The Nelson Evening Mails. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 202, 25 August 1880, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mails. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1880.

A question of no little importance to this district was put to the Government yesterday by Mr Pitt, to whom, as the originator of the idea, the whole community will, in the event of his proposition being successfully carried out, be deeply indebted. It was. to this effect :— Whether, in the event of a Bill being introduced at the next session by a private member, providing for the construction of the Nelson and Greymouth railway, and containing provisions similar to those contained in the " Nelson, Cobden, and Westport Eailway Land Act, 1866," the Government will consent, and give their support, to such a Bill ? Mr Oliver* reply was that the Government will gladly givo every facility for obtaining the construction of this railway by some such means as those referred to, but they could not, of course, bind themselves to aid in the passing of the Bill intended to be introduced next year until they had had an opportunity of Beeing it. The Provincial Act referred to, as will, no doubt, be remembered, gave power to reserve the land from sale along the proposed route, and to enter into a contract for the construction of a railway, to be paid for in land having drainage to the valleys through which it was to run, at a rate Dot exceeding 10,000 acres per mile, none of the land to be granted until the whole live was constructed. This Act was repealed in 18G8, when another one was passed to meet the views of the probable contractors, and it was then provided that on the completion of each twenty miles of railway, payment, might be made at a rate not exceeding 5000 acres per mile. The beer tax, it will be seen by our telegrams, was last night reduced from sixpence to threepence. The division list shows that it was not considered as a party question, the Government measure being supported by several members of the Opposition, and opposed by many of those who usually support them. All the Nelson members voted for the reduction with the exceptioa of Mr Gibbs. Mr M'i.ean gave notice that he would move the recommittal of the Bill with the view of restoring the tax to the amount originally proposed, but it is scarcely likely that the large majority of nine in a House of 73 would be reversed, as it is to be presumed that the members who voted for the smaller sum did not do so without being fully aware of what they were doing. Three vacancies being about to occur in the City Council by the retirement by rotation of Crs. Crewdson, Harley, and Johns, who are all eligible for re-election, nominations will be received at the Town Clerk's office up to Tuesday neil at noon. The poll, if necessary, will be held on the 9th September. James Smith, a resident in the Maitai Valley, was arrested to day on a charge of stealing a mattress, pack saddle, and other articles from his neighbor J. Dwyer. He was remanded until Monday, and admitted to bail. The schedule to the Property Assessment Act Amendment Bill, which shows the form in which the returni are now to be sent in, will be found on the fourth page. It has the advantage of being much simpler, and of entering far less into details than the original form. The breakage of the telegraph lines to the South must extend over a considerable number of miles, as communication has not yet been restored with any Btation south of Kaikoura. There should be a large budget of interesting news when the line is repaired. Tne third of the course of lectures now being held under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association was delivered in the Temperance Hall last evening by Dr. Monckton. The chair was taken by the Rev R. Bavin, Vice-President of the Association, and there was a fair attendance of the public. The first part of the lecture which treated chiefly of the muscular and nervous system of the human body, proved very attractive, not only from the manner in which it was treated by the lecturer, but also from the excellent diagrams exhibited by lime light, with which is wbb illustrated. At the conclusion of the scientific part of the lecture, Dr Monckton. gave an interesting and humorous narrative of his adventures while in the Baltic fleet during the Russian war. These included an account of a Bhip on fire, a ship in action, and a ship ashore. At the close of the lecture votes of thanks were accorded to the lecturer and chairman, and also to Mr Wilkins for his kindnesß in supplying the lime light apparatus. The receipts on the Nelson section of the colonial railways, we are glad to see, continue

to show an improvement each month, those for the four weeks ending 26th June being £578, against £490 for the corresponding period of last year, the principal increase being in the goods traffic, which showed £271 against £199. The number of first-class passengers continues about the same, being 541 against 555, while the second class had risen from 3927 to 4424. The total receipts on this line for April, May, and June were £2002, and the total expenditure £1493, the average for a twelve- monthly period to the 26th June being, receipts per mile £433, expenditure per ruilo £323. The total fourweekly receipts of the whole of the railways to the 26th June were £60,534, and the total expenditure for the aarue period £43,496. A handsome present has been made to the Nelson Carbine Clubby Mr Alex. M'Gee, who sent over from Wellington by tho hwt Bteamer two silver Cupß, which are now on view at the Nelaon Hotel. The terms upon which the smaller one is to be fired for are left to the Committee. The larger of the two, which is supported by three carbines and stands some fifteen inches in height, is to be a Chanpion Cup, andj as such, to be won three times before becoming the property of nny oue individual. The thoughtfulness and liberality of Mr A. M'Gee are highly appreciated by the members of the Club. The Wellington Chronicle of Monday says: —It will doubtless cauae a general feeling of regret to learn that the illness which has prevented Mr Sheehan from attending in his place in the House during the last few days is really of a more serious nature than was generally supposed. The ailment from which Mr Sheehan is sufferiug is an acute attack of quinsy, a malady to an attack from which he is peculiarly subject, and which when of an aggravated character is usually accompanied by serious frebile symptoms. It is to be hoped Mr Sheehan will be soon restored to hiß usual health. [We are glad to learn from our telegrams to-day that Mr Sheehan was able to be in his place in the House last night.] A Wellington paper saya t — The Hinemoa, the Hawea, and Te Anau had a race a few days ago, and the Government yacht got beaten all to fits ; but the imperturbable Fairchild turned never a hair, and saved his own credit and the good fame of his boat thus :—" What's the use of racing a boat when the blessed Government has taken ten per cent off the screw ?" The Times of Saturday 6ays :— The result of the debate upon the Estimates, which concluded yesterday morning, is a reduction in the total of about £110,000. From this, however, must be deducted the amount of the Supplementary Estimates, which, we hear, will be covered by about £30,000. Hence, the saviug will be from £85,000 to £90,000. Add to this the value of the ten per cent, reduction in the Civil Service salaries, and a total of about £200,000 will be reached.