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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 249, 11 December 1880, Page 2

The weather was unfavorable .for theatregoers last night, and the attendance was consequently, small upon the occasion of the Comedy and Burlesque Company performing the "Ticket of Leave Man," which was exceeding well acted, and met with the hearty approval of the audience, whicb, if small, was decidedly appreciative. For. tonight there is a most tempting programme, consisting of '" Just Retribution, or the Last of the Kellys," and J. C. Wilkinson's splendid drama "Across the Continent," which has been immensely admired wherever performed, either in Australia or New Zealand. In order thafc the eutertaiument may be over by the usual time the curtain will rise precisely at a quarter tb eight. The reduction in the price of admission will probably act as an additional attraction on the occasion of this, the laßt night of the Company's appear-, ance iv Nelson. A large quantity of malt was shipped for Adelaide yesterday by MrT.H. Harley. This, taken in connection wilh the fact of Mr J. Harley baying been awarded the first prize for barley at -the Sydney Exhibition, looks as though the barley growing andi malting industries were flourishing in Nelson. A correspondent telegraphs to us from Havelock that a man named Henry Chant was found drowned in the harbor yesterday. The Customs receipts for.the week ending, this day were £1064 7s 3d. ,. \ The Observer, "an independent journal of politics, information, and society," is the title of a weekly journal started in Auckland about three months ago, and which from the clever and racy style in which it is edited is making for itself a name in the colony. Mr M'Cabe has been appointed the Nelson agent. The Rev. J Beckeqham will preach at the Congregational Church to-morrow morning on tbe relations of the Church to Temperance. . A lecture . on (' Music " with musical "illustrations will he delivered at Dovedale on Monday evening by the Rev. R. Bavin. Mr Bethw aite. was nominated this morning as a candidate for the vacant seat in the City Council.. "•-.,■ On reference to our advertising columns will be seen the abridged prospectus of the Caswell Sound Marble, Portland Cement, and Mining Company, Limited, the share-list of which closes on the 15th instant. The Auckland Star concludes an article on the Opunake murder as follow8:.—It may be said by philo- Maoris and .pseudo-philan-thropists that Tuhi's crime i 3 attributable to homicidal mania; but the law has nothing to do with the maudlin theories of mistaken humanitarianism. That there is such a disease as homicidal mania medical Scientists place beyond doubt, but it is .too dangerous a malady, and too easily simulated for the law to take cognizance of ifc. • The law's business is with the greatest good of the greatest number, the peace and security of life and property, and it must regard such criminals aB Tuhi very much as wild beasts at large, which mankind is justified in eradicating, not only for their own present safety, bufc in order to prevent the perpetuation of families of rhurderers who will intensify the evil in future generations. " I had an irresistible predisposition to commit murder," was the plea of a homicide before a celebrated English judge. "And tbe law," remarked the Bench, with the calmness of judicial impassiveness, "has an equally irresistible pre-! disposition to hang you for' it." The Post of Wednesday says :— The new Inspector of Prisons, Captain Hume, who recently arrived from England by the steamship Durham, has already entered upon his duties, and has been assigned an office in tbe General Government Buildings near that of the Minister of Justice. Captain Hums is about to commence his first tour of inspection through the New Zealand prisons. He will begin with the Nelson gaol, and thence make the complete round of the South Island prisons. The North Island gaols will be visited subsequently, after which a full report will be presented to the Government on their present condition and requirements, with a view of placing on the Estimates for next session such sums as may be found absolutely, necessary to put the various prisons of the colony in a thoroughly efficient state. We understand also that their number will he reduced so far as practicable. Southland being celebrated aB an oat-grow-ing district, a correspondent of one of the papers has been making enquiries with regard to some of the yields with the following result:— Mr Lauchlan Eraser had a crop of 45 acres of Danish oats that averaged 105 bushels to the acre from seed put in at the rate of lf bushels to the acre; Mr William Ronald, who had seeded at the rate of I.J bushels per acre, in land adjoining the firstnamed crop, threshed an average of 115 bushels, also Danish oats; Mr John Wilson, off a first furrow on. 22 acres, averaged 95 bushels; Mr D. Nobie, from Pell ing's paddock, bagged 114 bushels to the acre, aud a neighbor off 45 acres cut a 75 .bushel crop. The thin seeding of two of the larger crops is worthy of note While in the lock-up at Opunake (says the Hawera Star) Tuhi was informed tbat the sessions at New Plymouth would hot' be held for about five months, but by going to Wellington he would be tried in a few days, and, on being asked which he would prefer, said he liked New Plymouth best. Tuhi,' evidently, is not in such a hurry to be banged now. Te Whiti, it is stated, says of the murderer-^-" He has bitten like a cur ; let him die like a dog,"