NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1692, 5 December 1873, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Exhibition Ball.—This [ball will take place at the Provincial Hail this evening at nine o'alock, when we beliere that the arrangements which have been made for music, dancing, and refreshments, will be found to be thoroughly satisfactory.

Eiranbv pp. an M.H.R. tob Colling^ood.— In this issue appears the notice for the return of one member for the House of Representatives for Collingwood, the election for whom will take place on the 18th instant. The writ was only received by the Returning Offioer on the last day of the last month, and is made returnable on the 22nd [instant, hence, the notice is somewhat short.

MaCrans and the Goldfiei.d3.—ln a-recent tpeeph to the Nelson electors, Mr Curtis is reported to have said, concerning the West Coast, that here the most easily obtained gold had been worked out, and permanent mining had scarcely yet been fully established, though there could be no doubt that it would be so in the course of another year or two, and then we might again look for a larger population. There is no doubt a considerable amount of truth in the gentleman's remarks. It would, however, be interesting to know how far he estimates that he can fairly take praise for having endeavored to establish any better system of mining in the district over which he has for years Ipast had the chief control.— New Zealand Herald.

A. Mbthodist'B Welcome to New Chums.— The Wesleyans in Ohristchurch have adopted the plan of holding a religious service upon the arrival of every new body of immigrants from the Home country. The Rev J. Buller attends the barracks upon every fresh arrival, holds a short, hearty thanksgiving service for those who choose to attend, and then nddresses the strangers in a kindly, practical way—exhorts to sobriety, honesty and frugality, and hold* up to them for encouragement many of the examples of great success from small baginnings which he has personally known. These services are much appreciated, many being affected to tears, and the peculiar feeling of being strangers in a strange land almost removed by. the words of hearty welcome in which they are addressed.

Land in the Wanganui district is rapidly increasing in 'value. At Marton 44 sections were offered by public auction a few days since, and not one was passed, while several changed hands afterwards at advanced rates. , The sections were subdivisions of a ten acre paddock, purchased some few years since at 12s 6d per acre. By the recent sale the owner realised orer £1200.

Bbhcuous Instbtotiok m Public School?.— The principle of giving religious instruction in schools after the ordinary hours of instruction appears to be answering admirably in Victoria. Many clergymen at the Presbyterian Assembly lately held in Melbourne, stated that they had established Bible classes in connection with the state sohools, while the whole of the Protestant clergy are assisting in the good work. The method of giving religious instruction when the time for closing school- arrives is to dismiss the children, allowing, such as desire or are directed by their parents to re-assemble. The children are benefitted, the parents are satisfied, and the duty is one of pleasure to ministers of religion. What was at first thought to prove a great stumbling-block is now seen to be nothing of the kind. .Religious instruction can be made as pleasant as school teaching, if ministers and those who assist them only give their minds to making it so.— New Zealand Herald.

Pjuyiho tob the Faisehood Tblieb.—A particular oleaginous person in Melbourne suburbs called, the other day, on a lady residing in his parish. She saw him approaching the house, and unfortunately be saw her. When his knock was answered and his desire to sea Mrs—expressed, the servant replied in the conventional way, that her mistress was "not at borne." The minister thereupon entered the hall, placed his hat upon the table, and, kneeling down, ■olicited the forgiveness of Heaven upon all Sellers of falsehoods. Some new formula of repelling unwelcome calls must be invented.

Atthipebous band has been found in Rhenish Prussia, near Tulich. The Coltyne Gazette infers, from- the attention given to the matter by the Prussian mining authorities, that the value cannot be small. A company of capitalists has been formed to work the diggings, and has formally applied to Government for a mining license.

Cost.oi1 the Tiohbobne Tbiai—lt has been ttlim&ted that MjKHawkins, Q.C. had received 7500 guin&ai'aTleadingTounserin the Tichborne trial, and it wM-'ikpeoted that he would retire as much more befo»^«i*t»ial it over. : The total expenses paid by the traMoij wera-eompnted at £270,000 at tb« date •ftb*depaitnMfitUo«|tmb«rßiiL >- -

Thb Late MEiiouRNH Baces.—The Melbourne correspondent of the Neto Zealand Herald states :— " The profits accruing to the Melbourne Race Club from the late races is stated at £5000. The profit resulting also to the Club from the sole of 'k'rekt cards of the names of the horses, the weights and colors of the riders' was £600, as against £200 last year. The course was a grand spectacle on the Cup "day. The hill, blaok with, human beings, was the upper gallery of this monster hippodrome, while the long range of the grand stand below, a thicklycrowded parterre of fashion and beauty, might be called the dress circle. Upon the lawn in front were strolling, with their cavaliers, hundreds of ladies of the lon ton, attired in rich silks of lilac, pink, blue, green, or lavender; their sweeping trains calling the peacock irresistably to mind, as they flaunted in the sun. I heard of a remark made by a la'e arrival from England, that although ho had a vivid recollection of the display at the Derby there, he rdaliy thought that, for extravagance in dress, fair patrons of the Melbourne Cup must bsar away the palm. Everything was new and glossy. The most expensive costumes were those which coulcl never be worn agaiu in tkeir bloom. . They will be picked up by shrewd itinerant female dealers, at quarter price, and go, on hire or otherwise, to furnish the demi-monde. The favorite head-dress among the ladies on the lawn at the Cup was a nondescript valentine of a thing, like the round pasteboard cover of a box for bonbons, garnished with colored etreamprs and a feather of fancy live. A few ladies sported the new fashion three-cornered hat, a la Watteau."

Old Boys at Play.—As the schoolboys say, ." Marbles are in," and considerable amusement was afforded the other day (says the Bendigo Independent) by the sight of a number of brokers engaged iv the peaceful recreation of' ring-taw," in front of the Beehive. The game not only afforded them amusement but also afforded amusement to others who renewed recollections of their boyhood and chuckled when a good knuckle-down shot was made. One apopleotio looking gentleman was heard boasting that he had won " five-and-twenty," while some mirth was provoked by the care with which a swell, clad in irrproachable sit-upons, spread his haridkerohief on the ground before making a shot. We congratulate our friends of the Beehive upon this latest addition to their recreations, and hope it will last. If they take our word for it, marbles are superior to billiards, whisky-poker, 100, Yankee-grab pitch-and-toss, or — Share-broking! The increased consumption of foreign potatoes in the United Kingdom is remarkable. In the last seven months of this year the value was £1,829,153, against £353,005 in the same period last year.

These are experts on all manner of subjects in these days of litigation: A woman testified at Norwich the other day, in a turkey case, and declared she knew these turkeys "by their walk, their countenance and their manner of roosting."

. Letpka (Fiji) ia becoming civilized:—An anteroom has. been set apart in the Supreme Court building for the purpose of a reading room; and the establishment of a public pound is now asked for. It has had its Hospital Sunday. A pineapple weighing thirteen pounds has been grown at Fiji. Beech tbees are said to be exempt from injury by electric storms. If this be so, it is a fact worth knowing by the general public, and. one which must be interesting to scientific men. Messrs. Nttssey and Pilling, of Leeds, have obtained a distinguished award for their Silent Family Sewing Machine. The new silent lock-stitch, known as the " Nussey and Pilling," and in uae all over the world, has been awarded the Grand Diploma of Merit at the Vienna Universal Exhibition. For excellence and quality these machines deserve special mention, and also as being foremost amongst the most meritorious of competitive sewing machines exhibited at Vienna.— Advt.