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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 7, 9 January 1890, Page 2

On the fourth page will be found a most interesting letter from Stanley to ihe N6W York Herald, from whioh some vory f iin i, idea mny bs forme, cf the perils aud hardships through which he has passed, th 6 wonders he has witnessed, and tbe important discoveries he and his party have made. He oUim. to have at last identified the " Mountains of tha Mood," and to havo explored "the shoulders" of the great mountain ' robed in eternal snow." He speaks too of pasturea of oonsiderftble extent and wonderful fertility, and of " blaokberries aud bilberries " being foaud in abundance undtr che Equator. The le.tar is calculated to sharpen the appetite of the publio for the book whioh is to follow, and for whioh an enormous sale has unquestionably teen assured. At the half-yearly summoned meeting of Court Uobin Hood held on Tuesday, Bro. Mason, C.R., presiding, it was shown that the total funds now stand at £3734, being an inorease of £128 as compared with last year. The net pay for the period was £84, and the sum paid for medical attendance ko., £106. Eighteen new members had been initiated, the total now being 210. Eleven members had been lost during the year, one by clearance, four by death, and six by arrears. The profit shown by the building fund for the year was £91 155. The following officers were duly installed for the cur« rent half-year :— O.R., Bro. G. Bennett ; S.C.R., Bro. W. Marris ; E.S., Bro. A. Shone ; J.W., Bro. E. Richardß ; 5.8., Bro. D. Burn ; J. 8., Bro. R. Burn. Dr. Hudson was unanimously re- elected Court Surgeon. Bros. W. R. Parmenter and W. Douglas were elected delegates to represent the Gourtatthe District Meeting, and Bros. T. H. Jones|and R, Hunter Auditors for the ensuing twelve months. In the course of the evening some discussion took place relative to the position of Friendly Societies in connection with the Government, and also relative to the Railway Employees Insurance Bill. The following resolution was adopted :— " That this Court appoint three delegates (Bros. W. R. Parmenter, E. Finney, atd F. H. Hounsell) to communicate with the other Friendly Societies of Nelson, asking them to appoint delegates to form a Delegates Committee to take into consideration the advisability of communicating with all Friendly Societies in New Zealand with the object of organising a Standing Committee to deal with the Government, so as to throw off interference and dictation, and be entirely free to make such laws as may be considered best for the well working of Friendly Societies, and at I the same time allowing them full benefit of i the Friendly Societies Aot. The Standing Committee also, at the forthcoming election, to question all candidates who oome forward whether, if returned to Parliament, they will oppose all Bills introduced that the Committee consider unworkable or likely to injure the well working of Friendly Societies." It was resolyed to place the name of Bro. W. J. Fuller, P.C.R., on the Merit Board and to present him with a PC.R's sash in recognition of his efficient services. Bro. A. Dodson, the Distriot Chief Ranger, paid an offioial visit to the Court, and congratulated the members on the steady progress Robin Hood was making. At the half-yearly meeting of the Loyal Howard Lodge, 1.0. F., held last evening, the report of tha auditors (Messrs J. Loitoh and R. Allan) stared that the total funds now amount to £6367, being an inorease of £128 to the Sick and Funeral, and £11 to the Management Fund for the half year, during wbioh £178 was paid to siok brothers, and £4 in distress gif is. Eleven new members bad joined and Bevon left, and the total number ou tbe roll \yas now 23p. The funda ■ were fully invested at an average of 7 per ! cent, the books were admirably kept., and tho | Lodge was unking sound and steady pro- ) gregp. The report and balanoo oheet were | adoptsd, Bro Allan was eleoted Trustoe, I and Dr Hudson re-eleoted Surgeon. Bros. j A. Batobelor and H, Gully were re-eleoted P rmanent Secretory and Treasurer reepeo- | tively. Bros A. Batohelor, H. Freeman, H. Gully, Moyee, nnd Smart were elected d_)e« gates to the Distriot meeting, Dnd the following officers wer. installed .— N.G.. Bro F. Giblin; V.G., Bro F, Nalder; E.S., Bro Wm. Thompson, .-^-ji

