The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 275, 1 December 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1879.

The unseasonable weather experienced in England during the summer months appears to be repeating itself in New Zealand, where, although we are approaching midsummer, f ros:i, heavy nuua, and farioaa gales have of late been of frequent occurrence. In Nelson we have now had ten daya of wretched weather of the most unusual kind at this time of the year, and yesterday morning everybody was astonished to find that during the night there had been a heavy snowstorm, the surrounding hills being perfectly white down to withiu a very few hundred feet of the level of the sea. The farmers were waDting rain badly, but they were by no means desirous of seeing a winter scene on the last day of November, and are now beginning to hope for a little settled weather of a seasonable description. We have to acknowledge the receipt from the Secretary of the Wellington Local Industries Association of a letter relative to a proposition to hold " a Competition Exhibition of the productions of all nations in

Wellington to follow the Exhibition of Melbourne, 1880." We must reserve our reply to the letter for a future occasion. The Dramatic Troubadours repeated their programme of Friday evening on Saturday night to a fairly filled house, when the impression created was even more favorable thau on the previous evening. To night and to-morrow night they will appear in '• Struck Oil," in which the yotithfol company aHow to gjreater^d ventage than in any other in their varied repertoire, and we can recommend all who eDjoy a hearty laugh to pay these talented youngsters a visit. An open air service under the auspices of the V.M.C., Association. waH held at the function of Trafalgar and liardy-streeta last night, when there was a large assemblage, but the weather proved unpropitious, and after one or two short addresses it was found necessary to bring the .service to a close. . An ordination was held at Christ Church yesterday morning by the Bishop of Nelson, when the Rev A. H. Sedgwick was admitted to priest's orders. In addition to the Bishop, the following clergy took part in the service:—The Yen. Archdeacon Butt, the llevs S. Poole, J Leighton, C. Moon, ES. Cross, J. P. Kempthoane, V. Opie, and T, S. Grace. The Customs receipts for the mouth of November were £43-16 Os 2d; made up a3 follows:— Spirits, £1289 4s 8d; cigars, £95 15s 2i; tobacco. £553 6s 6d; wine, £96 lls lid; ale and beer, £35 7s 7d- tea, £1624 3s 6d; coffee, £4 5s ad; .stigar, £145 15s 9dj goods by weight; £72 9s ildj ad valorem, £174 18s Id; other duties, £65 \9i; other receipts, £168 2s lOd. The annual tea meeting in connection with the Baptist Chapel will take place to-morrow night, after which there will be a public meeting, which will be addressed by several ministers aud others The following London telegram of the 25th November appears in the Post:— The Timea semi officially announces the postponement of the elections, stating that a dissolution would be inopportune ia view of the disturbed state of Ireland The Liberals are greatly indignant.— Mr Gadstoue, addressing a large Liberal meeting at Edinburgh, strongly attacked the ambition of Lord Beaconsfield, urging that it led him to endeavor to make brilliant cnupa in foreign affairs, while domestic legislation was neglected and the country suffered. He also accused the Premier of delaying tha elections, because be knew that a change was impending.— Germany has agreed to vote 330,00 mark 3 (£15,000) towards the cost of that country being represented at the Melbourne Exhibition. Ac Imperial Commission is to be appointed to make the necessary arrangements— A hardly-fought naval engagement between the Chilian fleet and the combined Bolivian and Peruvians fleets has taken place off Iquique. The Peruvians and Bolivians attempted to raise the blockade of the port by the Chilian fleet, bilt were Unsuccessful, and were compelled to retire, the Chilians capturing one of their vessels. The Archbishop of Dublin has issued a pastoral letter denouncing the agitators who are now disturbing the peace of Ireland. It is exacted that this action of the Archbishop will have an important effect in q>iet> ing the present excitement. Already the agitation appears to be cooling, especially since the statement that the British i-overn-ment were prepared to adopt every means, by raising loans and otherwise, to relieve the prevailing distress. The meetings held to denounce the action of the Government in arresting the leaders of the agitation, and to hold the latter up as martyrs, have passed off very quietly. The speeches on the whole were moderate in tone, and, contrary to expectation, there have been no serious disturbances. We dip the following from Friday's Post : — " At a meeting of the "young" members of the House of Representatives, held yesterday, it was resolved that anew Middle Party should be formed, and that Mr. DeLautour should be the leader of it. Tha movement was started by some members of the Opposition, who were disgusted at the conduct of their leaden in leaving only six men in the House when the division on Mr Macandrew's " no-confidence " motion took place a few nights ago. The party consists of members who have never held office and who do not intend to seek it. They do not expect to be able to do much during the present session, but threaten to be very vigorous when Parment meets again." The following paragraph appears in another pare of the same issue of the same paper :— " The Young New Zealand Party are understood to have elected Mr DeLautour their leader. As the member for Mount Ida is one of the late Premier's most devoted henchmen, this partis highly significant as to the real meaning of the new party. The trick of forming such a party is now too stale to succeed. It was played oat by Mr Larnacb and the Middle Party, who smoothed the way of the late Government to office." The Post of Saturday says t — lt is understood that a caucus of the Opposition party was held to-day to consider whether it would be possible to adopt any farther measures against the Government this session. The general feeling, however, is said to have been averse to such a course, the older and more experienced members being altogether opposed to any resumption of hostilities during the present session, and only the younger and newer members advocating " war to the knife." It is rumoured, also, that 27 of the Opposition members have banded themselves together as a new " Middle party," but without any hope of immediate success. There does not appear to be the remotest proba bility of the present Ministry being disturbed, before next session at any rate