Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 27, 1 February 1881, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1881.

The anniversary of the province will he celebrated to-day by the customary fete given under the auspices of the Friendly Societies. The sports promise to be unusually attractive, and they will be followed in tbe evening by a dance in tbe Foresters' booth and a display of fireworks. The vital statistics of tbe city of Nelson for the month of January are are as follows: —Birth 21; deaths 11; marriages 8. A large audience assembled in Christ Church last night when an organ recital was given hy Mr Tendall who has recently arrived from England. The instrument, though not a powerful one, is remarkable for the aweetnesß of its tones wbich were heard to great advantage in the pieces played, which consisted of selections from Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and Weber, in addition to several well known hymn tunes, the whole concluding with tbe grand chorus from Sampson, "Fixed in His everlasting seat." A very general wish waa expressed tbat Mr Tendall might be induced to repeat the performance wbich was listened to with great pleasure by all who were fortunate enough to be present. There was a fair attendance at tbe Theatre laßt night on the occasion of tbe first performance of the Court Minstrels, whose appearance in full court costume was as novel as it was effective. There was nothing to call for Bpecial notice in the entertainment which was of the ordinary Christy Minstrel style, but it will be sufficient to say that the songß and choruses were well sung, and that the jokes bad the effect of calling forth shouts of laughter from the audience who appeared to be thoroughly well pleased with the programme, many of the items being enthusiastically encored. The company will re-appear to-night. A meeting of those interested in cricket was held at the Masonic Hotel last night, when there was a good muster, and the chair was taken by Mr Godfrey. Mr Topliss, the Secretary of the Nelson Club, who has been no pains in making tbe preliminary arrangements, stated tbat tbe Australian team purposed playing here on the 9th and 10th instant, and that it would he necessary to raise at least £15 by Bubsprjptjpn io addi-

tion to the sum that might be realised from the sale of booths, &c. Messrß Godfrey, Tbpliss, and Stewart were then appointed a sub-Committee to Canvaß for subscriptions. Messrs Halliday, Burns, Wigzell, Koyvett, Greenfield, Topliss, S. Fowler, and T. Eden wore appointed a Committee to select the twenty-two from the following players : — Messrs Firth, L. Balmain, — - Bahnain, F. Greenfield, S. Fowler, [G. Fowler, Knyvett, 11. Boddiugton, E. iloddington, T. Eden, W. Eden, Delaney, Naylor, Lawry, Halliday, Wigzell, Bums, W. Bai.qent, Silcock, AriiGici, C. Godfrey,' Holmes, Askew, S.Bolton, D. Bolton, Halo, and Fayui. At the ripe old nge of 82, just, as preparations were being made for celebrating the anniversary of the Province, there passed, away yesterday afternoon one of Nelson's pioneer settlors. John Bamforlh. who was well-known lo all the old residents in the place, had passed au eventful life in New Zealand, and. v»\as one of those who were present at tbe Wairau massacre ih November, 1843, just at the termination of his fii'fcfc year in the colony, and where he received 11 wound that necessitated tbe amputation of hia left arm, He it was who planted the beautiful ash tree which, afc one time, formed such an ornament to the town in Nile-street, near the river Maitai, but which was blown down somo ten years ago. ' Possessed of more vitality thau its planter, the tree has recovered from what at the time appeared to be its death blow, and promises soon again to be' as beautiful as ever. More sure lias been the great Reaper's stroke "at, old John, who yesterday passed away for ever from the sight of the many old friends to whom it waa his delight to recount his adventures in the early days of the settlement. An enormous shark, meaßiiriug 13ffc in length nnd Oft in circumference, was caught outside the Boulder Bank yesterday afternoon by the crew of the Australian Maid while lying at anchor. The capture of this i monster was not made without some difficulty, as immediately after the harpoon was driven 1 iuto him his sharkship commenced stru^"';;;^ desperately, dragging the ve^o} aboutTn all directions, A coRitESPONDENT writes :~-A very important discovery of the lithograph stone was made by Mr Jonathan Brough, of Nelson, in tho year 1874, in his rambles through the Waian Gorge when he picked up a specimen, one of the first found in New Zealand. After carrying it some hundreds of hiiles in his swag he brought it to jNehson and showed it to several gentlemen, and then laid it before the Committee of tbe Nelßon Museum, who came to the conclusion that it wasia curiosity of no importance. Mr Brough was of a different opinion, and ultimately he cut it in two and presented one half to the Nelson Museum, where it can be seen at the present time, and the other half he sent to Mr John Gibson's Museum at Blenheim, writing upon it the locality where it was found, jthe piece presented to Mr John Gibson has led to an important discovery, as he Bhowed it to the Government mineralogist; -who baicLit was the first lithograph specimen found ra New Zealand, and bne of the finest specimens he had seen of the kind. He also took it away and searched in the locality where it was found, and he has discovered a wall or seam, a full account of which was given in the Wellington papers a short time ago. I think it behoves the Committee of the Nelson Museum to thoroughly ascertain the nature of specimens that are presented to them from the interior of the country before they are shelved as heing of no importance. This accounts for the Museum being in such a delapidated etate, and its mineral wealth bo much behind the age. Any other information required about the lithograph stone can be obtained from Mr John Gibson, who is at present in Nelson,