The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 40, 16 February 1880, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1880.

"It is satisfactory to learn from our Sydney telegrams that to Nelson has fallen the honor of taking the first prize for barley, at the Sydney Exhibition. Mr J. A. Harley was the exhibitor, and the sample sent consisted of one bushel (which turned the scale at 581bs) grown by Mr W. Nieman, on the section at Spring Grove, where Marks' old store still stands, and where many passengers by the railway last year will remember having seen a spleudid growing crop. The second prize for hop 3 has, also come to this district, Me Richard Andrew, of Waimea West, being the fortunate grower and exhibitor. From the fact of no mention being made of the first prize, we presume that it has gone elsewhere, the New Zealand prize takers only being telegraphed. With barley and bops of such excellence we might reasonably have expected to find Nelson beer taking a higher position than that accorded to. it. [Just before going to press we received a more complete list of the awards in the. agricultural department, from which it will be seen that, in addition to the foregoing, the third prize for hops-was gained by Mr T. Harley, and the fourth for wheat by Messrs Holdaway Brothers, of Richmond.] Preparations for the forthcoming Itifle Association, meeting are being rapidly pushed forward at Brightwafcer under the supervision of Armorer Christie, who has six laborers and four carpenters at work on the ground. The targets this year are more nuinerona than lust, there being twelve instead of eight, which will, of course, materially accelerate the firing. They also occupy a different and more favorable position , being on the terrace at the foot of the range instead of on the hill side. The butts are sunk four feet in the ground and timbered, which allows of the protecting sod wall being much lower, thus avoiding the shadow which was last year cast on the targets to the great annoyance of the shooters.. Four wooden buildings are being erected, namely, a telegraph office, 12ftby 14ft, officers' niess room, 18ft x 30fD, and two sleeping rooms, 16ft x 30ft each, these being rendered necessary on account of many of the tents hitherto used being required. by the Armed Constabulary at the Waimate Plains. One of the great drawbacks last year was the limited supply of water, that which was obtained being of a very indifferent character. This year, however, there will be plenty of it and of the very best description, a well having been sunk below the gravel, until there is now a depth of nine feet of water, and the sides of the well having been bricked there is no fear of their falling in. This will be good news to all who are to take part in the meeting, as the annoyance of having to fetch all the water required from the railway station, ;as had to be done last year, was very great, and naturally gave rise to much grumbling. The tents and the balance of the targets will arrive from Wellington by to-morrow's steamer, and in the course of a week or ten days the ground will present a very different appearance to that which it now does. There will be a service at the Port Public Hall this evening, when a sermon will be preached by the Rev. R. Bavin. The Rev. J. Beckenham will deliver a lecture at the Theatre Royal this evening on " Tom Edward, the Scottish Naturalist." The members of the Port Tire Brigade are requested to attend a special meeting at the Hall this evening at 7.30. A meeting of the Volunteer Reception Committee will be held in the Council Chamber to-morrow evening, when a full attendance is requested. The usual monthly meeting of the Permanent Building Society will be held this evening at Mr Rout's office. We have been requested by Mr H. D. Jackson to acknowledge the receipt for the Irish relief fund of £1 10s, subscribed by the children attending the Gospel Hall Sunday school at Wakefleld. A very pleasant afternoon's match was played in Victory Square, between the Nelson and College Cricket Clubs on Saturday which i resulted in a victory for the former by 23 \ runs. For Nelson White hit freely for 22, and Boddington played carefully for 7, Harkness made a good 12 for the College and Mrth played well for 9, including' a grand hit for 6 clean out of the Square. Naylor bowled particularly well for the Nelson Club, and Firth and Harkness did the same for the College. The scores were: —Nelson Club 63, College 40. The monthly meeting of the Nelson Aid Society was held at the , Provincial Government Buildings on Friday last, Present : the Bishop of Nelson, in the chair, Keys, James Jvoighton, hon, secretary, Cnldor, aaa I

"I i■ . .; .. ;: -. ~~ fGjirin, Doctor Boor, and Mr Alfred Jones, , Shijn. Ureasurerj The ladies report for the 'month was received. Sundry urgent cases for relief were . duly considered and tbe requisite assistance granted. The following extract from a letter dated ftevon (England), 30th December last, received by the chair* man from Captain Rough; a well-known resident of Nelaofa, was resld. After teferring to two sums each of £ioO left in Nelloil on loan by him at 8 per cent, and providing for the expenditure of £5 per annum from the proceeds upon other charitable objects, if needed. Captain Rough says :—" This Arrangetoenjt wijl admit df ,£lO or £11 going to your Society's funds. I would be glaa to 1 learn something about the results of the Aid Society's efforts for the relief of distress at Nelson. In this country, much aid to the poor is needed, . and much is given by all classes of tbe people. I may mention that a Philanthropic Society; to which I belong, is Chiefly supported and managed by persons of very moderate means ; subscriptions from working men and Bmall tradesmen being at the rate of a penny a week, and one of the regulations is that every one of the many cases relieved or aided shall be visited and reported on by a member of the Committee, which meets on one evening each week o( the yearr It is pleasant to see the active interest taken by the humbler class of citizens in this good work— an example which might be followed by the same class in New Zealand— whbj &s far as I know, have not taken a fair share of the ltdrk for charitable purposes." The Treasurer reported having received the following subscriptions :— General Davidson, £2 ; W. ( Stone, Esq., £1 ; Thomas Ralne, Esq., £1 Is; C. Hunter Brown.Esq., £2; Mrsßenwick, £S] Miss Hinde, £1 10 a. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings, i