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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 232, 2 October 1869, Page 2

Prospecting Party. — At a meeting of the Committee held last night, a second party was eDgage for the purpose of prospecting the ranges between here and the Devil's Arm Chair. The men will start on Mouday morning by the Dun Mountain trucks, which will convey them a considerable distance on their road. The discovery of quartz reefs in the Grey District is having its effect in Hokitika, for we learn by a local paper that it is rumored that a. number of prospecting parties will be equipped during the week who are to proceed to the foot of the ranges, for the purpose of ascertaining whether any quartz reefs exist in that . direction.

Australians. . testifying to the Ballot. — Numerous witnesses have been examined by the Parliamentary and Municipal Elections Committee now sittinsr. and amongst them Mr. Verdon and Mr Muir, from Victoria, who spoke of the working of the ballot and of the system of nominating candidates by written paper?, and si nted that the elections were invariably conducted in a peaceable manner. Mr. Duttor, formerly a member of the Leffishrure in South Australia, was examined on a subsequent day at some length. H( j stated that he had undergoue contested elections, both under the systems of open aud secret voting, and lie was positive that the adoption of the latter had been greatly in favor of purity of election, as well as of orderly conduct. The iutroduction of the ballot was much opposed in. the Legislature ; but he was quite certain that the feeling now was unanimously in favor of it even amongst those who were formerly against it. On the 25th ult., Sir Charles Dilke, M.P., gave evidence on the method adopted in France and America, which were inexpensive, not necessarily secret, but generally conducted quietly. The ballot system in Tasmania and New South "Wales he described as closely resembling that adopted in Victoria. On the 2nd inst., Mr. Fitzgerald, formerly Colonial Secretary of Victoria, was examined. He stated that he had been a returning officer in the colony both before aud after the ballot had been introduced there, aud he had no hesitation in saying that bribery was now very rare. At the same time it would, no doubt, be open to a candidate to arrange with the leaders of a party to pay a given amount on his return for a constituency. To such a proceeding the ballot would afford no check. The following amusing paragraph is from the Pall Mall Gazette : — The Stock Exchange may take comfort from reading the New York Herald, of the 28th March, in which they will see that America has internal dissensions which appear to occupy at present much of her attention. A great part of that journal is taken up not with the Alabama, claims, but with details of what is called the " Sprague Excitement," arising from a scene in the Senate House at Washington, and a very interesting aud instructive narrative it is. Senator Sprague, who is familiarly called " little Rhody," made use of the expression " puppy dog," which Senator Abbott took to himself, and according to the New York Herald, threatened in private life "to Wallop little Rhody from the Capitol to George Town Height." It is not, therefore, to be wondered at that when Senator Abbott came to the Senate House wiih these bloodthirsty intentions, Senator Sprague took an early opportunity of leaving it. This made Senator Abbott more angry than ever, and he expressed his intention of having satisfaction outside the Senate. And here we must express our deep regret that Senator Nye thought fit to add fuel to the fire by shouting out, "Spank little Spraguy ; spank him, and send him to bed." The New York Herald states that this incident led to a great sensation in Washington ; some had it that Senator Abbott had cowhided Senator Sprague ; others that he had pulled his uose, boxed his ears, and otherwise heaped indignities upon him. On the other hand, Sprague's admirers circulated stories precisely the reverse, giving all the prowess to 'little Rhody,' aud annihilating Abbott, 'the rotund and muscular, a 9 did David the gigautic Goliah.' It is, therefore, with int.er.se relief that at the cud of 4 closelyprinted columns devoted to minute details of the affair, we read the following: — The Abbott-Sprague imbroglio adjusted — no faces slapped — nobody spanked — rrd bloodshed — wounded honour readily healed.' It appears that Senators Sumner, Sherman, and Pool, nfter negotiations which occupied nearly four hours, adjusted the difference ; Senator Sprague explained that the term 'puppy dog' was not intended for Senator Abbotr, who accepted the apology, and it is comforting to read that at eleven p.m., April 26, * Abbott is jolly, ditto Sprague.'" Why is gooseberry jam like counterfeit money? — Because it is not currant (current.) ■ Did you ever see a horse fly through the air? — Yes, . I .have seen a horse-fly through the . . ; What is that which can be often found where it is -riot?— Fault.

Suicides. — : Io England during the five years 1863-7, hanging was the most common form of suicide ; and the deaths of 2081 men and 489 women are recorded by this means. Cut throat and drowning stand next in order of frequency ; 948 males and 287 females committed suicide by the former, and 638 males and 477 females by the latter means. Out ©f the 6696 suicides, 4920, or nearly threefourths, were committed in one of these three ways. By poison there were 363 deaths of males and 308 deaths of females; of these 671 cases the description of poison was specified in 45 < instances ; by prussic acid, and cyanide of potassium 121 deaths are recorded ; by laudanum, 101 ; by oxalic acid, 58 ; and by strychnia, 39. By gunshot wounds 288 males died, while only 8 females committed suicide by means of firearms. The number of suicides in the five years in London and in each of the groups of counties from all causes, and from poison respectively, may be thus slated :— London, 1285 and 229 ; Sou tli-Eastern counties, 773 and 44 ; South Midlaud, 391 and 20; Eastern, 328 and 19 ; South- Western, 560 and 36 ; West Midland counties, 702 and 75 ; North Midlnnd, 493 and 60; NorthWestern, 991 and 91 ; Yorkshire, 632 and 49 ; Northern counties, 351 and 37 ; and Monmouthshire and Wales, 190 and 11.