NOTES FROM NELSON.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 273, 15 May 1886, Page 2

NOTES FROM NELSON.

(from our own correspondent.)

The Turf.

Oue hardly looks for refined morality in Colonial life, and the Colonial turf is not the arena in which to seek for exemplary virtue; yet it is to be said, to the credit of most of the many racing clubs in New Zealand, that the stewards, as a rule, endeavor to act in their capacity as caterers of sport for the public with fairuess and integrity, and it is very seldom that any allegations of foul or questionable conduct are made in this respect. Yet the Nelson Jockey Club at the present moment have a very ticklish affair to deal with, inasmuch as one of the six gentlemen who, as stewards, conduct the management of the Club, is accused in the morning paper of having been guilty of a most discreditable action which, if true, would not only forfeit all claim to his being considered as a sportsman, in the accepted sense of the word, but bring him within measurable distance of being warned off every racecourse in the Colony. Readers of this valuable journal are well aware that I have never attempted to shield anything in the shape of sham or fraud behind a cloud of unmeaning phrases, and they are also aware that there has ofter been occasion for me to criticise the actions of Mr Thomas Harley, J.P., in no uncertain language. But whenever I have taken to myself the task of commenting upon any individual in a publie capacity, (I never interfere with an individual in private life) or with a public body, or company, I have one rule for my guidance, viz.: be sure of the facts. Now, in the case in point, the Slop Bucket, on Monday morning, published a letter signed by James Canning, who is a livery stable keeper here, aecusing Mr T. Harley of having been guilty of, after the nominations were received and the handicapper retired, visiting the handicapper; and the writer then went on to draw his own conclusions, which impute want of impartiality and straightforwardness to Mr Harley, and suggest, by implication, a considerable amount of hanky panky between the steward and the handicapper.

Now having had some experience in racing matters, and knowing that Mr T. Harley was eecantric in a good many things, I did'nt know what to make of Mr Canning's letter. It was a very convincing sort of a letter, aad knowing that the Slop Bucket objected to anything savouring of strong language, I took it for granted that the J.P. and the handicapper must have both been a bit off colour that night to have so far committed themselves in a hotel where a crowd of sports were present, ready to pouuce upon anything which had a fishy look about it.

A little investigation put the matter in a very different light. The hanriicapper on retiring to the room to frame the draft of the handicap found that two horses he expected to and in the nomination

were not thorp; ho was also in doubt as to the prefi»rmance~ of two other horses, nn-l he requested the landlord of the hotel to send Mr Hurley to hi:;i lor a minute to set him right about these matters, and the latter went into the room. He had not been there ten minutes, and there was not a weight apportioned to a single horse, when other stewards came in, and it was decided to send to the post office to see if other nominations were there, and there were found to be two more. But the old adage of " give a dog a bad name " came in very appropriately, and Mr Canning at once found a mare's nest and went to the Sloji Bucket with the eggs. An investigation is sure to take place, and I think, in this case, that the J.P. will for once come out with clean hands. At the same time I must say that the handicapper showed very poor judgment in seuding the landlord for Mr Harley. If he wanted information he ought to gone to the stewards room himself, or sent for the secretary. The mere fact of his being with Mr Harley, while engaged m so preplexing a business as handicapping a dozen horses, of which Harley was the owner of two, gave a color to the charges brought by Mr Canning; but the matter had better not have appeared in print. The stewards were the right parties to investigate it at once, and this incident only proves my contention that a committee ought to do all the practical work of a racing club, and the stewards decide on debatable points such as this is.

A Praiseworthy Society. Some weeks ago a civil service official in an unofficial manner called upon me for a subscribtion of a guinea. He had heard I was soft; especially on anything connected with out door sports, and ho took it that I would at once fork out the needtul. He said it was for the Gymnastic Club. I probed him with questions as to the objects and aspirations of the gymnasts ; and it seemed to me, from what I gathered from the civil servant, that the Gymnastic Club was just about the one thing necessary to elevata the youths and maidens of Nelson from the common drudgery of humanity to the {esthetic aspirations of angels. He told me thcv had rented the hall near the theatre, that they had all the necessary fixings for expanding the chests of ambitious athletes; that they had weekly " assemblies," where the young ladies of irreproachable > characters only were admitted, and that they ran a Football Club on their own account. This information was very fascinating to nie, and I was about to part the guinea, when I considered that there might probably be a tinge of colour do rose about the civil servant's description. So I told him I would refrain for a week or so the pleasure of having my name enrolled on their scroll of fame as a member. One wet Saturday afternoon, a week or so after this interview, I was at a friend's house and the mistress of the house asked her son where he had been. He replied, "Oh down at the Gymnasium ?" " And what was going on there !" "Oh they were playing nap aud I did'nt stay" This little conversation just saved me a guinea, and broke up my admiration for athletics for a while.

