The Nelson EVening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1875.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 160, 2 July 1875, Page 2

The Nelson EVening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1875.

The rough weather that has prevailed . so frequently of late, and the narrow escape that theptfofc boat had from being swamped on Wednesday night, should have the effect of inducing the Provincial authorities to take into their consideration the present state of the Harhor Department in Nelson. The complaint is made that the pilot boat is not sufficiently manned. This is an i evil that can be very easily remedied by providing another hand, or two if necessary, for we cannot see liow any Government, however bent on retrenchment they might be, could refuse to authorise a reasonable expenditure under this head, if once it were shown to be absolutely necessary. Or, if it were considered that there was no necessity for keeping up a more numerous staff than that at present engaged, some arrangements might easily be made for empowering the Harbormaster upon special occasions to engage extra men for the pilot service. But this does not include the whole of the lessons thajb have been taught us within the last few days. However safe and smooth the Nelson haven may bein the most boisterous weather, there is at times — fortunately very rape 2y — a I heavy sea rolling between the entrance to the harbor and what is known as the " outer anchorage," the latter being" a very comprehensive term, including, as it does, several miles of Blind Bay. Even on such occasions a steamer may generally be brought into or taken out of th,e harbor, but where a steamer would I be in comparative safety, asmall ordinary boat could scarcely live, and for this

reason we would wish to see the port supplied with a lifeboat. At present a vessel may, after a long voyage from a foreiga port, or a rough and dangerous passage across the Strait, arrive off the lighthouse, and he doomed to lie there for several hours merely because the pilot has not at his disposal a boat in which it is safe to cross the bar, and, although there ; might be, no real impediment in the way of bringing into a harbor which in the most severe weather is perfectly smooth and safe, the ship or steamer that has reached the outer anchorage, there she must remain, exposed to the buffeting of th waves and the risk of dragging he anchors, until the sea has subsided sufficiently to allow of the very inefficient pilot boat of which the port of Nelson can boast casing the bar in sr'3ty. And again, if a vessel should co r -,e to grief outside the Boulder Bank, the probability is. that it would be entirely owing to the force of a gale or the roughness of seßj , "and the very cause that placed her in a perilous position would prevent a boat being sent out from the harbor to her relief simply because we do not possess one that could combat against such difficulties. If, on the other hand, we provided a reliable lifeboat, there would very rarely indeed be an occasion upon which a vessel might not, with the utmost safety,' be : piloted into harbor, and if a ship should happen to be in distress outside assistance could be rendered without imperilling the lives of those who manned the boat despatched to help her. As matters stand, at present, we have been deprived of the services of one of our pilots for at least a week simply because the Harbor j Department did not possess a trustworthy seaboat, or a sufficient crew to handle that which the Government, have provided to do the work of the port. Experience teaches. Are we to profit by the lessons we receive, or to go blundering along in the same unsatisfactory old style in spite of them ? v

It is now finally settled that the football match, "Wellington v. Nelson, will take place on Monday next, at the Botanical Gardens. His Honor the Superintendent has consented to allow the public offices to be closed from two o'clock on, Monday afternoon, and efforts will be made to induce the Banks and chief places of business to do the same. The names of the Wellington players are— Park, James, Isherwood, Blackett. Webb, Palliser, J. Allen, G. Allen, Bishop, A. Campbell, G. Campbell, Stohr, France, Lewen. and Morris. Umpire— -M'Lean. The names of the Nelson players as finally settled are— T. Nicholson, Clouston, Gully, Hole, Warnock, Barnett, Hodgson, Hervey, G. Nicholson, Monro, Speed, Tennent, Wells, Scaife, and Barnicoat (captain). Umpire— The Rev. J. P. Kempthorne. The Rev. F. Wallace, who arrived rery recently from England, is announced to preach, in the morning at eleven, and in the evening at half-past six, at the Hardy-street Congregational Church. Mr B. Short will address the young in the afternoon at three. It is also announced that a Sunday school will be commenced, in the morning at half-past nine, and in the afternoon at half-past two. Parents, whose children do not at present attend schools, are urged to use their influence and send the young people. In the A 7. Z. Times of Tuesday last, we find the following mention made of twro individuals, both of whom are known in. Nelson:— Yesterday morning Augustus Yeiverton, who has almost attained a colonial as well as a provineiatnotoriety, was brought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court, (speaking approximately) for the nine hundred and ninety-ninth time, charged with drunkenness. On this occasion, however, Augustus had made himself mote than usually prominent, for, having heard that a Mr Cavanagh was to hold forth in the Odd-Fellows' Hall with a view of Romanising such Protestants as would atfend, Mr f elverton determined to b 3 present to entfeayop fa neutralise the baneful effects of the heretical discourse by a dissertation on the merits of his religion. It was necessary to nerve himself for such a task, therefore some publican, equally zealous for the faith, made no scruple of supplying the stimulant required, and Mr Telverton was nerved accordingly. However, when Mr Cavanagh commenced his address it was founij he was thoroughly orthodox, he did not preach the real presence, justification by works, or any other objectionable doctrine, and Augustus was disappointed not a little; but being nothing if not critical, he turned his attention to the preacher's arguments and method of induction. He fain would have had Mr Cavanagh more original in his ideas, and less ancient narratives brought in to " point a moral;*' therefore he kept up a running fire of adverse criticism. Neither could he understand why Mr Cavanagh should ask questions and himsejf answer them, consequently he undertook' to perform the latter part of the work. At last Mr Yeiverton became so intrusive that evidence of the existence of " muscular Christianity" began to be visible, and it is possible that Augustus would have soon felt the power of this had not an officious constable appeared and treated him in a manner in which many an earnest disciple in early days had been treated. The iljuse.4 man is to [ have a month jn gaol, but during that | month he may inwardly digest as much of the sermon as he was privileged to comment on. The following curious advertisement appeared in the Taranaki News last week:--" To be raffled at Cottier's Masonic Hotel, on the evening of Saturday, the 26th of June, f jur red herrings and oae bar of soap. '