CENTRAL BLOCK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 236, 5 October 1880, Page 2

CENTRAL BLOCK.

A vast structure formed of corrugated iron, 800 feet in length by 500 feet in width. Down the centre of this runs an avenue 20ft wide, in a direct line with the grand entrance and north and south transepts, making altogether, a straight walk of 11,000 feet in length. .On either side of this avenue are the yariouß courts of the countries and colonies represented at the Exhibition, and at the far end a fernery has been arected, a good portion of which ia occupied by » large collection of New Zealand ferns from Nelson, and exhibited by Mr. James Dall of that city, some being over 30 feet in height. The opening to the. fernery ia of the same \yidth as the avenue, and the view along this great thoroughfare is thus agreeably terminated by a graceful mass of green foliage, a pleasant relief to the eye, wearied by looking at the iuumerable forms and colors intervening. This fernery is furnished with a fountain lent by the German Comnjissioner, and bids fair to become a favourite resting place, and it is a pity that Mr. Munro, who originated the idea, and carried it out, djd not make this delightful retreat very niuch larger while he was about it. ! Perhaps the very best way of conveying to the reader a clear idea of the arrangement of the courts and the apace allotted to each, w,ill be to give a tabular statement showing the respective positions occupied by the various colonies exhibiting, as thui— i i kaix bdudiho. East Entrance. i Germany, 8558ft Italy, 5725ft : ' i Gt. Britain, 11,850ft France, 9800ft i Dome. Victoria, 9000ft America, 5000ft j New S. Wales, 2000ft i I India, 4420ft ; . Organ. i China, Russia, Mauritius, Sweden, &c, have j i been allotted small blocks in the north i transept. !. CEKHAI, BLOCK, ! I ■ North End. j i fernery. Aii9tria, 28,376ft Unitod States, 34,809ft. Italy, 22,050ft <o Switzerland, 3,450ft. I ' 3 Holland, 6,176ft. Germany, 36,C0Sft * Belgium, J 3,750ft : ' «* Fiji, 1,370ft. i S Japan, 6,000ft. „?• Ooylon, Jamaioo, etc., i a 1,700ft. Franco, 66,125ft 8 Queensland, B,oooft. i . h New Zealand, B,oooft. ! « 8. Australia, 5,695ft g W. Australia, 2,000ft. Gt. Britain, 04,407ft "S Tasmania, 2,200ft. i • q N. S. Walos, 14,761ft. Victoria, 84,062ft. South End. ' THE MACHINERY HALLS. IFitzroy Hill.— Victoria, 80,717ft ; Great Britain, 37,854ft. .Carlton Hall.— Prance, 16,500ft.; Germany, 9937ft. ; United States, 15,000ft ; Belguim, 3044£t:; South Australia, 2000ft. r ; New South Wales, 2945ft. 5 Holland, 1125ft. ; Italy, 1125ffc. ; New Zealand, 1350ft. In addition to the above, two addition, annexes have been put up to provide extra accommodation required by Austria and Germany, thereby adding 45ft. to. the width of the central block, the German portion of the added space being 150ft, k by 45ft. and the Austrian part rather larger. , The total floor space occupied by Victoria in the Exhibition is 124,(iZ-9f(;., ! andiby Great Britain.lliS.Ulffc. r When it is remembered that the whole Melbourne Exhibition of 1875' only covered

78,000ft. of ground, the vastness of the area denoted by the above figures is strikingly shown. Altogether the ground enclosed within the Exhibition wolls is very little short of 20 acres.

The whole of Ibis enormous area is well furnished with gaslights, it having been determined to throw open the Exhibition at least 1 two nights in the week. In the'distribution of gas to all parta of the building and gardens, it is estimated that ten miles of piping have been used, and in addition to the small brackets in the offices and cellars, nearly 800 sunlights, varying from 14ft. to 2ft. in diameter, have been fitted. The effect of the whole, when the gas is lighted, is very good, and it need be, considering that three hours' consumption tots up to about 100,000ft., equal to a cost of £50.

The great organ is placed in the west nave of the main building, and is of the largest size. It has been constructed by W. Pincham of Melbourne, at a coat of £5000, It is built on a considerable elevation, so as to admit of a large sloping platform construction in front, baring many tiers of seats, affordiug accommodation for six or Beven hundred choristers and musicians.

