LOCAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 4, 8 March 1866, Page 2

LOCAL NEWS.

Concert in Aid of Sufferers by the late Flood. — To-morrow evening", a concert will be given at the Provincial Hall, in aid of those who suffered by the late flood. The musical amateurs of the town will give their services gratuitously, and will no doubt, furnish a performance well worth listening to.' The programme is a simple one, but it is unnecessary to remark that the simplest music well rendered, pleases the most instructed, as well as the ignorant. The charitable object should secure a full attendance; and the circumstance of its being an amateur performance, should furnish an additional motive to the music loving public, to muster in large numbers. The New Zealand Exhibition. — We have now before us the Eeport of the Jurors of the Exhibition. We find that there was only one gold, aud 75 silver medals awarded — the gold medal to A. Eccles, Esq., as the chief promoter of the Exhibition. A silver medal was awarded to each of the vice-presi-dents, which include the Superintendents of all the provinces. The silver medals awarded to gentlemen of this province were J. Blackett, for bold design and successful execution of several bridges ; John Gully, for watercolor drawings of New Zealand, Alpine scenery ; Dr. Munro, for interesting essay on the Botany of New Zealaud ; J. C. Richmond, for oil-painting of Lake Rotoroa; J. P. Robinson, late Superintendent, vice-presi-dent; J. Weble3 r , successful manufacturer of New Zealand tweeds. Comparatively few of the silver medals were, however, awarded to exhibitors, but to the commissioners and gentlemen who exerted themselves in furthering the objects of the Exhibition; the services of exhibitors themselves are mostly rewarded by bronze medals, aud by honorary certificates. We will at some future time recur to this subject. Nelson Institute Exhibition. — We are glad to learn that the Exhibition is well attended, especially in the evenings, when, the picture gallery becomes quite v fashionable promenade. Au opportunity" is afforded to the teachers of schools, and the patents of children, to give their youthful charge such au effective lesson on objects, as could not be acquired in books so easily, and an expert teacher would 'find no difficulty in giving a lecture to his pupils on the numerous interesting objects with which the Exhibition abounds, and we should not be surprised to find teachers availing themselves of the opj portunity for effective lectures "which the Exhibition affords. To-night, we undei'stand, Pharaoh's Serpent will be exhibited again. This exciting pyrotechnic curiosity seems to have caused quite a furor in the old country, we need not wonder, therefore, that it gratifies the love of the marvellous in Nelson, among children of a larger growth, as well as the juveniles for whose delectation it is especially intended. Amds'ing- Scene. — Much amusement was experienced yesterday by a favored few who i were fortunate enough to witness an occui'rence which took place in this town. A gig was standing in the street, in ie was seated a youog female, another person of the same sex was seen to run up to the horse's head and fall upon her knees before it. The effect this pi'oduced upon the occupant of the gig was wonderful. She sprang from her seat and with one bound alighted upon her feet on the footpath. After walking a few paces she also went down upon her knees. Both these parties were afterwards assisted into an adjoining house by the passers-by. The agility displayed by the young female in making the wonderful leap just spoken of was much commented on by those who witnessed it. A Painful Case. — Our attention has been called to a case of distress, which we deem it our duty lay before the public. At the Government Depot in Hardy-street, may be seen a wretched woman, with two children scarcely covered with rags, wallowing in filth, and suffering from .disease. The wretched trio have no bed on which to lie, and are dependent for their existence on the charity of neighbors. If the woman broke a pane of

glass, she would find comfortable shelter Jn a gaol : if she suffered from disease sufficient to give her a claim on the hospital authorities, she would be taken under their kind surveillance. We are unable to say whether it is a case that ought to receive attention from a benevolent institute, but of one thing we are certain, that three human beings ought not to be allowed to remain one moment longer in the state of squalid misery in which they may be seen to-day. The -woman is, we are told, a bad character, and has been reduced to her present state by idleness and intemperance. This is, no doubt, the case, but it does not render it the less imperative on society, to fiud some remedy for the fearful evil we feel it our duty to expose. There is surely some public institution that reaches the deplorable case, and if not, private charity ought to step in and supply the deficiency without delay. If the woman is doomed, the children are not responsible for her misdeeds, and ought to be rescued from her contaminating influeuce. We are sure that in the absence of legislative interference, the ladies of Nelson will not allow this state of suffering to exist one day longer than they are made acquainted with it. Sale at Clifton Heights. — The sale of Mr. Fell's property by Mr. J. J. Hornby, at Clifton Heights yesterday, came off in a very satisfactory manner. There was a large attendance of buyers ; and the prices realised were good. Richmond Cattle Fair. — The Quarterly Fair for fat stock took place, at Richmond, yesterday. The number of cattle offered for sale was not great, and these were sold to Hokitika merchants. There was little sale for working bullocks, of which a few only were offered. A few good horses found purchasers, but, as a rule, the sellers were greatly in excess of the buyers. The atteudance of country people was unusually small, and it is to be remarked that Nelson people seemed to have forgotten the fair altogether. No doubt the comparative failure of the fair is to be attributed to the bad spirits of the farmers, great numbers of whom have lost either wholly or partially the crops on which they had depended. It is said, on good authority, that farmers have been glad to , sell their wheat at 3s. per bushel, it being lib only for pig or horse feed. This failure of crops is more general than we like to state. The continued rain has injured one class of farmers, and the floods have destroyed the hopes of another. Farmers must, however, mind the old motto, nil despsrandum. If crops fail one year, they do not fail always ; prosperity is yet in store for the Nelson farmers, and the Richmond cattle fair will yet be worthy of its former fame.

Colonial Kerosine. — We have been favored, (says the S. 31. Herald), ■with, a sample of the colonial kerosine, manufactured at the Pioneer Works near Wollougong. Having given it a fair trial in household use, for several successive nights, we are happy to report that it needs no apology whatever, on the ground of beiug a colonial article. It will stand the test of comparison. Its illuminating power is quite equal to that of the imported oil ; it does not smoke, nor is it chargeable with emitting any. offensive odour. It seems in every respect a good marketable article : and the proprietors of the works are to be congratulated in having been the first to bring Australian kerosine into use; though not backed up by great resources, and though not possessed of the most valuable description of shale. The Adam's Bay Settlement, Northern Australia. — A despatch from Mr. IMcXinlay, respecting the northern territory, says : — pen cannot describe the state of disorganisation from bad management, in which he found the party, he at once condemns the site of Escape Cliff for the settlement, and speaks of the country surrounding, as being totally unfit for either pastoral or agricultural purposes.. A sample of cotton of very fine quality, grown at Escape Cliff, has been sent down by Mr. McKinlay. He had started on an exploring trip, which was to last eleven months. He speaka in high terms of the country arouud Port Darwin. — Argus, February 23.