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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 82, 7 April 1868, Page 2

No further disturbance had taken place at Addison's Flat, since the last intelligence from Westport reached us. We learn from the Westport Times of the Gth instant, that 350 diggers had arrived on Saturday from the Caledonian Lead, to reinforce the supporters of law and order in that town. TLe men who had to return to their homes at Addison's have not gone back, fearing injury to property or life. The Times seems to be of opiniou that the measures taken by the Commissioner have only insured a temporary tranquillity, and that the Government will be compelled, ere long, to employ force in order effectually to crush Fenianism in that locality. Our attention has been called to a very simple means by which the water service maybe made subservient at a moment's notice to the security and domestic convenience of private dwellinghouses in this city. Mr. Thornton has had two services for fire hose, with one for domestic purposes, laid on to his premises in Bridge-street, and this morning a most satisfactory trial was made of this apparatus, both at the front and at the back of the building, when it was proved that in case of fire a very effective jet of water can immediately be brought to play in any direction, and it is needless to remind our readers how much depends, in case of a fire, on tho use which is made of the first five or ten minutes which elapse after the alarm has been given. The whole apparatus costs little more than £„ including

the cost of the hose, the laying down the pipes, ahd taps, &c, and we presume that few of our fellow citizens will refuse to avail themselves of so important a means of security and comfort, obtainable, too, at so moderate a cost. Wo regret to say that several acts of wilful and deliberate mischief have been brought under our notice within the last few days, which might have been productive of very serious injury to those persons ou whom they were perpetrated. Ou Friday night a linchpin was taken out of oue of the axletrees of a cart belonging to Mr R. K. Turner. Fortunately, however, this was discovered soon after the cart was taken out the next morning, and thus auy further mischief was prevented. This morning some miscreant threw a large unripe fig through the window of Mr Mabin's office, during his absence, scattering the fragments of broken glass over the desk, facing the window, at which his clerk was seated. This act must have been perpetrated in broad daylight, and we much regret that the actors in such wantonly malicious deeds should have escaped condign punishment. All hope that the Prince will visit this colony during his present cruise being now at au end, it has been determined that our annual Races shall take place on Tuesday and Weduesday, the 28th and 29th inst. The programme will appear on Thursday next. It may not be generally known that imprisonment for debt for sums under £10 is now abolished throughout the colony, tbe Act effecting this change having now come into force. The monthly inspection of the City Volunteer Companies by the Hou. Major Morse, Commanding the District, takes place at 6 o'clock this evening, at the Botanical Gardens. The police have received information that, during the last few days, a miscreant, whose identity is more than suspected, has on three or four occasions indecently accosted several female children, belonging to respectable families in this city. We learn that as late as yesterday afternoon four little girls, returning home from school across the Flat, were stopped by this wretch, and annoyed in the manner to which we have made allusion. We believe that the police have obtained a clue, which we heartily trust may lead to the apprehension and severe punishment of this cowardly villain. We are happy to learn that the Acclimatisation Society has just received two very important additions to its 'live stock.' By the Phcebe, which arrived on Thursday last, Mr Huddleston, the indefatigable Secretary of the Society, received a consignment of 200 black carp, forwarded from Sydney, and which, we believe, came originally from the Mauritius. By the Airedale on Sunday morning 37 Californian quail were forwarded to the Society from Auckland and have arrived in a very healthy state. This will form a most valuable accession to our present stock of game birds. They, are much larger than the English quail and their plumage is handsomer, and they are much esteemed by epicures. Those presented some time since by Sir George Grey have thriven and bred, and we may therefore anticipate tbat so large an importation of this valuable bird will be speedily attended by appreciable results. A telegraphic despatch the other day came from London to Washington in nine aud a half minutes. Suppose it to have kept on around the world, the circuit would have been made within an hour. What said Shakspeare — 'I'll put a girdle round the earth in 40 minutes.' If the despatch referred to above had started from London at one minute pa3t eleven on 20th December, it would have gone around the globe and arrived at its starting point by 55 minutes past eleven, 19th December — apparently making the girdle of the earth nearly 24 hours before it started. 'I say, Pat, what are you about — sweeping out the room ?' - No,' answered Pat, 'I am sweeping out the dirt.'