THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 273, 17 November 1877, Page 2

THE WEEK.

The impressionisgraduallygaiaing ground with me that there is some special littla cherub told off for the purpose of paying exclusive attention to the people of Nelson, and carefully guarding them against any iutrasioa upon their normal state of quietude by ;an accumulation of topics that are calculated to unduly excite them. Subjects having a special interest are carefully doled out to us in driblets, and an abundance of time is allowed us for the thoughtful consideration of ona mstfcer before "another i« ; Kf^rtted to force itself upon our notice.. Probablyat is' owing to this careful guardianship that during the -past week nothing outside the world of politics has forced itself anon ouratteafcioa. We have worked ourselves into a great state of excitement over, the aspect of Parliamentary affairs, bufr beyond 1 this' the .carren.6 of our, life pursues its course without anppla on it* aurlace, and now on this batujday X am. .wondering (our political Masting bang prer)whatis likely toj occur that will.create.any little stir amongst us^ between, the present time and this day week;.' ■. v. ■;. \ :•■' v 1 ' •'< j - '- If a comparison may be drawn between the domambf. politics and that of meteorology, I -should be inclined; t0 institute one between Sir George .Gray, and this sheltered little nook ; of Nelson. We constantly hear of 1 boisterous galea and fierce atorma [having , occurred in the Straits, or on the east : - or' west coast of these islands, while we have been enjoying a perfect calm". A blue sky overhead, a soft breeze fanning our brows, a barometer comporting itself in a steady going manner, without displaying much variable-' nes3 or shadow of turning, and a thermometer rot addicted to excessive vagaries either in oie direction or the ather— these are the characteristic features, of pur climate, and ' while storms are rife ardund ug, here e 3f . r ? mßill iQ. perfect peaca and quietness, undisturbed by their influences, and careless as to the effects they may produce outside our immediate limits. So with Sir iGeorge Grey. A perfect te upest is raging all round him, the lightning is flashing in angry mur-derous-looking streaks, the thunder is roaring, the hailstones of the wrath of the Opposition are directed at him, but there he sits serene and to all appearances perfectly unconscious of what is going on, as he calmly talks of what he intends to do during the recass. Knowing that there is & majority of the House against him, perfectly cognizant of the fact that on the Order Paper is a noconfldance motion, which if ife went to a division would be carried, he appears as unconcerned as do we in Nelson on a bright sunshiny day, although at the same time a hurricane is raging in the Straits. What the Opposition think of his coolness and indifference it is difficult to say, but I should imagine it was rather calculated to " rile " ihem, and to causa those who were the means of placing him whare he now is to bite their fingers with rage. In company with a friend who takes a &?ep interest in politics I left the Provincial Hall on Wednesday evening in a somewhat 1 meditative mood, and .inclined to return to'v the solitude of my home, there to calmly ponder over the speeches to which I had baen listening. My friend, however, proposed that we should adjourn to a house not far off where we could make sure of securing a comfortable chair, and a nice cool glass of water fresh from the Brook-street dam. I consented, and having seated ourselves, and being supplied with two glasses of the invigorating fluid I proceeded to light my pipe and was preparing to discuss the events of the evening, when I observed that my friend was thoroughly absorbed in his own thoughts, and by no means so communicative as I could have desired. Unwilling to disturb him I puffed away in silence for nearly half an hour without a word passing between us. Then I saw his lips move, and on attentively listening I caught the words— "Eighty-seven —eight thousand seven hundred— the half of that is four thousand three hundred and fifty— yes, that's exactly it." I began to feel a little uneasy, thinking that I was in company with a lunatic, when all of a sudden he burst forth with— « l say, F., the most powerful argument that could possibly have been urged in favor of a dissolution was stupidly overlooked to-night." Much relieved at finding that he was. not so insane as he seemedlasked "Indeed, what 13 it?" "Why it might have shown beyond .all question," he replied, "that it would indirectly be the means of saving the country £4350 " « I qan't see.it," I said, " but perhaps you will be good enough to explain yourself. '*■ "Certainly," was t his reply, « but in the meantime take another glass of water." He rang the bell, and our glasses being replenished, he proceeded:—" Now.look here, if: there's not a dissolution the whole, of these eighty-seven members who have done us the honor of calling themselves our representatives will decide that, owing to the protracted session they are entitled to another £50 per head of honorarium, and there'll be nothing for us to do but to pay it with as good a grace as we can assume. But if they know that they are to be sent back to their constituents at once they dare not help themselves to ouc money in that way. Eighty-seven fifties are fo/r thousand three hundred and fifty (I arrived at the total before by the rule of "Practice ») and there you are." In speechless admiration of my friend's immense shrewdness and brilliant process of calculation I emptied first his glass of water and then my own, add left the room without saying another word,. , I will give one more reason for a dissolution, and this time it shall be in the words of John Bright who, in recently addressing a crowded meeting in Manchester, said:—" The health of the Houae of Commons has lately ' been indifferent, its pulse is low, its tongue foul, and in all probability it will be better J for it if some eminent authority were to order it a change of air and tell it go to the ' country." I think it will be generally allowed that this may find an application in New Zealand. I see by a. late English paper that a new sect has been formed in Russia belonging to the Greek Church, who call themselves the Purifiers," and among their, doctrines the three following find a place :—" All of them must marry on coming of age; the husband 1 is to be subordinate to the wife, and to recog- ' mse her as the head of the family; and once a week he is to confess his sins to his wife." On my mentioning the first of these to a young lady of my acquaintance she at once told me that she had always thought the Russians were intellectually superior to all other nations, and this onjy confirmed her in her belief; speaking to a married woman with regard to the second she exclaimed, "Oh those dear Russians, I do hope they'll thrash the lurks;" calling the attention of ah old marned male friend to the third, he took quite an unexpected view of the,' proposition and replied, « Well thosa Russians must be a r lot of cruei brutes to their women. Why if ■ I was to confess to my old woman once a week, she'd have one sleepless night in every seven. It would take me half the night to C tell her, and.she'd be awake the other half thinking about what she had heard. ' No no pone of that fop me." In consideration of oi this conflict of opinions; I don't think I will fake upon myself to advise the "Purifiers " Sio establish a colony ia New Zealand. F ;