The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 88, 12 April 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1872.

The Provincial Government of Canterbury has of late made two separate attempts to reduce the wages of its employes, and on each occasion has been compelled to beat a hasty and somewhat undignified retreat from the position it had taken up. It will be remembered that a few weeks ago the police were informed that after a certain date a reduction would be made in their pay, whereupon every individual of them sent in bis resignation and Christchurch was left without a single guardian of the peace. This state of things, of course, could not last, and the Executive, in the course of a few days, mildly intimated its willingness to coucontinue to pay the accustomed salaries until the Council should meet and express its opinion on the question. Encouraged, no doubt, by the success that had attended the stand made by the policemen, the railway employes, who were recently informed that for the future their wages would be reduced from 7s. to 6s. per diem, at once refused in a body to accept the proposed reduction, and they too have proved victorious in tbe struggle, the Government having again declined to accept the responsibility of adhering to the course they bad attempted to adopt until the matter had been brought before the Council. Setting aside the question of whether they were right or wrong in their attempts to lower the rates of pay on these two occasions, it must appear to every one that the Canterbury Executive have placed themselves in a most humiliating position by displaying an amount of vacillation and imbecility that cannot but make them the laughing stock, not only of their own particular province, but of the whole colony. It is quite clear either that they had not in any way calculated the results of the action they proposed faking, or that they had utterly mistaken the temper of the men with whom they had to deal, for it is not for one moment to be supposed that they would have attempted to lower the established rate of wages had they believed that they would in a few dajs' time be compelled to give in, and j admit themselves beaten. In the time, j too, they chose for making the attempt j ihey were most unfortunate if tbey really were in earnest in their eudeavor to effect the desired reductiou, for they selected the very season wben of all others the men employed ou tbe railways were likely to be masters of the situatiou. In referring to the strike which ensued upon the determination of the Government being made- known, the Press says : — "lt is j now the height of the grain season. From j all parts of the country, farmers are sending down their grain to Christchurch, or to the stations along the Southern line, for conveyance to Lyttelton. In the harbor there are half a dozen vessels waiting either to ship gram, or to discharge their cargoes of coal aud timber. Yet along the whole line not a stroke of work can be done. Traffic is entirely suspended. No goods can be landed at the wharves iu Lyttelton, or received at the Government stores in Christchurch. Load after load is turned away from the Christchurch

station, the manager beiog utterly unable to receive it ; while for the same reason, farmers' drays are sent back, loaded as they come from the country stations. We believe that many thousands of bushels have already bean perforce vefused either carriage or storage, and tlie quantity is increasing almost hourly. In short, at the very busiest period of the year, when a day is of more importance than a month at any other time, the business of tbe railway has been suddenly brought to a standstill." No wonder, with such a state of things, that pressure was brought to bear upon the Executive, which ultimately compelled them to return to the original rates of pay, the inconvenience occasioned to the merchants being described as most serious. That the men should have resented the proposed change is not at all to be wondered at, as we learu from the report of a most temperate aud orderly meeting that was held at their request for the purpose of discussing the matter, lhat, while they had to work never less than eight hours a day, they were frequently kept employed fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen hours without receiving auy additional pay. Under these circumstances ifc certainly is not surprising tbat they did not think themselves overpaid at the rale of 7s. per day, or that they should have made a determined stand for the shilling of which it was attempted to deprive them. After their past experience, tlie Canterbury Executive will probably hesitate before again mako a move in this direction.

The inhabitants of Nelson are truly a loogsuffering people. Time after time are their interests entirely overlooked by the colonial authorities, and no complaint 13 uttered, no protest raised, until, by the silence that we so strictly maintain, the Governmeut deems itself justified in ignoring our very existence. A most striking instance of the neglect with which we are too often treated has just occurred. As our readers are aware, the Nevada with two months' English mails on board arrived at Auckland on Saturday afternoon last, wheD, the Taranaki having sailed a few hours previously, there was no steamer to bring on the maiis until the arrival of tlie Wellington at Manukau on the following Wednesday. She was at ouce despatched with the southern bags, but with instructions to pass Nelson on ber way, and to proceed direct to Wellington. On Monday next tbe Phoebe with the outgoing mail will leave Nelson for the North, and as there will be no opportunity of receiving our two months' correspondence, which is dow lying quietly in the Wellington Postoffiee, until her arrival here on Sunday night, but a few hours will be afforded to residents in the town to write their replies, while those in the country will have no opportunity at all ofansweriug tbeir letters. And all this inconvenience might bave been remedied had the postal authorities been satisfied that the mail should arrive a few hours later tban it did at Wellington. We all know tbe story of the man who, after receiving every possible insult that could be heaped upon him. uttered the dire threat that a little more provocation would rouse the British lion that lay dormant iu his manly breast. The Nelsoo lion which, it is generally supposed, ciaims to be a descendant of the above named noble animal, is a remarkably quiet creature, and takes life very easily. This last slight that has been thrown upon it may possibly have the effect of eliciting a feeble attempt at a roar, after which, exhausted with the effort, it wiil turn on its side and quietly go to sleep again, and then the whole thing will be forgotten, except by the Government, who will congratulate themselves upon having to deal with so amiably disposed a community, and will feel no hesitation in overlooking them again whenever it may suit them so to do.

The mail outwards will close here at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. We may notice tbat, Messrs. N. Edwards & Co. have kindly agreed to keep the Kennedy here till Monday, in order to give as early despatch as poßsiWe to the West Coast portion of the mail. A Crushing from Paxton and Holmau's claim, Tambaroora, produced a cake ot trold weighing 4450 oza., of which 4150 ounces were obtained from two tons! In six weeks the proprietors of this wonderful claim divided over £24.000.