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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 158, 20 July 1882, Page 4

The pressure of telegraphic business with Sydney has induced the proprietors of the Melbourne " Argus " to enter into an arrangement with the department for the use of a special wire between that city and Melbourne. It was proposed in the first instance to have a fresh wire laid from Melbourne to Sydney, which would be at the disposal of the "Argus " at all times, but practical difficulties, which could not

b 8 overcome, stood in the way. There are three telegraph lines connecting Melbourne with Sydney, and the " Argus " is lo have the exclusive use of one of them during the night, the wires at that time not being required for general business. To facilitate the transmission of messages, an instrument has been fitted up in the office, and an operator is in attendance during i the whole of the night to receive telegrams, which are thus in the printers' hands within a few moments of their despatch from Sydney. The new arrangement is found to work most satisfactorily. An amusing account is given in the " Alta California " of a raid upon Chinese for violating the "pure air law " in San Francisco, whatever that may be. One hundred and eighteen celestials were arrested, five of whom were booked for visiting an opium place. Most of the Chinamen were among the recent arrivals on recent vessels, and presented a curious sight in their outlandish costumes, as ihey were huddled up in the cells in the City prison. The officers, when arresting them, chalk upon their backs the number of the room in which the arrest was made, and by placing the inmates of different rooms in different cells without classification thus identify the prisoners. Many of them erased -the numbers from their clothes, while others turned their coats inside out. When the cases came before Judge Bix, the officers were unable to identify any of them with the exception of one. As there was no evidence, the prosecuting attorney reluctantly moved that the defendants be discharged from custody, which was so ordered. The Court-room presented an unusual scene when the defendants were brought in. The benches for spectators, the dock, the space for attorneys, and all available seating and standing room, were filled with Mongolians, there being , only about eight white persons in the room. The unfortunate Celestial who j was identified was fined eight dollars, with the alternative of ten days in gaol. When brought downstairs his loneliness so overcame him that he gave way to despair, and his yells and cries could be heard all over the building. The hon. member for Dunedin East has gained a widespread notoriety for his injudicious remarks on the Licensing question. Nearly every paper in the colony has something to say on the subject the reverse of complimentary. The •' Auckland Observer " has a dig in this fashion : — " The intimate acquaintance displayed by Mr Green, M.H.8., with the lowest c'ass of pub-lic-houses is inconsistent with his public calling as a tub-thumper. He denounced the employment of barmaids on the ground that they were obliged to listen to "disgusting language." We can only say that barmaids, as a class, appear to be quite as able to take care of their own morals and to assert their dignity as the most fastidiousj could des re, and if Mr Green has any doubt about it, let him come to Auckland and try it on. If he dared to say anything offensively indelicate to one of our Auckland Hebes, the reverend gentleman would soon find himself in the hands of the Philistines, and would have to give rather an extensive order for arnica and court-plaster." A practical illustration of ths relative merits of New Zealand and New South Wales from a working man's point of view has just come under our notice. A man who had succeeded, by hard work and frugality, in saving severul hundred pounds during a stay of some eight or ten years in Wellington, became dissatisfied with the place some six months ago, and he therefore realised on all his property, and with a full purse of sovereigns in his pocket left for Newcastle, en route for Sydney, in a collier, taking with him his wifa, and family of five or six children. The experiment did not by any means bring forth the results which he appears to have anticipates, for the whole family returaed with a recent steamer. They describe Sydney to be auything but a working man's paradise, while the climate and sanitary | condition of the city are condemned in the most unmeasured terms. They further say that there are numbers of old Wellingtonians who were carried away in the rush which took place some little time ago, who would be glad to return if they could only save the money which is required for themselves and families. — N Z. Time?. I