THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 124, 25 May 1872, Page 2

THE WEEK.

Politics are still the order of the day, and at every corner of the street one is met with the enquiry, " What's the election news ? ", , Writing, as I do, before the nomination I must say that, as far as I know, there is no election news, except that I hear it . confidently stated by some of ihe members of their respective committees that two of the candidates at least are perfectly certain of being returned. Indeed, it has been whispered in my ear, — for of course I am in the confidence of all the opposing parties — that, although all are agreed that five hundred is about the outside number of the votes that will be recorded, one pf these two js to poll 330, and the other 290, not to mention anything about the third candidate. Accepting it as a correct calculation that only 500 are to vote altogether, I confess that these statements become a little confusing to one. who like myself has been taught to place some little reliance upon the first rule in the arithmetic books. While on this subject, I may state that while amusing myself the other day by perusing that most interesting production of the General Assembly, "The Regulation of Elections Act," I came across a very peculiar pvovision, to say , the least of it. The words. are to this effect: — "The Returning Officer shall,; on the receipt of a writ of election, appoint some fit person to be his substitute, and if the Returning Officer shall die, or if by reason of his sickness or any other unavoidable cause, he shall be unable to do or suffer .'any acts or things relating to such - election, «nd shall notify the same lo such substitute," &c, &c. Mr. Broad, the Returning. Officer in Nelson, is, as we' all know, pazetted to some seventeen, or more appointments^ the duties of which he is supposed to fulfil while on this earth, but it appears from tbe above extract that his services are not to be entirely dispensed, with on his taking his departure for the next world, but that in the event of his shuffling off this mortal coil between the receipt of a writ and the election, he is fxpected to do duty as ghost, and to appear to his substitute, notifying to him the fact of his death. This seems to be an inter- : ference either with the liberty of the' subject, or the ; rules of grammar that should, be looked into without delay. .. The Provincial Council is still in session and is likely to remain' so for some time, as there are yet many reports of Select Committees to ' come in which will be sure to give rise to joaucb discussion. Hitherto ; the session has. been a remarkably tame one, and, although I am a pretty regular attendant, I do hot think I have heard a, laugh or observed the smallest excitement since the Superintendent delivered his opening speech. However, there seems a prqbabili ty of, a little something sensational taking place on Monday evening, when Mr. Reid has given notice that be will move: — "That in the opinion of this Council the affairs of the City of 'Nelson, its suburbs, and the immediately surrounding country can be more efficiently and economically administered by ;a J Govern^ mentwHpse attention is not diverted tb a distant territory of distinct interests arid requifelfa-nts, and; it is expedient, wiVh!;a[, view tb suen 'economy and efficiency,, ihat the. Nelson, . dißttictsii should

be separated from the South- West Goldfields, and that a system of iocal government should be established, having the administration solely of the affairs of those portions of the Province which are outside the boundaries of the goldfields." The affectionate and uuselfish consideration that has induced a goldfield member to take so deep au interest in the welfare of the settled districts of the Province is worthy of all praise, and as the gentleman who is to move in the matter must for some time have been much exercised in his mind on the subject, I anticipate quite a cambric handkerchief scene inside the For remainder of news see fourth page.

bar of the Council, while in the body of the Hall, too, the excited audience will doubtless have to brush away the frequent tear from the sympathising eye, as, in a voice choked with emotion, and with hardly restrained sobs upheaving his manly bosom, Mr. Reid enlarges with eloquence, and pathos upon the troubles and sorrows that have been experienced by the eastern portion of the Province, consequent upon its connection with the goldfields. After the fierce excitement of a contested election, such a gush ' of sentiment as we may reasonably look for on Monday evening, will be positively refreshing. As the polling takes place in the Hall on that day, the Council will not meet at its usual hour, but, to use tbe words of another panacea discoverer, " the agony begins at seven." F.