THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 44, 20 February 1875, Page 2

THE WEEK.

Two events, each of them of importance in their way, have occurred during the week, the one being the election of the number of Councillors required to make up the full complement, the other a delightful and much needed fall of rain. The former being the first to take place, claims precedence. Everybody concerned is looking to the newly- elected body to raise the boiough from the unhappy state into which it has fallen, and those who have accepted office are certainly courageous men. Their duties, shortly described, are 'to relieve the town of debt, disease, and dissensions, each of which will require some skill to remove it, while the three conjoiutl&^wlll afford occupation to those who ar^e. ambitious of gaining the approbation of their fellow citizens for some time to cocne. Hitherto the change from a Board of Works to n City Council has not been a marked success ; let us hope that our future experiences will be more satisfactory. Now to come lo the rain. As one who had no crops out in the field just ready to be stacked, I enjoyed it more thau I can say. The change from the dampness of perspiration to that caused by the soaking shower was enjoyable to a degree, and the contrast between the odour of a horrible drain, the mouth of which I frequently have to pass, and the fragrance of the earth when moistened by the grateful shower, was simply delicious I thought, however, of those whose barley, though cut, was yet unprotected, \jnd wondered how they would regard the tailing rain and the threatening clouds. '\Tw% days ago I met one who had been thus! situated, and he said to me ; — ,"You know 1 couldn't shut my eyes to the fact that if this went on for a couple of days I should lose £50 or £60, but for all that it was no use for tne to attempt to resist tbe exhilarating influence of the • scent that arose from tbe freshly washed earth, and, for a time at least, I forgot lhe-— injury I might sustain, and could think ofWthins but tbe good that was beiug donef\ If such were the feelings of those hav|og property at stake, no wonder that those whose estates were limited to perhaps half an acre of garden, „or those who did not boast of even such an extent of landed property, revelled iv the heavy showers of Wednesday lust. Thanks to those whoNLutva taken so much trouble to ensure a thoroughly regatta, we nre likely to bave a more lively time of it next week tliaa we have knowu for some months past. The province of Wyjllingtou is to be largely represented h^re in the S cricket match, in the boats' crews at N,he regatta, and in the crowd that looks on at the races. Our nun are likely to meet with some formidable opponents both on land and water, and whether they bold tbeir own or not against tbe champions of tbe Empire City, tbe contests in wliich they will be en^a^d cannot foilj/o have a good effect. Success will be gratifying; defeat will lead to renewed eiforts. Under any circumstances it is quite clear that, wi<h favorable weather, next Thursday will prove a very agreeable day at the Port, while Wednesday and Friday will present attractions which will draw many to the cricket field in Victory Fquare. But if WeUington should beat us in the sports to be engaged in, there is one particular thing in which, I think, we ate undoubtedly their superiors. I never saw the Fire Brigades of that city at work, but I have very frequently watched our own with a degree of pride and pleasure that is not easily described. I bave noticed that wben the dreaded bell rings here our men turn out with almost incredible/ speed, and when they arrive at the scene of the fire they invariubly devote their whole attention to Bubduing the flames. Now, in Wellington, ifl may believe a telegram which appeared in yesterday's Mail, they are uot so single-minded. The firemen there would seem to have two objects in view. There are rival brigades, and between them enmity appears to exist, which leads to severe battles being fought out, not at the point of the bayonet, but at the nozzW^ of the hose. A worker in one of them gets spriukled by the spray from the bose of tho other, and he or bis brothers in helmets, at once resent the deadly insult by turning tbeir hose on tbe captain of the other branch of the allied army. The telegram does not state what thn fire was doing all this time, but I presume tbat while the firemen JSteftT* trying to make each other uncomfortable, it was leaping up skywards in high glee, delighted at the unexpected opportunity thus afforded it of carrying out its work of destruction. Tht/ damage done while the firemen wens playing at being members of a brigade ia not mentioned, but the costs of th enaction in which tlle captain of one cf • these valiant bodies sued the other for wetting his coat, are reported to bavy' been exactly £12 7b 6d. Tbia " Slepfvy Hollow in which we live is so/constantly the subject of chuff in the' Wellington papers that I bope our firemen will bestir themseives, and endeavor 'to attain the same state of efficiency that has been reached by their Wellington brethren. That members of differeut brigades should squirt at one another ' while a fire ia raging is a proof of tlie existence of a high state of discipline, and of the absence of any tendency to somnolency, which at present are'alto- ' gether beyond our brigade men, but by '

detei mination and steady perseverance they may eventually place themselves on a level in this respect with the members of the " Wellington V and " Central" Brigades. But I om not sure that such an end is worth striving for. _ F.