The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16,1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 288, 16 December 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16,1879.

The Supreme Court sat this morning his Honor the Chief Justice presiding. The only case set down for hearing was that of Harper v. Harper, in which Elizabeth Harper petitioned for a judicial separation from her hueband, George Harper. Mr Moore, for the* respondent, said that it would be unnecessary to call a jury, as he was prepared to admit all the issues. Mr Acton Adams, for the petitioner, would prefer to have the finding of a jury, as upon that he would have to move the Court for a separation. The following jurors were then sworn:— Messrs W Darby (foreman), D. C. Tennent, G. Humphrey, F. S. Greaves, W. Bethwaite, A. Hading, J. Moorhouse, J. Ward, H. F. Hodgson, J. Buttress, J. Stone, and J. W. Slatter. The jury ihen formally found for the petitioner on all the issues, and were digcharged. The remainder of the proceedings, in this case consisting of moving for a judicial order for separation, and fixing the amount of alimony, will be in Chambers.

Seldom have a jury had an easier task to perform than that in the case of Harper v. Harper. They took their seats, elected their foreman, and then were told by the Judge that all that was to be done was to write " Yes " to each of the four issues. Then they were informed that they were discharged. The Registrar was engaged in some formal business which occupied him two or three minutes, after which he looked up, and seeing the jurors still seated in their chairs, he repeated, "Gentlemen, you are discharged." Again he was engaged for /a minute or two, and again he looked at the jury platform, and found the twelve still sitting. « Gentlemen, you are discharged," for the third time isaued from his lips. Looks were exchanged, a whisper came from the foreman, and the Registrar smiled benignly, and exciaimed "Oh, is that it?" Thereupon he repeated the whisper to Mr Acton Adams, who at once rose and said, " I mu9t apologise, gentlemen, for keeping you waiting, but I bad not expected to get a verdict 90 soon, and therefore did not come to the Court provided with the necessary number of half sovereigns, but I have sent for them, and they will be here directly." Confidence was at .once restored, and a few minutes later the jurymen were seen leaving the Court looking very pleased with the result of their five minutes work.

The cricket match between the Nelson College and Blenheim was concluded yesterday, and resulted in a victory for the latter by 39 runs.

A jiBtTiNG of the Range Committee, delegates, &c, re the new range will be held at the Nelson Hotel at 8 o'clock to-night. The City Rifles will parade for captain's inspection at half past ueven to-night. Messrs John Kerr and Joshua Bird were this morning sworn in before the Chief Justice as members of the WaseLands Board.

Our readers are reminded of the sale of work to be held at the Wesleyan schoolroom this evening, and to-morrow afternoon and night.

A meeting of those interested in the forthcoming introprovincial cricket match was held in the Masonic Hotel last night, Mr H Halliday in the chair. It was decided that the plajers should be selected after the match with Wakefield on Saturday next, and Messrs Atkinson, Greenfield, Wix, Topliss, Halliday and Wigzell were appointed io act as a Committee to make all the necessary arrangements, including the disagreeable task of canvassing for subscriptions to meet the necessary expense*, which, without extraneous assistance, fall too heavily upon the players. This work has been commenced and we are glad to learn that tho response has been so far very satisfactory. As the Rotomahana will be here on BoxiDg Day when the match is to take place, and as she io sure to bring a large crowd of excursionists, the spectators are likely to be numerous The cricketers come in the Charles Edward leaving Wellington on Christmas Day and returning on Saturday evening. Those who saw H.M.S. Pinafore acted here about two months ago and were delighted with it— and who that saw it was not delighted with it ?— will be pleased to learn that they are to have another opportunity of witnessing it, Josephine (Miss Leaf), Little Buttercup (Miss Hunter), Capt. Corcoran (Mr Harding) and.Ralph Rackstraw (Mr Crain) being now in Nelsou, and having been promised the assistance of several amateurs they propose putting this very amusing piece on the stage tomorrow evening. For Mr Riccardi who took the part of Sir Joseph Porter K.C.8., aud acted it so splendidly, the Company have been very fortunate in secuiiug an excellent substitute in Mr A. McKellar Wix, whose histrionic abilities are too well known in Nelson to need a word of recommendation from us. Suffice it to say that we anticipate

that the audience will consider hia acting of the most prominent character in the piece quite equal to that of Mr Riccardi, remarkably good as it was. Of Miss Leaf and Miss Hunter it is unnecessary to Bpeak, as they have already established themselves as great favorites with Nelson playgoers, as have also Messrs Crain and Harding. There will b« a good chorus, the sisters and the cousins and the aunts will be well and numerously rt presented, a boatswain and a Dick Peadeye, who are not to be easily beaten, have been bunted up, and there is every probability of H.M S. Pinafore getting up anchor to morrow night with as good a crew on board as could be wished for by the most fastidious.

Some very cleverly executed photographic political skits by Mr W. Gibba of Wellington are on view in Mr H D. Jackson's shop window The likenesses iu every instance are perfect, and a good deal of humor it displayed in the desigus. Mr Rolleston putting and extinguisher on Mr Macandrew is especially good, as is the picture of Messrs Reader Wood, Hurst, Swanson, and Colbeck, who in the form of rats are approaching a gin which has been duly baited and is being placed in position by Mr Hall. There are others in which Sir George Grey is the firominent figure, and these, too, are exceedngty good.

Mr. Mabtn notifies that he will hold a sale at Bright water to morrow of the contents of a general store. We also notice that he has been instructed to sell ali Mr Thomas H. Foy's country and town properties early in January. On Thursday he sells Mr Gowland's household furniture, and by order of the Trustees in the estate of Sedgwick and Gowland a quantity of articles at the tannery, for particulars of which we refer our readers to the advertisement.

Sigxok Ewini and Miss Amy Thornton gave an entertainment at the Theatre Royal last night, when the audience was but very small. In the farce Miss Amy Thornton acted well, as she always does— by the way, we are glad to Uarn from our Wellington files that this young lady has secured a good engagement in that city for the Christmas ■eason. The entertainment is to be repeated at R chmond on Friday, and at Wakefield on Saturday night.

The Sydney correspondent of the N.Z. Time§, writing of the Exhibition says :— "Miss Harris of Nelson, contributes twentyeight drawings of New Zealand wild flowers and berries. These are not only well bat faithfully colored. She is deserving of more than commendation, and such talent as she evidently possesses should not be lost to the colony; here is at least a painstaking and efficient artist, and it would not be saying too much in her favor to state that it would not be unworthy of the botanical world if she were to be asked to contribute drawings for a work on New Zealand wild flowers, nor would a publisher find such a work unnumerative ; there is a good opening for a production of this character, and no doubt a liberal Government would assist."