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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 36, 13 February 1868, Page 2

The anniversary tea-meeting of the Wesleyan Sunday-school took place on Tuesday evening, at the School in Hardystreet, the children having at an earlier period of the day repaired to Brook-street Valley, where they amused themselves with various sports, and then returned to the School, where they all partook of tea. Upwards of 150 adult visitors sat down to tea, at halfpast 6, and a public meeting afterwards took place in the Church, the ■Rev. J. Crump in the chair, and several very interesting addresses were- delivered by him, by the Rev. R. L. Vickers, Messrs J. Simmonds, Wagg and Page. From the Report read during the evening, it appeared that the School numbered 80 boys and 86 girls, making a total of 166 pupils, with 12 male and 14 female teachers, and the returns showing an increase of 2J> pupils. The average attendance during the year has been, in the morning, 70 scholars and 13 teachers, and in the afternoon 95 scholars and 20 . teachers. The school contains a library of useful and

interesting books, and there is a preparatory school in connection, -with it which meets weekly, and it was stated that every care is taken to instil into the minds of the scholars as much biblical knowledge as the time will permit. The sermons were preached at the Church on Sunday last, in aid of this School, by the Rev. J. Crump, and the collections at these services and at the public meeting realised about £15. We regret to state that an accident occurred to Mr E. Hooper on his return from town to Wakefield on Monday evening last. It appears that as he was approaching that township, he allowed the reins to fall on the horse he was driving, and the animal taking fright, set off at full speed towards the house, and upset the vehicle. Mr Hooper, together with the contents of the trap, was thrown to the ground with some violence, dislocating his left shoulder and inflicting other injuries. The horse in its struggles to recover itself, managed to right the car* riage, again tore off round the premises, and had not since been heard of. A scene occurred this morning prior to the departure of the Otago, which created not a little excitement at the Port. It appears it had been determined that the convict Sullivan should be forwarded by the steamer Otago, whether to Melbourne, with a view to his enlgarement, or to some other part of the colony, there to undego the sentence of imprisonment for life passed upon him for the murder of James Battle, we have been unable yet to discover. For this purpose he was taken down to the Port, in the custody of constable Levy, and placed on board the Otago, where, however, he was speedily recognised. The purser, Mr Heaton, immediately communicated the fact to Captain Symons, who at once refused to allow the man to take his passage, and requested the ladies who were on the poop to retire below from the immediate presence of such a wretch. Sullivan again shouldered his carpet bag, and left the ship handcuffed and closely followed by Constable Levy, who was armed with a loaded revolver, amidst the hisses of a large number of diggers and other persons assembled on the wharf, and was reconducted to the gaol. A serious accident occurred late last night opposite the Examiner Office to Mr Barnes, draper of Trafalgar- street, and to Mr Legg, who were both thrown out of their trap and received very serious injuries. We are glad to learn that both are progressing to-day as favorably as can be expected. The following are the weights for the Waimea South Handicap Steeplechase, to be run on Thursday the 20th ult. Gamester, aged, list 41bs ; Rustic, aged (lat e Templar), list; Sprightly, aged, lOst 71b; Mazeppa, aged, lOst 21bs ; Moro, aged, lOst; Cioe, 4yrs, 9st 41bs. We understand that the handicapping has created much dissatisfaction in one or two instances. The General Government Gazette, of the 23rd ult-, contains the following: — There being reason to suppose that persons are in the habit of giving and accepting unstamped receipts as acquittances for moneys paid by cheque, under the belief that the stamp borne by the cheque exonerates the receipt from liability to stamp duty — the public are cautioned against the adoption of this practice. Such receipts are inadmissible as evidence of the payment of money until properly stamped, and every person signing or causing the signature of such receipt is liable to a penalty of £10 for each offence. The Grey River Argus of the Bth inst. alluding to the seizures of oysters lately made in this city, states that rock oysters are exempt from the operation of the Act, but that the police at Greymouth do not

appear to have been acquainted with this ! fact, as the other day several bags of rock I oysters brought down by the ketch Isabella from Manukau were seized and confiscated. Captain Burrill -was summoned to appear before the Magistrate on Thursday, but the case was at once dismissed. A portion of the Tasmanian press appears to be by no means satisfied with the visit of his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to that colony. The Duke, it appears, was only present at the Governors ball in Hobarton for about an hour, and retired before supper. This, it is insinuate^ arose from au apprehension that improper persons would find admittance to the ball — a doubt warmly repelled by one of the Hobarton papers. The leporter refrained from reporting the ball, not having received a card of invitation, and afterwards published an account of it by a correspondent, having been assured that the omission" to send a card was an accident. The Duke of Argyll tells a good story. He was travelling with the Duke of Northumberland in a first-class carriage on the North Eastern Railroad. At one of the stations a little commercial traveller got in. The three chatted familiarly until the train stopped at Alnwick Junction. Here the Duke of Northumberland got out, aud was met by a train of flunkeys and servants. The commercial traveller said to his remaining companion, ' That must be some great swell.' 'Yes,' said the Duke of Argyll, 'he is the Duke of Northumberland.' 'Bless me,' exclaimed the bagman, ' and to think that he should have been so affable to two little snobs like us. — London Letter.