THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 184, 5 August 1871, Page 2

THE WEEK.

nl . rt With the exception of the annual election of members of the Board of Works, and the sittings of the Supreme Court, there are no events of interest to record as having taken place during the past-week. With regard to the former it is only necessary to state that the three retiring members have been re-elected, and that the seats rendered vacant by those who had resigued during the year have been filled by two members, who, there is every reason to believe, will be undoubted acquisitions to the body to which they now belong. There are those who thiok that Nelson should, like most of the other priucipal townM in the colony, have its Municipal Corporation, while others are perfectly satisfied with the regime of the Board as at present constituted, and I must confess to being one of the latter. Our streets are kept in good repair, and, during the summer, the water carts are quite capable of keeping the dust in subjection, and I really don't know that we can expect, or want much more from those to whose care is entrusted the charge of the highways and by-ways of the town. Wouldn't Wellington, the metropolis of New Zealand, be proud if she could boast of streets as well kept, and of dust as 'thoroughly laid as is the case in Nelson ? For real usefulness, I am rather inclined to back the Nelson Board of Works against the Municipal Corporation of Wellington. I noticed an article in Thursday's Mail on this subject, the writer of whif-h must have felt, what the Yankees call v pretty considerably chawed up" on reading a letter in yesterday's Colonist signed "Ratepayer," the author of which lias committed himself to this distinct expression of opinion : — " I believe," he says "it is only reasonable that when the new board have matured their ideas upon the subject" (namely, the desirability of being invested with larger powers)"the wishes of the ratepayers should be ascertained, then any changes take place, will proceed from proper should quarter, which will have to accept the responsibility of the whole proceeding upon this foundation, the probable structure will be most likely of a permanent character." No doubt the P.D. had a hand m making ibis sentence appear as it does, but, before he bandied it, there was clearly a lucid ness about the manuscript that should commend the views therein expressed to the notice of the Board, which in its next report will probably allude to if, but whether with "regret" or not, I do not take upon myself to say. It is hard to leave this " probable structure which will be most likely of a permanent character," but duty calls me, and so I must away to subjects more fleeting in their nature. In the Supreme Court there were no cases of any great importance. A former member of the Nelson police force was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment for what the Judge stigmatised as a "mean" act, and a late steward of the Gothenburg was committed to gaol for two years for perpetrating one of the most unpardonable offences with which our courts of law have to deal. It is to be hoped that the remarks of the Judge, in passing sentence, will reach the ears of the owners of that steamer, and that for the future they will take care that equal facilities for committing the crime of which the prisoner was found guilty will not be afforded to servants in their employ. The Civil Sittings of the Court commence on Wednesday next. Three cases are set down for trial, one of which possesses certain peculiarities that are not often to be met with. James Watkins and another, trustees in an insolvent's estate, sue James Watkins in his capacity of manager of the Bank of New Zealand. If James Watkius the trustee gains his case, James "Watkins the bank manager, must of course be the loser, and, consequently, will be much troubled in spirit, as defeated litigants usually are, but, he will at the same time be greatly cheered by the reflection that his other self has been triumphant, and that although a loser he is yet a winner. Or, supposing a verdict to be returned against James Watkins the trustee, then James Watkins as bank manager is the victor. Being of a humaue disposition, and always prepared to congratulate a successful man, or to sympathise with an unfortunate one, I ana a little at a loss to know what deportment to assume on such an occasion. Shall I, on meeting this double individual in the street after the trial, express my delight at his gaining his case, ,or my . sorrow at his losing it, for it" is clear that both these 'contingencies must occur ? It is to be hoped that the plaintiff-defendant will be present in Court when the jury returns from its deliberation, for his countenance will, prove a study worthy of the f earnest attention of an artist. On that side of it which 'is devoted to the interests of the defeated party, the tear of disappointment and distress may be looked for I

from the tell-tale eye, the other side, which is supposed to represent the victor, being simultaneously lighted up with a smile of triumph, the centre of the face, as belonging to Mr. Walkins, the private individual, meantime, maintaining an appearance of rigid impartiality. Photographers, please attend. Some of these days when lam in want of a little excitement, and have plenty of money to throw away, I shall get "F " to write something libellous about me, and then bring an action against him or myself for damages. This will be interesting to me and profitable to the lawyers. But the subject is getting confusing. I had better change it. The annual meeting of the shareholders in the Perseverauce Company took place on Monday last, and passed off very quietly. With prophetic instincts, the directors, and the writers of the various reports that were read, dipped deeply into the future, and the amount of gold they took, or promised to take, out of the reef was such as must have satisfied the most exacting of those interested. May their predictions be fully realised. F.