The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 135, 7 June 1880, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1880.

A meeting of the unemployed in Canterbury this morning decided upon petitioning the American Government to assist them to remove with their wives and families to the United States, but, judging from recent accounts received from there, we can scarcely think that their request will be acceded to, for employment on the continent of America does not appear to be any more plentiful than in the Australian colonies. There can be do doubt that tbis question of finding work for the many hundreds— we may almost say thousands — who are now seeking it, is one that is like to assume very grave proportions this winter. With all the crowds of immigrants that have been poured into the colony the steady prosecution of public works has became an absolute necessity, the only alternative being a large amount cf dire distress. But the money- in hand is coming | to an end, and we are debarred from borrowing more for tho next two years, and thus the Government are placed in a position bristling with difficulties, and one from which it is not easy to say how they are to escape. We shall watch with some interest the result of the proposed petition to the American Government. A large number of the Masonic and other friends of the late Mr John Jervis left town about one o'clock to-day for Eichmond, | where the funeral was to take place this ' afternoon,

The Naval Brigade having decided a short' I time ago to erect a tombstone over the remains of their respected comrade, Captain Gully, the order was entrusted to Mr Eobert Simpson, monumental mason, and he has just completed the work. The Btone is massive and handsome, and bears the following inscription :—' Erected by the Nelson Naval Brigade in memory of their late comrade, Captain Philip Lewis Gully, died July 30, 1879, aged 32 years.-— " Death is swallowed up in victory." — 1 Cor. 15, 54.' It is now ou view at Mr Simpson's yard in Hardy-street, and will bo erected in the course of a day or two. We are requested to call attention to an error that occurred in the preliminary announcement of the holiday ball to be given under the auspices of the Tradesmen's Athletic Club, which is to take place on Eriday instead of Thursday evening next. This members of the Acclimatisation Society and others who take an interest in seeing our rivers well stocked with English fish that will afford good sport to the angler and a delicacy for the dinner table will be glad to learn that just previous to the late rains, when the rivers were low, numbers of trout were to be seen in the Motueka River as far up as Messrs Ellis Brothers' station, and one was taken a few weeks ago out of a shallow pool on the fordway near Bromell'a Accommodation House which weighed a little over 12lbs, and some even larger were seen in the deep water higher up the river. They have also found their way up the Wangapeka to where the Rolling River flows into it, and some of the miners there not knowiug what kind of fish they were endeavored to catch them, until others who had more experience in such matters, upon closer examination, pronounced them to be trout, some of them, it is said, being two feet long. In the Wairoa a great many have been seen during the dry weather, and only a few days ago two or three very fine ones were seen swimming about under the Wairoa Bridge, whilst higher up the river among the rocks they appear to be getting numerous. The salmon that were turned out in the Wairoa and Motueka rivers two years ago should soon be showing themselves, and we shall be glad at auy time to receive information from those who may chance to see them. EegardiDg the prospects of the session, the Post of Friday says: -It is notorious that many members of the late Opposition party are resting on their oars pending the delivery of the Financial Statement, and that it depends on the nature of the Ministerial proposals in this important matter whether they will " row in the same boat " with the Government, or give their services in a new Opposition. Nor must it be forgotten that their adverse action will depend in some cases lesson the actual merit or demerit of the proposals than on the greater or less chance they offar of being used successfully as a means of bringing about a change of Ministry. No doubt the Government are fully alive to this, and will act accordingly, but it must be obvious thateven on this one pointalone there is complete uncertainty as to the course of events, which may tend either greatly to abbreviate or indefinitely to prolong the sitting of Parliament. We cannot utter a better aspiration, either for members themselves or for the country, regarding the present session, that it may have " A short life and a merry one."