As for football I only played one game in my life, and then two bosom friends of mine were on the enemy's side. Whether it was from their brotheily feelings for myself ©r from their aversion to having me for an opponent, I know not; but this I do know that before I had beeu live minutes at " play," as they call it, one of my chums- had got a scientific garrote on me, and the other ran his head into my corporation. The first choked me, the other knocked the wind out of me, and after an interval I came back to life with a fixed resolution never to countenance football in any way again. And that is one of the oaths I have religiously kept.

Another Mud-lark Scheme.

Every now and then a genius comes out of his shell in Nelson with a plan to reclaim the Mud Flat in the harbor. There is one in process of development just now for adding another 30,003 acres to the Wiamea district by blocking out the tide from the Richmond Mud Flat. The idea is by no means new, and Mr Climie may at once take my straight tip for it that his labour is labour in vain. I haven't seen his scheme, but I have heard that there are some very good ideas in it; but no matter how ingenious, or how practicable it may be, there is one very patent reason why the Government will put their veto on it. The bar of Nelson harbor is not one of the best, and it has filled up to a considerable extent during late years, owing to the diversion of the current of the Waimea River. It is only kept open by the outflow of the ebb tide from the Richmond Flats, and were the tide waters to be denied ingress to these 30,000 acres there would be no outward current of sufficient force to keep the channel open. The first northerly gale after the works were completed would infallibly silt up the bar, and Nelson harbor would be closed to traffic. The Marine Board, who have control over these matters, will take all sorts of care that neither the Wiamea County Council nor Mr Climie will bo allowed to fence off the Richmond Flats with a wattle and dab wall, or anything else.

Parliamentary.

Parliament begins work this week, and our Blind Bay members have gone to the law manufactory full of their own importance and anticipation of doing something to tender themselves worthy of being enrolled on the scroll of immortals, and of dining and wining with the Governor. They have a very high opinion

of their individual and collective importance have these Llind Lay men. The biggest lias the most to say regarding his influence in Parliament. The burly member for Wimea claims that it was absolutely necessary for him to be present at the opening ceremony, as there were 2G other members belonging to " us "

who were apt to be led astray unless his master mind was there to keep them straight. According to his version of matters it is only a member of suave and urbane manners who is capable of doing this, and the Wiamea representative claims to have these qualifications in a very marked degree. The state dinners with His Excellency are also a means of rounding off the rough corners of any little prejudices which may crop up in the heat of debate, and as the Governor doesn't put on any frills at these little parties everything passes off in quite a family kiud of way. My incisive friend, the 4ion. member for the city of Nelson, has also gone (for the last time I believe) to Wellington. The depth of this man's parliamentary knowledge is astounding; he knows more of the rules of debate ; is more in the confidence of Stout and Vogel, and is a better authority on "May's Parliamentary Practice" than ftny other member; at least he says he is; and like Mr John Kerr lie is also wanted to keep his party together. Last year ho had hopes of a portfolio. This year he has fears for his seat. So have I. The Motueka member is out of his element at present. His allegiance to Atkinson was praiseworthy when one recollects the ties, political and social, ' which held them together ; and although I consider he was treated in a shameful manner by the demagogues at the meeting in Trask's paddock at the fag end of last session, he did not make as good a use of the opportunity providence threw in his way as he might have done. Anyhow he once did pose for two nights as a Minister of Agriculture, and did some

service to his constituents in that short term of office. I need only quote a verse from Patience to finish with: A loud and demonstrative man ; A revolver and tar bucket man ; An arboricultural, High agricultural, Two days portfolio man.

Korari.

(Continuation of News, see 4th Page.)