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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 177, 31 July 1867, Page 2

A clerical error occurred in the leading article which appeared in yesterday's issue, with reference to Mr Stevens's Prospectus. The " 100,000 tons of coal which Mr Stevens proposes to carry to Nelson for 10s. per ton, and sell for 155.," should have been " 200,000 tons." /- We think it our duty to call the attention of the Secretary of the Nelson Acclimatisation Society to the reckless destruction of the oyster-bed on the Waimea sands by the wholesale removal of the young bivalves, which may now be seen exposed for sale in the city. Commercially almost valueless from their small size, there can be no doubt that if their removal be persisted in, the Waimea oyster-bed will soon cease to exist. Other countries are sufficiently alive to the importance of the oyster, not ouly as au article of diet, but also in a commercial point of view, and carefully foster its production, protecting it by judicious legislation. We are sorry to see such wanton waste of this delicacy practised here with impunity. At a receut meeting of the Sydney Acclimatisation Society, a very interesting report was read, compiled at the _ instance of the Society, on the various oyster-beds known to exist on the shores of Port Jackson, with a view to their future protection and preservation ; and this seems to be an example which might be followed with advantage in Nelson. A correspondent invites the attention of

the new Board of Works to. the filthy state of the footpath near -the Bishop *s School, and also to that of Wellington-street, in Toitoi-valley, which for the last twelve months has jeopardised the limbs of many passengers after nightfall. We would remark, with reference to the first" clause in this grievance, that the road has ouly lately been levelled, and some time must 'necessarily elapse before the water-tables can be laid down and gravel placed upon the road. With regard to Wellingtonstreetj we have no doubt that notice having been thus drawn to its present state, the Board of Works wiil take the necessary steps to improve its condition. We understand that considerable damage to property, not only within the precinctß of the city, but also within a considerable circuit round it, was caused by the storm which raged last night. A shed belonging to Mr Gorrie in Waimea-street, was completely overturned, and a large quantity of fencing thrown down in various directions. We learn that almost all the trees at Maddox's Bush, between Spring Grove and-Wakefield, were levelled with the grouud, aud that the Wakapuaka mailman was detained for an hour and a half on his road, iD cousequence of the extraordinarily high tide. We expect to hear that still greater havoc has been committed in other directions. Ou Monday night a drunken squabble took place amongst a party of Maor ; a assembled at the second Maori house on the Beach-road, when a most brutal assault was committed by one of them, named Ripeua Paramatea, upon a woman named Marara, and her half-caste child, Arthur Elkington. It appears to have arisen out of jealousy caused by the presence of a white man iv the house ; and upon his ejection from it Ripena turned upon the woman and kicked her violently, aud on repeating the assault struck the child, an infant of nine months old, on the back of the head, causing fracture of the skull. He was arrested on both charges yesterday morning by Sergeant Nash, and the woman and child are now in the hospital, little hopes beiug entertained of the child's ecovery. The Hokitika Chronicle of the 28th instant states that a demand has sprung up in Melbourne for the supplejack, which, is indigenous to most parts of the Middle Islaud of New Zealand, and which is there largely employed in the manufacture of basketware. It grows abundantly on the West Coast, and particularly in the vicinity of Hokitika. The Chronicle inquires why this should not form a branch of the local industry of Hokitika, and suggests that captains of vessels leaving that port in ballast would only be too glad to take a returu cai*go at little more than a nominal rate. The price given for supplejacks fit for light basket manufacture is from £6 to £8 per ton. The Westport Times gives the following resume of the Uuion Bank robbery case at Greymouth: — A most inexplicable robbery occurred at Greymouth, at the Uuion Bank, on the 6th instant. The teller, Mr Charles E. Guudry, having left the bank, according to his statement, after office hours, returned some time afterwards and found that about £470, which he said he had left locked up in a drawer, had myteriously disappeared. On examining the lock it was found to have been broken open. Mr Harrold, the manager of the Hokitika and Greymouth branches, was telegraphed for on the following day, and Mr Gundry was arrested on suspicion of having been a party to the robbery. The case has been since heard before the Resident Magistrate, the evidence against the prisoner being of a weak description. It was, however proved that he had been extravagant, and was in debt, and that he had a £20 note in his possession which has not been satisfao-

li." llf_.ll »iii II .Jl-U- I .1 — » torily acccounted for. The magistrate, says the Argus, summed up the evidence carefully and in the prisoner's favor, but committed him for trial at the District Court, Hokitika, next August. The prisoner was admitted to bail. Tbe steamer Great Britain arrived at Melbourne from Livorpool on the 17th instant, after a splendid passage of 58 days, bringing 450 passeDgers, including Mr Walter Montgomery, the tragedian, and the Hon. Mr O'Shanassy. The Argus is informed by an American house that a great many dangerous oils are now beiug shipped from the United States to this market. It is necessary therefore that buyers should test the articles they purchase. The following extract from'the'amended Internal Revenue Law of the United States, dated March 2, 1867, shows that the sale of these oils is regarded in the States as a misdemeanor :— " No person shall mix for sale naphtha and illuminating oils, or shall knowiDgly sell or offer for sale such mixture, or shall sell or offer for sale oii made from petroleum for illuminating purposes, inflammable at less temperature or fire-test than 110 deg. Fahrenheit; and auy person so doing shall be held to be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof by indictment or presentment iv any court of the United States, having competent jurisdiction, shall be punished by a five of not less than 100 dols. nor more than 500 dols., and by imprisonment for a term of not less thau six months nor more than three years." Nine ladies in New York and five in Boston have recently graduated at medical colleges as physicians. One of the professors of the New York college stated that there are in America 300 women practising medicine whose professional incomes range at from 10,000 to 20,000 dollars per annum. A highly successful engagement of Mr Charles Kean at the New Prince of Wales' Theatre, Liverpool, has been interrupted by a sudden and alarming indisposition. On the night of May 28 he had acted witb his usual vigor, and was to have performed "King Lear" on the following eveuing, but on that day he was suddenly seized with an affection of the heart, and he is now lying at the Waterloo Hotel with little hope of recovery. The steel boat which has been built at Chatham Dock, to be used in exploring the shore aloug Lake Nyassa, in the interior of Africa, for traces of Dr Livingstone, has been completed. It appears that the secret of the birdslaying on our sea-coasts lies chiefly in the fashion, now so prevalent amoug young ladies, of wearing the plumage of sea-birds in their hats. If this practice is persisted in, the result will be the almost total disappearance of one of the most interesting classes of objects which our shores present. The following statement appears in the Medical Times : — The celebrated Dr Fordyce dined every day for more than 20 years at Dolly's chop-house. His researches in comparative anatomy had led him to conclude that man, through custom, eats oftener than nature requires, one meal a day being sufficient for that noble animal the lion. At four o'clock, his accustomed hour of diuiug, the doctor regularly took the seat at a table always reserved for him, on which were placed a silver tankard, a bottle of port, and a measure containing a quarter of a pint of brandy. The moment the waiter announced him the cook put on a pound and a half of rumpsteak on the gridiron, and on the table some delicate trifle aB a bonne-bouche to serve until the steak was ready: this was sometimes half a broiled chicken, sometimes a plate of fish. When he had eaten this he took oue glass of brandy, and then proceeded to devour his steak. When he had finished his meal he took the remainder of his brandy, having during his dinner drunk the tankard of ale and afterwards the bottle of port. He thus daily spent an hour and a half of his time, and then returned to his house at Essex-street to give his six o'clock lecture on chemistry. He made uo other meal until his return next day at four o'clock to Dolly's.