The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 278, 4 December 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1879.

Some of the Parliamentary proceedings during the present session have been decidedly eccentric, and attended with veTy extraordinary results. Ten or twelve days ago Mr Macandrew, ia the customary form, and after giving due notice, moved a vote of no confidence in the policy of the Government. Such a motion is not, as a rule, brought forward lightly, or unless there is at least some chance of its being carried, but Mr Macandrew could, from the first, have had no hope of inducing the House to adopt his resolution, nor could he bave felt ihat he was acting in the interests of his party, for surely no pressure could have been brought to bear upon him by them to induce him to take the action be did when but six could be found to take the trouble to remain to record their votes. Last night again,amost important

measure waß introduced by Sir George Grey, no less than a Bill to alter the constitution under which we live. What was the result? After five hours' tall? there was _ cbiiht oiit, a Bu_flcsent butbber of the members to form a quorum not caring lo sit and listen to a discussion which tbey knew must end in nothing. On both these occasions Sir George took the opportunity of letting off a long speech, the burden being much tbe same in both instances, and it would really seem that inteabti case the sole object of introducing the debateable matter was to allow him to talk to the galleries, for in no other way is tbe useless waste of time to be accounted for. Evidently the House, not even Sir George Grey's own followers, attached the slightest importance either to the no-confidence motion or to the Constitution Amending Bill; or they wo^ild, At least, have sat the debate but. There is so much work before tbe Assembly requiring the most careful attention, and the end of the session must cf necessity be so close at band, tbat tbe hours are far too precious to be devoted to purposeless debates, and it is to be hoped that tbe late Premier and deposed leaderof thepfesent Opposition will be content with (be amount of speak ng tjiat hb t\ps already done, and be satisfied tb Alio;. the ousiness to be proceeded With. As the question of leaving in .dackness the lamps on the £y__on_ liiemorial Will be re-opefced in the Council to-mor-row night, we mry again express the hope that it will not be considered necessary to carry economical principles to such an extreme. It is said that for each lamp the City rates are charged £7, and therefore that the five lights would necessitate an expenditure of £35. But they reed do nothing of the kind. If ihe memorial lamppost were charged the ordinary Jfi, and iS Bs extra as the cost of the additional ga9 consumed, neither the Corporation nor the gas worka accounts would be injuriously affected to any great extent. The session of the Diocesan Synod was brought to a close at midnight on Tuesday, it having been considered, in view of the General Synod sitting io April next, undesirable to spend much time in legislating. While there is an increase reported in the Diocesan income as to that part raised in the Diocese, there is a withdrawal of all aid from England, which made it necessary to revise the small stappletiientary grants in aid I made by the Synod, and se.eral districts will henceforth have to be self supporting. Seven grants were reduced by a pro rata redaction, sach reduction not to be made if the General Church Fund receives additional support during tbe year, which it is expected to do. The Standing Committee and Parochial Nominators were elected, being the same as before. At a meeting of clergy the following were elected as clerical representatives at the General Synod :— The Venerable Archdeacon Butt, the Rev Samuel Poole, and the Eev J. C. Andrew. The lay representatives will be chosen by the lay electors throughout the diocese. Before the close of the Synod a resolution respecting the late Rev G. T. N. Watkins was moved by Mr Barnicoat, and seconded by the Rev S. Poole, and supported by Messrs Hindmarsh, Cresswell, and others. The result of Mr A. McGee's consultation on the Champion race to be run on New Year's Day, the drawing in which took place last night, will be found in our advertising columns. Mr McGee ia to be congratulated upon the success which bas attended his consultation from first to last. The members of the Pinafore Company adverti.e a very charming entertainment for to-night at the Masonic Hall, where, whether wet or dry, they meaa to go through the very attractive programme which is to be found elsewhere. The ability of tho3e who are advertised to take patt in it is so unquestionable that they should not fail to draw a large audience. There was a fair attendance of the public, but not many buyers at Rostrevor yesterday. Mr Canning, witb his usual hospitality, provided a sumptuous lunch, after which he introduced the auctioneer, and in doing so took the opportunity of making a few remarks having reference to the property, and expressing regret at being obliged to leave it The auctioneer, Mr Pickering, then read the conditions of sale, and started by offering lot 1, the dwelling house and grounds attached. Tha first bid was £2000, and this was at once topped by £2,300, another bid was made, after which it was bought in at the reserve of £2,500.— L0t 2, consisting of 14 acres, including 6 of orchard, was, after considerable competition, knocked down to Mr Muir, of Wellington, for £750 —The bids for the remaining lots not reaching the very low reserves placed upon them by the vendor, were bought in. We understand that negotiations are going on which, in all probability, will result in the greater part of the property being sold privately. The furniture aud household effects were sold to day, and the stock and farm implements will be' put under the hammer to-morrow. The monthly Court was held at Brightwater yesterday, the sitting Justices being Messrs Barnicoat, H. Martin, and F. Kelling. The only case was that of Blower v Eban and Hansen, in which the plaintiff claimed £16 for three head of cattle which he fcal purchased at £5 6s 8d each, and which tbe defendants had failed to deliver according to an alleged agreement between the parties. Mr Atkinson appeared for the plaintiff and Mr Percy Adams for the defendants. The evidence was very contradictory, the plaintiff declaring that the defendants were bonnd to deliver, and the defendants asserting that such was not part of their bargain. In tbe meantime the cattle had died, and the question was who was to bear the loss. The Bench, after an absence of about twenty minutes, found for tbe defendants, each party to pay their own costs, and at the same time expressed an opinion that the case was one that should go to arbitration At the Quarterly Licensing Court held at Brightwater yesterday, tbe license for the Turf Hotel waa transferred from Mrs Todd to Mr McDonagh The Naval Brigade fired for the Company's medal at the Maitai Butts yesterday morning, when it was won by Sub-Lieut. Hunter with a score of 50, Seaman Bennett being second with 49 points. The Dramatic Troubadours had another good house last night, when the programme was a new one, consisting of •• Milky White"' and " Hash, bib, and tucker, or H.M S Pinafore hashed up." In the first part the acting was good all through, but the piecs is not so well suited to the juveniles as others in which they have appeared, and in consequence dragged somewhat heavily. But if the first pact of the entertainment was a little milk and watery, the _piciat>ss of the " hash " tbat was served up afterwards amply atoned for it, and the shouts of laughter, tbe rounds of applause, and tbe frequency of tbe encore's, told beyond all possibility of doubt or mistake that the clever little company were carrying their audience with them. The imitatioas of well known. actors in their favorite characters were excellent, and in those in which the young ladiea took part the effect was heightened by their very pretty and tasteful dresses. The burlesque on "H.M.S. Pinafore" was one of the most amusing things we have seen, and the effect produced was such as to lead to the suspicion tbat laughing gas was one of the ingredients introduced into the '• hash." Miss Emily Fox aa Little Buttercup fairly brought down the house, Miss Nina Tulloch looked and acted remarkably well as Josephine, Ralph Rackstrn w was represented by Aiaster Parlarto, who appeared to be exceedingly proud of Ida appearance as a notyle specimen of tne

