The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 145, 19 June 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1872.

Nelson Boabd of Works. —An error occurred in an advertisement in our yesterday's issue, wherein it was stated that tenders would be received for the construction of a culvert at the junction of Hampden and Emano streets until Friday, the 13th inst., instead of which it should have been Friday, the 21st inst. Drawing - Room Entertainment. — Mr. Hoskinß and Miss Colville will appear this evening, at the Oddfellows' Hall. The programme is the same as that of the performance that was to have been given on Monday last, but which was put a stop to by the unfavorable state of the weather. Winter Evening Entertainments. — The Becond of this series of entertainments was given at the Assembly Room, last night, but unfortunately the weather was so bad that the audience was very limited. The Rev. G. H. Johnstone gave an interesting account of a visit he had recently paid to Westport and Reefton, and this waß followed by a number of songs, choruses, &c, which were well received and warmly applauded. Bkosnek and Cobden Tramway. — We are glad to learn that the Government, acting upon a resolution of the Council, have forwarded instructions to the Provincial Engineer to at once commence the survey for this -highly important work. The scarcity of coals in Nelson, and in-; deed throughout the whole colony, sufficiently indicates the necessity of such a line. ■ '■-'■■■* '■' .-." . . ,;i.

Country/ Road Boaeds. — A resolution was passed by the Council towards the close of the session asserting the desirability of altering the boundaries of email Road Boards so as to form larger districts, which ; it was hoped, might at once be carried into effect. The Executive, however, after giving the matter due consideration, have decided that it would be impossible to carry out this recommendation at once, as the Highways Act provides that the election of members of tbe Road Boards should take place on the first Monday — this year the first day — of July, prior to wbich date there is not sufficient time to give such notice as would be required of the proposed change to the ratepayers in the various districts. Vine-growing in New Zealand. — Dr. Featherston has forwarded to Wellington 500 rooted vines, selected from some of the best vineyards on ihe Rhine, witb special reference to the climate of New Zealand, with the view of facilitating a small settlement of vine-growers, as was proposed by Mr. Ormond should be established atßuataniwa. The A gent- General hopes to be able to send out a dozen families of experienced vine dressers from the Rhine, and a similar number from the wine districts of Bordeaux and Nazaire.

Mr. Saunders at Canterbury. — Mr. Saunders is ttill doiog battle with the newspapers with regard to matters arising out of his late speeches at Nelson. He writes to the Lyttelton Times as follows : "Sir, — My attention has just been directed to the leader in your paper of yesterday, which is full of misrepresentations of my late public proceedings. You start with the assertion that s Mr. Saunders, iv particular, denounced the Government, both collectively and individually, even going out of his way to make a charge against Mr. Voge), which he was afterwards compelled to retract.' Every word of this sentence is untrue. If you take even tbe report of your own ally, the Nelson Colonist, you will find that I spoke in terms of commendation of every individual member of the Government, except Mr. Yogel. Of Mr. Fox, I said — [here Mr. Saunders gives an extract from bis first speech]. As to what I said about Mr. Yogel and his ridiculous vanity and reckless extravagance, I have never retracted or intend to retract tf single word. On the contrary, I am very sorry that Mr. Yogel's organs are all so very careful not to report what I did say about his proceedings, though each one has supplied its readers with some absurd version of its own, which they know will be much less injurious to him than the simple and wellknown facts would have been. If you, sir, or any of Mr. Vogel's defenders would like to know exactly what I did say about him at Nelson, and will undertake to publish it, I will supply you with it. It would occupy about a column of your paper, and would be tbe best refutation I can offer to the barefaced assertion of the Nelson Colonist — that it gave, in about six lines, " my precise words, neither more nor less,"

A Two-edged Argument.— ln tbe Wellington Independent of Jure 8 we find the following : — "lt is an undoubted fact, supported by evidence of the most unmistakeable kiud, that the people of tbe colony endorse the views and policy of the present Government. The election at Nelson is an undoubted proof of this assertion. The candidates against the Government were two, and those two consisted of one who had been a Cabinet Minister for several years — Mr. J. C. Richmond; and Mr. Saunders, who had been Superintentendent for a similar period, and also a member of the Legislature. But tbe Ministerial candidate, Mr. Luckie, comparatively an obscure man, was returned by an overwhelming majority, entirely on the ground of his support oi the progressive policy of the Ministry." Four days after the above was written Sir David Monro was returned to tbe House of Representatives by au overwhelming majority. If it be fair to take the result of an election in one district as showing the opinions of the people of the colony, it is surely justifiable to apply the same test in another direction. Taking the same line of argument, then, as the Independent, the Waikouaiti election which resulted in the return of the most powerful and determined opponent the Government has in the whole of the colony, may be quoted as an undoubted proof that the people of New Zealand disapprove of the views and policy of the Government.

A New Ministerial Adviser. — Mr. Harrison has been requested to furnish the Government with a memorandum upon the Reefton petition, and recommends that the only remedy for the chronic discontent prevailing on the South-west Goldfields is to detach them from the Nelson Government. He proposes. the unification of the electoral districts of Buller, Grey Valley, Hokitika, and. Totara as Province of Westlandj with following, provisions- for local administration ;•-— Three counties

Hokitika, Grey, aod Buller — each with a Council consisting of seven members, viz., the Chairman of Road Boards, and Mayors of Boroughs, and three others elected by ratepayers, to meet once a year. The revenue of County Councils to consist of all local taxation, publicans' licenses, dog tax, &c, and such a proportion of tbe goldfields and land revenue, not being less than 25 per cent., as the Provincial Council may award to each county respectively. Provincial Council to consist of 15 elected members. One member for each road district, and two members for each county towD. Superintendent and Governor's delegate to be nominated duriDg pleasure. Counties to cousist of the following road districts : — County oe Hokitika. — Totara, Hokitika Town, Kanieri, and Arahura. — County oe Grey. — Paroa, Ahaura, Greymouth, and other road district to be determined on. — County of Buller. — Inangahua, Westport, Charleston, and Brighton. Tbe Provincial Council to have the power to legislate in form of by-laws for certain prescribed subjects. All goldfield offices and courts to be under the General Government. The Provincial Council at first sitting to decide the capital of the Province. Mr. Harrison points out the favorable opportunity for making a change, as the present Westland County Council expires in December next, and suggests that Okarito, on account of the smallness of population, be united to Totara district.