The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 66, 17 March 1880, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1880.

An advertisement appears elsewhere calling a meeting of the shareholders of the Nelson Jam and Emit Preserving Compauy at Mr Budden's to-morrow evening. We are very glad to hear that there is every probability of this Company beiug floated at once, and doubt not that uuder careful management it will prove a renumerative undertaking. Some alarm was caused yesterday by the prolonged absence from his home of Mr Wright who lives in * Hardy- street, and who went out for a walk up Btook street Valley on Monday morning, and had uot returned up to a late hour yesterday afternoon, but all fears were allayed by his arrival in the evening when he had a story to tell of an unpleasant adventure. It appears that he started with the intention of walking up Brook-street Valley and along the range to Poor Man's Valley, but he passed the latter and did not

discover bis error until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon he found himself on the bank of a river in which was a considerable volume of wa'er, and which, he felt sure, as it afterwards proved to be-, Was the Wairoa. He then aSbetidfed the range to his right in the hope of seeing where Nelsou lay, expecting to see the lighthouse from tbe top but he did not do so, and being pretty well knocked up with his day's travels be lighted a _3re aud Camped for the night. Tbe uext day (yesterday) he was again wandering about for some time until at last he again descended to the river, and following it down he arrived about two p.m. &t Mr Stratford's where he obtained something to eat and rested for a while, and then started for Nelson where he arrived iv the evening to the great delight of his wife and daughter who bad been caused no little anxiety by his prolonged and unaccountable absence. We understand that Capt. Bunny received a telegram to day f row Col. Packe asking if: Capt. Webb could be spared to proceed to Canterbury for the Easter review in order to act as Brigade Major. An answer in the affirmative having been despatched, Capt. Webb will start fot Christchurch in uext Thcsday s steamer. At Mr McGee's Nelson Hotel there are now to be seen two very handsome silver mounted Russian leather belts subscribed for by the Licensed Victuallers of Nelson, and which will be presetted to the Volunteers to be competed fdr annually, one by riflemen and the otber ty the Artillery and Naval Brigade, who use Aarbines. The belts, which were made iv London, are of first class workmanship, and iij general appearance •.will compare favorably] with any of those worn by our late Volun«er visitors. -" The tea and public tnfeting last night in celebration of the re opening of the Congregational Church, was vfry numerously attended, about 350 sitting down to tea. The public meeting was presided over by the Rev W. Fell, and interesting addresses were de'ivered by tho Revs Bavin, Beckeuham, Hamilton, and Rovvse. Tbe report was read, showing a membership of 130 as against 112 last year, although sixteen members had in the meantime removed to other parts of the colony. Erom the balance sbeet presentedby the Treasurer it appeared that over .£SOO had been contributed towards the general and building funds since the last annual meeting. At the re-opening services on Sunday the Church was crowded, and the collections altogether, including tickets for the tea, have amounted to £40. The following tenders have been accepted for clearing the bush two chains wide for the telegraph line hetweeu Motueka and Takaka: — Erotn Riwaka to the top of the range, five miles in length, Hall and Lunn, 6s per square chain. Erom the summit to Bate's accommodation house A. Chaytor, 7s lOd per square chain. The final meeting of the Volunteer Recep tion Committee will be held in the Council Chamber this evening nt eight o'clock. Mr Richmond, Mi11.., invites the electors to meet him at Richmond tbis evening, at Stoke tomorrow, and at Suburban North on Friday. Wa bave to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from Mr Erick Orr iv reference to the railway route, in which he expresses his willingness to " leave the matter vow to the intelligence of the people in the city, seeing' that the country does know tbeir duty," and hd hopes " the folk in the town cousider theirs." Ho considers that "we are now in the most critical portion of our history," &c., and hopes that he need not trespass again on our columns— a hope in which we heartily share. It will be seen by our Sydney telegrams that Mr A. Roberts :>n of Nelson has obtained the first priza for flax. The sample which he sent to Sydney was, Mr Robinson informs us, dressed hy the Maoris and dyed by himself. TnE following letter from Mr W. C, Hodgson, the Inspector of Schools, appears in the Wettport Times of the lath instant: — " Sir— A letter signed ' Rabbit,' which I saw for the first time yesterday, appeared in your issue of Eebruary 13th. Although the writer makes frequent and uncomplimentary references to myself, I am not greatly concerned to defend my own reputation, which, by this lime, may, I hope, be safely left to take care of itself. But oue portion of your correspondent's letter reflects so unfairly on the body by whom I am employed that I must crave space in your valuable columns to set the matter fairly before the public. The Nelson Board is charged with having " permitted me the privilege of accepting, in addition, the Inspectorship of the Marlborough schools with a distinct salary from that district." The same charge is emphasised further on by your correspondent's stigmatising me as " that favored pluralist," a term borrowed, -and egregiously rmaappli d by the borrower— from tbe well stoiod armoury of ecclesiastical abuse. Now a pluralist is, I presume, a clergyman who, holding more than one benefice, enjoys an additional income from the second, without doing any additional work. The public shall judge how fai* this definition applies to the present case, Aboufc two years ago, at the special request of the Marlborough Board, and with the full concurrence of the Nelson Board, I consented to undertake the Inspectorship of the former District, in addition to that of Nelson, but with out receiving one penny more than I hid hitherto been receiving as Inspector of Nelson alone. It was distinctly understood at the time that the increase of schools, and of clerical work would, sooner or later, necessitate the employment of a Secretary, and tbat the saving to the Nelson Board eflected by this arrangement would go far towards paying that officer's salary, the cost of inspection in Nelson being diminished by a fourth. "The favored pluralist" simply added largely to his labours, and the Board gained the difference between his former and his present salary. It has long been clear to everybody who knew anything about the matter thot the rapidly increasing work of the Board could not be carried on efficiently with its ■« staff " of a man aud a quarter— three quarters of an Inspector and half of an Assistant Secretary. With respect to the late appointment of un ephemeral Secretary, I feel pretty confident that all who know me, and mauy who do not know me, will believe my statement that I was not so much as consulted as to the application, the salary, or, above all, the appointment. Let me add that so far from sharing the Board's regret at the late Secretary's prompt resignation, I regard it, both for his sake and mine, with unfeigned satisfaction. To the few who are too malignant or too dull to understand what I mean in saying that I have no further explanation to offer. I have said my last word on the sub - jest " On the 23rd inst., a petition for the wind-ing-up of the West Wanganui Coal Company will be beard before the Supreme Court, at Wellington. The petition has been lodged by Mr James Mills, of Dunedin, who declare himself a creditor of the compauy. By a proclamation published iv the Gazette bis Excellency the Governor has appointed the Ist May next as the date on which the new electoral rolls, made after the passing of the last Electoral Acts, shall come into operation. The principle on which these rolls will be compiled is, we understand, as follows : — All names which are on the old rolls will be transferred to the new oDes, provided (1) that the voter resides in the district, or (2) owns a £25 freehold therein. Payment of rates no longer constitutes a franchise, but mere residence does, as also the possession pf a freehold worth £25, eyen if tbe

owner be not a resident in the district. Persons therefore wbo are registered as leaseholders or ratepayers, unless their place of residence is stated to be within the district tor which the roll is made up, will be formally objected to by the Registrar, aud notice of such objection sent to them. They will then have an opportunity of correcting their Qualifications, if able to do so, by describing it as residental or freehold, as the case may be, and furnishing the necessary information. If they do this their names will be included in the new rolls. — I'Ost.