THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 316, 27 November 1875, Page 2

THE WEEK.

While almost everywhere else the coming elections are already beginning to create excitement and to give rise to discussion, in Nelson we are as yet in a perfect state of quietude, but this will probably not last much longer. One of the candidates for the City, it is said, is to address the electors in a few days, and no doubt we shall, ere long receive a visit from Mr Luckie, who will be wanting to see what are his chance 3ot re-election, and, if satisfied with them, will perhaps be good enough to remain amongst us for a week or two, during which all his powers of persuasion, and they certaiuly are considerable, will be brought to bear upon those whose votes he seeks. Absentee though he be, Mr Luckie is not an opponent whom either of the other two candidates can afford to despite, for. he ia energetic, hardworking, aud persevering when he has an end to gain, but. although he may give them ; some": trouble and perhaps, a little anxiety, 1/ do not think there Jean be a, doubt that his journey from Auckland, will be unavailing, and that he will be neither No. 1 nor No. 2on the poll But in two months' time we shall know all about it, and perhaps be saying to one another as we talk over the result of the then past election, " Didn't I tell you so ?" ' r Most people were greatly disappointed by being prevented by the wet weather from attending the Horticultural Show on Thursday night, for there ia no doubt that when open for that purpose the Provincial Hall is a very favorite place of resort. Knowing this, it was with no little surprise that I learned that there are several people in Nelson, some of them very well to do, who decline to give the moderate amount of assistance for which they are asked in the shape of half a sovereign for a family ticket, but prefer to wait until the day, when, if fine, they can obtaiu admission on the payment of one shilling, but if the weather is too bad for them to go* why they save their money. This is not the way to make the Society prosperous, for it should always be able to calculate on a regular income in addition to the takings at the door. It certainly is a popular institution, and, besides encouraging a taste for gardening, affords two° very pleasant days in the year to the public. A want of funds is tho last thing the Committee should have to complain of. It is astonishing how learned people become on the subject, of botanical names as the flower show days, come round ; how their information is acquired, whether from a careful perusal of the prize list or from genuine study I know not, but so it is. An instance of this caino under my observation on Thursday night. There was my friend Mr Heartsease, who to my certain knowledge does not know a fuchsia from a forget-me-not without looking twice, had succeeded, in finding a remarkably pretty lady companion, and to her he was talking of gloxinias, and petunias, and rhododendrous, and begonias and such like with an apparent familiarity with his subject that to me was perfectly astounding. But his time was coming. It really was most inconaider rate of ihe Committee to place in such close proximity to oue another plants whose names have similar terminations. Mr Heartsease and his companion approached the eastern end of the room. I was watching with some . interest, for I had noticed an occasional mischievous expression come over the young lady's countenance that seemed to say that she entertained some doubts of the i genuinnesa of her friend's botanical knowledge, and was only waiting her opportunity to tell him so. «• Look," said Mr H., "is not that a lovely collection of plants? See the elegant shape, and marked contrast of the spots to what I may call the grounding of the cineraria." It was no-use trying to check that laugh; it would come; and so would the words that made my unfortunate friend wish he had never goue near a flower show. "Why, you jjoose, those are calceolarias, not cinerarias." I saw Mr H. a few minutes later. He was alone, and muttering a good deal, and among the confused sounds that proceeded from his lips I heard some uncomplimentary remarks about " the confounded fool who had shifted the cards," Captain Edwin, the gentleman who looks after the weather in Wellington, has had quite a lively time of it of late, but there has been a monotony about his telegrams that is quite depressing. If he would only be good enough to tell us to look out for a rising barometer and a little sunshine, the advice would be cheerfully listened to if only for its variety. I heard at the Show the other night a remark which that gentleman might accept as a compliment, though it was not intended, as such. The paper of the night- before had contained one of those dismal warnings of his that have been so frequent of late, and this was evidently the subject of conversation. " Bother that fellow Edwin, it would be a good thing to pay his passage out of the colony. He's always telling us to look out for rain, and the worst of it he's almost always right." I had made a memorandum in my note book which I overlooked last week, but it is not now too late to call attention to the fact to which it relates, for I do not think it has been generally noticed. The Ringarooma arrived at the Bluff the other day with the Suez mail five days before it was due, but it was not to that that I wished to allude, but to a {more extraordinary feat that iehe and the telegraphic cables together

succeeded in performing. On the 17th .of .November she landed in New Zealand a telegram containing an account of the- Lord -/Mayor's in Ilondon on the 9th of November, and of a speech .raade=then"by Mp Dia|aeli/i.n -which he referred to the' enthusiastic\recepl;ion of the Prince of Wales at Bombay on the morning of the day on which be was speaking. I think "that is worth mentioning. I was accosted by a friend in Trafal- * gar-street "yesterday afternoon thus :^- --" Had you any shares in the Culliford Company?" -The subject being rather a . sore one, I gloomily and curtly replied "Yes." « My dear fellow," said he, "let me congratulate you." This being the first time I had been congratulated on having been a', fool I. rather abruptly askM*" Why?", ■ "Well you needn't mention it again, but I am told on good authority that the iron safe which was purchased wifih a view to stowing the gold in it, was. this morning .sold by auction for £25, and I shouldn't : : 3>e surprised if a dividend was declared out of the proceeds." It was rude, I know, and I now fake the opportunity of apologising for. my discourteous remark, but I couldn't help blurting out, utterly regardless of grammar or good manners, "Dividend your grandmother!"