LOCAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 94, 23 April 1869, Page 2

LOCAL NEWS.

Drunk and Disorderly.— Thomas Jackson, charged with having been guilty of this offence for the third time within three months, was sentenced to 48 hours' imprisonment. Election. — The nomination of candidates for the vacant seat in the Frovincial Conncil is to take place to-morrow, at noon, at the Provincial Hall. We have heard rumors of a contested election, but we believe that Mr Luckie, who has announced his intention of coming forward, will be returned unopposed. Coroner's Inquest. — An inquest was held at the Turf Hotel yesterday afternoon, before Dr. Squires, the coroner, and a jury, on the body of John Mahoney, the jockev, who met with his death on the course, on Wednesday last, when the foliowing verdict was returned : — That the deceased died from injuries caused by a fall from a horse named Subaltern, whilst riding in the Handicap Steeplechase, on the Nelson Kace Course, on Wednesday, 21st instant. Photographs for the Prince. — During the stay of the Duke of Edinburgh in Nelson, a collection of photographs of JNelson scenery was presented to him by Mr A. Fletcher, photographic artist, who received the following letter of thanks from the Duke's private secretary. "Panama House, April 19, 1^69. Sir, — I am desired by HB.JHJ. the Duke of Edinburgh, to express to you His Royal Highness's sincere thanks for the beautiful photographs of Nelson. They will ever be a pleasing recollection of H.R.H's visit to this town. I am, &c, E. C. Yorke." Found Drowned.— This morning, at 10 o'clock, the dead body of a man was found under the paddlewheel of the Charles Edward. On being taken out of the ivater it was recognised as being the body of a man named James Brown, a seaman, who was last seen alive on the wharf at midday, on Monday. A severe wound was found on the back of the head, and we understand that Dr Cotterell has been instructed to hold a post mortem examination preparatory to the inquest which will take place at Cottier's Hotel, this afternoon, at 5 o'clock. Dr. Carr. — It having been announced that this gentleman would last night mesmerise certain Maories, a very large audience was present, anticipating much amusement from the performance of the natives when under the influence of the mesmerist; they were however doomed to disappointment, as the coloured gentlemen obstinately refused to part with their Belf- control at the command of the electro-biologist. One of them indeed, was partly under the mesmeric influence, but only to a very small extent, and we observed that the operator cautiously abstained from taking any great liberties with hira, he certainly did drive a pin into his arm, but the way in which the noble savage flinched, showed unmistakeably that he was by no means in a state of insensibility. Another, would, after a course of training, make an excellent actor, but he has not yet learned to keep his countenance sufficiently, and we observed, that when told to sleep, he at once closed his eyes, but on the operator turning his back, one of them gradually opened, and was speedily shut a°ain in a manner too closely approaching to what is vulgarly called a wink, to allow of our accepting it as an undeniable fact that he was in that profound state of somnolency to which the doctor would fain have reduced him. Again, on his hand being placed on his forehead, and his receiving the assurance that it was out of his power to remove it, the hand certainly remained where it was placed, but every now and then his sides would be seen to shake with suppressed laughter, while something very like a smile was observable on his countenance. Altogether Dr. Carr's attempt to mesmerise the aborigines did not prove very satisfactory — veni. vidi. vici, has hitherto been his motto with the whites, but on the present occasion, when attempting to deal with the natives,he came, and he looked, very intently did he look upon eyes which would not quail before his mysterious power, but there he stopped, and the conquering part of the business was necessarily postponed to a more convenient season. Against the repetition of one portion of last night's performance we must enter our protest, we refer to the compelling a female evidently against her will, to stand out and place herself conspiucously before the audience; if men, or boys with the permission of their fathers, choose to allow themselves to be made exhibitions of, by all means let them do so, but we strongly disapprove of Dr. Carr's taking advantage of a woman, over whom he had undoubtedly obtained a complete mastery, to the extent of dragging her forth when she was plainly doing all in her power to resist his influence, and we sincerely trust that such a scene will not be allowed to occur again. We understand that Dr. Carr intends giving another performance to-night. .