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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 158, 5 July 1881, Page 2

Last night's Post, in reporting the boiier explosion which occurred on board the coal hulk on Sunday evening, says: — " An extraordinary narrow escape has to be recorded. A little girl, aged two or three years, belonging to William Mitchell, the caretaker of the Ann and Jane, had just been put to bed by its mother io the deck houso when a portion of the shaft of the donkey-engine was projected throogh the side of the house 1 within a few inches of the bed on which the child was lying. Tbe projectile, which was about two feet in length, tore a large hole inthe side of the houae, smashed a great deal of the crookeryware and other articles of a limilarly perishable description, and was landed in the centre of the floor. The boiler and engine, of course, were completely wrecked. Huge, jagged pieces of plate, were shot iri alt directions, and volleys of debris scattered themselves on the wharf and the bulks in question, and in tbe harbour. The boiler and machinery oh board the Ann Jane were- extensively damaged. A large rent was made in a dingy aleo belonging to the same hulk, and various other; damages w»re caused. The effect of the report of the explosion was such as to violently shake many^ of the buildings in the vicinity,; especially some situated on Custom Honse Qaay. Of these, the Steam Shipping Building have sustained the most- serious damage. Scarcely a window in the buildings has been left unbroken, while many of the windows in the Provincial Buildings and Post and Telegraph Offices . have also been broken. In fact, for a considerable distance j along Oust om Honse Quay the pavement was covered with glass shattered into a thousand fragments ." The Southern Alps of New Zealand are to be explored next year by members of the English Alpine Club. In the loftiest peak —Mount Cook— which has never yet been ascended to the summit, they will find work worthy of their powers. Its height *is -**' estimated at nearly H.OOO feet.*— English paper. A fight occurred between several boys in - Sydney which resulted in the death of one of them, »nd four boys have been arrested iia being concerned. Inconsequence of 'the damage to tbe pipes occasioned by the earthquake .in Wanganui the water supply waa cut off .tbQ whole of the followi&gr day in nearly the whole of the town.' • *■.'.<; ■ 1; .-*.; ■■ ' -■■ Chicago haa 300 churches and 1000 s&lbons.

Referring to the members who bad gone on a visit to Dunedin Mr Shrimski asked in the House the other night if the Government intended to have them quarantined or fumigated before they again took their seats in the House owing to the statement that there Was smallpox at Port Chalmers. The Post-master-General replied tbat it was a matter for the Health Officer to deal with, and not the Government. Ia reporting the proceedings in the Legislative Council on Thursday night, the Post says:— The Gaming and Lotteries Bill was read a second time. Before tbe Bill was read; Mr Scotland gave vent to some extravagaut views otl the subject. Ha said the Bill did not go far enough. Gambling Bhould be wholly abolished. Lotteries for works of art were mere decoy ducks, money beiDg the real object. Racing was a barbarous, cruel sport, and should be put down altogether. Everyone getting up a race or found at a race meeting should Be dent to hard labor. No half measures would stop the great evil. Captain Frazer asked if advertising consultations would be illegal ? He enquired, beiog a shareholder in the Olago Daily Times which derived much from these advertisements. Mr Whitaker replied that these advertisements would be stopped. A Wanganui paper says that as a sequence to the earthquake the Insurance Companies have iv contemplation the appointment of a person to examine the chimneys of the dwellings en wbich they hold risks, and to recommend repairs where" necessary. Tbe City of Melbourne which arrived at Sydney last week from Noumea reports that the Aurora had arrived at the Islands, bringing tidings"of new massacres in Toba Bay. The Queen anchored there at the end of last month, and her boats, when on the beach, were attacked by tbe natives who killed one white and fight blacks. News has also been received of the murder of two whites^ Brett and Follett, by the natives of New Britain. There is an increasing demand that energetic steps be taken to punish tbe South Sea murderers.