NOTES FROM NELSON.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 265, 20 March 1886, Page 2

NOTES FROM NELSON.

(from our own correspondent.) Tuesday, March 16tli. LAW COSTS LOOMING. The Nile street triumphal arch business came before the City Council tor consideration at their usual meeting, and a claim from the deceased Holly well's representatives was first discussed. The Council's lawyers advised that they had no legal claim, as the deceased and the other injured men were not in the employ of the Council. Of course the lawyers would give that opinion, if they did otherwise they would be guilty of a grave offence against the time-honoured custom of lawyers, whose creed is litigation; no matter what may be the merits of a case. Such an opportunity of entering into their costs-book fat fees seldom comes in the way of a legal firm in Nelson, and they could not have been expected to give auy otner advice at the present stage. We may therefore expect a series "of Supreme Court actions, which will absorb the funds of the ratepayers, and eventuallv give satisfaction to nobody. The legal advisers of the Corporation say there is no case against their clients. I am no lawyer, but as a layman, with an average amount of common sense, I think there is a case, and when the judge comes to sum up, and the jury to return their verdict, I tlnnk it will assume something of this form : " The defendants in this case undertook a certain work, to wit, the building of a brick culvert, the design and description of which work was prepared by them, and the material for the same was also provided by the said defendants, who also appointed an inspector to direct the manner in which the plaintiffs should carry on the said work and use the said materials; the said inspector having power to compel the plaintiffs to pull down any deficient work and rebuild the same to his satisfaction ; and in the performance of the said work under the said supervision the structure collapsed, causing the injuries complained of. The d fendant's claim that the injured men were employed by the contractors is of no avail, as the cause of the accident was faulty design and inefficient inspection. Verdict for plaintiff for damages claimed and costs on highest scale." Applause in Court, which was promptly suppressed by the intelligent members of the police, who were conspicuous by their manly bearing in the trying ordeal they had to suffer. We cannot allow this occasion to pass without remarking that every credit is due to the gallant inspector and the active and respectable officers under his command, for the really artistic manner in which their No. 11 bluchers were polished; they were really resplendent. (Thus, the Slop Bucket.) But this is a digression, and I must get back to tlio Council.

SYMPATHISING CITY FATHERS. Then came some really creditable charitable utterinces from the various members ; whose desire it was to send round the hat to collect enough to solace the injured ones. This would mean in effect that the Council wish the ratepayers to subscribe voluntarily that which they will eventually have to pay compulsorily; with this difference, that in the latter case the special rate would be distributed equally, and in the other case in accordance with the burgesses' generosity or stinginess, or as their feelings might lead them. So that this childish attempt to evade a lawsuit was shelyed. Then came on the question of the evening: " What to do with the bricks in the brook?" The city engineer wanted to go on with the work at his own risk and expense. Some cautious spirits wanted more " expert " opinions, and some admirers coul 1 not think their survej'or was wrong, but rather to be condoled with for his disappointment, and the obstructive attitude of the contractors. Then the demonstrative councillor from the Port struck an attitude, and gave forth the sentiment of the evening. " There is but one engineer, and Howell is his prophet." And it was resolved that owing to the distressed state of the engineer's mind, and the unkind verdict of the coroner's jury, that the plans and specifications should be sent to Mr Blackett in Wellington, and for fear that great authority should not be able to master the original conception of the culvert; the designer of the construction should accompany them to explaiu and declaim on their merits and ingenuity, and return to the bosom of the citv fathers with blushing honors on his brow. There is a curious parallel in the public history of the engineer to the city and the engineer to the colony. The former learned what little he knows of the profession by experimenting at the

expense of the city r itepayers, and the latter, on a larger scale, at the expense of the colony, but then he had a large staff of skilled experts under him,, and he is the Gamaliel at whose feet our budding genius sat. The action of the council in this latest resolution in extremely childish; in fact, it leads one to the belief that at future meetings there will be provided THIRTEEN BOTTLES OF PAP. for the mayor and councillors, and a couple of wet nurses, in the shape of the editors of the local papers, to dandle milk and watery articles before them to keep them from getting fretful. [Since the above was written the surveyor has usited Wellington and returned, the verdict following him. This opinion of Mr Blackett's was received on a Friday, and religiously ordered to be kept secret, till a special meeting was held on the Monday evening, but it was unreasonable to suppose that 12 councillors could refrain from letting the cat out of the bag for three days, and it was an open secret on the Saturday night that the report was worse than my predictions had been. And the council babbled away like an infant school on anything but the real business they ought to have tackled: their own resignations and those of their Btaff. The mayor led off by endeavoring to excuse himself and the engineer, and the council followed suit, and they then made up their minds to build the culvert with iron girders, and only half the size, as the funds for the other half had been washed down the Maitai. I expect to hear of a indignation meeting being held shortly. J Korari.