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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 266, 10 November 1868, Page 2

The magnificent weather which prevailed yesterday imparted additional zest to the numerous parties which had been orgauised in anticipation of the first holiday of the season, tho anniversary of the Prince of Wales's birthday; and from an early hour of the morning the city was in a state of considerable bustle and excitement consequent on the arrival of friends from the country, and the departure of still more numerous parties bound for different places in the suburbs of the city which had been selected as suitable for such purposes. The little steamer Moutoa left the wharf about 11, with full 150 passengers, who, after spending some 4 hours on the Rabbit Island, returned before 6 o'cloek mnch pleased with their day's excursion. The facilities offered by the conveyances of the Dun Mountain Company induced a very large number of persons to make their way to tbe Reservoir, in the picturesque neighborhood of which the day was spent most enjoyably. A large picnic was held in Brook-street Valley for the especial delectation of the children attending the Sunday-school held in the Temperance-hall and passed off very pleasantly. Other parties were formed to Richmond, Wakefield, the Boulderbank, Wakapuaka, &c. &c, and towards midday so general was the exodus of our pleasure seeking community, that the city seemed almost deserted, save by the youthful members of the Band of Hope who headed by their indefatigable friend, Mr B. Crisp, paraded the streets in procession, accompanied by the Volunteer Band, and having indulged for some time in various sports in the inclosure in front of the Police Station, adjourned to the Temperance-hall, where an abundant tea was provided for them, to which it is needless to add that ihey did all possible justice, and this was followed by a meeting which was well attended, and at which recitations, &e. were very creditably given by the children. The cricket match on

Victory Square between the Nelson Ban^ Band of Hope and Stoke Clubs, also attracted a goodly number of spectators and resulted in a decided victory for the former club, who scored 135, aud beat their opponents hy 38 runs in one innings. Balls given at the Harmonic-room and at the Oddfellows-hall concluded the events of the day, and were, we understand, numerously attended and kept up with great zeal until daydawn. It is gratifying to add that, so far as we have been able to ascertain, no accidents whatever threw any gloom over the day's festivities. We understand that Mr A. S. Collins, M.H.R., leaves town to-morrow for Collingwood, for the purpose of giving an accouut of his stewardship during the late session of the General Assembly to his constituents, and that he proposes to address the electors of Collingwood on Thursday next, and those of Takaka on the following day. The Nelson Government Gazette of Friday last contains notifications of tho insolvency of Sutcliffe, storekeeper, of Moiueka, and of Richard Percival, plasterer, of Nelson, and appoints Friday, the 20th inst. for the declaration of the deed of assignment in the matter of Frederick Stock, innkeeper, of Nelson. We learn that iu addition to the reductions which have lately been effected in the staff of the Provincial Engineer's Department iu Nelson, a considerable decrease in the Police Department both here aud on the West Coast bas been resolved upon, which will produce a saving ou the Estimates voted last session for salaries at the rate of £3000 per annum. The consecration of the new Anglican Church to be dedicated to All Saints, which has been erected for the use of the Western parish near Vanguard-street, and which has been partially completed, is announced to t*ke place to-morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock, the Right Rev. Bishop Suter officiating with the customary ceremonial. We understand jjtbat it is intended that at an early date — we believe on the 27th instant — that a choral festival shall be held at Christ Church, in which representatives of the choirs of the various Anglican churches iu this and the adjoining districts will take part. Preparations for the festival have been in progress for some time past, and although our choral resources, especially in the country districts, are necessarily at present but limited, the step is decidedly one in the right direction, and will doubtless be productive of good results in encouraging the more general cultivation of congregational psalmody. We are informed that the Catholics of Wakefield have determined on erecting a place of worship for members of their communion in that district. Very handsome contributions, both in money and in kind have already been offered for the purpose, and we understand that it is intended to erect a building which shall be at once substantial aud ecclesiastical in character. The quarterly concert of the Harmonic Society takes place on Thursday evening next at the .Provincial Hall. The first portion of the programme consists of Mozart's favorite Twelfth Mass, and the second will be of a miscellaneous character, iucluding two or three orchestral pieces, with other novelties. Tickets are obtainable by members at the full rehearsal this evening at the Provincial Hall, and on Thursday at Mr Stanton's between 4 and half-past 5 o'clock. Amongst the many valuable souvenirs which have been lately presented to Mr Kynnersley on his retirement from the position of Commissioner of the Nelson Southwest Goldfields, not the least gratifying is a very massive and handsome gold watch and chain, with a large greenstone breloque, tastefully mounted in gold, presented by the members of the Police and Penal departments on the West Coast, in testimony of the general good feeling which had subsisted between them in their respective relations. Photography, judging from the large number of its professors in this city, must surely be a lucrative, as it is undoubtedly a seductive art. In addition to the two leading photographic establishments, which have achieved quite a colonial reputation for tbe exquisite specimens of this charming art which they have produced, we have several less pretentious aspirants to popular iavor, whose productions testify most satisfactorily to their skill and experience. Among these we may mention Mr Theodore Bloch, who has just returned from Wellington, and opened an establishment in Trafalgur-street, where some beautiful photographs of this city and its environs

