NELSON.

Marlborough Press, Volume I, Issue 6, 10 February 1860, Page 3

NELSON.

[from our own correspondent.]

The great libel case still continues the staple food for tongue and pen in Nelson. The Judge has been somewhat roughly handled—not so much for the matter of punishment as for the manner in which such punishment was awarded; the award was certainly not garnished with sauce piquante, but administered in the true oxalic acid style. Comparisons and “ Historical Parallels ” have been " instituted;” and a new edition of " Elegant Extracts,” with additions, has been recommended as a text book for the Government Schools and College, especially as they are very short of good books. The Judge certainly libelled the good folks of Nelson when he stigmatised them as unruly and rowdy. For orderly conduct in the most exciting times the people of Nelson can be backed against all the world. Half-a-dozen policemen cannot find employment in so well conducted a community. One member of the press alone has noticed this gratuitous insult on the whole of the inhabitants of this place. His severity of manner to the defendant has been before mentioned. The following passage from the Colonist will be acknowledged to be true by every unbiassed mind: —“ The steady deferential conduct of Mr. Saunders in that Court has elicited the highest approbation from even those most opposed to him.” One solitary advocate alone stands up for the Judge, and maintains that it is a lenient sentence. Had that writer considered for one moment that libel is a new thing hero; that all of us hitherto have had free (too free perhaps) use of tongue and pen up to this moment; that some degree of political hostility existed between the parties concerned; that the defendant was suffering under a defeat on a plainly-made, though not written, bargain; if these matters had been considered well by the writer, he would admit that a slighter punishment would have had a better effect. How many criminals escape. Public defaulters to a large amount have been permitted to escape with impunity: but here a man is punished to an extent, probably, to shorten his days, for complaining of an incorrect report of the proceedings in a court of law ; and what report can be correct, where there is no short-hand reporter, or where witnesses do not testify to their evidence ? The addition of a few words to the letter would have prevented all this. A memorial to the Governor, in mitigation of the period of imprisonment, has been drawn up at Richmond, and adopted at Nelson, and is already numerously signed. Flour is down. Flax is looking up. Gas looms in the future. Water trickles down the Trafalgar ditch. The town clock is to be placed under the care of the Board of Works. Ditto the Nelson Volunteer Rifle Corps ; for which " smart young men are wanted;” and officers not too old in the tooth. Chrome, instead of copper, has put in appearance on the wharf, to supply colouring matters—red, white, grey, and green —to the old country : let us hope, as a matter of reciprocity, that she will return the compliment by sending a bountiful supply of " whitewash ” —an article very much required here. That delightful hot weather pastime, cricket, has been " fooled to its bent ” this week. The Bachelors against the Benedicts. The latter succumbed, although their better portions were looking on. The heavy weights of the Nelson Club against the light bobs of the Mechanics’ had a match. The superiority of metal prevailed here, but the light ones showed pluck. The Head Master of the Nelson College has issued a long and elaborate report. The j want of good books has been somewhat

remedied by recent importations in the Golconda and other vessels; yet there is a lack of French and German books; but the arithmetical department seems to be the worst off —because of its utility, perhaps. “In arithmetic the case is worse. There is a very abundant supply of bad books. They are full of errors.” Lectures on natural science are given once a week; and when the philosophical apparatus, &c., arrives from England, these lectures will form a leading feature in the college curriculum.

Reports abound. The Chamber of Commerce has issued a long account of its past doings. A vein of censure on the Government crops out in various parts. From it we learn that chrome abounds in the Croixelles mine, and immediate steps will be taken to ascertain its quality and value. “ The sepai’ation of the Wairau and part of the Pelorus districts, with their establishment as the new Province of Marlborough, is an event of the year which has an important bearing both upon the political and the commercial future of this province; but the bulk alike of the import and the export trade of these districts will probably continue in their present channels for some time to come ; and as the legality of separation has yet to be established in the General Assembly, your committee refrain from the discussion of a question which, in its present shape, is so closely connected with political considerations.” There, put that in your pipe and smoke it. The officers for the year 1860 are :—O. Curtis, Esq., chairman ; D. Sinclair, Esq., vicechairman ; A. W. Scaife, Escp, honorary secretary; Messrs. A. Kerr, L Nash, J. Beit, W. Wilson, J. Levien, D. Moore, committee; Messrs. J. R. Hackctt, J. P. Black, auditors. The Waste Lands Act of the General Assembly has received the assent of her Majesty, and will be proclaimed shortly. By this the then existing Land Regulations of the colony are confirmed, and the Nelson Waste Lands Act of Session V. will come into operation. Still no voice from the diggings, except an angry letter from Mr. Dickie, who loudly complains of the decision of the magistrate in the case of "jumpinga claim.” Mr. Dickie does not seem aware of the grave offence and serious consequences of complaining of the decision of the magistrates of the law. He says, "We have no objection to the tax [miners’ right] ; the Government made it, and we paid it cheerfully; and there are not six diggers without their license at present: but we object to being stopped by a policeman in the main road, a license demanded, and being dared to dig without it. It is punishment enough to have no protection when you are too poor to pay for a right, without being bullied by a policeman. We are quite willing to pay miners’ rights, export duty, and as many more taxes as they like to put on ; but we will not be hunted like dogs by the Collingwood constables; and though some of our magistrates, and others of the nobility, call us trespassers on Crown Lands, &c., the diggers will yet be the aristocracy of this country.” The Chamber of Commerce acknowledges " that the production of golddust has not shown the increase which was generally anticipated;” but express great hope that "the improved methods of working upon the gold-fields, with the assistance of capital and efficient machinery, will be the means of advancing the prosperity of all sections of the community.” The Airedale steamer, from Auckland, brought from that province nearly a hundred labourers, mechanics, &e. This valuable consignment is for the southernmost province ; and one cannot but admire the thriftiness of the Otago Government, in easing Auckland of its inconvenient surplusage of labourers at a much smaller expense and risk than sending to England for the same commodity. Auckland holds out the bait, and lures them from home, but the canny Southrons say, with Shakspeare, or somebody else—- “ What do they in the North When they are wanted in the South?”

On Sunday, the sth instant, a poor unfortunate fellow named Mosely drowned himself in the river Maitai. He was seen by two lads to run towards the water and jump in head foremost. They immediately gave the alarm, when two men got him out within three minutes after he had thrown himself in. A medical man was at once called, but it was found impossible to restore him. It is supposed that he was suffering under a fit of delirium tremens when he committed the act. He has been much addicted to drink ever since his arrival here, about two years since.