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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 220, 8 November 1880, Page 2

<|BgJßggßtt=e=;;:==gg3g iiMM l fy^l^i>«W> ■!■! p— ■m.yrq'jen "It is an ill-wind that blows no one any good " is an old adage, (Bays the Rangitikei Advocate) and the Scandinavian laborers engaged in felling bush on Colonel Feilding's land evidently thought so when the train to Halcombe killed a fine bullock on Wednesday. Within an hour that bullock ,was cut up and hanging; from trees in sirloins, salting pieces, and briskets, and mutton is at a discount with woodmen this week,

3 Judge Weston speaks in high terms of the i mining pop llation on the West Coast. Id the course of one of bis farewell addresses I the other day he said:— l avail myself of this s opportunity to refer to tbe paucity of, crime i in this district during my administration. It i ia the more remarkable inasmuch aa upon a - goldfield, where all classes are Buffered to congregate, and where property of great value is necessarily exposed aud liable to the depredations of the unworthy, we might reasonably expect to Had numerous offenders. The fact speaka volumes for the miners themselves, as well as for other classes. My connection with miners on this Coast has extended over a lengthened period; we have met in my Courts, at the festi?e board, in their mines, and on the road. Their independence: nobility of character, kindness and liberality towards each other, has always struck me. Wherever I may be, and however I may be placed, I Bball always regard them, and look back with unfeigned pieasure^to my sojourn in their midst. * * .. , To know the West Coast is to Jove it, and we will leave it with no inconsiderable regret. Here people are found to be as they are and exist, are known to be possessed of the milk of human kindness in abuudance, are felt to be endowed with enterprise and courage unlimited. The mining resources of the district are unbounded. Partially developed, they have done much for the Colony, but better for the district itself , and we shall yet realise that our goldfields will have to repay no ioconsiderable portion of our colonial debt. .' ... - . . A criminal of tbe deepest dye baa just heen executed at the City of Gralz, near Vienna. This was ao Austrian subject named Zoller, who was proved to have murdered one after another his three succflssive wives and two stepchildren. His object m each cane was to obtain the' premium for wbich he insured their Hres. It was not till be bad succeeded with his third wife that the diabolical plot was detected and defeated by the vigilance of the insurance offices. It ia the intention of Judge Weston to resume practice either at Well'jgton or Chrißtchurcb, most probably the former. A rival to the famous Strasburg clock baa appeared in New York in the form of a "National American Astronomical CiooK. This curious timepiece is priced at £10,000. It Bhowfl the time at fourteen cities, and indicates the movements of tbe planetary system for the next two centuries. Figure* symbolising Childhood, Adolescence, Maturity, and Death strike the quarters respectively, while at the completion of each hour a panel opens and displays George Washington seated on a throne, and holding the Declaration of Independence id his right hand. He rises to his feet, and a servant in livery appears and opens a door, whence iflaae in procession all the Presidents of the United States, each of whom bows to Washington as be passes, and disappears through a second ,door held open by a footman, president Hayes brings up ths rear, and as soon l»s he has passed, Washington reseats himself, and the panel is closed upon him until the next hour strikes. The Petroleum Company at Poverty Bay (says the Patea Mail) are in great glee. Having struck a vein of oil 70 feet deep they prophesy atriking the main reservoir in a fortnighh Considering this is not a kerosene country, "main reservoir*' ia good. But these gentlemen are not content with one "main reservoir/ they talk of tha "neigbouring oil wells," which they intend shortly to prospect. " Neighbouring oil Wells" (neighbouring fern tussocks and bush would be more truthful) is also good. But why do these enthusiasts spoil everything by adding gold to their discoveries? In real oil countries tha finders of the oil go to tbe bank for their gold, fiere we attempt the gigantic task of finding oil and gold together. The London Echo observes as followß concerning the prospects of tbe colony I — New Zealand has made marvellous progress during the