NELSON INSTITUTE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 54, 4 March 1878, Page 2

NELSON INSTITUTE.

To the Editor of the 'Evening Mail.' Si*,— Are the outside public to know nothing of the present state and future prospects of the Nelson Itistitute and Museum ? It is true that at the annual meeting of the members a report was read and a financial statement was given, followed by the reelection of the members of the Committee, with the exception of oue, whose place was filled up by electing J. R. Dodsou, Esq. Why not let the world know whether matters are really prospering or otherwise ?. The attention of those who might bo willing to support so useuil an institution niijht possibly be attracted. Your columns are always open to useful matters of this kind, and I am surprised at the absence of the repori;, &c> I am, &c, Lookek-on. [The omission is to be charged to the Committee, not to ourselves. — Ed. N.E.M.] To tug Editor of thk 'Evening Ma.ii,.' Sim,- "Tiswcll To have a giant's power aud strength; But indiscreet to use it as a giant." Some weeks since I read in your journal of a woman having been brought before a Nelson Bench of Magistrates, and who was fiued for drunkenness ; and was further charged with using profane lauguage ou two occasions, and this too in the presence of a constable ! Well, well ! She was fined £10 I

for each offence, or in default of payment to be imprisoned for four months! What would have been the sentence had this profaue language been used hi the preseuce of a Bishop? On reading a paragraph in a New South Wales newspaper, a paper jwith which I am well acquainted, the following paragraph attracted myattention. This is a correct copy:— "Profane Language, &c— David Lavender was brought up at the East Maitland police court, on Wednesday, before Mr W. Eckford, J. P., charged with having been drunk and disorderly, and making use of profane language iv Grant-street early that morning. He was further charged with having assaulted the police in the execution of their duty. Prisoner pleaded guilty to each charge, and was discharged for beiug drunk aud disorderly, fined LOs, or forty-hours imprisonment for the profane language, and 10s or forty-eight hours for assaulting the police." For some years I was clerk to a Bench of Magistrates in New South Wales, and the extreme penalty I was ever called upon to record in a case of profane language was £2: the Magistrates could have imposed £5, but never did so. Looking fairly at these cases, it appears something like using the giant' 3 strength indiscreetly, for Lavender's offence was far greater than that recently brought before the Nelson Magistrates, and it seems rather surprising that a Legislature should put such power into the hands of men who have so little discretion in using it. I am, &c, Latitude. Nelson, March 4, 1878.