Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 101, 29 April 1881, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1881.

TnE outward mails from New Zealand of late have Deen peculiarly unfortunate. Last month the Suez mail was late owing to the termination of the contract with the Union Company, then came the accident to the San Francisco boat> and now the Tararua it) reported to be hard and fast on a reef. Irreverent persons may possibly al tribute this latest mishap to the fact that the steamer had a large number of black coats on board, TVesleyan Ministers en their way to the Conference to be held at Adelaide next month.

Theke was a tremendous crowd at the Theatre last night on the occasion of Professor Haselmayer's farewell performance in Nelson, and additional forms and chairs had to be obtained from wherever they could be got to seat those having tickets for the frout benches, the gallery and pit being equally well filled. The " wizard " was at his best, and some of his tricks were most cleverly performed, and called forth prolonged and enthusiastic applause, especially one in which, after extracting a dozen eggs from an apparently empty bag, he finally produced the ben that was alleged to have laid them, •this feat being performed in the body of the Hall and in the midst of the crowded audience. One old lady, who had watched the process with evident interest, was heard to say when the bird made its appearance, " At this time of the year I wouldn't mind giving ten shillings for that hen," sorrowfully adding, •• Mine only lay when eggs are tenpence a dozen." Greatly to the disappointment of the expectant audience it was found impossible for the Professor to make himself heard when endeavoring to explain the mystery of the magic drum, which was' so jealous of its secret that the noise it made "when its owner attempted to divulge it was absolutely deafening, and the explanation had to be deferred until a more convenient opportunity occurred. The electric spark illuminations were very cleverly produced, and evoked loud and repeated expressions of admiration. The whole entertainment was a complete success, and the financial results must have been highly satisfactory to the Professor.

The inhabitants of Sydney have taken the alarm in connection wirh the threatened influx of Chinese and at an influential mteting held last night appointed a deputation to wait upon the Government asking them to ttka immediate action in the direction of preventing the invasion of the colony by a class of : immigrants, who, however useful they might be in limiied numbers, are certainly moat objectionable men to import into a colony in hordes such as have been mentioned in our recent telegrams. As New Zealand is sure to be an enforced sharer of Australia's misfortunes, unless steps are taken to prevent it, the Government cannot be too much alive to the danger with which we are threatened, and it is to be hoped that they will bring the question before the Parliament in iti next Bession with a view to securing legislation on the subject. The census returns show the population of the City of Wellingt n to be 20,535, being an increase in the triennial period of 1498. Mr Wilkie announces that he has received another shipment of Daviß* Vertical Feed sewing machines. The exhibition of waxworks recently arrived from Wellington, and which is the largest and most comprehensive that has ever visited New Zealand, will be opened at the Theatre to-morrow. Mr Mabin disposed of Prestidge Brothers' aawmill at Takaka on Wednesday to Mr Baigeut, of Wakefield. A contributor to the N.Z. Mail writes : — " Volunteering ia all '< werry capital," aa Mr Weller would say, and taking part in Easter Eucampments " awfully heroic," as the girl of the period would probably observe if she said anything about it. But Volunteering and Easter encampments are liable to be dragged through the mire by volunteers who, instead of submitting themselves to a coarse of discipline (the object of encampments) desert their lines, and rob the nearest orchards and get druDk, and otherwise behave in a manner diametrically opposed to soldierly conduct and discipline. I have heard sad accounts of Ihe conduct of some volunteers at a recent encampment. Ifc is said that coats and rifles wero. lost; I can see plainly that these encam/imettj will degenerate into downright nuisance* unless they are controlled by the iron hand of martinetism. Scandals have arisen out of every encampment yet held in New Zealand," Is it possible that the foregoing can, even in the remotest manner, refer $9 thp recent encampment at Brightwater ?