THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 196, 20 August 1870, Page 2

THE WEEK.

o I fear that in undertaking to chronicle the events of each week as it flits by, I am doing that which will occasionally place me in the position of the ill-used Israelites who, straw or no straw, were compelled by their unfeeling taskmasters to turn out their daily complement of bricks, for, from the little experience I have had of newspaper readers, I should say that they are quite as hard-hearted and as little considerate in their cravings for news as was Pharaoh in his demand for bricks — if it cannot be made it must be created. And so I enter upon my task nervously aud tremblingly, the more so that the wretched weather that prevails is so miserably depressing aud has such a painful effect upon the spiiits. Talking of spirits reminds me that iv the early part of the week certain superstitious persons were fully couvinced that a spiritual manifestation had beeu taking place at a house at the Port, where windows were smashed aud heads broken in the most alarming and inexplicable manner. The more matter-of-fact press thundered forth its anathemas upon the " scoundrels," " rascals," aud " dast irdly ruffians " who could have been guilty of so wanton a piece of mischief; the policemen were driven to their wits' end to d iscover the perpetrators ofthe crime, and, iv fact, the excitement created was intense on all sides. Eut at last, if the police are correct in their conclusions, the mystery has been solved and it is found that thespiritual manifestation was nothing more than the result of an exuberance of spirits on the part of a little boy, who, for want of something better to do, had amused himself by creating all this alarm. Ido not generally advocate corporal punishment, but I think there are occasions ou which the application of the rod may be attended with beneficial results. This appears to be one of them. We have had two English mails in duriug the week, via Suez aud Sau Francisco, the former arriving three days before the latter and bringiug nine days later news. Either the new service will have to be accomplished by boats of ia superior class to those vow employed, lor we must return to the Suez ! route, or we shall have to bring ourselves | to believe that the fact of our being placed j in direct communication with the great j American contineut is sufficient cora- | pensatiou for the additional time occupied in the conveyance of our mails by that route. lam inclined to think that there i isa great deal too much fuss made about j receiving our English correspondence in I such tremendous haste — it is pleasant, no j doubt, to know that on a certain day in j each month we shall learn that the Queen ; held a drawing-room exactly thirty days I before the information reaches us ; but I really believe that if we were to make an effort, we might learn to forego even such a pleasure as this, aud be none the worse for ils loss. I cau well remember the time when we were in a state of glorious uncertainty how or when our letters would arrive at their destination, aud it was no unusual thiug to be six months without news from home, but I don't know that we were oue bit the happier, in fact I believe that the receipt of a letter gave a vast deal more pleasure in those days of uncertainty than is the case at present when the mails arrive with such painfully monotonous regularity. lamby no means advocating a return to the state of things which prevailed iv those "good old times," but merely mention the fact in order to afford one more proof that, after all, we are but creatures of habit. Whilst on the subject of mails I may refer to the news received from Wellington this week, by which we learn that the Government intends to force tbis Province to include the discontented district of the Grey and Teremakau within its boundaries, whether we like it or not. Now, lam no politician and do not intend, in my little weekly gossip, to cuter the wide field of politics, but, in common with all those who are not entirely blind to the progress of events in the colony, I have watched Mr. Vogel's career in public life, and have always, [prior jjto£ the present session,^been under

the impression that he was an ultraProvincialist ; consequently it is with no little surprise that I now find him utterly ignoring all Provincial authority, and taking upon himself to dictate in lhe most obnoxious manner the course which shall be pursued by Nelson in this question of annexation, aud I have come to the conclusion that he has hitherto been a supporter of Provincialism, simply because the Government, of which he was not a member, held opposite views, but, now that he is a Minister, lie is resolved to grasp all the power within his reach. I was reading a Wellington paper yesterday containing an article on our present, certainly very clever, Colonial Treasurer, to which was affixed the following very apt quotation from Shakespeare: — Othello: — Is he not honest? lago: — Honest, my lord! Othello : — Honest! ay, honest. I shall make no further remarks ou this subject. From Collingwood we have received but little news by the last boat. lam glad to find that the damage occasioned by the late accident on the tramway has beeu so speedily repaired, aud, that the company is once more in a position to snpply coal at the wharf. I have seen this fuel burning iv more than oue fireplace in town, and hope soon to find it universally used throughout this portion of the Province, for I have a firm belief that, rich as are our goldfields, the " black diamond " will prove a greater source of wealth to the place thau all the yellow metal put together. One word with reference to the amusements provided for us during the week, aud I have done. On Mouday we had an opportuuity of hearing Mr. Cotterell iv one of his pleasing entertainments, the last, I believe, he is to give in Nelson prior to his tour through the Australian colonies. If I mistake not this talented gentleman has before him a most successful future, aud Nelsou will have the credit of turning out au actor who, in his particular lino, will be acknowledged as a rival of the farfamed John Parry, or George Woodin. On the following evening the Christ Church Organ Committee were enabled, with the valuable assistance of the Bishop of Nelson and a number of able amateurs, to provide a high class entertainment, which, while it materially aided the object they have in view, amused and delighted a crowded audience. The Committee are deserving of the greatest credit for tha pains they have taken in getting up these entertainments, aud to those who volunteer their services are due the thanks of the public for the very pleasant eveuiugs which at a trifling cost they are thus enabled to enjoy. On Wednesday the Port-road branch of the Nelson Fire Brigade gave their firs!; anniversary dinner, and a right merry time they had of it. It is not often that valuable suggestions are to be fouud in after-dinner speeches, but on this occasion there was one made which is well worthy of consideration, namely, that the town should be divided into wards for all purposes connected with the Fire Brigade, and, that on a fire breaking out, its locality should be iutimated by a certain number of strokes on the bell. Perhaps the parent Brigade will see to this. F. For remainder of News see Fourth page.

