THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 29, 1 February 1879, Page 2

THE WEE K.

Somebody said in my hearing yesterday that he was surprised that the newspapers were keeping so quiet over the election, the preliminaries of which are now creating such a hubbub in our usually quiet community. When thus brought under my notice it certainly did seem a little strauge, so I looked up the reports of the meetings, and after duly perusing them found that after all there waa very little for the papers to say. The two candidates are both good men and true

and there is every reason to believe that either the one or the other would stand up for the rights of Nelson in the House, and, added to this, their opinions as expressed are so similar that the choice is made still more difficult. They seem to think pretty nearly alike on the question of taxation, they both want the members of the Legislative Council to be elected, each is prepared to make an alteration in the licensing laws, one after the other promised to do what the Good Templars asked them j one would like to retain the trifling duty that was placed on Imported I flour and grain, the other prefers to see i it removed, and here there certainly is a difference,- bnt a very slight one, between | them; and both have sti'ong personal claim*} on the electors. " Ah," says somebody, " but ' see how totally at Variance they are on the education question." Are they? Suppose we look nt their si'eeChe*** and see. Both declare themselves to be opposed to denominational, hoth say they are in favor of secular, education. There is no occasion to follow them through all their arguments on this question for after all they are narrowed down to this point. One says: -" Keep the present Act in force, make the time at which history is to be (might the final portion of the school hours and allow the Catholic children to withdraw " ; the other, " strike out history altogether so lhat all may participate alike in everything that is taught." Not only do I fail to see much difference between them on this question but I detect another point of similarity, namely, that both consider the teaching of history of such small importance that whether it forms an item in the school programme or not is to them a matter of perfect indifference. They will find many who differ from them on this head, but that does not matter as between the two. With the views the candidates have expressed | before them it seems to me that the electors | have ouly to decide which of the two is most I likely lo earnestly and efficiently guard their [ iuterest. in Parliament. ' Mr Pitt read a quotation on Thursday from I the Tituarti Herald, ia wbich the "writer j referred to him as a rising lawyer, a man of I considerable ability, and one who was likely | to make a good member if he could rid himself of the idea that Nelson was the centre I of the universe. Most people in Nelson, if i not all, will be disposed to endorse the words [ of praise bestowed upon Mr Pitt, aud even if be was of opinion, wbich I am quite sure he is not, that Nelson is " the centre of the universe " in the metaphorical sense of the words, nobody here would consider that a very objectionable article of his creed. But I should like to take the opportunity of pointing out to the writer in the paper named that nobody here considers that Nelson's position is so all important a one as he seems to think that they and those who represent, or seek to represent, them believe. We know perfectly well that there are other towns and districts of far greater importance than Nelson can ever hope to be, and all we claim is that the powers tbat he shall regard her not as the '•centre " but as an integral part of the universe. What they seem to desire is to to shut her out altogether, and that is exactly what we object to. We are quite willing to admit that there are far brighter planets revolving round the " centre " whercevcr they may be, but what we waut is to be allotted at least a place in the general system. Perhaps if tbe writer in the Herald and others who revile and sneer at Nelson were to endeavor to understand the reason ableness of her request instead of crediting her with demands she has uever shown any disposition to advance, tbey might be more disposed to grant to her a more favorable consideration. It really is astonishing to what trifling causes great events may occasionally be traced. As an illustration of this, I will quote a recent event that occurred iv this town, which it is quite possible may have a serious effect upon a leading feature in the politics of the country. lam told that it had been arranged that a prominent supporter of one of the candidates _or the honor of representing us iv the Assembly wa9 to make a speech on a late important occasion, so, in order to heighten the effect of bis utterances, he arrayed himself in his best black coat, and was wending his way to tbe building whose walls were to resound with his oratory when he was told that somebody else had been told off to perform the duty originally allotted to him. Such an indignity was, of course, sufficient to bring about au entire revolution in any man's political opinions, so in the afternoon the slighted i one changed his coat, and, a little later on, tendered his allegiance to the opposite party! Now I want to know where is the man bold enough to assert that upon tbis may not depend the fate of the educational system of this great and glorious Britain of tbe South? Who at the present moment can, with any degree of confidence in what he is saying, deny that, owing entirely to that coat having been put on to no purpose, Adams mny beat Pitt, or Pitt. Adams? lam not going to pive any clue to inquisitive people by hinting in whose favor the useless donning of tbat sable garment is likely to operate The ideas of some people at home with regard to tbe means of communication between the old country and New Zealand are a little hazy, many of them thinking that we are completely out of the world, and oDly occasionally receive news in a disjointed and fragmentary manner of what ia going on elsewhere. A striking instance was recently brought under my notice. By the last San Francisco mail a resident here received a letter from an old maiden aunt living in Scotland. Having delivered herself of her budget of news, she concluded by sayiug, "By the way, I daresay it will interest you to hear that the City of Glasgow Bank has failed, which has caused a great deal of misery here," &c. Bless her old heart ! I fancy she would be a little astonished to learn that thirty-six hours after the Bank had closed its doors the fact was known throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand. P.

question in his speech, and I could not, for ' this reason vote for him. He said, " Yea," that he had gone further in his speech on that question than he intended, but that his Committee urged him into it. And I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing the same to be true, aud by virtue of an Act of the Geueral Assembly of New Zealaud, entituled " The Justices of the Peace Act, 1866." Bernard Coxdell. Declared at the City of Nelson this thirtieth day of January, 1879, before me, Alfred Grb.nfield, a Justice of the Peace for the Colony of New Zealand.