Local.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 162, 10 May 1859, Page 3

Local.

Escape from the Lock-up.—Two men escaped from the Nelson lock-up, on Friday night last, under the following circumstances:—They were deserters from the 65th Regiment, at Wellington, and had been captured at Motueka, and confined here until an opportunity occurred of sending them back. The constable in charge of them on Friday evening, who has been some years in the force, named Charles Halliday, was induced by their request to let them walk outside, and by a knowledge of their having shewn symptoms of ill health (both of them having been vomiting during the day), he allowed them to do so. Taking advantage of a momentary opportunity that occurred, they made clear off, and nothing has been heard of them since. The constable was, doubtless, actuated by humane motives in forgetting his orders and necessary caution, in letting them out at all; but having taken this responsibility upon himself, it is much to be regretted that he did not use every precaution to watch them, especially as it was seven o'clock in the evening, and consequently dark enough to make escape a comparatively easy matter. Engine House.—We are happy to observe that the agents of the Liverpool and London Insurance Company have now put us in a position somewhat preferable to our former state of helplessness, and have caused to be made a proper receptacle for the fire-engine, which for some time before had been in a place where it was not very likely to be procurable at an emergency. The building, or shed, wherein it is placed, adjoins 'the store of Mr. A. G. Betts, of Bridge-street, wherein may also be seen a goodly array of zinc buckets, large and small, a number of fire-hooks, for the use of single individuals, and one ponderous specimen that, in the hands of as many men as could find hand-room, appears to be capable of pulling the Court House down into the Mud-flat, and tugging the Windmill into its place on the hill; and, if appearance is anything, will likely prove a very effective instrument. Here may also be seen coils of hose of two or three sorts, for different service, besides a formidable array of American axes, which combined with numerous lanterns and ladders of different jsizes, besides the two large ones at Messrs. Edwards and Co.'s store, which, we are told, are to be furnished with wheels, gives us a notion of better security than formerly, or at least the avoidance of a wide-spread calamity is more probable than before. One great advantage is, that all this apparatus is to be kept ready for instant ■service at any time—a very necessary precaution, though we hope it will be long before it is found needful to test it in earnest. The Soho Foundry .—Some time ago we intimated that a foundry was about to commence operations in Nelson on a small scale. Since then one on a larger scale than we anticipated has been erected at the above premises, and yesterday we witnessed the first castings, intended for the steamer Tasmanian Maid. We are much pleased that the result was most satisfactory, and must (have been most gratifying to the operators. The convenience of the district will be much increased by the execution of such work for ourselves, instead of having to waste considerable time in sending to Auckland or Wellington, as we have 'had to do previously; and doubtless the cost also will be lessened rather than increased. The firs,t attempt was productive of many lookers on, to whom the sight of a stream of red molten iron running from the crucible into huge ladles, accompanied b.y a shower of star-like sparks, and thence poured into the moulds, was a novelty possessed of great attraction, the juveniles, as usual, •surrounding the works to the verge of peril. The •turning out of the last bar was the signal for three hearty, cheers from the bystanders, and we wish Mr. Balm all the success he deserves.