Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 221, 9 November 1880, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1880.

Ai-l who take any interest in racing will read with regret and annoyance the Melbourne telegram which we publish to-day announcing the disqualification of Mata and his jockey for " dark running " at the recent races. Whether his defeat for the Cup is to be attributed to the mal-practices of his jockey, we bave yet to learn. In the meantime we can but express our great regret that New Zealand should have been eo disgraced at the Victorian Racing Club's meeting.' There has for some time past been a growing affinity between racing and swindling ia the. colonies, and this last business will confirm many in the idea they have foimid that honesty is oue of the last things to be looked for on the turf. Mr and Mrs Hart's entertainment at the Theatre last night was a decided success so far aa the audience was concerned, and it is only to be regretted that a larger number did not avail themselves of the opportunity of enjoying a very pleasant evening. The j performance is one to which justice can scarcely be done in a written description, its chief merit lying partly in the celerity wi th which the dresses are changed, which to be really .appreciated must be. seen, and, what is.a'far greater recommendation in tbe ex- .. ceedingly clever manner in which, at a moment's notice, the performers adapt themselves to the characters they represent. Thus, for instance, Mrs Hart is within the period of a .. few minutes now the staid married woman, again the fast young girl of ' the period, then tbe romping lass enjoying violent exercise with the skipping rope, and, we may add, excelling as a danseuse, and lastly the old grand dame of 70 years of age, and it really is difficult to say in which character she shows to the greatest advantage. Mr Hart is equally quick and equally clever, his impersonation of a Yorkshire countryman being especially good. His performance *' on' the miniature banjo fairly brought down the house, the sounds which he extracted from the tiny instrument beiDg simply marvellous.' Miss Louise Hart played her part. well as an accompanyist, but it was to be regretted that she had uot an opportunity,of showing what she really could do '■-in this line*; the piano upon which she had to ;perf orm being decidedly of the tin kettle ' genus. We can recommend all who wish to briagtheir holiday to a pleasant close to pay .. Mr and Mrs Hart a visit to-night. An inquest was held at the Lunatic Asyluni yesterday afternoon by L. Broad,Esq, coroner, and a jury, of which Mr John Cann was foreman, on the body of Johanna Biersdorf, who was brought up from Westport and.placed in the Asylum, where she died on Sunday. A verdict was returned to. the eftect that ueath resulted from natural causes. '■ ''It will be seen by our telegrams to-day that the Union Company intend making extensive additions to their already numerous and well appointed fleet of steamers and that they purpose extending their operations to the ports of the West Coast of this Islaud. A boat specially built for the purpose is to he devoted to the Westport trade, which will do much to develop tbe coal mines of that district, the bar being one which can be crossed in almost all weathers and not likely to be closed at any time like its more shifting neighbor at Greymouth.