THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 32, 6 February 1875, Page 2

THE WEEK.

The Municipal muddlo has been the chief topic of conversation during the week, and thai it should be talked of pretty freely is not to be wondered at. Some of the New Z-aland borouyhß have at various times found themselves in a mess, but it has been reserved for Nelson to get into the biggest of all the scrapes that have occurred, and well has she done her allotted work in that respect. Anyone who knows all the little ma tmd outs, and has some little knowledge of the by play, and the scenes behind the curtain, can scarcely refrain from smiling as he contemplates the present state of affairs, and yet it is no laughing matter, but one of serious moment to all who live or hold property in the borough of Nelson. Disappointing as it must he to some of those who tendered their resignations on Tuesday night to find that they have succeeded beyond their expectations in shutting themselves out of the Council Chamber for the next six months, it is perhaps not a bad thing for the ratepayers that such is the case, as the clean sweep that has so unintentionally been made will render it a necessity that an entirely new lot of men shall be elected. There is however one groat difficulty in the way, but a difficulty that is not insuperable, although it may require, on the part of Borne, the exercise of self denial, and a sacrifice of their own personal inclinations to overcome it. It is the question of getting good men, to whom the ratepayers can entrust the management of their affairs with the assurance that tbey will be well looked after. The office of City Councillor has, owing to the unpleasant scenes that have occurred of late in the Council Chamber, fallen into disrepute, but **ntft irreclaimably so, and it will depend entirely upon those who are put in at the forthcoming election whether a seat in the Council is for the iuture to be one of some little honor, or whether it is to continue to be, what it practically is now, a thing to be looked down upon. There is, I believe, an earnest desire to obtain good men. Will such men come forward ? The burgesses should meet in a quiet manner and talk the matter over, resolve to sink all petty differences, and decide upon a list of such men as they would like to see representing them, and having done so, draw up requisitions to them, and promise them their support. But whatever is to be done must be done quickly. A friend of mine has addressed a letter to me, in which he is good enough to say that I have a homely sort of way of putting things, and he therefore asks me to give a word of advice to the newly arrived immigrants, respecting the claims they make for the highest current wages. He relates his experience on one particular occasion, but wishes me to tell it in my own words, which I will proceed to do, first of all premising that my correspondent has a small sheep farm in a rather out of the way part of the country where he himself has to turn his hand to all sorts of work, and therefore expects his

men to do the same. Being in want of a servant, and hearing that two or three immigrants had arrived at a village a few miles distant, he went there for the purpose of engaging one. He found that they all had exalted ideas of their abilities, and that they wanted the highest wages going, upon which he reminded them that they were in a new country, and would probably have to learn a great deal before they became really useful. Two of them were a little shakeu by this, but the other said, " Oh, I can do pretty near everything you'd want." "You think so, do you," was my friend's reply, " W*ll, I'd like to a9k you a question or two. Do you know how to sharpen an axe ?" " Well, I don't know as ever I tried, but I fancy I could." " Can you split fencing ?" Immigrant shoved his cap as far back on his head as it would go without falling off, and looked disconcerted, but did not reply. "Suppose I was to set you down in a bush, and to tell you to pick out a likely looking tree for turning into posts, should you know how to go to work£" He opened his eyes widely, and Wired vacantly. "Can you shoe a horse?" He opened them wider. "Can you kill a beast, skin it, and make a stockwhip out of the hide?" He opened his mouth. "Can you drive bullocks?" He stood on one leg. "Can you yoke them up?" He stood on the other. "Can you head-rope a wild cow, bail her up, leg rope and milk her?" He scratched his head. " Could you get on a horse, go at a band gallop over rough country, and drive a mob of wild cattle into a stockyard?"^ He seized his cap with his right hand, slapped it down desperately on his left, and exclaimed, <( Danged if I doan't think you're a making a fool o' me. I never heerd the likes o' all this in the old country." "I don't suppose you did," was the reply, " but before you make a thoroughly good all-round colonial servant, you will have to learn all this and a great deal more, so for the future don't you bounce about knowing everything. I have had to learn these things and many years it has taken me to do so, and now you want me to teach you, and to pay you tip top wages for learning, when I can get men of as large experience as myself, who can start straight ofl and do what they are told without instruction. You take my advice, be content with moderate wages while you are serving your apprenticeship to colonial life, and then come back and talk to me." That immigrant went away crestfallen, and looking as though ha was already beginning to gain knowledge that he did not possess before. F.