First Collingwood Escort. — A Collingwood correspondent sends us the following : — On Wednesday the 10th of August, the inhabitants of Shake-down Gully were a little astonished, if not alarmed, by the repetition of pistol-shots, but on enquiry their minds were somewhat relieved, but still a little fear lingered, when they heard that it was the volunteers of the escort practising for their perilous duty on the morrow, viz., the first escort to Collingwood. On the morning of the llth, shortly after the arrival of the Commander-in-Chief, the force was mustered, aud started on their journey in the following order : In the van was that in--1 domitable hero Corporal Roach-back, late ofthe 150 th or Royal Irish, whose breast was covered with stars of brilliant orders hardly won, but owing to the inclemency of the weather, our hero was enveloped iv his martial cloak, so we could not distinguish them ; on his back he carried in its leather case what we believed to be his I well tried Sneider, but afterwards learnt (hat it was only the legs of some survey instrument, "Le petit Corporal '* was supported by Surgeon Tensou Tourniquet and Assistant Surgeon Strenney of the Royal Engineers, under the command of our distinguished and learned friend Colonel Burnett of the Survey department and Lieut. Colonel of the overseers. Immediately in the rear was the Pay Sergeant Eve, of the Sappers and Miners, iv charge of the root of all evil, (should'nt mind having some of the aforesaid root,) and last but not least, aud in full command rode, that time-honored veteran Lieut. General Frobisher, of the Civil Service, who, in spite of his advanced years and loss of one of his visual organs at the battle of Nonsuch, looked as young as ever. The reason for this precautious measure, i.e. the escort, was that some suspicious-looking individuals had been seen prowling about the neighborhood well armed, some people say pigeon-shooting only, but that was very doubtful, to say the least of it ; so the heads of the departments iv the Push-along Compary, situated in Shake - down Gully, very properly thought that the interests of the shareholders would be materially benefited by the massy ingots being protected on their journey to the Port of embarkation, by an escort. We have to congratulate the volunteers on their safe arrival at Collingwood, after their toilsome march through bush and morass and over mountainous defiles, rendered doubly dangerous by the humid state of the atmosphere, aud most of all without interception from those desperate characters who were no doubt deterred from their evil desigu by the determined appearance of this heroic band. The value of the precious metal we have not heard authentically, but believe it reached the ponderous weight of One Hundred Ounces !! ! ok Blbs weight. A Curious ceremony usually takes place at each performance in the theatres of Russian Poland. When the last piece is over the police and gendarmes close all the doors ; the curtain then rises, and on the stage are seen the actors dressed in black, and the actresses in white, bowing before a brilliantly illuminated tableau, with the initials of the Emperor's name upon it. The band then strikes up the Russian hymn "God save the Czar," and the wbole company, after three more profound salutations, addressed to the initials, sing the hymn in chorus. Meanwhile the police move about among the audience to see that every one is standing up aud listening to the hymn with due reverence. When the hymn has beeu sung, the company bow deeply to to the Imperial initials, the curtain drops, and the audience are allowed to depart. " That's what I call capital punishment," as the boy said, when his mother shut him up in the closet amongst tha preserves. As A company of Bristol rifleman were marching to the Downs, a bystander of foreign aspect, jeeriugly asked "Vat trade are you sure ? " " French polishers " promptly replied one of the men. Smart Boy That. — " Tommy, my son, what are you doing there with your feet dangling in the water ? " Trying to ' catch cold, ma, so that I may have some more of those cough lozenges you gave me yesterday.