We hava heard of foar veteran couples now living in Nelson, to whom we wish to avail ours.lyes of the privilege afforded by j the present seaion of heartily wishing a j happy ae-./ year, an-1, judging by tha present hale and hearty condition of at least soma oi thorn, we may edd, without appearing to joke, "aad many of them." Their total ages amoun' fo, as nearly as wo can ascertain, ..bout 670 years ; tbey an?, all of them, members of the gallant band of pioneora, who land-d in Nelsan 48 yean ago* 5 ond they are all shipmates, having baon passenger- by- the ahip Thomcs H_rris_a, whioh arrived here in February, 1842.« Their natae3 are Mr and Mra Ligbtband, aged respectively 84 r.nd 85 yoara ; Mr aud Mrs Hodgkinson — ahey ora at present on a viait to their Bon ia Motueks Valley, and we havenotthe means of aecer.aiaing the exact numbe; of theyaarsof their pilgrimage, bub are intoimed that ih.y cannot be much short of 85 eaoh ; Mr and RJra Hill, of Brightwater. 84 and 81 respectively ; and Mr and Mra Barnett, of W-ka« puaka. The former— who is more popularly known as " Heavy Weather " — is 82, bnt in fao mater of ag 3 and experience, is rather looked down npon by tbe partner of his joy. aud sorrows, who ia a year hia 8-_ior. It is oortainly a remnrkabie instance of longevity that these eight people, fellow passengers from E_gla^d 42 years ago, when ihey were all about half the age they have reached to-day, should still be living, and on being msde acquainted with ths fact, there are, we feel euro, hundreds of our readers who will unit, with ua in wishing them with all sincerity all the ooa_.plim.euts of tho season. We have been shown proof copies whioh have bean reooived by Mr H. D. Jaokson from London of books containing come beauifai lithograph* of New Zealand fern from drawings by Mra Harris. Thi'y oro moat artistically executed and every detail of the graceful fronds ia ahown with cleamesß and dietiao'.neee. Tiiesa are to be followed by books of pl.n's and ftawera by the B_me artist, and a<- ths prico ie.. v?ry moderata one they will doubtless mo.t with n ready *ale, IN the matter of the will of tho late Thomaß Duncan, on tha inotio_ of Mr Piti-, probate waa tondiiy granted by the Registfar to El ; zibeth Ann Duncan tha executrix.. . The mail steamer Zealandia brought from San Franoisoo a couple of dozen Amerioan grey foxes, whioh were addressed to Sir James Hector, Wellington, having been sent down by Mr Oreighton. As foxes are oiasaed as vermin under the Customs regulations, they were not allowed fco be landed. The Hon. E. _litchelson, aoting Premier, was appealed to, and he wired to Sir James Hector, who replied that they had been sent down con* trary to instructions. The animals were eventually taken on to Sydney in the mail steamer, where the authorities also refused to allow them to be landed. These animals, whioh were forwarded with the idea that they would prove very effioient rabbit exterminators, are (says the American correspondent of the N.2t. Herald) to be found only on the small islands to the westward of the Bouthern coast of California, and even there they are not at all common, and ara very difficult to capture. They live on rabbi.B, mice, and all sorts of Bmall animals, but they have not been kuown to disturb the sheep on any of the islands. None of these little animals have ever been brought over to the mainland and set free, and the na.ura'ists of the State generally regard them asa unique and comparatively harmless variety of the fox tribe. To those whose ideas of foxes aie obtained irom the ordinary red or grey animals, these little fallows will prove a surprise. They are not nearly strong enough to touch a lamb, and a good game rooster can give one all the fight it wants. Mr Oreighton feels hopeful that they will do excellent servioa in exfcerminating rabbits, and that the expense in getting them will be amply repaid. Yesterday's Pott Bays .