The Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 255, 7 November 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1879.

Wk lenrn from the Post thnt considerable discussion took place in Committee on the Triennial Parliaments Bill when there was a very decided diversity of opinion as to the date on which the present Parliament should expire if not prematurely dissolved. Some Wanted it to last five years, and the Bill to apply only to future Parliaments ; Mr Murray tried to alter " Triennial " to "Quadrennial " in the title, but found no support. The Premier pointed but that if there was a redistribution of sents, a dissolution would immediately follow, eo that it was a matter of little moment what they decided relative to the present Parliament. Eventually a division took place as between 1882 and 1883 as the date of dissolution, nnd the former was agreed upon by a majority of eight, the division having no party significance, as members from both sides of the House were to found in each lobby. The next thing wa9 to fix a day, and the 28th February was selected as the date on which the recently elected members are to drop the title of " M.II R ." It appears that a curious oversight was made in the proclamation of the District Courts of Nelson and Westland, wherein the boundaries were described as " all that area known ns the Counties of Waimea, Marlborough," &c, but nothing was said about the Boroughs, and the 6th section of the Counties Act provides that Boroughs shall not be included in Counties. At the criminal Bitt ngs at Blenheim yesterday the Crowu Prosecutor refused to prefer a Bill on the ground tbft a doubt existed as to the jurisdiction, the offence having been committed in the Borough of Bienheim. Judge Broad ordered the discharge of the prisoner, who was at once re-arrested, charged before the Magistrate again, and committed to the Supreme Court. But, of course, all the business, civil, bankruptcy, probate, and criminal that has come before the Courts since the proclamation from any of the Boroughs has been done without authority if the question as to jurisdiction is valid. We hear that the Government are pushing a Bill through all its stages to validate al" proceedings and indemnify the Judges and other officers. A vert successful concert was given in the Wesleyan Sunday schoolroom last night by Mr Baviu'a Tonic Solfa Class, who mustered to the number of between sixty and seventy, and entertained the crowded audience with some very excellent music. Mr Bavin oeserves a very large amount of praise tor the earnestness, ability, and perseverance he must have brought to bear in order, in the space of a few months, to impart the instruction that must have been required to produce such a concert as that of last evening. The choruses, though uot all faultless, was very creditably performed, especially "The humming chorus," and the well-known and always popular " Cainovale." The proceedings were varied by performances on the piano, and also by the Nelson String Band, as well as by an amusing reading and dialogue, and two or three very pretty songs. All who were present must have felt greatly indebted to Mr Bavin and the performers generally for the very pleasant evening they had afforded, and we have no doubt that the wish was expressed by many that no long time would be allowed to elapse before another such entertainment was given Another petition to the Governor askiDg fora remission of Newman Boseley's sen tence is being sent rouud the town for signature, the indefatigable Mr W. H. West being again the mover in the matter. The Nelson Cricket Club intend sending a team to Richmond by the two o'clock train to-morrow to play a one innings match with the local Club. Two seriom accidents occurred on board the barque Hurmodius yesterday afternoon and this morning. The first happened to one of the sailors who fell from the deck down the hold, and received a severe cut above ihe eyes. In the other Captain Bogel was the sufferer. He wa3 walking along a plank laid on the beams over the hold, when one end of it tipped up, and he fell to the, bottom of the hold, a depth of abou 12 feet alighting on his head, which was very badly cut arid bruised. Dr Sealy was sent for and dressed the wounds, and the Captain aud his seaman were both of them sent up to the Hospital. Chiabini's Circus, which only arrived in Auckland by the last San Francisco mail steamer, is to pay Nelsou a visit in about a fortnight. The stud, which includes two performing zebras as well as horses and pouies, is said to be a magnificent one, the peif.rmers are first-class, and the clowns are reported to be most amusing. More particulars will be published about them before their arrival here. A Fine Arts Exhibition in aid of the funds of All Saints' Church will be held in the Provincial Mall in about a month's time and promises to be something well worth seeing, a very large number of pictures and other works of art, as well as of curios of all kinds, having been promised for theoccasicn. Mr. A. M'Gee advertise* a "consultation " on the great Melbourne Champion race to be run ou the Klemingtou Course on New Year's Day. The number of subscribers will be 200 at £1 each, and the prizes will be tbree in number, nameiy, £100 for the drawer of the winning horse, £60 for the second, and £40 for the third. Tickets are now obtainable. Mondat next will be a gala day at the Port. In addition to several other races between different sailing boats there will be a race between the Naval Brigade's Aurora and the yacht Claymore, starting at 2 30 p.m. The Melbourne correspondent of the I'ost telegraphed regarding the race for the Cup : — Secundus was •' blocked," and could not get through hia horses. Le Loup ran badly and finished nowhere The Melbourne Stakes were won by First King, Hichmond 2 Le Loup 3. Essendon Stakes ; Swiveller l' Le Loup 2. ' A London telegram to the Post dated 4th instant says :— Owing to the receipt of advices in England from New Zealand respecting the depression of the labour market in that colony, aud the stoppage of assisted Government emigration, a large number of Durham miners, who were about to leave for New Zealand, have decided not to do so, at apy rate for the present. The Pott Bays that at a caucus of Ministerial supporters on Wednesday the financial measures of the Government formed the principal subject of discussion, and were generally approved. A recent Sydney telegram says :— The Government schooner Spitfire arrived at Cooktowu, from a cruiae. " She was boarded by Captain We bb, of the schooner Pride of Logau, who reports the massacre of hit crew including AlexanderDrew, publican; Thomas Gairer, master mariner, both of Cooktown- i Henry Mulholland, and a Malay woman (hia wife); also, another Malay woman, and three Chinese, by natives of Cloudy Bay, near New Guinea. Captain Webb states that he waa

fishing oh aifeef, and, on returning to his vessel found her completely gutted. Saw natives with a rope hauling her ashore. He jumped aboard and cut the hawser, and having slipped the anchor, stood out from the bay; returned next day, but could see nothing of the crew, and the natives having taken all the arms and ammunition, he could not land, and therefore made sail for Cook towm