The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JUNE 30, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 154, 30 June 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JUNE 30, 1879.

Were there any organised Opposition with an able leader iu whom the public could repose confidence there can no longer be any doubt that the task of defeating the present Ministry wouia be an easy one, if indeed br Friday week next, when the House is to meet, there were any Ministry left at all e±cept Sir George Grey, who appears to be far too autocratic in his ideas to get oh" with any colleagues. Mr Stout resigned last week and now the Treasurer, Mr Ballance, haa gone, and, whilst in the act of crumbling away, the Ministry has to meet the Parliament of the country. What with dissensions among themselves, and Maori disturbances, of their own fomenting, breaking outthrougnout the whole district from Wanganui to the White Cliffs, it will speak ill for the members on the other 9ide of the House if they are not able to form an Opposition strong enough to upset the present Government and to find among themselves men of sufficient ability to replace them. The Governor's speech, if a telegram just received is to be relied upon, is likely to prove a more interesting document than usual this year, as it is to contain a declaration of the whole Government policy on which they mean to stand or fall, instead of being the vapid, meaningless, production that it usually is. [Since the above was in type the report of the Ministerial break-up haa reached us.] An accident occurred at the Government Wharf yesterday morning to a little boy, who, while attempting to step on board the' Chaudiere, missed his footing, and fell into the water. Fortunately help was at hand and the youngster was rescued and hauled on board by means of a rope fastened round his waist, none the worse for his sudden immersion. The first monthly inspection of the Waimea Rifles took place on Saturday evening in Mr Andrews' barn, at Brightwater, Major Pitt being the Inspecting Officer. Owing to the inclemency of the weather there was not a very large muster. After drill the Major addressed them in complimentary terms on the selection of their officers, and the progress they had made in so short a time, and said that by the next monthly inspection he hoped they would be far enough advanced in their squad drill to enable him to recommend them to the Government fora supply of rifles. J The Town and Port Volunteers will muster in the Drill Shed at half-past seven this evening for the Commanding Officer's monthly inspection. The drawing for the prizes in St. Mary's Art Union will take place this evening, acd they will be obtainable to-morrow between 10 and 12 a.m., and two and four p.m. The dramatic entertainment of Thursday last having proved so great a success, it will be repeated in the Theatre Royal tomorrow evening, when those who were unable to attend before will have an opportunity of being present. The anniversary sermons of the Wesleyan I Church were preached to large and attentive congregations yesterday, by the Rev. R. •Bavin. A public and social assembly is to be held on Tuesday next, and is likely to be very successful, judging by the preparations which are in active progress. Tea will be served at 6 o'clock in the School-room, which has been re-stated, and fitted with new sunlights and will be tastefully decorated by the younger members of the congregation. The public meeting in the. Church will be addressed by the Ministers of all the Protestant Churches in the city— on the following topics —" The Church's outlook it the present day":— "Science and Religion, their true relations "— " Methods of Church Work and how to improve them >s^« Our Colonial Youth " and « The duty of the Christian to the Church v " The, Chojr^ham prepared some choice musur consisting of ! anthems solos, &c, which will be rendered under the leadership of the Organist, Mr Oglivie The meeting will be presided over by the Rev R Bavin. A special train will be provided leaving Fox Hill at 4.30 and returning from Nelson at 10 p.m. Altogether an enjoyable evening may be safely anticipated. The examination of the Richmond schools for ; the annual prize-giving took place on inday, and was undertaken by the Revs R Bavin and A. H. Sedgwick, the former taking the boys, and the latter the girls. In the presence of the friends and relatives of the pupils, the prizes were then presented to the winners. Both examiners expressed themselves highly pleased '■' with the good order of the children, and the creditable way m which they acquitted themselves during the examination. Before the pupils dispersed the Kev W. Rowse, in the name of the elder girls, presented Miss Spencer with a mark of their respect and esteem, in the shape of a large and 1 handsome album a present as unexpected aa it was well merited Mr Talbot, the Chairman of , the Committee' who was chairman also on thia occasion, on behalf of Miaa Spencer expressed that lady'a thanks, and the proceedings cloaed with he-arty chears for examiners and teachers The following is the prize list :-Gibi,9' ScHOOL.