The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1878.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 50, 27 February 1878, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1878.

Tub Corporation funds having been called upou to bear the expense of a new election — some £10 or £12— by a silly freak ou the part of Mr Gray, who, having voluntarily vacated his seat, is now desirous of re-occu--pying it, the polling will take place ou Friday, commencing at nine and closing at six o'clock, the candidates heing the gentleman whose temper drove him out of the position to which he had been elected, and Mr Crewd- I son a new aspirant to municipal honors, but a shrewd practical man of business, who is not likely to commit himself as his opponent has dove. It would be well for the ratepayers to bear in mind that the question upon which they are asked to give a decision is, not as Mr Gray is ingeniously trying to make them believe, whether the public works arc to be let by contract — it is universally allowed that where practicable tenders * should be always called for— but whether a ' Councillor who has, or fancies he lias, a grievance, is justified in running out of the

Chamber in a passion, sending in his resignation in a pet, and then coolly asking to be immediately returned to the position from which he had of his own free will retired. Mr Gray's foolish action in the Council Chamber puts him out of court altogether on the question of tenders or no tenders. He should have, fought that out to its end iv the Council, and then, if defeated, he might perhaps have had some slight excuse for appealing to his constituents. Instead of thafc, however, he first of all made some groundless charges against an officer of the Council and then ran away, and vow, seeing the mistake he then made, he is desirous of being reinstated in tlie position from which he, in a moment of folly, retired. Should the ratepayers express their approval of his conduct by re-electing him they will be establishing a very undesirable aud inconvenient precedent. Tiie Harmonic Society's periodical concert, consisting of miscellaneous selections, will bo given at the Provincial Hall this evening. The autumn fruit and flower show, under the auspices of the Nelson Horticultural Society, will be held at the Provincial Hall on Friday next. The number of exhibits, especially of grapes and apples, will, we fear, be smaller than usual, but in other respects the show is likely to be quite up to the average of its predecessors. A mkm her of the American firm who are now displaying for sale their Yankee notions in Mr Joues' shop in Trafalgar-street attracted a small crowd round him this morning at the Trafalgar-street drinking fountain, where he was extolling the quality of the wares he had for sale, and giving practical proofs of their excellence. Judging from the talking power he exhibited during the five minutes for which we had the pleasure of listening to his ceaseless flow of eloquence, we should say that he had mistaken his vocation ; he ought to have been a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. A match between the City and Stoke Rifles was fired yesterday morning at the Maitai Butts, when the latter were again the conquerors, the scores being— Stoke 381, City Rifles 343. There being nine of the town men against eight of the country corps it was agreed to allow the latter the average of the scores made by their team, which was 4-2. Lieut. Paynter did not fire. The half-yearly meeting of the members of the Naval Brigade was held at the Custom House Hotel last evening. The Secretary read an exhaustive report upon the progress of the Company during the last three years. The balanco sheet showed the Brigade to be iv a sound financial condition. The expenditure during the last six months was stated to have reached the respectable sum of £116 2s 4d. The report aud balance sheet were adopted, The following members were elected as a working Committee for the ensuing year:— Boatswain Cullen, P.O 's Dayman, Fathers and Crowdis, Seamen Wakelin aud Simmonds. Lieut. Simpson was unanimously re-elected Secretary for the forthcoming year. It was decided that the winter uniform should be made of blue serge, and that tenders for making the same be called for immediately. .Lieut. Gully was promoted to the post of Captain, and Sub-Lieutenant Simpson to First Licuteuaut. Mr Tribe was elected Sub-Lieutenant. The newly elected officers returned thanks, and afterwards the main-brace was spliced, which was more acceptable to the Jack Tars thau the speeches. The remainder of the evening was devoted to amusement, several capital songs being sung, and the company broke up at eleven o'clock. How to meet the winter. After the debilitating heat of summer, the constitution is ill-fitted to encounter the sudden climatic changes of winter. The interval between the two seasons is the time to brace up the system to encounter the variations of temperature to whichit will be subjected. Taken three or four times a day during the autumn and at the beginning of winter Udolpiio Wolfe's Schiedam Aromatic Schnapps fortifies the system against coughs, colds, rheumatism and other complaints incident to the latter season. — Advt.