The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 191, 12 August 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1879.

A " crowded and enthusiastic " meeting was held in the Grahamstown Theatre last night, when the thanks of the district were Toted to Sir George Grey and his Ministry for starling the Thames and Waikato railway. This is not to he wondered at. Indeed it would have indicated the basest ingratitude on the part of Sir George's constituents if they had failed to tender some acknowledgement of the services he had rendered, for see what he had done for them. For their sake he had set the Parliament of the couutry at defiance, althongh tbis is nothing new or unusual for Sir George ; for their sake he had committed the colony to an expenditure of over £300,000 when the Parliament who authorised the railway did not intend to exceed £160,000; for their sake be had reduced the chances of such places as Nelson, Marlborough, and the West Coast of this island receiving that amount of justice and consideration to which they are entitled at the haud of the Minister for Public Works. If there are any people in the colony who ought to toss up their hats and give a cheer for Sir George Grey, those people are his constituents at Grabamstown, to purchase whose favor he has dipped so largely into the colonial purse. Simultaneously with the close of the session there seems to have occurred a general collapse of everything in the shape of news. Our telegraphic column is exceedingly bare to-day, and " locals " are lamentably scarce. However, the present state of dulness will not last long, for within a week the elections will be providing plenty of life and animation. The postponement until Friday next of the soiree tbat was to have been held in tbe Wakefield Chorai Hall last night was rendered necessary by the state of the weather and the roads. There was a heavy flood in the Wai-iti, and every l ; kelihood of some of those living on the banks of the river being considerable losers by their land being washed away. A telegram frora Oamaru says that for some time past sixty Maoris, who had settled on Omarama run, on the Waitaki river, have been killing a number of sheep, and the Government have determined to remove them. With that object in view, twelve mounted troopers have left Oamaru, armed with carbines and revolvers, and should the Maoris refuse to leave they will be arrested and brought down to gaol. The London correspondent of the Post telegraphs:— Advices from the Cape state that a report is current that Sir Garnet Wolseley censured Lord Chelmsford for attacking Ulundi without first consulting him. This is believed to be the reason why Lord Chelmsford sent in his resignation. The Boers are again proving troublesome, aod it is feared that they may succeed in complicating the negotiations now being carried on with the Zulu chiefs by Sir Garnet Wolseley. In the course of the debate which took place in Committee of Supply the other day, Mr McLean protested against money being sent Home for materials for the railways that could be obtained within the colony. The following is from the N. Z. Times of Friday -.—ln the Legislative Council on Wednesday the Hon. Mr Waterhouse moved, " That, in the opinion of this Council, the action of the Government in commencing the Hneof railway from the Waikato to the Thames at Grahamstown was a violation of both the letter aDd the spirit of the law." In a long discusaion, during which the illegality of the whole transaction was fully exposed, the Colonial Secretary was left entirely alone to defend bis colleagues. Finally, the resolution, wbich was, we believe, one of the most condemnatory and most damaging ever recorded, was allowed to pass on the voices without a division. Seeing that the Legislative Council is largely composed of nominees of the present Ministry, the ingratitude of the most recent additions' to the Council was most remarkable. There was not a single hon. member who was prepared to volunteer to help the lame dog over the stile ; the lame dog being in this case represented by Colonel Whitmore, whose defence was given in baiting terms, and was in other respects also a very lame one. Neither was there any apparent likelihood of the defence set up meeting with any support. We should not have been surprised to see the Hon. Colonel Whitmore, like Eclipse— first; the rest nowhere, i.e., in the Opposition liat, if the gallant Colonel had ventured to call for a division. It is not often that the Lords take a very decided course, but their action is thus denouncing an utterly illegal proceeding will be commended throughout the land, as was their refusal to allow tbe iniquitous dual Maori vote to become law last year. The Grahams-

town railway was undertaken by the Government in order to buy political support, and this disgraceful fact has heen fully proved. Under the heading « Immense Attraction! I ositirely the last night of the popular performers who are nightly attracting crowds to the Parliamentary Buildings," the following amusing skit in the shape of a programme appears in thc advertising columns of the Post :— " Overture— *La Dissolution'—Company! Quadrille— 'Les Rats'— Messrs 13arff, Wakefield, Olliver, and Hobbs; Song (in character)— £ The Mountebank'— Sir G. Grey; Lament— 'Farewell, farewell, my Gallant Grey'— ilr Roes; Song— 'Silent I Sit'— lion Mr Fisher; Reading (encored — *Th«? f^rcat Lone Bill'— Sir G. Grey; Cuorus— 'Let the Bill .'ass* — Company; Song— 'Kewi's message'—Mr Rolleston; Chorus— 'Tell us the old, old Story'— Supporters of Sir G. Grey; Stump Oration— 'One mau's aa good as another, and a great deal better'— Sir G. Grey; Song— 'Pour out the I? .__.'— Mr Manders;.Recitation—'The cold water cure'— Sir W. Fox; Scotch Patriotic Song— 'There'll ne'er be peace till Jamie gangs harne'— Hon James Macandrew; Shakesperean Heading — Scene from Henry IV.— Prince Hal strikes the Chief Justice, aud is committed for contempt—Mr Barton; (If encored the hon gentleman will substitute his celebrated Irish sketch, 'DoOnybrook Fair,' as given with immense applause on the reporters' table at the Arcade); Old Pakeha Ballad— 'The Nut Brown Maids'— Hon J. Sheehan; Soug (loudly demanded') 'Resignation' — Minister?,- Song— 'Go, then! 'tis vain to hoyer ."—Sir \V. Fox; Musical Recitation (with obligato accompaniment on his own ti umpet)— Tity the Sorrows of a Poor Old Man!'— Sir G. Grey; Chorus— 'Home to our Mountains'— Company; Highland Fling (at Sir George Grey), very spirited— Hon G. M'Lean; To conclude with the Chorus— •When Shall We All Meet Again?"— By Leading Members of the Com pan}'. First fiddle Sir W. Fox, Second fiddle Sir G. Grey, Corner Men. Messrs Wakefield and Rees, Mr Johnson Hon G. M. O'Rorke; New Scenes!! New Sentiments!! New Promises!!! and No Performances!!!!.— lf sufficient in" ducement offers, thc popular farce of 'Patriotism' (adapted from the French of 'L'Autocrat') will be presented to tbe public for just what it is worth, followed by the screaming extravaganza of 'A Free Breakfast Table.'— God Save the Queen." The followiug is an extract from Mr Ma.andrew's public works statement, and in reading it, it is difficult to believe otherwise than that Mr Blair bad been fully impressed with Mr Macandrew's views on the subject before framing his report which we published the other day :— Amberley to Cook Strait.— It will be recollected that it was no part of the original proposals of the Government last year to have undertaken this work— in the meantime at least— and that it was out of deference to the strong feeling of injustice manifested by the whole of the Nelson mem - bers, and to the desire of members of the House generally, that this line was placed upon the schedule, and £60,000 appropriated towards its commencement. I confess that, amid the many conflicting opinions which were expressed with regard to this line, and in the absence of any reliable data upon j which to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion ! on the subject, it was with considerable reluctance that I consented to the proposal to place it on the Sehedule. Having done so, however, I felt bouud to see that the necessary steps should be taken to enable the work to be proceeded with, and, accordingly, for several months past, a survey has been going on, with a view of deciding on a proner course for the Hue to be taken. A very carefully considered and exhaustive report upon the proposed lines in the northern part of the Middle Island has been laid upon the table, from which it wiil be seen that there are greater difficulties in the way of railway operations in that part of the Colony than probably were anticipated.