" British black fellow ;" and Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.6., was personated by tf aster 8. J^|Lean 5r and it is needless to speak of the i sbbuts of laughter with which thisyoungster, standing about three feet nothing in bis boots, was received when he proceeded to inform his audience that "I am the monarch of the sea." The same programme will be repeated to-night, but there will be a new oue fo^ to-morrow evening, which will be the l„st ia lielaßn; whehce the -oftpany pto ceeds to New Plymouth by Saturday's steamer. An interesting meeting was held on Tues day evening in connection with the anniversary of the Baptist Church, Bridge- street, Nelson. Tea was served in the Schoolroom, at which there was a. good number present, and the company then adjourned to tbe Church. Air T. Scott was called to the I chair. The meeting was opened with singing and prayer, followed by a few introductory words from the chairman, and addresses were delivered by tbe Revs. T. Standage (Wesleyan), J. Beckenham (Congregationaliat), and A J. Hamilton, the pastor, and Messrs. Rose, Hill i and Jessop. Hymns. were sung _t intet valSi and the meeting was brought to a close with the Usual thanks to all who had aided at the tea. After the doSology the meeting separated. SV* tondetstand that the contract with the steamer Maori for a monthly trip round the island is to be discontinued at the end of the year, and that in future the subsidy will be confined to providing communication at stated intervals between Hokitika and Jackson's and Martin's Bays. «_B'_^. ■-".__' "'■'■'■'- ■» «m riTf» _i MM _ _j| .j _„. (n wt