The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 29, 3 February 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1874.

RJ. L. Angarde quotes National ance shares at 20s. 6d. Business ,ar_i of Fire. — The ringing of ells startled the town iast night „_„...■ nine o'clock, but fortunately the cause of alarm was only the ignition of a chimney in Bridge-street, which was : -soon put out. Australian Bellringbr6, — ■ The Lynch family performed last night to a full house. The programme was an excellent one, and was more than oarried out, a great many of the items being encored. To-night and to-morrow will be the last occasion on which this clever troupe will appear in Nelson, and we recommend all who have not heard them not to lose the opportunity of doing so. To-night there will be a change of programme, and to-morrow afternoon at half- past two, there will be a midday performance for schools and families, and in the evening the company will bid adieu to Nelson, at 3east for a considerable period. Anniversary Holiday. — The fears of those who last night thought that the rain was coming at last in time to spoil to-day'a holiday, were allayed this morning by the appearance of the sun and a cloudless sky. All seem bent on enjoying themselves j shops are closed, picnic parties have started for the country, and the Botanical Gardens are likely to be visited by a large number of sight-seers especially in the evening - when there is to be a display of fireworks. The day will be brought to a close by a ball in the Odd-Fellows' Hall. Country Postopfices.— The following appointments of Postmasters in the Province of Nelson are gazetted: — P. K. Watty, Foxhill; F. J. Hingston, Hope; John Rose, Spring Grove; W. Alborough, Wakapuaka ; Elizabeth Askew, Riwaka. A clever feat has .■been performed by Mr Yogel, who >sigoj3 the notification, in making a .postmaster of tbe last named individual. .Provincial Council. — There are no less than twenty noticeß on the ,papei for to-jvwrow. This does not f look as though mowers were disposed ', to do as the Provincial Solicitor asked «them, namely, if tbey were de»

termined to look upon this as a special session, to stick to their text and not load the Order Paper too heavily. The most important resolution tobe brought forward — for we have ceased to attach any importance io Mr Donne's noconfidence motion which finds a place on the paper — is that of the Provincial Treasurer, who will move, " That in the opinion of this Council the completion of the main coach roads from Nelson through to Greymouth and Westport is of so much urgency and importance as to render it desirable, io anticipation of the proposed permanent loan, to authorise his Honor the Superintendent to obtain the temporary advance of a sum not exceeding £60,000 for this purpose, and for the cost of surveying the boundaries of the blocks of land proposed to be offered as security." Thb , Greymouth Star * understands that Mr R. C. Reid has concluded the purchase of the 'West Coast Times' from Mr J. P.- Klein, who has carried it on for many years. Wellington and Masterton Railway. ■—The successful tenderers for the " Summit coatraot" were Messrs Collie, Scott, and Wilkinson, of Wellington, for £18,701, Mr Bray of Nelson being third on the list with £25,032. The ' Inangahua Herald ' of Thursday Jast contained a verbatim report of the Superintendent's speech and the schedule of proposed worfes. Such enterprise on the part of the proprietors is most praiseworthy and will no doubt be appreciated by all residents in the district. In conducting the Rev. T. Buddie to the chair, on the occasion of his being unanimously elected President of the first New Zealand Wesleyan Conference, the Rev. J. Buller said : — My dear Mr President, — I have great pleasure in vacating this chair that you may fill it, in accordance with the vote of this Conference, a vote which I fully expected, which I heartily endorse, and to which you are well entitled by the fidelity and ability with which you have exercised your ministry for so many years. You are at the present time the oldest minister among us in active service, and I thank God for the health and tbe vigor that you still possess. May your bow long abide in strength, and may the arms of thy hands be made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. In your hands, sir, the reputation of your brethren will be sacred, and the interests of the connection will be safe. It is but a little thing for me to say, bound to you as I am by a strong attachment resting upon an acquaintance of more than 30 years. I shall be happy to give you all tbe support in my power, and lam sure that this is the sentiment of all your brethren. We are not angels, we are not machines; we are men "encompassed with infirmities," and with our differences of opinion on minor points; but " we are brethren," who desire to walk by the same rule and mind the same thing." Sincerely do I pray, Mr President, < tbat your year of office may be one of special grace unto yourself, of unbroken harmony with your brethren, and unprecedented prosperity in the body. To you, sir, I hand this seal, with the earnest hope that when the time shall come for you to transfer it to your successor in this chair, it may be with grateful acknowledgment of a happy and successful year. The law of libel, says the ' Otago Guardian' of January 12, is certainly in a most unsatisfactory state, and should be amended with all possible baste. As the law now stands, it may be, and indeed is, often used as an engine of oppression, to stifle free discussioD, and shield evil-doers. For the protection of the public, which is as greatly interested in maintaining the independence of the Press as the conductors of newspapers can possibly be, we urge the amendment and simplification of the existing law. Two cases have recently been tried, wbich illustrate the hardship that may be unnecessarily inflicted upon newspaper proprietors, by any one having, or thinking he has, cause to complain of newspaper criticism. The first case to whfch w.e ph&U refer is that of Donne v. Lucas, tried at .Nelson, and reported in Wednesday's telegrams. It appears that Mr Lucas, proprietor of the ' Nelson Evening Mail/ received through the telegraph, what purported to be a report of Mr Ivess' speech, contain jog injurious reflections on Mr Donne. The telegram appeared only, as we understand, In a portion of one day's issue of the ' Mail,' the editjQr ordering its withdrawal on sight, and subsequently apologising for the injury done to Mr Donne, This, however , did not satisfy that gentleman, who proceeded against Mr Lucas to recover £500 damages. The injury could not have been great when the jury only one farthing damages; but a heavy bar vy^s engaged, and the costs of the case must haye been cor£ siderable. Now, we unhesitatingly declare that this is a case of a character which should not be brought into any court of law ia Jbe colony. There were wanting in it all the elements that should go to make up libellous publication; and tks> law should not be so loose as to give facilities for bringing frivolous actions agaiust newspaper owners, wbich, however tbey may iaeue, must take a good deal of money out of tbe defendant's poefce^. The wife of Dr Bafcewell, medical officer to the Dunedin Hibernian Society, having advertised for "an English or Scotch servant" the Society gavo Dr Bakewell notice that his services were no longer required. The doctor's reply

is published in the Dunedin 'Star', and iv bis letter he says : — « Had your letter terminated; -with giving me the required \;notice;)l should" have had no^ihg^furtlie^tp 4@r-j.*-£[>st as v ibe second paragraph states that the reason for the notice is Mrs Bakewell's advertisement for an English, or Scotch servant,.! must tell you that I consider this am§st impertinent and unwarranted interference in my domestic affairs. I never interfere with my wife in the engagement or management of her servants, and I will not allow any man or set of men to do so, whether they call themselves members of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society, or any other combination of adjectives. Let me advise the members of St, Joseph's Lodge to mind their own business and leave women to attend to the affairß of the kitchen."