The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, OCTOBER 5,1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 234, 5 October 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1868.

Looking to the number of deaths by drowning which have occurred in this province, it is impossible not to be surprised at the general apathy which exists with respect to the adoption of anything like systematic efforts to make swimming a common accomplishment in the education of the rising generation. Modern civilisation — more particularly English civilisation, for in Germany and some other continental states a regular course of gymnastics necessarily forms part of every youth's educational training — is certainly at fault in the matter of physical training generally, and the art of swimming as a branch of education on which at any time a person's life, or the life of others, may depend, is not merely neglected, but altogether ignored. The art, when learned, is generally acquired as it were by accident, but more frequently is never acquired at all. We would ask why this art should not be recognised as a necessary accomplishment not only by the principals of public schools, but even by the local governments of the country? If arrangements could be made by which the boys at our public schools could be regularly taught to swim, how many a valuable life might perhaps be saved to the country, how many a family rescued from the misery and distress consequent upon the death of those on whose life and labor their daily subsistence depended ? These remarks are applicable to any country, but how much more applicable are they to a country like this, where scarcely a month passes, even in this province, without the painful record in the public journals of a ' death by drowning.' The very nature of the country, and the fact that the rural districts are intersected by creeks and rivers which are liable to be suddenly swollen, and which are only rarely spanned by bridges or crossed by ferries, seem to point to the propriety of adopting some means of this nature which may tend to prevent the loss of human life which we are so frequently called upon to chronicle in our columns. Persons will imprudently attempt to cross these streams at points most convenient to them, and it is needless to remark how frequently such a course haß been attended with fatal results. In a country like ours it is almost futile to look, for sometime at least, for a discontinuance of these casualties, or even for a diminution in their number^ unless we turn to the expedient of removing the danger by attempting something like a systematic effort to make swimming a common accomplishment. The residents in Nelson are more fortunately situated in this regard than thosa of many other provincial cities; for, partly through private enlerprise, partly through the aid of the Government, they are already provided with a safe and suitable place where the art may be acquired with perfect freedom from any apprehension of accidents. It is almost needless to say that we refer to the excellent public baths in Hardy-street, which afford such facilities for the purpose. The summer season is fast approaching, and we trust that we shall find that the expediency of encouraging the natioual acquisition of an art so

useful in itself, and so conducive to. personal cleanliness and public health, will be far more universally recognised than has hitherto been the case. j

Mr Potter has waited upon us to complain of the communi-ation of' Eyewitness' published in Saturday's issue, relative to alleged cruelty to a horse. He says that, if he is the party alluded to, he did all in his power to terminate the sufferings of the poor animal. Had be shot it, he would have been liable to a fine for firing a gun iv a public thoroughfare; had he slaughtered it in the street, he could have been indicted for committiDg a nuisance in a public place; so he pursued the only course open to him as quickly as possible. He had a boat brought up as far as it could be brought (Morrison & Sclanders's store in the Haven-road}, and from there the horse was towed out into deep water. Mr Potter thinks that * Eyewitness' should have first possessed himself of all the circumstances of the case before communicating to the press a statement calculated to seriously injure a tradesman in his business. We know nothing of the occurrence beyond what we received from a correspondent; and we gladly publish Mr Potter's explanation. At the meeting of the Nelson Cricket Club on Saturday evening, it was decided to play the opening match for the season on Thursday next. A scratch-match will take place, and all desirous of playing are requested to attend on the Victory-square ground at. 10 a.m. It is gratifying to be able to state that the experiment made to acclimatise the trout in this province appears to be beyond the reach of failure. Everything has gone well up to the present time, and in fact an unhoped for amount of success has been achieved, so ''comparatively trifling a number of the ova having perished. The whole of the remainder, many hundreds in number, have now reached the secondary or parr state, and have already attained a goodly size, many being upwards of an inch in length. The Grey River Argus of the 20th ult. says that.the large nugget, which we recently mentioned as having been found at Moonlight was brought to Grey mouth on the previous day, and sold to the Union Bank of Australia. It was exhibited during the day, and will be shown to visitors to-day at the Bank. It weighs 78 ozs. 18dwts., and is a fine solid lump of gold, containing only a few ounces of quartz. The people of Auckland are raising a fund for the education of the two sons of Major Von Tempsky, who are living with their widowed mother and sister at Parnell. £200 was raised in one day. The latest news to hand from the Auckland goldfields is not of a cheering character. A few reefs ace paying enormous dividends, but the great majority of the claims are not payiug 'tucker.' JNo alluvial gold has yet been struck, although there have been many rumors of it. The Charles Edward brought back a number of West Coast diggers from 1 Auckland on Tuesday last. The Wellington correspondent of the New Zealand Herald says there is a good story current anent Mr Stafford, which may amuse our readers : —There is a re-, porter here, who observing the sort of * correction' that used to go on in Hansard, had the temerity to declare that such a proceeding was a fraud on the public. The same gentleman I am informed has declared during the present sessioa that it has been through this means that all the mischief, dissension, and strife have been sown in the various provinces. When it was proposed that this reporter should be sent for, Mr Stafford said, <I won't have that man with the beard.' Why, sir, was the query, 'He looked at me.' This

needs explanation : and I have heard the explanation from the man with the beard himself, which I will give you in his own words. ' When I was in London,' said the man with the beard, 'I was con-, stantly in the habit of meeting some of the most distinguished statesmen. Respect for them always led me to raise my hat as I passed Jthem, which gracious courtesy in nearly every case acknowledged the compliment : the graceful bow of Aberdeen, the friendly nod of Palmerstou, the bright amiable scholar-like look of Stanhope ; the lofty look of the Stanleys, father and son ; stiff and formal recognition of the two most distinguished penmen of the age — Bulwer and Disraeli.' 'But,' continued the narrator, ' I never saw in any of these a trace of a look that could be called discourteous. But I continued to pay this recognition to the great people here. They looked at ' me with something like astonishment that the shadow of my hat should go between the sunlight and the profound severity of their features. It was on such an occasion I looked at Mr Stafford, and I resolved to keep my hat on ever since. I could afford to return as much contempt as was bestowed on me, and I am not surprised I gave the great man some offence.' .