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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 201, 22 May 1874, Page 2

A Scene at Sea.— The following is from the Waka Maori newspaper: — A transport, with part of a regiment on board, was sailing, with a gentle breeze, along the coast of Spain. One. of the officers was leaning over the poop railing, conversing with a young lady who, had inspired him with the tender passion. The fair one was in the act of handing a paper to her lover when overreaching herself, she fell in to "the- sea, ' and supported by her clothes, drifted astern The officer lost no time in jumping in after her, and uphfeld her by one arm. : The sails were quickly backed, the ship lay to, and preparations were made to lower the boat, when a dread cry arose, " Here comes a shark! They are lost !" s and a large shark was seen gliding towards its victims. A shout of terror from the spectators called the attention of the officer to the approaching danger. He saw the monster near him; he made a desperate effort, plunged and splashed tbo water, bo as to frighten the shark, which turned, and dived out of sight. The current had now carried the officer and lady close to the vessel, when the shark appeared a second time, nnd was in the act of turning on his back to seize the hapless pair, when a private of the officer's company jumped fear- . lessly overboard,. with a bayonet in his hand, which he plunged into the back of tbe shark, which disappearing, the three were saved by the ship's boat before he dared to make his reappearance. With reference to Mr Donne's recent resolution re the Executive Ordinance, the Grey River Argus says : — What will be the next step we wonder ? Perhaps it would be as well if the majority of twelve, if it haVe any concrete quality at all, were to be satisfied with, the victory they have gained, make up their minds as to what they want 'to be done, or left undone, and dictate their terms to the Superintendent. If the personnel of the Executive is objectionable in any of its features, the majority can say, "We desire so and so," otherwise we will not grant you any supplies. If the policy of the Executive does not receive the confidence of the Council, then let the majority come down at once with a direct vote of want of confidence. There are many ways by which a majority can obtain its legitimate ends without the necessity of formal laws as 'to its* '** political resonsibility." The question of responsibility can be settled by the Council at any moment it thinks fit, and such motions as that of Mr Guinness last session, and that of Mr Donne iust now, will effect little good. The fact is that there is apparently no one in the Council fit to hold the position of a leader of an Opposition. Petty nnd personal jealousies have aforetime interfered with the public welfare in the Nelson Council, and it is evident that the twelve who voted with Mr Donne the other night have, no organised leader, nor do they represent an organised party. Under such circumstances the Executfve can afford a deteat, even so apparently decisive as that of Tuesday last. The cost of winding-up mining companies may be gathered from, the following remarks by his Honor Judge Harvey in re the winding-up of the Golden Bell Goldraining Company at Reefton : — His Honor trusted that a sufficient sum would be called up to liquidate all claims and close the proceedings. He found, on looking over the schedule, that £192 had already been expended to collect £92. It was quite time the affiiir was finished, and be trusted the matter would never be brought before him again. He was sick of the very name of Golden Bell Company. The Jffawke's Bay Times has a column and a half printed in the Maori language. "It adopts this course," it explains, "in accordance with the strongly-e-pressed desire of a number of the principal resident natives, who have intimated their willingness to give their support by subscribing to the journal in the ordinary pakeha fashion, and finding numerous subscribers among their people." „ Lately the farmers of Canterbury and Otago have Buffered severe losses of grain through incendiary fires.