THE WEEK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 60, 10 March 1877, Page 2

THE WEEK

"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick." So said a very wise man loug, long ago, aud the experience of ages has borne testimony I to. the truth of his assertion. Hopes, frequently entertained on what to all appearances were good grounds, but never realised, if .they do not possess the same emetic-like properties, at all events have the effect of producing a feeling approaching to despair, and of driving those in whose breasts they I have been raised to the conclusion that under no circumstances whatever can there be auy j good luck in store for them. It is to this that I attribute the almost apathy with which ■ the news of a gold discovery within forty I miles of Nelson, with which town the locality | is connected by a railway half of the distance! and a good dray road the remaining half ,;has been received in town. Some few working men have made up their minds to risk their all on the venture, aud to throw up good wages here in the expectation of obtaining more remunerative employment on the newly-discovered goldfleld, but, as a rule, the existence of a payable " diggings" is rei garded as next to impossible, aud Nelson people sagely shake their heads with a No-you-dop't-come-over-me expression, and gravely assert that, because they have been disappointed in the matter of gold so often, it is impossible that better luck can be in store for them. They may be right, but I earnestly hope that their over-caution has on this occasion led them into an error. ■ Of this there can be no doubt, that had the same discovery been made within an equally easy distance.of any other of the chief towns of New Zealand it would bave given rise to an excitement to which we have hitherto been strangers here. Up- to this time nothing has been made public that would in auy way juslify a large rush to the place, but we may be sure that within the next two or three weeks the supposed gold-bearing district will be' thoroughly prospected, and we shall then know what is to be the result. In the meantime, while I should be sorry to see too sanguine hopes excited, I would at least say— I)o ; hot despair. Because we have been so (jften disappointed, it does not follow that the same lot is in store for us on this occasion; .We don't often go in for hero-worshipping in Nelson — possibly because we don't often . get a hero to worship -but during the past week we have entered into the business with a will, more so, perhaps, than Aye should have done if we had not been put on our mettle by the discourteous conduct of the volunteers from other parts of the colony, and the officer under whose command they were. There was a very general impression, aud I believe a correct one, that had the Rifle Champion's home happened to be in any olher part of the colony, aud had he on his arrival at it been accompauied by nearly the whole of those who had competed against him, some little respect would have been shown to him by his late rivals, who would have assisted his comrades in the locality to which he belonged in giving him a fitting welcome, But it so happened that the best shot in New Zealand was a Nelson man, and consequently he and his brother volunteers v> ho turned out to meet him were slighted and ignored. However, despite the discourtesy of the commanding officer aud the want of proper feeling displayed by those under him, the champion has met with a reception worthy of himself and of those who so heartily accorded it to him. j

Is it toadyism to welcome, congratulate, and do honor to a man who has distinguished himself, even ife,be)only at rifle shooting? I ask the question, because I heard what appeared to ;me a strange remark made the other day to one w[io went up to Paynter to shake hands with and congratulate him on his success^. "Bah," said the critic, " if Paynter had come back just as he weut you wouldn't have been so anxious to shake hands with him, but because he's won the belt, and a good medal, and a silver cup, and put a lot of money in hi 3 pocket you pretend to make a great fuss over him. I hate such humbug." A queer line of argument wasn't it? And yet he who used it was a man by no means wanting in common sense. Of course I went out in the train the other night with all those blazing torches and glittering helmets, and notwithstanding that there .wag such a crowd, and that each individual in my immediate vicinity appeared to take special care to tramp on my corns, thereby causing me intense agony and inciting me to make use of unusually powerful expressions, I, on the whole, thoroughly enjoyed the scene. There was a good deal of musical talent displayed on the occasion, there being in each .car a band of vocalists who were exercising their powers to their full extent. What the 1 effect of so much mixed music would; have been had it been possible to hear it alt en masse~l know not, but taking it seriatim, as I did~ by travelling from one carriage to Another, it_ was amusing, if not pleasing. In tliat in which I started from the station the occupants speedily began to relate in sonorous tones of voice their experiences when marching through Georgia. 1 don't know why it is, but ever since the American wpr, on every. occasion of a festive : gatheriug the people -who take part in it begin to sing about what they'did in Georgia, and I verily: believe that I could point out one or two who have sung the, story so often that they have at . last become firmly impressed with the idea that i they actually did take part in iShermah's campaign. Leaving Georgia I entered the next State — I mean carriage — p,nd here I met with an amount 'of depravity for which I was uot prepared. At least.twenty men and boys were, boastingly declaring in the most musical tones th^y could assume, their intention of getting gloriously idrunk upon a special provocation Iwhich they named. This Svas the occasion' of " Johnny," whoever he might be, .returning to the"home of his fathers. " We'll all 'get tight'* -when Johuuy comes marchiug home," was the burden of their song. I don't know who " Johnny " is, but he certainly has much to answer for, and if he has not yet started on his march homewards 1 ~'sincerely trust in the interests of decency aud temperance that he never will. The next carriage was occupied by gentlemen whose principles were entirety at variance with those of the company I had just left. It was a very pleasing contrast to hear them protesting iv harmonious song that sobriety was to be their aim iv the future. "Oh no, we'll never get drunk any more" was the burden of their song, and right glad was Ito hear it. It struck me as being a matter of regret that rhythm rendered requisite the • words "any more," because they were suggestive .of previous excesses with which I would not for a moment credit any one of those who were declaring their intention of adhering to temperance principles for the'f uture. I intended to visit some of -the other carriages, but just then my attention was rivetted upon the agonising pautings of the engine which was wearily dragging us up that incline which is the admiration of all strangers who travel on our rail way. I am sorry that I have nothing more to report about the moa this week. It is thought by 1 those who know more of the habits of the, moa than other people that it is more likely to have gone to the Tadmor than anywhere else. If so, we shall probably hear more of it shortly. • " F.