ROWDYISM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 1, 2 January 1868, Page 2

ROWDYISM.

To the Editor of the Nklsox Evening Mail. Si R — Do we indeed live in a civilize I community, or is this Nelson of ours a mere Indian Village ? I have almost been tempted to arrive at the latter conclusion, for the unearthly yells ami diabolical noises which aroused so very many of the inhabitants of the city frcm their peaceful slumbers from before midnight on New Year's Eve tH ' several hours afterwards, could only have proceeded from a pack ot savages at large, or from soma demented members of the population. It is generally supposed that the duty of a policeman is to restrain disorderly persons at such times, and prevent their disturbing the repose of the inhabitants, but they certainly could not have been on duty on New Year's live, or, if so. were not .acting in accordance with their instructions, or the abominable nuisance to which the inhabitants of almost every part of the city were subjected on that night, never could have been perpetrated. I cannot suppose that any members of the Force were themselves assisting in the very creditable (?) task of keeping peaceably disposed citizens from the enjoyment of that rest which nature demands and which it is the duty of the Police to se^ is rot unnecessarily disturbed, and therefore lam reduced to the inevitable alternative that they were, one and all, suffering from a strange and sudden attack of deafness and blindness combined which thus prevented them from taking any cognizance of this act of rowdyism. There is a wide difference between this senseless clattering of zinc cases, accompanied by demoniac shouts ana yells, and the sweet soothing sounds of the Christmas Waits, as they are heard in many a provincial town in England at this season, which I should rejoice to hear revived in our own city, and I can instance one case in my own immediate neighborhood where the horrible noise on Tuesday night caused much terror to a poor invalid lady, whose lii'e is in the most precarious state. Moping that our worthy Inspector of Police will institute an enquiry into the matter, and take such measures as may insure that the pubic peace and quietude may be undisturbed on next New Year's Eve. Yours, &c, Citoyent. Nelson, January 2, 1868.