—lst Class : Louisa Saywell 1 Beatrice Neal 2. Second Division: Rose Croucher 1, Ellen Sutton 2, Annie Haase 3 2nd Class: Agnes Sutton 1, Gertrude Keen 2 Grace Rowse 3. 3rd Class : Edith Lankow 1, Kate Keen 2, Alsiere Bell 3, 4th Class - Annie Read 1, Minnie Lammas 2, Minnie Croucher 3. sth Class: Ellen Lammas l Ellen Avery 2, Annie Hammond 3. 6th Class : Ada Sutton 1, Minnie Hammond 2 Extra Prizes were also given to Grace Croucher, Emily Lusty, Janie Haycock Bessie Rogers. Boys' School.— Tat Class • John Harkness 1, Alfred Talbot 2. 2nd Class : Leonard Holdaway 1, Adam Rowse 2, Daniel Gifford 3. 3rd Class: William Wilkes, 1, William Luety 2, Alfred Malcolm 3, Alan Paton 4. 4th Class : Albert Wilkes 1, David Tanner 2, Owen Stone 3, Edgar , e , r r 4 ; sth Cla » 8 : Herbert Sutton 1, Hedley Malcolm 2. 6th Class: Arthur Tasker 1, George Tovey 2 7th Class : Charles Massey 1, Frank Lammas 2, George Smith 3. A meeting of the Nelson members of the New Zealand Rifle Association was held on Saturday evening,, when Major Pitt was elected as the representative of the .district ia the Council. Resolutions were also passad recommending that the head quarters of the Association should be where the firing ta&s I

place, and that the permanent Secretary should be a resident there, also that the members of the Range Committee should be non-competitors. The disadvantage of the Secretary residing at a distance was 9hown last year very plainly, as there is a large amount of preliminary work to be done in m *j ci I°S1 °S tbe necessary arrangements, all of i ch j aat eat f ell upon the local secretary and officers who> in addition to the loss of time, were put to the expense (which had to be tnet out; of their own pockets) of f recent trips to the butts, the chief Secretary meanwhile drawing his salary in Wellington tyhere, of course, he was useless so far as the local arrangements were concerned. Than Mr Stevens it would hot be easy to find a better Secretary of one who i3 better up to the business of the meeting, but it is evident that some new arrangements will have to be made with reference to the preparatory work that has to be done. The Australasian of the 31st May states that Mars, in the constellation Pisces, becomes visible in the Eastern sky about an pour after midnight. He is uow approach' ing Saturn, and on the night of the 30th June, about two hours before sunrise of July 1, these two planets will be so close as to appear to the naked eye as one body. Such a close approach as this is a very rare phenomenon, and does not happen once in a century. Mtt Bryce who waa appointed to enquire into the charges of stuffing the electoral roll of the Bay of Islands has sent in a lengthy report to the Government, in the concluding paragraph o£ which he hits out all totlnd asserting that everybody conuected with the affairs seems to be to blame. He says:— " It will probably be observed that scarcely any one, concerned seems to cotile well out of this inquiry, and this circumstauce has occurred forcibly to my own own mind In further illustration of this curious feature of the case, I would direct attention to a circular which was produced in evidence by Mr John Lundon, and will be found in his evidence. Ihis circular unmistakably advises the packing of the electoral roll for a special piirpose in as gross a manner ife regards the qualincatijns as ever was attempted by Mr Lundon. Yet it has come to my knowledge that it has been accepted without demur, and acted on with avidity, by gentlemen of the anti-Lundon faction, who are loud in their condemnation of the tactics pursued by their opponent. It has produced a singular effect on my mind to see that these gentlemen have a high sense of their own honor, and would feel greatly pained to find it impugned. Yet it is evident that in their minds the packing of the roll may be right or wrong according as it serves or obstructs a special purpose or party prejudice. If, however, the peculiar circumstances of the district are considered— the sparse European population, the isolated communities, and the preponderance of the Native people— there ia perhaps little cause for surprise ; for in such a district, where Press criticism must be unfelt, and public opinion without existence, arbitrary exercise of power and immoral political manoeuvres can have no sufficient check. In some of the petitions into which t have been directed to inquire, the subject is raised of the Maori dual vote. This is a political question upon which I hold decided opinions, but I can scarcely think that it was intended that I should express them here, and accordingly I have scrupulously kept them in the background not only in this report, but throughout the inquiry. Still, I think I am justified remarking, by way of conclusion, that the evidence which I have taken, and which *L herewith submit to your Excellency, will be found .to be highly instructive eveu on that point."