Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 307, 27 December 1881, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1881.

Yesterday w.3 a perfect day for a holiday, atid long beforo noon the town was completely deserted, the trains going away full, and the excursion trips by the steamers, especially by the Wallace which took over 200 passengers to Takaka, being largely patronised, while pieuic parties at the Rocks and to various parts of the country in vehicles of every description were numerous. Io addition to these there were the interprovincial cricket match in Victory Square, and ihe Naval Brigade costume cricket match and sports in ih. Bo anical Reserve. Neither means of amusement were wanting, nor men, women, acd children to avail themselves of them, and Boxing Day, 1881, will long be remembered as one of the pi. aaanteet holid ... s * .joyed by the people of Nelson for a long time. Tiie Wellington cricketers arrived from Wellington in the steamer Westport on Sunday morning and were met on arrival by several members of the Nelson Cricket Club. They were then conveyed in a four horse drag to the Nelson Hotel, where they have taken up tbeir quarters during their stay here. The match was commenced in Victory Square yesterday, an account of the game as far as it has been played appearing in another column. The festival of St John the Evangelist will be celtbrated to-day by the Freemasons, who will assemble in the Masonic Hall at 3 p.m., attend divine service at Christ Church at 5 p.m when the sermon will be preached by the Bishop of Nelson, and meet at a banquet at 8 o'clock. An ordination will be held at Christ Church at 11 o'clock to-morrow morning, when the Rev W. H. Root will be admitted to priest's and Messrs A. Hermon and Edward Jenninj-S to deacon's orders. There was a good attendance at the Exhibition at the Provincial Hall on Saturday night and again yesterday. It will be open again t*-day and this evening. A Christchurch telegram of yesterday says :— Mr Richard Husther, aged 70, formerly handicapper for the Canterbury Jockey- Club, was found dead in the dining room at Mr Morton's House at 11 o'clock yesterday morning. Deceased took two cups of coffee at half-past eight acd was not seen again tiil found dead. The cause is not known. Thk sailing match between the Secret and Mystery yesterday resulted in a victory for the former by a few lengths. The race was an exciting one, both boats being pretty evenly matched. The costume cricket match and sports held in the Botanical Reserve yesterday in aid of the funds of the Naval Brigade were a success in every way. Including children there were about 900 people present. The cricket match caused much amusements, and the races were keenly contested. The half mile race (handicap), for which six started, was won by T. A. Askew, who started at scratch, L. Akersten being second with 15 yards start. The race for old men was won by Congdon. The Naval Band was present under Bandmaster Liley, and played at intervals during the day. In the evening a dance was held in the marquee opposite the Panama Hotel. A special meeting of the Waimea Rifles wiil be held at Martin's hotel, Brightwater, this evening at half past seven.