may be seen, together with others of the scenery on the Manawatu block, of which so much has been heard,,. and also some interesting portraits of the brave but illfated Major Von Tempsky, and some of the other officers who perished in the sad affair at Te Ruaruru. We understand that the appointment of Mr Haughton, M.H t R. to the office of Acting Uoder Secretary in tho Defence Department, is only of a temporary character, but we believe that the Government ■were very glad to avail themselves of Mr Haughton's services for the, we" hope, short period during which the exigencies of the native war are likely to throw very heavy work upon the office in Wellington* In the House of Representatives a discussion took place on the point of the Collector of Customs at Lyttelton receiving some 50/. a year more than the one at Dunedin. This was accounted for by the long and eminent services in that departmeut of Mr Mills, who, Mr Stafford said, had been ' sent to Auckland with instructions to reduce the expenses of his department. He had done so s and had reduced that department by 11 officials, and at the same time rendered it more efficient.' This fact may c^eer on our Superintendent in his present course of retrenchment, economy and reform. Mr C. O'Neill, in moving in the House of Representatives that the next sitting of the Assembly should be held iu Christchurch, called Wellington 'the dirtiest town in the colony.' Nearly all who spoke on the subject repeated the assertion made by the mover. Mr Kerr, in moving that Nelson be substituted for Christchurch, pointed out its several advantages. He stated that this session 'almost every member had been in ill health on account of the unwholesome state of the town; they had to lament the loss of one member, and another was noteout of danger. Mr Williamson said he would prefer the meetings to be in Nelson rather than in Wellington, bufc 'it would be useless to make any change until the time came when the Assembly would meet only once in three years, and when the Provincial Governments would be able to do that for themselves which was intended by the Constitution.' Mr Hall said that he would rather Parliament would sit anywhere else than in Wellington, ' where, in addition to its unheafthiness, the climate was most unpleasant; bat the difficulty connected with the removal of the various departments of the Government would not justify such a step at present. Mr Borlase contended that for the 'last ten years Wellington had been the healthiest town in the colony.' A very impudent robbery was committed at the West Coast Hotel, Queenstreet, Melbourne, on the 10th uit., about 11 o'clock; but a very long time was not allowed to elapse before the thieves fell into the hands of the police. AMr Thomas Lockhart, who had beeu a miner in INew Zealand, and lately came from Europe, was lodging in the house, and owned a box containing wearing apparel worth £20, and a draft on the New Zealand Bank for £500. Shortly after the box had been missed, three men named respectively Foden, Storay. and Gillon, were seen carrying a box of the same description down the street. Senior-constable Slattery received certain information which led him to suspect, that he knew the culprits, and he proceeded to their house iu Goldie alley, off Little Bourkestreet. He found that the box had been broken open, and some of the articles taken away; but the more valuable portion of the property was recovered. Upon being brought before the City Court, all the prisoners were committed for trial. Those who are fond of lavishing their praises ou the salutary effects of English malt liquors, will be astonished at an exposition made in the London Scientific Review of the injurious compounds detected in the various English porters, ales, and beers submitted to investigation. It found such ingredients as cream of tartar, alum, green vitriol, small quantities of copper, sometimes lead, nitric acid, cocculus indicus, grains of paradise, coloring matter of various descriptions, quassia wood, and other cheaper and move hurtful bitters, together with the harmless, but still needless compounds, liquorice, molasses, coriander, capsicum, carroway seeds, ginger, salt, malted horsebeans, &c. are freely used. A East Indian journal says it must be a happy thought to a lover that his blood and that of his sweetheart mingle ia the same — mosquito.