THE WEEK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 6, 6 January 1877, Page 2

THE WEEK

We have fairly crossed the Rubicon now and^ travelled from Provinces to Counties. I can't say much for the impreasiveness of the scene at the opening of the Council on Thursday, which was not equal to what we had been accustomed to on the first day of the session of the Provincial Council. I used to like that expectant waiting for the advent of the head of the Province; there was something awe-striking in the tone of the gentleman who undertook the duties of Sergeant-at-Arms, extra clerk, and messenger as he pronounced the words •' His Honor the Superintendent;" it was pleasing to observe the respectful manner in which the Councillors and general public rose to their feet' as his Honor walked up to the Speaker, and their steady refusal to sit down until the two magnates had shaken hands. Then there was the speech, and, sometimes, as he folded up the document at the close of it and handed it to the Speaker, the Super's face was a study as he cast round a sweeping glance which was full of meaning and seemed to say-" I had you there; it isn't often I get a chance of talking to you, but when L.do I like to let you know what I mean." Then an exchange of bows between the heads of the executive and legislative departments, another rising of the people, and the Super had vanished from the scene until that joyful prorogation day, when everybody, sick of the Council proceedings, welcomed him back again to hear him tell the representatives that nothing remained for them to do but to draw their cheques and be off. Now we have done away with all that and have substituted a far more simple and less imposing manner of proceeding Seven men are called to meet afc a certain place at a certain hour; one is there at the appointed time, and in the course of ten minutes or a quarter of an hour the rest drop in one after the other, have a little side talk, then go to a table, and one proposes that one of their number shall be their president. His attention is called by another Councillor to the awful consequences that may attend their neglect to do as the House of Commons does when performing a similar duty, but he ignores the interruption and proceeds with the few words he has to say, and so the session commences. lam inclined to express the wish that all the meetings of the Councils may he j ppened in as quiet j-*,nd unostentatious *' manner. y?e eqn do without pomp or show of any kind. I heard a curious figure of speech made use of m the Council Chamber on Thursday. One of the members in speaking of this eastern portion of what was the Province of Nelson, and its road connection with other p^rts pf the cqni}t**-y, s^d. \t always reminded him of a bottle with hyp outlets. Now a bottle with two outlets i-j' a rather rare article, and the few of the kind that I have met with in tlje poprge pf my life have been devoted to a bahy feeding purpose, I don't know whether the Councillor who made use of ,the expression meant it to be so, but to my mind the mention of such a bottle was suggestive of pap and infantile treatment generally. This is just what the Council wants in its young days, Any attempt to exaggerate its powers or importance will be sure to-- prove fatal to its usefulness. I a.vji looking forward to Tuesday, the 23rd instant, with the most intense interest, for I observe that the Wainjea "County Council has adjourned until that day, when it is to meet afc the Provincial Hall. Now it so happens that the General Synod of the Church of England in the colony has also engaged the Provincial Hall for that day, so that there's bound to be a row, or my name's noi "F." In numerical strength the County Council will stand *no chance whatever, there being hut seven of them, while the church militant will pe able jq mobilise an qrniy* q£ between twenty £ n d thirty clergy, and as many laity, the whole force being generalled by five Bishops. The only chance the Council will have of obtaining and retaining possession ol tueJr room *tt1!l !*! !jj fCrce ot ar f um, ; nt * I mention this thus early in ?JWrW Pwcillor Oliver may have amnle time to Iqpk up prppeder-ti*, so as tq be afte to show *>t once ard without hesitation that m no known instanqp has'the British Parlia-

An editor of a newswaper, when stung hy an attack, even if he has brought it upon himself, will sometimes retaliate in the most violent language, and allow his wrath so far to carry him away as to comment upon the personal appearance of his assailant. They do this in America to a great extent, but there they go even further, and criticise the wives, mothers, and sisters of those to whom they may chance to be opponents. An instance of this occurred very recently, when the San Francisco Newsletter made the following reference to the wife of Mr Tilden, one of the candidates for the Presidency :— " She is thought to be a little knock-kneed in one leg but as the other leg is canted oub just a little the other way there is no real collision or anything; all works right along smoothly." If this should happen to meet the eye of any editor who is abusively inclined it may prove useful to him on some future occasion. **g\