The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 272, 16 November 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1877.

A statement of an extraordinary character was made on Wednesday night by the gentleman who was the sole representative of the Noe3 on the occasion of the first resolution being put to the meeting. It was a3 follows:— "The House of Representatives has got into a difficulty and I do not see that the country is called upon to step in and get it out of it." Now, notwithstanding this deliberate expression of Mr Oliver's opinion we are not disposed, and, fortunately for the country, the people of New Zealand generally are not disposed, to look upon our colonial Parliament as a foreign body in whose deliberations, actions, and legislation we have not the slightest interest, to view its vagaries with calm indifference, or to pass by on the other side unheeding when we see it rent and torn asunder by party strife, and rendered practically useless, if not positively harmful by the consideration of matters pertaining to the public welfare being subordinated to the gratification of personal animosities. Unlike Mr Oliver, the people of the colony do regard the Parliamentary proceedings as of some importance, and, seeing the disgraceful condition into which the Assembly has drifted meetings similar to that of Wednesday night are being held in the various centres of population in the hope that, where the representatives have failed, their constituents may succeed in discovering some remedy for the grievous ills by which the body politic is now afflicted. From all quarters there now arises a cry for dissolution, and an appeal to the people seems to be inevitable. Under the existing circumstances the sooner it is brought about the better, for if this be the only door of escape from the difficulties by which we are beset it cannot be opened one moment too early. Whether all the expectations that hare been formed of its efficacy are to be realised it is impossible to say, but almost anything would be preferable to & continuation of the present state of affairs, of which everyone who has the interests of the colony at heart must be thoroughly ashamed. It is rumored in town that a stroke of good luck has befallen another of our citizens in the shape of a big prize in a sweep on the Melbourne Cup. The report is that Richard Thomas, son of Mr Thomas, cab proprietor, who started for Melbourne a short time ago purchased a ticket on his arrival there, aud drew Chester, the winning horse, in a £5000 sweep, the first prize being £2000. As however, his parents have not been made acquainted by him with the face they are disposed to regard the rumor as being too good to be true. The first inspection of the City and Port Volunteers since Major Pitt has had command of the district took place last evening, the different companies falling in at the Drill Shed. There was a fair muster, the following being the numbers that answered to their names:— Artillery, 22; City Rifles, 23 ; Naval Brigade, 41; Artillery Cadets, 20; City Cadets, 20; Staff, 2. After the usual preliminaries, the Volunteers were marched to the Botanical Gardens, where they were put through a number of evolutions, all of which were gone through creditably considering it is some time since they hadbattalion drill Volunteers then returned to the Drill Shed. tvZ *° the ~ ir dismia f a . If ut. Hodgson, of the City 1^ «***£*« * he Volunteers, congratulated Major i-^ his promotion, and expressed the hope that he would command them as efficiently as he nai dona when he had been in temporary charge. He then called for three cheers for the Major, which were responded to with a will. Major Pitt, in replying, thanked the Volunteers heartily for their kind expressions towards him. He was satisfied with their performances that evening, and said that if they would do their duty by mustering strongly, they could rely upon him doing his. He thought that some of the companies had been long enough without captains, and urged upon the Volunteers to supply this deficiency as soon as possible Cheers were then given for Lieut. Hodgson and the men were dismissed. | At a cricket match played at Blenheim last Saturday between Maclborough and Wellington, the former were put out in their first innings in an hourfor 19 runs. At three o clock the Wellington men had scored 116 with the loss of 8 wickets. We have not heard of the final result. r, T , KB [ l \ ablet > the Catholic organ in New Zealand has the following with regard to the general election that is probably in store for the colony—" In obedience to a resolution ot the Catholic meeting of Dunedin. we shall, as soon as the Parliament be dissolved publish the names of the members who voted against us, and we shall continue to do so each week till the cloae of the elections. If Catholics will loyally unite aud give a block

vote against their enemies (and all whorefuse aid to their schools from the public fund 3 are their determined enemies), they cannot fail to produce an effect which political parties cannot afford to despise. But Catholics should hold no meetings, attend no meetings, but like calm determined men act silently bat firmly, and on the polling day record their votea against all who voted against their just claims in the present session utterly regardless of what the opposing candidates may or may not be. The most valuable prize in life's lottery is Health. " How shall we obtain it? " cry the rheumatic, the bilious, the dyspeptic, the nerves, the weak, the dispirited. We answer —by using the remedy of all others best calculated to depurate the system through the kidneys, to stimulate the liver, to restore digestion, tranquilize the nervous system and cheer the mind. " What is this wonderous restorative ? " We reply Udolpho Wolfe's Schikdah Abqmatic Schnapps — Advfc.