" The Inangahua Times of Monday lastjsays: One thousand and fifty-six ounces of melted gold, as the outcome of six weeka and four dayB 1 crushing, is the handsome result of the Golden Fleece cleariug up. It is a long time since any mine in the Inangahua bas landed such a fat result, and it recalls the palmiest days of the district. A dividend will be declared at Greymouth to-day. The quantity of stone crushed was 932 tons, the average yield thus being a trifle over loz 2dwt per ton. It we may -so express it.it is rather what remains than what has been obtained that gives interest to the result. The stone was taken from different points along the course of tbe lode for 176ft, bo tbat we get the average of the stone for that extent of the lode. We learn that stone taken at particular places would give a. very much higher yield, but in opening the block this could not be done, even if desired. The battery will be kept going up to Christmas from the stopes already open, and there is little doubt that future crushings will gire a Btill higher average. At the close of the case Anseline v. Wilson oir Saturday, says the Grey Biver Arqu*. his Honor Judge Weston said to the jury.— j This is probably the last occasion on which I shall address a Greymouth jury. It may not j ba out of place, therefore, to refer to the pleasure I have derived from your assistance ! in criminal and civil cases tried in this j Court. Under our jury law there are grand, I common and special jurors. As regards j criminal business, a community is weeded of its best material to perform the less import- j ant duties of the grand jury, whilst the guilt j or innocence of the accused, his liberty and lifs are alike left in the hands of the less educated; [men who are often not in the least -ftgree qualified to undertake such responsibilities. In civil cases in thc Supreme Court, and by a costly process, a special jury may be obtained, in that Court the poorer litigants, and {in the District Court atl the •jiitors, must be satisfied with the so-called "common jury," composed of people frequently unfit to deal with questions involving important interests and large claims. Such a' condition of things reflects discredit upon the country in. which we live. I have often realised the mischief which must result from the existing system. In Greymouth, howeyer, my remarks do not apply to the full extent. Here there ia no Supreme Court. ! Tbo population, therefore, are not sifted, and I ■pin eyery case thore are upon the jury I some who would elsewhere be. on the higher I platform to work with those who are less gifted. Whether on the Bench or off it I hope to see the day when the best men sball decide whether our neighbours shall bo imprisoned or hanged. 1 A Napier telegram of Saturday says :— An old man, named M'Cabe, died at tbe Old Men's Refuge yesterday, aged 82. He was the son of a soldier in the 66th Regiment, and when old enough he joined the same regiment, and fought by his father's side at Waterloo. He was afterwards a non-commissioned officer of the guard over Napoleon at St. Helena. He came to the colonies fif fcy years ago, first settling in Tasmania. M'Cabe was a singularly kindly old man, and was a great favorite with children, of whom he generally had a crowd around him. He died very suddenly, when in the act of mending a chair. ■ The English sporting, papers contain long obituary notices of the famous bookmaker, J. B. Morris. "For over a quarter of a century (says the Sporting Times) the deceased gentleman was a magnate of the •porting world, and so extensive were his transactions that it is computed that in his books were outstanding debts due to bim of I over £100,000. 1 .* A Southern journalist declares that Te J Whiti is the moßt successful representative , man that tbis colony has ever seen, inasmuch as no member of Parliament ever got a hundredth part of so much done for his district as Te Whiti has for his. 1 The Victorian police made a large discovery of forged bank notes at Fitzroy last Week. The notes forged were on the Bank oi Victoria, and numbered 2,000. Tbe forger, who gave the name of Harry Steward, says he has no accomplices.

■ Hollo way's Ointment and Pills — Diseases of Advanced Years. — When man has p'aased to the bordtrsof old age, the digestion bfecomes impaired, the nervous system grows feeble, and the physical, power shows inrreased weakness. Hence arise congestion of the liver, lungs, or bead, lollowed b? drops?, aithma. or apoplexy, which too frequently kifect the sged. The liver usually first becomes torpid, but its activity msy spee.Jily be revived by rubsing Holloway'a Ointment thoroughly over the pit of the ttomaeh, and right side at lea9t twice a day. »nd taking the Pills at the same time. This treatment afao cures all the other congested organs, by r«rying the parts rubbed according to the situation of the congestion.