last few years, but, like its neighbor, it has been apendiog money * little too freely. People and Parliament are. just now sorely exercised about w»yß and means, taxation and retrenchment. Great reductions are to be effected in the Civil Service; public works are either stopped for want of funds or curtailed now that the winter is over, and out of the last £5.000,000 loan, when prior engagements had been met, only about £800,000 remained available. What is wanted is more capital to develop the country! There are coal mines, tbe produce of which is beginning to be used for local service, but they want development ; the timber of the country is second to none, but the trade in it ia at present limited, and so with the other riches of the land. Whether the New Zealand farmers will be able to compete with America, and make their exports pay, remains to be >een. There are 13,000 miles to get over instead of 4000, and at present moat of the New Zealand trade is in sailing ships, which take a hundred days and upwards between the two countries. But if there is a profitable trade to be done in tnt&t, we may soon expect to Bee steam communication between the colony and tbe mother country greatly extended. The country. h a magnificent one, and has, we believe, a great future before it, but unless capital follows emigration there muat be sore disappointment for many who have been taught to belive in New Zealand ac a land flowing with milk and honey. The C&pe Times of August 28th, lays:— " The performance at the circus last night was under distinguished patronage, for his Majesty the ex-kin gr of the Zulus, accompanied by Captain Poole, K.A., and staff, occupied ona of the boxes. When we say staff, of course we refer to those unfortunate Zulus who were caught with the King in the kraal near Unkojameo'a, and became through the accident of opportunity, their monarch's fellow prisoners. Seeing them in the early day* of their captivity and again last night, we must say that they appear none the worse for their captivity. Cetewayo has lost little of his physique and none of bis spirits. Hfl was altogether in good form last night, and bia first appearance in public would suggest that civilised life, even with its restrictions, may be enjoyable to a barbaritn. But Cetewayo alwayß conducts himself with great decorum. He has evidently a keen sensitiveness and a haughty desire to repress all indications of surprise. But he thoroughly enjoyed tbe entertainment at tbe circus, and manifested his delight in a most unmistakable , manner. The Oiago Daily Times says :— A wellknown city gentleman received the other day a large official envelope, which he opened , with some trepidation, as he thought it might contain some uncomfortable query about the property tax returns. It contained a mernoi randum, signed on behalf of the Chief Poßtmaster, Duoedio, covering an empty newspaper envelope with his address on it, and informing him that this cover was found in ! the Newspaper Branch, General Post Office, London, without contents. Some careless boy had enclosed a paper and had not properly fastened it, and hence caused a memorandum to be written in London and forwarded to Dunedin ; another to be written in Dunedin and forwarded to a worthy citizen, causing disquiet to that worthy cit!z«n. Small boys, think of this. The moral is obvious. How large <tn expenditure of red tape apd stationery may not be caused by one little act of carelessness I It takes'tbree or four grownup people to set right the wrong done by a careless little newspaper boy in London. And.after all it is not set right, for it is only (he cover, and not the newspaper, that worthy citizen receives in tbe end. The Cricket Association of Dunedin have had a very appropriate. memento manufactured for presentation to Murdoch, captain of the Australian Eleven. It is in tbe form of a gold bat, intended as a watch-guard pendant. On the faca of the bat ia this inscription :— "Presented to W. L. Murdoch, Esq., by tbe Otago Cricket Association, in recognition of hia brilliant innings in England, September, 1880 "', on the back is :— "Australians v. England— 152—not out." The following squib ia going about, says tbe Patea Mail :•— There lives nn old chief at the Kau-wau, Whose " bite " does not equal hia " bowwow." " Every dog has his day," and so has poor "Grey." Ana bo has " Te Whiti," the Hau-hau. 'Twas a "cabinet " made without Wood. In the Hall of the House, where itstood. Boiling tlont (RolleBton) as a *■* boss/ it could gather no Moss. And ltd movements are Dot understood,