NELSON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 670, 9 April 1859, Page 6

NELSON.

(from a correspondent.)

March 17th, 1859. .

' Our holidays are over. Th y included three days 'of racing, followed race balls and dinners, bachelors' balls, tradesmen's balls, concerts, theatricals, <fee, &c.-j and after a'-fill of pleasure to satiety the ■country folks "have returned to their :flocks and their herds, and the chief town of the province has relapsed into that calm, quiet, and beautiful Nelson for which it has so justly obtained a character. I need not tell you anything about-the races, as the papers will furnish you. with a better account than I can give-you; suffice it to say that there was some capital sport, and that the result proves that' in point-of time we can lick (I was -going to say "all creation" but I correct myself and quote from the ' Examiner') anything-this side of the line. I only wish that ovx politicians, our Provincial Government, ■ and our influential men would take a political moral from such a fact: would wait no longer for " something to turn up," but apply their best and unselfish energies for the good of the place,; and I fe6l that, in the provincial race for supremacy Nelson would not be distanced. As-you are doubtless aware, this province has been proclaimed a district for holding District " Courts. But who is to be District Judge P Strange • enough such a dignified appointment has -actually • gone a begging. It is said that it was first offered ' to our Resident Magistrate, but as the salary was only £200 a year, and as in accepting the appointment he would have been obliged' to give up his private practice, he declined the dignity^ although the salaries of £300 a year as Resident Magistrate, £150 as Provincial Treasurer, and £200 as District Judge, would have made np^a-total income not altogether despicable. • The appointment was next offered, so it is said/to the-Provincial Solicitor, and to a gentleman who formerly fflled the office of Police Magistrate here, but both of those gentlemen declined the offer for similar reasons—the smallness of the salary and its involving their retirement from private practice. So that it is probablewe may be without aDistrict Judge until the appointment is conferred on some briefless barrister at home who possesses a private income andis desirous of a little " colonial experience." . * The Provincial Council meets on the 12th of next - month, but the public are as yet ignorant of the Government measureslikely to be brought forward. A new - government wharf is talked5 about—and is expected to cost about £3000 or. £4000; and although a sum of £1000 was voted for this pms pose last j Tear, our government have not had the pluck* to commence the work and trust to the Council to, support them.in it; (which it would have done,) but have dawdled a whple twelvemonth away, and cautiously waited for the Council ~to vote the money before they commence operations. ; ' Mr. Sewell "and the bishop of Nelson have both arrived from England since my;last communication. The'foiiner gentleman at oiice proceeded,to Auck-> land, and the Bishop had.barely time.to show. us his face, being obliged, to proceed on to Wellington the day after his arrival here,"in order to'take part' in the proceedings, of the Church of England Synod now sitting at Wellington. . , Dr. Hochstetter is to visit'Nelson,in the month of July; ;in the meantime our coal and other mining operations are almost in statu-quo. The Governor, who has at last resolved io'tear .himself^ away from Auckland, is now expected to.via-.t us in a week or two,1 after an absence of move than three years." . : .. - .-..'■ ". ,■ ..'. , # Our gold, fields are steadily progressing. A splendid nugget of solid gold weighing about half a pound was brought over this week from Rocky • River, having been obtained in a claim that a party had just began to work. And only yesterday a still larger nugget, weighing nearly nine ounces, was shown in town, having Iseen obtained a short distance from the place where the six ounce piece^. was found. But we want population.•- and the in- • vestment of capital mider a judicious system of minerarieases; without which our diggings will never make a noise in the world, nor ever obtain the credit to which they are justly entitled. ' March 23rd. P.S.—The Lord Worsley has just arrived from Sydney, but without bringing the English mail, which had- not reached , Melbourne on the • 15th inst. When will there be an end of this continual disappointment?