Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY,DECEMBER 31, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 311, 31 December 1881, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY,DECEMBER 31, 1881.

Befork this journal is again published, the old year, with its many joys and sorrows, will have passr d away % and the hew year, with all its hopes ani fears, will have dawned npon us. Sonia will listen to the stroke of midnight in silence and sadness, for they will think of these who, at tne birth of the now dying year, were their loved ?.r.d loving c mpauions in the -Journey of life, but have since passed from time into eternity. Tg many who are in the enjoyment of health and strength, and are e&mfortably, if not prof usf !y f provided with the necessaries— and even with some of the luxuries—of life, the season will be a joyous one. To them, perhaps, sorrow is a stranger, and the future appears bright with promise. Others there are who aro struggling on, and are perhapa jiut abla to keep the wolf from the doorFor them there ?<;> at least, hope, and they tnay be able to shake themselves free of care for a time, and to unite with their neighbors in the general joyousness that prevails. AU these classes are, we kuow> Mmerously represented among th« readers of the Mail, som9 of whom bare but recently made our acquaintanc?, while to others we are as a household wcrd>" for they have regularly received our daily visit during the whole of the sixteen year9 of our existence. But new acquaintances, whom in due coarse we hope to class as old friend?) and those who already rank as soch will, alike, we trust, accept m the same kindly spirit in which it is now cff=red to fhem, the good old time-honored wish that loses none of its force from frequent repetition, and which finds expression in the familiar worda

The Bi3hop of Nelson will hold a confirmation at Ss Michael's Church, Waimea West, to-morrow evening. Special strvices, a9 notified in advertisements, will be held in the Congregational Church and Baptist Chapel to-morrow, At the latter there will be a New Year's Eve service at 11 o'clock to-night. . The usual &ew Year's E»e services will be held at Christ Church and at All Saints' at 11 o'clock this evening. At the former a sbrrt address will be delivered by the Bishop of Nelson. The customary watch-night service will also be held in the Wesleyan Cfaorch. . The customary Conference under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association will be held at Bishopdale on Monday next, when a large number of clergy aud other friends will take part in the proceedings. The railway time table for the day will admit of visitors attending from both town and country. A displat of prettily executed wax flowers and staffed birds is to he seen in Mr Lawrence's shop, where there is also a good collection of Christmas fruits. New exhibits are being daily sent to the Provincial Hall, which continues to be visited by large numbers each day. To-night and on Monday eveniog an additional attraction will be provided in the telephone which will then be in working order. The Stoke Rifles will parade at Richmond at half-past seven tc-night, when they will receive the remainder of the money due to them on account of the Paribaka expedition. Bjshoi- Rcdwocd arrived from Wellington by the Hawea yesterday and to morrow afternoon will lay the foundation stone of St Mary's Church. At three o'clock a procession will be formed, headed by the Wellington Guards Baud and the Cross Bearer, which will leave the Convent ground and proceed to the site of the old Church where His Lordship will deliver an address and then proceed to lay the stone. The visitors of whom there will probably be an immense gathering are requested not to approach too near the site to be occupied by the new building as in accordance with the requirements of the ceremony the Bishop will have to pass round the whole of it. High maßs will be said by the Bishop at 8 a.m., and the Rev J. O'Malley will preach both morning and evening. The Anchor Line Company have had their share of ill-luck of late in the stranding of the Murray and the break down of the Charles Edward's machinery just at the bnsy time of the year, but today fortune, after frowning so long, has deigned to smile on them. The Murray had got into such a position on the South Spit at Hokitika that it was believed that the expensive process of launching wou'd be necessary, and tenderß were invited for accomplishing the work. Oae for £500 was about to be accepted, when the tenderer raised Eome quibble about a few of the details, and a delay ensned, for which the Company have cause to be thankful, as a telegram was received this morning to the effect that perhaps owing to a flood ,the reason is not stated—the little steamer floated off this inorning, and is'now lying alongside the wharf. The fifth-competition for the Stoke Rifles Cup and Medal took place at the Richmond butts on Monday last. Ranges: 200, 300, 500, and GOO yarda; 5 shots at each range. The following are the scores: —Sergt Paton, 60; Sub-Lieut Harkness, 58; Pvt R. Kenning, 58; JFvtE. Sutton,s7; Sergt Bradley 54; Pvt Mclntosh, 52; Pvt Beach, 50; P?t Martin, 45; Pvt Jellyman, 40. The Tndesman's .Athletic Club are likely to Sod on Monday next tbeir efforts to provide a day's amusement for the public more highly appreciated than ever they were. The musical attractions will consist of selections by the Wellington Guards Band, which is one of the best in the colony, relieved at intervals by the Fife and Drum Band attached to the Naval Brigade; the commissariat department has fallen into good bands, Messrs Disher and May and Mrs Townsend being the representatives of the licensed victuallers Yfhile Mr Donaldson has secured the refreshment booth, and lest, but not least, the sports promise to be exceedingly good, and most of the events keenly contested, there bsing no less than eleven entries for the. New Year's Handicap, while it is rumored that there will be several visitors in town who will endeavor to carry off the laurels from cur local champions. With fine, weather a most successful gathering may be relied upon. The honorary members of the Committee are requested to be on the ground early.

The time honored custom of making: our friends a suitable New Year's present is one that the English speaking race take, with tbem wherever they go. What better gift can we bestow on our brothers or lovers than a new hat, one of Hill's own m&nnfactura to be obtained only at Trafalgar street ? — Advt. A fow issueß back we (Reefton Herald) referred to the high value of the Welcome Company's gold as proved on assay, showing its worth to he £4 2s 7d per ounce. Since then a second sample has been tested by J. Cosmo Newberry, Esq, whose certificate is as follows :— " Melbourne, £9th November, 1881. Sample of gold from the Welcome Company- Keefton, New Zealand, received from Mr Butler on assay gives 23'3£ carats pure goid, value £4 43 3d per ounce ". Mr Butler in hia letter adds that the Deputy Master of the Mint in Melbourne expressed astonishment at the pure quality of the gold, not thinking that aDy New Zealand gold was of such high standard. Under the heading " What ensures a candidate's return ?" an exchange says ; Not jocular piety, for Dr Wallis is rejected ; nor even finished declamation coupled with the political sentiments of a cynic, for Mr •.'■■•■''-r Wont' \n PfCd; not < ff ÜBIVO | n-ti^uiiEin, it i £lr S + jeifcbt is rejected;

not wealth, even coupled with --*" ability, for Mr Om- " not a pie**" .-.uua IS rejected ; n'""' vr"*"* B P' e aKer, coupled with a — **« pbliiical creed-, for Mr Ballance is rejected • not a bluff and jovial nianuer, 2* « Buat # is 'Kjectfed; not fc pricker ot political wiedbags, for Mr Seymour | «., r , t;)Scted > UQt a stonewaller, for Air bibbs is reacted ; not a working man's can didate, for Mr Andrews is rci-cted \ not a rotund j.nd gemal. fatiiifer, for Mr Fisher is rqected j not unobtrusive ability, and special knowledge of public work^for Mr Richardson is rejected ; not rowdy Btonewalling and inflated speeches, for Mr Reeves is rejected • not respectable mediocrity and legal diSuse- ■ ness, for Mr Steptt fa rejected ; not the- , gemsl friedd and ngert of land speculators tor Mr Bssticgs is rejected ; not a pleasing; voice and a finished orator, for Mr Wakenem is rejected; not had league proclivities and very plain speaking, for Mr Lundon 13 rejected.