THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 42, 17 February 1872, Page 2

THE WEEK.

Politically, commercially, and meteorologically the current week has been an exceedingly quiet one, not more so, perhaps, than usual, but still I think I may say that it has passed off without any remarkable occurrence, with the exception of two events in our musical world. The first of these is the opening of the new organ at Christ Church, which is certainly worthy of notice as beiDg a great step in the direction of supplying that great desideratum, od improvement in the church music of the town. I daresay there were many in Christ Church . on Tuesday whose memories almost involuntarily carried them back to the days when the siuging in tbat building was totally unaccompanied by any instrument whatever, and the congregation .were entirely dependent upon some courageous individual to take the lead without any former preparation, but we have changed all that now, and the contrast between that excellently - performed musical service the other night, and the vocal performances on those far distant occasions to which I have alluded was such as could not fail to call back the old times to some of us, and to cause us to be grateful to those wbo have given themselves so heartily to the work of procuring and erecting the sweet-toned aud melodious instrument which for the future will render its aid to the choir in ihe fulfilment of their important duties. The second event to which I have referred is the opening concert of the Philharmonic Society, given on Wednesday last, and which proved a complete success, great life being given to it by the instrumental accompaniments. The piano, kindly lent to them by the Harmonic Society for the

occasion, did its work well under the able manipulation of a lady whom a Nelson audience is always glad to see presiding at the instrument, but it is just beginning to display some symptoms of approaching old age, and an endeavor is being made by its owners to supply themselves with a new and more powerful piaoo. I understand that with the funds they have now iv baud, and the reasonable expectation they have of raising the additional sum that will be required, the Committee of the Harmonic Society are likely to decide upon sending home very shortly for a new one. As a lover of music, and, anxious as lam to see such Societies progressing favorably, I trust they may see their way to effecting this very desirable object.

A meeting of miners, I see, has been held at the Upper Buller, with a view to backing up Mr. Lightband in his scheme for diverting the money voted for the Nelson railway, and to generally condemning the action of the Provincial Government with reference to their particular district. Armed with these resolutions, passed by thirteen miners in a hut in the Upper Buller, Mr. Lightband will no doubt triumphantly present himself before the Minister of Public Works, and plead the general approbation of tbe public of his newly fledged idea, aud, what is more, I should not in the least wonder if he succeeded in persuading the Government to agree with him. It is true that a very large meeting of Mr. Lightband's constituents recently passed a resolution which was virtually condemnatory of his proposition, but they have been quite content to allow the matter to rest tbere, and the General Government are not, and never have been, very anxious to do anything to advance the prosperity of Nelson, it is, I repeat, quite possible tbat the opinions of the thirteen miners will be set in tbe balance against the resolution of the five or six hundred electors assembled in Nelson, and, by a dexterous manipulation of the scales, will actually be made to appear the weightier of the two. And then, when too late, the people of the town will look at one another with lugubrious countenances aud admit that they have quietly suffered themselves to be gulled. There seems just now to be a mania iv favour of handing everything over to tbe General instead of tbe Provincial Government, and although the thirteen miners did not actually pass a resolution to this effect, it is clear from what took placa at tbe meeting that they think they would fare far better under the \ former than voder the latter regime. I should like, however, to take i the opportunity of telling them tbat at the last session of the Assembly, the sum of £24,000 was voted for ex- ; penditure upon the Nelson South WestGoldrlelds, and that au endeavor was made by the Superintendent, Provincial Treasurer, and others to secure a portion of this amount (£6000) for the purpose of improving the roads in the Upper Buller district, but tbat the General Government, which is supposed to take so very deep an interest in the welfare of the miners and settlers in the interior have decided, or hinted that they are likely to decide, tbat the whole of the vote shall be laid out on the West Coast, and that the residents in the Upper Buller shall not receive one farthing of the sum to which they are so justly entitled. Of course the support of the two members from the Coast will be secured by this arrangement, but will this proceediug be likely to increase the budding affection that now appears to be felt for the paternal Government in Wellington by those who voted for the resolutions which Mr. Lightband has been i invited to lay before the Ministers ? I cannot help thinking that the outcry for relief from Provincial Government management that is now to be heard on the i Coast and elsewhere will one day ba bitterly repented of by those who are raising it, and that when tbe funds that are vow at the disposal of Ministers, and wbich cannot possibly last loDg, have melted away, tbe much vaunted General Government will be looked upon as a very King Stork, and that the short-sighted frogs at whose earnest request lie had been placed ou the throne, will raise a pitiful cry for a change, even should the only alternative be that of a Kiog Log reigning in his stead. This week has been a disastrous one to the pigeons which have been attracted in large flocks by the tawa and supplejack berries in Happy Valley. Unfortunately, however for them, the sportsmen of Nelson have discovered their place of resort, and shooting parties are constantly leaving towD at some uncomfortably early hour in the morning and returning in the evening with well filled game bags. One party of three I am told shot on Thursday last 82 birdß, and another of four contrived on the same day to bag over 100. I am nut sure whether pigeon shooting of this kind can fairly come under the denomination of "sport." F. For remainder of news see fourth page.

A Thrilling Spectacle.— A Pennsylvanian correspondent of the New York World describes how an individual named Donaldson •— a tight-rope walker and magician, aa he styles himself—had on the previous Wednesday made a balloon ascension, with no basket attached to his balloon; nothing whatever,. in fact, but a common trapeze. Upon this he seated himself with the greatest coolness and composure, and went floating away into space, to the astonishment of the large crowd who had gathered to see him. At the height of 300 feet he commenced balancing himself on his back on the bar of the trapeze, and going through other fearful evolutions. He then deliberately slid down from the bar head downwards, and catching himself by tbe feet remained suspended for several minutes in that awful position. The appalling sight was one never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. A thrill and a low murmur of horror passed through the multitude who were looking on with intense interest, aad many hurried away from the sight, giddy and faint. Thtr daring aeronaut, however, went through his evolutions successfully, and, regaining his seat, went Bearing rapidly and steadily upward. When at the height of three-quarters of a mile be had the astounding nerve to repeat his performance, which, at so great a distance, could only be seen by the aid of glasses. When descending, the balloon struck the roof of Heiiry Conoard's residence, when Mr. Donaldson mado a skillful leap from the trapeze, and prevented a collision. The balloon then ascended and came down again on the other side of the road in a field, and was about striking the top of a tree, when Mr. Donaldson turned a somersault on tbe trapeze rope and prevented the bar from catching in the tree. The Melbourne Age contains the following ghastly list of the violent deaths which occurred in that city during the month of January last :— A boy aged 6 was killed by a fall from a horse ; a boy aged 8 died of rupture of the peritoneum resulting from a fall , a boy aged 8 died of injuries resulting from a cartwheel passing over him ; a hatter aged 42 died from the effects of a fall ; a female infant aged nine months died of a scald ; a boy aged 5 died of sunstroke ; a boy aged 8, a boy aged 14, and a youth 19, were accidently drowned in the Yarra ; a female aged 50 was accidentally drowned at Hotham ; a male aged from 35 to 40 was found drowned at St. Kilda; a male aged about 40 years of age, name and occupation unknown, was found drowned, and a baker aged 40 was found dead, in the Yarra ; a chemist aged 31, and a fruiterer aged 42, committed suicide by cutting their throats; a confectioner aged 40, and a female aged 47-, poisoned themselves with strychnine ; a clerk aged 20 drowned himself (verdict in last three cases temporary insanity) ; a female aged 42 was murdered by persons unknown; a laborer aged 45 was judicially hanged in the Melbourne gaol.