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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 157, 4 July 1881, Page 2

A fatal accident occurred on Saturday evening on the Bellgrore extension of the railway, where a man named Patrick Murphy, who was working for the cmtractor and was in charge of a ballast truck, attempted to put down the brake by stepping on it in the customary manner, but in doing bo his foot slipped, and he fell on the rails in front of the truck, which, with its load of eight tons of gravel, passed over him, literally cutting him in halves. Death was, of course, instantaneous. The deceased, who was only temporarily reeidenfc in the district, was a single man. Some fears were entertained regarding the safety of Mr Moonlight of the Maruia, who lert his home on Thursday evening for Nelson, where he had not arrived last night, lhis morning, however, he came down by the tram looking as hearty as ever, and quite free from any appearauce calculated to cause his friends anxiety, the delay in his arrival having been occaaioned by his .pending a couple of day 8 at Mr John Kerr's station at toe Lake,

An inquest on the recent fire in Washington Valley waa being held as we went to press to day At tbc District Ci;urfc this morning, before His Honor Judge Broad, Mr Percy Adams iu re Prestidge Brothers* bankruptcy, moved for an order for discharge. At the nicetiug of creditors to consider th6 question, the debtors received a certificate recommending that it be granted, and Mr Seaife, the creditors' trustee, reported n favor of it, the report also showing that thtre was a probability of there being it dividend of lla in the pound. Application granted as prayed. — lure CharUs Thctnasj a bankrupt: Mf Percy Adams moved for au order W costs, which \vas granted. — In re PLcenix GoldMinicg Company (in liquidation) : The application to settle the future list of contributories wag adjourned to the 13th ihiit. Tin-: Wellington corressondent of the Mailhorcugh Express speaks of Mr J. Shephard as a " staunch Government man." "What does the honorable member for the Waimca say to this ? Thk Normsnby Lodge 1.0.G.T. will hold ah meeting at the Temperance Hall this evening. Ouji contemporary the Colohut is now published ah a daily morning paper, thus supplying a want that has long been felt in Nelson. Theatre goen in Nel a on have a great treat in store for them this week, when Herr Bandmann and bis company aie to give a aeries of dramatic enter: aininerig of a Tery high order. Herr Bandmann himself has a world-wide reputation, having hid a most triumphant career in America, and highly-suc-cessful seasons in London, Berlin, and the English provinftesi Of him the Observer says : — " Even if he were not an accomplished actor be would be a mrst agreeable and instructive coruranion, for he is literally steeped in German ar.d English philosophy and poetry. He fc&s also a noble mind, is considerate, honorable, and anxious tn do right. Apart frrru bis culture, he has moved in the best scciet\ , and 13 a member of the Garriek Ciub. He knows, or has known, more or less intimately tilnst of the literary and political celel rities of London. He has a strong dash bf German sentimentiaud a vivid Conception of soul-]ffe» as (Serbians call it; and all these things combined together mike of him a delightful companion. With regard to his acting, he has flret of all a magnificent voice, of a most penetrating, vibrating quality. His enunciation is sometimes too rapid, but his Hamlet is a wonderful conception, and quite equal to some of the best efforts of the best actors at H^iue. There $3 irresistible powferj pathos, and passion in his delineation of this, the greatest of all Shakspeare's master- pieces." It may interest Gocd Templars to kiow that both Herr Bindmann and Miss Louiaa Baudet, the leading lady artiste of the Company , are total abs ainers. A thiud attempt is to be made to hold the twice postponed Christmaß Tree entertainment at BrightWattr, tthere it is advertised to take place in the girls' schoolroom (o morrow evening, when, it is to be hoped, the weather will prove more favourable than on the two previous occasions. Referring to the appointment of Mr Fearnley, the Head Master of the Wanganui District High School, to the resident masterBhip of Nelson College, the Herald sayst — Althcugh we heartily congratulate Mr FSarnley on his success, our good wishes are tempered with the thought that Nelson's gain will be Wanganui's loss. Mr Fearnley'a management of our District High School has been attended with marked success, making it an educational establishment that reflected credit Upon the town. Those who can speak with experience as to the effect of Mr Fearnley's teachiog and example will agree with the opinioa that with hi3 advent a new era began in our public school. The teaching wa3 more thorough, and carried to more aubitious heights than were ever before attempted; and the tone of the school speedily improved. We feel sure very general regret will be expressed when the approaching departure of Mr Fearnley becomes known. A further rise in English Consols is reported to day. Commenting upon the extraordinary high price reached within the last three months, the Spectator of the 7th May says :— "The rise in Consols, due partly to the large purchases by the Treasury, partly to the abundance of money, but chiefly to the slackness of trade, has become a marked financial fact: Consols on Thursday touched 102| f or money, being the highest figure reached in this century, higher even than in 1852. Such a price is supposed to imply great financial stability, and certainly shows the immense confidence of the people in Government Securities ; but there is a bad side to it, too. The public grows restless under so low a rate of interest, and all speculators find their opportunity. The public has already paid £1,500,000 to the fortunate owners of a few rocky acres in South India, out of which no gold sufficient to yield a dividend has yet been taken, and as much more for crushing-machines, engineers, directors, and what not ; and the shower of prospectuses increase every day. Everybody is trying to sell a busiuess. or a " concession," or an estate, to a Company, which is promised, if it will give an extravagant price, a dividend of thirty per cent. Men keep thirty per cent. lur themselves. The amounts demanded in most instances are not very large, but the total asked for is rising to £10,000,000 a month, and we are bound to say the majority of the schemes offered are of the most speculative kind Any political catastrophe making money temporarily dear would now produco a crash.