THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 47, 23 February 1878, Page 2

THE WE EK.

As a tactician I doubt very mach whether Sir George Grey has his equal. His superior in that respect I am quite sure is not to be found. I like that word " tactician," which occurred to me as a happ/ thought when I was hunting about for a suitable term by which to describe the Premier. It is bo comprehensive, and yet has such an innocent look about it. But from one point of riew it is a little objectionable, as its meaning depends to a considerable extent upon the spirit by which he who uses it is influenced. For instance, some unkind people after finding how I intend to apply the word may say that I might just as well hare substituted "humbug" for "tactician." But a charge of this kind I must at once distinctly repudiate. To go back then to my original proposition. Sir George Grey is unequalled as a tactician. But as mere assertion without proof is valueless, let me adduce evidence in support of my opinion. Last Thursday week night Sir George addressed a crowded and enthusiastic meeting in Wellington, and this was how he commenced ;-=> Mr Chairman and Gentlemen— At length one of the longings of many years is about to be gratified I have long yearned to speak to the people of Wellington," &c. From the moment of uttering that sentence he of course carried his audience with him. It was quite natural that they should reciprocate the great m&a's yearnings to talk to them by an equally irrepressible yearning to listen to him, and to endorse all that he said. It did not, so far as we know, occur to one of them that it was a remarkable coiucidence that the ,'yearning by which thespeakerhadbeen inconvenienced for bo long had only proved inconquerable two days before an election, in which they were to say whether they would send to Parliament a member who would oppose or would support him. It was quite enough for. them to know that Sir George had yearned to meet them face to face; they were flattered by the assurance, and consequently were enthusiastic in their admiration of him by whom it was uttered. Yes, Sir George is a prince among tacticians. Then again he promised to visit Nelson on his way to the Coast, but changed his miud at the last moment, aud instead of saying that circumstances had altered his plans he telegraphed to the Mayor that he had postponed the pleasure to which he had been looking forward because "old associations make me to desire to spend a few days in Nelson." When the Premier of the colony thus flatters our vanity, what can we do but smirk and smile, and become iuflated with a seuse of our importance? Once more. I say, for the exercise of consummate tact Sir George is not to be beaten. It is somewhat to be regretted when a man thoroughly devotes himself to a good cause, when he is houest, earnest, and self-sacrific-ing in his endeavor to do good to his fellowcreatures, that he should rush into extremes and indulge in figures of speech that are more calculated to roise a smile, pa tfce faces

of hw hearers than to enlist their sympathies. But this was what Mr Fox did the other night. He commenced by telling his numerous audience that he was not so much engaged ia doing battle with excessive as with moderate drinking. The man who drank his glass of beer at dinner, and another before going to bed, was the main object of his attack. And then he went on to depict the waste of power and of wealth of which such a man was guilty, and pointed iv other ways to the fearful results of this glass or two of beer. Among the various evils it caused, he instanced the effect it produced upon the offspring of the men who ihus transgressed—" Weakly, sickly little things, who scarce cast a shadow from the sun." Now, as a rule, I believe that thelarge majority of the men in Nelson do take a glass, or perhaps two glasses, of beer every day of their lives. Are the children we see in the streets such miserable, puny, unhealthy objects as Mr Fox described? I ask the question, but really do not think it worth replying to. I have the highest regard for Mr Fox, whose sincerity, I believe, must command the respect of all, whether they agree with him in all that he advances or not, and, consequently, it was with a feeling of annoyance that I heard him backing up his arguments by illustrations so weak. This is not the way to promulgate the principles which he strives with so much earnestness ! to instil into the minds of his feUow-meu. Being at Hokitika the other day when Mr and Mrs Tarares were giving dramatic performances in the town, I took the opportunity of going to see such excellent actors. By the way, I may here mention that the i little theatre there is a remarkably neat and wall-arranged building, and is calcuated to give rise to a feeling of shame in a Nelson raaa visiting it, when he thinks how far behind Hokitika ia his own town in that respect. The audience was limited, but the programme was an excellent one, including on« or two scenes from Shakespeare, and [ floma rery amusing farces. It did not, however, appear to give full satisfaction to all who were present, for, as I left the building, I heard rarious remarks passed, some appreciative, some having precisely the contrary tendency. One conversation I chanced to hear was between two men, who were probably on a visit to the town from some of | the up-country diggings : " Well, Bill," said one, " how did you like it ? "—Bill : « Didn't think much of 'era. Too much of the same thing. If they'fl given us a good song now and then like * Paddy from Cork/ or something of that kind, it would have gone down much better." Which shows how difficult it is to please erary one, even in a small audionce. That -was an interesting telegram which appeared in the Mail th« other day from Charleston:— "Nearly total eclipse of the moon observed here last night about ten o'clock." Do the good people of Charleston imagine that they enjoyed a monopoly of the eclipse? It would almost seem so from the fact of its having taken place being telegraphed all over the colony. When we get news of this kind forwarded to us I don't think it is fair to others that we should keep to ourselves celestial occurrences that are obser-Ted in Nelson, J have therefore written to the local agent for the Press Agency recommending that he should wire to his principals in Wellington:—" Sun rose this morning about half-ptst five. Those who were up in time saw him as he first appeared over the hill." I have not heard whether tb,e agent acted noon my advioe or not. F