The Simonsen Opera troupe arrived in Nelson yesterday morning early by the s.s. Wanaka, having concluded a most successful season at New Plymouth. They will open at the Theatre Royal this evening with Verdi's masterpiece "II Trovatore," for which there is a strong oast, inoluding Miss Elsa May as prima donna. Tiokets can be obtained at Mr Scott's Grand Stand, next the Post Office. Mb. Wirsoo, the Chief Engineer and General Manager of the Midland Railway Company, arrived nt Wellington by the Rimutaka yesterday. He will probably proceed to Christchurch first-, and in the course of a short time will visit Nelson with a view to deciding the route tho line shall take at this end. Thb Bishop of Nelson commenced a coarse of sermons at the Cathedral yesterday morning whioh promise to be of a very interesting cboraoter if the first of them may be taken as a sample of thd_e that ore to follow. He said that there were so many phrases in the Prayer Book which were of sign ficanoe, yet from frequent repetition were often thoughtlessly used and without due regard to their meaning, and it was with the full import of these phrases that he intended to deal one by one. He took for his t-?xt yesterday the closing words of the Exhortation, " I pray and beseeoh you to accompany me unto the throne of the heavenly grace," An interesting little historical sketch of the framing of the " Exhortation " waa givon, and indeed the sermon, whioh was most attentively listened to, was full of pointß of intereat. In the evening His Lordship preaohed to a large congregation at All Saints Churoh, whose attention was scoured throughout a very impressive address. Mrs Thomas, who lost her husband in the late boat accident, thanks all those who helped to find the bodies of her husband and son-in-law. She would especially thank Pilot Lowe, the pilot orew, and Mr John Stringer for their services. Thb* drawings of both the art anions of Mr De Forest will take place on Thursday afternoon next at . o'olook in the building of the New Zealand Insurance Company, The piotures will be on view on Wedneeday afternoon and on Thursday from 10 till 4, All subscribers are requested to be preeent at the drawing. There ara one or two tiokets in the second art union atill unsold, co intending speoulatora should lose no time. On Saturday evenirgr the final arrangements wore made for the trotting raoe between Mr H. MoArtney's horse Wipiti and Mr T. A. Askew's mare Tottie. The race will take placo in Trafalgar Park on Saturday nexf - , Both horses are in hard training, so we expect to see a good race, The Wesleyan ohoir purpose giving a floored concert afc Motneka on Friday next, 13t,h instant, The Lady Barkly will make a epeoial excursion trip that day? leaving Nelson at a 'quarter past nine in* the morning nnd returning after the concert. Should ths weather prove favor. ble a very pleasant outing is anticipated. The death is announced of the Hon, William KobuisoD, M.L.C,, whioh took place at Christchurch to-day. Mr Robinson was at one time well known ia Nelßon, where he resided prior to removing to Christchurch. Arriving in Noleon in tho early dayß well supplied with capital-— even then he was known as "Ready money Robinson" — he purchased a large blook of land in the Amuri, one of the finest estates indeed in the colony, which he has held ever since. He haa for many years held a seat in the Legislative Coanoil, The Ohristchurch Press copies in full from our report of the proceedings at the opening of the New Zealand Insurance buildings the extract read by Mr James Sclanders from a letter from Mr David Sclanders, referring to banking in Nelson in the old days, and says :— "lt will be new to many people to learn that New Zealand once had a State Bank, but it will probably not be altogether a matter of surprise to learn further that the Government made a gr^at mess of it, As a pieoe of what is old-time history, so far as this oolony is concerned, these facts are of considerable interest. They ought to be embodied in the next edition o£ , "Banking under Difficulties,"

i —JO— ——BB— ——in «■ l ' ' IRefbhring to Mr Grirfimond's recent attaok on the Government, the Press of the Gth ii.sb. sayß : ~ Tho colony is about to inffer thn infliotion of another wa*ot-af-oon» ll.enoe dabaie. For the third time this neaflion thi& ia about to happen, and for the third tima the motion has been tabled by an irresponsible member of the Opposition, Mr Ballanoo approving. Thia is the oourse whioh appears to hava been adopted during the 1 session by bho louder of tbe Opposition, and I is in oomplete variance with the well reoog--1 nised prinoiplea of Parliamentary Govern- ■ ment. Mr Larnaoh waß made uaa of oa a | former occasion to move what waeequival.ni j to a vCjq ol caneure on the Government in I connection with the same Ward - Christie I question, and Mr Mosb wes allowed tbe next I ime to make tho running on behalf of tbe I leader of hia party, On both occasions Mr | Ballance was content to make übo of the I motioDß for hia own purposes without having taken tbe responsibility of initiating the motions in tho first me ta ace. We are not aware thut the leader of the Opposition gained anything by hiß shuffling oonduob, and we shall ha greatly mistaken if in the pre seat instance his tactic, are more successful. The following tenders have been received by the Public Works Department for tbe Hope bridge contract, Nelson- Westport road. William Brooks (Wakefield) £245, (accepted); M. M. Dixon (Nelson) £275 9s ; George Morley (Nelson) £307. We sre sorry to learn that Mr Anoell has had to refuse the captaincy of the City Bines on aocount of ill health. An open meeting of Juvenile Templars will be held at the 'Port Hall this evening at 7. Parents and friends invited. Messes Everett Brothers notify the arrival of a lo*; of new drapery. Partioulara will be found in their advertisement.