricity. A Dr William B Neftel, of New York, subjected the patient— an old lady 63 years of age, with incipient cataract — to repeated applications of electricity in the neighborhood of the diseased eye, with the result that the cataract has been entirely dissipated. A mother and her daughter having been drowned at Cabourg, the heirs are endeavoring to find out who died first. The property is important. The Cuban authorities propose that 40,000 soldiers, or about one half of the army of occupation, should wotk in the sugar plantations, receiving wages from the planters, but remaining subject to military discipline. They would thus insure tranquility and prevent incendiarism during the gradual emancipation of the slaves, besides forming a nucleus of free labor when slavery disappears.