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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 91, 16 April 1880, Page 2

We karn from the Westport Times that the Westport Colliery Company anticipate to be in operation to bring down from their mine at Waimangaroa five trucks of five tons of coal each per hour. The coal is a good marketable article, and with the steady supply anticipated au almost instant impetus should be given to the shipping trade at Westport. Sa'ling* craft can cross the bar either in or out without towage, and the facilities for speedy shipment of coal are unequalled elsewhere in tbe colony. The Auckland He? a'd states that the German man-of-war Bismarck comes to Auckland by direction of tho Imperial Government to convey to Tonga the body of the Crown Prince of the group, who died in Auckland somo months ago. Tho body has been carefully preserved. This is a high honor to be paid to Tonga ( by the German Empire. No doubt the order was given by Prince Bismarck with the view of strengtheniig German influence in ths Sourh Paiific, and so as to facilitate the operations of the new Trading Company, whose agency, like those of several English trading companies in the old limes, may open avenues of political influence for the nation it is connected with. The evidence with regard to the chinclona rubra cure for drunkenness is very conflicting. Here is the unfavourable report : "the Superintendent of the Home Inebriates at San Francisco has given the drug a full and fair trial, and he reports that its influence is absolutely nil. He further states, that from his inquiries as to its use in private practice, he is confirmed in his unfavourable opinion." The Aucklaud Star's London correspondent writes that a friend of .his coining to New Zealand advertised for a gentlemanly lad to share his cabin with him on the voyage to New Zealand, with a promise to lend him a helping hand on his arrival, received 300 applications from gentleman's sons offering to pay their own passages on expectation. One gentleman, holding a clerk's situation at £300 a-year, wanted to know whether the advertiser would counsel him to throw it up, as he had heard that anyone with " an ounce of brains " could make £500 a-year easily out there. Most of the youths wanted to get on farms. The Star's correspondent says that any New Zealand settlers advertising in The Field or in Land and Water, with references in England, could increase their revenues by getting youths for them to teach agriculture. The JV. Z. Herald says : — The jurymen summoned for the despatch of public business at the present sitting of the Circuit Court have felt very grateful to Mr Justice Richmond for the considerate way in which he deals with them when not eDgaged in the jury-box. His Honor, with the aid of the Crown Prosecutor and the counsel employed, endeavors to estimate the period of time which the case immediately for trial will last. He then gives leave to the jurymen in waiting to go about their business for one, two, or three hours as the case may be. The jurymen have in every case been punctual in returning. They thoroughly appreciate tha convenience of this arrangement, and we have heard that they intend to make some public acknowledgement of their obligation to His Honor on this account. ' St. Mongo," in the Waikato Times, tells the following .— -I heard a very good story about Bishop Cowie the other evening. Soon after his arrival in Auckland he went up Nortb, to look at that portion of his diocese. ' When returniug, he asked a gentleman to pilot him as far as Omaha, as he wished to get the steamer for Auckland there. The gentleman accompanied him to Omaha, where they were hospitably entertained by two of the settlers. The steamer waß expected to arrive about 3 o'clock in the morning, but about 1 o'clock the gentleman who had accompanied the Bishop heard the steamer's whistle, so he wenfc to the house in which his Lordship was staying, and aroused him, telling him - that the steamer had arrived. "No you don't, w said the Bishop, " I'm not going to be sold in that way again." The gentleman assured: him that the steamer really had afrrived, so he got up, packed bia clothes and went down... On the road he explained the incredulity by saying thafc he had been aroused. balPan-bour before by the daughter of his bost, and thafc after be had dressed binwelf the young lady in-formed him that it wa3 the first of April* The Bishop and his friend went down to the beach, and found that the steamer had arrived, but thafc it was too late, and had juat come from Auckland, and was going North, so his Lordship found that for tbe second time he had been made an April fool. The Home News gives the following particulars of the death of the second son of the Marquis of Normanby t — -"Lord William Brook Phippa-, second son of the Marquis of Normanby, Governor of Victoria, died at San Remo, In Italy, on February 19. His Lordship, who had been in failing health for some time, had resorted to San Remo for its mild; climate during the winter. The late lord was bom on Angust 13, 1846, and married, March 31, 1875, Constance Emma, youngest daughter of Mr Alfred Keysers, of Kingshill, Great Berkhampstead, and leaves issue three children — two sons and a daughter. He wafi formerly in the Royal Navy, and obtained his commission as lieutenant in 1872, but two years afterwards was placed oa the retired list of his rank.

• A mysteripus affair has come to the knowledge of the police at Gee'ong. In June, 1865, a person named John Dalziel, residing at the Anakies,was- killed whilst attending to his horse by a fall in his stable, and an inquest was held, when a verdict of accidental death was returned. The body was buried where two other graves were, and an iron railing placed round it. A Mrs Simmonds, residing about 200 yards from the grave, about the end of last month saw three men, about 12 afc nigbt, near the railing, one of whom had a light. She heard souuds as of someone hammering, bufc thinking it might be some wood-carters camping, she took no further notice. At four in the morning the men were still there, bufc went away directly after. Next day it was apparent that the grave had been disturbed, when information was given to the police, and permission being granted from the Crown law officers, the grave was dug on Thursday week, and ifc was lound that Dalziel's remains, with the exception of a few bones, believed to be part of the toes, bad been removed. No one can divine what the reason could be for removing tho body, but the police are making inquiries into the matter. A Sydney telegram in the Argus, dated March 21, says :— To-night, between 10 and 11 o'clock, the police made a raid upon a tobacconist's shop in King-street, aud arrested 10 or 12 persons who were gambling. They were handcuffed and taken to the police station. A crowd congregated during the visit ofthe police. The arrest caused considerable excitement, especially amongst the larrikins who assumed a threatening attitude. A policeman was concealed on the roof of the house, and at 10 o'clock struck a match as a signal to the offlcersto gain admittance. On the police knocking at the door, a man on guard rang a bell to warn those upstairs. The dice were hidden, and several things were thrown out of the windows, and everybody was quiet wben the police entered the room. Later information states that between 25 and 30 gamblers were arrested, not at the tobacconist's, but in a room over a tailor's shop in King-street. Ifc appears thafc oue of the gamblers lo9t a considei able amount cf money, and suspecting cheating, he informedthe police, who watched the house all the evening. They suddenly entered and arrested the gamblers. Five escaped from the room bat two werj caught . on the roof. Several are members of the theatrical profession. A quautity of money and some dice were seized. The prisoners when marched to the lock-up, placed hindkerchiefs over their faces to prevent recognition. The gamblers 1 arrested, amoug whom are Kelly and Brown I of the Mammoth Minstrels, were brought up at the Water Police Court. The two men- [ tioned, who pleaded guilty, and several | others, were fined 40s and costs. The others, including the keeper of the house and the doorkeepers, were remanded.