—The risible facul • ties of the members of the Jubilee Celebration Committee were somewhat excited last evening by the reading of a quaintly- written letter from an old gentleman in Nelson who came out in the Lily Lilford (the vessel which brought the first sheep and cattle to Wellington) enquiring as to what inducements the Committee would hold out to him and his family to attend the festivities in Wellington on the 22nd instant. He suggested that at any rate he and those of his relations who came out with him were entitled to Jubilee medals. The Committee took no action in the matter. Some little delay waa experienced in getting the Rotorua away from the wharf thia morniDg owiug to the large number of people who had gone on board to see their friflnda off, and it was bhe top of high water before tho gangway was hauled in. A foot note will bo found to the Union S.S, Company's advertisement to-day, requeefcicg visitors to leavo thsir steamers immediately after the second whistlo has been sounded. A Ghristchuboh telegram of the 7th inst. says :— " Very gonoral B-tisfmoiion i . expressed here ovor the letting of thn firßt. contract on the railway to the West; Coaet, It ie proposed to hold a demonstration on tie turning of the first sod. The line to be conefcruoted extends from Springfield to Ko« wai Basb, a distance of five milts and a half. Two bridges are required— one ovsi the Big Kowai R'ver, 373 fer-t in leng'h, and one 152 foots long over the Little Kowai, Thess will be construot.d oa iron oylindorp, Thete will also.be a short tunnel about font or five chains, occupying a central position in the ltDe. The earthwork to be done it' heavy throughout.'' We are glad to loam that the Company is giving " very general Batißfaotion " at Christohurch, but, aa we stated a f ortr ight ago, there ia a feeling oi very general diaaatisfaoiion here with the negleot with whioh Mr Wilson ia treating this end of the line. Seeing that ho promised that lhe survey ehould be undertaken in November last, aod t^at as yet nothing has been done, and nothing s.ema likely to be done, the grumbling that is to be heard on all aides is hy no meana unreasonable. The very popul-.r company of Hugo's Bnffftlo Minstrels, who have been received with so much enthusiasm wherever thoy havo appeared, will shortly be in Nelaon, and will give their first performance in the Theatre on Tuesday evening next. Thb Nelson representatives to the New Zealand Rifle A»sooiation Meeting, Sergfc. Fraaer of the H. Battery, and Seaman R. Hunter of the Navals, left by the Rotorua this morniug. They only reoeived their Martini-Henry Rifles from Wellington on Tueßday, and consequently have had very little time for praotice. The meeting oom mences at Dunedin on Monday next, and is expeoted to be concluded within a week. Mr Iverson, of Whatawhata (Auckland) is the luoky winner of the first prizs in an art union got up at home, ths tickets to whioh were only sixpence o.oh. He has received a letter by the het mail stating that hii. ticket had drawn a tiara of diamonds, and asking him whether he will tsk . tho diamonds or the alternative money value, -6200. Last evening the third moating for Unit-d Prayer took place in the Y.M.G.A, Rooms when the Rev. P. Calder presided, ohoosing for his subject "Home and Foreign Missions." He atated that in India 700,000 converts had been the fruit of 75 y«»rs work. In China, where 46 years ago there were [ two or three converts, there were now 35,000 commnnioauts and between 300 and 400 churches. In Africa, and other parts of the world the Foreign Missions were doing a vos*i work. It was shown tbat up to 1888 870,000 adults had been oonverted from the heathen world. The Most Rev. the Primate, the Revs. Lorenzo Moore and W. C. Oliver, Mr Jesse Piper and Mr Blaok aesisted at the meeting. Tcnight the Rev. L. Moore will preside, and hia addreta will be on " Homo Familitß and Governman.p," Membees of the Nelson Rowing Club are reminded that the entries for (he President's Cups will olose nt the Masonio Hotel on Saturday night at eight o'olook. The Loyal Lodge of Good Templars will oelebrate thtir anniv'reary with an entertainmont in the Royal Roller Rink on Wednesday next. The annual general meeting of the Nelson Jookey Club will be held &t tho Masonio Hotel on Saturday next. The business will oompriee the eieotion of office bearers for the enauing year, and the confirmation of the appointment of ,eoretory. The whole of the consignments of butler received in London by tbe Rimutaka from New Zealand in November last proved to be of very poor quality, a considerable portion ; being only saleable as grease. . Californian raisins have succeeded to suoh an extent in driving the Malagas out of the American Eastern markets that the imports from Bpain havo f .Hen from 1,000,000 to 112,000 boxes annually.