THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 149, 21 June 1873, Page 2

THE WE EK.

Since I last sat down to write my, weekly letter, exactly seven days have .jAfe first sight this may appear to be a truism that is scarcely worth mentioning, but unless the people of Nelson are occasionally reminded that they are growing older, it iff possible that they may become oblivious of the facfr, seeing that there really is nothing to mark the lapse of time. Besides, I have been specially engaged to pen a history of each week as it glides by, and I consider that in saying that seven days have gone by since last Saturday, Lam narrating everything of importance that has occurred in the meantime. I might go into details and show how many . hours and minutes the week has occupied in accomplishing the task of getting rid, of itself, but in these days when examinations for University and Provincial Government "scholarships, and for Civil Service appointments, are so frequent, I feel that I should be guilty of a certain amount of impertinence in entering into mathematical calculations of this description, which can be so much better and more profitably worked out by those who have something to gain by a correct Bolution of such difficult problems. The only possible excuse I could offer for going into such minutias - would be that I had; < a certain amount of space to fill up, and I think that on the whole I have, attained this object more effectually by explaining why I did not do it. In saying that nothing of importance has occurred in our midst, I, of : course, allude to matters of public importance only. Events affecting the happiness of family circles have not been wanting, and I, who religiously read the newspapers through from the title at the head to, the name of the publisher at the end have had, in following my daily task,* to peruse the obituary lists. These have been painfully well filled, and I have noticed that not only has an old and grey-beaded settler, respected and honored by all who knew him. gone to his last rest, but that death has been busy among the little ones. The career of a little girl in the country districts has been suddenly and painfully cut short by drowning, and in town we have beard that a fine, bright, little fellow, who one day was full of cheerfulness and animation was, twenty-four boura later, lying a corpse in his mourning mother's arms. -We who are engaged in newspaper work aro apt to take a hard, commonplace view ;of what , is ; pclcurring around us. Because nbthiog'tuat stirs the public mind has taken place, we say that the last week, or fortnight, or whatever it may be, has been barren' and uninteresting. What a different tale could be told by bereaved mothers, wives, sous, and daughters. If there is one portion of the year more than another that they will remember, regularly as the anniversary of it recurs, it will be that which the. journalist has perhaps; described as dull and uneventful, .. . . „ The Canterbury Jockey Club ha 3 received what is vulgarly termed a slap in , the face from that fine old sportsman, Admiral Rous. Mr Elliott, of Nelson, it seems, took the trouble to write to that gentleman, laying before : him 1 the whole of the circumstances connected with the scratching of Peeress, and asking his opinion- with reference to the course pursued by the Ciub in disqualifying lier. To this inquiry .the Admirul,, who ; is; looked upon par excellence via the great authority in. such matters, replies:— "There is no racing law in Europe to justify the verdict.. * * * lam ; at a loss to comprehend by what rule the^ Canterbury Jockey -Club "disqualified Peeress for the Metropolitan Haudicap." A little bit of advice followed .this expression of opinion that is worth repeating: — " Out of* evil good may arise. This" will discourage belting, and (: teach the young men not to b,ick ; a horse till his_. number is up." 1 Young rt en, if you must" bet, mind what. the Admiral says. I don't think those who gained a victory in opposing the recent attempt to upset the,, clause permitting the jeading of the-Bible in our schools are wise in crowing over their success. They have obtained what they wanted; let them rest there, and not be perpetuallyapplying a blister to the sensitive skins of those who were on the other side. I once knew^ an of a newspaper who had. fought a hard fight in an election.' He hit out' ''successfully against his opponents and won the battle. A day or two after that on which the polling took place, one who had corresponded freely during the fight on the same side -. .which he bad , espoused sent him a letter for publication, still pitching into the defeated candidate. The editor, declined to publish it, and on meet- • ing* ttf e writer a fejw, day s afterwajrds was upbraided .with his neglect. His reply was: — " We've defeated our opponent, why hit him when he is down ? " Correspondent thought a moment, atrd^then said readily and fieartily : — " By^ tTove, sir, you're a, gentleman. I fully admit, that you are right, although in the heat of battle and the flush of conquest I so far forgot myself .as. to desire ; to. do that which I am really glad you have disal- * lowed." ( It should be noted that this anecdote refers only to a political fight. Contests on religious subjects, are, as wo all know, much more bitter snd-merci- , less. ' This, perhaps, renders elation on the ' part of the victors pardonable. By a recent telegram I see that''Purukutu is still at Te Kuiti, but proceeds to Maungatautau in a few days, when it is believed there will be a good opportunity of catching him." As it is very probable

that Mr Purukuf v will see this little bit of news before the **Jew days'* have passed, I should think it i|ost likely, that he.would avoid visiting ihf^place msk the;, Jong name. I would if Pwere Purukutiu >; F.