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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 250, 23 October 1869, Page 2

A rather singular tidul phenomenon was observed this morning in the harbor. The usually placid waters of the bay were traversed by currents running in different directions with considerable velocity, but all having a set from the shore. The effect ou the vessels at anchor, there heing no wind, was somewhat singular, causing them to ride "heads and points" in all directions. The Airedale, which came up to the vvh;irf unconscious of the tidal influence, was rather sold, being swung off quite unexpectedly and forced to do a considerable amount of extra warping before she {jot her berth. — Wel.ington Post, Oct. 19. Hokitika Past and Present. — A correspondent of the Greymouth Star gives the following descriptio i of Hokitika as it is : — There is no one with me iu the room ; and the landlord has turned down two out of the three burners which are intended to illuminate the bottles and decanters, and to show customers their way into the door and up to the counter. I look out of the window. Opposite there are three shops to let ami one selling off. I flatten my nose against a pane of glasss aud look as far to the right and left of me as my sight wiil extend, but there is not a living soul to see. I feel rmdanehohy and depressed, and I say, Oh ! Revell-street, how has thy glory departed from thee ? Wh-re now is the busy throng which crowded, thy footpaths, aud usurped the road-way ? Where, now, thy crowded hotels and shops and stores well lined with customers ? Even the bell of the bellman is silent, and the sound pf the billiard hall is no more to be heard iu the saloons. Thy theatre, 0'», Hokitika! is closed — Thy dance, rooms no mo:e resound with the strains of piano and fiddle, or are ulive with the tripping of light fantastic toes ! Tlte girls has departed aud the light of other days has faded! — But, what is that I hear ? It is the sound of a footstep in the bar — a man has entered aud called for brandy — he helps himself out of a decanter, drinks, then calmly with subdued voice iells the landlord to put it down on the

slate. He has departedand the house is again solitary. I feel like unto what must he the feelings of the last man, or the " last of summer," or the. last forlorn and deserted anything else. Two hundred and fifty-one new Acts have been passed in the General Assembly of New Zealand duriug the last three years. Government Policy. — We must congratulate the Canterbury Province upon the obvious improvement that is gradually and steadily showing itself. We must also congratulate the public on the wise and careful manner in which his Honor the Superintendent proposes to assist this gradual improvement, not by proposals to rush into large transactions involving the borrowing of money, and consequent charges of interest which the revenues will not bear, but by taking sure and certaiu measures that are clearly within our means, by which the steady onward progress of the Province will be stimulated. We are quite aware that a stroDg feeling existed as to the desirability of having a pushing, go-ahead Government, but since the inauguration of the slow and sure process, introduced by our local " Cromwell," the public have for some time recognised the wisdom of the policy adopted by that gentlemau and his colleagues ; and we are convinced that the people of Canterbury are uow satisfied that by sueh means, and by keeping up a steady flow of immigration, we shall be more certain of a future prosperous state, than if under the guidance of happy-go-lurky lot of men, we were to plunge headlong into borrowing, solely for the purpose of carrying on railways and other great works that really will not be required, until our population is very considerably increased. — Canterbury Independent. At Alexandeer, in the Provinec of Otago, the Chiuese have discovered a bed of guano of considerable extent. They are selling it at £140 per ton, and find an easy market. The pi ari fisheries at Western Australia seem to be progressing. By the mail just arrived some 25 very handsome pearls were received, which are now being exhibited at Messrs. Brush and Macdouiiell's, Collins-street west. Some of these are perfect in shape, and of very fine oolor. It is said that one of the largest would fetch £25 in the London market, and there several others worth from £8 to £15. — Argus. A Three- Story brick house, 18ft. by 40ft., and in the construction of which 42,350 bricks were used, was built in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 19 hours and a half, and persous were living iu it within three days from the time it was commenced. As awfully curious bore, learning that a young lady was going by railway to the city, asked, " What motive is taking yoa their, my dear?" "Ibelive they call it a locomotive, sir," was the innocent replyf The intrusive stranger was extinguished The London Times of July 28, says/ speaking of New Zealand — "Even the character of the nnti ves, the Bishop of Lichfield thinks, has deteriorated under our unfortunate influence. They used to cany on war in tlte most honorable manner. Now they arc brigands, some of whom shut themselves up in fastnesses, while others sally out and carry desolation in all directions. Not even the influence of several Bishops with the last models of ecclesiastical apparatus imported from England has prevented the Maori from losing his primitive nobility of character, and changing grievously from the time whi-n he was ready to live in peace with all men -xcept the tieighboriny tribe." All they said. — A geutleman has recently taken down the entire conversation between two ladies during a fashionable call, and reports verbatim all that was said as follows : — " How do you do, dear ?" '"Pivtty well, thankyou." (They kiss.) "How have you been this age 9 ". "Pretty well. How have you been?" "Very well, thank you." " Pleasant to-day." ''Yes, very bright ; but had. 9 shower yesterd.iy." '"All your family . well ?" " Quite well, thank you. How is yours ?" " Very well, I'm obliged, to you." "Have you seen Mary B iately •?" "No; but I've seen Susan C -." . "You don't say so? Is she well?" 77'' Very well,! Jielieve." (Rising) "Must yoii ; go?" •' Yes, indeed; I have seyen calls to make." "Do call again soon /-&"" Tiiiiflk -jroujjbut you do not , call^&^me/-bnc©;,Mn.^■atf^^g e • , "'■. "Oh, you shouli^u^a^^r Pm surel'm yery §^.d^.y^^^ ,7

A Farmer in a remote district of the Yorkshire wolds met a couu try rector who had been two years absent on travel. " Mr. Rector," said the farmer, " you've been to dia Holy Land, I hear. "I have, John, and got safe back, you see." « Well," suid John, " I often thou't I'd like to hear aboot that spot. It's a fine country, I lay." " Well," said the Rector, " I saw Lebanon, and Jerusalem, and the Twelve Palm Trees, and the wells of water in tbe Great Desert ; and we went across the Jordan and up Mount ." " Excuse me interruptiu' you, Mr. Rector, uoo," said the farmer ; " but, if it be a fair question, hoo was turmets (turnips) looking oot yander ? " Illness of the Emperor Napoleon. Rumours are in circulation once more that the health of the Emperor is ou the decline. It is said that he betrays great difficulty at times in walking. This is attributed to the return of au old malady which some years ago had neaily proved fatal, but which his physicians were confident that they were, atde to cure. It is said that the day he went to the Duke de Mouchy's, his Majesty had a fainting fit, and it was with some difficulty he was placed in his carriage on his leturn to St. Cloud. Velocipeding a Proof of Insanity. — The France says that a lady in Paris has commenced a suit for separation from her husband on the ground that he has given unmistakeable proofs of being mad, inasmuch as from morning to night he does nothing but ride on velocipedes, and to ciuise about on a bicycle she affirms to be a flagrant proof of mental alieuatiou. How the judges will decide the point is doubtful, since more tban one has, it is said, been guilty of the same act in his own person ; but the decision is anxiously awaited by numerous wives who want to better themselves, but have no tangible reasons for deserting their present partners. The Boldest Player at BadenBaden. — One day in the first week in August, the boldest player at BadenBaden, a Russian lady of high rank, after a hard fou»ht battle of tliree hours duration, retired a loser of nearly a hundred thousand francs. The interent excited by this encounter was intense ; almost all other play was suspended, and a triple row of spectators surrounded the table, breathlessly watching the result of each coup.