The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 257, 29 October 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1874.

The people of New Zealand will, we are sure, experience a sense of relief on reading Mr Vogel's- personal assurance, as published in the Lyttelton Times, that it js his firm intention to. return to tbe : colony. The belief bad gradually gained ground, and, no doubt, was strengthened by the fact that he was taking bis family home with him, that he was bidding bis last farewell to these shores, but we now bave his direct statement that he will be back again before the next session of Parliament. Tbe fact is that at the present juncture we cannot afford to lose him. Ifc ia lamentable, but none the less true, that among our hundred and twenty or so of legislators wbo annually meet in Wellington there___ia. not one who is fitted io take Mr Vogel'B plaoe, and, what is even worse, there are no rising statesmen who are coming prominently forward as possible leaders. WbateWr doubts may have been expressed as to the wisdom of the Premier's policy, it bas now become tbe policy of the colony, and must be accepted as such. We have put our hand to the plough and cannot now look back, even if we would. As we are going now, so must we continue to go. To halt wonld be to court ruio ; to retreat, to ensure it. The ship has fairly started on her voyage, and hitherto bas experienced none but fine weather. But ber passengers and crew are iv a precarious and criticu! position, for Bhould anything happen to the captain, or should he voluo.arily desert, there is no one capable of taking the command. There may be, and uo doubt there are, some on board who are studying navigation, but none who have thoroughly mastered it. And this while we are sailing through a dangerous channel, ahounJiog in rocks and shoals. Io such a position it is by no means reassuiing to reflect that we are dependent upon one man to pilot us through— but so it is. i

plaintiff waa thia morning nonsuited' In that of Louisaon v. Adams a similar judgment was recorded. In tbis case plaintiff sued the defendant for £25 18s 4d for painting and papering a oertain hoose, for which the latter was -the agent. Defendant's case was that he had only authorised the expenditure of £25, which aam be bad paid, whereas the plaintiff bad sent in a bill for £50 18s 4d. The Resident Magistrate said that as the evidence was so contradictory and neither side waa able to produce confirmatory evidence, the only course open to him was to nonsuit the plaintiff. Alarm of Fire. — At & little before ten this morning an alarm of fire was raised, tbe cause being the igo ition of some pitch in; Mr. Packard's yard. The fire io itself was but trifling aod scarcely worth noticing, but it had the effect of showing how complete are the precautions taken in the town of Nelson against the spread of fire, as, in three minutes, from the first sound of the bell, a number of the brigade were oa the spot with a hose. Fortunately their services' were not required. 'We have been requested to' 'correct an error which appeared in a recent commercial report; wherein it was. stated that Messrs; Sharp and Pickering disposed of 500 bushels of Marlboroughgrowb outs, at 5s lld. The oats were grown at Mr Redwood's farm, Waimea West< ; ... „ .. r; An unpleasant accident occurred last night to Mr James Sclanders, who fell off the Albion Wharf just as the Taranaki was leaviog it. Fortunately he w.aa rescued without having sustained any serious damage. Tbe accident was occasioned by a plank extending half way from the steamer to.the wharf, having been placed along, tbe stage. In the darkness that prevailed, Mr Sclanders, who bad been on board to see a friend off, walked along tbis plank tbinkiog that he was on tbe proper stage. The result was such as might have been anticipated. We are glad to hear from Mr Elliott that a large number of the lately arrived immigrants have already: obtained employment. For single girls there was a large demand, and \ Mr Bray, the contraotor for tbe Nelson aod Foxhill railway, is negotiating for tbe services of 40 or 50 of the men. The overseer of the railway works requests us to give a caution, to those wbo, are in the babit of removing tbe sleepers now stacked on the mudflat, ahd playing about on the pile of boxes of railway material, as the consequences of the fall of one of the latter might prove serious.